{"id":1872389,"date":"2024-02-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/plato-data\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely\/"},"modified":"2024-02-01T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T17:00:00","slug":"best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely","status":"publish","type":"station","link":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/plato-data\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely\/","title":{"rendered":"Best free VPN of 2024: It&#8217;s important to choose wisely"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>      <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.7 (Yoast SEO v21.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ --> <title>Best free VPN 2024: Choose wisely | PCWorld<\/title>     <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- Non AMP markup --> <\/p>\n<div id=\"page\" class=\"site\"> <a class=\"skip-link screen-reader-text\" href=\"#primary\">Skip to content<\/a> <!-- #masthead --> <main id=\"primary\" class=\"site-main\"> <\/p>\n<article id=\"post-629037\" class=\"post-629037 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-vpn languages-en publication-pcworld publication-us-default story_types-best-picks origin-wp\"> <!-- .entry-header --> &lt;!&#8211; <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/> &#8211;&gt; <\/p>\n<section class=\"layout--right-rail\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<div class=\"post-thumbnail \"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"free sign gettyimages 1056445318\" data-hero> <\/p>\n<div class=\"best-pick-badged\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PCW-Best-of-2024.svg\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<p><!-- .post-thumbnail --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content \">\n<div id=\"link_wrapped_content\">\n<section class=\"wp-block-bigbite-multi-title\"><\/section>\n<p>Virtual private networks (VPNs) are one of the most effective ways to stay safe online. They allow you to stay anonymous and get past region blocks on certain websites such as Netflix or other streaming services. However, you usually have to pay for a subscription in order to use a VPN and you don\u2019t always want to add an extra monthly expense to an already tight budget. That\u2019s where free VPNs come in. They can provide you with a similar level of security for virtually\u2014pun intended\u2014nothing. But not all free VPNs are built the same.<\/p>\n<p>With many free VPNs you\u2019ll encounter unexpected restrictions such as speed constraints, a bandwidth cap, or a limit to the countries you can access. These limitations can add up making the experience of using a free VPN feel pointless. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important that you choose the right free VPN service based on your own needs.<\/p>\n<p>While we advise that you opt for a premium VPN, such as those in our roundup of <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/406870\/best-vpn-services-apps-reviews-buying-advice.html\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/406870\/best-vpn-services-apps-reviews-buying-advice.html\">the best VPNs<\/a>, we understand that sometimes you just need quick and easy basic protection without having to pay for yet another service. Therefore we\u2019ve curated a list of the best free VPNs around. We lay out any restrictions they may impose and what activities they\u2019re best used for\u2014streaming, torrenting, browsing, etc. Following our recommendations you can read about what to look for in a free VPN and how we test.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Updated 2\/1\/2024: <\/strong>Check out our latest updated review of <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/395012\/expressvpn-review-2.html\">ExpressVPN<\/a>. This VPN is one of the very best services on the market. It doesn\u2019t currently offer a free version, but if you ever decide to opt for a premium service, ExpressVPN should be at the top of your list.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart product-chart\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item\">\n<p><h3 data-p_name=\"Windscribe Pro\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"windscribe-best-free-vpn\"> Windscribe \u2013 Best free VPN <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\"> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1414\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\" Windscribe - Best free VPN \" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely-1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Simple setup <\/li>\n<li> Good performance <\/li>\n<li> Great free plan <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Tricky security track record with 2021 server incident <\/li>\n<li> Slow loading of browser extension <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information \">\n<p> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"> Price When Reviewed: <\/span> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"> $9.00 per month <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class id=\"why-we-like-windscribe-vpn\">Why we like Windscribe VPN<\/h3>\n<p>The Windscribe VPN service seems to get better and better each time we review a new version. It not only has an excellent Pro version that is reasonably priced, but it has a stand-out free service as well. What makes Windscribe\u2019s free service really stand out is all the perks. You get a maximum 10GB of bandwidth per month and no device limits. To get that bandwidth you need a confirmed email address. If not, you\u2019re stuck at 2GB per month.<\/p>\n<p>The free service offers 10 regional connections including the U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania. It also has a ton of privacy features such as blockers for site notifications and \u201cwe use cookies\u201d banners, WebRTC leak protection, location spoofing, user agent rotation, and more.