How to install a VPN? Guide for all your devices, free VPN: 5 free VPN offers to navigate in 2023
Free VPN: the best 100% free VPN software (comparison)
This will allow you to access game servers not available in your region, or, for example, to considerably reduce your ping to improve your performance.
How to install a VPN ? Guide for all your devices
If you are interested in VPNs, you certainly know that it is possible to install them on a very large number of devices. Each device has a different installation program, sometimes making the steps a bit complex. We will offer you a guide to answer all your questions. How to install a VPN ? What are the specifics of each application ? We will see all this together.
Introduction: subscription to the offer
Before attacking our guide the installation of VPNs on the different devices, it is necessary to contextualize the framework of this tutorial a little. Indeed, it would be impossible to give you a guide that explains precisely how to install all VPNs on all your devices. There are more than 300 Virtual Private Networks suppliers and it would therefore rhyme anything.
To make this installation guide for clear VPNs, we therefore chose a single supplier: ExpressVPN.
We chose it both because it is very simple to install, but also because it is our favorite. Its unrivaled speeds and stability make it our number 1 choice as you can see in Our VPN comparison.
In addition to its significant qualities, ExpressVPN is certainly the supplier available on the widest range of devices. It is therefore a very practical VPN for making a complete installation guide.
Overall, if you opt for another supplier, the differences will be minimal in the configuration processes. If you encounter problems, you can always contact the customer supports that will be able to assist you.
Suddenly, before you start to explain to you how to install a VPN, we recommend you to go and subscribe (ideally) to ExpressVPN or another supplier.
3000 servers
94 covered country
30 days satisfied or refunded
5 simultaneous connections
Our opinion : One of the best VPNs on the market !
9000 servers
91 covered country
45 days satisfied or refunded
7 simultaneous connections
Our opinion : An excellent VPN with a very large network
5500 servers
60 covered country
30 days satisfied or refunded
6 simultaneous connections
Our opinion : A very good VPN for safety and anonymity
Installation of the VPN on all devices
Here you are equipped ! As we recall, this VPN installation guide is based on the use of ExpressVPN. However, the steps should be very similar (provided that the supplier works well on the device chosen) if you opt for another service.
Computer (macOS and Windows)
Let’s start this VPN installation tutorial with computers. From your account, you will go to “Install” at the top right of your screen. Then you will have a page with all the available applications. If you are on Mac, click on “Mac”, if you are on Windows, click on “Windows”. Until then, it’s very simple. From there, you can download the latest version of the application.
Then simply follow the different stages of the installation (this will take you about 30 seconds, at most). The image below shows you the installation of the VPN on Mac but it is really very similar on Windows.
You will therefore have a 6 -step installation with the introduction, the selection of the installation folder, the type of installation, the choice between a new account or the use of an existing account (if you simply update, for example), the installation then the confirmation.
Once the process is finished, you will have the following message:
Then open the application, identify yourself with either the activation code (available from your personal space) or with your email and password. And there you go, how to install a VPN on a mac or windows computer.
Note that most VPN software is also compatible with the Linux distribution system. To configure it, do not hesitate to go to the provider’s help center.
Smartphone and tablet (iOS and Android)
With more than half of the Internet traffic that is done today on mobile and tablet, it becomes imperative to also protect these devices. It is therefore not surprising that the best VPNs have also developed dedicated applications for smartphone and tablets, whether under iOS or Android. Expressvpn is also The best paid VPN on Android.
The installation process here is even simpler. Indeed, you will install your VPN as any other application (Facebook, Angry Birds, Snapchat or other).
Although you have the possibility of going through the VPN supplier’s website, the simplest is simply to go to the App Store (iOS) or the Google Play Store (Android). From there, find the application of your supplier, then download/install there. Below, a screenshot of the Google Play Store where we are on the ExpressVPN page (which is already installed on our smartphone).
These things done, you will only have to identify yourself (this time, only the email and the password works, the activation code not being available for mobile devices). You can now use your VPN and hide your IP address by logging into more than 3000 servers (if you have opted for ExpressVPN).
