Best Free VPN Alternatives in 2026
The top Free VPN alternatives are Proton VPN, hide.me and Windscribe: 15 free VPN services our editors would look at instead of Free VPN, in our ranking order.
Free VPN: A diagnostic-friendly VPN with useful free access, interrupted by short sessions and breaks. Where it falls short: free sessions end after 30 minutes with three-minute breaks.
Switching from Free VPN? For most free vpn services buyers the best Free VPN alternative is Proton VPN, built for best overall free VPN users. On a budget, PrivadoVPN starts at $1.11/user/mo. Planet VPN offers the most free device limit (10 devices).
Why People Look for a Free VPN Alternative
- Free sessions end after 30 minutes with three-minute breaks
- Unlimited access starts at $7.99 per week
- Boost Speed is limited to Windows
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallProton VPN9.3
Best overall free VPN users
Visit Proton VPN - Lowest pricePrivadoVPN8.7
Paid plans from $1.11/user/mo
Visit PrivadoVPN - Best free optionProton VPN9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Proton VPN - Most free device limitPlanet VPN8.8
10 devices
Visit Planet VPN
All 15 Free VPN Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forBest overall free VPN users
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 5.2
A strong free VPN with unlimited data, audited no-logs coverage, and open-source apps.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Proton VPN -
Best forPrivacy-focused streaming and torrenting
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 5.2
A capable free VPN for privacy-focused streaming and torrenting.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit hide.me -
Best forFlexible free and paid VPN use
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 5.2
A flexible VPN with a capable free tier and unusually configurable paid plans.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Windscribe -
Best forUsers seeking unlimited free data and 10 devices
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 5.2
Planet VPN offers unlimited free access, with more locations and features in Premium.
- Ads on free plan
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Planet VPN -
Best forLow-cost full-featured VPN
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 5.2
A low-cost VPN with streaming, torrenting, WireGuard, and 10-device support.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit PrivadoVPN -
Best forLarge server network on a budget
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 5.2
A budget-friendly VPN with a large network, streaming support, and a limited free tier.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Bitdefender -
Best forStreaming-focused free VPN users
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 5.2
A streaming-focused VPN with a useful free tier and broader paid access.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Hotspot Shield -
Best forAudited VPN with obfuscation
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 5.2
A well-audited VPN with obfuscation and a useful free tier, but no streaming support.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit TunnelBear -
Best forUnlimited free bandwidth
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 5.2
A no-registration free VPN with unlimited bandwidth, leak prevention and limited server choice.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit VPNLY -
Best forUnlimited free VPN data
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 5.2
A capable unlimited-data free VPN, tempered by ads and costly premium plans.
- Ads on free plan
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit X-VPN -
Best forUnlimited free VPN with country choice
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 5.2
A bandwidth-unlimited free VPN with country choice, protocol support, and ad-supported access.
- Ads on free plan
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Octohide -
Best forCensorship circumvention and blocked traffic
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 5.2
A strong free option for blocked traffic, with daily limits and limited server choice.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Lantern -
Best forSimple encrypted network protection
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 5.2
A practical free VPN client for encrypted traffic, DNS protection, and split tunneling.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forFree open-source VPN with no account
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 7.8 vs 5.2
A free, open-source VPN with no account, P2P support, and limited platform breadth.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit RiseupVPN -
Best forOpen-source self-hosted VPN users
- Better than Free VPN:
- Editor score 7.7 vs 5.2
A free, open-source VPN for privacy-focused users who can self-host.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Bitmask
Free VPN Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Free VPN?
Proton VPN: #1 in our Free VPN Services ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A strong free VPN with unlimited data, audited no-logs coverage, and open-source apps.
Is there a free alternative to Free VPN?
Yes. Proton VPN, hide.me, Windscribe, Planet VPN and PrivadoVPN have a free plan or a free tier (15 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Free VPN?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, PrivadoVPN starts lowest, at $1.11/user/mo.
Why do people look for Free VPN alternatives?
Free sessions end after 30 minutes with three-minute breaks; Unlimited access starts at $7.99 per week; Boost Speed is limited to Windows.
Which Free VPN alternative has the most free device limit?
Planet VPN, with 10 devices.
How do I switch from Free VPN?
Export your data from Free VPN (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Free VPN.
How to Switch from Free VPN
- Export your data from Free VPN (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Free VPN.
Free VPN vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Free VPN | Yes | $99/yr | 5.2 |
| 1 | Proton VPN | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 2 | hide.me | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 3 | Windscribe | Yes | $69/yr | 9.0 |
| 4 | Planet VPN | Yes | €1.99/user/mo | 8.8 |
| 5 | PrivadoVPN | Yes | $1.11/user/mo | 8.7 |
| 6 | Bitdefender Premium VPN | Yes | $2.92/mo | 8.6 |
| 7 | Hotspot Shield | Yes | $6.99/mo | 8.5 |
| 8 | TunnelBear | Yes | $3.33/mo | 8.4 |
| 9 | VPNLY | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 10 | X-VPN | Yes | $71.99/yr | 8.2 |
| 11 | Octohide VPN | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 12 | Lantern | Yes | $4/mo | 8.0 |
| 13 | Cloudflare WARP | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 14 | RiseupVPN | Yes | Free | 7.8 |
| 15 | Bitmask | Yes | Free | 7.7 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update