<\/p>\n<p>The service is also extremely easy to use with a simple setup and solid performance for a free VPN. We not only recommend the Windscribe free service on its own, but also as an easy way to get to know the service before committing to a paid tier with premium features.<\/p>\n<h3 class id=\"who-should-use-windscribe-vpn\">Who should use Windscribe VPN<\/h3>\n<p>Those who want a free VPN with extra perks will find that Windscribe is the go-to option. Most free VPNs are only good for location spoofing with no real added features, and that\u2019s why Windscribe is so good. It offers way more for users and the fact that it gives you up to 10GB of bandwidth means you can use it multiple times throughout the month without having to worry about hitting the data cap.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Read our full <a class=\"product-chart-item__review-link\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/407657\/windscribe-vpn-review.html\"> Windscribe Pro review <\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item\">\n<p><h3 data-p_name=\"CyberGhost\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"cyberghost-vpn-best-free-vpn-browser-extension\"> CyberGhost VPN \u2013 Best free VPN browser extension <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\"> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1015\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\" CyberGhost VPN - Best free VPN browser extension \" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely-2.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Easy-to-use interface <\/li>\n<li> Independently verified no-log policy <\/li>\n<li> Seriously impressive server spread <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Lacks some common features such as multi-hop and double VPN <\/li>\n<li> Server speeds are hit-or-miss, especially in Asia <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information \">\n<p> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"> Price When Reviewed: <\/span> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"> $12.99 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class id=\"why-we-like-cyberghost-vpn\">Why we like CyberGhost VPN<\/h3>\n<p>CyberGhost VPN provides an excellent VPN with plenty of servers optimized for different tasks such as gaming, streaming, and torrenting. While the premium service, with access to all of its 9,000-plus servers and additional security features, is a paid option, CyberGhost also has a great browser extension that it offers for free. If you have either Chrome or Firefox you can download the extension without having to pay anything and enjoy access to a limited number of the VPN servers for free\u2014currently sitting at eight servers in four countries.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you are able to connect and use these VPN servers without having to worry about bandwidth limits or data capping. Unfortunately, in our tests we found that the servers we used in the browser extension were not able to successfully unblock streaming servers. However, if you start using the free browser extension and decide you like CyberGhost, you can always opt for a premium membership, which can be as low as three dollars a month for a long-term plan.<\/p>\n<h3 class id=\"who-should-use-cyberghost-vpn\">Who should use CyberGhost VPN<\/h3>\n<p>CyberGhost\u2019s free version is ideal for users who don\u2019t want to pay for a premium VPN service but also don\u2019t want to worry about a monthly data cap. Plus, the fact that CyberGhost VPN\u2019s free version is browser-based means that users who don\u2019t want to bother downloading and setting up a new application can have the VPN based simply in either their Firefox or Chrome browser.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Read our full <a class=\"product-chart-item__review-link\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/394108\/cyberghost-vpn-review-2.html\"> CyberGhost review <\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item\">\n<p><h3 data-p_name=\"ProtonVPN\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"protonvpn-best-free-vpn-for-speed\"> ProtonVPN \u2013 Best free VPN for speed <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\"> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"932\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"ProtonVPN - Best free VPN for speed\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely-3.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Fantastic speeds <\/li>\n<li> Easy-to-use multi-hop feature <\/li>\n<li> Supports TOR over VPN connections <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information \">\n<p> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"> Price When Reviewed: <\/span> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"> $96 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class id=\"why-we-like-protonvpn\">Why we like ProtonVPN<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for speed and excellent privacy in a free VPN then ProtonVPN is an excellent choice. There are some big limitations with this service, but thankfully no limitations on speeds. <\/p>\n<p>Instead, ProtonVPN limits you to one device connection at a time, and you only get three countries to choose from including the U.S., the Netherlands, and Japan. Still, that\u2019s a good deal, making this a very useful free VPN. <\/p>\n<p>ProtonVPN is the second-fastest VPN in our tests making this the one you want if speed is important to you.<\/p>\n<h3 class id=\"who-should-use-protonvpn\">Who should use ProtonVPN<\/h3>\n<p>Users who need anonymity and speed while using their VPN will stand to gain the most from ProtonVPN\u2019s free version. Because there are only three country locations to choose from though, users who are travelling or based overseas may want to consider another option. