The best free VPNs of 2025: Expert tested

Little in life is truly free, and this phrase applies to Virtual Private Network (VPN) services. “Free” in the VPN world usually means that providers will give you a VPN connection but make money from you in other ways. They may hide crucial features behind a paywall, display ads, or worse — they may sell your data for a profit.

Also: The best VPN services: Expert tested

You can test the best VPNs for free with a trial or a money-back guarantee. But if you want a 100% free VPN to use for the long term, there is a handful of secure options you can choose from. The VPN provider’s reputation is critical in ensuring free services won’t compromise your security, so the only free VPN solutions we can recommend are typically backed by their paying subscribers rather than offered through the trade-off of user data collection.

What is the best VPN for free right now?

We’ve extensively tested every major VPN on the market, including some free VPN offerings. Our pick for the best free VPN is Proton VPN. The company, developed by the team behind the encrypted ProtonMail service, offers a free VPN supported by paying subscribers. The number of device connections is limited, but it’s still a top-tier VPN that can help you maintain a high level of online privacy.

There are several other trustworthy options, and we have listed our recommendations below. Alternatively, if you’re interested in trying out a paid VPN, consider one of our picks for the best VPNs with free trials.

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The best free VPNs of 2025

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The free version of Proton VPN offers many useful features that are paid for in other services or by paid subscribers.

It doesn’t cap bandwidth, so you can use it year-round without worrying about exceeding monthly data limits. Proton VPN’s free tier also doesn’t restrict your speed. During our testing, we found that Proton VPN’s connection and server speeds are reasonable, and there’s no difference between the capabilities of the free solution and a paid plan.

Robust online protection features like AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and no-logs policy help to hide your identity and digital footprint, regardless of whether you pay for this service or not. Also, Proton VPN doesn’t monetize its free apps with ads, allowing you to browse without distractions.

There are free servers in five locations: The U.S., Romania, Poland, Netherlands, and Japan. However, you can’t manually choose and connect to a server. The VPN automatically selects one for you, but you can click the “Change Server” button to be assigned a different server location.

Another drawback is that you can only use one device with your free account.

Premium plans unlock 10 simultaneous connections and start at $3.59 per month on a two-year subscription. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Windscribe is our second-best free VPN choice because, like Proton VPN, you can do a lot with the app. There are many customizable settings, including an ad-block feature, split tunneling, and a firewall to prevent leaks.

You can access free servers in 10 countries, allowing you to easily change locations. The free servers also support streaming across multiple popular platforms.

You can connect unlimited devices, but free users have 10GB per month maximum data usage (and only 2GB per month for users not signed up with an email address). This is plenty for occasional use while browsing online, but it won’t be suitable if you frequently stream movies and television shows.

You can use Windscribe on various devices, including Amazon Fire TV and browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

The VPN also allows you to build a plan, starting at just $1 per month if you want a VPN for specific server locations. Alternatively, a subscription starts at $5.75 per month on an annual plan, or a monthly plan will set you back $9 per month.

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Free users can connect to Hotspot Shield’s proprietary protocol for quick speeds. The protocol has a reputation for fast speeds like NordVPN’s NordLynx and ExpressVPN’s Lightway. Hydra can handle connections up to 1Gbps and works on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

Were it not for the limited free server locations (one virtual location), Hotspot Shield Basic could have easily made it to our fastest VPN shortlist. This VPN is known for being extremely fast due to its Hydra protocol, but connection speeds may be impacted due to server limitations, and you won’t have access to servers optimized for streaming purposes.

You can use the split tunneling feature to exclude some apps and websites from routing traffic on the VPN for optimal connections. This also helps you conserve bandwidth since you only get 500MB daily (amounting to 15GB per month). Though Hotspot Shield Basic offers high-end encryption, the app is ad-supported.

The ad-free premium upgrade plan starts at $6.66 per month and comes with a server selection of 70 countries.

