An STI Test During Your Period? Go For It
The Best Free Antivirus Software For 2024
Microsoft Defender isn't bad, but it's still not enough to fully protect your PC. You don't have to pay extra, though. We've tested and ranked the best free antivirus apps.
By Neil J. Rubenking Lead Analyst for SecurityWhen the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That's how I met PCMag's editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I've become PCMag's expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.
Read Full Bio social share https://www.Pcmag.Com/picks/the-best-free-antivirus-protection LOOK INSIDE PC LABS: HOW WE TEST Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.Best Place To Get A Head
No, not that kind of head, wishful reader. We're talking suds, hops, brew, ale, lager, the nectar of life. But as for that other kind, Sofa Kings isn't the worst place to dream of it. It's a place where testosterone is free to roam and a man can, for one shining moment, still be a man. This place is a fantasy come true for every dirty, boorish, superior, lecherous, sports-watching man. The Everyman, as it were. Picture it: You sit on a big leather sofa, watch your favorite team on about 50 televisions, drink three-dollar drafts to your heart's content, play pool, and, oh yeah, watch young women in short, plaid, Catholic-school-girl skirts shake their moneymakers in your face. And when they aren't dancing for you, they might just start grinding it with each other. This isn't a bar; it's freakin' nirvana, working-class style. But if you're looking for a real good time, fuhgeddaboudit. As the owners of the place describe it, Sofa Kings is R-rated, not Triple X. After a lot of beer, a good game, and a few dollars placed in willing G-strings, the Everyman may be ready for a little more. It don't happen, folks, but a guy can dream.
A quick three-step guide to first dating: First and foremost, you're going to have to face the fact that you're not getting laid, so just scratch those devious thoughts from your raunchy little mind. Next, if there is any hope, nothing is going to lubricate the gears of love faster then a few adult beverages, so start drinking heavily. And most important, despite what you've been led to believe, you're really not all that interesting -- in fact, you're most likely downright boring. So you're going to need to find an activity that doesn't require you to actually talk. That's what makes Dave and Buster's the perfect place to spend time with someone who's most likely never going to talk to you again. First, you can try their signature drink, the Million Dollar Margarita, which actually costs only $8. After that, dine from a diverse menu that includes dishes like a hearty mesquite peppered rib-eye steak for $18.99 and Huli Huli salmon for $13.48. Then you can head down to the Million Dollar Midway to entertain your date with cutting-edge and classic video games, virtual reality simulators, or one of more than 60 games of skill. Each game costs as much as $2.25, so it can get a little pricey. But that's OK. Who knows what the future holds. The place is open until 2 a.M. Thursday through Saturday, so you'll have plenty of time to work the mojo.
It's a late Tuesday evening, and there's a vague apocalyptic feeling to this place, which hunkers on the edge of the cane fields. It's on the edge of nowhere. It invites disconnection. An over-the-hill cowboy, dressed in white hat, spangled belt and jeans, is massacring a George Jones song at the karaoke machine. He's in full beer-weave, and his voice sounds like he flossed his throat with barbed wire. A winsome blond watches with her man at a nearby table. She slips her hand up the back of his shirt. He does likewise to her. They sip whiskey Cokes with their free hands. It's men's night, as it always is on Tuesdays, which means two-for-one mixed drinks, $1 drafts, and $5 pitchers all night long (maybe you should think about sleeping in the car tonight and avoiding that long, bleary drive home). But then, it's almost always happy hour at Boonies, with the same deal seven days a week from 11 a.M. To 7 p.M. And just for good measure, it's ladies' night on Mondays. "We're from the country, and we like it that way," sings a chubby, short guy now at the mic. The drunk cowboy has staggered back to the bar, tweaking the barmaid's bottom along the way. "He stopped lovin' her... Today," he croaks. He burps loudly, then fetches a healthy pinch of snuff from his tin. Time stands still.
