Best free VPNs for Windows 11 in 2023 (& setup guide)

Want a secure free VPN for Windows 11? In this guide, we have pinpointed safe free VPNs for Windows users who need watertight online privacy.

Most free VPNs are dodgy services that track their users for profiling purposes. These free VPNs have lousy privacy policies that allow them to track your browsing habits, harvest your data, and sell your personal information to third parties. This is the opposite of what a reliable VPN should do, and makes most free VPNs the equivalent of an umbrella full of holes.

We understand that not everybody can afford a premium VPN subscription, and we feel strongly that online privacy and security should be available to everybody. That is why we compiled this list of reliable and secure free VPNs for Windows.

Many overreaching governments block news websites and social media during protests or around elections. This makes it hard for people to communicate with loved ones or get unbiased information about what is happening in their country. During times like these, the privacy and freedom provided by a free VPN for Windows can be a lifeline.

So, what are the caveats? Reliable free VPNs only offer a basic plan. These plans have restrictions, such as slower speeds, fewer server locations, monthly usage caps, and a lack of compatibility with streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu. This limits what you can do with the free VPN, but still allows you to benefit from an encrypted connection.

In this guide, we explain how to install a free VPN for Windows 11 and recommend providers with free plans that don’t skimp on data security features or encroach on their user’s privacy. Remember, most free VPNs are risky, so we urge you to stick to recommended services.

Below, we have included a brief overview of the best free VPNs for Windows 11. These VPNs offer reliable apps, strong encryption, and a solid no-logging policy. Our recommendations provide strong data protection and privacy no matter where you connect to the internet.

If you want to know more about these free VPN plans and how they differ from a paid account, then scroll down to our in-depth summaries. 

All these VPNs have a genuinely free plan. However, we have also provided information about the best Windows VPNs that have a money-back guarantee. This will allow you to try a full premium VPN for free. Premium VPNs have better speeds, a larger network, and additional features.

The best free VPNs for Windows 11:

1. Proton VPN: A highly reliable and secure VPN that has a basic free plan. Allows unlimited use of its free VPN. Lets you connect to three different locations; the Netherlands, the US, and Japan. Strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Slower than the premium plans and does not include port forwarding. Offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Windscribe: Provides access to 12 server locations for free. Has a solid no-logging policy and strong encryption. Won’t work to access popular streaming services, but has pretty decent speeds for a free VPN. 10 GB monthly data limit.
3. Atlas VPN: A fast and reliable free VPN that lets you use 5 GB of data per month. Strict no-logs policy, and provides access to all of its privacy and security features for free. Doesn’t work for streaming, and only has two server locations to pick from.
4. TunnelBear: A basic free VPN with a no logging policy and strong encryption. Lets you use 2 GB of data for free each month. Easy to use and lets you connect to all 40 server locations, which means it should work to stream some TV platforms on vacation.
5. Hide.me: Lets you use its free plan without registration and without the need to provide a name or email address. Strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Capped at 10 GB of data each month. Provides access to servers in five different countries.
6. Hotspot Shield: Free IP addresses in the USA. Provides an encrypted connection that gives you online privacy. Works to bypass censorship. Uses your device’s advertising ID to serve you targeted ads.

Summary Table

Finding a trustworthy free VPN can be hard. Many free VPNs are available, but the vast majority of them are a threat to your devices and your digital footprint. 

Free VPNs have lousy privacy policies that allow them to track user data for profiling purposes. They use this personal information to create a revenue stream by selling data to third parties, such as marketing companies and data brokers. 

Studies have also revealed that many free VPNs lack encryption, suffer from leaks, have app and server vulnerabilities, and sometimes even hide spyware in their apps. This makes using most free VPNs a terrible idea.

In this guide, we have been careful only to recommend free VPN services that have a solid privacy policy and strong encryption. This ensures that those VPNs do not track your online habits or sell your data to third parties. Below, you can see some of the criteria we used to pick the best free VPNs for Windows:

• Has a free VPN plan
• No-logging policy
• Strong encryption protects against tracking
• Protects you against hackers on public WiFi
• Prevents ISP tracking 
• Lets you bypass blocks at work and government censorship
• Changes your IP address

Best free VPNs for Windows 11: Detailed reviews

In the following section, you'll find detailed overviews of features available with the best free VPNs. While all our suggestions prioritize maximum security, each VPN has its distinct advantages. Our summaries highlight specific attributes of each free VPN so you can pick the best option for your needs.

Proton VPN is a highly respected and secure VPN based in Switzerland. The VPN has apps for all operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. A basic free plan is available for users on all of those platforms.

Those apps are packed with useful privacy and security features, including DNS leak protection, a choice of protocols (including OpenVPN and WireGuard), MultiHop connections, and a kill switch. It has a solid no-logging policy, which means it never retains any records of what its users do while connected to its servers.

