These are the best legit free VPN services and apps [2023]
As a cybersecurity expert who has personally used over 50 VPNs, I can tell you that finding a reliable and secure free VPN service can be a daunting task. With so many options out there, it can be difficult to know which one will actually protect your privacy and keep your data secure. After extensive research and testing, I and Vpnetic.com have rounded up the best free VPN services of 2023:
RANK
BRAND
DEVICES
STATS
DOWNLOAD
1
6
6 simultaneous devices.
- ● Fastest VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 5300+
- ● Countries: 60+
WHY I LIKE NORDVPN NordVPN has long been regarded as one of the strongest brands in cybersecurity. With one of the largest server offerings on my list and support for most, if not all operating systems, making NordVPN an obvious choice for many. They have 24/7 customer support if you need help getting started. Their app is one of the most well-designed apps I have ever used. NordVPN even accepts cryptocurrencies as payment for extra anonymity.
2
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Cheap VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 65+
WHY I LIKE SURFSHARK: Surfshark VPN is perfect for those who want a cheap and reliable VPN that also has many extra features. "Camouflage Mode" hides your usage from your ISP, "Kill Switch" suspends your connection and protects your information if you temporarily lose Internet access, "MultiHop" to connect from multiple countries at the same time just to name a few. My favorite feature of Surfshark is "Whitelists" which allow the user to exclude specific apps and programs from the VPN connection.
3
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Free VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 1713+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PROTONVPN: ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland and is most known for their e-mail service ProtonMail. They currently offer the safest free VPN services on the market. There is also support for TOR usage and P2P file sharing. I highly recommend ProtonVPN if you are intending to do some extensive online sharing. It goes without saying that Proton does not collect logs of any kind and is completely safe to use.
4
7
7 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Torrent VPN
- ● Servers: 7400+
- ● Countries: 91+
WHY I LIKE CYBERGHOST CyberGhost VPN is the first choice of many other cybersecurity experts, and the reason is clear; they have the most complete VPN service. An incredible number of extra features that are best suited for the more advanced users but also work flawlessly for every-day purposes like P2P-filesharing. Cyberghost VPN also has the longest stretching money-back guarantee at a full 45 days.
5
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Robust/Security focused
- ● Servers: 750+
- ● Countries: 43+
WHY I LIKE ATLAS VPN: Atlas VPN is one of the best new free VPN services. With the free version, you get unlimited data, no ads and zero logging. During my speed tests, Atlas VPN performed very well and could compete with mainstream services. Kill Switch, Ad-blocker, and P2P support all included with a regular subscription, which is incredibly cheap for such a robust service.
6
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Netflix/Streaming VPN
- ● Servers: 35500+
- ● Countries: 84+
WHY I LIKE PIA VPN: PrivateInternetAccess is at the top of my streaming tests, which is a great combination with their easy-to-use UI, Open-Source software and built in adblocker. PIA is also perfect for those who want to be able to pay with PayPal which for some reason, many other VPN services do not support. 30-day money-back guarantee, multiple Netflix libraries, and extremely affordable are the three main selling points for this VPN service.
7
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best VPN for Gaming and Streaming
- ● Servers: 200+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PRIVATEVPN: PrivateVPN is the strong underdog in the world of VPNs. With a shy number of servers, it is evident that they are focusing on quality over quantity. Overall, PrivateVPN is a very decent choice of VPN, especially if you had enough of the excessive advertising by some of the other more known brands in this list. Setting up the VPN requires extremely little intervention, and you can even pay with Bitcoin.
8
49%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best Mobile VPN app
- ● Servers: 3000+
- ● Countries: 94+
10
77%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
45 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Fastest free VPN
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 80+
11
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Great free VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 26+
12
68%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
10 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best reputation
- ● Servers: 91+
- ● Countries: 17+
14
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
15 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Great adblocker included
- ★ Servers: 1800+
- ★ Countries: 20+
15
66%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices simultaneously
- ● Unlimited usage
- ● 50+ locations
16
70%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Unlimited traffic
- ● Up to 1 Gbps
- ● Free trial
17
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Unlimited bandwidth
- ● Countries: 60+
19
$5.00 /user
14 day free trial/money-back guarantee.
