Virtual private networks are powerful technologies for staying safe in an increasingly dangerous online world and unblocking geo-restricted content so you can enjoy the internet more.  

These services send your internet traffic through an encrypted connection between your device and a remote VPN server, making it unreadable to third parties like internet service providers and hiding your internet protocol address simultaneously.

But if you’ve never used one of these services before or simply want one for limited usage, like encrypting your web data, you may not be too keen on paying for a premium VPN plan. Luckily, many of the best VPN services offer free plans and free trials, so you can try a VPN before buying it.

The top free VPNs often offer features including no-logging policies, strong encryption, a handful of international servers, and more. However, they may also limit the amount of data you can consume while connected to their services and the number of devices you can connect using a free plan. This makes free VPNs less useful for activities like streaming and gaming. 

Also, many free VPNs are dodgy, potentially selling your data to advertisers and containing malware. To help you choose a genuine provider, we’ve ranked the best free VPNs of 2025. Our top pick is Norton VPN, which offers a 30-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Read on to find out what else it offers, and more top VPNs that are worth a look.

Server count: 28 locations

Protocols offered: OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2, WireGuard, and Mimic

Norton has developed one of the most secure VPN services available on the market today, having designed it on its market-leading antivirus software. And thanks to a generous 30-day free trial, you can try it without spending a single penny today.

Norton VPN Ultimate is its most advanced VPN package. It provides online protection for up to 10 devices, banking-grade encryption, servers in 28 countries, a no-logging policy, and an auto-connect feature that automatically secures your device when connected to a public internet hotspot or an insecure Wi-Fi network.

But it’s not just a VPN service; it blocks scams, viruses, malware, and hacking attempts. Other features include a password manager, parental controls to keep your children safe online, 50GB of cloud storage, a dark web monitor that tells you if your personal information is leaked online, and more. 

You can download Norton VPN on iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows, with prices ranging from $39.99 to $59.99 for the first year. Again, you can give it a whirl before parting with your money, thanks to a free trial. However, you also get a hefty 60-day money-back guarantee for extra peace of mind.

For more depth and detail, read our full Norton VPN review here.  

Server count: 47 locations

Protocols offered: OpenVPN and WireGuard

TunnelBear offers a free plan aimed at people who want to test a VPN service before committing to a paid plan or who want a VPN only for limited usage. 

A major plus of TunnelBear’s free VPN offering is that you can use it on all your devices at the same time, thanks to an unlimited connections policy. But if you do connect a ton of devices to a free TunnelBear account, you’ll likely get through the free 2GB monthly data allowance very quickly. 

With a Free TunnelBear account, you can connect to servers in 47 countries — which is more than a lot of other free VPNs.  But it’s worth mentioning that you can only choose servers by country, not city. 

Many of TunnelBear’s advanced features are also available to free users. These include SplitBear, which is essentially split tunneling; Vigilant Bear, which works like a kill switch to protect your data when your VPN connection drops; and GhostBear, which makes it harder for third parties like ISPs and government agencies to detect your encrypted data.

Server count: 8 locations

Protocols offered: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and more

One thing that a lot of free VPNs don’t provide is customer support, meaning you’re left to fend for yourself if you’ve never used one of these services before and end up getting stuck. But that’s where Hide.me is different – it offers a 24/7, seven-day-a-week customer support department for all users.

Furthermore, Hide.me’s free version offers the same level of privacy and security as its premium plans. This includes an independently audited no-logging policy, IP masking, strong encryption, and split tunneling. 

If you sign up for Hide.me’s free plan, you’ll be able to connect to VPN servers spanning eight global locations. They’re located in the US, UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, and Singapore. With Hide Me’s free tier now supporting the high-speed WireGuard protocol, you’ll enjoy fast and reliable connections.

Unfortunately, Hide.me’s streaming-optimized servers aren’t available on its free plan. 

However, thanks to unlimited data, Hide.me’s free version will let you browse the web and download files securely to your heart’s content. There are no ads, either. You can only use Hide.me for free on one device, though. 

RELATED: What is a VPN and how does it work?

Server count: 13 locations

Protocols offered: OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 

If you’re looking for a free VPN service to access streaming sites securely, you’ll have limited options. That’s because most free VPNs don’t provide streaming support, but Privado VPN’s free subscription is an anomaly because it does. 

With Privado VPN, you can access major streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, FuboTV, and BBC iPlayer. Plus, because you get 13 free global servers at your disposal, you’ll be able to unblock international TV shows and movies on these platforms. Countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Brazil are covered. 

However, because Privado VPN’s free version only allows a single connection per account, you will be limited to streaming content on a single device. Each month, you’ll receive 10GB of free data from Privado VPN, which you’ll quickly consume through streaming. 

As well as being a great streaming VPN that doesn’t cost a penny, the free version of Privado VPN won’t compromise your security thanks to a no-logging policy, IP masking,  stable data transferring, strong encryption, a built-in kill switch, and secure protocols like WireGuard and IKEv2. Privado VPN offers apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and more.

