The internet is rife with services claiming to be free VPNs, but most come with clear strings attached. That usually means dealing with strict monthly data allowances, limited server choices, or shady apps that collect and sell your browsing activity to advertisers. While it's impossible to know with complete certainty what happens to your data once it reaches a provider's servers, some have proven to be far more trustworthy than others.
Finding a worthwhile free VPN comes down to finding software that's dependable, lightweight, and easy to configure. At a minimum, it should have the following:
- An easy-to-use Windows app
- Enough data, speed, and server access for your needs
- Strong encryption and a reliable kill switch
- A clear privacy policy from a reputable provider
Our picks for the best free VPNs for Windows are below. If you're curious about what a VPN can and can't protect, be sure to check out our in-depth explainer on VPN privacy.
Looking for more recommendations? Have a look at our favorite free VPNs for Android, iPhone, and Mac. And if you're looking for options suitable for torrenting, we've also published a list of the best we've tested, both free and paid.
Since 2025, we've published reviews for over 20 different VPN services. These reviews followed months of research, test development, and collaboration among our engineers, testers, writers, photographers, and editors. Our process for each review involves extensive work behind the scenes, including rigorous checks and balances, to deliver the most accurate and useful test results so you can make the right purchasing decisions for your needs.
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Best Free VPN For Windows
Private Browsing7.5Security8.6Policies & Practices6.3Data Limit:N/ACountries:1See all our test resultsTested Simultaneous Connections:1Proton VPN Free is the best free VPN for Windows PCs we've tested for everyday use without a monthly data cap. The app makes getting started straightforward: sign in to a free account, click Connect, and let it select a server. For added convenience, you can set it to launch and connect automatically as soon as Windows starts. It supports WireGuard and Stealth, which disguises VPN traffic to help bypass network restrictions. It's effective at encrypting your IP and DNS requests while connected, and its kill switch is reliable for blocking outgoing traffic during unexpected interruptions. It also offers an advanced kill switch feature that blocks internet access until you're connected, even after restarting your PC.
You do give up some flexibility in return for unlimited usage, however. You're only able to connect one device to the VPN at a time, and the app assigns you a server automatically rather than letting you choose. And while Proton doesn't outright block streaming for free users, official support is reserved for paid subscribers, so it's not the most reliable pick for bypassing geo-blocks. Split tunneling isn't available on the free version of Proton, either, so you might need to turn off the VPN if a certain app refuses to work while you have it enabled. But overall, we recommend it if you're looking for a set-and-forget solution with unlimited data for casual browsing. If you need stronger privacy protections and more granular network control, however, have a look at Windscribe Free.
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Best Free PC VPN For Privacy
Private Browsing9.2Security8.6Policies & Practices9.4Data Limit:10 GBCountries:10See all our test resultsTested Simultaneous Connections:11Windscribe Free is the best free VPN for Windows PCs we've tested for privacy, thanks to its clear no-logging policies and transparent business practices. You can register with a generated account hash instead of an email and password, limiting the information tied to your account, and its app code is fully open-source for anyone to inspect. It supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN, plus obfuscation tools to keep your traffic hidden on unencrypted networks. Its kill switch is effective at stopping outbound traffic during restarts and app crashes, and both its software and server infrastructure have undergone independent security audits for added peace of mind.
Unlike Proton VPN Free, you can connect unlimited personal devices simultaneously and manually select a server from 10 different countries. You also get ad blocking and split tunneling functionality for free, so you can choose which apps get routed outside of the VPN without having to disable it entirely. The main downside is data: you get just 2GB monthly without an email, or 10GB if you choose to add and confirm one in your account settings. And while some users report success using Windscribe to unblock regional streaming libraries, you'll hit your monthly data limit in no time if you plan to stream regularly on the free tier. Overall, we'd pick Windscribe for its strong privacy tools, ad blocking, and deeper configurability. But if you're simply after a hands-off VPN solution with unlimited data, Proton Free is likely all you need.
Notable Mentions
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Hotspot Shield Free:
Hotspot Shield Free is the only free VPN we've tested that has no data limit and allows you to download torrent files, so if you need that functionality, it's one of your only options. That said, its privacy policy clearly permits the collection of device data, location, and browsing history for monetization, and its parent company has done little to address its past security issues.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 14, 2026:
We've made Proton VPN Free our top pick and Windscribe Free our recommendation for privacy. We've also revised this article's text with clearer feature comparisons and more Windows-specific considerations.
Aug 05, 2026:
We've made some minor text updates to help you decide which VPN to choose. We've also added Hotspot Shield Free to the Notable Mentions section because it's one of the only free options that allows torrenting, despite its poor privacy practices.
Jun 11, 2026:
We've made minor text changes to help make it easier to choose the right VPN for you. We've also reviewed our picks for accuracy and relevance.
Apr 24, 2026:
We've updated this article to reflect that Windscribe Free now supports hashed accounts. We've also reviewed and verified that our current recommendations remain the best picks.
Feb 12, 2026:
We've updated this article to reflect our findings in Test Bench 0.10 covering privacy. We've replaced Hotspot Shield Free with Windscribe Free as our top pick, and we've replaced the 'Best With More Locations' category with 'Best Unlimited,' making Proton VPN Free our pick.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are currently the best free VPNs we've tested for PC. We only recommend VPNs with a clear and digestible privacy policy, a proven track record of protecting their customers' privacy, and acceptable security and speeds. We also factor in feedback from our users and reputation within the community.
When choosing a VPN, consider what you need it for and understand its limitations. Depending on your risk profile, using one at all times is probably unnecessary. Modern websites, browsers, and devices have ample built-in security measures to protect you from the most common threats. You can learn more about how modern browsers and apps encrypt your daily traffic in our guide to Transport Layer Security (TLS). If you're trying to secure an older device that doesn't support third-party VPN installs, take a look at our article on the L2TP protocol. You can also read more about the different encryption algorithms used to protect your data, such as Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA).
With that in mind, here's the list of all the free VPNs we've tested.