My team and I tested 70+ free VPNs to find the best ones for Windows that are safe. All free VPNs have limitations, whether it’s smaller server networks, slower speeds, or a lack of advanced security features. However, my shortlist of the top Windows VPNs will at least offer you basic security and privacy protection, along with usable speeds. Overall, the best VPN I tested is ExpressVPN. I really wanted to stick with 100% free VPNs, but this one doesn’t come with any restrictions like free VPNs do. You get advanced security features, a huge server network, and impressive speeds. Plus, you can try ExpressVPN out risk-free since it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. I even tested it to make sure its policy is trustworthy, and I got my money back in 3 days with no hassle. Try ExpressVPN for Windows Risk-Free Try ExpressVPN for Windows Risk-Free
Best Free VPNs for Windows PCs — Full Analysis (Updated in 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — The Fastest and Most Reliable Windows VPN for Streaming, Torrenting, and Gaming
ExpressVPN has the fastest speeds of all the VPNs on this list. I tested its German, US, and Canadian servers, and got an average speed of 61.45Mbps. Even on long-distance servers in Australia and Japan, I averaged 58.74Mbps — only a 12% drop from my baseline. A 10–20% drop is normal (or more on long-distance servers), so this was impressive. These speeds were more than fast enough to stream in UHD, which requires a minimum of 25Mbps. Thanks to its 3,000+ servers in 94 countries, you can always find a reliable server to browse, stream, or torrent on Windows. During my tests, I accessed 20+ Netflix libraries, and also unblocked my Disney+ and BBC iPlayer accounts from overseas. The entire network supports P2P activity as well. It even works in countries with online censorship (like China and Turkey). However, my team and I don’t condone any illegal activities, so always check your local laws and regulations surrounding VPN use. The VPN supports multiple protocols, including its proprietary Lightway. As the name suggests, Lightway is lightweight — it only uses 1,000 lines of code as opposed to OpenVPN’s 70,000. OpenVPN is a trusted protocol due to having a good security record over many years, but I still recommend using Lightway with your Windows PC. It’s secure (it’s passed independent audits), reliable, and gave me the best speeds. Setting up and navigating ExpressVPN on your Windows device is easy. It only took me 5 minutes to download and install it, and connecting to a server only takes 1 click. I recommend using the “Launch on startup” option. This will automatically connect you to the fastest server available every time you turn on your PC, so you never go online without encryption. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11 (and even XP with an OpenVPN manual setup). Its split tunneling feature allows you to choose which traffic passes through the VPN. This let me use a US IP to watch Hulu on my Windows PC while I accessed local content outside the VPN tunnel. ExpressVPN also keeps your data protected with its secure Windows app. It offers military-grade AES 256-bit encryption and an automatic kill switch that immediately cuts off your internet if your VPN connection drops. Adding to this is ExpressVPN’s IP/DNS/WebRTC leak protection which ensures your true location is never revealed. You also benefit from the useful Threat Manager feature, which prevents websites and apps from sharing your data with malicious third-parties. In addition, ExpressVPN adheres to a trustworthy zero-logs policy audited and verified by independent security companies. I liked that ExpressVPN uses RAM-based servers, meaning your data is inaccessible and automatically deleted with every server reboot. ExpressVPN is also based in the British Virgin Islands — outside the 5/9/14 Eyes jurisdiction. This means that even if a legal request were made for your data, ExpressVPN wouldn’t have to comply (and wouldn’t have any data to share anyway). Although ExpressVPN isn’t 100% free, it is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. This way, you can test all ExpressVPN’s premium features risk-free. If you’re not impressed with it, you can get your money back. I tried this policy and asked for a refund using its 24/7 live chat support. The chat agent quickly approved my refund after asking me a few user-satisfaction-related questions. I had my money back in 3 business days. Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free
2. CyberGhost — Specialized Servers in the Windows App Make it Easy to Find Your Ideal Server
The streaming (and regular) servers unblock tons of content, and you won’t encounter lag when watching shows, thanks to its fast speeds and unlimited data. When I watched Wednesday on US Netflix, my download speeds averaged 56.78Mbps (a 15% drop from my normal connection). Although these speeds are not as fast as ExpressVPN, they are still more than enough for UHD streaming on your Windows PC. This VPN is also really safe, using AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to intercept or track your online activities. Plus, CyberGhost offers multiple security protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. I suggest using WireGuard since it’s reliable and gave me the fastest speeds during tests on my Windows PC. CyberGhost takes plenty of steps to protect your privacy when using your Windows device. It has a solid no-logs policy, which was independently audited and verified by Deloitte in 2022. Plus, it’s based in Romania — outside the 14-Eyes Alliance. In addition, it has NoSpy servers, located in its headquarters, that can only be accessed by CyberGhost’s employees, removing