The Best Free VPNs in 2025 |

The Best Free VPNs in 2025

While not entirely free, NordVPN still provides the best value in 2025. And thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can test the VPN risk-free.

All of our content is written by humans, not robots. Learn More

By Aliza Vigderman , Senior Editor, Industry Analyst & Gabe Turner , Chief Editor Last Updated on Jun 17, 2025

Read about our Methodology and Testing
2,500+ research hours
50+ VPNs reviewed
300 speed tests
6 experts consulted
5 VPNs recommended
All of our content is written by humans, not robots. Learn More
Best Premium VPN to Try Risk-Free

SecurityScore:
9.7 /10

• 30-day refund lets you test the VPN risk-free
• Often offers extra months of service for free via some plans
• Provides excellent security, streaming, torrenting, and more

View Plans Links to NordVPN
Best Free VPN for Desktop

Hotspot Shield
SecurityScore:
8.9 /10

• Free version provides unlimited bandwidth
• Provides great security and privacy features
• Minimal impact on internet connection speeds

View Plans Links to Hotspot Shield
Best Free VPN for Privacy

Proton VPN
SecurityScore:
9.3 /10

• Free version comes with an audited no-logs policy
• Free users get access to a kill switch and open-source apps
• The free plan provides unlimited bandwidth

View Plans Links to Proton VPN

Free VPNs sound appealing, but they’re rarely worth it. Most free services are very inconvenient to use because they have very restrictive data caps, are very slow, have buggy apps, or lack important security features. Some free VPNs even log your data and sell it to advertisers.

That’s why we recommend getting a premium VPN instead. Like NordVPN, for example — it backs all purchases with a 30-day refund, so you can test it risk-free. Or Surfshark, which actually provides a free 7-day trial on iOS and Android (and also has a 30-day refund policy).

Still, if you insist on using a free VPN, we recommend picking one of the free services on our list. Hotspot Shield is great for desktop users, Proton VPN provides great privacy, and PrivadoVPN is really easy to use.

>> Check Out: The Best VPNs

How We Review and Test VPNs

For every VPN we review (both paid and free), we sign up for the service, and have our team install and test all of the VPN’s apps. We also run tests to check how fast the VPN is, how well it unblocks websites, how good its torrenting support is, and how secure it actually is. We also test any extra features the VPN has, and evaluate the service’s customer support.

For example, in this review of NordVPN, we rate dozens of features and compare the VPN’s pricing to others in the industry. We have a detailed video review, an overview of its customer support, and we go really deep on security (for those who want to geek out with us).

The Best Free VPNs of 2025

1. NordVPN – Best Premium VPN to Try Risk-Free
2. Hotspot Shield – Best Free VPN for Desktop
3. Proton VPN – Best Free VPN for Privacy
4. Surfshark – Best Free VPN Trial for Mobile
5. PrivadoVPN – Great Free VPN for Beginners

Side-by-Side Comparison of the Best Free VPNs of 2025

Hotspot Shield

Proton VPN

PrivadoVPN

Best Premium VPN to Try Risk-Free
Best Free VPN for Desktop
Best Free VPN for Privacy
Best Free VPN Trial for Mobile
Great Free VPN for Beginners

Expert Take
From Subbu Sthanu, Chief Commercial Officer of IPVanish

“The biggest misconception of free VPNs is thinking privacy doesn’t matter when using a free VPN for streaming. In reality, even casual activities lead to free VPNs monetizing your IP address, logs, browser history, digital fingerprint, location, and more through tracking mechanisms. Plus, with free services, you get what you pay for—slower speeds, ads, limited streaming access, outdated protocols and missing features. Paid VPNs provide a much better, more secure experience.”

