Privacy has gone out the window on the web, and it's up to the user to browse more securely. The first thing that comes to mind is VPN services, but they require an additional monthly payment that not everyone can afford. So what about the so-called free VPN? It's simple: if you're willing to accept some limits in terms of speed and data to transfer, it's very likely that one of these four free VPNs we'll see below will be enough for you.
Free VPN: Expectations and Reality
We'd all love to have access to a VPN service with zero cost, unlimited data transfer, support for Netflix and P2P downloads... but we know well that that's not going to happen. Free offers usually serve as tools to tempt the user into signing up for a subscription plan, and in some cases, prices are quite reasonable (especially if we combine coupons, codes, and discounts for annual payments).
However, we've noticed that most "free" plans aren't as irritating as they seem. With rational and precise use, any user can browse more privately and securely in the most critical moments. To that end, today we'll share a total of four free VPNs, very easy to install and configure.
Free VPN: Four Options
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN, from the people at ProtonMail
Developed by the creators of the encrypted email service ProtonMail, ProtonVPN is shaping up to be one of the most generous free VPNs. Its main selling point is that it doesn't impose a data limit in its free mode. Another detail is that if you already have a ProtonMail account, you can use the same credentials to activate ProtonVPN. What does the fine print say? ProtonVPN applies throttling to the connection, the number of available regions is limited to three (United States, Japan, and the Netherlands), and of course, no P2P.
Windscribe
Many users have spoken highly of Windscribe
I received several positive comments about this free VPN, and from what we've seen so far, they're well justified. Creating an account on Windscribe is very simple, and the company goes a step further by offering a Chrome-compatible extension, so we can add extra protection to our browsing. The data limit is 2 GB per month, but if you share an email address, it jumps to 10 GB/month (don't forget this!). The free version includes eleven regions, among which Turkey and Hong Kong stand out.
Hotspot Shield
A classic that keeps reinventing itself
A classic at this point, and for many users, the first free VPN service they managed to access. Hotspot Shield is especially popular in regions with more advanced censorship mechanisms, and enables 500 megabytes of daily browsing, which translates to 15 GB per month. Its client has presets depending on the task you want to perform, but like most of its regions (127 at the time of writing), they're only available via premium. The maximum speed limit is 2 megabits per second.
Hide.me
Ideal for a single device
From the start, Hide.me doesn't limit browsing speed. It also doesn't keep logs or bombard the user with ads. Its free profile allows access to servers in five different regions (there are more than 50 in the premium service). That said, the monthly data package has a cap of 10 GB, and there's another limitation: only one device per free account. This may seem inconvenient at first, but if the plan is to install a free VPN on your PC, Hide.me is more than enough.
Conclusion
Accessing a free VPN service is not an impossible goal. In fact, any of the four alternatives we've mentioned here should serve you well, and the rest is a matter of discovering your favorite, or the one that works best with your devices and your provider. Good luck!
