Are Free VPNs Dangerous?

Faced with increased demand from Internet users, the number of VPN providers has exploded. And like all software, there are paid and free services. Obviously, many people are encouraged to choose a free VPN to enjoy the service without spending a penny.

However, free Virtual Private Network software unfortunately does not always measure up. Their use is even more risky than it seems since, as you have seen, free VPNs have the opposite effect for your security. If you really want to be anonymous and safe on the internet, spending a few dollars a month will be the best investment for you.

Unreliable free VPNs across the board

While it is tempting to download a 100% free VPN app, the risks associated with this tool are definitely present. Below, we have identified some risks with these free software. If you want to know more reasons, you can consult an article on free VPNs here which details all the risks.

If you are looking for a VPN, then you are looking to protect yourself from online surveillance. Even if you have nothing to hide on the internet, protecting yourself and becoming anonymous is a right, largely understandable. In France, nearly 30% of all Internet users use a VPN to protect themselves from surveillance. And this is normal.

User data compromised

The unreliability of free VPN software is reflected in the first place by a very approximate, or even non-existent, logging policy. The logs include connection logs (duration of the connection, IP address, etc.) as well as user activity logs (sites visited, requests, files downloaded). It is therefore essential for a VPN not to keep any of this data.

Unfortunately, free VPN providers are quick to collect this information and then resell it and fund their service this way – a practice that has been used by Facebook’s free VPN (Ovano Protect). This resale of data operated by Ovano Protect is not an isolated case since it allows free VPN providers to remunerate themselves.

Besides the fact that your data is not protected, some free VPNs put you personally in serious dangers. This is the case of Hola VPN, a free provider that operates on the principle of P2P by making the personal IPs of its members available when they are connected to its network. Users can then download files illegally from your IP address and there is a great risk that you will be held responsible.

However, all is not so dark in the world of Virtual Private Networks because it is still possible to find some rare free VPNs of quality. However, they are still limited: by bandwidth, by quality of service, by number of servers, etc. One thing’s for sure: if you want to have the best experience, a paid VPN will take away all of those complexities. The world leader ExpressVPN (you can always find on iPhon their opinion on ExpressVPN here) is an obvious choice, but it’s not the cheapest. Surf Shark or CyberGhost are two other alternatives.

Insecure and inefficient software

Generally speaking, free VPN apps will not be able to protect you effectively. This is due to poor quality and a lack of features.

For example, the Kill Switch feature often responds to absent subscribers at free VPNs. However, this emergency stop button allows you to interrupt your internet connection in the event of a VPN failure in order to protect you and maintain your anonymity in all circumstances.

Likewise, the instability of these applications is commonplace. Users are then faced with frequent disconnections from the server, leaving their IP address and online activities fully visible on the internet. Suffice to say that this is not really what you are looking for when using a VPN.

Now you are informed about the dangerousness of free VPNs. If, despite everything, you want to equip your device with a free VPN, it is at your own risk. We advise you instead to favor free trial periods (between 30 and 45 days) with paid software to have maximum security on the internet. At the end of this period, you just have to cancel your subscription to pay nothing.

Photo credit: Unsplash

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