A Closer Look at the Best Free VPNs of 2025

1. NordVPN – Best Premium VPN to Try Risk-Free

SecurityScore:
9.7 /10
View Plans Links to NordVPN

Product Specs

Multihop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

View Plans Links to NordVPN

Who NordVPN Is Best for

NordVPN is an excellent pick for anyone who doesn’t want to settle for a limited free VPN version, but also wants to try a paid, top VPN service risk-free. And you can do that with NordVPN since it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for all purchases. So, you can buy the VPN, test it for up to 30 days, and get your money back if you’re not happy with it. Plus, we even saw NordVPN run special promotions and deals that sometimes offer additional months of service for free (like NordVPN’s Black Friday sale, for example). >> Learn More: NordVPN Deals

What We Like

• Backs all of its plans with a risk-free 30-day refund
• Often runs special promotions that offer extra months of service for free
• Provides excellent streaming and torrenting support
• Is one of the fastest VPNs on the market

What We Don’t Like

• Price increases after the initial term
• Not the most affordable VPN in 2025
• Money-back guarantee applies only to your first purchase

Data Caps, Streaming & Torrenting

Since NordVPN is a paid service, it doesn’t come with any data caps. We got unlimited bandwidth to use the VPN to surf the web, watch movies, download files, and play online games.

We especially like streaming with NordVPN. While working on this guide, we ran extensive streaming tests on NordVPN’s servers. Our results show that it works with popular streaming sites like Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Max without any issues. This is mainly thanks to its SmartPlay technology, which mixes smart DNS (a tool used to access streaming content) and VPN technology across all of its servers. That makes it harder for streaming services to detect and block NordVPN.

We also consider NordVPN to be among the best torrenting VPNs in 2025. It allows P2P traffic on servers in over 110 countries, which is really impressive. It also provides access to 10+ SOCKS5 proxy server locations for torrenting. A SOCKS5 proxy server will change your IP address, but won’t encrypt your traffic — it provided us faster P2P speeds than our VPN connections.

FYI: We only recommend using the SOCKS5 proxy servers when you don’t care about anyone monitoring your P2P traffic. Since the SOCKS5 proxy doesn’t use encryption, your P2P traffic will be visible.

Server & Speed Limits

NordVPN doesn’t impose any server or speed limits either. Every NordVPN subscription gives you access to the VPN’s entire server network, and it’s downright huge. It includes servers in 118 countries.

Our tests also show that NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs on the market. Our download speeds slowed down by only 5.78%, and our upload speeds took a 4.11% hit. We were able to watch both HD and 4K videos without having to wait more than two seconds for the videos to load — plus, the videos didn’t buffer when we skipped through them.

Pro Tip: NordVPN provides access to split-tunneling, which lets you choose which apps use the VPN connection, and which ones don’t. If you want to further boost your VPN speeds, you can use split-tunneling to only send traffic you want to encrypt through NordVPN. For example, when we used NordVPN to download a torrent file, we only sent P2P traffic through the VPN. This increased our download speeds by about 15 percent.

Device Limits & User Experience

There’s also no limit to how many devices you can install and use NordVPN on, although unlike other VPNs such as Surfshark, there’s a limit to the number of devices you can connect at a time. NordVPN allows up to 10 simultaneous connections. We think this is pretty good. The industry average is five to 10 simultaneous connections, so NordVPN is on the upper end.

We also think NordVPN provides excellent cross-platform compatibility and intuitive VPN apps. It has apps for nearly all devices, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, and even Apple TV. Our team tried out its desktop, mobile, and Apple TV apps, and we liked how easy it is to navigate them. We especially liked the Apple TV app, which we found super easy to navigate with the Apple TV remote.

NordVPN Apple TV app connected to a server in the United Kingdom

Pricing

NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans and several tier-based subscriptions: Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime. Basic starts at $3.39 per month and includes all VPN features, except Threat Protection Pro (a tool that blocks ads and malware-infected downloads). The Plus subscription adds Threat Protection Pro and NordPass, a good password manager. We signed up for the Plus subscription when writing this guide. But the Basic subscription would also be a good pick if you already use an antivirus and a password manager, and don’t need the extra security tools.

NordVPN Subscription	1-Month Plan	1-Year Plan	2-Year Plan
Basic	$12.99/month	$4.99/month	$3.39/month
Plus	$13.99/month	$5.99/month	$4.39/month
Complete	$14.99/month	$6.99/month	$5.39/month
Prime	$17.99/month	$9.99/month	$8.39/month

If you’d like more security services, the Complete subscription adds encrypted cloud storage, and the Prime subscription adds NordProtect, an identity theft protection service.

As an added bonus, you often can get three or four free months if you sign up for a one- or two-year subscription.

