Free VPNs: Hidden Risks and Dangers
Understand the hidden costs of free VPN services, from data harvesting and ad injection to bandwidth reselling and malware.
The Hidden Cost of "Free"
Running a VPN service is expensive. Servers, bandwidth, engineering, and legal compliance all cost money. If a VPN provider is not charging you, they are generating revenue some other way -- and that often comes at the expense of your privacy.
A 2024 study by Top10VPN found that over 70% of free VPN apps on mobile stores had at least one serious privacy or security issue.
Common Monetization Tactics
Data Harvesting and Selling
Some free VPNs log your browsing activity and sell it to data brokers and advertisers. This directly contradicts the purpose of using a VPN for privacy. The provider sees all your traffic (since they terminate the VPN tunnel) and monetizes that visibility.
Ad Injection
Free VPNs may inject advertisements into your HTTP traffic, replacing existing ads on websites or adding pop-ups. Some inject tracking cookies alongside the ads, enabling cross-site tracking.
Bandwidth Reselling
At least one popular free VPN (Hola) was caught reselling users' bandwidth. Your device effectively became an exit node, with other users' traffic routed through your connection. This could make you liable for traffic you did not generate.
Malware and Cryptomining
Security researchers have found free VPN apps bundled with:
- Adware and browser hijackers
- Cryptocurrency miners that use your CPU/GPU
- Data-stealing trojans
- Permission-hungry SDKs that access contacts, photos, and location
Red Flags to Watch For
| Warning Sign | What It Means |
|---|---|
| No clear privacy policy | No accountability for data handling |
| Excessive app permissions | Camera, contacts, and location access for a VPN is suspicious |
| Unknown company or jurisdiction | Difficult to hold accountable |
| No website outside the app store | Fly-by-night operation |
| Unlimited bandwidth and servers for free | Revenue must come from somewhere |
Trustworthy Free Options
Not all free VPNs are dangerous. Some reputable providers offer limited free tiers as lead generation for paid plans:
- ProtonVPN Free -- No data limits, no ads, backed by Proton's privacy reputation. Limited to servers in 3 countries and 1 device.
- Windscribe Free -- 10 GB/month, servers in 10+ countries. Clear privacy policy.
- Cloudflare WARP -- Free, backed by Cloudflare. Not a full VPN (does not change your location) but encrypts traffic to Cloudflare's network.
The Bottom Line
For serious privacy protection, a paid VPN from a reputable provider ($3-10/month) is significantly safer than any free alternative. If you must use a free VPN, choose one from a company with a transparent business model and a track record of independent audits.