The best free VPN

You should really be paying for a VPN, but these free tiers and trials are solid for the short term.

By Haley Henschel

June 9, 2024

Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Interface

CyberGhost VPN offers a strong set of features for streaming packaged in an attractive and intuitive interface.

Pros & Cons

TunnelBear

Best For Free

TunnelBear is a flexible option that's super cute and really straightforward for newbies.

Pros & Cons

In the realm of cybersecurity, "best VPN" and "paid VPN" are effectively synonyms. VPNs (aka virtual private networks) that are completely free to use do exist, but it's reasonable to assume that using one means maybe having your data logged and sold (or leaked) or downloading an app bundled with malware. They need to keep the lights on somehow.

A general rule of thumb is that paid, premium VPNs are the safest and most reliable VPN services out there (and we've got our own favorites). But there is a small loophole for cash-strapped users here, which is that some premium providers offer free tiers and trials. They're typically more limited than their paid counterparts, with usage restrictions and fewer server options, but they're at least protected by the same private practices (including no-logs policies). For users who are interested in trying a VPN for the first time or those who need one for infrequent, short-term use, they can be handy tools.

Read on for Mashable's guide to the best free VPNs that we've tried ourselves.

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Interface

The good

Attractive and intuitive interface Diverse selection of servers Split tunnelling Clear privacy policy

The Bad

Connection speeds

The Bottomline

CyberGhost VPN is good at a lot of things, and it's one of the best looking VPNs for watching sport.

Specs

Monthly: £10.89/month
Six-month plan: £6.19/month
Two-year plan: £1.92/month

There is a long list of things to look out for when selecting a VPN, and even though interface is not as important as things like encryption and connection speed, it still matters.

Fortunately, you don't need to settle with CyberGhost VPN. Users get a strong server network, decent encryption, and much more, all packaged in an intuitive and attractive interface.

You don't always get the best speeds with CyberGhost VPN, but it's still a good option for unlocking streaming sites for sport.

TunnelBear

Best For Free

The good

Cute and simple interface Free up to a point Independently audited

The Bad

Not the cheapest

The Bottomline

TunnelBear is free if you only need limited bandwidth, and it's also simple to use and cute.

Specs

Monthly: £7.78/month
One-year plan: £3.89/month
Three-year plan: £2.59/month

TunnelBear has all the professional features you could want, but it also offers animations of cute bears tunnelling around the world to provide you with a more secure connection. For that reason alone, it's one of the friendliest, and most easy-to-use VPN services out there, especially for people who are new to the whole VPN game. Just pick a country and TunnelBear does the rest for you.

TunnelBear is smarter than your average bear, too. Its AES-256 encryption keeps your data secure from both hackers and ISPs, and you're able to access global content without much hassle. We've found mixed results when it comes to connecting to Netflix, but it's speedy enough when downloading torrents and other files.

TunnelBear is also the only VPN (that we know of) to publish regular, independent security audits of its apps, which is immensely reassuring for the security conscious.

Topics: Tech, Cybersecurity, VPN (Virtual Private Networks), ExpressVPN, TunnelBear, CyberGhost VPN

The best free VPN

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Interface

TunnelBear

Best For Free

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