Using a VPN has become essential for many. Whether it’s to access shows or movies that are blocked in your region, or if you are living in the UK and wish to bypass age verification on platforms like X or Discord. Only a VPN can solve these issues, but free VPNs often pose privacy risks. That’s why, after testing multiple options, here are the best free VPN services that I recommend using in 2026.
Overview of the Best Free VPN Services in 2026
Here is a quick overview of the best free VPN services we have tried and tested out in 2026, along with their key features and highlights.
| Best Free VPN Service | Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Unlimited data for free, no ads, no logs policy, strong encryption, access to servers in three countries, DNS leak protection, and open-source apps | Free |
| Surfshark VPN | Strong AES-256 encryption, no-logs policy, automatic kill switch, ad/malware blocker, unlimited connections, wide global server network, and split tunneling | Free, Base plan starts at $15.45/month |
| Privado VPN | AES-256 encryption, no-logs policy, automatic kill switch, built-in ad/tracker blocking, split tunneling, access to multiple global servers, DNS and IPv6 leak protection; offers a limited free tier | Free, Paid plan starts at $10.99/month |
| TunnelBear | Strict no-logs policy, Whimsical design, AES-256 encryption, access to servers in many countries, and DNS leak protection, free tier with a limited monthly data allowance | Free, Paid plan starts at $9.99/month |
| WindScribe | Generous monthly data allowance, AES-256 encryption with a strict no-logs policy, built-in ad blocking, malware protection, multi-platform support, and access to global servers | Free, Paid plan available at $9/month |
| Hide.me | Free tier provides a solid data allowance and fewer server locations than paid plan, AES-256 encryption with a strict no-logs policy, automatic kill switch, split tunneling, DNS/IPv6 leak protection | Free, Paid plan starts at $9.95/month |
| Hotspot Sheild | Military-grade AES-256 encryption, no-logs policy, ad blocking, fast protocol for improved speeds; the free tier offers daily data limits and basic servers | Free, Premium plan starts at $7.99/month |
| Betternet | AES-256 encryption with a no-logs, simple one-click connect, support for major platforms, ad/malware blocking, free tier offers basic VPN and limited server locations | Free, Paid plan starts at $12.99/month |
Best Free VPN Services Compared for Enhanced Privacy and No Restrictions
While there are a lot of free VPN options available in the market, finding the ones that actually provide the service you are looking for without compromising your data and privacy was a hard task. Still, I managed to find some of the best free VPN services that I have compared below.
Note:
Some of the VPN services mentioned below work with services like Netflix and Spotify as well. Spotify and Netflix don’t like VPNs, and while we’ve not heard of anyone getting banned from using VPNs on the service, use them at your own risk.
1. ProtonVPN – Best Overall Free VPN Service
ProtonVPN is a service that I have been using since my college years. It’s free, reliable, and consistently gets the job done, which is why it is my top pick on this list. Besides my nostalgia, the best part about Proton is the fact that there is no data cap, and you don’t even have to sign in. You can continue using the VPN services as a guest. This is a great option for those who want to keep their credentials to themselves.
That said, the free plan has its restrictions. First and foremost, you cannot pick the server since you are limited to only five locations: Japan, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, and the U.S., and you will have to wait for 43 seconds before you can switch servers again. Other features like Secure Core, which adds another layer of VPN, peer-to-peer downloads, or Tor browsing, will also be restricted. The latency is also a bit high, but still, Proton stands as my pick as the best free VPN.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited data | Single device per free account |
| 256-bit encryption and Tor support | Secure Core limited to paid plans |
| Strong national laws protect the company | |
| Available on all major platforms |
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Apple TV, Android TV
Pricing: Free
2. SurfShark VPN – Best Paid VPN Service
You may have heard about Surfshark VPN; it is one of the most widely known VPN services out there. It’s the only one that I pay for, and before you ask, I know that it is not a free option. But Surfshark VPN offers a 30-day refund policy. So you can cancel your subscription anytime before 30 days, and get an instant refund, essentially offering a 30-day trial period. This can be an excellent solution for anyone seeking a long-term VPN option while wanting an extended trial experience.
But the reason I picked Surfshark is because of its excellent speeds, wide global reach, and no logs policy, which are a must for a good VPN service. Surfshark also features a built-in adblocker to remove those pesky ads and an Alternative ID, which offers a US phone number and email address. This can be ideal if you want to mask your identity or bypass the UK’s recent age restrictions.
Surfshark VPN’s excellent speed allows you to stream 4K content from other regions as well. It’s much better than some of its other paid competitors, which is why I have added it to this list.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Connect unlimited devices under one plan | Does not have a free plan |
| Offers the fastest speeds with minimum latency | |
| Built-in ad blocker and Alternative ID | |
| 30-day refund policy |
Pricing: Free, Base plan starts at $15.45/month
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge
3. Privado VPN
If Proton is the top choice, then Privado is a strong contender. This is another reliable VPN service that offers a selection of 13 servers in its free tier, and you can pick from any of them as per your needs. Although unlike Proton, there is a data limit of 10 GB per month, even if you reach said limit, you can continue using Privado VPN for free, but at a reduced speed.