Two questions: Did you ever wonder about all those freaky old buildings along the New River? Have you ever had the dilemma of trying to figure out what to do when it's Friday night, happy hour is over, and you don't want to go home? Well, there's one answer to both questions, and that's the Ghosts, Mysteries, and Legends Tour, which is right around the corner from Fort Lauderdale's most popular drinking establishments. The well-researched 60- to 90-minute tour leaves from Sixth Avenue and Las Olas near Riverfront and gives you the skinny on the former inhabitants of the Stranahan House and the Cooley Hammock Massacre, among other topics. It's like a field trip for adults, and you're the sloshed class clown who's gonna jump out from behind the bushes to give everyone an extra scare. The tour leaves at 8 p.M. And costs $15 for adults and $10 for children, who should not drink beforehand.
Imagine, if you can, Respectable Street's goth crowd wearing smiles in contrast to black vinyl pants and hair dye. Meanwhile, out on Clematis Street, drunken Rotary Club types join the usual crowd of club kids, frat boys, and rockers while live music blasts from nearly every venue around. What is this -- Halloween? Well, almost. It's MoonFest, the enormous street party held every October in downtown West Palm Beach. Like the evil twin of SunFest, MoonFest transforms the city streets, bars, and clubs into an orgy of alcohol consumption, live bands, carnival rides, and loads of strange behavior. And, of course, Halloween costumes that would make Wes Craven blush: priests getting blowjobs from altar boys, Hawaiian transvestites, prosthetic genitalia, and girls with even skimpier outfits than is probably legal. 2004's celebration even featured a guest "get out the vote" speech by actor Mandy Patinkin of The Princess Bride fame (you remember -- Inigo Montoya, the guy who got stabbed 90 million times). With all that, it's no wonder the city's atmosphere is so upbeat. Well, for one night, at least.
Release makes no bones about the fact that most people are jonesin' for hip-hop and house. So this Clematis monster club split its 8,000-square-foot interior right down the line. And a fun-loving 20- and-30-ish crowd takes the bait. The blue room's DJs are on the ball throwing popular hip-hop and R&B hits that keep the crowd moving. The red room, where house rules, has hosted such illustrious DJs as Gabriel Fain, Ivano Bellini, and Edgar V. There is also a lounge where you can escape the pounding beats to drink and chat. Plenty of seating throughout makes this the kind of venue where you can dance your ass off, chill to recover, and then hit the floor again and again. Drink prices run from an affordable $5 to $8, and bottle service is in the $200 range.
You wouldn't be going on a second date if the first one hadn't gone well. And if you're going on a second, you're probably gunning for a third. And everybody knows that on the third date, you're supposed to have sex. (Oops, you thought that was on the first date?) Before you bump uglies with your new friend, you might want to know that diseases like herpes and genital warts just loooove hitchhiking back and forth along the nookie highway, and they can hop from person to person even when you're using condoms. Broward County has the second-highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the state, and lately, the local health department has taken to announcing, "Syphilis is back!" Spare yourself future problems by getting checked out for sexually transmitted diseases at one of the Broward Health Department's three STD testing centers. (The Sunrise Health Center has the best hours.) It's a cheap date too: For $15, we got tested for syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia; saw a superfriendly doctor and three cheery nurses; got a pregnancy test; and walked away with free drugs to treat a urinary tract infection. Why, we scored better schwag than we ever did trick-or-treating! If you think waiting in a windowless room for three hours for treatment is boring, you haven't seen the Condom Lady entertain the crowd by playing a trivia game and showing you how to pinch and unroll a rubber! When she's done, help yourself to as many condoms as you can stuff in your pockets and go back to people-watching (seems there are a lot of regulars in the waiting room). It's good fun, really! And if the so-called person you are dating is too cool, squeamish, humorless, or disrespectful of your health to go through this with you, then he or she is not worth seeing anyway -- fuck 'em! Um, we mean, don't! According to the dream dictionary on www.Hyperdictionary.Com, "Dreaming that you meet a person wearing epaulets means unwise attachments that may result in scandal." Hmm... Sounds fun! There's something about stripes on a uniform that'll make you ask an otherwise regular guy to dock his boat in your slip! Willing accomplices can be found at any alcohol-dispensing establishment (Blondie's, the Elbo Room, the Treasure Trove, the Quarterdeck) along Fort Lauderdale Beach during Fleet Week (usually in April, so make a note), when a buttload of Navy and Coast Guard ships dock at Port Everglades. Navy flaks will tell you that Fleet Week "showcases the U.S. Navy's might and gives the public a glimpse of their hard-earned tax dollars at work as Navy sailors and their modern hardware and technology meld into one efficient fighting team." It shouldn't be too hard to get your hands on that modern hardware, considering that most of these