- ● Simple Cloud VPN Setup
- ● Site-to-site VPN Tunneling
- ● Easy Server & User Management
21
67%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices
- ● Locations: 65+
- ● 24/7 live support
22
80%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Countries: 20+
- ● P2P Optimization
23
66%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
Basic, advanced, and pro plans.
- ● Countries: 22+
- ● Locations: 36+
- ● 24/7 live support
24
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best multi-device VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 200+
How I review VPN services
These VPNs have been selected based on their robust security features, fast speeds, and user-friendly interface. So, whether you’re looking to bypass censorship, protect your online activity, or whatever your reason is, these VPNs will get you covered.
Per-Erik Eriksson
My name is Per-Erik Eriksson, and as a cybersecurity expert and journalist, I have extensive knowledge and experience with VPNs. When reviewing VPN services, I take into consideration various factors such as security, server locations, protocols, speed, and privacy policies. I also test the VPNs myself to see how well they perform in real-world scenarios.
What is a VPN?
A VPN is a virtual private network that creates a secure, encrypted connection between you and the internet. It acts as a protective shield safeguarding your online activity and personal information against hackers and prying eyes.
Is using a free VPN safe?
It’s best to be cautious of free VPNs, or any other free online service – really. They may seem convenient, but they can put your privacy at risk.
How, you might ask? Some VPN services can collect your data such as your private online activities, and sell that data to third-party organizations.
My top 10 100% free VPN services
Here is my list of the best free VPN services. Some of these VPNs are just trial versions of paid services, while others are completely free to use.
ProtonVPN – The most credible VPN company
ProtonVPN is one of the most credible VPN services with excellent customer ratings. This is a Switzerland-based company that claims to keep all your data private. The company does not save any data logs whenever you connect to their servers. Their premium version offers access to hundreds of server locations available in over 55 countries.
They also offer a completely free version that you can use for as long as you want. This version is limited to just three countries with a couple of servers in Japan, the United States, and the Netherlands. However, most features in this free version remain unchanged. Hence, users can enjoy secure browsing without paying a cent.
On the contrary, the free servers of ProtonVPN are often overloaded and occupied by various other users who want to enjoy free services. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to find a good stable server with a strong connection.
- Price: Free Forever (ProtonVPN Limited Version)
Pros
- Secured VPN Service
- No-logs Policy
- Entirely Free Version
- Based in Switzerland
Cons
- Limited Servers
- Only 3 Countries are Available
My personal rating of ProtonVPN is 10/10.
Psiphon – Open Source and underrated
Psiphon is certainly one of the most underrated free VPN services. It is a completely open-source VPN with its code available on GitHub. This service is excellent for bypassing any censorship, but it is not as solid as other VPNs when it comes to privacy.
As for connectivity, there are tens of country options to connect to the most optimal server that does not compromise your network speed. Also, it is a great tool to use when you are surfing on a Public-Wifi. However, it is not strongly recommended for security reasons.
Another best thing about Psiphon is that it comes with a simple layout and there are not many fancy buttons and processes to go through. Hence, you can easily install and connect to the fastest server with a single click. Undoubtedly, it is a go-to option for anyone who is more concerned with speed and bypassing censorship.
- Price: Free & OpenSource
Pros
- Fastest Connectivity
- Simple Layout
- Open-Source
- Multiple Countries
Cons
- Not for Privacy
My personal rating of Psiphon is 8/10.
TunnelBear – Best for security
TunnelBear has been around for many years, and it is said to be one of the most secure VPN services. Although TunnelBear is a paid service that can cost you hundreds of dollars based on the package you choose, they also offer a trial where users can enjoy 500MBs per month for free.