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You can use all TunnelBear servers in more than 40 countries for free. That’s more generous than one of our top free VPN contenders, Windscribe. If you want to change your IP address to almost anywhere, TunnelBear should be your choice.

During testing, I could connect to servers in countries including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Singapore, and across Europe without any problems.

The only limitation you have to deal with is the 2GB monthly bandwidth cap. This diminishes TunnelBear’s usefulness for regular content streaming and makes it best suited for occasional use.

Thanks to its user-friendly and interactive interface, learning how to use TunnelBear won’t be a problem — even if it’s your first time with VPNs. You can also connect as many devices as you want on the free account, and it has native apps for PC, mobile devices, and browsers.

To access more features, like unlimited bandwidth and full access to the VPN’s server network, you can subscribe for as low as $3.33 per month.

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Unlike many services that only support streaming with a premium account, Privado VPN allows you to watch content online with the free tier plan. You can access servers in 13 countries, including the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. (for watching BBC iPlayer in HD), but you won’t have access to the full 49-country network unless you are a paying subscriber.

Servers available to free users are part of the paid server fleet, meaning you have the same high-end protection online. Privado VPN also supports safe torrenting and file-sharing on the free servers.

This VPN can easily be installed on devices, including Android TV and streaming media players like Fire TV Stick — but choose wisely, as you are only given one device connection for free. You also only receive 10GB of free data per month.

Still, subscriptions are very affordable, starting from just $1.11 per month with three months free.

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Hide.me, like Proton VPN, offers unlimited bandwidth on the free plan, so you can browse, stream, and download content without limitations.

You can connect to seven server locations — more than Proton VPN. You can connect to Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the U.K., or the U.S.. It has a minimalistic interface that I feel needs a brush-over to be more inspiring, like one of my all-time favorites, TunnelBear.

It has an ad and tracker blocker, minimizing annoyances and third-party intrusion. There is also a no-logs policy in place to maintain a high level of online privacy.

The free plan allows only one simultaneous connection per account, with premium subscriptions starting at $2/month.

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Best premium VPNs you can try for free

The most popular VPN services barely have freemiums, but some offer free trials and money-back guarantees. These allow you to test all premium VPN features risk-free for a limited period. Here are our best picks with free trial opportunities.

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NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to all users, including iOS and Android. It remains our best VPN for iPhone, but the free trial is only available to Android users. The free trial runs for seven days and is only accessible if you sign up through the Google Play Store.

With its servers in more than 110 countries, secure features, and fast speeds globally, you can experience the best streaming and online gaming performance at no cost. There are also specialty servers, like Double VPN, for secure peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. Subscriptions start at $3.39 per month.

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Contrary to NordVPN, CyberGhost favors iPhone users more, offering them a 7-day free trial without a credit card or subscription. Android and Windows/macOS devices can access shorter free trials of only 3 days and 24 hours, respectively. Plus, CyberGhost’s 45-day money-back guarantee is more generous than most providers, allowing you to test the service and claim a refund.

As recommended in our CyberGhost review, it’s one of the best choices for streaming, thanks to its optimization for multiple platforms worldwide. The app can be used even on PlayStation and Xbox consoles via the Smart DNS feature or router setup.

It costs just $2.19 per month for the most affordable two-year plan with two months free. You can also opt for a subscription for six months.

CyberGhost VPN features: Simultaneous connections: 7 | Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, NAS routers | Countries: 100+ | Kill switch: Yes | Logging: Payment information only | Money-back guarantee: 45 days | Trial: 24 hours on macOS and Windows; three days on Android, seven days on iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.2 | Google Play rating: 3.9 | App Store rating: 4.2

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Surfshark’s offers a 7-day free trial that includes Mac device users. You can only access the free trial via the App Store or Google Play Store for Android devices. It’s also supported by a 30-day money-back guarantee for risk-free testing. Note that refunds will be processed by your app store, not Surfshark, which makes things more complex.