Server count: 5 locations

Protocols offered: Stealth VPN, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2

For anyone who wants to use a free VPN as much as possible, the free version of Proton VPN is definitely worth checking out. 

Unlike many free VPN services, it doesn’t set data or speed limits. This means you’ll be able to browse the web securely without worrying about your VPN switching off because you’ve suddenly run out of data.

What’s also unique about this free VPN is that it won’t spam you with adverts to compensate for offering its service at no cost. Plus, it has a no-logging policy, a kill switch, the proprietary Stealth VPN protocol, and DNS leak prevention for ample online security and privacy. 

Compared to ProtonVPN’s 13 free global servers, you only get five free server locations with ProtonVPN: the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland, and the US. But they’re all encrypted and will offer decent enough speeds for secure web browsing. 

You can download ProtonVPN for free on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and many other platforms. The free version of ProtonVPN also has router support, meaning you can secure all your devices automatically, even if they don’t natively support VPNs.

Server count: US servers only

Protocols offered: Hydra, OpenVPN, and IPSec

Hotspot Shield is a well-known VPN provider with one of the fastest free VPN services on the market, offering access to its high-speed proprietary Hydra protocol via its basic package at no cost. 

Along with the inclusion of the market-leading Hydra protocol, the basic version of Hotspot Shield has some nifty features to provide a secure browsing experience for free. These include a no-logging policy, military-grade encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IP leak prevention, and split tunneling for using VPN and public networks simultaneously. 

Thanks to unlimited bandwidth, you can browse the web securely without any restrictions while connected to Hotspot Shield Basic. But you’ll be limited to US-based virtual locations, so Hotspot Shield Basic isn’t suitable for unblocking geo-restricted content in other countries. 

Other downsides of Hotspot Shield include ads, a single device connection, and a lack of 24/7 customer support. On the brighter side, Hotspot Shield Basic is available on major operating systems such as Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Chrome. Overall, it’s a decent VPN for encrypting your internet traffic without handing over your hard-earned cash. 

Server count: 10 locations

Protocols offered: IKEv2, WireGuard, OpenVPN, and more 

Most free VPN services are pretty stingy when it comes to device connections, but that’s not the case with the free version of Windscribe. With its unlimited connections policy and multi-platform apps, you’ll be able to secure all your devices using this free VPN service. 

Once you sign up for a Windscribe account using a confirmed email, you’ll get 10GB of free data. But if you aren’t keen on sharing your email with Windscribe for privacy reasons, you’ll get 2GB of free data instead. You can earn more free bandwidth by posting on X and recommending Windscribe to your friends.

Windscribe has a decently sized server network for its free users, totaling ten global servers. These include the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Romania, and Hong Kong. So, you’ll be able to unblock a fair amount of international online content.

Another unique selling point of Windscribe is that none of its features are locked behind a paywall. So, you can access premium features like robust encryption, a kill switch, split tunneling, a firewall, ad blocking, P2P support, a range of protocols, and effective content unblocking at no cost.

While there are plenty of legitimate free VPN services out there, many cannot be trusted at all. They may log your browsing data and sell it to the highest bidder, which can result in high levels of unwanted adverts, data breaches, and even identity theft. 

Some free VPNs may appear to be genuine services but are actually a front for cybercriminals looking to steal your data. These apps can contain malware and adware, making them extremely dangerous. 

When looking for a free VPN service, it’s vital to choose a service with an iron-clad no-logging policy. This will ensure that your internet activity won’t be recorded and shared with third parties. 

You’ll also want a provider with strong encryption, which is the key to keeping your personal information safe from cybercriminals. 

RELATED: The best VPNs for streaming live sports

Signing up for a free VPN is an excellent way to learn how these services work before purchasing a premium one. They’ll also be fine for limited usage. A free VPN could be handy if you want to unblock a specific website or simply want an extra layer of protection when browsing the web.

A free VPN may not be the best option if you want to use it for streaming, gaming, downloading large files, or conducting other bandwidth-intensive web activities. For starters, many free VPNs do not allow users to access streaming or torrenting sites. 

The other issue is that many free VPN servers have stringent data and speed caps, making them useless for anything other than light web browsing. Your best bet is to pay for a premium VPN subscription if you’re looking to unblock streaming and torrenting sites, access more advanced security features, and so on.

Whether you’re thinking of using a free or a premium VPN service, you might be wondering whether they’re legal or not. In most countries, you can use VPNs legally. This is the case in the US, UK, Canada, and most of Europe. 

But in countries like North Korea, Iraq, and Belarus, using one of these services is outlawed. So, you could be jailed or fined if you’re caught with a VPN installed on your device. Meanwhile, nations such as Russia and China restrict their usage. 

For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America’s go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance. We’re not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products, and consult experts on any topics we aren’t already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we’re known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.