Are There Any Good Free VPNs?
If you’re wondering, “Are there any good free VPNs?” then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of the best free VPNs on the market. Among them are TunnelBear, Hotspot Shield, and Atlas VPN. Each one has its own pros and cons, but we’ve chosen them based on their features, ease of use, and affordability.
ProtonVPN
If you’re in the market for a good free VPN, ProtonVPN is a great choice. This free VPN is built on the technology behind ProtonMail, a popular encrypted email service. The team behind ProtonVPN decided to create their own VPN service and crowdfunded it in 2017. ProtonVPN is an open and transparent service. Since its inception, the company has never stored any data on its users. There was only one request to collect IP addresses and other customer information, but they didn’t have anything to share.
The ProtonVPN app is easy to use, with a clear map on the right. It also displays the country of the current server. The map, however, is a gimmick and doesn’t actually serve a purpose. In the past, you could click on locations in the map to connect, but that’s no longer possible. However, you can collapse the map to see your server list.
TunnelBear
The first thing that we looked at when deciding whether TunnelBear is a good free VPN was how secure it was. The service used industry standard AES-256 encryption and an SHA-256 hash for authentication. These are the same standards used by the US government to protect classified information. This is important to know if you are worried about the security of your information online. The VPN uses a no logs policy and does not keep your IP address. You also have ad blocking feature and a privacy policy.
There are desktop apps for both Windows and macOS. Both platforms support the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. TunnelBear will automatically select the appropriate protocol for your connection and connect to the VPN server in seconds. The iOS version also lacks a VPN kill switch and does not support obfuscation technology. This may be an issue for users who are using an iOS device. However, the free version is a great choice if you’re worried about security.
Hotspot Shield
For those of you who are on a budget, Hotspot Shield offers a free tier that has some limitations. This plan only allows you to connect to one server location in the US, has a data cap of 500MB per day, and throttles connection speeds to 2Mbps. Hotspot Shield also shares your geolocation with advertisers. For these reasons, we would recommend Hotspot Shield as a free VPN alternative.
As a free VPN, Hotspot Shield is well-known for its encryption capabilities. However, if you are concerned about your data being collected, you should consider that the company is based in the US, which is home to some of the most intrusive privacy laws in the world. Plus, Aura is a founding member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which works together to collect and analyze mass surveillance data. This means that governments can compel privacy-focused companies to share user information with these countries. However, Hotspot Shield’s transparency report released last year shows that the company did not hand over any data to governments.
Atlas VPN
If you’re on the lookout for a free VPN, Atlas VPN is a promising choice. Its multi-hop servers route your traffic through two servers and add an extra layer of encryption. You can select your region while connecting and exit the VPN when browsing. Or, if you’re worried about security issues, you can select a random exit server. If you’re worried about your IP address, Atlas has a kill switch feature. This feature automatically blocks access to the internet when the connection is dropped. Moreover, it supports split tunneling, a technology that allows you to browse the internet safely with the help of a single VPN connection.
Premium plans offer a variety of additional benefits, including unlimited simultaneous connections, better connection speeds, 24/7 customer support, UHD streaming, and no ads. You can also pay using PayPal, credit cards, and even crypto. All Atlas VPN plans are protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can also take advantage of promotional offers to try the software for free. Atlas VPN also offers a referral program wherein you can earn seven days of premium service for free by referring your friends.
Windscribe
The mobile apps for Windows and Android have more features than the desktop versions, but you’ll have to know the details about each one before using them. Android users will find the status display to be visually appealing with a flag-like background and an On/Off button, but iOS users will appreciate the ability to select individual country servers. Android users will also appreciate the Custom Config feature, which lets them use other VPN servers if they wish.
The Windows client of Windscribe is similar to the Mac app, with a small drop-down menu and an “On” slider to toggle the firewall. A drop-down button on the main screen provides a list of servers, which you can order by latency, geography, or alphabetically. A hamburger menu will take you to the connection and security settings. The Linux version of Windscribe is console-based and in beta. It includes Debian and Ubuntu client
ExpressVPN Fast, anonymous browsing all over the world | ||
NordVPN Enjoy online privacy and security with a reliable VPN | ||
Cyber Ghost Browse anonymously with reliable security | ||
SurfShark Affordable and reliable VPN for secure browsing | ||
ZenMate Experience the internet anonymously | ||
Purevpn Keep your data secure with a VPN built for privacy |