The provider offers over 41 countries and various server locations to establish a completely tunneled connection. Also, they have a no-logs policy, and they ensure the data privacy of all their users. Moreover, they have been audited by third parties and they invite teams to audit the inner operations of TunnelBear to ensure privacy.
Overall, TunnelBear is a great VPN service and its free version is a good start for anyone who rarely uses a VPN. They can enjoy free 500Mbs of VPN protection every month.
- Price: Free Limited 500Mbs Every Month
Pros
- Fastest Connectivity
- Simple Layout
- Open-Source
- Multiple Countries
Cons
- Not for Privacy
My personal rating of TunnelBear is 7/10.
WindScribe – Free, and reliable service
WindScribe proves to be another reliable VPN service that also offers a free limited version. The paid version comes with over 30 locations while the free version is just limited to 10 location servers. Also, WindScribe provides 10GB of bandwidth every month to their free VPN users.
They also encrypt all your information while you are connected to the internet and under their policy, they do not share any of your DNS information. Still, they do not seem to have a no-log policy which means they can potentially save your browsing data. Hence, it might not be a perfect option for complete privacy lovers.
On the brighter side, it is a good VPN service to use while you are connected to the Public-WiFi. Also, you need to sign up with your mail account before you can use their free VPN service.
- Price: Free 10Gb Bandwidth Every Month
Pros
- Free Bandwidth
- Secure Browsing
- Interactive Interface
- 10 Server Locations
Cons
- Little Slow
- Saves your Data
My personal rating of WindScribe is 7/10.
Hotspot Shield VPN – Not so great.
This VPN service is a bit complex, but it’s certainly not difficult to use. The users with the free version get 500MBs of VPN access every day, and they can only connect to US-located servers. However, paid users have access to over 80 countries, and they can connect to 3200+ servers.
Also, they offer military-grade encryption. Hence, all traffic across the network is secured and untouched. As for mobile users, the Hotspot Shield provides limited 2Mbps access and the application comes with a lot of ads.
The users may face speed issues when the allocated servers are too occupied in the free version. The paid version is also very expensive compared to other paid services. Although Hotspot Shield is a great VPN, it is not audited by a third party and they do not seem to have a no-log policy for data protection.
- Price: Free 500Mb Bandwidth Everyday
Pros
- Free Limited Bandwidth
- Military Grade Encryption
- Lots of Server Locations
- Split tunneling Enabled
Cons
- Throttled Mobile Version
- No Clear Data Policies
My personal rating of Hotspot Shield VPN is 5/10.
Kaspersky VPN – Can we trust Kaspersky?
Kaspersky offers a range of security products to provide its customers with complete protection. The company creates some amazing security tools for home networks as well as businesses. Their VPN service is also popular among their users.
In their Free trial version, Kaspersky offers a 200Mb bandwidth per day which is upgradable to 300Mb if you connect a My Kaspersky account. The two most highlighted features of Kaspersky VPN are their no-logs policy and IP Address Masking.
The VPN is extremely easy to connect to, especially in the free version. The users do not have the choice to connect to specific server locations. So, users can simply push the button and Kaspersky will connect them to the most optimized server location.
- Price: Free 200-300Mb Bandwidth Everyday
Pros
- IP Address Masking
- Zero Logs Policy
- Instant Connection
- Secure & Safe
Cons
- No Choice to Choose Servers
- No Kill Switch
My personal rating of Kaspersky VPN is 6/10.
CyberGhost VPN – Best low-latency VPN; perfect for gaming and streaming.
Although CyberGhost is a premium VPN, they are generous enough to offer a free 24-hour trial where users can try CyberGhost up to its full capacity. There are over 7300+ VPN server locations in 91 countries. The huge versatility of servers makes CyberGhost a great VPN.