Router
The installation of a VPN on a router has a lot of advantages since it protects all the devices of the house connected there. The installation process becomes a little more complex than what we have seen so far with computers, tablets and mobiles. It is also important to emphasize that not all routers allow you to install a VPN directly.
We therefore advise you to turn to ASUS or Linksys routers, these are the most efficient, but also those that work best with a VPN.
For this guide, we will take the case of a Router Asus. Be careful, the approaches could vary according to your model. For the installation of a VPN on a router, we highly recommend that you help by customer support or installation guides present on supplier sites.
First step: downloading the firmware
To start, you need to download the firmware corresponding to your router from your ExpressVPN customer area. This will then allow you to install this firmware directly on the router.
Second step: Router configuration
The second step to install a VPN on router is to go to the administrator interface of your router. To do this, https ties: // Router.Asus.com and this should lead you directly on its administrator space. Otherwise, join it via its IP address. Then connect with your administrative identifiers.
Then place your VPN (via the firmware downloaded in step 1) directly on the router from the “VPN” tab.
Third step: Configure the VPN on the router
We arrive at the end of this VPN installation guide on router. Once the application is put online on your router, you must install it. Normally, redirection is automatically done.
You will simply have to follow the installation steps by including the connection identifiers of your Internet access provider, or by clicking on “My FAI does not have a connection identifier”.
Use the activation code you can find from your ExpressVPN customer area and connect.
Then create a Wi-Fi name as well as a password so that users of the router can connect there.
Fourth step: activate the VPN
Now that everything is well configured, all you have to do is connect to VPN by choosing a country/server. Note that it is possible to exclude some of the devices connected to the router so that they access the Internet without past by the secure tunnel of your VPN. It’s up to you to choose and everything is adjusted directly from the administrator space of your VPN application for router.
SmartTV (Samsung)
Many people are looking to know how to install a VPN on your smarttv.
For this guide, we have taken as an example a Samsung TV which does not have VPN application by default to install. Note that ExpressVPN can settle very easily on Android smarttv thanks to the native application. So we have not considered it useful to make an installation guide for this.
We prefer to explain to you how to do it for the Samsung smarttvs which do not have this option (unfortunately). Don’t worry, you will see that it is not very complicated if you follow the steps below.
First step: Create a DDNS host
In order to put the DNS of your VPN on your Samsung smarttv, you must, at first, create a DDNS host name. For this, you can for example use the free Dyny service.com. Choose DDNS services, and opt for option 1 where you will choose a “host” you like.
Second step: Save your host name on ExpressVPN
Once your host name has been created, you must record it with Expressvpn. Go to your customer area, click on “DNS Settings” then in “Dynamic DNS Registration”, enter your host name and save.
Third step: find the address of the mediastreame
Then go back to the ExpressVPN customer area, then click Install, then on Mediastreame to find the server address. Copy the number 1 address under mediastreame IP#1.
Fourth step: Configure your SmartTV
Once all these settings have been made, you have to go to your television and go to menu, then Network, then Network Status, then IP Settings, set the DNS in manual and enter the address of the mediastreame copied in step 3.
Record and close.
And now, you now know how to install the VPN on your SmartTV which does not have a native application. Be careful, keep in mind that the Smart DNS of ExpressVPN will allow you to unlock content not available in your region but will not turn your data. It therefore does not offer anonymity like the “classic” application of VPN.
Playstation
Now that we have seen how to install a VPN on router and SmartTV, you should explain how to install it on a game console, and in particular on a PlayStation.
This will allow you to access game servers not available in your region, or, for example, to considerably reduce your ping to improve your performance.
Let’s see how to install a VPN on PlayStation.
The idea here is again to use mediastreame. All points are therefore identical to those we have just seen for the SmartTV in steps 1 to 3. Only step 4 changes.
To configure the DNS of your VPN on the PlayStation, you must go to the settings, then Network, then set up Internet Connection, choose either Wi-Fi or cable then “Manual, then leave the IP address automatically and put“ Do not inform ”in DHCP Host name.