sailors have been out at sea for months. You need only read a typical posting at www.Militarysingles.Com to see what's going through most of the enlisted men's minds: "I blew things up, shot things to pieces, called down 500-pound bombs, and managed mass destruction. Please help this fully equipped, clean-cut, above average, all-American boy turn from fighter to lover! I need just the right playmate to take me prisoner, so to speak." Go for it, girls! Support our troops!There's nothing really groundbreaking about Capone's. Nothing original about its dark wood bar with neon accents, about the cheesy mural that covers one whole wall, or about the regular hot-body contests. But the funny thing about formulas is: They work. The 3-for-1 Happy Hour helps everyone say bye-bye to his or her inhibitions. The mainstream hip-hop and dance tunes get people dancing really close. And the standing invitation for girls to dance on the bar keeps the boys mesmerized down below. Once you've zoned in on a proper target, engage her in a little one-on-one competition at the pool tables in the back. Or sit her down at the martini bar on the side for some intimate conversation. If things get too hot inside, suggest spilling out to the tables on the sidewalk... Or maybe all the way back to your pad. As one tomcat put it, "The ratio of girls is really good" -- especially on Wednesdays, when women drink free from 10 p.M. To closing. "They might not be the girls you want to introduce to your mom, but there's really no excuse for going home alone after a night at Capone's."
All right, stop the groaning, guys. You didn't really think you were going to find a brainy chick at that bimbo joint on the beach, did you? No, if you want to meet a woman who has more on her mind than her body, you have to seek out repositories of knowledge. Hence, the library's Center for the Book, which was established in 1984 as the first affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Relax. This can be a fun way to meet the ladies. The center has held a wide variety of get-togethers throughout the county during the past year, among them: "The Gastronomical You Writing Workshop," which turned "culinary history into art"; evenings with mystery writer Elaine Viets and maritime author Robert N. Macomber; presentations of the films Tortilla Soup, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Fried Green Tomatoes; and other author readings. Most events are free.
The Best Free VPN In 2024
I'm always seeing people online and on my social media asking for recommendations on the best free VPN. After all, protecting your digital data is more important than ever. However, there are simply so many options to choose from – it can be almost impossible to work out which ones are worth using, and which ones are going to do more harm than good.
That's why we've tested and reviewed dozens of the best VPNs – including tons of free VPNs – and ranked them in our guides. When we test them, we focus on privacy first and foremost, but ease of use, connection speeds, and even streaming site unblocking all come into play. The free VPNs on this page are, at the very least, perfectly safe to use, and they won't slow you down.
As you might expect, even the best free VPNs come with limitations. Most impose data limits, and all of them restrict how many locations you can connect to, so if you're looking for a more complete experience you'll need to go for a premium option.
If you're just an occasional user wanting to improve your online privacy, though, look no further. On this page are the best free VPNs available right now – and in my opinion, the only free services that are worth considering.
The best VPN apps overallThe following three providers are premium VPNs, but there's a reason I've included them. NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark are all far superior to any free VPN, with better speeds, the power to unblock global streaming sites, and unlimited data. With prices starting from $2.19 per month, they're not biggest investment, and all of them offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you could sign up to all of them, and claim a refund after a month, and end up with three months of premium VPN service for nothing.
Recent updates
In my most recent update I've streamlined the page, ensuring you can find all the information you need as easily as possible. I've checked over the facts and figures, and outlined a few specific reasons why each free VPN might be suitable for you or not.
The best free VPNs of 2024 PrivadoVPN: The best free VPN overall
As fast as most paid-for providers, with impressive streaming power
Countries: 10Server locations: 13Maximum devices supported: 1Available on: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, LinuxData limit: 10GB per month (+ slow unlimited data)24/7 live chat: No, FAQ and email available
Unblocks streaming services
Decent monthly data limit
Supports torrenting
Easy to get started
Only works on one device
Apps don't have many features
Top line: PrivadoVPN is my top free VPN recommendation because it offers an excellent balance of privacy, content unblocking, and ease of use. The interface is simpler than its biggest rival, Proton VPN, and it's incredibly fast – beating many paid services. If you're looking to unblock every streaming site, you'll need to go with a premium provider like NordVPN, but PrivadoVPN Free did manage to get access to UK and US Netflix. If you're not willing to pay, PrivadoVPN is the best choice.
