Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become essential tools today as the internet’s privacy, security, and freedom continue to dwindle. The best of these tools are however subscription-based, and users have to shell out a few bucks to enjoy the advantages of using a VPN. This is because free VPN options are highly limited, and others are associated with selling user data and a false sense of security.
Some of the best free VPN services are however safe and trustworthy. In this guide, we’ll look at 3 free VPNs that you can rely on for privacy and security.
Top 3 free VPN services that are safe and secure
ProtonVPN is a premium VPN service, but it also provides one of the best free VPN services that you’ll come around.
The service is highly rated as it has no data limits, no advertisements don’t log your online activities, and is protected by Swiss privacy laws. This means that ProtonVPN offers maximum privacy, and the VPN completes this with superb encryption standards to ensure your data can’t be compromised.
However, as you would expect, the free service also comes with some limitations. Although your data is not limited, your speed is.
Free users are not given much priority on the network, and this means that you can end up with some low speeds. Further, you can only connect to three servers, and these don’t support P2P. Nevertheless, you will have a very decent and reliable free VPN.
- No data limits
- Superb privacy and security
- Advanced features available
- Great location
- Speed throttling
- Only 3 locations
Windscribe has only been around for about 4 years, but the VPN has already made a name for itself. It is a premium VPN with advanced features, but it also provides one of the best free VPN services. The VPN uses the industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, and it promises users a no-logging service. All activities that take place on the network can’t be traced back to you, and the only personal data they keep is what you provide while signing up.
The free VPN lets you use up to 10 GB every month if you create an account using your email account. From there, you can connect to servers in up to 10 countries which include the US, Canada, UK, France, Hong Kong, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Romania, and Norway. Users can customize their connection by turning on the Firewall and even selecting a preferred encryption protocol.
- No-logs VPN service
- Industry-standard encryption
- A generous number of free servers
- Premium features available
- Limited bandwidth
- It’s based in Canada (5-eyes country)
TunnelBear is now owned by security giant McAfee, something that gives the VPN some reputation. The VPN is also based in Canada, but it promises to keep zero logs, even for users on the free tier. But unlike Windscribe, it specializes in simplicity and doesn’t let users customize their connection.
TunnelBear doesn’t limit the servers you can use, and so you can enjoy the VPN’s entire network of servers in 23 countries. However, the monthly data limit is severely limited to just 500 MB, meaning you can only use the VPN for browsing. You can however add an extra 1 GB by tweeting about them, inviting a friend, or installing the VPN on a PC.
- Doesn’t any usage logs
- Only uses AES 256-bit encryption
- Great speeds
- Unlimited servers
- Bandwidth is severely limited
- Based in Canada (5-eyes country)
- No customization options
Is a free VPN sufficient?
Free VPNs provide a great way of reaping some benefits of using a VPN without having to dig deep into your wallet. And although some of them may not be secure and safe, the above 3 VPNs should serve you well. You can use them for light tasks such as browsing and unblocking geo-restricted websites, but you may need a premium VPN for tasks such as streaming and torrenting.