More than 20 VPNs classified side by side, 2019 list
There are lots of free VPN services. Although we highly recommend our readers to purchase a subscription for a paid VPN service . We also know that many people, for whatever reason, prefer a free alternative. With that in mind we have created a detailed list of more than 20 free VPN services and the essentials you should know before installing them on your devices.
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To be clear, we do not support all VPNs on the list. We choose these VPNs because of their popularity, not their quality. When you search for free VPNs, these are the ones that appear on top of Google’s results and app store rankings. With more than 800 VPNs available on the most important platforms, this is obviously not an exhaustive list, but it should help you make a decision about the main competitors.
All VPNs in this list adhere to the following criteria:
- They are completely free or have a free level with no time limit.
- They are virtual private networks, not just HTTPS or SOCKS proxies.
- They provide a VPN service, they are not just an application to connect to a third-party server.
All the information we have gathered is based on personal experiences and information published in the applications and websites of each VPN. Please remember that, even if a free VPN service says it does not record your activity or sell your information to third parties, there is really no way to verify this. As the saying goes: if you are not buying the product, then you are the product. For this reason we always recommend using a reputable and paid VPN provider above any free service.
We have created the list of VPNs in no particular order.
We have created the list of VPNs in no particular order.
Tunnelbear
As far as VPNs are concerned, Tunnelbear is one of the most focused on privacy. It does not keep records and uses strong encryption, including perfect secrecy onwards. The biggest limitation is in the data, which is limited to 500 MB per month. That's right, per month, which makes Tunnelbear a useful option only for occasional web browsing on public Wi-Fi connections. You could easily finish those 500 MB in a long session of Facebook or Instagram while you are on the train. It has 19 server locations, one less than its premium level, which includes Australia. It has no trackers or ad injection. It has applications available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. It does not allow torrenting.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a VPN service focused on privacy, with a free level that promises the full functionality of a paid VPN service, but you'll have to wait to use it. To avoid server congestion and maintain a high standard of performance, free users must line up before connecting to one of their servers in any of the 15 locations. Sometimes the wait lasts only a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes, depending on the time and how many simultaneous users you have connected. Once you have connected, the only limitation is torrenting, which is not allowed. CyberGhost uses strong encryption and does not keep records. There is no data limit or bandwidth. It has applications available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
However, we must mention that a recent study (PDF) gave the CyberGhost Android application a positive AV rating, which means that at least one antivirus program detected some type of malicious activity, but not to the point of truly considering it malicious
However, we must mention that a recent study (PDF) gave the CyberGhost Android application a positive AV rating, which means that at least one antivirus program detected some type of malicious activity, but not to the point of truly considering it malicious
Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield It is a freemium provider that in recent years has improved its privacy practices but is still not perfect. The company stores the users' original IP addresses, which could link them to their device and identity, although activity logs are not expressly stored. OpenVPN connections with 256-bit encryption are protected. You can download up to 750 MB per day and there is no bandwidth limit. The selection of servers is virtually non-existent at the free level. You can only connect in the United States. The company's privacy policy says that it does allow advertisers to track users, but does not explain to what extent. Torrenting is allowed, which is rare for a free VPN, but don't forget that it has a data limit of 750 MB per day.
Update: a group in defense of privacy has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States, stating that Hotspot Shield has been injecting tracking cookies into users' web browser to monitor their online activity. They also claim that the application hijacks HTTP requests to certain online commerce websites, including Macy's and Nike, and redirects users to affiliate websites that generate revenue.
Update: a group in defense of privacy has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States, stating that Hotspot Shield has been injecting tracking cookies into users' web browser to monitor their online activity. They also claim that the application hijacks HTTP requests to certain online commerce websites, including Macy's and Nike, and redirects users to affiliate websites that generate revenue.
Betternet
One of the most popular free VPN options, Betternet , seems to be too good to be true. It gives you 256-bit or 128-bit encryption in the OpenVPN and IPSec protocols, respectively. The service does not keep records. There is no data limit or bandwidth. They use some trackers, but the application does not inject ads into your browser. You only have two server locations available at the free level. It has applications available for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. It also allows torrenting.
