The Best Free VPNs for 2023

If you want all the features of the best VPN services, you’re going to have to pay for them. Fortunately, there are several free options that cover the basics of improving your privacy online.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to dig through all the sales information, complicated plan details, gotcha restrictions, and fine print to find the VPN with the best no-cost offering. We’ve done all that research—in addition to all our usual testing—to give you the easy-to-parse list of the best free VPNs below. Read on for our top picks, followed by what to look for when choosing a free VPN.

Proton VPN

Best Overall Free VPN

Why We Picked It

ProtonVPN is our top choice for premium VPNs and free VPNs. The company places no limit on the amount of data free subscribers may use. ProtonVPN does, however, limit free accounts to just one simultaneous connection. Also, free accounts can only access servers in three countries: the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States. Unlike some VPNs, however, you can select which server to use.

ProtonVPN comes with a strong reputation, in part because of the success of its sibling product ProtonMail. But ProtonVPN has good privacy policies and backs that up with public, third-party audits.

Who It’s For

Without data restrictions, Proton VPN is the only service that could be a true, daily driver free VPN. However, the limited server options means that you’ll want to be in (or relatively close to) the countries where servers are offered. You’ll also only be protecting one device at a time.

PROS

• Best free subscription
• Numerous advanced privacy tools
• Strong customer privacy stance
• Slick, accessible client
• Excellent Speedtest scores

CONS

• Awkward Chrome OS implementation
• Complicated pricing structure

TunnelBear VPN

Best for Free Occasional Location Spoofing

Why We Picked It

With its playful interface and deadpan bears, it’s easy to dismiss TunnelBear VPN as all show and no substance. That’s not fair, as it has strong privacy policies that it has backed up with a string of annual third-party audits. Free subscribers can access any of its global servers, making it a good choice for travelers or anyone who needs to spoof their location. TunnelBear VPN also allows unlimited simultaneous connections for both paid and free users.

TunnelBear VPN does put one hefty restriction on free subscribers: a 500MB per month data limit. You can earn another 1GB of data on top of that if you post about the company on social media. Still, that’s not very much data.

Who It’s For

Even with the 1GB bonus, the TunnelBear VPN’s data restrictions for free subscriptions might be best for only occasional use. Maybe for watching one show, or only when on vacation. The fact that it does allow free users to select any of its servers does make it particularly useful for spoofing your location or traveling abroad. Assuming, of course, you can keep your data usage down.

PROS

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Excellent privacy policies
• Annual independent audits
• Friendly, approachable design
• Bears

CONS

• No multi-hop connections
• Split tunneling not available on all platforms

Bitdefender Premium VPN

Best for Free Light-Duty Domestic Browsing

Why We Picked It

Under the hood, Bitdefender Premium VPN is powered by Hotspot Shield VPN, but simplifies a few the latter’s issues. Unlike Hotspot Shield VPN, Bitdefender does not throttle free users’ bandwidth or monetize its mobile apps. We especially like that Bitdefender Premium VPN allows users to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously.

Maxing out your device count would quickly burn through your allotted 200MB of data per day, however. This VPN also limits free users to only the closest server. We would also like to see the company release a third-party audit of its service.

Who It’s For

The server limitations make it a good choice for traveling, since it will snag whatever is nearby, but not good for spoofing your location. 200MB per day is far more generous than TunnelBear VPN, but you’ll easily use that up if you’re not careful, so streaming movies and heavy downloading may not be possible.

PROS

• Extremely affordable
• Clean design
• Split-tunneling
• Part of the larger Bitdefender app ecosystem

CONS

• Confusing pricing
• Confusing privacy policy
• Few additional privacy features
• High latency in test results

Hide.me VPN

Best for Free Everyday Browsing Close to Home

Why We Picked It

For free subscribers, Hide.me allots an impressive 10GB of data per month and lets you access five server locations. Especially notable is that Hide.me does not ask for your credit card information when creating a free account. Plus, the service has received a third-party audit.

There are some restrictions. Hide.me free users are limited to just a single simultaneous connection. You’ll also have to pay a hefty up-front cost if you decide to spring for the paid subscription, although doing so will grant access to many features not available for free Hide.me subscribers.

Who It’s For

Hide.me’s 10GB data limit is a bit more generous than some of the competitors, but you’d still have to be mindful in order to not run out before the month’s end. A single simultaneous connection means you’ll only be using on device at a time, which given the data cap may not be a bad things. Giving access to five server locations does give you more freedom when traveling or looking to spoof your location.

PROS

• Advanced features.
• Ten simultaneous connections.
• Good server distribution.
• Strong speed test scores.
• BitTorrent friendly.
• Supports anonymous payments.

CONS

• Expensive.
• Unusual location selection behavior.
• No specialized servers.