Then, for the DNS settings, put Manuel, then Primary DNS and copy the IP of your Expressvpn customer area in “PlayStation”. Then click Next and put Automatic for MTU settings and finally do not use the proxy servers.
You will finally have a message informing you that the internet settings have been modified and you can then test that everything is working properly. If there is no problem, you have managed to install your VPN on your PlayStation.
Restart your console to record once for all your settings.
Browser extension (Chrome and Firefox)
To end this complete VPN installation guide, we wanted to explain to you how to install browser extensions, whether under Chrome or Firefox.
There, everything is much simpler than we have just seen for “complex” devices.
Indeed, you just have to type in your browser “Chrome browser extension (or Firefox) [name of your VPN supplier]” and click on the first link. You will then be taken on a page that asks you where you will just have to click on “Install now”.
Your browser extension will then appear at the top right of your navigation page. And now, voila ! You now know how to install a VPN browser extension on your computer, whether for Chrome or Firefox.
FAQ – Install and configure a VPN
You still have questions that remain about the installation or configuration of a virtual private network ? If this is your case, we advise you to carefully read the FAQ that follows. You will find some component questions/answers.
How much does it cost to configure a VPN ?
The cost of configuring a VPN will depend on a lot of aspects: duration of engagement, number of servers available, number of devices on which it is possible to install, capacities concerning P2P download, streaming, or Another availability and responsiveness of customer support.
Depending on what you are looking for and what you favor, you can expect to pay between € 2 and € 7 per month for a virtual private network service.
Is it possible to install a VPN for free ?
Yes, it is quite possible to install and configure a VPN for free on your devices.
Now you have to know that a completely free service comes with a lot of drawbacks and limitations. The speeds will be anything but good, you will not have access to a lot of servers and covered countries, free VPNs cannot be used to download in P2P or to watch content in streaming.
For all these reasons, it seems more judicious to opt for a paying VPN. This will prevent a lot of headaches.
Free VPN: the best 100% free VPN software (comparison)
In 2023 more than ever before, VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are on the rise. These applications, which allow you to change IP address and encrypt data from your connected device, offer many advantages. These advantages, you certainly know them (and that’s why you are here) looking for the best free VPN.
In this article, we will present 5 VPNs which are completely free (although they also offer paid options) and secure. But before introducing them to you, you should explain the reasons for their gratuitousness and present their limits to you.
You can then make a Choice among one of the best free VPNs of 2023 or opt for a paid VPN, with satisfied or reimbursed period, as is the case of ExpressVPN, the best VPN on the market (all actors combined).
If you want to start in the best conditions, the best free VPN will be ExpressVPN. However, there are other alternatives that are also available. They are 100% free but they also impose certain restrictions sometimes embarrassing. If you are looking for real data protection, optimal confidentiality and freedom on the web, it is more relevant to pay a few euros per month to access this type of service.
Free list and comparison of VPNs:
- Free expressvpn
- Free VPN Cyberghost
- Northern
- VPN Atlas
- Proton VPN
- Hide.me
- Windscribe
- Tunnelbear
Now that you know the list, we will get into the details below all these services. Before delivering an analysis of each VPN publisher (whether 100% free or not), we will come back to the dangers and advantages of these software that is without cost. In this way, you will be well lit to make the most suitable choice for your needs.
Free VPN: their dangers and limits
This will not surprise you if you were told that any service has a cost. Developing a VPN network is not far free and any supplier must then find a way to finance the important costs, linked to both the team and the network of servers – not to mention the cost of development and application day.
Although attractive at first, free VPNs can worry and arouse many questions. Are they reliable ? Are they secure ? Can we trust them ? What is their economic model ? We will enlighten you on these subjects so that you understand how to choose the best free VPN and at what levels it is distinguished from a paid VPN.
Your data is sold
In 2023, there are hundreds, even thousands of free VPNs all over the world. Just type “free VPN” on the Apple Store or the Google Play Store and you will see hundreds of results appear. Faced with this overwhelming choice, it is not at all easy to find the best free VPN. Worse, the majority of these offers are dangerous for your data.