Proton VPN has a basic free plan that is available for Windows users. It provides all the privacy and security features mentioned above. This makes it a solid option for preventing ISP snooping and protecting your data against hackers and eavesdroppers when using public WiFi. It keeps no logs of user data, and it has an extensive server network to choose from. 

The free plan provides access to servers in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands. Bear in mind that the free servers are usually quite congested, which means they are slower than the servers you get access to with a paid Proton VPN plan. It still works out to be one of the more accomplished freemium options on the market, especially if you're in need of a Windows client app.

The free plan does not support port forwarding or access to streaming services like Netflix. If you want to use these features (or want to experience faster connection speeds and access to servers in 69+ countries), then you will need to pay for an account. Additional premium features include support for up to 10 simultaneous devices, and top-notch protection across the entire service.   

You can test the premium plan risk-free thanks to the VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee. Of course, this can double up as a 30-day trial, and you'll be able to check out streaming servers for yourself. 

HIGHLY ADVANCED: Proton VPN has a free plan that works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. Apps come with strong encryption, a kill switch, MultiHop, obfuscation, and DNS leak protection. Port forwarding is available on the paid plan only. Only works to watch Netflix with a paid plan. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Proton VPN.

2. Windscribe

Windscribe is a Canadian VPN service that offers a free plan you can use on Windows or any other of your devices (Android, iOS, and Mac). The free plan grants access to servers in 12 different countries, which is a lot for a free VPN.

Despite being based in Canada, which is part of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance, the VPN has a solid no-logging policy. Windscribe would have nothing to pass to the authorities, even if they came knocking at the VPN’s door with a warrant due to illegal activities. 

The apps provide OpenVPN connections with robust encryption, and the free version doesn’t remove any of the privacy and security features you need to access the internet without being tracked. This makes the free VPN suitable for protecting yourself against ISP snooping and tracking on public WiFi.

Windscribe provides exceptionally fast speeds on its paid plans. Unfortunately, the free servers are usually congested. To help keep its free servers running as smoothly as possible, the VPN throttles bandwidth. Premium subscriptions allow for connections to a range of servers in 62+ countries. 

The biggest drawback with Windscribe’s free plan is that it has a 10 GB data cap. This is still quite a lot of data, but depending on how much you use the internet, and what kind of content you wish to access, you may find that you eat through that data quite quickly.

One option would be to use it in combination with another one of our recommended free VPNs. Alternatively, you could upgrade to a paid plan and test the VPN for 30 days using its money-back guarantee. Windscribe will only work to watch Netflix and other popular streaming services when you upgrade to the paid plan.

PLENTY OF SERVERS: Windscribe lets you connect to servers in 12 countries for free. Decent speeds, most of the time. Doesn't provide access to streaming services on the free plan. Robust encryption and a solid no-logging policy. Lets you try premium risk-free for 30 days.

Atlas VPN launched in 2019. It has quickly gained a following worldwide not only because of the cheap cost of its premium plans but also thanks to its generous free plan. The free plan is limited to 5 GB of data each month. Once you reach that limit, you will need to wait until the following month to continue using it.

You can use Atlas VPN for free on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android to access servers in the US and the Netherlands. The free servers are not optimized for streaming and will not work to access popular US streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO Max.

On the plus side, the free plan has a solid no-logging policy, WireGuard connections, strong encryption, and a kill switch. You can use the VPN to bypass online blocks or access the internet with complete privacy.

Live chat support is available on its website for members only, so if you need help, then you will need to ask questions via email. Those who upgrade to premium will gain access to servers in 44+ countries and will be able to use the VPN to stream Netflix. You can try premium risk-free for 30 days.

LOW-COST PREMIUM: Atlas VPN has a basic free plan, and it is very cheap to upgrade to premium. Free plan is not available for Linux users, but is available for other devices. Fast WireGuard connections by default, even on the free plan. Provides watertight encryption and a kill switch to keep your data safe when using the free VPN.

Read our full review of Atlas VPN.

TunnelBear is a Canadian VPN provider based in Toronto. It provides an impressive free service that allows you to connect to servers in 40+ different locations around the world. That makes it the most comprehensive free VPN on this list in terms of locations. However, it limits its free plan to just 2 GB of data each month, which makes it more restrictive than our other recommendations.

You can use TunnelBear’s free VPN on any Windows laptop or desktop machine. It boasts solid encryption and a kill switch. The free version grants access to the entire server network, so you may find that it works with some streaming services. Note that the premium version of TunnelBear is not known for being particularly good for accessing streams.

