If you visit the Microsoft Store, you will notice that there are plenty of free VPNs for Windows available. Having a virtual private network, free or not, is essential if you want to keep your data protected and get access to other server locations without being tracked. Whether it is for personal needs or your work requires you to hide your IP address, a VPN is a must!
Still, how can one know which one of those free VPNs is really reliable and fast enough? Well, the answer is simple- by trying. We decided to help you with your choice, and we did that “trying” for you! Having tested more than 70 free VPNs, we gathered a list of the best ones!
What is a VPN And Do I Need One?
Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs for short, are a way to mask your IP address and get the online freedom you have always wanted. A VPN allows you to access websites and apps that you usually wouldn’t be able to due to geographical restrictions.
VPNs create a private network and hide your IP address so that your online actions can be virtually untraceable. VPNs focus mainly on security features and keeping your data safe. A VPN basically forms a data tunnel between your current network and an exit note you choose in a different location.
A VPN is often even safer than secured WiFi hotspots. You get to access pretty much all sites or apps, no matter where you are. Public WiFi networks can be quite dangerous, and all of your data and personal information can get exposed. With a VPN, you can use unsecured WiFi networks and still protect your private info.
A high-quality VPN will guarantee your security, and you can do all types of online activities, from paying your bills to purchasing products online, without worrying that someone might hack your data and steal your personal info.
What are The Top 5 Best Free VPN for Windows
Even though using a free VPN for Windows may seem a cost-effective alternative, it rarely is. Pretty much all free VPNs for Windows have a catch- they are either too slow or too limited. Often, free VPNs are even hazardous when it comes to data privacy and safety.
In an attempt to help you find the best free VPN for Windows for your needs, we gathered a list of our favorite ones, and we will tell you all you need to know about each one of them. Still, to get straight to the point, here’s a list of the top 5 names we will be discussing:
- NordVPN
- Windscribe
- ProtonVPN
- Hotspot Shield
- hide.me
In addition to those excellent free VPNs for Windows, we will also add five more names that you can try. All 10 of our suggestions have good speeds, reliable security, and a significant amount of server locations. Now, let’s get started!
NordVPN- A VPN Service for Free During the First 30 days
We’ll start our article with a VPN suggestion that is not entirely a free Windows VPN. What do we mean by that? Well, NordVPN does not really offer a free version of its VPN service. However, its plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means that for 30 days, you will be able to use it for free and not pay anything.
Another great thing about NordVPN is that it pays great attention to its users’ needs. For that reason, this VPN provider often has special offers, like the one it is currently advertising- a 68% discount of the usual price of their 2-year plan plus 3 free months! If you decide to try NordVPN’s plans, here is what you’ll get:
- Over 5400 servers and 60 locations;
- A couple of devices per account;
- Masked IP;
- Firefox and Chrome extensions;
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
The thing about NordVPN is that it not only protects your data perfectly but also grants you access to content, apps, and websites in various other countries. The price NordVPN has for one year is $4.92/mo. This is super affordable, considering the prices of other VPN providers. Moreover, as soon as these 30 days we talked about expire, you can cancel your subscription!
With NordVPN, you get excellent speeds, personal IP, access to many locations, and double protection. The browser extensions are also really handy! The company has a no-logs policy, so your data will be safe and sound and definitely not sold to third parties.
In addition, users can stream their favorite shows, no matter where they are. To get rid of those annoying ads and to avoid malware-hosting websites, NordVPN also offers CyberSec. For this impressive price, users will also get torrenting support with P2P servers and Onion Over VPN.
Windscribe- The Best VPN for Free in Terms of Network Servers
With servers in over 100 cities and 60 countries worldwide, Windscribe is one of the best free VPNs for Windows. The company offers both a free version and paid plans, and to use all of the locations, you will have to sign up for the paid versions.
Still, the free version offers 10 locations to choose from, which is impressive considering the fact that most free VPNs for Windows offer up to 3. This Windows VPN has strong encryption since it uses an AES-256 cipher with a 4096-bit RSA key. It is also suitable for first-time users because it is user-friendly and straightforward.
- Can be added to your browser;
- Users can use this VPN on Windows, Linux, Mac;
- Can be downloaded on your phone (android, iOS);
- 10 locations;
- Flexible connectivity.
Unlike NordVPN, Windscribe offers a completely free version that users can take advantage of. Aside from the various locations available, we were also impressed with the generous data allowance of the company. Users can stream in high-definition for hours, and if they tweet the company, they can get five more GB.
