Free VPNs Without Data Selling: 5 Tested Providers

Pros	Cons
12 country locations	No 24-7 support option
No-logs policy	Limited to 10GB data per month
Unlimited simultaneous devices
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Spanish for private, this zero-log VPN is relatively new, but its free version comes with many of the same features as the paid options. This includes industry-standard 256-bit encryption with IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard protocols.

In addition, PrivadoVPN provides DNS and IP leak protection, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy for all users.
It will also work on almost any device in your home, with a free app for most platforms.

12 Server Locations

PrivadoVPN lets its free users connect to servers in 12 different countries.

While this is still fewer than the 48 countries available to its paid plan users, it’s more choice than almost every other free VPN provider.

Server Infrastructure

PrivadoVPN’s free accounts use the same infrastructure as the premium ones, not just free servers like many others. This means VPN connection reliability and speed are the same as those experienced by paid plan users, and PrivadoVPN lets free users watch video and audio securely.

However, users on the free plan are limited to 10GB usage every 30 days, which can be reached quickly when streaming video and audio content.

 

In many cases, Privado VPN uses physical servers instead of virtual ones. Physical servers don’t experience the same type of slowdowns from overcrowding on virtual ones, but it means you’ll want to choose a server relatively close to your actual location in order to provide the best speeds.

Unlimited Simultaneous Connections

PrivadoVPN offers all users an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, so even free plan users can use multiple devices with the VPN at once.

Again, however, the free plan is restricted to 10GB of data every 30 days, which is per account and not per device.

Read our full Privado VPN review

Why Use a Free VPN?

The most obvious reason to use a free VPN is the cost. A reputable free VPN service will provide online privacy and protection without its user having to pay a cent.

However, choosing a VPN can be a difficult task, and that is especially true when it comes to selecting a free VPN provider. The free VPN market is a murky one and many so-called free VPN providers are merely harvesting your data to sell on to the highest bidder.

Here are some of the features you should consider when choosing a free VPN provider:

Number of Servers

Try to choose a service that allows you to connect to servers or countries around the world.

This is particularly important if you plan on using your free VPN to unblock content from streaming sites such as Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Disney+, as you’ll require a server in a location where the content is available.

More available servers also mean you’re less likely to experience slow speeds from congestion or the server being very far away.

Encryption Protocols

One of the main reasons people use a free VPN service is to remain anonymous and protect their personal information.

To ensure this, you’ll need a provider that utilizes the most up-to-date encryption, such as AES-256, and protocols including IKEv2, OpenVPN, or the newer WireGuard.

This will give you peace of mind knowing your data and details are well protected.

Logging Policy

Not only do you need to protect your personal information from unauthorized parties, such as your ISP, but you also need to ensure your free VPN service isn’t collecting it either.

Read through the provider’s terms and conditions to ensure your browsing history or sensitive details won’t be stored on the VPN’s servers or records.

To provide a free service and remain in business, some free VPN services will also sell your information to advertisers.

If you’re not sure, get in touch with a provider’s customer support to get explicit confirmation on their no-log policy.

Data Limits

One of the downsides of free VPNs is that they often come with a monthly data limit.

This can range from megabytes to a few gigabytes, which then refresh each month.

And, while there are a few that offer unlimited data usage, there might be a catch. It’s best to determine what you plan to use your VPN for, and then work out if the data limit is enough.

Network Speeds

If you’re using free VPNs to browse online safely, then you might not need to concern yourself with network speeds.

However, if you want to stream high-definition videos or download torrent files, then you’re going to want a service that can deliver. Many free VPNs will throttle the bandwidth compared to their paid options, so make sure this isn’t a restriction before you activate your service.

Concerns About Free VPNs

These days, a VPN is vital for safety and privacy online. Since a VPN works by encrypting your data and tunneling it through one of the VPN servers, you must be careful when selecting a free VPN provider.

Avoid any providers that are known to be harvesting or selling user data, as well as those that plague you with adverts while you are trying to use the internet.

Why Use a Paid VPN Instead of a Free VPN?

While we’ve provided a list of the best free VPNs above, there’s no match for a premium VPN service.

Whether it’s to be certain your data is safe, to avoid usage caps, to access more servers and locations, or because you need extra features such as ad-blockers or split-tunneling, it’s usually worth paying out a few dollars each month for a reputable premium VPN.

Here are some of our top picks of paid VPN providers you might want to consider:

ExpressVPN

Our Deal: $6.67 per month for 12 months + 3 months FREE

ExpressVPN is a well-established service that’s been operating for more than a decade.
Labeling itself as the “#1 trusted leader in VPN”, with high-speed, ultra-secure servers, it stands out for its speed, privacy, and unblocking capabilities, and is generally regarded as one of the highest-quality VPNs overall.

Privacy

ExpressVPN’s privacy policy states it does not log any traffic or session data and does not store connection time stamps, used bandwidth, or IP addresses. Registered in the British Virgin Islands, it has no legal obligation to keep data for a certain period of time.
ExpressVPN regularly invites third-party auditors to test and confirm these claims, the most recent of which was at the end of 2022.
In 2017, the Turkish Government seized an ExpressVPN server, but it held no useful information for the authorities, verifying ExpressVPN’s no-log policy.
To pay for your subscription, you can use a credit card or PayPal, but the service also accepts Bitcoin and various other payment methods that are anonymous or more difficult to track.

