Free VPN solutions have their pitfalls. We’ll show you the three best free tools for Windows systems.
Foto: monkographic – shutterstock.com
Free Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are a tricky matter – after all, there is always the question of how the respective provider company covers the costs of such an offer. Some see free trials as an opportunity to recommend upgrades or simply as a way to promote their paid services. Others host third-party advertisements or collect information – such as websites visited – in the name of big data and “general optimization measures”.
If you want to use a virtual private network long-term, you should consider a paid solution – these offer more server locations, simultaneous connections and sometimes better speeds. The restrictions on free VPN solutions vary depending on the service provider – the only thing that is certain is that there are always some restrictions with free offers. Nevertheless, free VPNs are well suited for short-term use – or to test services for a while.
Free VPNs for Windows: Top 3
Below we have put together what we think are the three best free VPN tools for Windows PCs.
ProtonVPN
The free version of ProtonVPN for Windows only allows one device connection per user and limits both server locations (five, chosen at random) and speed for users of the “Free” model. However, this is completely sufficient for normal surfing activities or (low to mid-quality) video streaming. However: If you want to “overcome” Netflix national borders with the free version of ProtonVPN, you are unfortunately looking in the wrong direction.
The Swiss provider’s app design is just as impressive as the performance of the free VPN tunnel. In order to use the free version, registration with an email address is required.
WindScribe
This free VPN solution offers more features and fewer restrictions than most other offers of its kind. With one exception: traffic is limited to ten GB per month. So if you’re eyeing data-intensive tasks like video streaming, you’ll likely run out of quota quickly.
However, WindScribe makes up for this disadvantage with the fact that the VPN service can be used with any number of devices. There are also ten different server locations to choose from. Free use of WindScribe also requires registration with an email address.
Hide.me
Hide.me offers a kind of hybrid of ProtonVPN and Windscribe. The free VPN has no traffic limit. However, the free offer can only be used with one device. There are eight server locations to choose from.
If you want to use Hide.me’s free service, you must register with an email address. (fm)