In this case, more than 80% of these free VPNs belong to companies that have only one goal: to recover your navigation data. We are then far from VPN no logs and security that can be expected from a quality VPN.
The most important risk, by opting for a free VPN, is that all your data is kept and sold. The goal of the VPN, which was initially to make you anonymous and protect yourself, then loses all its meaning. You might as well sail without VPN and let your internet access provider “spy” rather than give your information to a doubtful VPN supplier who will do not know what your data.
Nothing worse than having an impression of security … which can then quickly turn against you. But don’t worry, this will not be the case with the best free VPNs that we will present to you. If some offer 100% free versions, it is because they also finance their infrastructure with paid formulas next to it. That said, free versions are then very limited, which is restrictive for daily navigation.
Limited quality service
From the outset, it is absolutely necessary to ban all free VPNs that do not offer any paid options. Indeed, as we will see a little later, the best 100% free VPNs that we will present to you all offer a paid option. You obviously do not need to take it, but it exists, for users who would like to unlock more features. This is how free VPNs that we will qualify “quality” manage to finance ourselves … and not by reselling your navigation data.
The limits of free (and quality) VPNs will then be felt at several levels. The goal is obviously to allow you to discover what a VPN is, then to encourage you to upgrade towards their paid version to access all functionalities and lift the limits.
Among the most frequent restrictions of free VPNs, we find in particular:
- A limit on the bandwidth (between 2 and 10 GB max per month on average)
- A rather slow flow (you will have strong drops in navigation speed, streaming, download)
- A limited number of countries and servers (on average, count 3 to 5 covered countries, against 94 for ExpressVPN, our favorite VPN)
- Non-functioning to unlock renowned streaming platforms
- No customer support reachable 24/7/365 per cat online
- No compatibility on all devices
What we cannot do with a 100% free VPN
In summary, there are many things that cannot be done with a free VPN. First, the fluidity and the navigation speed will be strongly affected for lack of power and optimization of the servers. This is certainly not a surprise but if you want a fast and effective VPN in the execution of your daily tasks, free options are not a good idea.
Your experience on the Internet may also be altered due to refusals of access to certain websites that will recognize the VPN connection and will block it. Remember that free VPN servers are not efficient enough to get around firewalls and that they are often blacklisted. In addition, the choices of locations are extremely restricted.
The use of a free VPN also involves the impossibility of contacting customer assistance in the event of a problem since the implementation of a dedicated technical team at a cost. You will not have the ability to be helped at any time.
So certainly, it is possible to use a free VPN and get out of it for basic use, but you will have to face all these problems. This is why before presenting our favorite free VPNs for 2023, we will give you a little tip that allows you to lift all these restrictions, for 30 days, enjoying the “satisfied or reimbursed” period of the best VPN of the market, ExpressVPN.
You can also reply this trick with other paying VPNs having a repayment period such as Cyberghost, NordVPN, or Surfshark. Thus, you will have for more than 3 months of VPN for free, without having the slightest limit. And above all, you have proven protection and formidable efficiency. This will avoid the lack of security and the dangers of offers at no cost.
The best free VPN for 30 days
You understand, it is completely impossible to have a free VPN that would have as many advantages as a paid and quality VPN. Therefore, the best thing to do, if you want to have the advantages of the paying … without paying, is to trick. The best VPNs all offer a refund guarantee without any condition. When we say “no condition”, it’s really unconditionally. There is no risk to test these VPNs since you can get your refund provided you ask within 30 days of your order.
It is by following this little tip that you will be able to enjoy the best free VPN for 30 days, ExpressVPN.
Unlike free VPNs that impose many limits, ExpressVPN will offer you:
- An unlimited bandwidth
- Over 3000 servers in 94 countries
- Customer support 24/7/365
- Kill Switch
- 0 Log storage (audited by KPMG)
- Best speeds on the market
- Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, Smart TV Android compatibility, router
- 30 days of reimbursement without condition
So certainly, to take advantage of it, we will have to start by paying. However, know that the refund works on all its subscriptions, whether it be 1 month, 6 months, or 12 months, on which you will also have 49% reduction and 3 free months. If you want to have the best free VPN for 30 days, this is the solution to adopt. Admittedly, it requires taking out your payment card, but in our opinion, it is really worth it.
