Free VPNs are not inherently unsafe, but their value depends far more on the provider's business model than on the fact that they cost nothing. Reputable companies offer limited free tiers to attract paying customers, whereas others rely on advertising or undisclosed data-sharing to stay funded, which matters because a VPN sits in a highly trusted position, handling all of a user's internet traffic as it passes through its servers.

Free plans typically come with practical trade-offs, including slower speeds, fewer server locations, data caps and a higher chance of being blocked by streaming services or workplaces. Privacy risks are harder to spot from the app itself: a 2026 NDSS study of 281 popular Android VPN apps found that 29 leaked traffic outside the encrypted tunnel, 61 transmitted some unencrypted data, and 76 sent trackable Android Advertising IDs. The article also warns that VPNs do not provide anonymity or protect against malware and phishing, and that some "free VPN" apps have turned out to be malware, so users are advised to favour free tiers linked to established paid subscription services, which have a clearer, more accountable funding model.