Best Free VPNs for Windows – Tested for Safety and Speed

Installing a free VPN on your Windows PC is a piece of cake. Better yet, it brings with itself numerous benefits, from online privacy to streaming and risk-free torrenting. The trick is that not all free VPNs for Windows are equally good. This makes people quite confused.

Which free Windows VPN app to pick in 2024? Well, if you won’t settle for anything but the best, you have a pretty hard task. Compared to premium VPNs for Windows, free options are often limited in speed, bandwidth, streaming, and even privacy and security.

We will stress that not all are bad but they’re far from excellent. In today’s guide, we’ll discuss six great picks we discovered after testing dozens of VPNs. The list will consist of three premium providers that you can use for free, plus three 100% free choices.

Best Free VPNs for Windows: Our Six Favorite Picks

We said that choosing the right complimentary VPN for Windows is hard. Well, not anymore. Here’s our comprehensive list of the best-rated, safe, and secure providers for 2024.

Premium VPNs usable for free for up to 30 days:

1. NordVPN – the overall best pick in all aspects
2. ExpressVPN – the fastest free VPN for Windows
3. Private Internet Access – superb security and privacy for Windows users

Really free VPNs for Windows (No credit card required):

1. Proton VPN – unlimited bandwidth with rock-solid security
2. Hide.me – a free VPN for Windows that keeps ZERO logs
3. PrivadoVPN – great for P2P and streaming on Netflix

Now that your choices are on the table, you’re pretty much settled. Do you want more information about each before you decide? Keep reading.

Best free VPNs for Windows (for up to 30 days)

We’ll start by presenting premium providers usable for up to 30 days. These options are miles ahead of the other three in all compartments. However, they’re not free forever, as they’re paid by default but offer a 30-day money-back guarantee that makes things easier.

This means you can get the subscription, use the service for 30 days, and obtain a refund. It’s, in a way, a VPN free trial. We’re confident you’ll enjoy these options more because they’re far faster, more secure, more streaming-capable, and offer more servers.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN tops the list as the best free VPN for Windows for 30 days. It’s easy to see why, considering its uncapped bandwidth, supreme security, and ironclad privacy. NordVPN offers 6,400 servers dispersed in 110+ countries, so it’s easy to find one for your needs.

Moreover, it’s reliable for streaming and watching geo-blocked content compared to really free Windows VPNs. We must mention its P2P servers for torrenting, which you won’t find in many of even its premium rivals.

NordVPN has double VPN servers, another nifty feature. They enhance your encryption and significantly improve your privacy. Another perk is Threat Protection, which safeguards against malware, trackers, and ads. NordVPN also offers obfuscated servers on Windows, widely used for bypassing censorship in China.

Try NordVPN Risk-Free for 30 days

NordVPN’s app is equipped with a Dark Web Monitor to prevent data breaches. Above all, this is a true no-log VPN service, so it won’t keep tabs on your IP address, browsing history, DNS requests, and so on. NordLynx, a proprietary protocol, powers everything here.

It’s blazing-fast, and with 10 Gbps servers, it provides exceptional performance for low-ping gaming. Users also praise its RAM-based servers, Smart DNS, and dedicated IP addresses that only improve the value of this outstanding free VPN for Windows.

As said, you can use it for nothing for 30 days but only if you pay upfront. Rest assured, a 30-day refund policy is there so you can always be reimbursed. NordVPN is a state-of-the-art option with 10 simultaneous connections, amazing support, and much more.

Find out everything about it in our full review.

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2. ExpressVPN

Speaking of reliable complimentary VPNs for Windows, ExpressVPN is nearly at the very top. We can only praise this service for being extremely fast, offering no traffic limits, and being reliable for every scenario. Do you want to download torrents quickly? Got it.

ExpressVPN’s servers will do it for you in minutes. This VPN offers 160+ locations and all servers use its renowned Lightway protocol. Moreover, ExpressVPN works with Netflix and is ideal if you want to access other blocked platforms – gambling sites, for instance.

We appreciate its free Windows VPN app because it’s simple to use. Once installed, click once on the connection button and you’re done. From here, ExpressVPN encrypts your traffic with AES-256 encryption and protects it additionally with a kill switch.

Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free for 30 days

ExpressVPN includes split tunneling too, complementing its more advanced features like Advanced Protection. This one protects against malicious sites and trackers but also comes with Parental Control to forbid access to adult sites. ExpressVPN keeps no logs either. This is beneficial when aiming to stay completely anonymous among data brokers and advertisers.

ExpressVPN offers 8 simultaneous connections compared to NordVPN’s 10. While it lacks double VPN servers, ExpressVPN excels in other aspects, such as bypassing censorship.

This is simultaneously the most audited VPN, with over 18 third-party security audits. Its price is a tad higher but that doesn’t matter. Besides, you’ll be using it as one of the best free Windows VPNs with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In the end, you lose nothing.