A free test up to 45 days at Cyberghost
The other interesting tip is to opt for Cyberghost. This VPN supplier has the distinction of offering very cheap prices, but above all a free test of up to 45 days, which is much more than the majority of competitors. Thanks to this test, you will have plenty of time to enjoy an excellent VPN without any risk for your wallet. It is the publisher who offers the longest test duration, without commitment.
Indeed, Cyberghost VPN considerably increases your online confidentiality in just two or three clicks. The application takes on very interesting features that we do not see in all suppliers (servers dedicated to P2P, streaming and gaming). This VPN is also appreciated for its ease of use and its immense infrastructure. From a value for money, this is one of the best tools right now.
Its creation in 2009 is also a guarantee of trust. To summarize, an account at Cyberghost VPN gives access to:
- A network of 9000 servers
- Locations in 91 countries of the world
- IP -ending web traffic protection and IP camouflage
- High speed connection
- A Kill Switch automatically integrated
- Servers optimized according to various activities (including streaming)
- A 3 -year package at less than 2 euros per month
For information, these are the packages that last 6 months or more that include a 45 -day reimbursement guarantee. For the monthly subscription, the guarantee is 14 days. This is why we advise you to opt for its long -lasting packages in order to enjoy 45 free days. In addition if you finally want to continue with this VPN, it will cost you less than 2 euros per month (against 11.99 euros with the monthly offer). It’s the cheapest on the market, and it’s one of the most reliable. He has nothing to envy to Nordvpn, which we will present below.
Free 30 -day trial at NordVPN
Alternatively, if you do not want to opt for Cyberghost or ExpressVPN, you can opt for NordVPN which also offers a test period. Indeed, thanks to its free 30 -day trial period, NordVPN is also among the best free VPNs in 2023. Better still, it is cheaper than ExpressVPN, especially with its current promotion of more than 60%. At less than 3 € / month, it is really a very interesting offer that will allow you to enjoy one of the best VPNs, for free, for 30 days.
NordVPN in a few figures it is:
- No bandwidth limit
- Over 5,800 servers in 60 countries
- 6 simultaneous connections (PC, smartphone, tablet, etc.)
- No logs
- Possibility to reserve a dedicated IP
- Customer support 24/7/365
- 30 -day reimbursement guarantee
- 60% reduction on the 2 -year offer
Like ExpressVPN, you will be able to use NordVPN for 30 days, and, if you wish, request your full refund at the end of the period. Thus, you will have had an excellent free VPN but without any limit on the bandwidth, the number of covered countries, security and all other aspects that are regularly criticized with free VPN offers.
List of free but very limited VPNs
Now that you know our little tip to enjoy the best free VPN for 30 days, we will, as promised, deliver our selection of the 5 best VPNs really free, which require no payment card, or even no email address for Start using their services.
Each time we will present their advantages to you, but also their limits so that you know which free VPN to choose and which is made for you. In this way, you are warned of the risks around these software. More generally, if you want to use a VPN regularly, you will have to go on a paid version. Free offers are always a bit bank.
1) VPN Atlas: the best free offer of 2023
The best completely free VPN that we had the opportunity to test in 2023 is called VPN Atlas.
What more than the others ? Well first of all, it is the service at 0 € that offers the best speeds. By opting for him, you will be able to benefit from a relatively fast VPN. Now it remains relative because we remain very far from the speeds offered by services like ExpressVPN or Cyberghost.
That said, by activating VPN Atlas, you can browse the Internet without much speed loss, which is rather pleasant. This is not the only advantage of its free offer.
This is what we liked during our tests:
- Its application is very friendly and simple to use
- Multi-platform compatibility
- No speed limitation
- Protection of an unlimited number of devices
- Protocols Wireguard and IPSEC/IKEV2 supported
- Log non-conservation policy
The other asset we have been able to note is the fact that it is possible to download in P2P via the free VPN Atlas offer. Now be careful, you will have to deal with data consumption limited to 5 GB per month. Suffice to say that all this will go quickly if you start to download large files.
