Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite word: FREE. We love free stuff. Free samples at the mall, free WiFi at the airport (which I already told you is a trap), and of course, free VPNs. So, is it okay to use free VPN services?
The Hidden Cost
Let’s be clear. Servers cost money. Developers cost money. Electricity costs money. If a VPN company isn’t charging you a monthly fee, how are they paying their bills?
- Selling Your Data: Most free VPNs track the websites you visit and sell that info to advertisers. It’s like a “security guard” who protects your door but secretly takes photos of everything inside your house to sell to the neighbors.
- The Malware Risk: Some “free” VPN apps are actually just delivery systems for viruses. You think you’re getting privacy, but you’re actually getting a digital Trojan horse.
What can you do?
I’m not saying they are all evil. If you just want to watch a YouTube 😀 video that’s blocked in your country (stop entering that site man, Not nice!) and you don’t care about “privacy” for that 5 minutes, a reputable free version (like ProtonVPN or TunnelBear) might be okay.
For watching you know tube videos? You already use it so.
for banking? NO.
For private emails? NO.
Summary
If you really care about your digital life, spend the money on a cup of coffee and buy a legit VPN. If you can’t afford it, it’s better to use no VPN at all than to use a shady “Free_Turbo_Secure_VPN_2026” app from a developer you’ve never heard of.
Before you go: Protecting your data with a VPN is a smart move, but don’t let your guard down on public networks. Check out my guide on Is it okay to use public WiFi for banking? to stay fully protected.
References & Further Reading
- Cnet: The only free VPNs that are actually safe to use.
- Proton Blog: The technical difference between paid and free VPN business models.