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Free VPNs can be appealing, but be warned – for some of them, 'free' comes at the cost of your data privacy.
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Is that free VPN a security risk? Here's what you need to know
To find out more, visit uk.norton.com
Free VPNs can be appealing, but be warned – for some
of them, 'free' comes at the cost of your data privacy
We've all heard the phrase "there's no such thing as a free lunch", but is there such
a thing as free data protection?
The short answer is yes – there are free VPN services that are perfectly trustworthy, and can do the job of encrypting your internet connection to keep your data safe from prying eyes. However, other free VPNs pose huge data risks and can, in fact, do the exact opposite by logging and selling your data to third parties.
So, how can you best keep your data safe online? Let’s explore the risks of free VPNs, what makes a VPN safe to use, and how you can best protect yourself and your
data online.
The main issue with free VPNs is that despite being a free service, they still have operating costs and, as such, still need to generate a profit. How they make money
to cover these operating costs is very important, as some pose serious risks to
user data.
Some free VPNs simply have ads on their platform. While this is undoubtedly frustrating (who doesn't hate pop-us?), it does not necessarily put user data privacy or safety at risk.
Other free VPNs, known as "freemium" services, subsidize their free VPN by also having a premium VPN that users are encouraged to upgrade to.
This is probably the safest way for a free VPN to operate. You’ll have to put up with prompts to make the premium upgrade – and your VPN experience will have limitations, such as slower speeds, data limits, and little to no extra features – but it allows you to choose a reputable brand that can be trusted to keep your browsing data safe.
Other free VPNs cover their costs in far riskier ways, however. This can include logging and selling user data to third parties, which essentially defeats the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.
What are the risks of free VPNs?
For example, in August 2025, a free Chrome VPN extension was found to have been taking screenshots of every page its over 100,000 users had ever visited.
Other free VPNs aren't actually VPNs at all, and instead are fronts for info-stealing malware. They may make flashy promises like being completely unlimited and fast while being free, but this is simply too good to be true.
Cases like these are why it's so important to make sure you use a reputable free VPN.
One of the safest ways to find a free VPN is by using the free version offered
by a trusted premium service. By doing this, you know exactly how
the free VPN is covering its costs.
Reviews from a trusted publication, like us here at TechRadar, are another great way of discovering which free VPNs are safe to use. By allowing VPN experts to do the testing for you, you cut out any risk to your own data, and can simply choose a recommended service rather than testing out multiple free VPNs for yourself.
Don’t be fooled by app store ratings and reviews. Some less reputable free VPN services will attempt to trick unsuspecting users into downloading them by artificially inflating their star rating and reputation by using bots to post 5-star reviews.
There are some tell-tale signs of bot-based reviews to look out for: simple language, bland encouragement to use the service with little substance, a lot of five-star reviews posted within hours or even minutes of each other. It's best to just avoid this altogether and get your assessment of a free VPN from an unbiased, trusted source.
How to find a reputable free VPN
While many free VPNs have impressive feature sets, because you're not paying anything for them, they will still be limited in some way. This could be via data limits, server restrictions, or not supporting activities like streaming. You're also almost guaranteed to not have access to any extra cybersecurity features.
This may make a free VPN unsuitable for you if you want a VPN for everyday use, or if you want to use a VPN for heavy-bandwidth activities like streaming or gaming.
So, if you want completely unlimited VPN use, with the best speeds, streaming support, and added features, then you need to use a premium VPN, like Norton VPN.
should i use a free vpn?
As a premium VPN service, Norton VPN offers advanced encryption, global server coverage, and a no-logs policy, meaning you can use it safe in the knowledge that your data is completely safe and isn't being shared. You also won't have to deal with any of the other downsides that come with free VPNs, like data limits, slower speeds, or ads.
Another way to ensure you stay safe online is to enhance your data protection by using other cybersecurity tools as well as a
premium VPN.
Prioritize your online safety by learning more about Norton VPN on its site.
While some free VPNs are perfectly safe, others pose dangerous data privacy risks. Here's how to avoid them and stay safe online.