Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are proving to be more and more consequential in the wide open world of the internet, where privacy is now so precious. While premium VPN services provide reliable protection, what about free VPNs?
A free VPN can be an attractive option for people seeking a no-cost solution to their anonymity and security concerns. But beyond the appeal of not having to pay for the service, free VPNs can come with serious drawbacks or even hazardous data collection practices.
To help you make the right decision with your VPN and keep you safe and secure online, I’ll cover what you can expect to get with a free VPN, the pros and cons of free vs. paid, and what free options are worth considering.
Included features with free VPNs can vary widely. Some will impose myriad restrictions; only offering a laughably low data limit, one or two server options, or speed constraints. These are oftentimes free versions of popular paid services that want to draw in users and entice them to upgrade in the future. Other free VPNs will provide no such restrictions, but will hoover up user data and sell it in order to continually fund the service.
You’ll almost always encounter trade-offs when using a free VPN so it’s worth doing research about each individual service before you use it to understand what you’re truly giving up — performance or privacy.
That being said, many people still use free VPNs daily and never have issues. The right free VPN for the right purpose can fulfill your needs without you having to pay up for another monthly subscription.
Paid VPNs vs. free VPNs
It’s worth comparing what you get with a paid VPN versus what you get with a free VPN to better understand these trade-offs. Take this with a grain of salt, however, as features differ considerably between individual services (both paid and free).
When discussing the features you can expect to get with a paid service below, I’ll assume the minimum available. Many services go well beyond this with additional features and performance.