2. Hotspot Shield – Best Free VPN for Desktop

SecurityScore:
8.9 /10
View Plans Links to Hotspot Shield

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Obfuscated servers	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes, but not in all regions
Torrenting	Yes

View Plans Links to Hotspot Shield

Who Hotspot Shield Is Best for

We believe Hotspot Shield’s free version is excellent for desktop users. The VPN also has a free plan on mobile, but it’s significantly more restrictive — and actually even somewhat annoying to use because of ads. The desktop version, however, has no ads and offers unlimited data and speeds.

What We Like

• The free plan provides unlimited data and speeds on desktop
• The free version provides strong security and privacy
• Has pretty fast speeds

What We Don’t Like

• On mobile, the free version displays ads and limits speeds to 2 Mbps
• The free version limits you to one connection
• Only paid users get access to the smart TV apps

Data Caps, Streaming & Torrenting

We like how the free version provides unlimited bandwidth. That’s not something you see with most free VPNs, as they usually limit you to anywhere between 2 and 10 GB per month. One free VPN we tested, Avira Phantom, even has a measly 500 MB limit per month.

The catch with Hotspot Shield is you can only take advantage of uninterrupted VPN usage on desktop. On mobile, the free version displays ads in exchange for timed usage— one ad gives you 15 minutes of VPN time. We found the ads very annoying.

Another downside is that like most free VPNs, Hotspot Shield doesn’t guarantee support for streaming and torrenting. We tried accessing Disney+ and changing our Netflix region via the free version on desktop, but our connections were always blocked. However, we were able to download a few torrents, which is pretty great.

FYI: Even though we were able to torrent using Hotspot Shield’s free plan, we can’t guarantee that the VPN actually allows torrenting on its free version. There’s always a chance that the VPN will block your P2P downloads on its free servers.

Server & Speed Limits

On the free version, Hotspot Shield limits you to servers in three countries: the US, the UK, and Singapore. This is the same on both desktop and mobile. This is a bit restrictive, considering that other free VPNs provide access to more servers. PrivadoVPN, for example, lets you use free servers in 10 countries.

As for speeds, only the free version on desktop doesn’t impose any speed limits. On mobile, free users are limited to a maximum speed of 2 Mbps. Due to that, we experienced somewhat noticeable slowdowns while watching YouTube videos via the free plan on mobile — most HD videos took more than three seconds to load, and almost all videos buffered when they started up.

Device Limits & User Experience

With the free version, you can only install and use Hotspot Shield on one device. The VPN provides free access to most of its apps. However, only paid users get access to its Android TV and Fire TV apps.

On the plus side, we found Hotspot Shield’s apps really intuitive. We like how there’s a quick-connect feature, which we often used to automatically connect us to the fastest server. We also think it’s great that the VPN’s apps provide access to split-tunneling — many free VPNs don’t provide access to this feature (like Proton VPN, for example).

Pricing

Hotspot Shield’s paid plans aren’t the cheapest out there. Its prices do start at $2.99 per month, but only if you opt for the three-year plan, which is a very big commitment. On the plus side, we like how the VPN backs all of its plans with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, which is even longer than what NordVPN provides.

Hotspot Shield Pricing Plans
1-Month Plan	$9.99/month
1-Year Plan	$6.66/month
3-Year Plan	$2.99/month

Hotspot Shield’s paid version provides pretty great value. In our tests, it allowed us to watch Netflix without problems, and it also provided us with very fast speeds. Plus, the paid version adds access to servers in 85 countries (versus 3 with the free plan), and also guarantees P2P support on all servers.

3. Proton VPN – Best Free VPN for Privacy

SecurityScore:
9.3 /10
View Plans Links to Proton VPN

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

View Plans Links to Proton VPN

Who Proton VPN Is Best for

Proton VPN is a great pick for anyone who wants a privacy-focused free VPN. We read through the VPN’s no-logs policy, and confirmed that it truly doesn’t store your data. Plus, Proton VPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited as well, like other big name VPNs such as NordVPN and Surfshark. In addition, all of Proton VPN’s apps are open-source. Anyone can inspect the code for security issues. Don’t worry if you’re not tech-savvy enough to do that — the VPN’s apps have also been independently audited and confirmed to be secure.