Through the free VPN Atlas offer, you will also have to deal with servers in 3 locations. What are they ? The Netherlands and the United States (Los Angeles and New York). That’s all. We regret not finding a server in France but it is not so surprising that. After all, we are talking about a 100% free VPN here.
In conclusion, Atlas VPN is an excellent choice if you are trying to try for the first time a virtual private network without paying. Its application makes the experience really pleasant and accessible to anyone. The connection/disconnection to its servers could not be simpler. You can easily use it to improve your online safety. Now do not count on him to download large files or take advantage of foreign catalogs of streaming platforms.
If these are these activities that tempt you, it is better to use the tip presented above in our comparison.
To test the free Atlas VPN, you just have to click on the following button and start downloading the application. It’s that simple.
Find more information on this service in our ATLAS VPN reviews (note that it is however devoted to its paid offer).
2) Proton VPN: a free VPN without bandwidth limit
If you are looking for a reliable, secure and bandwidth free VPN, Proton VPN is made for you. Indeed, this Swiss -based VPN supplier is a benchmark on the free VPN market. Originally known for his secure protonmail email service, he has since established himself as a major competitor on the VPN market … free !
It must be said that its offer has something to seduce:
- No bandwidth limit
- No log storage
- An ergonomic and complete application on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows
It should also be noted that during the first 7 days of your subscription, you will have free access to Proton VPN Plus. This offer allows you to access the entire service network of suppliers and to benefit from the best speeds. Unfortunately, these advantages last only 7 days at most. It’s still interesting if you have a very “short-term” need for this free VPN.
If our opinion on Proton VPN is rather positive, this supplier nevertheless has many constraints – like any VPN at zero Euro. In this case, the great criticism that we can make to him has on his country network. In free version, you can only access 3 countries that are the USA, the Netherlands and Japan. In other words, it is impossible to have an IP address in France … and therefore impossible to access French content when you are abroad.
Also, when you use Proton VPN free, you will have a sharp drop in speed. Free servers being overloaded, your flows may take a hell of it.
Among the weaknesses of this free VPN, we can also cite the absence of customer support by online chat (count at least 24 to 48 hours to have an answer … against around 15s at ExpressVPN) or the fact that it does not work To unlock certain sites.
3) hide.Me: a free quality alternative
The third actor in this ranking of the best free VPNs of 2023, we wanted to present you hide.me. This provider of German origin offers its service completely free and deserves your full attention. It’s a good choice for a free version. But then again, the paid version is very far from the most famous publishers.
Indeed, hide.I have the following advantages:
- 4 covered countries
- Policy without activity register (no-log)
- Online cat support
With free hide VPN.Me, you will be able to connect to 4 different countries which are the USA, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada. Again, we regret that France is not part of this list. If you were looking for a free VPN to have a French IP, it will not be the right solution. Besides, among our top 5 free VPNs for 2023, only Windscribe will allow you to have a French IP.
While we can criticize in the 2 rivals above the absence of online chat, this contact option is well present at Hide.me. You can therefore reach them at any time, by online cat, to have an answer in just a few seconds.
Finally, to put an end to its advantages, we obviously wanted to specify that Hide.It is indeed secure and that your data is not likely to be sold to third parties if you opt for this VPN supplier. No log is preserved as stipulated by its privacy policy. Difficult to trust them, no external auditor has been requested.
On the other hand, at the level of the limits, hide.makes me pale figure. Indeed, the bandwidth limit is 10 GB and free servers do not work. In other words, hide.will do me to hide your IP (temporarily) but it stops there.
4) Windscribe: a correct free VPN
The fourth free VPN of our comparison is none other than Windscriber. This VPN supplier from Canada has also been made a place on this ultra competitive market thanks to a high quality service accessible for free. All, without needing to enter your email address.
