Introduction:
As more and more people become aware of the dangers of cyberspace, so more and more individuals begin to realize the fact that VPN can, in fact, be a great asset in securing your data, preserving your online privacy and bridging annoying geo-restrictions. This debate often does not include free VPN services that you may or may not have considered up this point. Even though it is commonly considered wise to have a premium VPN provider do the job for you while you're online, who is to say that a free vpn service cannot be sufficient for your goals in the first place?
What's to lose?
After all, some VPN security in place is better than having NO security services implemented at all, right?
Well, this is more a two-sides-to-the-same-coin kind of issue.
The reason for that is because free VPN providers are not inherently bad -some providers have decent security and privacy that you can use for free- but that does not mean that it might not be worth looking into subscription-based VPN services on the side especially due to the numerous restrictions that free VPNs generally have.
In the following, we are going to outline different models to free VPNs to give you an idea about the kind of restrictions that come with utilizing such services.
Free VPN restrictions/limitations
Free VPN providers have different combinations of the restrictions and limitations outlined below as there may be differences in the kinds of business models these VPN providers choose to follow as well.
Now, let's see those restrictions:
Bandwidth Restrictions
Some free VPNs will limit the amount of data you can send and receive.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you are trying to stream geo-restricted content, for example, that involves a large amount of data: You may need to purchase additional bandwidth from the free VPN provider.
Free VPN services may throttle bandwidth speed or have a daily/monthly allowance of bandwidth in place that you cannot exceed on their free plan without paying extra, so beware of this!
Speed Restrictions
Almost all free VPNs will try to restrict your speed wherever possible.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you plan on streaming geo-restricted content or just general browsing: Free VPN providers may slow your speed down that could result in a poor Internet experience but if your connection is slow to begin with, this speed restriction may feel more significant. Again, the higher your internet bandwidth allowance from your ISP is, the less significant this restriction will feel.
Adware
Ad-ridden web experience is another tactic free VPNs may need to use to keep their free services going. Since you are using their servers free of charge, they need to cover their expenses and other service costs. Therefore, they may use Google ads and other entities that pay them for showing you ads.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you are surfing the Internet on your browser and ads pop-up from nowhere, appear on the top of the page or even redirect you to non-requested pages without a warning.
Basically, this is a nuisance that you can commonly find with most free VPN services.
Access to only a select number of locations
One of the main restriction of free VPNs is that they may limit your access to locations when trying to stream geo-restricted content or just use other Internet services But, the server physically closest to you will offer the best speeds that that free VPN provider can offer, so that is an upside.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you are trying to access US Netflix, for example, you will obviously need a US server for possible streaming: but what if you can have no access to it because you are using the free version?
when the current server is not good enough but given that it is a free service, you will have no option to jump on another without paying extra.
Time Limits
Free VPN services are in high demand mainly because the word "free" is just so meticulously placed, right? The reason this is important is because with some free services there are time restrictions that will allow free VPN providers to -beside numerous other security reasons- regulate the number of people on their servers.
When can this be a problem for you?
when you do not access your account for a certain period of time: Planning a vacation? Don't! They may choose to delete your account after not logging in for a week.
when you have to sign up multiple times due to account expiration: Isn't it enough to sign up once? Well, with free VPNs, it is absolutely not! Some free VPN providers will have a certain amount of days (can be 2 days even) within which your account becomes invalid, thus forcing you to sign up multiple times.
when you want to use your VPN but get disconnected every x amount of hours: this is how these free VPNs make it difficult for you to stream movies and play online games uninterrupted.
Limited Number of Devices with one account
This is not so much exclusive to free VPNs as paid VPN providers will also limit the number of devices you can connect with the same account, but more sophisticated premium VPN providers will offer at least 3-5 different devices you can use.
When can this be a problem for you?
when you want to use VPN on multiple devices but your free account limits you to 2 or less. Let's say that your chosen free VPN offers all available devices except your Smartphone or tablet. That restriction alone can be truly annoying!
Limited Number of VPN protocols
The main VPN protocols that are currently used by VPN providers are PPTP-SSTP-L2TP/IPSec-OpenVPN (tends to be more secure than other protocols) and some other variations. Although the sheer volume of protocols may convince you of security, do not be fooled. The problem lies in some free VPNs using some rather outdated protocols, or it may also happen that they choose to NOT offer the most secure protocols on their free plans.
It is good to know that even though the restrictions on the number of protocols in place do not really affect how secure you are on any VPN, it is still better safe than sorry by going for a trusted premium VPN provider that has many.
Lack of quality network of servers and reliability
No matter which VPN provider you choose, a well-maintained network of servers are paramount for a top-of-the-line reliability as well as a consistent and uninterrupted online experience.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you want reliability and uninterrupted connection but you are using a free VPN: It is either that these free providers may not be able to afford such level of service or they may be simply totally uninterested in providing top-of-the-line reliability on a free plan.
Basically, if you chose a free alternative, you most probably will struggle with your VPN due to slow speeds, regular disconnects as well as possible DNS leaks that could potentially reveal your traffic and location.
Lack of adequate support
Though every VPN should have support, the level of support may vary from provider to provider (including premium VPNs, too).
When can this be a problem for you?
when you are trying to stream geo-restricted content, downloading via torrent or doing anything on your device really: it is important to be able to get in touch with them as soon as possible, but the problem is that free VPN providers will often have nothing else in place for support but a skeleton team that may take their merry time to reply, which can be a huge setback when you need VPN and you need it now!