What We Like

• The free version provides high-end privacy features
• Has very fast upload speeds
• The free version doesn’t display any ads

What We Don’t Like

• The free version doesn’t support torrenting, or guarantee streaming support.
• Free users can’t choose which server location they connect to.
• The free plan limits you to one device

Data Caps, Streaming & Torrenting

Like Hotspot Shield, Proton VPN provides unlimited bandwidth via its free version. But we think Proton VPN is better for “uninterrupted access” on mobile since its mobile apps are ad-free. While Hotspot Shield’s free plan allows unlimited data on its mobile apps, it displays a lot of ads that feel very intrusive.

In terms of streaming and torrenting, Proton VPN specifically says that its free plan doesn’t guarantee streaming support or allow torrenting. And we can confirm that’s true. We tried accessing Netflix, but were unsuccessful. We also tried downloading a torrent, but Proton VPN immediately blocked our P2P download, and redirected us to a page on its site that mentions how free servers don’t allow torrenting.

Server & Speed Limits

Proton VPN’s free plan provides access to servers in five countries: the US, the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland. The VPN also doesn’t impose any speed limits, which is great.

When we used Proton VPN, our download speeds slowed down by around 8.18%, and our upload speeds by about 4%. We used the VPN to surf the web, and most sites we accessed loaded in less than two seconds. It also took us only three minutes to upload a 3.5 GB file to our office Google Drive.

Device Limits & User Experience

With Proton VPN’s free plan, you’re limited to one device. But we like how free users get access to all of the VPN’s apps (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Fire TV). Really, our only complaint is that free users can’t use the VPN’s Apple TV app.

We think that, for free users, Proton VPN’s apps could feel a bit restrictive. That’s because the VPN automatically connects you to a free server, usually the one that’s closest to you. It doesn’t let you choose which country you want to connect to, which is inconvenient.

Pricing

Proton VPN’s paid plans are pretty affordable, with prices beginning at $3.59 per month via the longest plan. The VPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all of its plans. But keep in mind that the refund policy is prorated. That means Proton VPN will refund you for any unused portion of the service. So, if you request a refund after 14 days, you’ll be refunded for the remaining 16 days.

Proton VPN Pricing Plans
1-Month Plan	$9.99/month
1-Year Plan	$3.99month
2-Year Plan	$3.59/month

We believe that Proton VPN’s paid version provides great value. As a paid user, you get access to servers in 118 countries (and you can choose which server you connect to), very good streaming and P2P support, and additional security features, including an ad blocker and split-tunneling.

4. Surfshark – Best Free VPN Trial for Mobile

SecurityScore:
9.5 /10
Get Free Trial Links to Surfshark

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

Get Free Trial Links to Surfshark

Who Surfshark Is Best for

Surfshark isn’t free, but it has one of the best free VPN trials in 2025. Whether you’re on iOS or Android, you get a free 7-day trial when you sign up for Surfshark. You’ll have to input your payment details on sign-up, but the VPN will charge you only after the free trial is over. You’re also free to cancel any time before the trial ends. And on top of that, the VPN provides access to very beginner-friendly and feature-rich mobile apps.

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
Has a free 7-day trial on iOS and Android	Upload speeds are pretty sluggish
Its mobile apps are very simple to use, and also really feature-rich	The monthly plan is a bit expensive
Provides excellent streaming support
Allows unlimited simultaneous connections

What We Like

• Has a free 7-day trial on iOS and Android
• Its mobile apps are very simple to use, and also really feature-rich
• Provides excellent streaming support
• Allows unlimited simultaneous connections

What We Don’t Like

• Upload speeds are pretty sluggish
• The monthly plan is a bit expensive

Data Caps, Streaming & Torrenting

Like NordVPN, Surfshark provides unlimited bandwidth (since it’s a paid VPN). This means you can use the VPN to surf the web, stream content, and game online as much as you want.

We consider Surfshark to be one of the best streaming VPNs on the market. We’ve tested the VPN with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Max, and DAZN, and Surfshark has always been able to access those services without any problems. We also like that the VPN has a smart DNS like NordVPN — we set it up on a PlayStation 5 console, and was able to use it to watch.

