Free VPN — what's the catch, and which to pick.
Servers are never free — someone pays for them. Here's how free VPNs actually make money, and what to check before you install one.
Available now on iOS and Android.
Short answer
The real question is how the service earns money.
Servers, bandwidth and development always cost money. If a VPN is free, the money comes from somewhere else: advertising, a paid tier for some users — or selling data about what you do online. The first two are fine; the third defeats the point of a VPN entirely. So before installing, don't look at the word "free" — look at the logging policy and whether the service has a paid tier at all.
What to check
Six checks before you install.
Run through this list for any VPN you're considering.
Logging policy
Look for a direct statement: no browsing history, no IP addresses, no connection timestamps. Vague wording about "certain technical data" is a bad sign.
Revenue model
There should be an obvious source of income — ads or a paid tier. If there's none at all, your traffic is probably the product.
Account required?
The less data you hand over, the less can leak. A good free VPN should work with no signup and no email address.
Data caps
Many "free" tiers give you 500 MB a month — a couple of hours of use. Find the limit before installing, not after.
App permissions
A VPN needs network access. Requests for contacts, SMS or your installed-app list are a reason to walk away.
Speed and stability
Overloaded free servers mean lag and dropouts. Check whether the service is tuned for mobile networks, not just desktop.
Getting started
TocaVPN, free, in three steps.
- 1
Download the app
App Store, Google Play, APKPure or a direct APK — free.
- 2
Tap connect
No signup, no email, no configuration.
- 3
Start browsing
Free forever. Premium is optional, inside the app.
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