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Here's how it works:
- Find the perfect free VPN
- Download the VPN app hassle-free
As mentioned earlier, the market is flooded with free VPN options, but not all are effective. To steer clear of ineffective VPNs, we've compiled a list of the top-performing free VPNs based on user feedback. Refer to this list to find the VPN that suits your needs.
Explore the world of free Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Why Use a VPN?
There are numerous reasons to utilize free VPN software (virtual private network) for free, but the two primary reasons are to conceal your identity and hide your location.
Depending on what you do online, you may not want your activities to be tracked—especially in certain parts of the world where internet surveillance is a serious concern.
Top-notch free VPNs available today
According to a recent report, nearly 1/6 of the population in the UK is currently utilizing VPNs (or proxy servers) to connect to the internet—and half of them have switched to using VPNs to access geo-blocked websites or services.
Many still confuse VPNs and Proxies as one, however, for a clearer understanding of these concepts, interested readers can follow the comparison article on VPNs and Proxies here to grasp their functions and utilities better.
- Read more: VPN vs. Proxy Comparison
By 'disguising' your location, you can access geo-blocked websites.
Many websites—video platforms or streaming sites—employ geo-blocking to restrict users from certain countries. Using free VPN software can bypass these limitations.
Moreover, VPNs can be used to bypass government-blocked websites—such as in Turkey—and ensure your wireless connections are secure from Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Below is a list of the best free VPNs to keep your online activities safe and anonymous.
Warning: Cybercriminals are intensifying attacks and infiltrating users' computers by disguising malware as free applications and software. This is particularly prevalent on mobile platforms where free VPN clients are widespread. Hence, exercise caution with new VPN services or those offering 'too good' options for users.
Additionally, it's crucial to remember that VPN services are the weakest link in your setup. So, once your device falls victim to malware, VPNs won't be able to 'rescue' you from online tracking. However, antivirus software and apps can.
1. TunnelBear
Download and install TunnelBear on your device here:
Protecting your 'identity' has never been easier—TunnelBear is the best free VPN for this purpose.
- Number of servers: nearly 1,000
- Server locations: over 20
- IP addresses: N/A
- Maximum device support: 5
- User-friendly
- Offers client versions for mobile devices and computers
- Limited options or settings
TunnelBear is a free VPN software, but it also has a paid version for users to choose from. The only drawback of this free software is that users are limited to 500 MB of access traffic per month.
This is not a large access traffic, so you cannot use TunnelBear for free 24/7 and will have to pay a fee. Using the paid version allows you to experience more new features.
TunnelBear's performance is quite impressive and unmatched by any other software. Users don't need to change any default settings, and the automatic connection option works well, but you can choose from 20 accepted countries.
Simple and securely private, TunnelBear is undoubtedly one of the best free VPNs for Windows.
2. Windscribe
Download and install Windscribe on your device here:
With a 'super secure' large free usage allowance, Windscribe is the top free VPN.
- Number of servers: N/A
- Server locations: 8
- IP addresses: N/A
- Maximum device support: 1
- Free 10 GB data/month
- Strong privacy policy
- No client for Android devices
Windscribe is relatively new free VPN software, but with its 'generous' free allowance and strong privacy policies, it's enough to put Windscribe in the list of top free VPN software.
Free VPN service 'gifts' users with 10 GB bandwidth/month and allows users to choose from 8 remote server locations.
All you need to do is create a username and password to log in (email address is optional, but you can use it as a precaution in case you forget your password).
Windscribe does not store connection logs, IP stamps, or websites users have visited. When you connect to a server with your username, the VPN server you connect to and the data transferred will be deleted within 3 minutes after the session ends.
With Windscribe's 10 GB free allowance, users have enough for daily web browsing (if not downloading heavy software or streaming).
Additionally, the service will 'gift' you an extra 5 GB, and each time you invite someone to join the service, you'll receive an additional 1 GB. If you upgrade to the Pro subscription (at $7.50/month), you'll receive an unlimited service package as well as access to additional servers.
If that's not tempting enough for you, Windscribe also comes with built-in adblocker and Firewall. Give Windscribe a try today—and you'll be impressed with this service.
3. Hotspot Shield
If you frequently use public WiFi, Hotspot Shield is an excellent free VPN to protect your privacy.
- Number of servers: N/A
- Server locations: 1
- IP addresses: N/A
- Maximum device support: 5
- User-friendly
- Allows 750 MB/day usage
- Performance may be slightly slow
- Limits configuration options
Hotspot Shield is one of the more well-known names on this list of VPNs and is currently the best free VPN.
You can choose to 'anchor' to one of 20 countries if using the Elite paid version of this app, allowing you to access anything you want. With the free version of Hotspot Shield, you're limited in location selection.
Hotspot Shield offers the option to automatically activate VPN whenever you connect to a wireless network deemed 'unsafe'. However, online performance will be slightly affected when Hotspot Shield is activated, but the 750MB daily bandwidth limit is quite generous.
4. PrivateTunnel
Download and install PrivateTunnel on your device here:
This free VPN software helps protect your data and identity on any computer or mobile device.
- Number of servers: N/A
- Server locations: 9
- IP addresses: N/A
- Maximum device support: 3
- Diverse client options
- User-friendly
- Limited location selection
- Unstable performance
Like some other tools on this list, PrivateTunnel is available on several platforms—especially Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. The difference is PrivateTunnel offers both free packages and paid subscriptions. Instead of providing traditional monthly subscription packages, users are given 200MB of unlimited data to use as they please.
When the data runs out, users can choose to purchase additional data packages of 20 GB or 100 GB. Alternatively, for continuous PrivateTunnel usage, users can opt for the $30/year plan, which provides unlimited data.
PrivateTunnel performs quite well, although connections may sometimes be unstable. Additionally, PrivateTunnel is very user-friendly, so there's no reason not to give it a try.
5. Freelan
Download and install Freelan on your device here:
Experienced users can utilize command-line VPN for free.
- Number of servers: N/A
- Server locations: N/A
- IP addresses: N/A
- Maximum device support: N/A
- Alternative approach
- Highly flexible
- No graphical UI interface
- Not suitable for beginners, requires some experience
For less experienced users, setting up Freelan may be slightly more challenging compared to other top free VPN programs. Instead of just installing a regular program, installing network driver software helps you control web traffic.
Freelan is an open-source tool and completely free, but setting it up may be difficult, especially for new users. For more advanced use, Freelan offers many benefits.
For most users, this is a program to 'avoid,' but for the curious who may want to delve deeper into the program (no graphical user interface, so users control the program via command line) and those who want absolute control, Freelan is the ideal choice.
Once you've chosen a software from the list of top free VPNs, if you're unsure about how these tools work and their setups, readers can refer to the VPN usage guide on Mytour to understand how to use them.
There are many cases when using VPNs, users may encounter some VPN errors, such as data access issues, IP conflicts with the server... to address these VPN errors, there are solutions available. Mytour has identified 9 common VPN errors hoping to help you troubleshoot the issues you encounter.
- Read more: 10 common VPN errors and how to fix them