Everything sounds quite reasonable and even attractive. But users should know that a studyRecent (PDF) gave the Betternet Android application an AV rating of 13, which means that 13 antivirus programs detected malicious activity in the application. This makes it the fourth most malicious application of the 283 that were tested. It is not a good sign. The Betternet website is unclear about who operates it and what its background is.
Everything sounds quite reasonable and even attractive. But users should know that a studyRecent (PDF) gave the Betternet Android application an AV rating of 13, which means that 13 antivirus programs detected malicious activity in the application. This makes it the fourth most malicious application of the 283 that were tested. It is not a good sign. The Betternet website is unclear about who operates it and what its background is.
VPN Gate
VPN GateIt is a long-term "experiment" of Tsukuba University in Japan. The network of servers is run entirely by volunteers from around the world, most of whom are in Asia. Anyone can add their computer or server to the network and become a voluntary "node" to which end users can connect. Basically it is a peer-to-peer network that takes advantage of the SoftEther VPN client. While SoftEther is used in almost any important OS, the extension that simplifies the VPN Gate connection process is limited to Windows only. Users of other platforms will have to configure connections and update the list of available nodes manually. Those who host nodes cannot decode the traffic that travels through their computers, so users should not worry too much that any malicious node could intercept their traffic. But Tsukuba University says it does monitor the content of the packets, that is, web traffic, along with the source IP address and other details. The VPN Gate registration policy can be forgiven as they are used for academic purposes, but even so, users should move away from this option if they are concerned about their privacy. The main purpose of VPN Gate is to unlock censored content. Keep in mind that torrenting is not allowed and there is no customer support team that can help you if you have trouble connecting. Therefore, connecting is a trial and error process. But Tsukuba University says it does monitor the content of the packets, that is, web traffic, along with the source IP address and other details. The VPN Gate registration policy can be forgiven as they are used for academic purposes, but even so, users should move away from this option if they are concerned about their privacy. The main purpose of VPN Gate is to unlock censored content. Keep in mind that torrenting is not allowed and there is no customer support team that can help you if you have trouble connecting. Therefore, connecting is a trial and error process. But Tsukuba University says it does monitor the content of the packets, that is, web traffic, along with the source IP address and other details. The VPN Gate registration policy can be forgiven as they are used for academic purposes, but even so, users should move away from this option if they are concerned about their privacy. The main purpose of VPN Gate is to unlock censored content. Keep in mind that torrenting is not allowed and there is no customer support team that can help you if you have trouble connecting. Therefore, connecting is a trial and error process. Users should move away from this option if they are concerned about their privacy. The main purpose of VPN Gate is to unlock censored content. Keep in mind that torrenting is not allowed and there is no customer support team that can help you if you have trouble connecting. Therefore, connecting is a trial and error process. Users should move away from this option if they are concerned about their privacy. The main purpose of VPN Gate is to unlock censored content. Keep in mind that torrenting is not allowed and there is no customer support team that can help you if you have trouble connecting. Therefore, connecting is a trial and error process.
Spotflux
Spotflux uses OpenVPN on Windows, Mac and Android, and IKEv2 on iOS. OpenVPN connections have 128-bit SSL encryption, but only when using a web browser. Spotflux has many problems in terms of transparency, and this is one of them. Not a single part of your traffic from other applications (torrent clients, Spotify, video games, etc.) will travel through the VPN tunnel at the free level. This is a crucial detail that is not mentioned at all on the Spotflux website. The other big problem with the free version of Spotflux is that it not only uses tracking cookies for advertising purposes, but also injects ads into your browser. This is a surprise, as Spotflux boasts its ability to block ads, but the privacy policy is clear:
“These third-party advertiser servers or networks use technology to send the ads and links that appear on Spotflux directly to your browser. These third parties may automatically receive your IP address in order to present ads that depend on geographic location. ”
Torrenting is not allowed. It has applications available for Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android. Also keep in mind that some reviews on the Google Play Store reported that Spotflux is invasive and malicious.
Hello
Hi, he has managed to maintain his popularity despite his terrible history. Hi, it depends on a peer-to-peer infrastructure instead of centralized servers. This means that your Internet traffic travels through other users 'computers and, likewise, other users' traffic travels through your computer when you have inactive bandwidth and resources available. In one of the most famous cases of abuse in the history of VPNs, they used this P2P network as a weapon to turn all users' computers into a massive botnet and launch a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.To a website. Because anonymous traffic travels through your computer, they may hold you responsible for what that traffic contains, whether it's spam or child pornography. Hola also sells your inactive bandwidth through a sister company, Luminati.