the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. It has its own ad/tracker/malware blocker for Windows, further protecting your privacy. The blocker prevents advertisers from collecting your data and targeting you with specific ads. Its split tunneling feature also lets you choose which apps use the VPN connection and which ones to bypass it. I found CyberGhost’s app to be one of the easiest VPNs to install and get running on Windows. It doesn’t require any configuration, and I was able to download and set it up in under 4 minutes. CyberGhost’s app works with Windows 7 and up. Like ExpressVPN, this VPN isn’t 100% free, but you can try CyberGhost risk-free with its generous 45-day money-back guarantee. This way, you get unlimited access to all of CyberGhost’s premium features. I tested its refund policy to make sure it’s trustworthy. After using CyberGhost for 43 days, I contacted its 24/7 live chat and asked for my money back. The chat agent approved my request after a quick chat, and my money was refunded in 4 days. Try CyberGhost Risk-Free
3. Proton VPN — Free VPN With Unlimited Data to Browse Without Disruption on Your Windows PC
Proton VPN’s free version offers unlimited data, so you can securely browse as much content as you want on your Windows PC. This is great because most free VPNs enforce tight data caps. While testing its free Netherlands and US servers, I never recorded speeds below 45.83Mbps, so it was more than fast enough for streaming. It has more than 100 free servers located in Japan, the Netherlands, and the US. This is more servers than many other free VPNs, but it’s still quite limited with only 3 locations. The free servers also don’t support torrenting. It comes with advanced security features that hide your data from prying eyes, such as AES 256-bit encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, an automatic kill switch, and several security protocols (including OpenVPN). Also, Proton VPN’s apps are all open source, so anyone can check for any bugs or problems in the code. In addition, Proton VPN uses Perfect Forward Secrecy for added security. This means encryption keys change each time you connect your Windows PC to a new server. If a hacker gets a key for a single session, they can’t even use it to decrypt any past or future sessions. It follows a strict zero-logging policy, so your private data is in good hands. Plus, its headquarters are in Switzerland (outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance). This means that Proton VPN can’t be forced to share your personal information with member countries of this agreement. Altogether, this makes Proton VPN one of the best free VPNs for protecting your privacy. The native app is compatible with Windows 7 and above, and the setup is simple. After downloading and installing the app, I could connect to the fastest server within seconds using the “Quick connect” button. You can also set up split tunneling to encrypt the traffic you want and use your regular high-speed connection for other activities. You will need an email address to sign up for the free plan, and Proton VPN doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support. I had to contact them by email, but there’s a pretty extensive knowledge base on its site that covers most questions, too. Try Proton VPN for Free
4. Avira Phantom VPN — Free & User-Friendly App to Keep All Your Windows Devices Safe Without Hassle
Avira Phantom VPN offers an easy-to-use native app for Windows 7 and higher, and it’s forever free. I installed it on my Windows 10 laptop, and it took 3 minutes to set up (I didn’t even have to give my email address). It was super easy, and I connected with just 1 click by pressing the “Turn on VPN” button. You can also connect as many devices as you want since Avira offers unlimited simultaneous device connections, even with the free version. Avira Phantom VPN has good speeds. During the tests on my Windows PC, my speeds averaged 34.73Mbps (a 48% drop). It also offers P2P support, meaning Avira could be a good choice for torrenting. Unfortunately, it comes with a data cap of 500MB per month, or 1GB total if you sign up with your email address. I downloaded a 100 MB file in under 2 minutes, but the data cap means you’ll only be able to torrent small files. The VPN offers several security features to protect your online data, but it doesn’t have a kill switch. You can choose between OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, and it uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. When I performed leak tests, no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks were detected. However, the lack of a kill switch will leave you vulnerable if the VPN ever disconnects (and it will after you’ve used up your 1GB of monthly data). It has a strict no-logging policy, but it’s not located in a privacy-friendly country. Its headquarters are in Germany, which is within the 14-Eyes Alliance. That said, it doesn’t log any browsing history, IP addresses, or personal information from your Windows device, so it is still a good option for protecting your privacy. Although you can only connect to 1 server (you have to use the “nearest location” feature), this VPN is still a good option if you want to protect the personal information on your Windows device. In addition to the minimal server network, you can’t use its customer support with a free account. Try Avira Phantom VPN for Free
5. hide.me — Solid Security Features to Protect Your Data on a Windows PC Entirely Free
