The best free VPNs in 2025

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**Free VPNs: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly**

As we've established in our previous article, VPNs are an essential tool for anyone who wants to protect their online identity and stay safe while browsing the internet. However, not all VPNs are created equal.

In this article, we'll be discussing free VPNs - those that you can download and use without paying a dime. We'll examine some of the best (and worst) options available, as well as provide some tips for choosing a reputable free VPN.

**The Best Free VPNs**

Based on our research and testing, here are some of the best free VPNs available:

1. **Hide.me**: Hide.me is one of the most popular free VPNs available, with seven free locations and no data cap that really applies in practice.
2. **Windscribe**: Windscribe is another top-rated free VPN, with a generous 10GB of data per month and access to its entire server network.
3. **ProtonVPN**: ProtonVPN is a secure and private VPN that offers a free version with limited speeds and a maximum of 500MB of data per day.

**The Not-So-Best Free VPNs**

Unfortunately, not all free VPNs are created equal. Some are downright sketchy, while others are simply lacking in features or speed. Here are some examples:

1. **TunnelBear**: TunnelBear is a popular VPN that offers a free version with limited data and speeds.
2. **EventVPN**: EventVPN is a relatively new VPN that's developed by the ExpressVPN team. While it has some nice features, its ad-supported model makes it less appealing.
3. **Hotspot Shield**: Hotspot Shield is one of the most infamous free VPNs out there, with a history of security issues and questionable business practices.

**What to Look for in a Free VPN**

When choosing a free VPN, there are several things you should look for:

1. **Encryption**: Make sure the VPN uses strong encryption protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard.
2. **Server locations**: Choose a VPN with servers located around the world, so you can access content from different regions.
3. **Data caps**: Be aware of any data limits that may apply, and make sure they don't affect your browsing experience.
4. **Security features**: Look for free VPNs that offer additional security features like kill switches or DNS leak protection.

**Free VPN FAQs**

Here are some answers to common questions about free VPNs:

1. **What is a free VPN?**: A free VPN is a virtual private network that's available to individual users at no cost.
2. **Are free VPNs safe?**: While free VPNs can be secure, they're not always trustworthy. Be cautious when using a new VPN, and research its reputation before signing up.
3. **Can I get a free VPN on my phone?**: Yes! There are many free VPNs available for both iOS and Android devices.

**Conclusion**

Free VPNs can be a great way to protect your online identity and stay safe while browsing the internet. However, not all free VPNs are created equal. By doing your research and choosing a reputable option, you can enjoy fast speeds and strong security without breaking the bank.
 
I'm so glad they're talking about this ๐Ÿ™Œ. I mean, with everything that's going on online, it's super important to have a good VPN, you know? Like, what if your government or someone else is tracking your internet activity? ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

But yeah, some of these free VPNs are pretty sketchy... like Hotspot Shield, for real ๐Ÿšซ. I mean, who wants their data being sold to the highest bidder, right? ๐Ÿค‘

On a more positive note, I love that there are some awesome options out there, like Hide.me and Windscribe! They're like, super reliable and secure ๐Ÿ’ป. And it's awesome that they offer a lot of features for free, too! ๐Ÿคฉ

For me, what matters most is finding a VPN that's easy to use and doesn't slow down my browsing experience โฑ๏ธ. Like, I'm not looking for extra bells and whistles if the internet isn't going to be fast and reliable anyway ๐Ÿ˜’.

Anyway, just wanted to share some thoughts ๐Ÿค—! If you're in the market for a new VPN, I say do your research and choose wisely ๐Ÿ’ก.
 
omg i'm so late to this thread but i just saw it and wanted to chime in about hotspot shield lol it's like they should've known better than to keep using that sketchy business model what's with the constant scandals and security issues? anyway got a bit of an opinion on free vpn's - personally i think 10gb/month is too generous for windscribe, wouldn't be surprised if they start charging soon ๐Ÿค‘
 
just saw this thread about free vpn's been dead for days ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™‚๏ธ anyway i think the main issue with most of these free vpn's is that they're not really transparent about their data collection practices ๐Ÿค” like what happens to all that data they collect? do we know who's got access to it? ๐Ÿค‘
 
Ugh, just saw that the FBI has arrested another group of hacktivists for exposing corporate data leaks ๐Ÿšจ๐Ÿ’ป They're facing up to 10 years in prison... yeah, great, so now whistleblowers are being silenced even more effectively ๐Ÿ˜ฉ
 
I'm so confused by these free VPNs ๐Ÿค”. I mean, they're either super good or totally terrible... like TunnelBear ๐Ÿšง. It's like, one day it's fine, the next day there are security issues and whatnot ๐Ÿ˜ฌ. And then you've got Hotspot Shield which is basically a no-go ๐Ÿšซ. Why do these free VPNs exist? Is it just to take up space or something? ๐Ÿ˜•
 
๐Ÿค” I remember back in my day when we had dial-up internet ๐Ÿ“ž and people would pay big bucks for a 28.8 kilobits per second connection ๐Ÿ˜‚. Now, you've got all these free VPNs popping up and it's like, "Wait, is this too good to be true?" ๐Ÿคฏ I mean, some of them are actually pretty solid like Hide.me and Windscribe ๐Ÿ™Œ. But then there are the sketchy ones like Hotspot Shield ๐Ÿšซ, you know, the one that's been having all these security issues? ๐Ÿค• What really worries me is people using these free VPNs without even reading the fine print โš ๏ธ. You've got to be careful out there! ๐Ÿ’ป
 
๐Ÿค” so i was using this one free vpn hide.me ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ and it worked pretty well but then i discovered that they're being sued by some other company over their logging policy ๐Ÿ˜ฌ and now i'm like "wait what's going on here?" ๐Ÿšจ

anyway, to summarize the good ones: hide.me, windscribe, protonvpn ๐Ÿ’ป all have strong encryption, lots of server locations, and decent speed. but be careful with tunnelbear ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ it's got ads and limited data.

as for the not-so-good ones... eventvpn ๐Ÿšฎ has some nice features but the ad model is a no-go for me, and hotspot shield ๐Ÿ˜’ is basically a scam ๐Ÿšซ don't even get me started on that one

when choosing a free vpn, just remember: strong encryption, server locations, data caps, security features ๐Ÿ”’๐Ÿ’ป
 
omg u guys i just tried out some of these free vpn options and tbh hide me is my fave ๐Ÿ™Œ it's so easy to use and has super fast speeds! but then i saw that windscribe was offering like 10gb of data per month ๐Ÿคฏ that's crazy! meanwhile, hotspot shield is kinda sketchy ๐Ÿšซ i mean, who uses a free vpn with no data cap? anyway, i think what's key is choosing one with strong encryption and secure servers ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ gotta stay safe online, you know?
 
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