Atlas VPN is a reliable VPN service provider. It comes equipped with vital safety features that you would anticipate to find in a VPN, such as a no-logs policy, AES encryption, and a dependable kill switch. Atlas VPN doesn't monitor, track, or collect users' online actions.
The no-activity-logs claim that TunnelBear makes about being a VPN service is consistently upheld. Additionally, they have conducted independent security audits for the past five consecutive years. This does put them in the same league as other reputable VPN service providers.
Proton VPN is a free Virtual Private Network service with an emphasis on security. It was developed by researchers at CERN and MIT. Make anonymous use of the internet, access blocked websites, and encrypt your connection.
Everyone loves the feeling of winning a free prize now and then. Now more than ever, people are looking for simple and efficient ways to cut costs as the cost of living continues to climb. Free VPN services are popping up all over the place. It would appear that free VPN services are exactly that.
We can’t stress enough how critical it is for you to look into how premium VPN services vary from free VPN options. While there are some trustworthy service providers (we’ll name a few of them below) and all of the services come with limitations, be wary of those who promise to preserve your online privacy but end up doing more harm than good.
You always get what you pay for, premium VPN services cannot be compared to their free counterparts. This is also true for mobile devices and desktop PCs. On the other hand, having one of these devices on hand could be useful if you simply need basic protection on occasion. You should do your research and select carefully, but the free VPNs we list below are among the best on the market right now, and you should give them a try.
Are Free VPNs safe?
It depends on your free VPN. A few good ones are outnumbered by sketchy, ad-filled apps with no background or privacy standards. These may also collect your data, which is the opposite of a VPN.
Even the best free VPNs have restrictions. Most limit data, speed, and servers to a few.
Paid providers offer the greatest experience. Surfshark and ExpressVPN, our top VPN. For $2.30 a month, you’ll get unlimited data and simultaneous connections, great streaming performance, rock-solid security, and advanced capabilities not available with free VPNs, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you’re determined to try a free VPN for PC, Mac, or other devices, we’ve compiled the top five that doesn’t sacrifice usability. If you like the service and want all the features later, all offer upgrade plans.
We’ve tested out 25 free VPN services and made a list of the top 10 VPNs.
Top 10 Best Free VPNs 2023 | Best Super Fast VPNs
Let’s take a look at our top picks:
1) Atlas VPN
Although Atlas VPN was launched six months ago, it had already attracted widespread media attention. The product has been featured in articles by giant media players, such as Reuters, Forbes, The New York Post, Fox News, PCMag, and many others. And, it has a 4.4-star rating on Trustpilot, a well-known consumer rating website.
The company is transparent in terms of how they make money, which is vital when it comes to free VPN services. The vendor offers free and premium service versions. The free version has unlimited bandwidth, but the number of servers is lower. The Premium version has 500+ servers.
Atlas VPN doesn’t monitor, track, or collect users’ online actions, which means they are working under the strict no-logs policy. Since they plan to live off premium version users, they won’t monetize your data and target you with ads. So, technically, getting a free version means getting fewer servers to choose from.
Premium unlocks streaming-optimized servers, which will allow you to stream in 4K any geo-restricted content. The service also supports using P2P applications.
Right now, the Atlas VPN app is available for Android and iOS users. The team expects to release Windows and macOS apps this summer.
Atlas VPN is still in the early stage of development. Still, it already offers military-grade encryption (AES-256), the safest protocols (IKEv2), a lot of servers, a strict no-logs policy, malicious websites, an ads block (SafeBrowse), and leak protection. And it’s only the beginning
Typically, free VPNs put data caps, meaning your VPN usage will be limited. That’s where Atlas VPN stands out – even with the free version of the app, you can use the service as much as you like. It’s especially convenient for streaming or using torrenting applications.
2) TunnelBear
In the free version, TunnelBear provides free 500MB of data every month. You can choose between servers in 22 countries, including the US, Australia, India, Germany, and more. The TunnelBear service is considered to be one of the fastest services in the free VPN market. It’s a perfect option for streaming; however, the bandwidth may not allow enjoying binging on your shows. The extraordinary, easy-to-use app design is a huge bonus, too.
Long story short, the difference between the free and premium versions is just a restriction on bandwidth. That’s why it is our second choice: Tunnelbear has a unique, user-friendly interface with quite a few connection points to choose from.
3) ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is a Swiss-based service that doesn’t put any data limits, runs on reliable encryption protocols, guarantees a no-logs policy, and offers privacy features — all this for free. The major drawback is the limited number of locations to choose from — the Netherlands, Japan, and the US.
Few connection points can harshly decrease your speed due to servers being regularly overloaded. And, you’ll only be able to connect on a single device at the time. Finally, ProtonVPN servers don’t support P2P traffic. Generally speaking, ProtonVPN is made for those who are serious about online security and anonymity.
4) Windscribe
Windscribe also offers free and premium tiers. However, the free service has specific limitations. If you register and share your email address, you’ll be provided to use 10GB/month. If you don’t provide your address, you’ll have to agree to 2GB of data per month.
You can choose between 20 free VPN locations, whereas paid plans unlock servers in about 50 countries.
In its free version, Windscribe has some great features, such as Split Tunneling, which allows you to exclude certain apps from the VPN tunnel in case you don’t wish to secure them. Split Tunneling is a unique feature in the VPN market – only a few VPN services offer it.
5) Hide.me VP
The free version of Hide.me will limit you to 2GB of data per month, which isn’t ideal but good enough for casual browsing. The service limits you to establish a secure VPN connection on one device at a time. There are five server locations to pick from — US (east and west coast), NL, CA, and SG.