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3. Private Internet Access

You can use Private Internet Access without paying, or better said, paying at the start and getting a refund. This VPN includes 30,000+ servers worldwide, packing stellar performance and speed for entertainment and business. Apart from that, it’s pretty safe.

We love its bank-grade encryption and the inclusion of MACE, a capable ad blocker. PIA’s free Windows VPN also offers Shadowsocks, which is used to mask your VPN traffic and circumvent censorship. We also use its SOCKS5 proxy to accelerate torrent downloads.

Private Internet Access has WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, offering protocol-related customization. This means you can change the packet size or use UDP or TCP protocols. Another benefit is MultiHop, which, again, adds another encryption layer.

Try PIA VPN Risk-Free for 30 days

PIA isn’t the fastest overall but it offers a few dedicated streaming VPN locations. It works with Netflix US and offers Smart DNS for streaming on other devices. Like CyberGhost, its sister company, it includes many dedicated IP addresses and an optional antivirus.

This antivirus works like a charm on Windows, protecting against the most stubborn online threats. Private Internet Access has a bit clunky Windows VPN app but it has seen some improvements. That’s not a big deal considering you get unlimited connections.

This allows you to protect all devices with one subscription. PIA has very cheap plans at just over $2/mo, so it’s almost free by default. However, if you want to spend nothing, you can use its 30-day money-back guarantee and enjoy a 30-day ride with this excellent choice.

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Best 100% Free Windows VPNs (No credit card needed)

If you don’t want to bother with the previous three options, we get it. You want a really free VPN for Windows PC to safeguard your privacy and let you be anonymous online. Above all, you want providers that don’t require a credit card and are usable for free forever.

Don’t worry – these three should do the job as long as your demands are in check.

1. Proton VPN

ProtonVPN offers a fairly reliable premium VPN service, and its free VPN for Windows is an added bonus. Overall, it’s quite good, providing unlimited bandwidth for unrestricted online usage. Unlike many unpaid providers that compromise on security, ProtonVPN emphasizes and strengthens security measures.

This means you’ll be enjoying steel-made 256-bit encryption, RAM servers, and a kill switch. As an extra, Proton also adds split tunneling and full IPv6 leak protection. It also uses WireGuard to ensure the necessary stability to enjoy every connection.

Being from Switzerland, Proton VPN is already in the privacy-friendly region. As the best free VPN, it doesn’t store any logs, making your privacy unquestionable. This goes well with other aspects, such as its masterfully crafted app that you’ll install in no time.

Try Proton VPN for free

Now, it has some downsides. Proton VPN won’t work for streaming and torrenting because of that. It’s also on the slower side compared to NordVPN. Its VPN Accelerator doesn’t seem to do much because you’ll still notice a speed drop.

One alarming thing is the lack of some premium features. For instance, its Secure Core servers, a trademark feature, are locked to the premium version. We also noticed it doesn’t have its NetShield ad blocker. The worst offender is a small server fleet of only 5 locations.

Even worse, you can’t pick the server you want. You have the USA, the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland. Proton VPN will automatically pick the fastest location for you each time you connect. Such an inconvenience that prevents full enjoyment.

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2. Hide.me

Hide.me is a respectable free VPN for Windows that you can use without a credit card and forever.

Like the previous option, it’s characterized by unlimited bandwidth for daily browsing. Its Malaysian jurisdiction promises extreme privacy, which is what you need.

We know it doesn’t store any logs and a few third-party audits already confirmed that. Hide.me offers easy-to-use apps with various security features like a kill switch, OpenVPN, RAM-only servers, and Private DNS. We should mention its performance.

It’s not bad in general and Hide.me ends up being a tad faster than Proton VPN – though not a very fast VPN in general. Regardless, Hide.me is stable enough as long as you don’t expect much. For instance, you can’t use Hide.me for P2P – it’s forbidden.

After testing it on a few streaming services, we discovered it also wouldn’t work. Interestingly, you get 8 locations, including the USA, Germany, Canada, and a few others. Plus, you can select the location you want, unlike Proton VPN which doesn’t allow it.

8 server locations are far from impressive but a tad better than Proton VPN. Hide.me is not great for gaming either because of higher latency. This is especially noticeable in fast-paced games. This might be due to the lack of WireGuard, which tends to rectify high latency.

Hide.me suffers from typical problems found in 100% free VPNs for Windows PCs. These include the lack of simultaneous connections, no premium security features, and many more. Thankfully, the provider is at least secure, so you’re not putting your privacy on the line.

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3. PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN concludes this list of the best free VPN services compatible with Windows. It’s a free solution available for immediate download and use from the official site. PrivadoVPN has a lot going for it, starting with the ability to unblock 2-3 Netflix catalogs. Atypical for a free VPN.

We also want to mention its P2P support. After testing it, we found it works perfectly fine for downloading torrents. PrivadoVPN’s app sports a few security features too, such as a kill switch, split tunneling, IP leak protection, and WireGuard. PrivadoVPN is from Switzerland.