Your personal information is protected with hide.me’s strong security features present in its free Windows app. It offers 256-bit AES encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch. It also offers a feature called Stealth Guard, that lets you set certain apps to only work when the VPN is connected. In my case, I selected BitTorrent — this meant I couldn’t accidentally torrent without the VPN active, placing myself at risk. I had decent speeds with hide.me. When I tested its free servers on my Windows PC, the rates averaged 26.42Mbps — a 60% drop from my normal speeds. Combined with the data allowance, you can stream for about 3.5 hours in HD without lag. Hide.me also offers split-tunneling, where you can set only certain apps to use the VPN connection. Using this, I could ensure that only browser traffic went through the VPN, so that no background processes on my Windows PC were contributing to my monthly data limit. Although hide.me doesn’t have a strict no-logs policy (it stores your assigned IP addresses), the data is anonymous and erased every few hours. It’s also located in Malaysia, which is outside the 14-Eyes Alliance. I also liked that I could use its Windows app without having to sign up or register. This means you don’t need to worry about hide.me storing records of your personal information and contact details. You can use hide.me’s app for Windows 7 and up. You can also use a manual setup with OpenVPN to use hide.me on Windows XP. This makes hide.me the only free VPN in this list to support Windows XP in any capacity. However, this means you will have to control the VPN manually, which is time-consuming and not user-friendly. It has 8 free server locations around the world. They’re located in Canada, the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands, US (east and west), Germany, and Singapore. They’re all P2P-friendly, so you can torrent, although it’s a little slow. Unfortunately, these servers can’t consistently unblock most streaming platforms, but I managed to access Netflix libraries for the US, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. Try hide.me for Free
6. Hotspot Shield — Free P2P Support for Secure Torrenting on Your Windows PC
Hotspot Shield supports P2P file sharing and is fast enough for torrenting small files on your Windows PC. During my tests, I had an average speed of 36.72Mbps, which let me download a 500MB file in under 5 minutes. Unfortunately, it only offers 1 free server, located in the US (I’m in the UK, which is more than 5,000 km away). However, you can use its unique Catapult Hydra protocol, which is particularly reliable for long-distance connections. Hotspot Shield is also great for security. Catapult Hydra is audited by third-party security experts to ensure there are no flaws. In addition, it has a kill switch, AES-256 bit encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy. I didn’t find any leaks during my tests on my Windows PC, so your location will be kept private. Hotspot Shield’s logging policy was a bit concerning to me. It keeps logs of the bandwidth you consume and the duration of the VPN sessions. All the data is anonymous, but there are other free VPNs available with better privacy policies. I was also a bit annoyed by the frequent pop-ups that encourage you to upgrade to a paid plan. However, it was nice that I didn’t need to sign up or register to use Hotspot Shield’s Windows app. This way, you can be sure that the VPN doesn’t get hold of any of your contact or billing details. Additionally, it’s compatible with Windows 7 and higher, and the app is user-friendly, letting you connect to a server with one click. It offers 15GB of data per month, but it’s limited to only 500MB per day. It couldn’t unblock any popular streaming sites, but I couldn’t stream in HD with Hotspot Shield anyway because I ran out of data too quickly. However, it was enough data to check my email, update my social media, and download some (copyright-free) music files on my Windows PC. I could also set up split tunneling to ensure only certain apps used the VPN connection, saving my data. Try Hotspot Shield for Free
7. TunnelBear — Easy-to-Use Windows App With Dozens of Server Locations For Free
TunnelBear’s user-friendly app allows you to connect to a server with 1 click. It’s compatible with Windows 7 and up, and it took me 5 minutes to install. On top of that, it offers a ton of servers compared to most free VPNs. With 2,600 servers in 47 countries, it’s way easier to find a location close to you (for better speeds). Its security features keep the data on your Windows device safe. TunnelBear offers an automatic kill switch, IP/DNS leak protection, AES 256-bit encryption, and GhostBear (an obfuscation feature that is designed to work on restricted networks, such as China). If you have an unstable connection, I recommend turning on TCP Override in the Windows app’s settings. The override feature forces TunnelBear to use a more dependable tunneling protocol (TCP), for a more stable (but slower) connection. Your privacy on your Windows device is protected as well. Tunnelbear has a solid no-logs policy that has been verified by independent security companies. It may store cookies on your browser when you visit its website, so I recommend clearing those out once you finish downloading the app. It’s too bad local servers were slow and long-distance ones were even worse. When I tested its nearby locations on my Windows PC, I had an average speed of 15.6 Mbps. This was 77% slower than my speeds with no VPN. Its long-distance servers in the US and Japan gave me an average of only 10.14 Mbps. I suggest using the closest server for usable speeds. Thankfully, I was able to access Netflix US and BBC iPlayer with TunnelBear’s server network. Unfortunately, you can only contact customer support through email, and the free version has a data cap of 2GB per month, which really only makes it a good option for light browsing or downloading small files. Try TunnelBear for Free