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Read our full <a class=\"product-chart-item__review-link\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/402413\/protonvpn-vpn-review.html\"> ProtonVPN review <\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item\">\n<p><h3 data-p_name=\"Hide.me\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"hide-me-best-for-speed-runner-up\"> Hide.me \u2013 Best for speed runner-up <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\"> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1199\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Hide.me - Best for speed runner-up\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely-4.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Good option for streaming <\/li>\n<li> Better than average overall speeds <\/li>\n<li> Lots of power user options for customization <\/li>\n<li> Free version available <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Third-party audit not updated since 2015 <\/li>\n<li> Speeds were inconsistent in our tests <\/li>\n<li> Not the easiest VPN for beginners <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information \">\n<p> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"> Price When Reviewed: <\/span> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"> $9.95 per month | $34.95 for 6 months | $59.95 for 27 months <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class id=\"why-we-like-hide-me-vpn\">Why we like Hide.me VPN<\/h3>\n<p>Hide.me offers a solid paid VPN service and the company is generous enough to provide the full premium feature set in their free version as well. Its server speeds are a bit inconsistent, but overall they are pretty fast and rank within the top 20 of all\u2014paid or free\u2014VPNs that we\u2019ve ever tested. That makes it plenty speedy for the typical use cases for a free VPN. When you use Hide.me\u2019s free service you\u2019re limited to 10GB per month and one device at a time, as well as eight region choices including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, U.S. East, and U.S. West.<\/p>\n<h3 class id=\"who-should-use-hide-me-vpn\">Who should use Hide.me VPN<\/h3>\n<p>Hide.me\u2019s free VPN is a solid option for any and all users. Not only are the speeds good for secure browsing, but you have access to their full premium feature set as well. The speeds are not quite as good as ProtonVPN and there is a monthly data cap, but the trade off is that with Hide.me you have access to useful features such as split-tunneling and the ability to choose between multiple proxy configurations.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Read our full <a class=\"product-chart-item__review-link\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/393346\/hideme-vpn-review-3.html\"> Hide.me review <\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item\">\n<p><h3 data-p_name=\"TunnelBear\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"tunnelbear-best-free-vpn-for-get-in-get-out-chores\"> TunnelBear \u2013 Best free VPN for get-in, get-out chores <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\"> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"TunnelBear - Best free VPN for get-in, get-out chores\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/best-free-vpn-of-2024-its-important-to-choose-wisely-5.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Fun and easy-to-use interface <\/li>\n<li> Reliable security features <\/li>\n<li> Unlimited simultaneous device connections <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<p class=\"product-chart-subTitle\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li> Lacks some advanced features for power users <\/li>\n<li> Customer support not the most helpful <\/li>\n<li> Not a good option for torrenting <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information \">\n<p> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"> Price When Reviewed: <\/span> <span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"> $59.88 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class id=\"why-we-like-tunnelbear-vpn\">Why we like TunnelBear VPN<\/h3>\n<p>We\u2019ve always liked TunnelBear. It\u2019s simple to use, affordable, and the speeds are fine. In our speed tests, TunnelBear was outside the top 10, but its speeds were still good enough for most browsing or online tasks.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s more than enough for what this free VPN would be suited for, since you will only get a maximum of 500MB per month with the free version. The idea is to provide a trial for testing out the service before making a bigger commitment. Thankfully, beyond the data limit, the free version of TunnelBear puts no restrictions on what features are available so you\u2019re able to experience the full application for no charge.<\/p>\n<p>The data limit won\u2019t allow you to stream or play games for the most part, but it\u2019s enough for quick hits when you\u2019re on the road for checking email, or some basic web browsing. Plus, TunnelBear keeps track of your bandwidth usage so you can see when you\u2019re getting too close to the limit. <\/p>\n<h3 class id=\"who-should-use-tunnelbear-vpn\">Who should use TunnelBear VPN<\/h3>\n<p>TunnelBear\u2019s free VPN is best suited for those who need a one-and-done VPN experience. The 500MB data cap is quite restrictive, but you have access to all of the premium features from an excellent VPN service. This includes split-tunneling, a unique HTTPS masking feature, and your choice of multiple VPN protocols.