FYI: On Android, Surfshark also has a GPS-spoofing feature. This tool matches your device’s GPS data to the IP address of the VPN server you’re using. This will prevent mobile streaming apps from using your location data to detect your real location.

On Android, Surfshark allowed us to spoof our device’s GPS data to improve our streaming experience.

Surfshark is also pretty good for torrenting, as it supports P2P downloads on all of its servers. But we think it’s a shame it doesn’t have any other P2P-related features that could help boost your torrenting speeds. If that’s an issue for you, consider getting NordVPN instead since it comes with SOCKS5 proxy support.

Server & Speed Limits

Surfshark doesn’t impose any server or speed limits. All subscribers get access to the VPN’s entire server network, which consists of locations in 100 countries.

Surfshark also performed pretty well in our VPN download and upload speed tests. Our download speeds only slowed down by around 7.76% — we didn’t experience lag while playing online games, and all the HD videos we watched on YouTube didn’t buffer. However, our upload speeds were a bit sluggish, as they slowed down by 49.98%. We tried uploading a 2 GB file to our office Google Drive, and it took around 8-9 minutes for the upload to finish – a couple minutes longer than we’re used to.

Device Limits & User Experience

Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections. This means you can install and use the VPN on as many devices as you want. That’s why we’d recommend getting Surfshark if you have a large family, or just want to secure many web-connected devices.

The VPN has apps for all devices, and they’re all easy to use — but we’re especially happy with its iOS and Android apps. The mobile app design is extremely intuitive, so much so that it generally took us less than ten seconds to find and connect to a server.

And the mobile apps are also feature-rich. For example, both the iOS and Android apps come with IP Rotator and Dynamic MultiHop. IP Rotator provides better privacy by regularly changing your VPN IP address without dropping your connection. And Dynamic MultiHop allows you to use double VPN servers, which protect your data with an extra layer of encryption.

FYI: We really like Surfshark’s Dynamic MultiHop feature since it lets you create customized double VPN connections. Basically you can pick any one of Surfshark’s server locations to act as an entry and exit server. Most VPNs that have double VPN support limit you to a list of predefined double VPN servers.

Pricing

Surfshark has a 30-day refund for all plans and three tier-based subscriptions: Surfshark Starter, Surfshark One, and Surfshark One+. For this guide, we got the Surfshark Starter subscription since it provides access to all VPN features. The Surfshark Starter subscription is also very affordable since its pricing starts at just $2.19 per month. Here’s a breakdown of all costs associated with this subscription tier:

Surfshark Starter Subscription Costs
1-Month Plan	$15.45/month
1-Year Plan	$3.19/month
2-Year Plan	$2.19/month

The Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ subscription add access to more security services. The One subscription adds Surfshark Antivirus and a privacy-focused search engine. And the One+ subscription adds a data removal tool (Incogni).

5. PrivadoVPN – Great Free VPN for Beginners

SecurityScore:
9.0 /10
View Packages Links to PrivadoVPN

View Packages Links to PrivadoVPN

Who PrivadoVPN Is Best for

We consider PrivadoVPN to be a good pick for anyone who’s new to VPNs. Its free version is pretty good. And its apps have a really minimalist design that makes it very easy to find the VPN’s servers, settings, and features.

What We Like

• The free version gives you access to servers in 10 countries
• Maintains pretty good connection speeds
• Free users get access to all apps, including the smart TV apps
• The paid version has very cheap prices

What We Don’t Like

• The free plan claims to support streaming, but it’s pretty inconsistent
• Free users can only install PrivadoVPN on one device

Data Caps, Streaming & Torrenting

PrivadoVPN provides 10 GB every 30 days. The data cap is enough for one month of light browsing — like scrolling on Facebook or searching home improvement ideas on Pinterest. But it’s not enough for video streaming. We tried using PrivadoVPN to watch TikTok videos over the course of a week, and it only lasted us for four days.

Pro Tip: If the 10 GB data cap is an issue, we recommend picking Hotspot Shield or Proton VPN instead of PrivadoVPN. Both of those VPNs have free plans that allow unlimited bandwidth.

