The VPN market is full of apps that call themselves free but come with catches that make them nearly unusable. Slow speeds. Tiny data limits. Sketchy privacy policies. Here are five that are genuinely usable at no cost.
Proton VPN
The only fully free VPN with no data limit. Proton VPN is run by the same team behind ProtonMail, a company with a serious reputation for privacy. The free tier limits you to three server locations and medium speed, but there is no cap on how much you can use. For most casual needs, this is the one to install.
Windscribe
Windscribe gives you 10GB per month for free, which is enough for moderate use. The server selection is solid, the app is clean, and the privacy policy is honest. You can earn extra data by tweeting about them (genuinely optional).
Tunnelbear
Tunnelbear gives you 500MB per month, which is very limited. But the app is the most polished and easiest to use of any VPN on this list. It is a good option for occasional use or for someone who wants to understand how a VPN works without committing to a subscription.
Hide.me
5GB per month, five server locations, and a no-logs policy. Hide.me is straightforward and reliable. The free tier works consistently without the speed throttling you see from some competitors.
Cloudflare WARP
Technically not a traditional VPN, WARP routes your traffic through Cloudflare's network for speed and basic privacy improvements. It does not hide your IP from websites but it protects you on unsecured public WiFi. It is free with no data limit and noticeably faster than most free VPNs.
What to Avoid
Any VPN that does not publish a clear privacy policy. Any free VPN offering unlimited data with no paid tier. Any VPN that requires you to create an account before you can see the privacy policy. These are all signs that the product is you.
For serious privacy needs, invest in a paid option like Mullvad or Proton VPN Plus. For casual use, Proton VPN free tier is the safest choice.