Read Our Hide.me VPN Review

Hotspot Shield VPN

Best for Free US-Based Browsing

Why We Picked It

Hotspot Shield VPN’s free subscription has a lot of give and take. We like that free users get 500MB of data per day, but we ‘re not thrilled at the 2Mbps speed limit for mobile devices. Free subscribers on macOS have no data limit, however. Hotspot Shield VPN also uses ads to monetize its free users, but only Android.

Free subscribers can only connect one device at a time to Hotspot Shield VPN, and can only access US-based servers. The company has not released the results of a third-party audit, but has been evaluated by the other companies that license its service (such as Bitdefender Premium VPN).

Who It’s For

There are a lot of caveats to Hotspot Shield VPN’s free offering, but if you can thread the needle it might work very well for you. Mac users are best off, since the service places no data limit on those devices. Other desktop users won’t have to deal with the speed throttling found on mobile. If you must use a mobile device, iOS is preferable since it lacks ads. Also, you’ll be limited to US-servers, so this service is best for people who live in the US.

PROS

• Numerous server locations
• Slick, approachable client
• Split-tunneling by domain
• Hefty services bundle

CONS

• Expensive
• Free version throttled, supported by targeted ads on Android
• Gathers significant, but anonymous, data
• No third-party infrastructure audit
• Dated transparency report
• Limited WireGuard support

PrivadoVPN

Best for Free (Almost) Unlimited Browsing

Why We Picked It

Aside from Proton VPN, PrivadoVPN is as close as you’ll get to an unlimited free VPN experience. Although PrivadoVPN does limit free users to 10GB of data per month, it won’t cut you off once you exhaust that supply. Instead, your speeds will be throttled until the clock resets on your data.

There are other restrictions, too. PrivadoVPN allows access to just 12 servers and only allows for one simultaneous connection. The company has also not released a third-party audit.

Who It’s For

This is perhaps the only time speed throttling is a good thing. With PrivadoVPN, you won’t have to worry so much about the 10GB limit, but you may have to deal with slower speeds as a result. The single simultaneous connection and small available servers mean you’ll want to use a few devices, and not rely on this service for location spoofing.

PROS

• Very affordable
• Generous free subscription
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Split tunneling

CONS

• Few additional privacy features
• No third-party audit
• Uninspiring Speedtest results

Atlas VPN

Best Free VPN for Numerous Devices

Why We Picked It

Like TunnelBear VPN, Atlas VPN lets you use as many devices as you like with a free subscription. Although free Atlas VPN subscribers are limited to servers in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and New York City, you do have the freedom to manually choose a VPN server.

Atlast VPN does limit free subscribers to 5GB of data per month, and the company has not released the results of a third-party audit.

Who It’s For

Atlas VPN is a bit of a double-edged sword. Its unlimited simultaneous connections means that it’s a good choice for device-heavy households, but the 5GB per month data cap will limit how much those devices can really do. You’ll have to be mindful about data usage with this free service. That said, the limited mix of available servers does provide some location spoofing opportunities.

PROS

• Generous data caps for free subscribers
• Unique IP swapping servers
• Multi-hop connections

CONS

• Quirky behavior in hands-on testing
• No third-party audits of infrastructure or policies
• Awkward interface
• Pushy email subscription nags

Buying Guide: The Best Free VPNs for 2023

What Is a VPN?

A VPN creates an encrypted connection (often referred to as a tunnel) between your computer and a server controlled by the VPN company, and then it passes all network activity through that protected connection. This means that your ISP and anyone else watching won’t be able to see what you’re up to and will have a much harder time tracing online activity back to you.

Although VPNs can help improve your privacy online they do have limitations. Once your traffic exits the VPN server, it can be monitored and perhaps intercepted—especially if you’re connecting to sites that aren’t using HTTPS. It’s also possible, albeit difficult, to use complicated timing algorithms to predict when and where your data leaves the VPN server. Advertisers also have a myriad of tools at their disposal to track you online, so we recommend using a stand-alone tracker blocker.

VPNs also won’t protect you against every danger stalking the web. We strongly recommend also using a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for each site and service we use, enabling multi-factor authentication wherever it’s available, and using antivirus software.

Is There a 100% Free VPN?

Very few VPNs offer a truly free option. Instead, most companies offer time-limited trials or money-back guarantees. The VPNs listed in the table above, however, offer totally free subscription levels. They aren’t the only ones, but they are the best we’ve reviewed so far.

That said, every VPN listed does put some restrictions on its free version. Some services limit the amount of bandwidth you can use in a given period. Some keep the number of simultaneous connections low, generally limiting them to one or two. Some restrict you to certain servers, meaning you can’t jump to a better-performing server or easily spoof your location—more on this below.

The Best VPN Services for 2022

Paying for a VPN subscription typically unlocks all these features, and often adds additional sweeteners unavailable at the free level. You get all the servers in all the locations, and usually the service also provides more simultaneous connections.

Which Free VPN Works With Netflix?

VPNs can bypass oppressive censorship by tunneling out to a VPN server beyond the control of despots, but that same ability can also be used to access streaming content that’s not available in your country. Overseas, Netflix subscribers see different shows and films that don’t show up within these United States. That’s because Netflix has specific deals to distribute this content in different areas.