This is not everything, though! Windscribe has an interesting policy for inviting friends to use it. If you invite someone and they start using Windshield, you will get 1GB of data each month (1GB per friend!) However, the cherry on top of the cake is the fact that if this friend of yours decides to upgrade to a Pro account, you too will get the same account for free!
Windscribe has a no-logs policy and offers additional features like split tunneling and forwarding. The best part is that both the free plan and the paid plan feature robust ad and malware blockers together with AES encryption. There is also a firewall that will block all internet traffic coming from outside the safe tunnel of the VPN.
Windscribe’s paid suggestion, on the other hand, offers unlimited data, trackers, all of the locations, and other PRO features. The browser extensions of this free V P N for Windows are also super helpful and will save you time opening the desktop app. Should you need any help at all, you can check Windscribe’s guides or use their 24/7 live chat.
ProtonVPN- VPN for Windows For Free With Excellent Security
Most free VPNs are not really reliable in terms of security. Yes, they advertise themselves as “completely safe,” but in reality, they are easily compromised, especially if their services are under surveillance.
Having tried ProtonVPN and discussed it with other users who have also tried this VPN free for Windows, we can calmly say that this is the best you can get when it comes to safety and security. It passes internet traffic through a Secure Core network in privacy-friendly countries such as Iceland and Switzerland, so your IP address will remain hidden.
- Reliable data protection (Swiss privacy laws);
- A no-logs policy;
- Access to servers in 3 locations;
- Unlimited data;
- No speeds limits;
- 1 device.
The one thing we don’t like about the free package of ProtonVPN is that it offers 3 locations only. However, if this is not your main concern, and you are more worried about protecting your data and hiding your IP, the free plan will be ideal for you. It offers fast speed and, even more importantly, unlimited data!
Still, if you want to upgrade, you will be pleased to hear that the paid Proton VPN options are super affordable. The basic plan costs only $4/mo and features 2 simultaneous connections, even better speed, access to servers in over fifty countries, and P2P/BitTorrent support.
For $8 per month, you can get five simultaneous connections, access to blocked content, 10Gbps speed, Secure Core VPN, and safe streaming. Another great news is that all of those plans come with a money-back guarantee (30 days.)
Hotspot Shield- A User-Friendly Free VPN Ideal for Streaming and Downloading
Just like its name suggests, Hotspot Shield offers military-grade encryption with excellent customer support. With this easy-to-use VPN, you can access sites and streaming content all around the world and be calm that your connection is encrypted and your identity shielded. Hotspot Shield guarantees that your data won’t be used by third-parties!
Hotspot Shield takes great pride in its speed as well. In fact, this free VPN is 2 times faster than most free VPNs for Windows out there. With Hotspot Shield, you can watch your favorite shows worldwide on Youtube, Prime, Netflix, and more.
- The best speed;
- Internet kill switch;
- 1 virtual location;
- Great customer service;
- Many VPN protocols;
- Reliable encryption.
Now, as you already see from the short summary above, the free plan offered by Hotspot Shield offers one virtual location only- the USA. This is a serious disadvantage, especially for those who love traveling.
On the other hand, Hotspot Shield has a no-logs privacy policy and will undoubtedly protect your anonymity. In addition, both the free and the paid plans offer P2P support, which is great. The data limits are calculated per day, though, and you get a 500 MB data limit. The connection speed of this free VPN is quite good, up to 2 Mbps.
However, 2Mbps cannot be compared to the 1 Gbps users will get with the paid plan. The cheapest paid offer costs $7.99 per month and gives you access to a huge number of servers (115+ locations.) Still, the price is just too much, even considering the fact that the company promises to give back your money if you are not happy with the service during the first 45 days.
The paid plans have unlimited bandwidth and are optimized for Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, Disney, and more. They also include 24/7 live chat customer support, spam call blocking, phishing protection, malware protection, and usage on a couple of devices.
Hide.me- 10 GB of free data allowance per month
Hide.me is perfect for people who have never used paid or free VPNs before. Its interface is user-friendly, and you can quickly find your way through the options it offers. Aside from secure VPN protocols, AES-256 encryption, and reliable privacy protection, hide.me has a strict no-logs policy.
Another advantage this VPN has is its data allowance. All free users get 10 GB of free data each month. The paid plans, on the other hand, grant users access to more than 1800 servers throughout the USA, Asia, and Europe.
- 10 GB of free data allowance each month;
- Five free locations;
- Excellent privacy policy;
- No logs and ads;
- Compatible with: Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, Chrome Firefox, Amazon Fire TV, routers.
There are not many free VPN Windows providers that offer 10 GB of free data per month, so we really like this little fact. The number of servers free users get is also relatively good, even though it cannot be compared to Windscribe’s.