Our opinion on the Windscribe VPN lists the more precise characteristics of its solution, but retain its main advantages:
- 10 countries covered in free version
- Anonymous registration possible (optional email address)
The list of advantages is unfortunately not longer than that … but it remains completely acceptable for a free VPN. We particularly appreciate the fact that it is present in 10 countries in its test version including the United States, France, Japan or the United Kingdom.
You imagined, once again, that this free VPN imposes restrictions that we go without further delay to present them to you.
Its first limit, and not the least, is that Windscribe allows you only 2 GB of monthly bandwidth. You can increase this number if you enter your email address and reach 10 GB. To give you an idea, 10 GB is about 2 hours of HD streaming. Certainly, it is better than 2 GB, but it is not enough pure a “classic” use. It is insufficient for anyone connected to the Internet very regularly. You will then very quickly be blocked and invited to pass on their paid formula. We will come back later on the interest (or not) to move on to a free offer from a free VPN.
In addition to this more than restrictive bandwidth limit, Windscribe has no customer support. Do not be fooled by their supposed “live cat” which is in reality only a robot which never manages to answer our questions. Damage.
Among the weaknesses of this free VPN, we will also highlight more than disappointing speeds that we obtain, even by connecting to the nearest server (in France).
Finally, its location located in Canada can be a brake for some Internet users since, remember, this territory is part of the Five Eyes. This is an intelligence alliance is five countries. Companies located in Canada are therefore theoretically obliged to provide information to the authorities. Although Windscriber is guaranteed no-log, that is, the firm does not keep any user activity register.
In summary, Windscriber is a good free VPN since it is secure and has 10 countries but its bandwidth limit, its lack of customer support and its low speeds place it far behind a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN.
5) Tunnelbear: a good VPN, but limited
Tunnelbear is also part of our selection of the best free VPNs in 2023. Known for its “nice” side, this Canadian VPN offers you free use but we can no longer limit.
Its unique advantage remains in the fact that it works very well and gives access to all countries of the globe.
However, its biggest weakness is its bandwidth limit. In this case, with this free VPN, you can only use 500 MB per month ! It’s ridiculous when you know the speed with which the data is starting today, with ever larger videos. Don’t be illusing, with 500 MB, you really won’t go away.
Here, the purpose of the free tunnelbear offer is purely to encourage you to discover the product to very quickly pass on a paid offer. There is not much that you will be able to do with only 500 MB of bandwidth every month. Impossible to watch videos streaming with this volume or to download anything either. In short, it is a free VPN which is very limited for classic use.
Despite everything, we appreciate this free VPN for its large number of countries and the fact that it is used in a very simple way, but for a fairly limited period of time. Unless your Internet consumption is very reduced and occasional.
What to think of paid offers from these free VPNs ?
You have tested one of these free VPNs and are satisfied by the service ? You now want to go on a paid offer to unlock features and access more flexibility ? They got you ! Indeed, this is the strategy of these free VPN suppliers. The goal is to attract you with an attractive free offer and then make you switch to you, at one time or another, to their paid offer. In reality, their offer is often more expensive and much less qualitative than publishers of only paid VPN. That said, they know that in comfort, you will naturally stay at home.
What is our opinion on the subject ?
Obviously, free VPN paid offers are not interesting. They take advantage of the fact that you are already a customer at home to hope that you are not going to look at what is done elsewhere, with VPN suppliers only paid. It is a classic technique that we find everywhere, not only on the VPN market. It must be said that when you have been using a free service for a while and you are satisfied with it, you don’t necessarily want to change it … and then we are ready to pay to unlock more features.
This is where you have to take a step back and look at what is done elsewhere. Paid VPNs have a strategy which, from the start, aims to offer the best paid service and not seduce you with a free offer. Therefore, whether for the quality of the service or even for pricing, you will almost always have much better offers among premium publishers than with free actors with their paid offers.
Simply compare the server network, customer support, the platforms they unlock and you will quickly see what we are talking about.
In the end, if it can be interesting to take advantage of the free offers of VPNs from Atlas, Proton VPN, Windscriber and Hide.Me, we strongly recommend their paid offers. If you are ready to pay, you might as well opt directly for a premium supplier, such as ExpressVPN, And take advantage of the 30 days satisfied or refunded in order to give you your own opinion on its service. In addition, you will have 49% discount and 3 months offered by going to their site via the link below ::
What free VPNs should be avoided at all costs ?