This translates to impressive privacy through a no-logging policy on the site. Alas, with no third-party audits. Compared to ExpressVPN or NordVPN, PrivadoVPN is slower but still a lot faster than Proton VPN and Hide.me. Its speeds are “premium” to an extent.

Unfortunately, the free version of this provider is by no means perfect. The most annoying problem is bandwidth restriction. Users get 10 GB of monthly bandwidth, which is barely enough on your phone, let alone Windows that consumes more bandwidth overall.

Think about streaming, torrenting, or even gaming. On top of that, add some Windows updates that will inadvertently chew your bandwidth, and you get a recipe for disaster. PrivadoVPN is a nice VPN that you can use without a credit card.

It’s also free forever, so no worries about not being able to use it. Sadly, it’s plagued by average customer support, no third-party audits, and the exclusion of premium security features like Control Tower DNS and a few others. Nothing too exciting, in the end.

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Some Free Windows VPN Services to Avoid

Whenever we discuss free providers, we often mention some options better left untouched. The reason is that non-paid providers usually aren’t great, which you can easily see by comparing NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Private Internet Access to Hide.me, for example.

However, while the last three providers (the 100% free ones) are subpar, many others are outright bad. Let’s review a few free Windows VPN applications that you should avoid using on your PC.

Logging-Heavy VPNs

We hate these the most. Storing logs isn’t something you want because it directly influences your privacy. By logs, we think about the most diverse stuff from your IP address to DNS requests, browsing history, social media information, and many other info.

These providers, at least the most popular picks, include:

• Hola VPN
• Betternet
• Opera VPN
• Urban VPN
• TurboVPN, and many others…

We know these providers are popular and usually work really well on a PC.  Sadly, they’re not the most optimal. Hola and Urban offer unlimited bandwidth, which sounds awesome. Hola, the worst offender, even allows for P2P and works with BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

On the flip side, it admits that it stores hundreds of tidbits regarding your private information. Here’s a brief excerpt from its privacy policy and you’ll see what awaits you:

Looks scary now, doesn’t it? Refrain from using Hola or other similar providers and you won’t have to worry.

Bandwidth-Limited Providers

Bandwidth restrictions and logging, many times, aren’t separated. This means you can use a free VPN for Windows that stores logs and offers only a few gigabytes a month to spend. We recommended PrivadoVPN earlier but this provider is an exception because of a few reasons.

It’s fast, works with streaming and torrenting, and doesn’t store logs. We’re against using more bandwidth-restricted services like:

• Windscribe (5 GB of free bandwidth without registering)
• TunnelBear (2 GB)
• Hotspot Shield (500 MB daily)
• ZoogVPN (10 GB), and many others…

These options are barely useful for PC users. Windows consumes lots of bandwidth to begin with, so 2 GB from TunnelBear or 500 MB a day from Hotspot Shield won’t do you any good. They might be a bit more handy for Android users but even then, they’ll stretch thin.

How to Use a Free VPN on a Windows PC: Tutorial

Before we conclude our ranking of complimentary Windows VPNs, let’s quickly see how to use one. The procedure remains the same whether you’re using NordVPN or, let’s say, Proton VPN. However, the setup process differs only a bit, so let’s go into detail.

Subscribe to a Provider

The subscription process is crucial. For the first three VPN services (NordVPN, ExpressVPN and PIA), you’ll need to pay upfront as they don’t offer a free trial on Windows. With NordVPN, our favorite pick for 2024, simply visit their website and choose the plan that suits you, even if it’s the monthly option.

Try NordVPN for 30 days

Once you provide your email and pay for it, it’ll send you an email to verify the account and make a password. Proton VPN is even simpler. Go to its site, create a free account, and you’ll be able to download the service to your Windows PC.

Install the App

From here, everything is the same. Download and install the setup file on your computer. It’s like you’re installing any other app. Follow the steps in the installation wizard, press OK a few times, and you’re set.

From here, sign in with your email and password and you’ll be greeted by a dashboard of the selected provider.

This is how NordVPN looks, for example, but rest assured, everything is extremely simple from this step.

Connect to a Server

Find a server you want and connect to it. Do you want a UK IP address? Fine, scroll down the server list, find this country, and click once on it – voila!

Proton VPN doesn’t let you choose the location manually unless you pay. In that case, you can opt for Hide.me or PrivadoVPN and select the country you want from 8 or 10 locations respectively.

Final Words

You’re spoilt for choice at this point. With six outstanding options to sift through, you’ll spend months on the internet being a ghost. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access are undeniably the best free VPNs for Windows if you aim for the top league.

However, if big players aren’t for you, Proton VPN, Hide.me, and PrivadoVPN should make the cut. They’re 100% free, don’t require a credit card, and you can milk their benefits forever while not spending a dime. Now go ahead and pick one, it’s never too late.

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