There are several advantages of using the internet. It does not just keep us connected with friends and family living across the globe but also makes us aware of all that’s happening in the world and beyond, enables us to watch movies and shows, and even shop, among other things. However, the internet has some limitations — some of which are in the form of cyber security risks. Privacy breaches, malware, unsolicited ads, ransomware, viruses, phishing, and other threats make it crucial to ensure safety when using the internet. One way to tackle this is to set up the best free VPN on your devices.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a shield between the internet and the surfer. It protects by creating a masked profile of the user, which hides sensitive information history and prevents leakage of data. Installing a VPN lets us surf the internet safely and anonymously.
Are free VPNs safe?
Some free VPN services are a version of the paid VPN. Depending on the service provider, using a free VPN may involve potential risks, as they have certain limitations. These include data limit, surfing speed and fewer locations to choose from. At times, they can result in data breaches, but they serve as a suitable option to introduce you to how VPNs work. Considering these factors, we’ve created a list of the highly rated free VPN providers in India, which include Proton VPN and Hotspot Shield VPN.
How to choose the best free VPN in India?
Read the privacy policy carefully before opting for a free VPN service in India. You’ll be informed about the kind of data that will be collected by the provider and what will remain anonymous.
Another way to check the credibility of the VPN service is to go through user reviews. This will give you an insight into the experience of actual users. Lastly, you can select a VPN based on its most efficient features that are included in the free version. Take into consideration the data limits, speed, countries it is available in, servers and customer support.
Here are the best free VPNs available in India
Jump To / Table of Contents
- ProtonVPN
- AtlasVPN
- Windscribe
- Hotspot Shield
- Hide.me
- UrbanVPN
- PrivadoVPN
1 /7
ProtonVPN was started with the aim to “build a safer internet that also protects civil liberties,” according to its official website. Developed by scientists, engineers and cryptographers, the VPN service focuses primarily on security with the help of its Secure Core system, which passes user traffic through its network in nations like Switzerland and Iceland, as these are privacy friendly. This prevents the IP address from being revealed even when compromised. Additionally, its Perfect Forward Secrecy ensures that encrypted traffic can neither be decrypted nor captured.
Other features of the VPN service include NetShield, a DNS filtering feature to protect from malware, a no-logs policy, a Tor anonymity network, unlimited bandwidth, and free features from ProtonMail, Calendar and Drive.
While ProtonVPN has some premium paid subscriptions, they also offer a free forever option. Subscribing to it will let you anonymously access the internet by masking your identity, using 100+ server locations across three countries (the US, the Netherlands and Japan). It also has a customer support system in place and is one of the best free VPNs for desktops as well as Android and iOS smartphones.
Image: Courtesy ProtonVPN
2 /7
AtlasVPN is one of the highest-rated VPN services in India, and its motto is to “support your decision to stand up for the right to privacy and control over your digital life.” It is the best free VPN for Android, iOS, desktops, laptops, and even TVs like Chroma and Samsung. For free, you can get the basic version of the app. This includes minimal features like access to streaming services and encryption.
If the free version suits you, then you can switch to paid subscriptions. The paid AtlasVPN connection offers features like access to much more content regardless of your country, enhanced security (passed by the blackbox analysis done by a leading offensive security officer at VerSprite), protection on unlimited devices, and 750+ ultra-fast private and streaming servers. Its additional features include speedy connectivity, a built-in data breach monitor, and the ability to prevent you from browsing dangerous websites.
Image: Courtesy AtlasVPN
3 /7
Windscribe is a self-funded and self-hosted service that lets you have a safe and free internet experience. To steer clear of censorship, personal data harvesting, targeted advertising and geographic restrictions, Windscribe has free and several paid versions on its offering. It is one of the best free VPN apps for Android and iOS and works well on various browsers, like Chrome and Firefox, as well as smart TVs and set-top boxes.
Using various technologies, Windscribe allows you to get one of the strongest encryptions, large network providers, blocked IPs and domains to avoid unwanted ads, proxy servers, and much more. The features of the free version of this VPN provider include 10 GB of surfing data per month, unlimited connections, and access to over 10 countries.
If the free version suits your needs, you can go for its paid subscription, which comes with more features. The comprehensive list of everything you can access includes a vast network of servers across 63+ countries, R.O.B.E.R.T. technology to block IPs and domains (to avoid ads), a no-logs policy, AES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard® configs, static IPs and split tunnelling, which allows you to use VPN on the app of your choice.