PrivadoVPN says that its free version supports streaming, although our tests show that its support is hit-and-miss. We were able to access BBC iPlayer, but not Netflix, Disney+, or Max. We also tested the free version’s P2P support. While we were able to download a few torrents, we can’t guarantee that you’ll have the same experience.

Server & Speed Limits

PrivadoVPN’s free plan limits you to servers in ten countries. It might not seem like much, but keep in mind that most free VPNs limit you to less — for example, Hotspot Shield only lets you use free servers in ten countries. Plus, PrivadoVPN’s free servers are located on most continents, including Europe, Asia, and North, Central, and South America. So, it’s somewhat easy to use a nearby server to get relatively decent speeds.

And speaking of speeds, PrivadoVPN doesn’t impose any speed limits. We also had pretty good speeds in our tests. We used the VPN’s free servers to watch a few HD videos on YouTube, and they generally loaded in less than three seconds. However, we did notice some buffering when skipping through the videos.

Pro Tip: If you’re not happy with PrivadoVPN’s speeds, we recommend checking its VPN protocol settings. Make sure you configure the app to use the WireGuard protocol instead of IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN, as WireGuard would provide the best speeds.

Device Limits & User Experience

PrivadoVPN’s free plan limits you to one device. It’s inconvenient, but this is mostly standard with free VPN services. On the plus side, it has apps for all major desktop, mobile, and smart TV devices. We especially like that it provides free access to its smart TV apps — for comparison, Hotspot Shield only gives paid users access to its smart TV apps.

We tested PrivadoVPN’s apps on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Android TV. It was painstaking to log in and log out to use it on multiple devices because of the one device limit, but overall, we found all of its apps very beginner-friendly (especially the iOS app). They’re easy to navigate, and they provide clear, helpful explanations for all settings and features.

Pricing

PrivadoVPN is one of the cheapest VPNs out there, with prices beginning as low as $1.11 per month if you get the two-year plan. We also saw that the VPN often runs promotions where it provides extra months of service for free with its long-term plans. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it only covers the long-term plans.

PrivadoVPN Pricing Plans
1-Month Plan	$10.99/month
1-Year Plan	$1.33month
2-Year Plan	$1.11/month

PrivadoVPN’s paid version gives you access to unlimited data, servers in 49 countries, and great P2P support (it even has SOCKS5 proxy servers like NordVPN). Plus, the paid version adds access to an ad blocker and great streaming support.

What to Avoid When Looking for a Free VPN

Normally, after our “best VPNs for” lists, we put a section about what to look for in VPNs so our readers can do their own research if they want. For free VPNs however, we find it easier to list what NOT to look for. There are so many free VPNs going around that it’s much easier to eliminate those with red flags that weed out the ones that are worth the download.

If you see any of these from a free VPN, stay away; the risk is not worth it:

• Unclear, vague, or non-existent privacy policy: Even though you’re using a free service, you still deserve to know what data will be collected, how it will be used, with whom it will be shared, and how it will be kept secure. Free options that don’t provide that information are likely going to profit off of your data.
• Community-powered networks: Some free VPNs are able to operate without actual servers by utilizing their users’ networks as proxy servers. If you connect to a “server” in Australia, for example, that’s actually the network of another user in Australia. And if you sign up for such community-powered VPNs, your device and network will be used as proxy servers as well. That’s risky because your IP address will be tied to the internet activity of whoever’s connected to your network. If they use it for illegal activities, you could be legally liable.

• No company background: Circling back to what we said earlier, it’s an absolute must to avoid VPNs with generic names, most of which have no company background. It’s imperative to choose a VPN company with whom you can entrust your browsing data, and without clear information on who’s running the show, it’s just impossible to trust such VPNs that don’t provide company information.
• Too much ads: It’s normal for free VPNs to show ads – even our top-pick Hotspot Shield does it – but some go overboard showing ads every few seconds you spend in their apps. Even worse, there are free VPNs that will inject ads into your browsing. If you start to see ads where you haven’t seen them before – for example, on an ad-free website like ours – that’s likely adware caused by a free VPN.
• Malware: This is a little harder to detect since free VPNs that contain adware will obviously hide their malicious intent. Hence, before using a free VPN, you must ensure your device has sufficient malware protection. If your antivirus software detects malware after installing a free VPN, get rid of the malware and the VPN immediately.

