Having covered virtual private networks (VPNs) for Mashable since 2019, I can tell you that "best VPN" and "paid VPN" are effectively synonyms. Getting a privacy-forward VPN with plenty of features and server locations inevitably means spending the equivalent of one fancy matcha latte per month.
So, while the word "free" is normally a red flag, there are two notable exceptions for users in search of the best free VPNs.
Among the reliable and trustworthy VPN services I've tested, both Proton VPN and TunnelBear offer free subscription tiers. They fit the bill for cash-strapped users with basic browsing needs. They only allow one connection at a time and come with lots of restrictions, so temper your expectations, but they're workable for certain use cases. More importantly, they're protected by the same privacy practices as their paid counterparts, including some vetted no-logs policies. Crucially, they're also subsidized by the paid plans: Proton VPN and TunnelBear don't make money off their free users.
Relatedly, I strongly recommend steering clear of any completely free VPNs that aren't funded by paid subscribers or subject to usage limits. At best, they're probably going to spam you with ads; at worst, some entirely free VPNs have been caught tracking, leaking, or selling user data and intentionally bundling their apps with malware. Not all of them are bad actors or evil scammers, but "exercise overcaution" is my general rule of thumb when it comes to choosing a VPN, since online privacy is the whole point of getting one in the first place. (See also: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.)
Below, I delve into the capabilities and shortcomings of the two best free VPNs I've tried.
Proton VPN: The best free VPN for daily use
What it can do
This is the free VPN I turn on when I want some extra security humming in the background while I work from a coffee shop. Proton VPN's free tier doesn't have any data or speed limits, so you can feasibly use it 24/7 — within reason. Proton may enact speed caps "in cases of excessive consumption in order to ensure service quality for all [free] users," according to its privacy policy.
Free subscribers can utilize Proton VPN's kill switch as well as its custom Stealth protocol, which is designed to bypass VPN blocks. As such, it may also appeal to journalists and activists in places that aren't friendly to the technology. They should know that the company is publicly supportive of online freedom causes: Among other initiatives, Proton VPN has opened additional free servers for users in countries known for government censorship and misinformation campaigns ahead of their elections.
What it can't do
Free Proton VPN users can't use its live chat support and don't get access to advanced features like split tunneling, its multi-hop "Secure Core" servers, or its "VPN Accelerator" speed-boosting tool. Free users are also restricted to about 2,300 Proton VPN servers in five countries — Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the United States — and they can't pick where they land. Let's hope the server you're given isn't too clogged or located in a country you don't want to appear in: There's a waiting period between server changes that increases every time you switch. It occasionally takes me a while to land on a relatively fast, uncrowded server. (For comparison's sake, Proton VPN Plus subscribers get city-level access to over 13,600 servers in 122 countries worldwide.)
Since your server options are so limited, Proton VPN Free isn't ideal for general location spoofing or unblocking popular streaming services (two common secondary use cases for VPNs), unless your needs involve one of those five countries. Even then, there's no guarantee you'll get on a server in your preferred locale immediately.
Read my full review of Proton VPN.
TunnelBear: The best free VPN for occasional location spoofing
What it can do
TunnelBear Free users get country-level server selection on its full network, so this is the VPN I boot up when I need to do some quick, one-off location spoofing. (Most recently, I used it to check if sold-out vinyl variants were still available in an artist's UK store.) TunnelBear had locations in 47 countries at the time of writing; it's not very globally diverse, but it gives you way more options and flexibility compared to the competition.
Feature-wise, TunnelBear's free crew can enable its kill switch (called "VigilantBear") and its split tunneling tool ("SplitBear"), which lets you exempt different kinds of traffic depending on the platform. You can also customize the appearance of your TunnelBear app.
What it can't do
TunnelBear Free users are capped at 2GB of browsing data per month, which means you won't be able to have it on all the time. (I managed to hit that limit in a single afternoon when I left the VPN running while I worked.) Even if you could stay connected 24/7, you wouldn't be able to stream hours of shows and movies. While TunnelBear Free is great at spoofing my location, I've never gotten it to unblock geo-restricted content on international streaming services because they've detected my VPN usage. This has also been the case when I tested TunnelBear Unlimited, its paid tier, for what it's worth.
Along similar lines, TunnelBear Free users aren't missing out on a ton of features compared to their paying comrades because TunnelBear just isn't a very robust, feature-rich VPN service to begin with. There's no multi-hop, it doesn't offer on-demand customer support, and it works on fewer platforms than other premium VPNs.
Read my full review of TunnelBear.
