Virtual private networks have been gaining popularity at an accelerating rate. It is because of that there’s been a significant surge in the search for free VPNs globally.

The primary purpose of these clever tools is to ensure the protection of your data. However, there are some other side benefits that are equally interesting such as letting you stream flicks in other countries, unblock restricted mobile applications, or download torrents without setting off any alarms.

These benefits, along with many other that we haven’t discussed here, motivate users globally to look for free VPNs. However, it may not take long for your motivation to turn into frustration and annoyance if you set off on your search for VPNs without research. After all, there’s always room for making mistakes when there are dozens of free VPN options available.

Luckily for you, we have put together a list of the best free VPNs in 2020 to reduce your mounting pressure of finding a VPN that offers feature-rich and reliable services.

The 5 Best Free VPNs in 2020

Amongst the dozens of free options that we tested and analyzed, only five free VPNs met the criteria we set. The parameters we set for reliable free VPN services included:

  • Number of available free countries
  • Potential vulnerabilities
  • Potential privacy leaks
  • VPN speeds
  • Number of servers

In a nutshell, the top free VPNs that we’ve recommended here are:

  1. Windscribe
  2. Hotspot Shield
  3. TunnelBear
  4. ProtonVPN
  5. Hide.me

Let us see what each VPN service in our list has to offer in its free version.

Windscribe

What most people like about WIndscribe is its larger than life messaging. But if you keep that aside too, there is another aspect of the service that you will definitely love is its “generous” free VPN plan.

Windscribe prevails where most other free VPNs lack: feature-rich app. The VPN provider offers unlimited connections. The feature enables you to use the Windscribe app on as many devices as you want simultaneously.

Another cool thing about the free Windscribe version is that it offers a decent 10gb bandwidth limit. Plus, the 10gb quote is renewed every month.

Windscribe app comes default with many added features that you may not find in other free VPN services either on Android, Windows or other devices. For example, you get free ad blocker and malware protection.

You can also download torrents anonymously while using Windscribe, all the while stream Netflix or Hulu at zero buffering. Lastly, you get up to 10 server locations with the free version.

If you feel that Windscribe is just the perfect option and you want to unlock more server locations and unlimited bandwidth, you can subscribe to its premium plans.

Monthly Plan: USD9.00 per month

Yearly Plan: USD4.08 per month or USD49 per year

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is rather a veteran VPN service provider in town, as compared to most other options we have in this list. However, it is also the most downloaded and used free VPN service around. Here’s why:

People trust Hotspot Shield because of its zero-log promise and the annual transparency report that it rolls out. In fact, it is amongst the very few services that even maintain any transparency reports.

Secondly, Hotspot Shield provides 15gb of monthly bandwidth limit which is quite surprising considering the other free VPN option we just discussed earlier. However, the downside is that the free users are limited to only 500mb of bandwidth every day.

Another disappointing aspect is that you are limited to only 1 server location with Hotspot Shield free version. If you wish to unlock 70+ more countries and unlimited bandwidth, you may want to sign up to its premium plans.

Monthly Plan: €12.99 per month

Yearly Plan: €7.99 per month or €95.88 per year

TunnelBear

Do you wonder, Is TunnelBear Safe? Yes, it is completely safe, especially after getting acquired by a renowned security solutions provider: McAfee. In fact, TunnelBear has also tuned down its data collection policy, removing the need of collecting data like users’ lifetime connections count, etc.

Anyway, the VPN provider offers a cute little app with a minimalistic aesthetics. It means no distractions and good usability.

Anyway, TunnelBear free VPN version can be used on up to 5 devices simultaneously. However, the free version comes with a very limited monthly bandwidth. However, you can take that 500mb up to 1Gb by simply tweeting about the VPN service.

The free version is fantastic for checking out the VPN provider before committing to any of its premium plans.

Monthly Plan: $9.99 per month

Yearly Plan: $4.99 per month or $59.88 per year

3-year Plan: $3.33 per month or $120.00 per 3 years

ProtonVPN

The feature that makes Proton VPN free version worth considering is its unlimited bandwidth. It comes as a surprise to many because unlimited bandwidth on a free plan is rarely offered in the industry. ProtonVPN’s free plan make it an ideal free VPN that you can use to watch unlimited online flicks, TV shows or sporting events.

However, the free plan is limited to only 3 servers and 1 device. Moreover, you may experience speed drops during times when the servers are experiencing network congestion. Apart from that, ProtonVPN offers robust privacy protection and top-grade encryption.

If you like the free plan, you may try out its premium plans to unlock more server locations, devices and advance features.

Basic: €4.00 per month or €48 per year 

Plus: €8.00 per month or €96.00 per year

Hide.me

Finally, the last free VPN we have in our best free VPN list is Hide.me. The VPN service provider offers a great free VPN plan in this list. The VPN provider offers a 10Gb of bandwidth limit per month to free VPN users which makes it an amazing tool for bypass many content filters and accessing global online content.

However, the free plan comes with a limited number of servers and that too don’t offer accessibility to the popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Moreover, you can also access 1 device at a time with the free VPN version of Hide.me.

To unlock more features and perks of Hide.me, you may check out its premium plan that starts with:

Monthly Plan: $12.95 per month

Yearly Plan: $8.32 per month or $99.95 per year

2-year Plan: $4.99 per month or $129.95 per 2 years

Best Free VPN – Reddit Recommendation

Reddit offers a great place to look around for unfiltered feedback, which also makes it a perfect spot to find recommendations on best free VPN services. Here’s the list of free VPN services that most redditors have suggested:

  • Windscribe
  • ProtonVPN
  • Opera VPN (browser)
  • SigVPN (shut down in 2019)

Our Recommendation

We recommend Windscribe because it offers a decent free plan that comes with all the right features you expect from a reliable VPN provider. It offers a good volume of monthly bandwidth, number of server locations as well as advance features that other free VPNs don’t offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Download a Free VPN?

Well, actually it is pretty easy to download a free VPN. Once you’ve picked the desired free VPN, go to their checkout page and make payment. You will shortly receive an email containing the credentials and the download link to the apps. Now, go to the Download Apps page to install the version for your desired device.

Which is the Best Free VPN for Android?

The best free VPNs that we have listed in this page including Windscribe, TunnelBear, ProtonVPN, Hotspot Shield and Hide.me, all these services offer good Android VPN apps that are user-friendly.

Which VPN Offers the Best Free VPN for Chrome?

Windscribe offers the best free VPN for Chrome. Though the free version can’t access Netflix, it can offer good privacy and security due to its top-class anti-malware and kill switch features.

Which is the Best Free Unlimited VPN for Windows?

If it is the unlimited bandwidth you are after, then you need only ProtonVPN. While most other VPN services come with limited bandwidths, ProtonVPN is the rare of a gem that offers no bandwidth cap.