Suffice it to say that Hello should be avoided at all costs. We will not even go into specific technical aspects. Just don't use it.
Suffice it to say that Hello should be avoided at all costs. We will not even go into specific technical aspects. Just don't use it.
Surfing
Opera acquired SurfeasyIn 2015 and now SurfEasy manages its built-in VPN, as well as its own independent VPN service. Here we are going to talk about your independent system, but many of the specific details also apply to Opera VPN. Mac, Windows and Android clients use the OpenVPN protocol and 256-bit encryption. IOS devices use the IPSec protocol and 128-bit encryption. The company does not keep any records that can identify you. There is no bandwidth limit, but downloads are limited to just 500 MB per month at the free level, just like Tunnelbear. Yes torrenting is allowed as long as you do not exceed those 500 MB, so you will not be able to download many videos in high definition. It has 16 server locations at the free level.
Opera VPN
SurfEasy operates, at least partially, the supposed VPN that is incorporated into the Opera browser . SurfEasy is a company that Opera acquired in 2015, but does not apply the same protections to this Opera VPN. Opera manages its own advertising network, which collects usage information to generate revenue. When you use Opera VPN, the company tracks your activity online and uses that information to sell ads, especially using the device’s unique browser ID .
Moreover, "VPN" is not the correct term. Opera VPN is a proxy that only directs traffic through a tunnel to and from the Opera browser. It does not direct traffic from other applications or processes through that tunnel. Technically, this does not meet our criteria, but we have included it due to its high popularity.
Moreover, "VPN" is not the correct term. Opera VPN is a proxy that only directs traffic through a tunnel to and from the Opera browser. It does not direct traffic from other applications or processes through that tunnel. Technically, this does not meet our criteria, but we have included it due to its high popularity.
Windscribe
Windscribe offers users both a native VPN application and a Chrome browser extension, and urges users to use both simultaneously, although that is not strictly necessary. The service does not keep records and has one of the strongest encryption packages available, including 256-bit AES with perfect secrecy onwards. There is a limit of 10 GB of data per month at the free level, which is a considerably large amount for a free service. It has eight server locations available, but only some of them allow torrenting, peer-to-peer file sharing.
The Chrome extension is an HTTPS proxy, not a VPN. Direct your browser traffic selectively through a remote server. It is not as secure as a VPN, but it does a good job in most cases. You don't have to worry about tracking libraries or ad injection. If you are looking for a free and competitive VPN, Windscribe is at the top of the BestVPN.com list .
The Chrome extension is an HTTPS proxy, not a VPN. Direct your browser traffic selectively through a remote server. It is not as secure as a VPN, but it does a good job in most cases. You don't have to worry about tracking libraries or ad injection. If you are looking for a free and competitive VPN, Windscribe is at the top of the BestVPN.com list .
Hide.me
Hide.me does not support OpenVPN at its free level, but you can connect using L2TP, IKEv2 or SSTP (see our reference sheet to understand VPN protocols). All connections are protected with 256-bit encryption, although they do not say if they use perfect secrecy onwards. The company does not keep any records that can identify you. There is a limit of 2 GB of data per month. It is guaranteed that free users will get at least 3 Mbps, but payment levels will always have priority as far as speed is concerned. It has three server locations available and torrenting can be done. It has applications available for Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android. It has no trackers or ad injection. In general, Hide.me deserves your attention if you are looking for a free VPN.
Speedify
SpeedifyIt uses its own VPN protocol instead of OpenVPN or any other traditional protocol. In addition, he says that it is faster and more appropriate for mobile phones that frequently switch between Wi-Fi and a mobile data network. It is protected through ChaCha, a reinforced version of TLS encryption, used on many HTTPS websites. The service does not keep records and allows torrenting on a few servers, but not on the fastest ones. Its free level has a data limit of 1 GB per month. It has 35 server locations available, which is more than you'll find in many paid services. It has applications available for Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android, although the company is focused on the mobile market. As far as we know, it has no trackers or ad injection.
