Why Most Free VPNs Aren’t Really Free

Why Most Free VPNs Aren’t Really Free

Free VPNs promise privacy without the price tag, and that sounds like the best deal on the internet. But after testing and reviewing hundreds of them over the years, it has become clear that most so-called free VPNs come with invisible costs that far outweigh the subscription fee you avoid. They may not charge you money up front, but they often charge you something far more valuable, your data, your privacy, and sometimes even your security. 🕵️‍♂️

The Illusion of “Free” Online

Every digital product needs a business model. If a VPN isn’t earning revenue through subscriptions, it must make money elsewhere, and that usually means monetising users. The oldest saying in digital privacy still holds true: if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. I’ve seen this pattern repeat across dozens of free VPN services, from mobile apps on app stores to browser extensions with millions of installs. They gather data, display targeted ads, or even sell network bandwidth to third parties.

Data Harvesting Behind the Scenes

When testing free VPNs, I’ve often monitored what they send and receive behind the scenes. Many use background analytics SDKs that track usage, device identifiers, IP addresses, and even browsing histories. Some disguise this under the vague term “diagnostic data,” but the granularity of what’s collected goes far beyond performance metrics. This information can be sold to advertisers or data brokers, who aggregate user profiles to target ads more precisely. In extreme cases, it’s been linked to outright identity profiling.

Paid VPNs, in contrast, are judged by their commitment to a no-logs policy and are incentivised to protect user trust. Free VPNs simply don’t have that pressure. Their profit often depends on how much data they can collect, not how well they can protect it.

Advertising Networks and Browser Injection

Some free VPNs openly admit to using ad-supported models. They inject adverts into your browsing sessions or redirect search queries through their own affiliate links. At first, it seems harmless, until you realise those systems require your real browsing data to target ads effectively. I once traced a free VPN’s traffic and discovered multiple third-party ad servers being contacted even while connected to supposedly “secure” VPN tunnels. Those calls bypass encryption in subtle ways, often through DNS leaks or unencrypted HTTP connections.

These practices not only undermine privacy but can slow your connection dramatically. A VPN is supposed to make you less visible online, not turn you into an advertising dataset.

Bandwidth Selling and Proxy Networks

One of the more troubling practices I’ve found is when free VPNs sell user bandwidth to create commercial proxy networks. This means that your device becomes an exit node for other people’s traffic, sometimes including automated web scraping or spam. Services like HolaVPN were caught doing exactly this. Users thought they were simply encrypting their traffic, but in reality, their connections were being resold to paying clients. 💀

This introduces serious legal and ethical problems. If someone uses your IP address for illegal activities, it can be traced back to you. And since free VPNs rarely offer proper support or logs, proving your innocence becomes difficult.

Encryption That’s Often Not Encryption at All

When reviewing free VPNs, I’ve repeatedly encountered services that use outdated or entirely fake encryption protocols. Some claim to offer “military-grade” AES-256 encryption but, under inspection, use weaker or even plaintext connections. Others rely on HTTP proxies disguised as VPNs. This provides no real protection and can actually expose more metadata than if you weren’t using a VPN at all.

In one test, I captured packets from a popular mobile VPN that showed plain DNS queries leaving the device unencrypted, even while the app’s interface confidently displayed a “Connected and Protected” badge. These kinds of findings are sadly common in the free VPN market.

Malware, Trackers, and App Store Abuse

Free VPNs dominate app store search results, especially on Android. Yet a large percentage of them include embedded trackers or malicious SDKs. Some request invasive permissions, camera access, contacts, location, even file system control. When I decompiled a handful of free VPN apps for a study, I found more than half communicated with servers unrelated to VPN functionality. These often belonged to analytics and ad partners based in jurisdictions with weak privacy regulation.

The problem is not just limited to obscure apps. Even well-known free VPNs have been caught using tracking libraries from Facebook and Google. This completely defeats the purpose of a VPN, which is to reduce the amount of data these very companies can collect.

Performance: The Hidden Cost of Overloaded Servers

Another issue users discover quickly is speed. Free VPNs attract millions of users but run on minimal infrastructure. Bandwidth caps, throttling, and unstable connections are common. Servers are often overloaded because maintaining fast, reliable VPN nodes is expensive, something that subscription fees normally pay for.

During my tests, many free VPNs delivered speeds as low as 1–2 Mbps, making streaming, gaming, or even basic browsing frustrating. Some disconnect after a few minutes to limit server load. Others impose daily data caps so low that you can’t even finish a standard definition film on Netflix. The end result is a poor experience that quietly nudges users toward the paid version.

Security Risks of Free VPN Extensions

Browser extensions are particularly risky. I’ve analysed several Chrome VPN add-ons that requested permissions to “read and change all your data on the websites you visit.” That is effectively full surveillance access. A malicious developer could inject scripts, capture credentials, or manipulate web content.