You probably know the adage “When it’s free, it’s you the product”. As explained at the start of this article, the use of a free VPN is not without risk for your safety and your privacy. If we have selected some safe free providers here, know that some VPNs represent a danger to you. We have just listed three uncompromising suppliers so that you can recognize their names and move away as much as possible.
Hola VPN
Hola is an Israeli service offering a VPN application on all connected platforms. In a short time, he managed to make himself known and convince many Internet users. It must be said that with coverage in 190 countries of the world, an unlimited bandwidth, access to blocked content and a 100% free subscription, its offer is rather attractive. However, for some time, this supplier has been talked about, but not for the right reasons.
First you should know that Hola is not really a VPN in the literal sense of the term. Indeed, this service actually works on the peer-to-peer model (P2P or Peer-to-Peer). To put it simply, Hola VPN connects to user machines and uses their IP address to assign it to other users. With such a network, your source IP address is not safe, since it is another surfer who operates it. You now understand how Hola VPN is able to offer so many countries. In reality, it does not have its own infrastructure or physical servers.
Hola VPN was also at the heart of a scandal concerning the resale of bandwidth of its users. In addition, other security flaws on its application have been raised in recent years, so that it is easy to conclude that this is an unavailable VPN. Even if you want to use an occasional VPN, it is better not to opt for Hola VPN. Your online safety and confidentiality will only be better.
Opera VPN
Opera VPN is offered for free with the web browser of the same name, Opera. If we advise you to avoid it is that this supplier is actually a proxy service. Unlike a virtual private network, a proxy does not apply encryption. User web data is therefore always visible by the Internet access provider. Opera VPN only masks and modify your IP address. Moreover, the supplier only offers three locations. Suffice to say that it is extremely limited.
The other element that is problematic concerns the company. Admittedly, Opera VPN is based in Norway, but it turns out that the shares are divided between several companies, including a Chinese. And when you know that China censures and controls internet access from its residents, we are entitled to find this problematic.
Betternet VPN
Betternet VPN is another service to avoid. This VPN, although free and bringing together millions of users, will not be of great use to ensure your online safety. It’s even the opposite that may happen. Indeed, research highlighted the fact that Betternet VPN collected the data of its customers (including the IP address, the time time for connections and the sites visited), when using the service to resell them. In addition to these anonymity concerns, the Betternet application included malware, which caused damage to certain users.
You should also know that the Betternet VPN flow is very slow. Its servers are sorely lacking in power, so that it is almost impossible to normally navigate (without extended loading time) or watch a video without interruption. We are far from the ergonomic and fast applications of NordVPN or ExpressVPN. Note that the free version of Betternet VPN only gives access to American locations, which limits the number of content to unlock anyway.
Finally, we can also point out its non-existent customer assistance, which will redirect you to an incomplete FAQ or a support via email. In summary, even for users who really don’t want to spend a penny for a VPN, Betternet is not a good idea.
Conclusion: which free VPN to choose in 2023 ?
VPNs are today very useful tools, whether free or paid. Although free versions are extremely limited, they still allow you to familiarize themselves with this tool with many advantages. Again, even if the free version convinces you, do not subscribe to the paid offers of these average quality players.
If you have a little use of the Internet, a free VPN like Atlas VPN may be enough for you. On the other hand, if you want the best free VPN for 30 days, the best thing to do is to opt for ExpressVPN and take advantage of your refund period and without any condition. Thus, you will not have a limit and will be able to fully enjoy a quality, reliable, fast and secure VPN supplier.
If you test the VPN atlas, Proton VPN, Windscribe and other hide.Me, know that the free offer is correct but very limited. The paid offers of these actors (who will try to convince you to stay) are absolutely not competitive in front of established giants like ExpressVPN, Cyberghost or NordVPN. You have every interest in engaging directly at home.
If you still have any questions about our comparison of the best free VPNs, do not hesitate to send us an email to find out more.