SecurityKISS
SecurityKISSIt is a VPN provider located in Ireland with both free and paid levels. Free users get 300 MB of data transfers per day. Windows and Android users can connect to OpenVPN using SecurityKISS applications, but other platforms require third-party applications or a manual L2TP configuration. It uses 128-bit Blowfish encryption, which is slower and less secure than the new AES standard, but is sufficient protection for most users. SecurityKISS does not require that free users register to use its service, which means you can start using it without giving any details of your personal information. However, the company registers the true IP address of your device to manage the data limit of each user. It also implements a bandwidth limit, as necessary, to give priority to paying users. You have eight server locations available. The company has not specified whether to allow torrenting or sharing P2P files, but the terms of service say that users must respect copyright laws. As far as we know, it has no tracking libraries or ad injection.
ProXPN
ProXPN offers a free and record-free VPN service for desktop users with MacOS and Windows. The application is connected using 512-bit Blowfish encryption through OpenVPN. Users have a limit of 300 Kbps at the free level and only one server in the United States, but there is no data limit. ProXPN says it does not keep records of any kind. It doesn't use trackers or ad injection to generate money, at least as far as we know. It can be done torrenting. Despite the limitations, this is a secure VPN that we can recommend for lightweight use on desktop computers.
Avira Phantom
Avira Phantom VPNIt uses OpenVPN on Windows and Android, and L2TP / IPSec on iOS and MacOS. Users can use the applications on any platform without registering, but they will have a limit of 500 MB of data per month. If you sign up but do not pay a premium plan, the amount doubles to 1 GB per month. The free users of the application cannot activate the security switch, whose function is to block all Internet traffic in case your connection to the VPN server is unexpectedly interrupted. Avira does not save any records and uses 256-bit AES encryption on all its connections. Free users have access to all of their 20 server locations and there is no bandwidth limit. It can be done torrenting. Free users do not have customer service.
Turbo VPN
Turbo VPNIt is one of the most popular VPN applications for mobile devices, especially on Android, where it has more than ten million downloads from the Google Play Store. And yet we know almost nothing about her. The privacy policy says that it does save the users' real IP address. And although he says he does not keep activity records, he does "real-time data and Internet traffic analysis, including IP addresses or destination websites, source IP addresses." The application has no website, so it redirects users to its Facebook page. It offers very little technical information about its encryption standards and other details. There is no document of terms of service available, no end user license agreement. A search on who.is showed us that the parent company of Turbo,
The Android application requests an excessive amount of permissions, including applications and device history, identity, contacts, phone, photos, media, stored files, device identification, call information and more. Compare all that with a paid VPN that only requests access to Wi-Fi connection information and network control and you can understand why we are a bit skeptical with Turbo VPN. We strongly recommend that you avoid this VPN.
The Android application requests an excessive amount of permissions, including applications and device history, identity, contacts, phone, photos, media, stored files, device identification, call information and more. Compare all that with a paid VPN that only requests access to Wi-Fi connection information and network control and you can understand why we are a bit skeptical with Turbo VPN. We strongly recommend that you avoid this VPN.
Browsec
BrowsecIt has an encrypted proxy as a browser extension for Firefox and Chrome, as well as VPN applications for iOS and Android. Despite having a fairly professional website, Browsec is not a provider we can trust. It does not offer any technical information about the encryption standards used by its service. Its registration policy is not accurate, with comments such as “we have to automatically store some information from your additional web browser or client software. The information does not identify the user personally. [sic]". That could mean anything, so, to be more confident, we assume the worst. Free users are limited to a download speed of 1 Mbps and three server locations. We did not notice any additional ads in our browser during the test on Android, but we could not confirm whether the application tracks its users or not. There is evidence on the App Store page that the company is associated with Russia, which, if true, is the worst possible place to operate a VPN.
Zenmate
The free version of ZenMateIt is limited to browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. Technically they are HTTPS proxies, not VPNs, which means that only your browser traffic is sent through the encryption tunnel. DNS requests and data from other applications are not routed through the VPN. That means it can't be used mobile or torrenting unless you pay. The browser extension encrypts your data with TLS, an updated version of SSL, which is the same encryption used by HTTPS websites. ZenMate does not keep permanent records, but it does save your source IP address temporarily on its servers. There are no set data or speed limits, but bandwidth could be regulated to give priority to paying users. Free users have access to four servers.
