BEST VPN 2025

Safe Unnoticed. Fast

Why you should trust us

This free VPN guide leverages the foundation of our comprehensive main VPN review.
Starting with an initial list of 77 VPN services, I narrowed the focus to 15 that offer a free subscription tier.
My research included reviewing expert opinions from publications like PCMag and Tom’s Guide, as well as incorporating critical perspectives from Ars Technica, Consumer Reports, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s VPN guide.
Finally, during hands-on testing, I carefully examined each VPN’s privacy policy and any available third-party audit reports to assess their security and transparency.”

Who this is for

A VPN works by encrypting your web traffic and routing it through a VPN company’s server before it reaches the public internet. This masks your real IP address, making it harder for trackers and advertisers to follow you across websites, and it can hide or spoof your location since IP addresses are geographically linked. Crucially, a VPN also prevents your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and others with network access from seeing your online activity.
While this sounds ideal, daily VPN use might not be necessary for everyone. In the US, HTTPS encryption already protects the content of most web traffic. Your ISP typically sees only website names, not specific pages or sensitive data. Furthermore, while VPNs obscure your IP address and location, other tracking methods remain available to advertisers and law enforcement. Experts also note that many historical Wi-Fi attack vectors are now less prevalent due to improved security protocols.
The landscape becomes even murkier with free VPNs, which often carry significant risks. Some have been implicated in user tracking, ad injection, or even outright spying.
However, VPNs remain valuable in specific scenarios. They are the most effective way to shield your online activity from your ISP, especially considering past instances of ISPs selling customer data. VPNs are also beneficial when traveling internationally, where HTTPS adoption may be less widespread, or whenever you’re using unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks. Journalists, activists, and marginalized groups rely on VPNs to bypass internet censorship.
For those circumstances, a VPN can be a worthwhile addition to your privacy toolkit, though often at a cost. Expect to pay around 1070 annually for a reputable VPN subscription. Fortunately, there are a few trustworthy VPNs that offer functional (albeit limited) free versions of their paid services, without resorting to exploitative practices

How we picked

We prioritize the following criteria when evaluating free VPNs:
Genuine “Free” Subscription: The VPN must offer a truly free subscription tier, not just a limited-time trial. This means it should be usable indefinitely without requiring a credit card or eventually charging you. Two-week trials or 30-day money-back guarantees do not qualify.
Basic VPN Functionality: The free VPN must provide core VPN functionality by encrypting web traffic and routing it through the company’s servers. This is the bare minimum for a VPN to be considered useful.
Privacy and Security Commitment: It cannot compromise the privacy and security of free users. Since VPNs route all traffic through their servers, the company has the potential to monitor or even sell user data. We only considered services that explicitly promise to protect user privacy and back this promise with regular, independent third-party audits.
Essential Features: While reputable free VPNs often restrict certain features for paying subscribers, the ideal free VPN still offers essential capabilities. This includes encrypting all web traffic, hiding your IP address, and providing some degree of location spoofing, without significantly hindering performance or imposing overly restrictive data caps.”

How we tested

Our evaluation process began with an initial list of 77 VPN services, from which we identified 15 offering a free subscription tier.
We then carefully analyzed the privacy policies and available third-party audit reports for each of those 15 companies. Finally, we assessed the limitations imposed on their free subscriptions to determine which would provide the most value to the broadest range of users.
Speed Testing Considerations
While VPN performance has improved, using a VPN almost always introduces some degree of slowdown. The impact varies significantly based on factors such as your internet connection quality, your location, the location of the VPN server, and the time of day. In our main VPN guide testing, we observed considerable speed variations across four US states.
Server load is another key determinant of VPN speed. Think of a VPN server as a single-lane tunnel with multiple roads feeding into it. When only a few users are connected, traffic flows smoothly. However, when the server is overloaded, all connections compete for bandwidth, resulting in slower speeds.
Reputable VPNs mitigate this by offering multiple servers in popular locations, automatically distributing users to less congested servers. This is often a limitation for free VPNs, which typically restrict access to a subset of their server network. During our speed tests, we observed inconsistent performance on one of Proton VPN’s free servers, with initial tests showing minimal impact but later tests exhibiting significant slowdowns.
Troubleshooting slow VPN speeds is challenging. If the app permits, you can manually select a server with a lower user load, usually displayed as a “load” indicator. Otherwise, toggling the VPN connection off and on may reassign you to a different server