Image: Courtesy Windscribe
4 /7
Super easy to use, Hotspot Shield is a VPN service provider known to be one of the fastest in the country. It specialises in providing military-grade encryption, worldwide content access to over 115 virtual locations, secure networks, unlimited bandwidth, and can be linked with up to five devices with a 45-day money-back guarantee. Its Hydra protocol optimises the VPN to ensure fast and secure connections for gaming, streaming, downloading, and more. With a USP to provide seamless streaming and access to restricted games and websites, it is one of the best free VPNs for PUBG.
For free users, Hotspot Shield provides military-grade encryption (blocks 57 million malware and phishing sites a day), privacy in data browsing, one unique virtual location, 160+ servers, unlimited data, and a speed of up to 1GBPS. You can even take a seven-day free trial of their premium VPN subscription and consider buying it. Their additional paid VPN features include 3,200 servers across 115+ locations, allowing global internet access, Patented Hydra VPN protocol whose speed and security are verified by experts, unlimited bandwidth, gaming mode, anti-phishing protection, smart VPN (choose which apps and domains to use VPN for), and 24×7 customer support.
Image: Courtesy Hotspot Shield
5 /7
One of the most geographically diverse VPN networks is Hide.me. Their free plan offers minimal but secure features from its paid plans. The VPN connection comes with five server locations, 10GB per month of data, and a no-logs policy. These features are available on the free VPN plan as well. However, you can connect only one device with this free VPN plan at a time.
Hide.me’s premium features include powerful AES-256-bit encryption with 8,192-bit keys. The paid versions allow you to connect with 2100+ servers across 78 locations. It also offers multiple VPN protocols like IKEv2, OpenVPN, SoftEther, SSTP and WireGuard.
You can connect up to ten devices simultaneously, and the software is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Routers, Consoles and Smart TVs. It also provides complete protection against any kind of leaks like DNS, IPv4, IPv6 and WebRTC, amongst others. Hide.me paid plans also allow unlimited server switching and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Image: Courtesy Hide.me
6 /7
A completely free VPN service on the market, UrbanVPN has several applications you can use for various purposes — ad blockers, malware protection, and VPNs for gaming and streaming, to name a few. With the basic free plan, you can connect to more than 80 servers in major cities around the world.
Defeat ISP throttling, get unlimited bandwidth, browse anonymously with Hide my IP address and use encryption and DNS/IPv6 leak protection to secure your data. UrbanVPN can be used on unlimited devices.
Image: Courtesy UrbanVPN
7 /7
A free VPN that follows Swiss Privacy Laws, PrivadoVPN offers more free features than many other VPN services. While it has paid plans, you can create a free account and use its basic features. This includes 10GB of free data per month, connections with more than 12 server locations, a no-logs policy, a kill switch, the Wireguard® Protocol, streaming support and free VPN apps that can be used on unlimited devices. The free version also includes the OpenVPN protocol, which is the most secure and comes with IKEv2 for a faster connection.
Servers in 62 countries, the SOCKS5 proxy protocol, an ad blocker, threat prevention and parental control are some of the premium features included in the PrivadoVPN paid plans.
Image: Courtesy PrivadoVPN
Hero & Featured Image Courtesy: Petter Lagson/ Unsplash
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: Which free VPN is the best?
Answer: Considering the features included in a free subscription, Proton VPN, AtlasVPN and Windscribe are some of the best free VPN services in India. They provide encryption, safe browning and sufficient data usage, among other features.
Question: Which is the best free VPN for Android?
Answer: AtlasVPN is one of the best free VPNs for Android. It is the highest-rated VPN app on the App Store (4.7 stars). You can install it on your Android phone and easily set it up.
Question: Which free VPN is best for 'PUBG'?
Answer: The paid feature of the Hotspot Shield VPN (gaming mode) lets you access popular games from different countries that are restricted to India.
Question: Which is the best free VPN for PC?
Answer: Proton VPN, AtlasVPN, Windscribe and Hotspot Shield are free VPN services that have a dedicated version compatible with PCs/ desktops. You can download these best VPNs for your PC for free and easily set it up.
Question: Which free VPN is best for Netflix?
Answer: Hotspot Shield is one of the fastest free VPN services in India. It is specially optimised for online streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube and Disney+ Hotstar.
Question: Which is the best free VPN for Windows 10?
Answer: Proton VPN provides unlimited bandwidth and no ads in their free version, which makes it one of the best free VPNs for Windows.
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