The biggest drawback is that the free plan is heavily throttled, so you won’t get very good speeds when compared to its premium plan. You can test the premium version risk-free, by making use of its 30-day money-back guarantee. But if you intend to pay for a VPN, we strongly recommend one of these better VPNs instead. 

MANY LOCATIONS: TunnelBear’s free plan gives you full access to its entire network of servers in 40+ countries. Has a solid no-logging policy and strong encryption to prevent online tracking. Lets you try premium risk-free using its money-back guarantee.

5. Hide.me

Hide.me is a reliable and secure VPN based in Malaysia. The service provides a basic free plan that lets you connect to servers in five different countries. You can use any of those servers to download 10 GB of data each month.

If you reach that limit, you will still be able to use the VPN for free. However, you won’t be able to pick a server manually. You can actually use Hide.me for free on an unlimited basis, as long as you don't mind which server it connects to. 

The free plan is not optimized for streaming, so if you want to access Netflix and other services, then you will need to pay for an account. On the plus side, you can use the free plan for torrenting, and the split tunneling feature is available with the free version of the VPN. Port forwarding is limited to paying subscribers only. There's a lack of security features, and you won't find impressive speeds. 

In terms of security, Hide.me employs OpenVPN with strong AES encryption. It has a solid no-logging policy. You can test the premium plans risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Premium users can choose from servers in 87 different locations. 

UNLIMITED FREE: Hide.me lets you use the free plan on an unlimited basis as long as you don't mind not being able to choose the server’s location. An excellent option for gaining online privacy without paying. Solid no logging policy and 256-bit AES encryption. You can try premium risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Hotspot Shield is another popular free VPN that provides solid online privacy and accessibility. The free plan lets you connect to a server in the US and will work to download 500MB of data each day. This VPN was extremely popular during the Arab Spring when thousands of people used the VPN to bypass government restrictions on social media sites to communicate with friends and family.

Although the VPN works to get an IP address in the US, it will not work to access Netflix, Hulu, or other popular streaming services. HSS is based in the US, but it has a decent no-logging policy that promises never to track or keep records of usage activities (including on the free plan).

The main caveat? The free VPN uses your device’s advertising ID to serve targeted ads. This is far from ideal, but it is worth remembering that although you will get ads in the app, the VPN will not share any of your browsing data with third parties. Ads are served and targeted using your device’s advertising ID only. 

We admit that a free VPN that serves ads is quite annoying. But due to Hotspot Shield’s history of helping people in countries where governments impose overreaching surveillance and censorship, we think this free VPN is worth knowing about for anybody who wants to access restricted American services.

PROVEN PERFORMANCE: People living in countries where the government imposes high levels of censorship have consistently used Hotspot Shield free. Works to access news, social media sites, and other government-restricted websites. Free US server permits 500 MB of data per day. Solid encryption and a no-logs policy. 

Free VPN – testing methodology

In this guide, our primary focus was finding free VPNs for Windows 11 that offer reliable data protection and strong privacy features. Our recommendations have a free plan you can use on any Windows computer. However, they may have some usage limitations, so bear that in mind. The free VPNs in this guide work to bypass government restrictions and protect your data when working remotely. They can also bypass blocks on WiFi networks (such as at work) and will protect you against hackers and tracking when traveling and using public WiFi.

To find free VPNs for this guide, we carried out leak tests, speed tests, and checked each VPN’s apps for important security features. We only recommended free VPNs that offer a kill switch and strong encryption. If you want to know more about how we test and recommend VPNs, you can check out our detailed methodology guide. 

Below, we have included some of the features we looked for:

• Reliable security: We only recommend free VPNs with robust encryption. We checked each VPN for leaks to ensure the free plan is reliable for bypassing government restrictions. VPN apps come with DNS leak protection and a kill switch. 
• No-logs policy: We only recommend free VPNs that promise not to track your online habits, and that never keep any records of your home IP address or the servers you connect to.
• Fast speeds: Although the free VPN servers will usually be slower than the premium servers, we tried to stick to free VPNs that offer decent speeds.
• Fully free plan: All our recommendations have a free plan you can use without providing any card details. You can also try the premium plan for free using a money-back guarantee.

Very few secure free VPNs exist. Most free VPNs are dangerous and will put your devices and data at risk, so be sure to stick to our recommended providers.

At BleepingComputer, we usually only recommend VPNs for the top three positions in our lists if they have diskless servers and a fully audited service. Unfortunately, we could not find VPNs that fulfill these requirements and are also free. That said, our top pick Proton VPN has been fully audited, so it did meet one of our usual requirements.

If you want a VPN with fully diskless servers and third-party audits, you will need to pay for an account with one of these market-leading VPNs. Even trustworthy free VPNs are inferior when compared to the very best VPNs for Windows.