In one notable case, a VPN extension was removed from the Chrome Web Store after it was found to be logging every URL visited and transmitting it to a remote analytics endpoint. Unfortunately, users rarely notice these permissions before clicking install. 🧩

Free VPNs Funded by Governments or Investors

Occasionally, a free VPN is not run by advertisers but by investors or organisations seeking data for other reasons. Some are based in countries with mandatory data retention laws, meaning user activity can be logged and shared with authorities. Others are developed by companies with links to larger tech ecosystems where the data itself becomes the asset.

It’s worth remembering that running a global VPN network costs millions annually. No company can sustain that for free indefinitely without a way to recoup those costs. When a VPN’s privacy policy is vague or overly simplistic, that’s a major red flag.

The Psychology of “Free” and the Illusion of Safety

People often assume that because a VPN is listed on a legitimate app store or reviewed by influencers, it must be safe. In reality, these platforms don’t thoroughly audit privacy claims. The human brain also undervalues abstract risks, you can’t see your data being sold, so the harm feels distant. But once privacy is lost, you can’t get it back. That’s why I always tell readers that the cost of a trustworthy VPN is tiny compared to the potential cost of identity theft or long-term data exposure.

Legitimate Free VPN Options (With Limitations)

Not every free VPN is malicious. A handful of reputable providers offer limited free tiers to let users test their service. ProtonVPN, for instance, provides a genuinely no-log free plan with slower speeds and restricted servers. Windscribe has a similar model. These services are transparent about their limitations, and their business models rely on converting satisfied users to paid plans rather than selling data.

However, even these come with trade-offs: slower performance, smaller server lists, and less support for streaming or torrenting. They’re useful for light browsing or travel emergencies but not for sustained privacy protection.

Why Paid VPNs Are Still Worth It

After years of testing, the difference between a reliable paid VPN and a risky free one is night and day. Paid VPNs fund ongoing audits, maintain dedicated infrastructure, and respond to evolving security standards. Many undergo independent code reviews or have strict no-logs policies verified by external firms. The subscription you pay isn’t just for access, it’s an investment in trust, reliability, and accountability.

Good VPNs also provide proper DNS leak protection, kill switches, and multi-hop configurations, features almost never found in free services. The result is a safer, faster, and more private experience.

How to Spot a Dubious Free VPN

When evaluating a VPN, I look for the following red flags:

• No clear ownership information or company address.
• Vague privacy policies with terms like “may share data with partners.”
• Unlimited free usage with no visible monetisation method.
• Permission requests that seem unrelated to VPN operation.
• Unrealistic claims, “fastest VPN in the world” or “complete anonymity.”

If you see any combination of these, assume the service is not truly free. It’s just a data-collection business wearing a privacy badge.

The Real Meaning of Online Privacy

Privacy isn’t about hiding; it’s about having control over who sees what. A trustworthy VPN extends that control by encrypting traffic and removing middlemen from your online activity. Free VPNs, on the other hand, often become new middlemen themselves. They may promise freedom but end up watching more closely than your ISP ever could. 🌍

Understanding this dynamic is what separates surface-level privacy from genuine protection. True digital freedom isn’t free, it’s something you earn by choosing tools that respect your rights rather than exploiting them.

Conclusion

Free VPNs appeal to our sense of thrift, but in the world of online privacy, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Behind the glossy app interfaces and promises of “unlimited protection,” most free VPNs survive by selling something they shouldn’t, your data. The responsible choice is to use a VPN provider that has a clear, transparent business model, ideally one verified by independent audits. Paying a few pounds per month is a small price for peace of mind and true digital independence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all free VPNs unsafe?

No, but most are untrustworthy. Only a handful of providers offer transparent free plans that do not sell or log your data. Even then, their functionality is limited compared to paid versions.

Can I use a free VPN for streaming?

In most cases, no. Free VPNs are often blocked by major streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video because they lack dedicated IP rotation and sufficient server infrastructure.

Is using a free VPN illegal?

Using a VPN, free or paid, is legal in most countries. However, how the service operates may expose you to risks if it sells data or violates privacy laws.

What is the safest free VPN?

ProtonVPN’s free plan is widely regarded as the safest because it offers no data caps and a strict no-logs policy. Windscribe and AtlasVPN are also reasonable options for casual use.

How do I know if a VPN is logging my data?

Read the privacy policy carefully and research whether the company has undergone independent audits. Avoid VPNs that refuse to disclose ownership details or server locations.

Why do free VPNs show ads?

Ads are one of the primary revenue streams for free VPNs. The data collected through those ads helps fund the service — but it also compromises your privacy.

Should I ever use a free VPN?

Yes, but only in controlled situations where privacy isn’t critical — for example, accessing basic information on public Wi-Fi. For anything sensitive, always use a reputable paid VPN.