Speed, streaming and data: ★★★★★Faster than many paid VPNs, and the best free VPN for streaming.In our PrivadoVPN Free review we saw speeds of up to 900 Mbps on our ultra-fast connection – almost 20 times the speed needed to stream 4K Netflix – making it one of the fastest VPNs. It's comparable to ExpressVPN, which topped out at around 900 Mbps, and faster than Private Internet Access, which could only hit around 430 Mbps.
PrivadoVPN was able to unblock UK and US Netflix, and BBC iPlayer in our testing, which is better than Proton VPN Free, making it the best free VPN for streaming. However, this is nowhere near as comprehensive as the best streaming VPNs, which can unblock just about every global streaming service.
The 10 GB data limit should be more than enough for most daily purposes, but if you do end up watching a load of Netflix, be aware that you'll end up burning through this very quickly. Should that happen, you'll still have technically unlimited data to use, but you'll be capped to 1 Mbps (which is very slow).
If you're in a pinch and desperately want to watch an episode or two of something not available in your country, PrivadoVPN is absolutely your best choice.
Privacy: ★★★★☆Well-made apps and good core privacy features, but no audit.At its core, PrivadoVPN is built around AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard. In short, even if your traffic is intercepted it'll be totally unreadable. OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols are both available, and while most users will now use the swift and secure WireGuard, it's nice to have OpenVPN as an option.
In our testing, we found no privacy issues with PrivadoVPN
In our testing, we found no privacy issues with PrivadoVPN. The kill switch (which cuts your connection if the VPN drops out) proved to be reliable, and it also has a comprehensive no-logging policy. However, this policy is yet to be audited by a third party, so we have to take it at face value. If you'd prefer a VPN that has had its logging policy audited, take a look at Proton VPN in the #2 spot in this guide.
There are a couple of adjustments you can make – switching between OpenVPN UDP and TCP, and selecting your port – and obfuscation allows you to hide the fact you're using a VPN at all. However, if you're not interested in these, you can totally ignore them and still get great performance.
Apps: ★★★★☆Super simple to use, but few extra featuresPrivadoVPN's interface is very simple. All you need to do is install the app, tap the "on" button, and wait a second or two. There are similarities with premium rival ExpressVPN here, in as much as when you open the software, you'll be met with a big on/off button, and not much else. The settings menu allows you to adjust features like the kill switch and protocol, but that's about it. If you were expecting to customize a lot of features, you'll be disappointed, but in reality it's intuitive and very easy to use.
Locations: ★★★★☆Good coverage with servers in 10 countries.Having a server in the right country is essential for optimal performance, and PrivadoVPN has one of the best spreads I've seen from a free VPN. With 13 locations in 10 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States), you've got a good shot at finding a server near your real location.
This is PrivadoVPN Free's biggest limitation – most top providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN have servers in over 100 countries.
13 locations in 10 countries is a generous spread for a free product
However, in comparison, Privado's closest rival Proton VPN only offers servers in five countries. What's more, Proton VPN doesn't allow you to actually choose which server you connect to, while PrivadoVPN offers you full control over which server to use.
Choose it if:
✅ You want to be able to choose and change your server at will
✅ You need a very fast connection
✅ You're a beginner looking for a simple, effective free VPN
Avoid if:
❌ You really need unlimited data
❌ You demand a fully audited no-logs policy
Final verdict Final Verdict: PrivadoVPN Free Final Verdict: PrivadoVPN FreeMo Harber-Lamond
VPN EditorPrivadoVPN Free offers an almost unbelievable amount of functionality for a free VPN. While it can't match up to the likes of NordVPN of ExpressVPN, it gets the closest out of all the free alternatives. I'd like to see an independent audit of the privacy policy sooner rather than later, but it's super simple to use, and very reliable. For most people, it's the one to go for.
