Best Free VPNs of 2026
Genuinely free VPN plans worth trying
Updated March 2026
| # | VPN | Score | Free Plan | Servers | Privacy | Credibility | Protocols | Bug Bounty | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ProtonVPN Free | 4.8 | Unlimited Data | 5 countries | No Logs Verified Switzerland | Open-source, independently audited, backed by Proton AG (CERN scientists) | WireGuard OpenVPN Stealth | Public program — $50 to $10,000 per report (via YesWeHack) | The only free VPN with unlimited data and an independently audited no-logs policy. Speeds are capped vs the paid tier, but usable for everyday browsing. |
| 2 | Windscribe Free | 4.2 | 10 GB/mo | 11 countries | Audited No Logs Canada | Independently audited, voluntarily discontinued affiliate program | WireGuard OpenVPN IKEv2 Stealth | Disclosure program — up to $5,000 (no guaranteed minimum) | Best free server selection with 11 countries. ROBERT ad-blocker works on free plan. 10 GB is enough for moderate browsing but not streaming. |
| 3 | Hide.me Free | 3.8 | 10 GB/mo | 8 locations | Audited No Logs Malaysia | Independently audited no-logs, member of VPN Trust Initiative | WireGuard OpenVPN IKEv2 SoftEther | No formal program; vulnerability reports accepted by email | Solid free tier with good speeds and multiple protocol options. Malaysian jurisdiction is outside major surveillance alliances. |
| 4 | PrivadoVPN Free | 3.6 | 10 GB/mo | 12 servers | Claims No Logs Switzerland | Swiss jurisdiction provides legal privacy protection, but no independent audit published | WireGuard OpenVPN IKEv2 | No VRP | Good server variety for a free VPN. Swiss privacy laws are strong, but the absence of independent audits means trust rests primarily on jurisdiction. |
| 5 | TunnelBear Free | 3.5 | 2 GB/mo | 49 countries | Audited No Logs Canada | Annual independent audits by Cure53, owned by McAfee | OpenVPN IKEv2 | No VRP | Access to all server locations on the free plan — rare for a free tier. The 2 GB monthly cap is the main limitation; adequate for occasional, light use. |
| 6 | Hotspot Shield | 3.2 | 500 MB/day | US only | Known Issues USA | History of privacy complaints; FTC settlement in 2017 over data practices | Hydra (proprietary) | No VRP | Fast speeds via proprietary Hydra protocol, but a documented history of ad injection and an FTC settlement undercut the privacy story. US-only free server. |
| 7 | Atlas VPN Free | 3.0 | 5 GB/mo | 3 locations | Claims No Logs USA | Owned by Nord Security (NordVPN parent), but limited independent audit info | WireGuard IKEv2 | N/A (service discontinued) | Service shut down in April 2024; paid users were migrated to NordVPN. Free users lost access entirely. Listed here for reference. |
| 8 | Calyx VPN | 3.0 | Unlimited | Few locations | No Logs (nonprofit) USA (nonprofit) | Run by Calyx Institute, a nonprofit focused on digital rights | OpenVPN | No VRP | Completely free, unlimited data, no account required. Operated by a digital rights nonprofit. Limited server locations and inconsistent speeds are the trade-offs. |
| 9 | Riseup VPN | 2.8 | Unlimited | Few locations | No Logs (activist) USA (collective) | Donation-funded activist collective, operating since 1999 | OpenVPN | No VRP (donation-funded collective) | Built for activists and journalists in censored regions. No account required. Very limited server infrastructure — reliability and speed vary. |
| 10 | Opera VPN | 2.5 | Unlimited | 3 regions | Known Issues Norway / China | Not a true VPN — browser-only HTTPS proxy. Majority-owned by Chinese consortium since 2016 | HTTPS proxy | No VRP | Built into Opera browser but technically a proxy, not a system-wide VPN. Only browser traffic is protected. Chinese ownership is a documented concern. |
| 11 | Kaspersky VPN Free | 2.4 | 200 MB/day | 1 location (auto) | Known Issues Russia | Russian company banned from US government systems; jurisdiction is a major concern for international users | Hydra WireGuard | Public program via HackerOne (Kaspersky Security Network) | Tiny 200 MB daily limit. Russian jurisdiction and a US government ban make this a high-risk choice for users outside Russia with privacy concerns. |
| 12 | Speedify Free | 2.3 | 2 GB/mo | All locations | Claims No Logs USA | No independent audit; unique channel bonding tech but privacy claims are unverified | Channel bonding (proprietary) | No VRP | Unique channel bonding technology combines multiple connections for improved reliability. Only 2 GB/month free and no independent audit of privacy claims. |
| 13 | ZoogVPN Free | 2.2 | 10 GB/mo | 5 servers | Claims No Logs Greece | Small provider, Greek jurisdiction, no independent audit published | OpenVPN IKEv2 | No VRP | Decent 10 GB free allowance but only 5 server locations. Greek jurisdiction is EU-based. No published audits to substantiate privacy claims. |
| 14 | VPN Gate | 2.0 | Unlimited | Volunteer servers (varies) | Known Issues Japan (academic) | University of Tsukuba academic project; transparent but openly logs connection data for research | OpenVPN L2TP SoftEther | No VRP (academic project) | Academic research project with volunteer relay servers. Connection data is openly logged for research purposes. Useful for bypassing censorship, not for privacy. |
| 15 | Hola VPN | 1.5 | Unlimited | Peer-to-peer network | Known Issues Israel | History of selling user bandwidth; used in botnet attack in 2015 | Proprietary P2P | No VRP | WARNING: Uses peer-to-peer model — your device becomes an exit node for other users' traffic. Documented botnet incident in 2015. Listed here as a cautionary example. |