Servers

With 3,000+ servers across 105 countries, ExpressVPN offers a fast connection from pretty much anywhere. It’s one of the few providers that offers locations in every continent except for Antarctica.
The main benefits of this include higher speeds, a wide range of server locations for bypassing specific geo-restrictions, and compatibility with both desktop and mobile devices.

Works for all popular streaming services

Many streaming services actively block VPN services, particularly Netflix which is well-known for geo-restricting its content. But ExpressVPN is one of the few providers that we’ve been able to access and unblock Netflix with while using, even when outside of the US.

With a host of features, fast speeds, and a proven reputation, NordVPN is a relatively inexpensive service, considering other market offerings.

Privacy

If you’re looking for a VPN company that respects your privacy, that’s NordVPN. Based in Panama (known for its privacy and tax haven for many offshore companies), it has a strict no-logs policy that’s been independently verified multiple times.
NordVPN also operates on diskless servers, meaning no user data or information is written to the hard drive. The service also offers servers with obfuscation and double VPN features.

Speed

NordVPN claims to be the fastest VPN on the planet. An independent, third-party security institute, AV-TEST, ran tests on the most popular premium VPN services and found NordVPN to be almost twice as fast as the next provider.
Its fast speeds are made possible by NordVPN’s revolutionary NordLynx protocol and wide global network of 8,400+ servers capable of 10Gbps, meaning you should be able to do any data-heavy activity, such as streaming, without any disruptions.

Huge Number of Features

NordVPN comes with a huge number of additional features – more than almost all other premium VPN providers. This includes two kinds of kill switch, split-tunneling, mesh net, in-built leak tests, private DNS, Threat Protection, and Passport Manager.
The Threat Protection feature is particularly impressive. It provides an extra layer of security by filtering harmful content before it reaches your device, scanning files for malware while you’re downloading them, and blocks ads, trackers, and malware URLs to prevent any malicious threats. Most VPN services charge extra for these kinds of anti-virus features, but NordVPN includes Threat Protection with all its plans.

Read our full NordVPN review →

Surfshark

Our Deal: Surfshark Starter at $1.99 ✓ Mar 18, 2026 for 2 years + 3 months FREE
Best & Worst:

• Surfshark lets users connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously – one of the only premium providers to not impose a limit, making it suitable for large families or those who often switch between many devices at any one time.
• While it offers an impressive array of features, not all of them are available on all platforms and devices, and some (such as antivirus and dedicated IP) cost extra.

Surfshark is a relatively new company, offering a large number of features at a low price. The app is highly secure and can be used on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, whereas most existing providers cap this number below 10.

Low Costs

Surfshark is currently the best VPN service for those on a budget. Depending on the length of plan you choose, it can cost as little as a couple of dollars a month, making it one of the best value VPNs on the market.
And, compared to other low-cost VPN providers, Surfshark maintains a high level of privacy and security standards, with a strict no-log policy that’s been independently verified.
On top of that, Surfshark is one of the only premium VPNs to offer a free trial as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee – so you can try it out before committing any money.

Unlimited Simultaneous Connections

Unlike other services, which limit the number of devices you can use with their VPN at any one time, Surfshark lets its users connect an unlimited number simultaneously, with just one account. This makes it perfect for large families.

Huge Number of Additional Features

Despite its low price point, Surfshark comes with all the standard features you’d expect from a premium VPN service, plus many, many more.
These include Clean Web 2.0 (Surfshark’s ad and tracker blocker), kill switch, split-tunneling, camouflage mode, NoBorders, IP rotator, pause VPN, and obfuscated and multi-hop servers.

Read our full Surfshark review →

Our Methodology

Did you know there are over 50 VPN services on the market today? That’s a lot of research to do to find out which one is the best free VPN for you. However, it doesn’t have to sit all on your shoulders. We complete extensive and thorough reviews of every product.

We don’t get any unique downloads from providers either. We use the products that are available for the general public to download and put them through their paces to ensure it’s going to meet your expectations. Here are some examples of what we look for when choosing the best free VPNs.

Privacy

Our privacy review starts by researching the company itself. We take a look at their court history and where the head office is located. We’ll even dig deeper into how payments are processed and anything else we can find on business practices. Our team also combs through the privacy policy and analyzes every syllable to make sure the company isn’t going to be logging your information while you’re browsing.

Next, we’ll perform some DNS leak tests to ensure the free VPN hides all details.

Speed

We run multiple speed tests when trialing a free VPN. After establishing a baseline result, we’ll start connecting to numerous servers in countries around the world. Then we’ll take note of download and upload speeds and compare them to the baseline result.

User Experience

Running a free VPN shouldn’t require you to earn an IT degree. While we know our way around VPN products, we grade based on simplicity. The easier it is to connect to a server of your choice, the better. This experience should be identical no matter what device you’re installing your VPN on. For example, it should be just as seamless on an iPhone as it is on a laptop.

Our Verdict

They say nothing in life is free. But this isn’t true when it comes to VPNs, and in the cybersecurity world, you certainly get what you pay for.

While there are free VPN services that offer security, no-logging policies, and lots of other good features, can you really afford to trust a free provider with your online security?

Ultimately, if your online privacy is important to you in the long term then you will do best by paying for a paid VPN provider such as ExpressVPN as you will benefit from their premium services, larger number of servers, and generally better quality experience.