Today's best PrivadoVPN deals
Best free VPN with unlimited data
Swiss privacy and unlimited data
Countries: 5Server locations: 5Maximum devices supported: 1Available on: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, LinuxData limit: UnlimitedSupport: Website, email
Unlimited data allowance
Good range of privacy features
Powerful desktop apps
Good connection speeds
Torrenting not supported
Poor for streaming
No option to choose your location
Top line: Proton VPN is the best free VPN if you need absolutely unlimited data, and maximum privacy online. Just like the paid version, its privacy claims have been verified by a third-party audit, and connection speeds are very good. Its biggest limitation is that you can't directly choose which server you connect to, meaning it could take minutes to find the one you want through trial and error. This means it can't match PrivadoVPN for overall performance, but it's a great choice if you need more than 10 GB of data.
Speed, streaming and data: ★★★★☆Unlimited data makes Proton perfect for always-on protection.Proton VPN and PrivadoVPN are effectively two sides of the same coin. Proton's unlimited data allowance means that you can just connect and forget about your VPN. You won't end up running out of bandwidth, which is perfect if you just want basic privacy protection active 24/7.
Peak speeds of around 520 Mbps (about 10 times faster than you need to stream 4K Netflix) mean that you won't be held back either, but unlike PrivadoVPN Free and Proton VPN's paid plan, the free version can't unblock any streaming sites. That said, there is a dedicated server for accessing the unbiased news published by Deutsche Welle, which is essential for people who are subject to strict state censorship.
Privacy: ★★★★★The best free VPN for privacy.This is Proton VPN Free's strongest area, and we found in our Proton VPN Free review that unlike many free VPNs, it doesn't hold back any essential privacy features from free users. You'll get a kill switch, access to both WireGuard and OpenVPN, and a big bonus is that Proton owns all of its servers. This means it doesn't rent from third parties, which in turn means that your data isn't exposed to anyone you're not aware of.
If your main priority is privacy online, Proton is the best choice.
The no-logs policy – Proton's promise that it does not store any of your data – has also been independently audited. This is in contrast to PrivadoVPN's, which has not yet been proven by a third party.
There are a couple of privacy-based features that aren't available on the free plan. For example, the Secure Core servers, which route your traffic through an extra server before sending it on its way, are limited here. The NetShield ad and tracker blocker is also unavailable, but all the must-haves are present.
Overall, Proton VPN is the gold standard when it comes to free VPN privacy, and is comparable to the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN. If your main priority is privacy online, Proton is the best choice.
Apps: ★★★★☆Powerful, but complex.If you're looking for a free VPN, it's likely that you just want a simple experience that gets the job done. Proton VPN certainly does the latter, but the layout isn't as intuitive as PrivadoVPN's. That said, on desktop the map-based interface is fairly easy to use – although on mobile it can appear quite busy.
This has a purpose for paid subscribers – you can use the Profiles tab, moderate your NAT, all sorts of techy things – but on the free plan this is all grayed out and just takes up room. Of course, it's still perfectly usable, and the apps on all platforms are very reliable.
Locations: ★★☆☆☆Decent selection, but no manual server choice.Proton VPN gives free users access to around 100 servers in five locations – the Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Romania, and the US. On first glance, that appears to be a fairly decent spread, although not quite up there with PrivadoVPN Free.
However, when you start trying to play around with which server to use, you'll encounter Proton VPN's biggest limitation: you can't choose which server to connect to.
Proton VPN's biggest limitation is that you can't choose which server to connect to.
If you're just setting and forgetting, this might not be an issue. However, let's imagine you're in the UK, and you're assigned to the Japan server. You'll probably want to connect to the Dutch server instead. Instead of being able to simply select the Netherlands server and connect, you have to "re-roll" your server. This process randomly assigns you to another location, and if it's not the one you want,. You have to wait 90 seconds to do it again.
Proton has clearly done this to manage load on its most popular free servers. However, when you consider PrivadoVPN manages to deliver consistently faster speeds while allowing you to choose freely, it seems a little stingy of Proton to restrict this.
Choose it if:
✅ You need unlimited data
✅ You want the best privacy of any free VPN
✅ You might upgrade in the future
Avoid if:
❌ You want to manually select your server
❌ You want to stream overseas content on Netflix
Final verdict Final Verdict: Proton VPN Free Final Verdict: Proton VPN FreeMo Harber-Lamond
VPN EditorIf you're looking for maximum privacy from your free VPN, Proton VPN is my top recommendation. It's fast, has had a number of independent audits, and is widely trusted in the community. However, it's no good for streaming global content, and many people may find not being able to choose your exact server too much hassle.