How to install a free VPN on Windows 11

The free VPNs we have recommended in this guide have dedicated apps for Windows. Here’s how you can install a free VPN on Windows 11:

1. Sign up for one of our recommended free VPNs for Windows 11. We recommend ProtonVPN because it is the most secure and reliable free VPN for Windows.
2. Download the VPN’s Windows app and install it.
3. Log in to the VPN app and connect to one of the free VPN server locations.
4. That's it! As soon as the VPN connects, you are protected by the encrypted connection to the VPN’s server.

Is it safe to use a free VPN?

There are dozens of free VPNs advertised in app stores. The vast majority of free VPNs harvest user data to create a revenue stream. Those services will track your web habits for profiling purposes and sell your data to third parties.

In addition, studies have revealed that many free VPNs lack encryption, suffer from IP and DNS leaks, and have app and server vulnerabilities. They have also been found to contain spyware in their apps. 

The free VPNs in this guide are different. They are offered by reputable VPN brands that have no-logging policies. They take user privacy seriously and never track your browsing habits, your IP address, or the servers to which you connect.

Our recommendations have reliable apps with strong encryption. The VPN prevents your ISP, local networks, and other eavesdroppers from tracking what you do online. They will also allow you to use public WiFi safely.

Reliable free VPNs are offered as a loss leader. They are designed to let people try out the VPN app and get basic use of a VPN in an emergency. As a result, trustworthy free VPNs have various limitations. For example, they might not work to watch Netflix or torrent.

All the free VPNs in this guide are safe. But if you prefer a full premium VPN that has no limitations, then can take a look at the section below.

What are the best VPNs for Windows 11 that have a money-back guarantee?

If you have tried our recommended free VPNs for Windows, you have probably noticed that they lack server locations, slow down your internet, suffer from server congestion (due to the small number of free servers they have), and will not work to stream or for torrenting.

Everybody likes free stuff, and for many people a free VPN can be a huge lifeline. However, if you have never used a reliable premium VPN, then you haven't experienced what a world-class VPN has to offer. As soon as you connect to a reliable premium VPN, you will be shocked by how fast it is, and its ability to access popular services like Netflix.

If you are tired of switching from one free VPN to another when you reach your data limit or want better speeds to watch your favorite TV shows on vacation, then there is some good news. 

Below is a list of the best VPNs for Windows 11 that have risk-free money-back guarantees. You can try any (or all) of these VPNs for between 30 and 45 days, and still get your money back. 

You can compare the best VPNs for Windows to the free options in this guide without actually spending any of your hard-earned cash.

Best Windows VPNs with a money-back guarantee:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN for Windows 11. Super secure apps come with many advanced features. Works with Netflix US and other streaming platforms. Strong encryption, kill switch, MultiHop connections, and a no logging policy. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark: Best budget option. Surfshark has watertight apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Fast WireGuard connections, and works to access popular streaming services. 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. ExpressVPN: A fast and reliable VPN that provides watertight online privacy thanks to strong AES encryption. Its proprietary Lightway protocol is great for streaming, gaming, and making video calls. Works with popular streaming platforms like Netflix. 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. CyberGhost: Ideal for beginners. Easy to install and use. Labels its servers by use-case to make it easier to locate the one you need. Allows torrenting and works to access popular streaming services like Netflix, iPlayer, Hulu, and HBO Max. Generous 45-day money-back guarantee to test its service.
5. IPVanish: A fast US-based VPN with servers in 50+ countries. Windows app comes with DNS leak protection, obfuscation, a choice of protocols, strong encryption, and split tunneling. Not as good for streaming as our top recommendations. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Free VPN for Windows – FAQs

Are paid VPNs better than free VPNs?

Free VPNs are quite limited compared to the top paid VPNs for Windows. 

You'll usually only get access to a couple of servers in a few places, which results in slower connections and trouble accessing blocked sites. In addition, reliable free VPNs block torrenting and access to services like Netflix.

So many people use free VPNs that their servers are congested. The resulting slow speeds are not good for streaming, gaming, and other data-intensive activities. Even the best free VPNs have fewer security features than their paid counterparts. If you want a fully featured VPN, we recommend sticking to the very best VPNs for Windows.

There are more serious issues too. Many free VPNs have dangerous logging policies and lack adequate data protection. The vast majority of VPNs are best avoided. For better safety, we suggest using a paid VPN.

Are free VPNs legal?

Yes, both free and paid VPNs are legal in the vast majority of countries. However, in some countries, using a VPN to bypass online restrictions may violate regulations. Therefore, it's not necessarily having a VPN that could be illegal, but rather how you use it. 

We recommend conducting research to determine the legal status of VPN usage in your location. Nothing in this article should be taken as legal advice, and you always use VPNs at your own risk.