Given the data cap and limited region selection, I wouldn’t consider it the best free VPN for streaming shows or movies. But it can be a good pick if you are looking for a free alternative to bypass age restriction laws to access sites that are blocked in your region. It also blocks ads similar to Surfshark VPN and does not keep a record of your information. Which is why I have ranked it so high on this list.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can pick from 13 different regions | Speed throttles post 10 GB usage |
| No data logging and block ads | Not had any third-party audits |
| 10 GB data cap monthly with free account | Has latency issues with certain servers |
| Available on all major platforms |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $10.99/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, tvOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge
4. TunnelBear
If you only need a VPN to spoof your location or want it to check a site occasionally that is restricted in your region, then TunnelBear could be the pick for you. This playful and charming app features some of the best VPN experiences you can get for free. It lets you pick any server throughout the world, which is great if you want to access a site from any particular location. But this comes at the cost of a data cap. Free users of TunnelBear can only use 2GB of data per month.
You can also find other VPN benefits, like AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, called the ‘Vigilant Mode’, to block traffic when you lose connection with the VPN, and my favorite, Ghost Mode, which hides the fact that you are even using a VPN. This can come quite handy for the folks in the UK who are looking to bypass age restrictions. I have also used TunnelBear in the past, and if it weren’t for the 2 GB data limit, I would rank it higher.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lets you access its worldwide servers | Monthly data cap |
| 256-bit encryption and Ghost mode | No peer-to-peer support |
| Conducts regular third party audits | No support for streaming services like Netflix |
| Cute and playful design | Not available in certain regions |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $9.99/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera
5. Windscribe
The next best free VPN that I have picked is Windscribe, and the reason is that it is one of the most generous VPN providers, alongside ProtonVPN. It offers up to 10GB of data to free users, which can be further increased if you tweet about the service. Moreover, the company strictly follows the principle of not logging user data and supports common encryption protocols like IKEv2 based on AES-256.
Windscribe’s desktop app comes with a built-in firewall that prevents any leakage of data, and each of the worldwide servers is configured as a DNS server, resulting in absolute privacy. This makes it an ideal option if you want to bypass the UK’s age verification restrictions or wish to visit sites that are blocked in your region. However, out of the 45 worldwide servers, only 13 are available in the free account. Which is still not a bad number by any measure, which is why I recommend it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers 10 GB data in free account | Customer support mostly run by bots |
| 256-bit encryption and no data logging | |
| Features firewall protection in desktop | |
| Can pick from 13 different servers worldwide |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan available at $9/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Wi-Fi routers, and streaming sticks
6. Hide.me
Another good contender worth considering if you are looking for the best free VPN is Hide.me. This VPN is quite well-known, does not log your data, and offers good internet speed without any usage limits. Sounds as good as Proton, right? Well, not really because it does not let you pick a specific region, only reserving you to the best server which it automatically selects.
So you are locked to a server, unless you decide to upgrade to a premium tier. This could be a deal breaker for some, but if you just want to use the VPN for basic needs or access X, Instagram, or any other platform locked in your region, then this could be a good solution. It also doesn’t serve any ads, which is going to be an issue with the next VPN service on our list.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No restrictions on data usage | Does not let you switch servers |
| Uses WireGaurd VPN protocol | Not available in certain regions |
| Good internet speeds and serves no ads | |
| Available on a variety of platforms |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $9.95/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Wi-Fi routers, and Set-top boxes
7. Hotspot Shield
You may have heard about Hotspot Shield, since it comes bundled with certain Wi-Fi routers. At least this was how I was introduced to this freemium VPN service. The service seems attractive at first, given that there is no limit on data usage even on the free basic tier. However, it throttles the speed quite a bit, and users only have the option to connect to the U.S., U.K., and Singapore. This means it’s rather ineffective for location spoofing or streaming HD content.
It also serves ads on Android for the most part to monetize from its free users. But the good thing is that it is transparent as to what data it collects and even lets you see which vendors it is sharing that data with. If you want to avoid the ad problem, you can switch to a desktop or use an iPhone, where the ad problem isn’t as prevalent. Better Shield VPN is a good alternative if you are looking for an option for casual browsing or surfing TikTok in regions where it is blocked.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited data | Single device per free account |
| Transparent when it comes to serving ads | Serves ads and throttles speed to 2 Mbps |
| Built-in web browser | Only 3 regions available in basic plan |
| Also ships with certain Wi-Fi routers | Paid plan is expensive |
Pricing: Free, Premium plan starts at $7.99/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chrome, Android TV, Fire TV, certain routers
8. Betternet
Betternet has made its way into our list of the best free VPN services because I quite like its easy-to-use design. But it is in the same ballpark as Hotspot Shield. What I mean is, it also serves you ads in its free tier, in return for unlimited usage. But Betternet takes a heavy-handed approach, offering only 30 minutes of usage per ad, similar to how Spotify’s free tier makes you listen to an ad for 15 minutes of listening.
Not just ad, but also Betternet and Hotspot Shield share some other similarities. Both only let you connect to limited servers in America, the U.K., and Singapore, and Betternet is also transparent about which vendors it will share your data with. It offers basic encryption features and has decent speeds, which can help you bypass age restriction laws and access platforms like X or Discord.
If you want to avoid sharing data completely, then I suggest you go with some of the above options in this list or get Betternet’s paid tier.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Basic encryption features | Limited server location |
| Simplistic interface | Requires watching ad for 30 minutes of usage |
| Email ID not required for sign-up | |
| Unlimited data with decent speed |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $12.99/month
Availability: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Android TV
VPN services allow you to access the internet as it was intended, unrestricted by government restrictions. So I hope the free VPN services we have discussed in this list help you achieve the same. But beware! Tons and tons of VPNs claim to offer a free experience, but it can hurt your privacy or compromise your data instead.
