VPNs (virtual private networks) are becoming more popular than ever in 2023. If you don’t want to pay for privacy, are free VPN services worth using?
At the moment, any protection is better than none, but as always, there is more to it than that.
Free VPN services pop up all the time, but there are a few things you should keep in mind before signing up and using one.
- If the product is free, you are the product.
- Not all VPN services are the same.
- A lot depends on how much you use a VPN.
- Due Diligence Is Vital If You Use a Free Product
Should you use a free VPN? Before making a decision, please take note of the following points.
If the product is free, you are the product
VPN infrastructures cost a lot of money to set up and operate. You need to create a VPN application and you need to build, maintain and operate VPN servers. You need to pay for the data links going in and out of the VPN data center and the entire operation needs to be managed and executed. All of that costs money. A lot of money.
If you don’t pay for that service, who pays for it?
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With many free VPN services, you pay, but not in cash. Your browsing data is sold to third parties, ads are served, and many of your actions will be tracked by cookies who wish to market and advertise to you. Now, not all free VPN services do this, but the money has to come from somewhere.
Not all free VPN services are the same
As mentioned, creating and running a VPN requires a lot of money, and not every team has the kind of budget needed to run a top-notch service. There are several compromises necessary in a lower rent VPN service. You should use outdated or weak encryption such as PPTP or WPA. HTTPS websites are sometimes inaccessible and some have data limits or run very slow at peak times.
Why wouldn’t a VPN operator allow you to use HTTPS? Because it’s encrypted and they can’t sell the data to get their money back.
Some of the top free VPN services are operated by legitimate companies, some of which also offer premium VPNs. These often come with other compromises, such as data caps, the inability to choose your own destination, or the use of outdated or leaky protocols. Some free VPN services don’t even offer the OpenVPN option, which is the only truly secure protocol at the moment.
You really have to shop carefully if you want to use a free VPN.
A lot depends on how much you use a VPN
If you want a VPN to bypass geo-blocking or run a bit torrent client, a free VPN service is not for you. Most will have data or speed caps, neither of which are conducive to streaming or torrenting.
The other disadvantage is that you will be limited to the IP destinations you can select. This may compromise your attempt to bypass geo-blocking, as the destination may not have access to the content you are looking for.
Due Diligence Is Vital If You Use a Free Product
So far, I’ve painted a pretty disparaging picture of free VPN services, and rightly so. They are an inferior answer to an important question. However, if you shop carefully and only need the VPN for occasional web browsing, they may have a place on your computer.
However, some of the lesser-known VPN programs have been found to contain unpleasant surprises in the form of spyware.
So which free VPN service should I use?
Unfortunately, a free VPN service could end up costing you more than a subscription to a more reputable service. However, there are some options that are free and quite safe.
Some free VPNs with decent reviews are tunnelous, notaryand Private Tunnel. While each has limitations compared to premium VPNs, none had detectable spyware, connections were relatively fast, and all were easy to use. However, there are many other free VPN services out there, so your mileage may vary. Again, BE CAREFUL.
Note that some VPNs offer a free trial. If you’re new to the world of VPNs, it’s worth trying a paid service for at least the free trial period. In the next p, we’ll cover how to use a VPN with a free trial. You can try the service for 30 days risk-free, and if you decide to keep it, you’ll get a reliable VPN for a low price. If you don’t like it, just ask for your money back (we tried, it works).
How to use a VPN
Setting up a VPN is easy on most devices for the average tech user. If you know how to install software or an app, you can set up a VPN.
Here’s how to use VPN on your devices:
How to use a VPN on a PC
- Sign up for a ExpressVPN Try it risk-free.
- Download the Windows or Mac version of ExpressVPN. Log in and click ‘Set up’.
- Click on the Windows option. Then, copy the activation code to your PC clipboard.
- Paste the activation link into the ExpressVPN app.
- Now, you can use the app to activate/deactivate your VPN service as well as change the server location.
How to use a VPN on an iPhone and Android Phone
The steps are practically the same regardless of your smartphone’s operating system. Here’s how to use ExpressVPN on your phone:
- Sign up for a VPN like ExpressVPN
- Download the ExpressVPN app from Google Play Store either Apple App Store. Sign in or get the activation code from the ExpressVPN website just like we did before.
- Tap the power icon to connect the VPN. You can also tap the “Current Location” box to select a new location.
We like this option because you can try a paid VPN. If you don’t like it, you can get your money back in the first 30 days. Then, you can do your own benchmark tests to see how comprehensive and secure a paid VPN is in comparison.
If you’re looking for instructions beyond your PC or mobile device, you might also want to check out how to set up a VPN on a Firestick. For instructions that might be a little more complex, check out our guides on how to set up a VPN on an Xbox or Playstation 4.