Our pick: Proton VPN

Proton VPN distinguishes itself in the often-unreliable world of free VPN services by offering a trustworthy, unlimited-data experience. While the free plan lacks some premium features, it provides a solid foundation for everyday use. Unlike many free VPNs that function as limited trials or impose data caps, Proton VPN allows unrestricted data usage, making it a viable long-term option.
Although other free VPN providers like Hide.me, Hotspot Shield, Opera VPN, Planet VPN, Privado VPN, TurboVPN, and Zen VPN also offer unlimited data, Proton VPN surpasses them in terms of security reputation, user-friendliness, and straightforward pricing. Proton's commitment to security is further enhanced by its additional free services, such as secure email and cloud storage.
The free plan's limitations are manageable. Free users are restricted to servers in only five countries (Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the US), which may impact performance and ability to access geo-restricted content. This limitation is less impactful for US-based users, who will likely experience better speeds connecting to nearby servers. Premium features like multi-hop connections (routing traffic through two servers for enhanced security) are also reserved for paid subscribers. Multi-hop, while beneficial for heightened security, can significantly slow down browsing speeds and is unnecessary for most users. Lastly, the free plan allows only one simultaneous connection.
Proton VPN prioritizes security, evidenced by its easily understandable privacy policy and published transparency reports detailing interactions with law enforcement. The company explicitly states that it doesn't log browsing data, including website visits, IP addresses, or connection duration. These claims are further substantiated by independent, third-party audits of its no-log policy, with the third such audit conducted in 2024. While a 2021 incident involved Swiss authorities requesting IP address data from Proton's encrypted email service, Proton clarified that this did not affect VPN users and that no other relevant data was shared. Furthermore, Proton addressed the 2024 disclosure of the TunnelVision attack, confirming its Windows app's immunity and recommending enabling the kill switch on iOS and macOS devices to mitigate vulnerabilities.
While performance can be affected by the limited number of servers available to free users (resulting in inconsistent speeds), Proton addresses this by increasing server capacity during periods of high demand, such as elections. While suitable for privacy, the limited server locations restrict its effectiveness for bypassing geo-restrictions on streaming content. However, for privacy-focused users, the server selection, predominantly located in the US, is often sufficient, and the closest server generally offers the best performance. It's important to note that Wirecutter hasn't assessed the efficacy of any VPN in circumventing government surveillance, as such attempts carry inherent risks.

Other VPNs worth considering

TunnelBear stands out as one of our favorite VPNs due to its intuitive interface and consistent commitment to transparency, backed by seven years of annual audits. While it offers a free subscription, the 2 GB monthly data cap is restrictive, making it unsuitable for daily use and preventing us from recommending it as strongly as Proton VPN. However, TunnelBear differentiates itself by providing free subscribers access to its entire server network, making it an excellent option for those primarily seeking location spoofing capabilities.”

You need more than a VPN to protect yourself online

Here’s a rewritten version of that advice on additional steps for online security, beyond just using a VPN:
“While a VPN is a valuable privacy tool, it’s crucial to understand its limitations. No VPN can single-handedly protect you from all online threats, such as malware, scams, or phishing attacks. To truly enhance your online security, consider implementing these essential measures alongside VPN use:

• Employ a Password Manager: Strong, unique passwords are vital. A password manager, like 1Password or Bitwarden, generates and stores complex passwords for each of your online accounts, making it significantly more secure than relying on weak or reused passwords.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Whenever Possible: 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification method (e.g., fingerprint scan, code from an app, or security key) in addition to your password. This prevents unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.
• Block Ads and Trackers: Advertisers use trackers embedded in websites to monitor your online activity. A tracker blocker, such as the EFF’s Privacy Badger, enhances privacy and can also reduce the risk of encountering malicious ads that redirect to harmful sites.
• Consider Antivirus Protection: Antivirus software serves as a critical safety net, protecting against sophisticated malware threats that can be difficult to detect manually. Windows Defender is a built-in, free option for Windows users.
• Maintain Good Security Hygiene: Familiarize yourself with the security features built into your computer and web browser. Heed warnings about insecure websites, scrutinize URLs for potential phishing indicators, and ensure that your operating systems and applications are consistently updated with the latest security patches.”

What to look forward to

Since our previous evaluation, Proton VPN has introduced further restrictions to its free subscription tier. Users now encounter a timer when attempting to switch quickly between free servers, and the ability to select a preferred server has been removed. Instead, free users are automatically connected to the “fastest” available server determined by Proton.
Despite these changes, Proton VPN continues to offer unlimited data usage for free subscribers. This, combined with the company’s established reputation for privacy and security, still gives it a competitive advantage. However, we will need to re-evaluate Proton VPN’s overall standing in light of these new limitations and compare it to the few other free VPN services that also offer unlimited data.

The competition

After an initial assessment of 77 VPN services, we identified 15 offering a free subscription. However, many of these were quickly eliminated due to insufficient third-party audits or overly restrictive policies for free users. Here’s a summary of our findings:

• Bitdefender: Better known for its antivirus, Bitdefender’s free VPN is accessible only after allowing the paid trial to lapse. It limits users to three servers, one device at a time, and 500 MB of data per day.
• Hide.me: Offers unlimited data, like our top pick, but restricts users to eight server locations and one device. We would like to see a longer history of third-party audits to increase confidence in their practices.
• NordVPN: Does not offer a traditional free VPN. Instead, its Meshnet feature allows traffic routing between devices with NordVPN installed. While useful for some, it lacks the flexibility and location-spoofing benefits of a standard VPN.
• Opera: Provides a free, built-in VPN within its browser, with unlimited data and three server locations. However, it only protects web traffic originating from the Opera browser, which is too restrictive for most users.
• Windscribe: Limits free data usage based on email verification: 2 GB/month without, 10 GB/month with. While more generous than TunnelBear, it’s still insufficient for heavy use, and the audit history is less established than our top pick.
• Urban VPN: Raises significant privacy concerns. Their privacy policy explicitly states that user data, including anonymized browser activity, is used for generating marketing insights, which may be used internally or sold to other companies. We strongly advise against using Urban VPN and recommend our top pick instead.
• Other VPNs Evaluated and Eliminated: Aura, Avira Phantom VPN, Hotspot Shield, Planet VPN, PrivadoVPN, Steganos Online Shield, Turbo VPN, and ZenVPN.

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks

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