The best thing about CyberGhost is that they have a no-logs policy but despite their own policy they allow users to use Smart Rules features to set their own privacy rules and triggers. Also, they use one of the strongest encryption protocols to send your data across the VPN tunnel.
It is also optimized for services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. So, you can browse freely without any restrictions and compromise on speed. The premium version is also discounted on their site. So, you can purchase it cheaply or you can simply try it for free.
- Price: Free 24 Hours Trial (Cheap Packages)
Pros
- No-Logs Policy
- An abundance of Server Locations
- Fast Connection
- Smart Rules Features
Cons
- Free Trial Lasts 24 Hours Only
My personal rating of CyberGhost VPN is 9/10.
SurfShark VPN – This is the best cheap VPN.
SurfShark is another great VPN that comes with a 30-day free trial. The VPN offers over 63 server locations with excellent browsing speed. Also, it is available on multiple devices such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
More importantly, SurfShark offers all those features that we often see in premium VPNs at high costs. One of these features is split tunneling. It also has a built-in ad-block and malware protection system to keep your browsing more secure whenever you activate the VPN.
Overall, SurfShark is a decent VPN and it is affordable too if you are willing to spend some money. The 30-day trial also works great with a complete range of premium features.
- Price: Free 30 Days Trial
Pros
- Split Tunneling
- Premium Features
- Fast Connection
- Available Across Multiple Devices
Cons
- No Robust Data Protection Policies
My personal rating of SurfShark VPN is 9/10.
Hide.me – Simple, but only 1 device
Hide.me is a great start for anyone who is concerned about their privacy, but they are not familiar with the technical side of the internet. The VPN offers a simple and easy-to-use interface for easy navigation.
Although the paid version has 1900+ servers in over 75 locations, the free version is only limited to 50 servers. The free version also has a monthly bandwidth of 10 GB. The positive point of their free version is that they do not throttle your network speed, unlike other free VPNs.
The VPN also offers a range of features including IP Leak Protection, a Fast Proxy, and most importantly a no-log policy. Hide.me keeps all its user data private and they do not collect any sensitive information on its customers.
- Price: Free 10Gb Monthly Bandwidth
Pros
- IP Leak Protection
- No-log Policy
- Bolt Proxy Servers
- 1900+ Server Locations
Cons
- Limited to Single Device
My personal rating of Hide.me is 7/10.
PrivadoVPN – 10GB bandwidth, pretty generous!
PrivadoVPN is another premium service that comes with a Free version as well. They offer a 30-day trial period where users are allowed to use 10Gb bandwidth. There are around 8 servers in free versions while the paid version includes a range of servers from over 45 country locations.
The only downside of PrivadoVPN is that their free version is only limited to a single device with 10Gb bandwidth. Above that, it includes a zero-logs policy along with the best encryption methods. Also, the service offers special optimization for Netflix and other streaming sites to explore content across your borders.
Moreover, the provider allows you to download your favorite torrents without any restrictions, which is another plus point. Also, it is available across multiple devices including macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux.
- Price: Free 10Gb Bandwidth for 30-Days
Pros
- Zero-logs Policy
- 8 Server Locations
- Optimized for Streaming Services
- Easy to Use
Cons
- Limited to Single Device
My personal rating of PrivadoVPN is 4/10.
Conclusion
The best completely free VPN is ProtonVPN. It is currently regarded as the most secure free VPN service by expert Per-Erik Eriksson.
FAQ
?️ Is there a 100% free VPN?
- Free VPNs do exist but not all of them offer complete privacy. They may have limitations such as limited servers, slow speeds, and the potential to collect and sell your data.
?️ Is ProtonVPN a reliable free VPN service?
- Proton Technologies is one of the most trustworthy VPN companies out there.
?️ How do free VPN services make money?
- Free VPN services often sell your information to advertisers who may use it to deliver targeted ads. However, there are many anecdotes about how personal information is sold to highly questionable companies. Use a free VPN service at your own risk.
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