Best Free VPN Services 2026 - Safe Options That Actually Work
Let’s be blunt: most free VPNs are worse than using no VPN at all. They sell your data, inject ads, or are straight-up malware. But a handful of legitimate free options exist — they just come with significant limitations.
Here are the only free VPNs we’d actually recommend in 2026, plus honest advice on when it makes sense to just pay for a VPN.
The Truth About Free VPNs
Before we get into recommendations, understand this: running VPN servers costs real money. If a VPN is free, the company is making money somewhere. The question is how.
Legitimate free VPNs make money by:
- Upselling you to a paid plan (freemium model)
- Cross-subsidizing from their paid user base
Dangerous free VPNs make money by:
- Logging and selling your browsing data
- Injecting ads into your browsing
- Using your device as an exit node (essentially making you a proxy)
- Bundling malware or cryptominers
We only recommend VPNs that use the freemium model. Every other revenue model defeats the purpose of using a VPN.
1. Proton VPN Free — Best Free VPN Overall
Rating: 8.0/10
Proton VPN is the only major free VPN with no data limits, no ads, and a verified no-logs policy. It’s from the same team behind ProtonMail, one of the most respected names in privacy.
What You Get Free
- Unlimited data (rare for free VPNs)
- Servers in 5 countries (US, NL, JP, RO, PL)
- 1 device connection
- Medium-speed servers
- No-logs policy (verified)
- No ads
Limitations
- Only 5 server locations
- 1 device only
- No streaming support (Netflix etc. blocked)
- No P2P/torrenting
- Slower speeds (free servers are crowded)
Verdict: The most trustworthy free VPN by far. Perfect for basic privacy on a single device. For streaming or multiple devices, you’ll need the paid plan ($4.99/mo).
2. Windscribe Free — Most Generous Data Allowance
Rating: 7.5/10
Windscribe offers 10GB/month free (15GB if you confirm your email and tweet about them). That’s enough for light browsing and occasional streaming.
What You Get Free
- 10-15GB/month data
- Servers in 10+ countries
- Ad blocker (R.O.B.E.R.T.)
- Browser extension
- Unlimited devices (within data cap)
Limitations
- 10GB/month runs out fast (especially with video)
- Limited server selection
- Speeds can be inconsistent
- No dedicated streaming servers
Verdict: Good for occasional VPN use — travel, public Wi-Fi, or quick geo-unblocking. Not suitable for daily use.
3. Atlas VPN Free — Good for Mobile
Rating: 7.0/10
Atlas VPN (now owned by Nord Security, same company as NordVPN) offers a decent free tier focused on mobile users.
What You Get Free
- 5GB/month data
- 3 server locations
- WireGuard protocol
- Data breach monitoring
Limitations
- Very limited data (5GB)
- Only 3 locations (US, NL, one rotating)
- No streaming support
- Free tier feels like a demo
Verdict: Works as a quick mobile VPN for public Wi-Fi. Too limited for serious use.
4. Hide.me Free — Solid Privacy Policy
Rating: 6.8/10
Hide.me has been around for over a decade and maintains a solid no-logs policy verified by independent auditors.
What You Get Free
- 10GB/month data
- 8 server locations
- No-logs policy (audited)
- 1 device connection
Limitations
- 10GB cap
- 1 device only
- No streaming
- Average speeds
Verdict: A trustworthy option if Proton VPN isn’t available in your region.
5. PrivadoVPN Free — Decent All-Rounder
Rating: 6.5/10
PrivadoVPN offers 10GB/month with servers in 12 countries — one of the widest free server selections.
What You Get Free
- 10GB/month data
- 12 server locations (including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico)
- No-logs policy
- WireGuard and OpenVPN support
Limitations
- 10GB cap
- Speeds drop after data cap (not cut off, just throttled)
- 1 device connection
- Streaming works inconsistently
Free VPNs to Avoid
These popular free VPNs have been caught engaging in shady practices:
- Hola VPN — Uses your device as an exit node. Other users’ traffic routes through your connection.
- SuperVPN — Multiple data breaches exposing user data
- Betternet — Contains tracking libraries; logs user data
- Thunder VPN — Riddled with ad trackers
- Turbo VPN — Chinese ownership with opaque logging practices
As a general rule: if a free VPN is heavily advertised on social media or app stores with suspiciously high ratings, it’s probably not trustworthy.
When to Just Pay for a VPN
Free VPNs work for:
- ✅ Occasional public Wi-Fi protection
- ✅ Basic privacy on a single device
- ✅ Testing what a VPN feels like before committing
Free VPNs DON’T work for:
- ❌ Streaming (Netflix, Disney+, etc.)
- ❌ Torrenting
- ❌ Daily use across multiple devices
- ❌ Gaming (need fast, low-latency servers)
- ❌ Bypassing censorship in restrictive countries
If any of those use cases apply to you, a paid VPN is worth the $2-4/month investment. Our top picks:
- Best overall: NordVPN ($3.39/mo) — fast, secure, great for streaming
- Best budget: Surfshark ($2.29/mo) — unlimited devices, lowest price
- Best ease of use: ExpressVPN ($6.67/mo) — premium experience
All three offer 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can effectively use them free for a month to test.
Last updated: February 2026.