The free plan does not come with unlimited data and unlimited bandwidth, and you can use it on one device only, but this is to be expected when we talk about free VPN services for Windows. For all those of you who want additional VPN features, the paid plans are not as expensive as Hotspot Shield.
The Premium costs $4.99/mo for a 2-year deal, which is a sensible decision for the long term. You can also choose a 1-year plan or decide to pay only for one month. The third and most expensive plan offered by Hide.me features a fixed IP address, 10 simultaneous connections, access to more than 1800 servers, unlimited data traffic, and more.
Speedify
Speedify, above everything else, is just that- speedy! This VPN suitable for Windows is designed using VPN protocols that guarantee your connection is ideal and that everything happens quickly. Moreover, the Bonding technology Speedify uses lets its free users have a couple of internet connections at once!
Speedify is one of the few free VPNs that have the so-called “channel bonding.” It splits your web traffic, and that way reduces congestion. Everything from gaming and live streaming to VoIP calls and video calls is automatically detected, protected, and prioritized!
- One device only;
- 2 GB data each month;
- Reliable privacy policy and secure encryption;
- Channel bonding;
- Limited access to servers.
Unlike hide.me that offers 10 GB of free data per month, Speedify offers just 2, which is a bit disappointing. However, the channel bonding and the encryption are more than impressive, so for people concerned mainly about their privacy, the data won’t be a problem.
Channel bonding comes in handy when torrenting is involved, and with our free Speedify account, we even experienced some P2P support. The speed server selection of this VPN labels some really torrent-friendly servers, and we were able to find them easily.
Like most free VPNs for Windows, the free plan includes one device only and a small number of servers. Still, users will get automatic failover and error correction. If you want to have access to a wide number of servers and get unlimited bandwidth and data, you can check out Speedify’s paid suggestions.
Speedify’s plans are some of the most affordable suggestions on the market. For just $1.50/mo (the three-year plan), you’ll get 1 account that you can use on 5 different devices at the same time, unrestricted data, bank-grade encryption, and premium server access.
If you search for a plan suitable for the whole family, the cheapest one costs $2.25/mo for three years and features user accounts for you and 4 more members. Once again, you can use each account on 5 devices simultaneously, and you get unlimited usage and premium server access.
TunnelBear
While TunnelBear has two very impressive paid VPN plans, it also offers a free version that we couldn’t help but like. TunnelBear focuses mainly on safety and is one of the best free VPNs for Windows in this area. With TunnelBear, hackers won’t be able to steal your data and passwords even if you are using insecure public WiFi.
Even though TunnelBear is not part of our top 5 list, it still deserves our attention. This Windows VPN has a global server network with a huge number of servers available and is also really fast, allowing you to stream and surf quickly without any buffering or throttling. Here is what to expect from this V P N (free plan):
- User-friendly interface;
- 500MB of free data (each month);
- No-logs policy;
- Excellent AES 256-bit encryption.
This user-friendly Windows VPN has an easy installation process and is ideal for first-time users. While you don’t get unlimited bandwidth and data and you won’t be able to do a movie marathon, you will still be able to watch at least one episode of your favorite TV show while outside your country.
The good news is that you can get one extra gigabyte of free data if you tweet the company. The free account offers you access to a large number of servers in various countries and can be used on one device only. If you want to include more devices, you can try TunnelBear’s paid alternatives, which are super affordable.
TunnelBear’s cheapest plan costs $3.33 monthly and offers unlimited secure browsing, connection to 5 devices, and priority customer service. Speaking of customer support, even with the free plan, you can contact customer services via email and get a reply the same day. TunnelBear’s free Windows VPN is also suitable for Android, iOS, Opera, Chrome, Firefox, and Mac OS.
BetterNet VPN
The ease of setup makes BetterNet VPN one of the most preferred Windows VPNs. The company has a unique dedicated app for Windows, which is included in its free plan that is suitable for all of your security and privacy needs.
Unlike TunnelBear, BetterNet VPN provides its users with 500MB of free data every day. This cool fact makes BetterNet Windows VPN ideal for gaming and streaming. Moreover, the company owns all of the software and hardware they use, so your connection will be stable and reliable.
- 500 MB of free data every 24 hours;
- Quick set up;
- Robust encryption;
- Good speeds.
BetterNet is compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, and, of course, Windows. We liked the fact that there were no registrations and annoying questions, and we simply had to download the VPN. However, when we read the VPN’s privacy policy, we found out that some of your general information will actually be shared with third parties.