When using the Surfshark app for free, you can access servers in 100 countries and tons of other paid features, including the NoBorders tool that works on network firewalls blocking VPN traffic. It’s only $2.19 per month for the long-term starter package with three months of free access included, but short-term plans are more expensive.

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The primary reason free VPNs are discouraged is because they can put your safety and privacy at risk. Some of them want to secretly collect your data and auction it to the highest bidder, which defeats the purpose of the VPN. Also, some offer only basic protection, and cybercriminals can exploit the flaws and do whatever they want to.

Another problem is ads. They’re not only annoying but could also indicate that trackers are monitoring how you interact with the ads.

Some free VPNs are malware apps in disguise. They may contain viruses, spyware, or keyloggers designed to steal your information.

These and many more hidden risks of free VPNs prompted us to explore secure options you can use to bolster your online privacy. The free VPNs on our list have passed safety tests and garnered positive testimonials from millions of users. They’re not flawless, but you don’t have to watch your back much while using them.

Accessing a VPN free trial depends on the provider. It’s important to check the company’s website for clear instructions on how to access their free trial or plan.

Some require you to sign up and provide your billing information, and others give a free service without this information. VPNs that offer free trials via money-back refunds will charge you beforehand, expecting that you’ll voluntarily ask back the money if you change your mind. When it comes to mobile trials, you’ll likely need to visit Google Play or Apple’s App Store to access them.

Best free VPN	Free bandwidth	Free server locations / countries	Lowest starting price
Proton VPN	Unlimited	5	$3.59
Windscribe	10GB/month	10	$1 – $5.75
Hotspot Shield Basic	15GB/month	1	$6.66
TunnelBear	2GB/month	40+	$3.33
Privado VPN	10GB/month	12-13	$1.11
Hide.me	Unlimited	7	$2

Choose this free VPN…	If you want…
Proton VPN	Privacy-centered features. While limited in server availability, Proton VPN maintains your privacy.
Windscribe	Many server locations and unlimited simultaneous connections. Bandwidth is limited, but generous and custom paid plans are also available.
Hotspot Shield Basic	Fast connections in the U.S. as well as on major devices and platforms. Customer support and server locations are limited.
TunnelBear	IP addresses in multiple countries and user-friendly apps. You can tap into over 40 countries, but bandwidth is extremely limited.
Privado VPN	Ample servers for streaming and accessing geolocked content. This is a great option for streaming and safe torrenting.
Hide.me	Unlimited data transfers without a subscription. However, the app is basic and you are restricted to one device.

If you’re set on a free VPN instead of a paid one, check for these essential factors and be aware of some of the disadvantages.

Truly free without a catch: Some free VPN services aren’t what they claim to be. You can easily consent to a free app that collects and shares your private data with other entities, like marketers. You should carefully scrutinize your provider’s policy and only choose transparent services.
Safety: Even on free apps, the encryption should be AES 256-bit as it helps mitigate online risks like hacking. Also, look for other features like secure protocols, a kill switch, and leak protection.
Intended use: Consider what you want to use a VPN for. A free VPN might be fine for casual browsing, for example, but is unlikely to work well for resource-heavy applications.
Speed and bandwidth: A free VPN will likely come with speed restrictions, meaning you might need to accept lower speeds as a trade-off.
Server selection: Decent coverage should offer you connections in multiple locations. However, many free VPNs will impose limits on your access to the server network.
Streaming, torrenting, gaming: If you want to use a VPN to game, stream, or torrent, free options are likely to be unsuitable. You may need to opt for a paid subscription or trial instead.

The free and paid VPN providers we recommend have been vetted and reviewed by members of our ZDNET team. We’ve been reviewing VPNs for years, have spoken with their management and their users, and developed a generally favorable impression if we’ve included them on this list.

ZDNET tests VPN services from multiple locations, but we can’t test from all locations. Every home, community, local internet service provider (ISP), and nation has a different infrastructure. Once you choose a VPN, it’s essential that you test for all your likely usage patterns and then decide whether to keep the service or request a money-back guaranteed refund.

