The best free VPNs for security and streaming

ExpressVPN is relatively expensive compared to its competitors, so is it worth the extra cost? Well it has a really strong distribution of servers and a slick interface, plus it allows BitTorrent and other P2P services — so maybe, yes.

ExpressVPN has over 1,000 servers in 145 locations, covering 94 countries. This list includes China, Russia, and Turkey, three countries that have notably repressive control over the internet. So that’s a pretty impressive feather in their hat.

It’s not all good news, though; ExpressVPN does limit you to three simultaneous connections from different devices. Other services generally offer slightly more than this. However, three connections is probably plenty for one user. If you are using a VPN for a household, though, then another service may be better suited. 

ExpressVPN has all the essentials covered. This service includes multi-device support, a lot of servers, good geographic distribution, BitTorrent support, and a nice interface. It is however a little more expensive than some, at around £10 a month (or around £5 if you commit to 15 months), and it doesn't offer nearly as many simultaneous connections as cheaper alternatives. It’s a strong VPN, so the extra cost may be worthwhile. 

There is no free trial available, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee. So once again, you are protected against disappointment.

NordVPN is one of the most popular services for securing your online activities. NordVPN now has almost 5000 servers around the world, making it one of the largest services in the world, too.

Privacy is a major issue when it comes to VPNs, and NordVPN makes all the right noises about keeping your information private. NordVPN states that the company does not insert ads into your web traffic, and doesn’t profit from the sale of user data. On top of that, NordVPN only collects aggregated app-crash statistics and voluntary diagnostic data, meaning that the service doesn’t collect any personally identifiable information. Good news.

NordVPN is consistent across every platform on which it's offered, and includes ad blocking as an added bonus. You can also connect up to six devices at the same time. 

Even if NordVPN doesn’t work out for you, they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you are completely covered either way. You can either be impressed with the service, and continue with your plan, or — if you don’t like what NordVPN offers — you can get out for free.

CyberGhost is a VPN that combines a lot of the essentials that you want from a service. It’s available in loads of locations, it’s not restrictive, and it’s discreet.

CyberGhost hosts over 4500 servers in 90 locations across over 60 different countries. This makes CyberGhost a preferred VPN for those that travel the world for business or pleasure. It doesn't place restrictions on browsing habits, so users benefit from unlimited traffic and bandwidth.

CyberGhost utilises 256-AES bit encryption to protect your payment info from cyber-criminals and hide your browsing data from ISPs. So you can rest assured that your sensitive data is secure.

CyberGhost is one of the leading VPNs because it is able to combine usability with unique tools and powerful features, as well as a privacy policy that protects customers. In a nutshell, it does what a VPN should, without the unnecessary frills that sometimes populate other services.

There is not a free service, but CyberGhost can usually be picked up for just £2.10 a month, depending on what deal is being offered. If the price is currently too high for you, then chances are CyberGhost will offer a special discounted price soon enough. If you do take the plunge on CyberGhost, then rest assured that, just like NordVPN, you do get a 45-day money back guarantee.

TunnelBear is one of a small number of providers that offers a truly free VPN service. Before you get too excited, though, the free version of TunnelBear does restrict users to only 500MB of data per month. While it’s great to get something for nothing, it’s worth assessing whether 500MB is enough data for your online needs. 

You can earn more data by selling your Twitter soul and tweeting about the company, which can raise your limit to 1GB for one month. This isn’t a long-term solution, however, and you may find yourself glancing at the paid options, particularly if you find TunnelBear to be a usable service. 

The paid-for plan removes the restrictions associated with the free plan, such as the download limit, the numbers of available locations, and the amount of connected devices.

It’s also worth noting that TunnelBear has cranked up its privacy policy, so the VPN now collects even less data on users. TunnelBear has removed the need to supply a first name to sign up, and ditched its record of a user’s number of total lifetime connections. Great news for those who prioritise anonymity. 

Opting for a free VPN plan normally means that you must be willing to make some considerable compromises. You will usually need to be open to lower data transfer limits, restrictions on speeds, and limited locations. 

Windscribe offers up an interesting alternative to paid VPN services as it doesn’t really follow these unwritten rules of a free VPN. For example, Windscribe gives you a decent 10GB per month data allowance if you register your email address (2GB if not). That is considerably more than the 500MB you get with Tunnelbear’s free service. Speeds are average, but usable, making Windscribe one of the best free VPNs on the market.

We aren’t saying Windscribe is the complete package. There are always downsides to a free service. More often than not, free services are limited in terms of location, and Windscribe is no different. You only get access to eight countries, for instance, but that’s not so bad if you aren’t a regular traveller. 

Windscribe is an all-around strong free service, but if you do require more, spending £7 gets you a month of unlimited access to 47 locations. Pay for a year upfront, meanwhile, and the price drops to around £3 a month.

Windscribe offers a real alternative to paid VPNs, but still flounders if you require a good number of locations. If you do, then you may be persuaded to upgrade.