The best free VPN list for 2024 and some you should definitely avoid

Hotspot Shield Demo

Hotspot Shield is an exceptional free VPN with a stellar reputation, having helped millions in their time of need during the Turkey coup and the Arab Spring. In addition to the VPN itself, Hotspot Shield users get access to a Chrome extension.

Both the VPN and extension work flawlessly, and during my testing, I found the service's speeds to great, thanks to their proprietary protocol called Catapult Hydra. However, the data caps mean that the free version really isn't suitable for streaming. For that, you'll need to upgrade to the premium version.

Stay in the loop

Hotspot Shield's free app only permits connections to the United States, whilst the browser extension allows for connections to 15 countries – but not the United States. Fortunately, you can combine the app with the browser extension in order to unblock content in 16 countries, and all for free!

Free users only get 500 MB of download use per day – which is by no means a lot, and other free services are more generous. 

Privacy

The same privacy policy covers both the free and premium version of the service. Hotspot Shield's free plan is funded by ads, however, the policy outlines that they're entirely generic and not based on personal information, which is great to hear and further corroborates the provider's no-logs claim. It is unfortunate that Hotspot Shield collects some pretty high-risk data, like wireless network, approximate location, and mobile network ID – all of which could be used to identify a user. This might be a deal-breaker for some users, and definitely something you'll need to consider before you place your privacy in the provider's hands.

Does what it says on the tin

I like that Hotspot Shield is compatible with a number of platforms, like Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, and that there's no time limit hidden in the free plan – you can use Hotspot Shield for as long as you like, without paying a penny, and only upgrade if and when you'd like to.

However, Hotspot Shield's free plan does lack a few features and perks. Premium users won't see ads and benefit from five simultaneous connections, as well as a far larger selection of servers that can handle resource intensive tasks like streaming and gaming. Free users also miss out on 24/7 customer service support.

Hide.me Demo

Hide.me is an excellent Malaysian VPN provider that offers a smashing free service. Free users get access to servers in sven locations – all of which are extremely useful for unblocking geo-restricted content (Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States). Admittedly, if you require a server in a specific country, you will need to try a different VPN, but if these locations suit your needs – Hide.me is well worth installing.

Support across the board

I have a plethora of devices and gadgets sitting about, and I loved that Hide.me has apps for just about all of them – laptops, phones, smart TVs and routers included. Bear in mind, however, that the free Hide.me free plan only supports one connection. Free users also miss out on a fixed IP address and dynamic port forwarding features.

However, the Hide.me apps look great and work intuitively, and are easy for even VPN newbies to get up and running. The inclusion of a message center is a nice touch, too! From here, users can check out new features or servers that have recently been added, as well as other up-to-date information.

Easy streaming

Unlike ProtonVPN, which gives you unlimited VPN use for free, Hide.me caps you at 10 GB data allowance per month, with connection speeds of up to 80 Mbps. However, this is still very impressive and means that this free VPN can be used for streaming, videoconferencing, and other data-intensive tasks with no issues. Impressively, Hide.me's seven server locations all support P2P activity!

Security without the price tag

When I tested the free service, I found it to have a strong privacy policy, robust encryption, and loads of advanced VPN features. AES 256-bit encryption secures your browsing sessions whenever you connect to the service, and users have a selection of top-notch protocols to pick from; OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard included. In addition, Hide.me has been audited by an independent team of analysts, so you can trust that the service abides by its no-logs policy.

I particularly like that I didn't have to register or sign up to use the Hide.me free VPN (so you can keep your personal details, well, personal), and there were no intrusive ads popping up left and right, either. Customer service is also available 24/7, even for free users, which just isn't something you see from a lot of alternatives! For this reason, I can strongly recommend Hide.me as a quality free VPN.