We analyzed the best free VPNs below using the following criteria:

Performance: Our recommended VPNs must have a minimum level of performance. After all, there’s no point in using a VPN if your connection continually drops or lags.
Simultaneous connections: Many VPNs limit the number of devices you can connect to a service simultaneously. If you have a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or smart TV you want to connect to a VPN, you need a paid service that allows at least five or six simultaneous connections. When it comes to free services, though, there needs to be at least one.
Security: There’s no point in using a VPN unless its security protocols and encryption levels are up to scratch. We also ensured the development team behind each recommended VPN cares about making security improvements and patching reported bugs. It’s important that our free VPN recommendations are not known for selling user data.
Kill switch: A kill switch prevents you from having an unprotected connection. It is an important feature for a VPN, as it protects you by preventing a return to a default Wi-Fi connection should your internet connection unexpectedly drop.
Platforms: What systems and devices can you run the VPN on? Our VPN recommendations have to offer easy-to-use and intuitive apps suitable for various hardware.
Countries and servers: In how many different countries does the VPN have servers? This can include physical and virtual servers, and whether there are enough to provide variety. Expect fewer options with free plans.
Support: As with any subscription software, you may encounter problems with installing apps, using the service, renewing, or canceling. We list VPNs with an available support team, although support may be limited on free plans.

For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive VPN testing methodology page.

Proton VPN test — Testing Proton VPN’s ability to change servers.

Screenshot by Kennedy Otieno/ZDNET

Avoid free VPNs that don’t provide very basic security or have a negative privacy reputation. Some of the services users have reported experiencing major issues with are:

Hola VPN: This VPN works by randomly assigning your device’s IP address to other users on the peer-to-peer (P2P) network. The IP might be used for criminal activities and traced back to you.
Hoxx VPN: The encryption used isn’t safe, and the VPN collects more user data than what is necessary for tracking purposes.
Urban VPN: Though offering lots of free features, including unlimited bandwidth and device connections, the app collects and stores your identifiable information like your IP address. This isn’t safe, given that it’s also based in the U.S. and can be legally forced to hand over your information.
Betternet: A 2016 cybersecurity research paper found that the Betternet Android app had hidden trackers. One year later, the VPN’s Chrome extension was hacked and used to spread malware. The VPN has since undergone many changes, including new ownership, but we haven’t tested it ourselves.
Tuxler VPN: Just like Hola, Tuxler offers a residential IP address pool, whereby users are assigned IP addresses of other users in the locations they want to connect. While this model seems to work, concerns have been raised about the VPN’s lack of transparency when it comes to the logging policy.

At the moment, there is no free VPN solution that we can recommend for use in China. Instead, although it is expensive, Astrill VPN is one of the best VPN choices with customers reporting high success rates. China has imposed restrictions on many providers, and even premium VPNs might not work correctly. Also, you should download the VPN app before arriving in the country because you might face challenges accessing the website once you’re there.

Windscribe, CyberGhost, TunnelBear, Proton VPN, and other services have Chrome extensions. All VPNs on our free list have extensions for Chrome and other browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

When installed on a browser, a VPN masks your IP address, secures your online activities, and enables you to access content on-the-go without the need for a native app on your device. However, you should carefully check the features supported by free VPN extensions as some don’t provide encryption or servers.

Some VPN providers double as proxy services such as Hide.me, Turbo VPN, HMA, and VPN Proxy Master. You can also use exclusive proxy services like ProxyScrape, FreeProxy, and Oxylabs. Keep in mind that while proxies can give you IP addresses to different locations, they do not encrypt your traffic like VPNs. This means websites, ISPs, and Wi-Fi owners can still monitor your activities.

More VPNs to consider

Contents

What is the best VPN for free right now?The best free VPNs of 2025 Best premium VPNs you can try for free More VPNs to consider

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The best free VPNs of 2025: Expert tested

What is the best VPN for free right now?

The best free VPNs of 2025

Best premium VPNs you can try for free

More VPNs to consider

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