Quick Comparison Table: Best Free VPNs for Windows PCs
Still not sure? Use the side-by-side comparison below to find the free VPN for Windows that best matches your needs: Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free
Warning: Risks of Free VPNs
Most free VPNs for Windows can be a threat to your online safety. It’s important to read reviews and do your research — don’t just download any random free VPN because it could be dangerous. To make finding a safe free VPN easy, I tested all of the free VPNs on this list and they’re completely safe. These are some of the dangers to look out for with many free VPNs:
Free VPNs can log and sell your data. Free VPNs often make a profit by selling your personal information to third parties. Make sure to choose a VPN with a strict zero-logs policy, so your online data is always protected. Free VPNs can have data leaks due to weak security features. Since free VPNs often don’t have the resources to update their security protocols, IP/DNS data leaks can occur. In addition, they often come without essential security features such as a kill switch and military-grade encryption. Free VPNs can infect your device with viruses and malware. Some free VPNs have malware and viruses embedded in their app. What’s more, because most free VPNs rely on advertising to make a profit, they often bombard you with ads, which could increase the risk of infecting your device. Free VPNs can cause major slowdowns. Some free VPNs slow you down so much that it’s almost impossible to browse social media, never mind stream, game online, or torrent. Free VPNs have tiny server networks. This means that their servers are more likely to become overcrowded, making them slow and unreliable. Also, free VPNs often don’t have the resources to continuously update their servers to overcome geoblocks, so you may be denied access to popular streaming platforms and websites.
Free VPNs to Avoid
The following free VPNs are not safe to use and should be avoided. They can share your data with third parties or include malware and viruses.
Hola Free: Hola’s free VPN is pretty popular, but it’s not a VPN. It’s actually a peer-to-peer network. This means that you share your personal IP with strangers, who could potentially use it to perform illegal activities, which could be traced back to you. UFO VPN: This VPN has been found to keep logs of user data, including the websites you visit, your name, IP address, and more. Its privacy policy also states that it might share this information with third parties for a variety of reasons. TurboVPN: Full of targeted advertisements and trackers. This VPN logs and shares your data with third parties. Betternet VPN: It was caught with a high level of malware embedded in the app. Moreover, it keeps logs of your personal information (such as domains you’ve visited, your location, and what device you’re using).
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Tips on How to Choose the Best Free VPN for Windows
My team and I used the following criteria during our research to determine which free Windows VPNs belong on this list. If you’d like to do your own research, feel free to use the following criteria for yourself:
Free Windows app. I ensured that all the VPNs on my list are compatible with Windows 7 and up and are either completely free or have a trustworthy money-back guarantee. Servers in the locations you need. If you wish to get an IP address for a specific country, you should check whether your Windows VPN offers servers in that location. Many forever free VPNs only offer servers in a few countries. For the most flexibility, choose a VPN that offers an extensive server network across the globe. Advanced security features. Windows devices are common targets for hackers and cybercriminals, so it’s really important your VPN is completely secure. Each of the VPNs on this list have AES 256-bit encryption and IP/DNS leak protection. Most of them also offer features like a kill switch or perfect forward secrecy to provide further security. Robust privacy features and policies. One of the biggest downsides to free Windows VPNs is that some of them make money by compromising your privacy and sharing user data. I read every logging policy to ensure that none of these VPNs store your identifiable data. I also checked if these policies were independently audited or proven in court. Fast speeds and enough data. Free Windows VPNs are generally much slower than premium ones, and very few offer unlimited data. I checked all the data limits and tested the speeds of all these VPNs to make sure you can browse the internet without major slowdowns for a reasonable amount of time. User-friendly native Windows app. All the VPNs on this list have an easy-to-use app for Windows, compatible with Windows 7 and up. I also tried to pick VPNs that didn’t constantly bombard you with ads, or push you to upgrade to a premium plan. Lightweight app that doesn’t use too much CPU or RAM. We monitored the Windows app for each VPN to ensure that it used minimal RAM and CPU, ensuring that it doesn’t take up all your device’s resources. Supports torrenting. I made sure that most VPNs on my list support torrenting. If you want a free VPN for torrenting, it’s important to check that it actually allows P2P sharing on its free servers. Can unblock some streaming sites. Most free VPNs won’t unblock streaming sites at all, but I made sure to shortlist some free options that could at least unblock Netflix. Good customer support. I ensured that it was easy to get in touch with customer support in case you need help. 24/7 live chats are the best, but not all free VPNs offer them.