Proton Demo

ProtonVPN is highly secure and is the only service on the list that is a truly free and unlimited VPN. However, keep in mind that your speeds are capped during peak hours to ensure that its free servers don't get congested (a necessary measure for a service as popular as ProtonVPN). That said, it does not cap speeds unless it has to, so it is still very fast considering it is free.

Limited locations

Free users get access to servers in the Netherlands, Japan, and the USA. These are extremely useful locations to have access to – and give you plenty of scope for bypassing censorship and geo-restrictions. That said, you should not expect this free VPN to work with Netflix US (you will need to pay for a VPN subscription for this privilege).

Similarly, free ProtonVPN users will not be able to use the service for torrenting.

Don't gamble with security

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, which is reassuring from a privacy point of view, seeing as the country is not a member of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance. Users will also be protected by Swiss privacy laws and a no-logs policy.

The VPN also utilizes tough AES 256-bit encryption to ensure that your traffic is unreadable to any snoops who might take a peek – like your ISP, network admin, or government. The Windows client and Linux script make good use of the OpenVPN protocol, whilst Mac, iOS, and Android devices use IKEv2, instead. Both protocols are superb, security-wise, with IKEv2 potentially being faster. Plus, a kill-switch steps in whenever there's a VPN dropout, cutting your internet connection before your original IP address.

Real reliability

You'll only be able to install ProtonVPN on one device with its free plan, rather than the 10 simultaneous devices supported on the paid plan. That said, you could get a different subscription for each device if you want to (by using multiple email addresses). The free version of ProtonVPN is also missing some features from the paid plans namely an ad-blocker, P2P support, and TOR over VPN.

Overall, ProtonVPN is a useful service that is ideal for avoiding censorship and accessing restricted content. While testing it, I enjoyed using the ProtonVPN apps, and found them extremely easy to use! VPN newbies will have no trouble tweaking the settings or connecting to a server, making the free ProtonVPN ideal for someone wanting an introduction to VPNs.

Windscribe Demo

Windscribe has been one of our favorite free VPNs for a long time, thanks to robust security and an air-tight no-logs policy, as well as plenty of data! Free users get unlimited simultaneous connections and access to a number of features that were previously only available to premium users – although dedicated Netflix servers are still unavailable for free.

A generous offering

Free users get 10 GB of data use per month and access to servers in 11 locations, which is pretty generous for a free service. Even more impressively, Windscribe offers unlimited simultaneous connections and sleek apps for all platforms! So, whether you want to secure all of the devices you own without paying a penny, or want to protect friends and family, you'll be able to do so!

It's particularly cool to see that free users now have (limited) access to Windscribe's ROBERT feature, which combats malware, malicious sites, ads, and trackers. In addition to keeping you safe from some of the nastiest threats on the web, ROBERT's blocking capabilities can also improve your browsing speeds, seeing as there'll be fewer things to load.

No logs, no problem

Prospective users will need to bear in mind that Windscribe is based in Canada, which is very much part of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance and a country with mandatory data retention directives. Windscribe combats this with a strong zero-logs policy, however, which means there'd be nothing to hand over to any authorities even if the company was served with a warrant. Furthermore, Windscribe's encryption is top-notch (with super-secure OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols to choose from), though I'd like to see the service one day complete a third-party audit.

You can sign up and use Windscribe without handing over an email address, though bear in mind that you'll be limited to 2 GB of data per month in this case. Providing an email address bumps your data allowance up to 10 GB!

Not a streamer's dream

The free Windscribe plan isn't the quickest service out there, but it's still more than capable of unblocking sites that might have previously been restricted by your government or workplace. As such, I'd generally recommend the VPN more for folks looking to keep up with global events (on blogs and news sites). If you're an avid streamer or want to do other data-intensive tasks online, you're likely going to need to look elsewhere or invest in the premium Windscribe plan.

It’s also pretty disappointing to see that there’s no 24/7 customer service available – even for premium users. For any questions or concerns, you’ll need to either wrangle with Windscribe’s chatbot or submit an email ticket.