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Should You Use a Free VPN?
Should You Use a Free VPN? In 2023, virtual private networks (VPNs) will be more common than ever. Is it worthwhile to use a free VPN service if you don’t want to pay for privacy?
Is Using a Free VPN Advisable?
Just now, any form of protection is preferable to none, but there is more to it than that, as there always is.
Free VPN services are popping up all the time, but there are a few things you need to be aware of before signing up and using one.
- If the product is free, you are the product.
- Not all VPN services are created equal.
- Much depends on how much you use a VPN.
- Due diligence is vital if you use a free product
Should you use a free VPN? Before making a decision, please take note of the following points.
If the Product is Free, You Are the Product
Infrastructures for VPNs are expensive to set up and maintain. It is necessary to build, maintain, and run VPN servers in addition to developing a VPN program. In addition to managing and running the entire business, data lines into and out of the VPN data center must be paid for. All of that is expensive. plenty of cash.
If you’re not paying for that service, who is?
You are paying with numerous free VPN services, just not in cash. Many of your actions will be tracked by cookies that want to promote and advertise to you, and browsing data is sold to third parties. Moreover, advertising will be shown to you. Although not every free VPN provider will follow this policy, funding must come from someplace.
Not All Free VPN Services Are Created Equal
As previously noted, it costs a lot of money to develop and maintain a VPN, and not all businesses have the resources required to provide a premium service. A cheaper VPN service requires a number of tradeoffs. You must employ antiquated or insecure encryption like WPA or PPTP. Some HTTPS websites are inaccessible, while others have bandwidth caps or perform terribly during busy hours.
Why would a VPN provider forbid you from using HTTPS? Because it is encrypted, they are unable to recoup their costs by selling the data.
Leading free VPN services are run by reputable businesses, some of which also provide premium VPN services. They frequently entail other trade-offs, such as data caps, restrictions on destination choice, or the usage of old or vulnerable protocols. The only really safe protocol at the moment, OpenVPN, isn’t even an option in some free VPN providers.
If you want to utilize a free VPN, you really do need to do your research.
Much Depends on How Much You Use a VPN
A free VPN service is not for you if you need one to run a bit torrent client or to get around geoblocking. The majority will have data or speed restrictions, neither of which are favorable for streaming or torrents.
You will only be able to choose from a limited number of IP destinations, which is the other drawback. Your attempt to get around geoblocking may be compromised because the location might not have access to the content you’re seeking for.
Due Diligence is Vital if You Use a Free Product
So far, I have painted quite a disparaging picture of free VPN services, and rightly so. They are an inferior answer to an important question. Yet, if you shop carefully and only require the VPN for occasional web surfing, they can have a place on your computer.
However, some of the lesser-known VPN programs have been found to contain nasty surprises in the form of spyware.
So What Free VPN Service Should I Use?
Unfortunately, a free VPN service could wind up costing you more than a subscription to a more reputable service. However, there are some options that are free and fairly safe.
A few free VPNs with decent reviews are TunnelBear, Windscribe, and PrivateTunnel. While each has limitations compared to premium VPNs, none had any detectable spyware, connections were relatively fast, and each was easy to use. There are a lot of other free VPN services out there though, so your mileage may vary. Again, BE CAREFUL.
Do keep in mind that some VPNs offer a free trial. If you’re new to the world of VPNs, it’s worth trying a paid service for at least the free trial duration. In the next section, we’ll cover how to use a VPN with a free trial. You can try the service for 30 days risk-free, and if you decide to keep it, you’ll get a reputable VPN for a low price. If you don’t like it, just ask for your money back (we tried, it works).
How to Use a VPN
Setting up a VPN is simple on most devices for an average technology user. If you know how to install a piece of software or an app, then you can set up a VPN.
Here’s how to use the VPN on your devices:
How to Use a VPN on a PC
- Sign up for an ExpressVPN risk-free trial.
- Download either the Windows or Mac version of ExpressVPN. Sign in and click on ‘Setup.’
- Click on the Windows option. Then, copy the activation code to your PCs clipboard.
- Paste the activation link into the ExpressVPN app.
- Now, you can use the app to turn on/off your VPN service as well as change server locations.
How to Use a VPN on an iPhone and Android Phone
The steps are pretty much the same regardless of your smartphone’s OS. Here’s how to use ExpressVPN on your phone:
- Sign up for a VPN like ExpressVPN
- Download the ExpressVPN app from the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store. Sign in, or get the activation code from the ExpressVPN website just as we did above.
- Tap the power icon to connect the VPN. You can also tap the ‘Current Location’ box to select a new location.
We like this option because you can test a paid VPN. If you don’t like it, you can get your money back in the first 30 days. Then you can do your own apples-to-apples testing to see how much more comprehensive and secure a paid VPN is in comparison.
If you’re looking for instructions past just your PC or mobile device, then you also might want to check out how to set up a VPN on a Firestick. If you’re game for instructions that might be a little more complex, then check out our guides on setting up a VPN on an Xbox or Playstation 4.
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Originally posted 2023-12-05 07:18:02.
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