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Are free Windows VPNs safe?
A few of them are, but you’ll still be using a severely limited service. This list includes only the safest free VPNs for Windows. These are “freemium” versions of trustworthy VPNs that I have tried and tested, rather than completely free VPNs. “Freemium” VPNs try to persuade you to upgrade to their paid plan as they make money from other paid users. However, the free versions of their apps are totally safe. On the other hand, completely free VPNs often make their money by sharing user data or using their apps for ads. They may also come with the surprise of malware, so you should be very careful when downloading and using these services. But even with safe, “freemium” VPNs, there’s a catch. While some free VPNs come with robust security features and proven no-logs policies, you’ll usually find other limitations. These include small server networks, slow speeds, weak unblocking capabilities, and only 1 device connection at a time.
Are there free VPNs for Windows with P2P/torrenting support?
Yes, but data limits, slow speeds, and weaker security features mean they aren’t a great option for torrenting. ExpressVPN was the best VPN for torrenting, thanks to its impressive speeds (it was twice as fast as some of the other VPNs on this list) and unlimited data. It let me download large files through BitTorrent and uTorrent in a few minutes. While it’s not completely free, you can try it risk-free for 30 days. Unfortunately, not all free VPNs even support torrenting, so make sure you choose one that does. You also need to check that it offers enough data for the file you want to download. Some free VPNs only come with a measly 500MB of data monthly, which limits what you can download significantly.
Are there free VPNs for Windows without registration?
Yes, some free VPNs let you use them without signing up for anything. There are 3 free VPNs listed here (Avira Phantom, Hotspot Shield, and hide.me) that don’t require any sign-up information (including no email address). This is great if you’re concerned with privacy and just want to download a free app and go.
Is there a free unlimited VPN for Windows?
Yes, there are a few free VPNs that offer unlimited data on Windows. There are several unlimited VPNs in this list to choose from. Proton VPN is the best 100% free VPN without a data cap. However, like all free VPNs, it has other limitations. In this case, a smaller server network (100 free servers in 3 countries) and slow speeds.
Does Windows 10 have a built-in VPN?
Not really, but Windows 10 lets you manually set up VPN connections. I don’t recommend this because manual connections lack advanced features like a kill switch, split tunneling, and multiple security protocols. Plus, you’ll still have to find your own (third-party) VPN service to make it work. Moreover, I found the process inconvenient as you have to set it up every time you want to connect. You’re better off just using a VPN app since you have to sign up for a service anyway (and they don’t require any manual configuration).
Can I use a free Windows VPN for Netflix and other streaming platforms?
Some free Windows VPNs do work with Netflix and other streaming platforms. I thoroughly tested all of these VPNs, and ExpressVPN was the most reliable for accessing Netflix (I could access 20+ Netflix libraries). Unfortunately, the free VPNs on this list were not as successful in unblocking streaming platforms from abroad. Free VPNs often have trouble accessing streaming sites, since these platforms try to block VPN use and free VPNs are easier to detect. This is due in part to their small server networks. This means many people all over the world end up using the same exact IP address, making it easy for streaming platforms to spot and block them.
Can I use a free Windows VPN on other devices?
Yes, you can use these services on non-Windows devices as well as Windows devices. You will still experience the same limitations and caps, regardless of the device you use. A better option may be a premium VPN with a money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. If you want to use a free service, these free VPNs also have dedicated apps for macOS, Android, and iOS. The top 2 VPNs on this list, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, are also compatible with Linux, smart TVs, and routers.
Are free VPNs legal to use?
It depends on local laws. The use of VPNs to protect your online data is legal in most countries around the world. Only a few countries (such as China and Iran) have banned them or regulate their use, so it’s best to read up on the rules in countries like that before using a VPN there. In addition, using a VPN to perform illegal activities does not make those activities legal. The team at vpnMentor doesn’t condone the use of VPNs to break any laws. Get the Best VPN for Windows
Protect Your Windows PC Today
Free VPNs can be unsafe and many sell your data to make a profit. While I was able to make a list of several safe and trustworthy free VPNs, they all come with limitations — data restrictions, slow speeds, and ads get in the way of your browsing and streaming in most cases. That’s why I recommend a low-cost premium VPN like ExpressVPN, even though it’s not completely free. It offers military-grade security features, a robust privacy policy, unlimited data, and impressive speeds that you simply can’t find in a free VPN. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test ExpressVPN out risk-free. If you’re not satisfied, you can always claim a refund.
The best VPNs for Windows with money-back guarantees are…
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