VPNBook
Everything about VPNBook seems suspicious. We do not recommend using it. No one knows exactly who operates the service or where they are from. VPNBook does not have any applications and only provides PPTP and OpenVPN-enabled servers, using third-party software. OpenVPN connections are protected with “encryption techniques such as AES-256 and AES-128”, although it seems that there is no established standard. You should be able to see what level of encryption you are using in the .ovpn configuration file when opening it with a simple text editor such as Notepad. They offer six server locations. The service is entirely free and requests donations in Bitcoin. Before there was a level of payment, but it no longer exists. Torrenting can be done only on some servers.
The little information available about the company's privacy policy says that it does not keep activity records, but it does store the user's real IP address. In 2013, the collective hacking group Anonymous accused VPNBook of being a perfect tool for law enforcement agenciesafter the provider's records were used in court.
The little information available about the company's privacy policy says that it does not keep activity records, but it does store the user's real IP address. In 2013, the collective hacking group Anonymous accused VPNBook of being a perfect tool for law enforcement agenciesafter the provider's records were used in court.
DotVPN
DotVPNIt still does not have a client available for Windows or MacOS, so what it does is give desktop users the option to use extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. This extension is not really a VPN, but an HTTPS proxy that uses TLS encryption, the same type of protection offered by HTTPS websites. The iOS application uses IPSec encryption, while the Android application uses OpenVPN with 128-bit AES encryption. The company records the real IP address of each user and stores it for 10 days. It does not have a data limit, but the speed is limited as necessary to give priority to paying subscribers. You have 12 server locations available. You cannot do torrenting at the free level.
The criteria
Here we will explain each of the criteria in the table above with which we judge each VPN. All information was collected from each VPN's website, from our own experience using the VPN and from other trusted sources.
- The protocol is the way in which the VPN client connects to the server. The VPN protocol helps determine the speed and security of the connection. Many VPNs offer multiple protocols. OpenVPN is considered to be the safest, but IKEv2, SSTP and L2TP / IPSec are also viable alternatives. We recommend you avoid PPTP which, although fast, has known security flaws.
- The encryption is the algorithm and the force used to encode data in the VPN tunnel. 256-bit AES encryption is generally considered the strongest available in a commercial VPN, although 128-bit AES and 448-bit Blowfish encryptions are also acceptable. We also specify whether a VPN uses perfect secrecy onwards, or PFS, which prevents previous VPN traffic sessions from being decoded if the current encryption key is compromised.
- The logs show if the VPN collects information about user activity while they are connected to the VPN. This can cover many things, but what concerns us mainly are the activity logs (browsing history, purchases, videos viewed, publications on social networks, etc.) and the source IP address of the user's computer. All this should be out of reach of any VPN provider that really cares about privacy.
- The data limit determines the amount of data that allows you to transfer while connected to the VPN in a given period. Sometimes this includes all transfers, uploads and downloads. On other occasions they only refer to downloads.
- The bandwidth limit refers to the maximum upload and download speed that you can use while connected to the VPN.
- The number of server locations is how many places you can connect in the free version of the VPN.
- VPNs that have waiting rooms may force users to wait until a free server has enough available capacity before they can connect.
- Some VPNs use tracking cookies to collect data for advertising purposes. These cookies are injected into users' browsers when they use the VPN. This is a violation of privacy and is considered a negative point.
- The injection ad occurs when the VPN displays ads in the user 's browser. This is also a violation of privacy and is considered a negative point. Think that this does not take into account the ads of the VPN application itself.
- Although all VPNs on this list are free, some offer a premium level where users can pay to access more servers, eliminate data and bandwidth limits and take advantage of other functions and features.
- The platforms are operating systems with applications of the VPN provider available.
- The torrenting uses a lot of bandwidth and can cause legal problems for some providers, so many free VPN prohibit their use.
- The technical team means you can ask for help if you have any problems. We weren't too strict at this point. As long as they had any customer service email address or an incident tracking system, we gave them a "Yes." However, we do not test VPN support directly, so we cannot say whether they really respond or not.