Hide.me grants a strict no-logs policy, and uses the most reliable encryption protocols. And, it offers outstanding security features: Split Tunneling, Stealth Guard, Advanced IP Leak Protection, IPv6 Support, as listed on their official website. However, their VPN servers don’t unblock Netflix, which is quite disappointing.
6) Hotspot Shield
With the free version of Hotspot Shield, you can get 500MB of data per day (~15GB/month). It’s also super easy to get started since you don’t have to sign up, put your email address or credit card details to use the service. The major drawback is that the app picks a server for you automatically. So, you won’t be able to choose a location yourself, which is necessary if you’re looking to access geo-restricted content.
Hotspot Shield monetizes the free version by pushing ads to its free version users. If you get easily annoyed by intrusive ads, you’ve been warned!
7) Avira Phantom free VPN
Avira is a reputable name in the cybersecurity industry, differently known as Avira Antivirus. In 2016, the company launched its VPN service – Avira Phantom VPN.
Avira’s Phantom free VPN Android service gives a monthly data allowance of 500MB. You’ll be able to pick a server in any of the 40 available locations, which is quite a large number.
The sign-up process is hassle-free: it doesn’t require entering any information; you only have to download the app. With both free and paid versions, you can use the service on multiple devices. All in all, the free version is pretty solid, but low data caps might be a deal-breaker for those looking to use a VPN daily.
8) SurfEasy
SurfEasy provides 500MB a month, connecting on five devices simultaneously, access to 16 countries, and decent speeds. You can get more free data if you recommend the service to your friends or family. SurfEasy will let you use torrenting without cutting your connection speeds. It has a built-in algorithm that prevents advertisers from tracking you online.
They state that they have a zero-logging policy. Still, there’s a concerning statement on their Privacy Policy page. “We may collect and disclose personal information, including your usage data, to governmental authorities or agencies, including law enforcement agencies, at their request or under a court order, subpoena, or another legal process, if there is a good faith belief that such collection or disclosure is required by law.”
Robust encryption protocols, good speeds, and compatibility with almost all operating systems — these are the best features SurfEasy offers. Yet, their logging policy remains unclear.
9) Speedify
Like most VPN services,Speedify is primarily interested in getting you to buy the full-featured version. Nevertheless, the free version gives a lot of great features, too! It has Channel Bonding technology, which can slightly increase your connection speeds. But, at the same time, it will use twice as much data.
The vendor is committed to keeping the free version ad-free. It’s suitable for streaming, but the free data cap might not be enough — Speedify provides only 2 GB of data for a month.
10) Betternet Free VPN
Betternet has made its way into our top 10 VPNs list because of its user-friendly design. The app has an on/off toggle with an option to choose from 9 different server locations — all in the US. Betternet offers 500 MB of free data per day.
But, it’s quite concerning that the vendor collects more useful information that is ideal for privacy. Betternet may even share some of the data with 3rd party service providers. If you use the free tier, you may be seeing a lot of ads. The servers also don’t support streaming. Hence, Betternet is not a service we’d recommend for those looking for robust privacy and security.
Quick Links:
- Hide.me VPN Review: Is it a Safe VPN to use in 2023?
- Best VPNs to use in the USA
- Cyberghost Vs NordVPN
- PureVPN Vs ExpressVPN
FAQ related to Best free VPN services
What is a VPN?
VPNs safeguard devices from hackers, cybercriminals, and snoopers. It encrypts and sends data to a secure server abroad. Change your IP address to seem in a different country. This creates a service that protects your digital privacy and unblocks censored or restricted information worldwide.
Which Virtual Private Network service – paid or free – is best for you?
Comparing options might help you decide whether to spend less or buy a premium VPN service. Before signing up for a free VPN, decide why. If you wish casual online browsing, use a free VPN. If you want to pirate, stream Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or other streaming sites, or utilize advanced features like Proton VPN's Secure Core servers and split tunneling, you'll need a professional VPN. If you want to use a VPN continually without slowing down your connection, a commercial VPN service is best. Even the cheapest VPN outperforms the other.
Is there a completely free VPN?
It all depends on what you consider to be free. There are several free VPNs available that won't cost you any money, but you can be paying for them by viewing advertisements or even unintentionally providing your data to be sold. The finest free VPN services are typically free trials that let you experience a paid service before having to part with your cash.
Is a free VPN worth getting?
There's no simple answer. It depends on your free VPN use. They're perfect for securing your laptop or phone on public Wi-Fi. Join the service, activate an encrypted server connection, and continue your online activity knowing that no one can see your private data. A free VPN won't work for watching or downloading gigabytes of torrents. Most of them have daily or monthly data limits that you'll quickly exhaust. Most VPNs don't have the server range or quick access support to make those activities easier.
Conclusion: The best free VPN services in 2023
There are restrictions with every free VPN service, but AtlasVPN and Tunnelbear provide you the most leeway to tailor your experience to your needs. Free users of Atlas VPN are severely limited in both the number of VPN server locations available to them and the number of simultaneous connections they are allowed.
Even though Proton VPN’s free tier is rated as “medium” speed, your connection won’t suffer in any way. Because there are now more people trying to access fewer servers, your experience may be slower than usual. Proton VPN’s free tier does not support peer-to-peer file sharing.
There are many various options to choose from when it comes to free VPN services; therefore, it is suggested that you try out a few before opting for the one that best suits your needs. A solid virtual private network (VPN) service shouldn’t make its users’ lives difficult, even if they’re utilizing the service for free.
You should try out multiple services until you locate the one that meets your needs. This is a crucial step to take before shelling out money for a VPN service.