Today's best Proton VPN deals
Best free VPN Chrome extension
Fast with tons of features, but the apps let it down
Countries: 11Server locations: 14Maximum devices supported: UnlimitedAvailable on: Windows, Mac, iOS, AndroidData limit: 10 GBSupport: Website, email
Unlimited connections
Includes a firewall
Unblocks Netflix and BBC iPlayer
10 GB data cap
Cramped interface
A bit of a learning curve
No recent audit
Top line: Windscribe is a popular VPN provider, well-known for its zany marketing and a strong commitment to its users' privacy. In our Windscribe Free review, though, we found that its free VPN was its best offering. It stands in the middle ground between PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN – it's fast and has more servers than Proton VPN, but it also has a plenty of extra features that PrivadoVPN doesn't offer. The downside is that it's not very easy to use, and it can't quite match the privacy that Proton VPN offers. I recommend installing its Chrome extension instead – I rate it as one of the best Chrome VPNs around.
Speed, streaming and data: ★★★★☆A generous 10 GB of data plus decent streaming power.Windscribe is on par with PrivadoVPN here, with the same data allowance of 10 GB a month, excellent speeds of around 900 Mbps, and the ability to unblock a few Netflix locations and BBC iPlayer. This is very impressive, and it definitely outdoes Proton VPN in this area.
One tiny difference is the fact that PrivadoVPN offers unlimited – albeit incredibly slow – data once you've run out of your monthly allocation, whereas Windscribe will cut you off. Of course, you could just make another free account, but who wants to do that?
Privacy: ★★★★☆Good privacy features, but no recent audit.In terms of privacy, Windscribe has the most features of any free VPN I've featured here. There are the basics like a kill switch – known here as "firewall" – and split tunneling, but it doesn't stop there. There's auto-connect, packet size adjustment, MAC spoofing, obfuscation, and more. If that's all meaningless jargon to you, this won't make a difference – but if you're interested in this, it's a big green flag.
Windscribe has the most features of any free VPN I've seen.
The R.O.B.E.R.T. Feature is another useful addition which blocks trackers, ads, and malware, as well as offering to block various other things like adult content, gambling sites, social networks, and even "clickbait." This is free to use, and every time I open the app, I'm amazed at just how much Windscribe gives you.
There is one big drawback, however, and that's the fact that despite being a well-established VPN, Windscribe has not undergone the same auditing process as many other VPNs. Its desktop apps and mobile apps were audited in 2022, but that's it. A post on the website claims that a full server audit was due in 2024 (Q1), but it hasn't yet materialised.
Apps: ★★☆☆☆Plenty of options, but a pain to use.If Windscribe's features are its biggest asset, its apps are its greatest downfall. On desktop, the client opens up as a very small window which extends in various ways to display the servers and the settings menu.
Windscribe's apps are small, complex and fussy to use.
It's easy enough to connect – just click the on/off button – but doing anything else is confusing. There are tons of different layers in the menus, which can be a real pain if you just want to nip into the app to use a certain feature. Obviously, a product with so many features has to work out how to display everything, but making an app with a bigger footprint would be the easiest way to fix this, rather than squashing everything into a tiny box.
That said, once you get it going, the apps are stable on both desktop and mobile, and I haven't experienced any issues with the core VPN's performance.
Locations: ★★★★☆The best server selection of any free VPN.Another of Windscribe's strong suits is the range of servers it makes available for free users. You get 14 locations scattered across 11 countries – a couple more than PrivadoVPN – and unlike Proton VPN, you're free to select whichever one you like, whenever you want.
This is still nothing compared to the likes of Private Internet Access or ExpressVPN – but for free, I can't complain too much.
Choose it if:
✅ You want the most features as possible for free
✅ You need servers in a country only offered by Windscribe
✅ You're a Chrome user
Avoid if:
❌ You're a beginner, or like simple apps
❌ You value independent audits
Final verdict Final Verdict: Windscribe Free Final Verdict: Windscribe FreeMo Harber-Lamond
VPN EditorIf you're looking for the most powerful free VPN, Windscribe could be your best bet. It's flexible, offers a decent amount of data every month, and barely restricts any features on the free plan. However, be prepared to live with annoying apps and the lack of an independent audit.
