What’s In The Free Tier? A Closer Look At the Top 5 Free VPN Services in 2025

Let’s not pretend all “free VPN” services are created equal. Some of them are privacy tools. Others are data harvesters in disguise. A few, thankfully, are the real deal, solid, no-cost options from companies that actually care about trust and transparency.

In Part 1, we covered what a VPN actually does and when it’s useful. Now, we’re taking that a step further. This is a no-fluff comparison of the five best free VPNs worth considering in 2025—based on features, limitations, and what kind of user each one actually suits.

Table of Contents

• Proton VPN Free: The Privacy Purist’s Choice
• Windscribe Free: The Customizer’s Dream
• Hide.me Free: Unlimited Data With Minimal Fuss
• TunnelBear Free: Simple, Friendly, and… Tiny
• PrivadoVPN Free: A Newcomer Worth Watching
• Who Wins Where?
• The Sneaky Stuff To Watch Out For
• What You Should Actually Expect From a Free VPN

Proton VPN Free: The Privacy Purist’s Choice

What it offers:

• Unlimited data (yes, really)
• No ads, no trackers
• Servers in 5 countries
• One device per account

What it doesn’t:

• No streaming or torrent support
• Speeds are capped during peak times
• No access to “Secure Core” or NetShield (their tracker blocker)

Best for: People who want always-on privacy without micromanaging settings or worrying about caps. Researchers, journalists, and privacy-minded travelers will feel right at home.

Quick verdict: It’s not flashy, but it’s trustworthy. If your goal is to stay private while browsing – not to stream or torrent – Proton VPN Free is the gold standard.

Windscribe Free: The Customizer’s Dream

What it offers:

• 10 GB/month data cap (more with email confirmation or referrals)
• Servers in 10+ countries
• Built-in firewall, split tunneling, and ad/tracker blocking (even on free)
• Manual config for routers and devices

What it doesn’t:

• No streaming access on free servers
• Advanced features like static IP or team accounts require payment

Best for: Tinkerers and multitaskers who don’t mind setting things up manually or using command-line tools. If you like options, Windscribe gives you a buffet.

Bonus: Windscribe lets you build your own plan: for $1/month, you can pick a single location with unlimited bandwidth. That’s practically unheard of.

Quick verdict: It’s the most generous and flexible of the free VPNs, if you’re okay with the 10 GB monthly limit.

Hide.me Free: Unlimited Data With Minimal Fuss

What it offers:

• Unlimited bandwidth
• No ads or logs
• Servers in 5 countries
• Full protocol support (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2)

What it doesn’t:

• No streaming or torrenting on free tier
• One connection at a time
• Speeds can be inconsistent

Best for: Light users who don’t want to think too much. It works quietly in the background and won’t hit you with ads, trackers, or surprise limits.

Quick verdict: Clean and simple. Not ideal for media or advanced users, but solid for safe, no-hassle browsing.

TunnelBear Free: Simple, Friendly, and… Tiny

What it offers:

• Fun, intuitive interface
• Access to all 47+ server locations (even on free)
• No ads, no logs
• Easy setup across devices

What it doesn’t:

• Only 500 MB of data per month
• No streaming or large downloads
• Limited settings and tech options

Best for: VPN beginners or casual users who just need a quick connection in a pinch. Think public Wi-Fi at the airport or a quick web search abroad.

Quick verdict: More of a “demo” than a daily driver. But if you’re testing the waters or want something friendly and fast, it fits.

PrivadoVPN Free: A Newcomer Worth Watching

What it offers:

• 10 GB/month
• Servers in 12 countries
• SOCKS5 proxy (great for advanced users)
• Works on all major OS and mobile platforms

What it doesn’t:

• Free servers may not always work with streaming
• Speed can fluctuate depending on region
• Not as many advanced settings as Windscribe or Proton

Best for: People who want to dip into streaming or region-shifting without fully committing. It’s somewhere between “basic” and “power user,” without being overwhelming.

Quick verdict: A solid contender, especially if you’re in North America or Europe where the server coverage is better.

Who Wins Where?

The Sneaky Stuff To Watch Out For

There are hundreds of “free VPN” apps in the Play Store and App Store. A lot of them are:

• Chinese-owned apps with no transparency
• VPNs that log or sell your data
• Services that inject ads or malware

If it doesn’t have a proper privacy policy, verifiable audits, or a paid tier that funds development, skip it. A VPN you can’t trust is worse than no VPN at all.

What You Should Actually Expect From a Free VPN

Let’s get honest about limitations. A free VPN isn’t meant to do everything.

You can expect:

• Secure encryption for casual browsing
• Protection on public Wi-Fi
• Basic location masking for news, research, or quick region access

You shouldn’t expect:

• 4K streaming, gaming performance, or heavy P2P file transfers
• 24/7 support
• Speed parity with paid servers

And that’s okay, because for many people, a free VPN isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the important stuff without giving up privacy or cash. In the next part, we’ll take a look at what paid VPNs are bringing to the table.