The best free VPNs: 5 no-cost top picks

Who should use Proton VPN?

If you’re looking for speed and excellent privacy in a free VPN then Proton VPN is your best choice. The only real limitation to this service is that you can only connect with one device at a time. Other than that, it’s practically a premium VPN.

The service comes from a trustworthy, privacy-focused company that has undergone multiple successful audits of its no-logs policy. The free version is also mercifully free of ads — a rarity among no-cost VPNs. You’ll be able to choose from five servers located all over the world including Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the U.S. Plus, the real kicker is that there are no data limits, meaning you can surf and stream to your heart’s content. This feature alone — no data limits — is reason enough to use Proton VPN; add in everything else and the competition for top spot isn’t even close.

Proton VPN’s free version even showed decent speeds in my tests, just going to show that this is the VPN to get if you don’t want to spend any money.

Proton VPN: Further considerations

The VPN is from the same company behind Proton Mail, a privacy-focused email service, so it’s very easy to integrate the VPN into the whole Proton ecosystem if you so wish.

The company has undergone multiple independent audits confirming its no-logs policy — that includes the free VPN, as well. If you decide to upgrade to the premium version the monthly price does come in at the expensive side, so make sure you try out the free version first before upgrading.

Who should use PrivadoVPN?

PrivadoVPN is a good option for just about anyone looking to use a free VPN. The good amount of global servers to choose from and ability to unblock streaming services means you can use it to stream while traveling for free.

The free version comes with 13 global servers to choose from, a generous 10 simultaneous device-connection limit, and up to 10GB per month of high-speed data. Most of the other free VPNs only match one of these features, but PrivadoVPN provides them all.

PrivadoVPN: Further considerations

While the PrivadoVPN does work to unblock streaming services, just be aware that streaming in HD will hit that 10GB data limit pretty fast. The 10GB-per-month data cap only applies to high speeds though, after you reach the cap you’ll still be able to use the free VPN but with throttled speeds. Privacy-conscious users should also be aware that the company has not yet completed an independent audit, but it does promise to abide by its no-logs policy for both the paid and free versions.

The only reason Proton VPN came out on top in this list is because it offers a truly unlimited free version. That doesn’t take away from PrivadoVPN though, as it’s about as close as you’re going to get otherwise.

Who should use CyberGhost VPN?

CyberGhost VPN provides an excellent VPN with plenty of servers optimized for different tasks such as gaming, streaming, and torrenting. While you do need to pay for the premium service, with access to all of its 9,000-plus servers and additional security features, CyberGhost also has a great browser extension that it offers for free. If you have either Chrome or Firefox you can download the extension without having to pay anything and enjoy access to a limited number of the VPN servers — currently sitting at eight servers in four countries. Additionally, you are able to connect and use these VPN servers without having to worry about bandwidth limits or data capping.

CyberGhost’s free version is ideal for users who don’t want to pay for a premium VPN service but also don’t want to worry about a monthly data cap. Plus, the fact that CyberGhost VPN’s free version is browser-based means that users who don’t want to bother downloading and setting up a new application can have the VPN simply based in either their Firefox or Chrome browser.

CyberGhost VPN: Further considerations

While being a browser-based VPN is certainly convenient, it does come with the drawback of being overly simplistic. You lose access to all of the robust features and tools included in the standalone VPN app.

Also, in my tests I found that the servers I used in the browser extension were not able to successfully unblock streaming servers. However, if you start using the free browser extension and decide you like CyberGhost, you can always opt for a premium membership, which can be as low as $3 a month for a long-term plan and even comes with a generous 45-day money back guarantee.

Who should use Windscribe VPN?

Those who want a free VPN with fast speeds and a generous helping of extra perks will find that Windscribe is the go-to option. In my testing, I noticed no discernible speed differences between the paid and free versions, and considering that the paid version already had great average speeds, that is a huge bonus.

Most free VPNs are only good for location spoofing with no real added features, and that’s why Windscribe is so good. It offers way more for users and the fact that it gives you up to 10GB of bandwidth means you can use it multiple times throughout the month before hitting the data cap. The free service offers 10 regional connections including the U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania. Plus, Windscribe does not use any virtual servers at all, meaning everything is a real physical server located in that region—a nice bonus for those concerned about server security and location spoofing.

It also has a ton of privacy features such as blockers for site notifications and “we use cookies” banners, WebRTC leak protection, user agent rotation, and more. The service is extremely easy to use with a simple setup and solid performance for a free VPN.

Windscribe VPN: Further considerations

While Windscribe’s free version does offer up to 10GB of data per month, to get that bandwidth you’ll need to confirm via email address — if not, you’re stuck at 2GB per month. Additionally, some users might be turned off of the interface which seems a bit over-designed and not as intuitive as it could be. Still, Windscribe is a great free option with very few downsides.

I not only recommend the Windscribe free service on its own, but also as an easy way to get to know the service before committing to a paid tier with premium features.

Who should use TunnelBear VPN?

I’ve always liked TunnelBear. It’s simple to use, affordable, and the speeds are fine. TunnelBear’s free VPN is best suited for those who need a one-and-done VPN experience. The 500MB data cap is quite restrictive, but you have access to all of the premium features from an excellent VPN service. This includes split-tunneling, a unique HTTPS masking feature, and your choice of multiple VPN protocols.

The idea is to provide a trial for testing out the service before making a bigger commitment. Thankfully, beyond the data limit, the free version of TunnelBear puts no restrictions on what features are available so you’re able to experience the full application for no charge.

TunnelBear VPN: Further considerations

TunnelBear’s data limit won’t allow you to stream or play games for the most part, but it’s enough for quick hits when you’re on the road for checking email, or some basic web browsing. Plus, TunnelBear keeps track of your bandwidth usage so you can see when you’re getting too close to the limit.

Also, while TunnelBear’s free version provides you with its full premium feature set, these features are rather minimal compared to other top services. TunnelBear is all about simplicity and fun and that will appeal to a lot of people, but not everyone.