Free VPN services have seen an increase in demand in recent months. According to an exclusive TechRadar Pro survey, 60% of US users have switched to the free VPN service.
In countries that have strict internet restrictions, the number of people who consider a free tool essential is higher.
After collecting information from 2,000 internet users in China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a survey (opens in a new tab) conducted by no-fee VPN provider Hola in conjunction with market research firm Vanson Bourne revealed that about 80 percent of respondents would be willing to use a free tool to circumvent online restrictions.
Likewise, many freebies are also notorious for failing to protect the privacy of their users. This is probably why 97% of respondents (including the majority of respondents from China) would like to see more providers making online content more accessible to everyone.
“We agree with users in these regions that tech companies should do more to combat this and an important weapon in this fight is free web content tools that help unlock blocked content,” said Hola General Manager Avi Raz Cohen. .
“We are proud to provide free VPN technology and web tools to unblock online content and help you bypass any restrictions.”
The VPN market is expected to grow over the next year
Internet restrictions have a significant impact on people’s daily lives. Nearly four in ten respondents said they are not able to access online education or other sources. 29% struggle to stay informed.
With authoritarian governments constantly improving their censorship methods to expand their control over the web, it’s no surprise that over 80% of users expect demand for the best VPN services to increase in the next year.
We agree with those who live in these regions that tech companies should do more.
“The internet was designed to be a borderless global resource that benefits all of us, but due to geopolitical interference, it’s getting more and more blocked in some regions, and we need to come together to fight that,” said Raz Cohen.
A free VPN without jeopardizing your privacy
Be cautious when downloading free VPN apps. This is mainly because without paying fees, these apps are likely to turn to advertising to generate revenue. Ads may also compromise your privacy by sharing some of your personal information with third parties.
There are a variety of premium providers that offer customers the security of a no-cost, no-cost plan.
Switzerland-based Proton VPN is our #1 recommendation right now. Their free and reliable plan is a great option to bypass internet restrictions and stay away from intrusive government surveillance. It comes with limited data bandwidth, three secure server locations (US, Netherlands and Japan) and some fancy security features like split tunneling, kill switch and DNS leak protection.
PrivateVPN is another valuable option. PrivateVPN is a different alternative. It has the capacity of 10GB but this allows users to continue their regular activities in complete privacy. Torrenters will be delighted to know that it also comes with servers that support P2P sharing, but the most impressive feature is its streaming capability. In our tests we were able to unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Prime Video.
If you opt for Canada-based Windscribe, you can choose from 14 secure servers spread across 11 countries. We were even able to access Netflix UK the last time we checked.
Other trusted providers that provide free services include Atlas VPN and TunnelBear.
A premium service that offers the option of a free VPN trial is an option for you if you are looking for a temporary solution. All of our top suppliers offer a 30- or 45-day money-back guarantee. It is important to note that you must pay for the subscription in advance, but you will be refunded if you cancel your subscription before the trial period ends.
Chiara is a multimedia journalist with a keen eye for cybersecurity issues and trends. She is a Future Staff Writer with an interest in VPNs. She writes news and resources on digital rights data privacy, online censorship and digital rights for TechRadar and Tom’s Guide. With a love of digital storytelling in all forms, she is also a fan of photography, video creation and podcasting. His hometown is Milan, Italy and he has been based in Bristol, UK since 2018.
Chiara is a multimedia journalist with a keen eye on the latest trends and issues in cybersecurity. She is a Future Staff Writer with a focus on VPNs. She primarily writes stories and resources on online data privacy censorship as well as digital rights for TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and T3. With a passion for digital storytelling in all its forms, she also enjoys videography, photography and podcasting. His birthplace was Milan, Italy. He currently lives in Bristol, UK, since 2018.
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