Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN has revamped its free option to provide 5GB of data per month—far simpler than before. Best of all, you can use as many devices with its free subscription as you wish—something no other service can boast.
PROS
Generous data caps for free subscribers Unique IP swapping servers Multi-hop connections
CONS
Quirky behavior in hands-on testing No third-party audits of infrastructure or policies Awkward interface Pushy email subscription nags
PrivadoVPN
PrivadoVPN offers a stripped-down VPN experience with a vastly improved interface. Its free subscription limits you to 10GB of data per month, but you won't be cut off when that runs out, just slowed down. It also limits free users to just 12 servers.
PROS
Very affordable Generous free subscription 10 simultaneous connections Split tunneling
CONS
Few additional privacy features No third-party audit Uninspiring Speedtest results
Hotspot Shield VPN
Hotspot Shield VPN limits free users to 500MB per day. Free subscribers get one simultaneous connection and can only access US servers. Mobile free users are throttled to 2Mbps, and see ads in the app. Free subscribers on macOS have no data limit. It's a generous, but complicated, free model.
PROS
Numerous server locations Slick, approachable client Split-tunneling by domain Hefty services bundle
CONS
Expensive Free version throttled, supported by targeted ads on Android Gathers significant, but anonymous, data No third-party infrastructure audit Dated transparency report Limited WireGuard support
Hide.me VPN
Hide.me's free VPN limits users to five server locations and cuts out some features, but it does provide a generous 10GB of data use per month. Upgrading to its paid tier will cost you a pretty penny, however.
PROS
Advanced features. Ten simultaneous connections. Good server distribution. Strong speed test scores. BitTorrent friendly. Supports anonymous payments.
CONS
Expensive. Unusual location selection behavior. No specialized servers.
Bitdefender Premium VPN
Although powered by Hotspot Shield VPN, Bitdefender Premium VPN has a much simpler free offering. Especially attractive is that Bitdefender does not throttle connections or monetize its free version with ads. The free Bitdefender Premium VPN is capped at 200MB per day and limits users to the closest servers. That said, it lets you use up to ten devices.
PROS
Extremely affordable Clean design Split-tunneling Part of the larger Bitdefender app ecosystem
CONS
Confusing pricing Confusing privacy policy Few additional privacy features High latency in test results
TunnelBear VPN
TunnelBear limits its free users to 500MB per month, which may be enough for very light use. However, TunnelBear VPN is the only VPN that doesn't limit which servers free users can access. It also boasts excellent transparency policies, and is extremely user-friendly.
PROS
Affordable Excellent privacy policies Annual independent audits Friendly, approachable design Bears
CONS
No WireGuard support Few advanced features