• Confusing or buggy VPN apps: If you need to jump through hoops to get the VPN on your device (like sideloading it or downloading third-party software to use it), it’s best to avoid the free VPN. We also recommend staying away from free VPNs whose apps are hard to use and suffer frequent crashes or bugs.

» Further Reading: Setting Up a VPN

• Lack of customer support: Free VPNs generally won’t give you access to live chat support. But at the very least you should be able to rely on a detailed support section or responsive email support. If the free service doesn’t offer any support options, it’s best to avoid it. Otherwise, if you encounter an issue, who will help you solve it?
• Device performance issues: Lastly, if your device starts being sluggish after installing a free VPN, that’s another red flag. It could mean that the VPN app is doing something else in the background besides connecting you to a tunnel. It could be sniffing for passwords, downloading bloatware, or infecting your device with malware.

In any case, we recommend being extra vigilant when choosing a free VPN to use. It’s like walking alone at night – you might make it to your destination safely, but it doesn’t hurt to be extra watchful.

Do Free VPNs Offer The Same Level of Protection as Premium VPNs?

Yes, the top free VPN services (like the ones we recommend above) secure your data just as well as paid VPNs do. They achieve this by having:

• Military-grade encryption. Good free VPNs use 256-bit AES encryption or any similarly strong encryption (such as ChaCha20 for WireGuard connections) to make your internet browsing completely unreadable.
• Secure protocols. A reliable free VPN will give you access to secure VPN protocols, such as WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec, or OpenVPN. Some even use proprietary protocols, which are developed in-house. A good example of that is Hotspot Shield’s Hydra protocol (which is also used by UltraVPN) and NordVPN’s NordLynx and the new NordWhisper protocol.

Good free VPNs, like Proton VPN for example, provide access to very secure VPN protocols.

• A no-logs policy. All the free VPNs we included in this guide come with a no-logs policy. This ensures the VPN doesn’t monitor your web browsing or collect your IP address.
• Good leak protection. Free VPNs that are actually good will protect you against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. To make sure that the free VPNs we recommend actually work and are safe to use, we tested them for leaks.

• A kill switch. Top free VPNs equip their apps with a kill switch, which is a security feature that protects you from traffic leaks. Basically, it shuts down all web access if your VPN disconnects to ensure no sensitive data is exposed.

But there are free VPNs out there that could compromise your data. They could lack essential security features or log your personal data and share it with third parties. For example, VPN Gate doesn’t have a kill switch, which means it can’t protect you from traffic leaks.

Do Free VPNs Work on All Devices?

Free VPNs have apps for most desktop, mobile, and smart TV devices. Many of them even allow you to set up their services on a router. If you do that, you basically circumvent the one-device restriction many of them have.

However, some free VPNs only provide access to certain apps to paid users. For example, you need to have a paid Hotspot Shield subscription to use its Android TV or Fire TV app.

Conclusion: Free VPNs vs. Premium VPNs, Which Is Better?

We think you know what our answer is going to be. We’d choose premium VPNs over free VPNs any day of the week. However, if you’re in a situation where buying a VPN subscription is not a viable option, we have nothing against the use of free VPNs. Despite having limitations, free VPNs can offer adequate privacy and security, just as long as you use a trustworthy one.

Other Free VPNs We’ve Tested

FAQs About Free VPNs

The best free VPNs of 2025 are Hotspot Shield, Proton VPN, and PrivadoVPN. Hotspot Shield is great for desktop users, Proton VPN’s free version is excellent for privacy, and PrivadoVPN is very easy to use and has free servers in 10 countries. However, we also recommend testing out NordVPN and Surfshark risk-free, just so you can compare what free and premium VPNs can do. Both are paid VPNs that offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and free trial on mobile apps

Usually no, as they don’t refresh the IPs of their free servers very often. So, it’s very easy for streaming services to detect and block them. However, some free VPNs we tested occasionally worked with streaming sites.

The limitations of free VPNs often include data usage limits, speed capping, and limited simultaneous connections. Some VPNs may also limit the number of server locations you can access.

Not all free VPNs are safe, which is why we recommend getting a free version of a reputable paid VPN rather than downloading a VPN advertised as 100 percent free.

