You’ll have seen many articles written on the subject of VPNs. They are crucial for security, especially as identity theft statistics continue to rise with hackers on the lookout for unprotected connections. If you’re using the internet without a VPN you’re leaving yourself incredibly vulnerable, and should get one immediately.
Furthermore, a VPN has benefits such as accessing content that is not available in your location, like the Netflix catalog, and content the government might not want you to see.
There are tons of reasons to pay for a VPN, but not everyone is convinced enough to actually spend money on it. For this reason, there are free VPN services. They obviously are not as good as those you pay for, but they do have their merits.
Before we go into the best free VPN, here are some things to keep in mind.
Stay away from the ads
If a free VPN has targeted ads, this simply means that they are using your data and providing it to advertisers. While they may not do anything nefarious with it, this still leaves you open to hackers and you’re passing the problem on rather than solving it. An ad-based service might be tempting, as it might come with high speeds and unlimited bandwidth, but ultimately it will not serve you.
Make sure you can use it
Anyone can install a free VPN. But this doesn’t necessarily make it possible for everyone to properly use. Free VPNs come at a cost. You either have to deal with very low speeds or capped bandwidth. This sacrifice may seem worth it, but for some, it simply means you’ll end up not using it, because it just won’t be practical. Think about it. If your bandwidth runs out, you’re not going to stop using the internet. You’ll just turn off your VPN. And, if your VPN makes streaming impossible with low speeds, you’re just going to turn it off.
The best free VPNs
The best free VPNs depend on what you’re looking for and what you’re willing to compromise. By far, the best option is the free version of Hotspot Shield. You get fast speeds and you get plenty of bandwidth. The problem is that its Android version has targeted ads. As long as you’re using it on your other devices, you’re fine, but you’re going to run into trouble with your Android.
An alternative is Windscribe, which also has a premium version. Windscribe does cap your bandwidth, but it gives you fast speeds. The bandwidth cap is 10GB per month which, as compared to the usual 500MB, is quite generous. However, if you’re going to be streaming Netflix at a good quality, 10GB will almost certainly run out in the first couple of weeks.
ProtonVPN is a good option for when you’re using public WiFi. Public WiFi is generally the least secure connection you can use. ProtonVPN has no data limitations, but it is extremely slow. So, while it is useful once in a while when you are at a coffee shop or restaurant, it won’t be your number one choice for day-to-day usage.