Since the free plan displays ads via Google’s ad platform, Betternet shares your location with Google, and you get relevant ads. Still, if you are connected to the VPN, the IP address that Google sees and uses is the VPN’s IP address. BetterNet also claims that it does not log any of your browsings activities.
Another essential thing to mention is that BetterNet’s free plan allows you to connect to USA servers only. This is not really convenient, especially if you are traveling to Europe. In terms of customer help, you get a useful help center with plenty of articles, and you can also use the ticketing system offered.
To use the various locations this Windows VPN offers, users have to upgrade to the company’s paid suggestions, which, in our opinion, are way too expensive. The 1-year plan costs $7.99/mo and allows you to connect 5 devices. It has a faster connection, no ads, and high-quality support.
OperaVPN
If your favorite browser is Opera, then you will be glad to hear that it has a built-in VPN. You simply have to go to the extensions menu on your Windows device and enable it. There is no app to download, so to use this Windows VPN, you will have to download the browser itself.
Since this is a browser extension, in order to use it, you will have to use this browser only. OperaVPN will not protect the data that is transmitted outside of this browser. This means that people using BitTorrent won’t get the security needed.
- Easy to install;
- Unlimited data;
- Malware protection;
- Compatible with Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, and Windows;
- Adblocker.
With Opera VPN, users don’t get access to a large number of servers. In fact, users can choose from three virtual locations- Asia, Europe, and America, but they don’t get to select specific servers. This is a bummer, especially for all the “streamers.”
Still, even though we ran into some server overload issues and we had difficulties accessing Hulu, Netflix, and other streaming services, we were able to unblock Netflix Sweden while using the Europe server location. We also managed to unlock Youtube’s international versions, so the situation is not as bad as it looks.
The Opera browser offers many useful tools such as adblocker and malware protection, so you can enable those as well. All in all, we find OperaVPN a helpful Windows VPN that can hide your identity and offer you security even while using a public WiFi network.
VPNBook
Even though VPNBook is the last on our list, it is one of the best choices you can make in terms of data privacy and security. This is a Windows VPN that is entirely free and does not include any apps or clients. This Windows VPN might not be the most suitable for beginners since its installation is a bit more difficult than it should be.
VPNBook is created with the latest technologies in mind. It incorporates advanced cryptographic techniques and is super reliable in terms of security and data privacy. VPNBook operates out of Romania and has a strict no-logs policy.
- Torrent support;
- Unlimited bandwidth and speed;
- Works with Spotify and YouTube;
- Virtual location in 6 countries;
- Free Open VPN configuration.
The strongest advantage of VPNBook is undoubtedly the unlimited bandwidth and data it offers. Moreover, users get access to 6 locations: the UK, the US, Poland, France, and Germany. In terms of security, this Windows VPN also scores high with its military-grade encryption and tunnels.
This Windows VPN masks your IP address and runs your traffic through tunnels that are encrypted to keep your data safe from third parties. Government censorship and corporate surveillance won’t be a problem with VPNBook.
We could not open Netflix and similar streaming sites, so the VPN is a bit too slow for streaming. However, we were able to torrent on some servers, so we confirmed the company’s claim that it is able to bypass government censorship.
Is There a Completely Free VPN
Well, as our list shows, yes! There are VPN services that are completely free, but there is always a catch! Most free Windows VPNs limit your ability to stream, your security, and speed. This to be expected, of course, since users need a reason to wish to sign up for the paid versions that offer a huge number of locations and better speed.
Most free VPNs use 256-bit encryption and have no-logs policies. However, there is still some fine print in their security policies, and your safety and privacy can indeed be compromised. The free suggestions usually operate smaller server networks as well. These servers are often overcrowded and slow.
Finding and using a free VPN on Windows that can unblock streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix is also difficult. Most of the VPNs we included on our list, though, allow you to use YouTube and, in a few cases, Netflix. However, there are still limits on bandwidth and speed, and users will be experiencing buffering.
Final Thoughts
Free VPNs are not as safe as premium services. They do not offer the same data protection and security and are not really suitable for streaming and torrenting support. Still, there are some good choices available, and in today’s article, we listed the top 10 VPN services for Windows you can get for free.
Even though the suggestion we gave you cannot really compare to the low-cost premium VPNs, they are reliable and pay great attention to security. Some premium VPNs include free trials and money guarantees, so you can actually try them for free as well.
For this reason, our top suggestion is Nord VPN. It is not really a VPN that comes for free, but its paid plan offers a money-back guarantee during the first 30 days. This means you can try it for free and then cancel your subscription.
This VPN has excellent speed and allows you to use many virtual locations. It hides your IP and offers impressive security features. In addition, Nord VPN often launches special offers that feature free trials for a couple of months.