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Read our full <a class=\"product-chart-item__review-link\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/406999\/tunnelbear-vpn-review-2.html\"> TunnelBear review <\/a> <\/div><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-to-look-for-in-a-free-vpn\">What to look for in a free VPN<\/h2>\n<p>Choosing a free VPN is a question of weighing the trade-offs with each service. Do you want unlimited bandwidth, but a restriction on devices? Or is it preferable to have more devices but deal with a bandwidth limit? <\/p>\n<p>One thing you definitely want to avoid is a VPN that is ad supported. Ads expose you to tracking by the company delivering ads, which is probably something you don\u2019t want. You also want to stay away from any deal that suggests you can get a VPN by \u201csharing\u201d your bandwidth like we saw with <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/427726\/ultra-popular-hola-vpn-extension-sold-your-bandwidth-for-use-in-a-botnet-attack.html\">the Hola VPN scandal<\/a> back in 2015. You also want to watch out for any VPNs you\u2019ve never heard of, or that haven\u2019t been reviewed much by third parties. <\/p>\n<p>After that, you want to consider the usual issues such as the privacy policy, Netflix support, operating system support, and the countries that you\u2019re looking for. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-we-test-vpns\">How we test VPNs<\/h2>\n<p>All VPNs are tested on a Windows machine with an Ethernet connection. Our approach is not to show you actual speeds, since those can vary based on any number of factors like your ISP, time of day, device quality, and so on. Instead, we show the average bandwidth loss as a percentage since there\u2019s always going to be bandwidth loss with VPNs. <\/p>\n<p>Each VPN is tested over three days. On each testing day, we first take the base speed with no VPN active. Then we test the speeds in five different countries three times each. Once all the testing is done we create a global average and compare that to the average base speed, and then express the drop in bandwidth as a percentage for the reasons we mentioned above. <\/p>\n<p>Free VPNs aren\u2019t a top recommendation, but if you\u2019re going to go that way we\u2019d strongly suggest the five VPNs mentioned here. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-block faq-block\">\n<h2 class=\"faq-block-title\" id=\"faq\"> FAQ <\/h2>\n<hr class=\"block-horizotal-divider\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">1.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-vpn\">What is a VPN?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>A VPN, or Virtual private network, is a way to encrypt your internet traffic and disguise your identity while browsing the internet. Through a VPN provider, you connect to their anonymized server with end-to-end encryption which redirects all of your traffic through that intermediary server thereby looking to outside viewers as if your location is that server itself.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, VPNs allow you to connect to servers all across the world. So if you are looking to access location restricted content, such as streaming services, you can gain access via connecting to the appropriate country\u2019s server.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">2.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-does-a-vpn-work\">How does a VPN work?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>A VPN hides your IP address by redirecting it through a intermediary server hosted by the VPN provider. To anyone watching, the VPN server then becomes the source of your traffic instead of your own IP address. These remote servers can not only be in your own country, but they can also be located in different countries around the world. All of your network traffic from your computer to the VPN is sent over a secure and encrypted connection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While browsing the internet and connected to a VPN, the VPN acts as a middleman between your computer and a website. Your computer sends a request to the VPN which then passes it on to a website. The website in return sends its response back to the VPN which forwards it through the secure connection back to your computer. All of the traffic rerouted through the VPN appears as if it is coming through their server rather than your own computer. This keeps your ISP and other third parties from potentially snooping on your internet activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">3.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"are-vpns-legal-to-use\">Are VPNs legal to use?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>Absolutely! In most countries, including the United States, it is perfectly legal to use a VPN. You might notice that some websites try to block VPN connections, but they are still okay to use. Please note, while using a VPN is legal, some of the activities done <em>while using<\/em> a VPN might be illegal. Activities such as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are both illegal with and without a VPN.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p><!-- #post-629037 --> <\/main><!-- #main --> <main id=\"primary\" class=\"site-main\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"coupons custom_coupon\">\n<h3>Coupon Codes<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/main> <\/div>\n<p><!-- #page--> <!-- Start Subscriber Embed Code --> <!-- End Subscriber Embed Code --> <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->  <\/p>\n<ul class=\"plato-post-bottom-links\">\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-amplifi\">SEO Powered Content &amp; PR Distribution. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amplifipr.com\">Get Amplified Today.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-platodata-network\">PlatoData.Network Vertical Generative Ai. Empower Yourself. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platodata.network\">Access Here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-platoaistream\">PlatoAiStream. Web3 Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoaistream.com\">Access Here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-platoesg\">PlatoESG. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/carbon\/\">Carbon,<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/cleantech\/\">CleanTech,<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/energy\/\">Energy,<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/environment\/\">Environment,<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/solar\/\">Solar,<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\/aiwire\/waste-management\/\">Waste Management.<\/a> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoesg.com\">Access Here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-platohealth\">PlatoHealth. Biotech and Clinical Trials Intelligence. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\">Access Here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"plato-post-bottom-link-source\"><span>Source:<\/span> <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/629037\/best-free-vpn.html\">https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/629037\/best-free-vpn.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1872390,"template":"Default","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","type":"","auto_type":false,"post":"","stream":"","stream_url":"","waveform_data":[],"duration":0,"bpm":0,"downloadable":false,"download_url":"","purchase_title":"","purchase_url":"","post-count-all":0,"like_count":0,"download_count":0,"editor_note":"","copyright":"","captions":[]},"genre":[78],"artist":[99],"mood":[],"activity":[],"station_tag":[40656,43710,51105,44659,46190,45462,49189,43160,47229,43512,12554,28851,44005,46240,43822,50551,47213,43042,8917,5208,53867,5706,40657,38089,43791,12801,43792,5446,38850,3619,12638,5707,6295,13176,44276,45227,8382,43692,37846,39955,5380,38649,5858,5503,45325,38573,3620,44460,43176,43148,44020,8320,43161,43251,10841,39220,12802,43025,42681,13655,50290,8428,13530,37904,40681,3705,5650,27577,5805,40658,6116,12559,7759,43941,43936,43348,7687,39556,38126,49320,40659,37757,45835,43026,12959,38471,3625,13769,37805,13942,23797,13780,5586,38404,32378,43169,7275,53899,39914,37991,43252,40661,40662,6032,38308,40162,12466,3791,51391,37759,5589,3767,13602,13613,43686,10577,11778,40704,44657,5851,40663,43158,3857,5655,38224,10914,6167,3632,7999,43789,37852,37992,40526,37944,7215,37762,13099,3741,3797,13184,13075,39380,37854,10493,5870,38376,13926,11519,3634,38063,5456,43937,3799,13778,37911,5755,46030,38119,3768,12547,43355,43712,5663,43696,44589,38055,51476,5686,44909,52887,13618,43688,13808,5832,53039,43162,5757,43814,52983,53900,39375,3769,43693,43492,43265,40407,13966,37767,52699,3636,45032,39102,52055,37952,44920,38548,43273,8299,3745,5258,3637,39908,44011,43707,5689,11375,3638,49176,3746,37751,40664,50691,43040,5938,3810,40665,3811,5285,43813,5218,177,11722,5521,42678,38074,43181,5522,43349,37771,3817,3772,5611,43030,40666,12642,53784,40413,3714,6484,30786,39433,38002,38770,5792,37772,3748,43932,5566,3643,7293,3823,48495,5237,43689,6306,3715,5667,38771,13954,40668,38410,37868,3716,38143,9612,39885,7571,40328,3774,7237,9998,40669,44018,11534,3645,3646,40683,43714,7770,40670,43263,43168,38702,5239,5223,45846,9012,5530,5416,40671,37774,42003,3718,37962,5760,52467,37918,5531,37919,39522,40684,37874,38029,50132,37920,7656,13347,5476,13382,43034,3652,5536,10497,3653,3654,46657,43178,38605,37778,45041,32396,13603,38523,3831,12550,43351,43940,37964,37780,13952,6102,5538,5539,11925,5879,44451,37781,43702,48060,8648,43163,52152,43942,38370,37782,40672,43475,3659,3754,15068,7485,40673,43709,35887,3755,43153,5425,10222,13386,6478,3834,43164,5880,3757,43031,43695,46533,43037,46193,13653,40693,13187,37829,37970,42335,38008,38580,5426,47139,13189,48403,3665,45005,43846,13258,18719,18714,18729,3775,37879,5267,10846,3668,6014,37830,38199,5545,39324,3723,37789,3670,13190,6036,10823,5951,6409,37885,7309,3776,38218,13768,38010,13804,11204,5882,37833,13798,37923,47148,40495,5270,37834,5705,37886,43175,6134,13207,40735,5435,37925,13425,37976,38416,43842,6135,37977,37978,47434,39724,5575,13766,10409,7438,9957,7504,3675,3780,43476,46365,13794,3677,43477,38264,43841,45033,10925,47075,10215,34408,5744,5491,3678,6962,51030,40685,40674,43491,13777,3679,40739,12728,43032,43929,47212,38363,50295,10523,3681,37889,40675,37795,50558,18198,40711,5800,53520,5442,46033,3760,5444,3683,37798,13180,6462,8041,37932,47136,3731,13661,37799,44463,45014,3684,3685,6488,8651,3686,13782,44596,37800,50553,5748,46247,5889,8947,43154,40676,3690,5550,7476,5231,40686,43784,43259,48409,43934,40677,43253,37982,38171,6441,43155,43254,44459,44653,12552,13464,38040,3692,37802,13414,40678,5890,43788,3783,10936,5967,47968,5968,6384,5845,6315,44919,3694,43731,38265,3846,6038,22128,43274,3847,5551,5553,52003,15441,39526,44129,40688,43033,53169,38255,3696,43256,50704,37898,53287,39110,12562,43481,37986,6080,5500,8747,9999,10000,43703,43156,3872,41827,40689,40701,43159,3763,3873,10001,38617,37899,43157,5642,3697,43479,43352,40679,3852,43267,40690,3698,50861,40680,3853,43038,3701,3764,44683,40691,45243,43704,43166,43167,18708],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station\/1872389"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/station"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1872390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1872389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/genre?post=1872389"},{"taxonomy":"artist","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artist?post=1872389"},{"taxonomy":"mood","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mood?post=1872389"},{"taxonomy":"activity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity?post=1872389"},{"taxonomy":"station_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station_tag?post=1872389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}