Today's best Windscribe deals
Best free VPNs comparedThis table compares my top three free VPNs in all four areas that define its placement on this guide. Compare each provider, and see which one suits you the best.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Best free VPN: key review metrics Header Cell - Column 0 PrivadoVPN Free Proton VPN Free Windscribe Free Speed, streaming and data ★★★★★ ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ Privacy and security ★★★★☆ ★★★★★ ★★★★☆ Apps ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ ★★☆☆☆ Locations ★★★★☆ ★★☆☆☆ ★★★★☆
I think the vast majority of people will be best off picking from either PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, or Windscribe. However, I've reviewed lots of other free VPNs, and some are still worth considering. Below are two more options that made the cut.
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Tested byThese are the experts who have tested, reviewed, and ranked the best free VPNs in this guide:
Mo Harber-LamondSocial Links Navigation
VPN EditorMo is VPN Editor at Tom's Guide. He's covered VPNs since 2020, and in that time he has helped test and review over 100 providers. Mo handles the day-to-day testing of VPNs, making sure that they work for real people in real situations. He also undertakes ongoing streaming testing to make sure these services can unblock everything they claim, and produces video content to discuss and demonstrate the software.
Anthony SpadaforaSocial Links Navigation
Senior Editor of Security and NetworkingAnthony is the Senior Security and Networking Editor at Tom's Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and malware to password managers. He also undertakes VPN testing for Tom's Guide and TechRadar, which includes running all of our US-based speed tests.
How to choose the best free VPNThis page is exclusively designed to help make your decision-making process easier when it comes to choosing a free VPN. My top choice is the VPN I think will best suit most people, but before you pull the trigger it's good to consider exactly what you want from your free VPN.
For day-to-day privacy, you'll want reliable and proven privacy features, and a nice simple interface that doesn't get in the way of actually staying protected. I'm confident that all the providers here are safe to use, but you may prefer to go with a provider that has undergone privacy audits like Proton VPN over one that hasn't.
If you're into TV and film, you might want a free VPN that you can unblock Netflix libraries from around the world, and other streaming sites. Both PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN are good here, with PrivadoVPN edging out all the competition as the most reliable for this.
How many devices you'd like to use your plan on is important, too. While it's easy to set up multiple accounts to get around limits, a good number of simultaneous connections can makes things much easier if you've got more than one device you want covered..
Finally, are there any specific locations you want to access? If so, make sure the provider you go for has a server in, or at least near this country. Also make sure you can actually choose the locations you connect to – Proton VPN's recent update has made this impossible, and you're forced to go with the automatically selected server.
The most important thing, though, is that you choose a free VPN that genuinely protects your privacy – and all the providers I've included here are solid in this respect. Don't just sign up to the first VPN you find in your app store, as even services with hundreds of thousands of users have been proven to be dangerous.
How we test the best free VPN servicesWith free VPNs, we have slightly different priorities than we do when testing paid products – check out how we test VPNs.
When it comes to free VPNs, there's less focus on the added extras, and more on making sure it really keeps you safe online. Simple apps and good fundamentals are important here. Streaming performance and extras like antivirus and ad blocking are considered premium features, and while some free VPNs do offer these, they're very much nice-to-haves, rather than the make or break features they can be when reviewing paid services.
We make sure all the apps, including iPhone, Mac and Android VPN apps are robust, and ensure all the features are working well. Core privacy features like the kill switch see extra scrutiny, and there are a number of tricks we employ to see if it can be trusted to protect you in every situation.
We'll also test streaming performance – which is often poor for free VPNs, but some have impressed – and finally test out any and all support options. General ease of use is also considered, and we scour the all-important privacy policies to root out any dodgy practices or ambiguities.
How does a free VPN work?Free VPN services encrypt your data while it's in transit, creating a virtual tunnel through the internet. This separates your data packets from the countless others around them until they reach the service's exit nodes many miles away from where you are.
Not only is the data encrypted, as it would be during a normal secure web session, but the routing information about the sender and intended recipient is hidden as well. If you're using a good product, this process is exactly the same for free VPNs as it is for paid versions.