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Insufficient Security
Given that we are talking about free VPN providers, they may use outdated encryption or protocols that will leave you just as vulnerable to attack as if you had no VPN to begin with.
Direct Streaming Ban
Some free VPN plans tend to ban streaming on their free servers in order to serve as many users as possible as well as to cover their own costs somehow.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you want to enjoy geo-restricted media: it is probably one of the greatest selling points when it comes to the use of VPNs, so free providers are constantly looking for ways to slowly but surely turn you into a revenue source by actively controlling and limiting your streaming capabilities on their free plan.
Cap on P2P Limit
Similar to the streaming ban above, VPN providers may also choose to limit your p2p or torrenting downloads.
When can this be a problem for you?
When you want to download via torrent, for example, but it is either prohibited in a free plan or just limited to a certain amount per day/month. Since p2p is another unique selling point for all VPN providers, free VPNs will need to do everything necessary to turn this limitation to their advantage by once again attempting to turn you into a paying customer.
Blocked websites and services
Free stuff tends to attract a lot of spammers. Therefore, VPN providers tend to block certain websites (Ebay, Paypal,etc..) because free plans do not usually require the user to enter any personal details or CC numbers. By blocking certain sites and services, these free VPN providers not only protect their own servers from getting banned but also gradually free up bandwidth for legitimate customers like you!
Logging of User Data and Selling Them On to Third Parties
No matter which VPN provider -free or premium- we are talking about, minimal logging is needed for a VPN to work effectively and to protect their networks from attacks and spammers, etc.. Things such as time/duration of your connection or even your IP address can be logged by VPN providers.
And, yes! This is normal, and the problem is not what you collect from users using a VPN server but what you can potentially do with that information once the data has been received.
This is where most free and paid VPNs differ: while some free and shady VPNs may pass this data on as a secondary revenue source, paid VPNs are more restricted/regulated in this respect.
Why?
Because it is usually one of the biggest selling points for them, and the fact that they don't log browsing activity is usually stated in their ToS, so make sure to check it out first!
This is why it is important to always check a VPN provider's logging policy before committing, because there are even premium VPN providers who will do the same.
So? What do you have to do? Always. Check. Logging Policy.
Having said that, no decent provider should ever log exactly what you do online, but free providers have to have a secondary income source in place (selling data off to brokers and anyone willing to pay for it) or they could close up shop for good.
Better yet, sometimes free VPNs are sponsored and founded by companies for the sole purpose of collecting data for marketing purposes.
Have Unique Business Models in Place
Free VPNs may often ask you to tweet about their services in exchange for additional bandwidth or just outright exploit you and your internet bandwidth altogether like Hola did.
Hola is a VPN provider with a free and easy-to-use downloadable VPN browser plug-in that has more than 6 million users worldwide already. It has come to the surface that Hola, in cooperation with the Luminati service, has been not only routing user traffic through other user connections to save fees but they have also been selling access to users' bandwidth for a profit.
A Nightmare to Uninstall
Some free VPNs are a nightmare to uninstall. Most of the time it is just a matter of poor design or deliberate attempt to make it impossible for you to back out.
Basically, in most cases, you will have to manually delete registry entries and remove network connections from the device manager to make your computer run effectively once more. To be honest, it is a huge pain in the butt!
Worst Case Scenario: It is a Scam!
We left this for last because it might happen that the VPN you are using is just disguised as a VPN.
In fact, since you are connecting through them, your usernames, passwords, bank account details and other things become accessible to these people with just a few clicks.
Basically, you hand over your valuable data to these criminals on a silver platter.
It pretty much defeats the whole point of having a secure VPN in place, doesn't it?
Something to keep in mind about free VPNs
It is important to remember that a VPN service costs significant amounts of money to maintain: hardware, bandwidth, maintenance, staff, you name it!
These all cost a lot of money, and the money has to come from somewhere.
Technically, there is no such thing as a free VPN.
Tip #1: Find out exactly where the VPN provider makes its money from before using their service!
Tip #2: Write them an email asking about this. This will give you an idea about their level and quality of support. If they are just beating around the bush, you will know that something is not right!
Read their Terms of Service thoroughly for anything that may raise red flags for you.
I know. This is a long and troublesome process, but you are deciding about your own security here for years to come, so knowing all the facts will only benefit you in the long term.
Check which country they are based out of.
Why is it important? Because some jurisdictions may force providers -yes, even paid VPNs- to hand over user data when requested. Some jurisdictions may also not have the consumer protections you are accustomed to in place.
Thinking about using a FREE VPN? Consider having multiple providers in place at the same time.
For example, you may have one free VPN provider in place for streaming media (a provider that has no bandwidth/speed limitations) and another for security in order to ensure reliable network connections and up-to-date encryption.
Check out some subscription-based providers that offer a 30-day trial or refund period.
By doing this, you will be able to filter out bad VPN providers and spot the differences that make them better or worse than the other. You can get to know a lot within these 30 days, such as server speeds, support reliability or just general ease of use.
Images source:
https://www.lifewire.com/reasons-to-use-a-vpn-for-private-web-browsing-2483583
http://www.guia-ciudad.com.ar/tag/vpn/
Very detailed and nicely compiled report on VPN, great work.
Thank you for all his advice very helpful. I don't know if I should use a VPN or not. I hesitate. Anyway good job
Very useful article! Probably almost everyone will have to use VPN service in nearest future, governments close hundreds of sites every day already and its going to be worse I reckon .
jjj tohle je lusxusně použitelné,,,