Netflix isn’t the only service that can be tricked. MLB and the BBC have different streaming arrangements for different regions. There are numerous other examples and many of them—especially Netflix—will try to block VPN use to enforce those regional streaming deals.

This is particularly tricky for free VPN users. Most free VPNs limit the servers you can use, meaning you have fewer options (if any) to spoof your location. Free users will also have a harder time jumping to a different server looking for unblocked access or better speeds. One option to get around a Netflix blockade is to purchase a static IP address, which will almost certainly require a paid VPN subscription in addition to the cost of the static IP.

In short, watching streaming services like Netflix with a VPN is hard, and doing it with a free VPN is even harder.

Are Free VPNs Safe?

Free VPNs have some historical baggage, since not all VPN providers turn out to be good actors. Some VPNs may have unseemly, if not outright malicious, practices. Figuring out who is and is not on the level is especially difficult with VPNs, as much of their operation isn’t visible to the outside world.

When we review VPNs, we look over each service’s privacy policy. It’s a good way to find out what, if any, information the service collects. Ideally, a VPN company should say that they do not collect any logs on user activity. We highly recommend that you read the review for a free VPN before you commit.

Unfortunately, these documents can sometimes be difficult to read, perhaps intentionally so. As part of our review process, we send questionnaires to each VPN service, seeking to put companies on the record about specific privacy issues. We rely on companies to act in good faith when we ask them questions, and for third-party researchers to ferret out the companies that don’t.

Some VPNs have also undergone extensive third-party audits to prove their trustworthiness. This isn’t a guarantee that a company is doing good work, since they often set the parameters of the audit. But a meaningful audit is a good sign. TunnelBear VPN, for instance, has committed to releasing third-party audits each year, and has made good on that promise.

Are Free VPNs Actually Good?

Because free VPNs are so limited, you’re likely to experience some performance issues. Either servers will be too crowded to provide reasonable speeds, or the VPN company won’t allow free users to access servers where you are, or the data limit will be too low for the service to be usable.

Free VPNs also tend to lack the features we like to see among the best VPN. You won’t find multi-hop connections or VPN access to the Tor network—those generally require a paid subscription.

But there are some free VPNs that are worth trying! Proton VPN is notable as the only VPN we’ve yet reviewed that did not place a limit on user bandwidth. It’s a good long-term choice. TunnelBear VPN limits free users to just 500MB (with an additional 1GB available) per month but does allow free users to access all its servers and connect an unlimited number of devices. This is a good service for occasionally spoofing your location, or limited use while traveling. Hide.Me is also a strong choice, offering five server locations and limiting free users to 10GB of data per month.

Importantly, all three of these services have released the results of third-party audits. The rest of the services in this list have chosen not to perform public audits. That doesn’t mean they’re hiding something or are nefarious—we’ve examined their privacy policies and spoken to their representatives and found them at least acceptable. But audits do at least show a company staking its money and reputation publicly.

Where’s Kaspersky?

Kaspersky Secure Connection VPN is one of the few VPNs that made the cut for this list, and it held a spot here for quite some time. We have, however, opted to remove the Kaspersky VPN product from this list.

Although Kaspersky has long faced controversy for its connections to Russia, we have continued to endorse many of the company’s products. That’s partly because our work at PCMag focuses on the products themselves, not their geopolitical ramifications. Also, despite accusations of being in cahoots with the Russian government, no evidence has ever been provided to definitively prove Kaspersky was a bad actor.

However, on March 27, 2022, the FCC issued a warning that labeled the company a national security threat. This came after several other organizations and governments dissolved their relationships with Kaspersky in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While we stand by our evaluations of Kaspersky products, we felt this latest development warranted a different response. We have removed Kaspersky’s products from our “Best for” lists, and added a statement to all our Kaspersky product reviews.

What Are the Best Free VPNs?

Every free VPN has some catch, but Proton VPN offers the most flexibility. A free account with Proton VPN will limit you to just three VPN server locations, and one simultaneous connection. Proton VPN lists the speed of the free version as “medium,” but you’re not being throttled. You’re just competing with more people for fewer servers, which may mean worse performance. P2P is not allowed at the Proton VPN free tier.

Those are significant restrictions, to be fair, but at least your bandwidth isn’t limited. You can browse as much and as often as you want with Proton VPN, without spending a cent. Upgrading to a paid account costs $9.99 per month, which is still a good deal by VPN standards.

There is plenty of variation even among free VPN services, so it’s a good idea to try a few and figure out which one you like best. A great VPN service should be easy to use and understand, and shouldn’t throw up too many barriers, even when you’re using a free subscription. We highly recommend trying a few services out until you find the one that works for you, especially before you take the plunge and pay for a VPN.

(Editors’ Note: While they may not appear in this story, IPVanish and StrongVPN are owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.)