No. Most free VPNs encrypt your data and hide your IP address, whereas proxies only change your IP address (so, they’re less secure).

5 Best VPNs in 2025: Which One is Right for You?

In today’s hyper-connected world, protecting your online privacy has never been more important—or more overwhelming. With countless VPN options promising to safeguard your data, unblock streaming platforms, and boost your browsing speed, how do you know which one is truly worth your time (and money)? Maybe you’re tired of buffering during your favorite shows, or perhaps you’re just looking for peace of mind while scrolling through public Wi-Fi. Whatever your reason, finding the right VPN can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But don’t worry—you’re not alone in this.

This guide dives into the top five VPNs of 2025—NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and ProtonVPN—to help you cut through the noise and find the perfect fit for your needs. Whether you’re all about airtight privacy, seamless streaming, or sticking to a budget, each of these VPNs brings something unique to the table. By the end of this overview by Howfinity, you’ll have a clear picture of which service aligns with your priorities, so you can browse, stream, and connect with confidence.

VPN Overview

TL;DR Key Takeaways :

• Privacy and Security: All five VPNs provide military-grade encryption, strict no-logs policies, and RAM-based servers for enhanced security. ProtonVPN stands out with its Swiss-based secure core servers, while Surfshark’s jurisdiction raises minor concerns despite its no-logs policy.
• Performance: NordVPN leads in speed with its NordLynx protocol, followed by Surfshark. ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN offer reliable performance, while CyberGhost lags despite its large server network.
• Streaming Optimization: Surfshark and ExpressVPN excel at unblocking popular streaming platforms, with CyberGhost offering specialized servers. NordVPN and ProtonVPN perform well but are slightly less optimized for streaming.
• Usability and Features: NordVPN offers an interactive server map, while Surfshark provides unlimited device connections. ProtonVPN appeals to advanced users, and NordVPN/Surfshark include antivirus and malware protection for added value.
• Pricing and Value: CyberGhost is the most budget-friendly, Surfshark offers excellent value with unlimited connections, and ProtonVPN provides a free plan. NordVPN balances features and cost, while ExpressVPN is the priciest option.

Selecting the right VPN in 2025 is a critical decision, given the increasingly competitive market. This review examines the top five VPN providers—NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and ProtonVPN—through the lens of privacy, security, performance, usability, features, and pricing. Each service is tailored to meet specific user needs, whether you prioritize privacy, streaming, speed, or affordability.

Privacy and Security: How Safe Are You?

Privacy and security remain the foundation of any VPN service, and all five providers excel in delivering robust protection. Each employs military-grade encryption to safeguard your data and adheres to strict no-logs policies, making sure your online activities remain confidential. Additionally, they use RAM-based servers, which automatically erase all data upon reboot, further enhancing security.

• ProtonVPN: Offers unparalleled privacy with its Swiss-based secure core servers, providing an extra layer of protection for users wary of surveillance.
• Surfshark: Operates under the Netherlands’ jurisdiction, a member of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. However, its strict no-logs policy mitigates potential risks, making sure user data remains private.
• Ownership Transparency: NordVPN and Surfshark share the same parent company, while ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are owned by Kape Technologies. This ownership detail may influence trust depending on user preferences.

These providers also include advanced features such as kill switches, DNS leak protection, and multi-hop connections, ensuring comprehensive security for users across various scenarios.

Performance: Speed Matters

Speed is a critical factor for VPN users, particularly for activities like streaming, gaming, or downloading large files. Each provider delivers competitive performance, but some stand out more than others.

• NordVPN: Leads in speed, thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol, built on the efficient WireGuard framework. This ensures fast and reliable connections for all activities.
• Surfshark: Offers consistent speeds across its network, also using the WireGuard protocol for optimal performance.
• ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN: Deliver reliable speeds but fall slightly behind NordVPN in performance tests.
• CyberGhost: Despite having the largest server network, it lags in speed, making it less ideal for users who prioritize fast connections.

For users who demand high-speed connections, NordVPN and Surfshark emerge as the top choices, making sure minimal buffering and smooth performance across all devices.

https://www.security.org/vpn/best/free/

https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/top-vpns-2025-comparison-review/