You may have noticed the word "protocol" come up throughout this article, so it might be helpful to define it properly. Essentially, an encryption protocol is the way that your internet traffic is encrypted – imagine a very complex and computer-based version of the Enigma code used by the Germans in World War II. They're at the heart of every VPN, and there are a number of different protocols that can be used.
Today, the most popular VPN protocols are OpenVPN, and WireGuard. Various implementations of Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), which include IPsec by itself or in combination with Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) or Internet Key Exchange versions 1 and 2 (IKEv1 and IKEv2), are still seen, but are rapidly becoming outdated.
A VPN's scrambling and unscrambling of your data can sometimes slow internet traffic to a crawl. The best free VPN will have fast servers connected to huge data pipes to minimize this performance decline. They also have thousands of servers located in scores of countries, ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe.
Perhaps, but I highly recommend not downloading a free VPN that offers an unrestricted product.
This goes back to the old adage that you never get something for nothing. If your free VPN has no restrictions, it's likely it won't have a paid plan for you to upgrade to. If that's the case, ask yourself the question, "how is this company making money?"
If this is the case, it's likely, if not guaranteed, that it's either selling your data for profit or inserting extra ads into the sites you visit – or quite possibly both.
By using a limited "freemium" VPN, there's a clear way the company makes money – by users upgrading, or simply purchasing the paid version straight away. Of course, there are scam products that masquerade as a legitimate providers, but all the options on this page have high-quality paid products, and good freemium versions that are 100% safe to use.
When might a free VPN not be a good choice?A free VPN is likely to come up short for those looking to stream or torrent, or people looking for a gaming VPN. That's because these activities use up tons of data. If you've got unlimited data with your VPN, that's not an issue, but if you've only got 500 MB to play with, that's only about one episode in standard def on Netflix – and that's only if you can actually access the service.
Also, you might find that your connection speeds drop, and for gamers and torrenters that's a killer. Those activities rely on having high speeds, and only the best paid-for services can provide that.
Finally, some free VPNs struggle with privacy issues, and the addition of ads can be a real pain for users. If you want the most secure service, you'll have to pay for one – at least then you'll know exactly how your VPN is making money, rather than hoping it's not using your info to cash in.
Are free VPNs legal?In short, yes. VPN software itself is no less legal than any other mainstream software.
However, using it to torrent copyrighted files is still illegal, as is accessing any other illicit content.
Essentially, while a free VPN is perfectly legal to own and use, it doesn't make illegal acts legal just because it makes the crime harder to detect.
Free VPN FAQs
I've discussed free vs paid VPNs before, but if you're looking for a short answer, it's quite simple. Free VPNs are best used very minimally – perhaps you need to check a price of a product in another country. Paid VPNs should be used if you're planning on regularly using the software, and nowadays even cheap VPNs deliver excellent performance.
Are free VPNs safe?Our Cybersecurity Commissioning Editor Olivia Powell covered the question of whether free VPNs are safe in detail, but in essence, it boils down to choosing the right one. I consider all of the VPNs I've featured on this page safe to use, but if you head straight to your app store, you're bound to come across seemingly popular VPNs that are best avoided. Be vigilant, and make sure you're downloading as reputable product before you trust it with your traffic.
Is there a completely free VPN?Well, it depends on what you classify as 'free'. There are plenty of free VPNs that don't part you from your cash, but you could be paying for them by watching ads or even unknowingly giving them your data to sell.
The best free VPN services tend to be 'free versions' that are intended to give you a taster of a paid product before asking you to actually hand over your money. The best providers like Proton VPN and PrivadoVPN do this by using data limits and server restriction to create an incentive to upgrade. Many people do, which pays for the company's costs overall.
I'd recommend avoiding any free VPN that doesn't have a paid option – if there isn't a paying customer-base supporting the development of the software, who knows where the company's getting its money?
If you're using a good-quality provider like the ones I've recommended on this page, a free VPN absolutely is better than no VPN.
All the providers I've covered here offer industry-standard encryption, a range of server locations, and a usage amount of data that shouldn't be too restrictive if you're only using it sporadically.
That said, VPNs work best when they're active 24/7, and only Proton VPN Free offers an unlimited data cap. Here, paid VPNs will perform best, but in a pinch, a free VPN is much better than no VPN at all.
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).
2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.
We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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