Free VPN vs Paid VPN : It’s a question that’s asked by thousands of our readers and today we’ll clear everything. Make sure to read this article till the end…
In this article, I will tell you about the difference between the Free VPN and Paid VPN by comparing security, pricing, privacy, risk, and issues. By the end of this article you will know what’s the best choice for you.
You have to understand why you have to pay for a thing when you are getting it for free. Are free services reliable or not? You all know that VPN (Virtual Private Network) is recommended to keep your data secure and private. VPNs add more security and privacy to private and public networks. VPNs are most often used by corporations to protect sensitive data.
When you are connected to the Internet, your data is in danger. VPNs help to secure your data when you are connected to an untrusted network such as WiFi at shops and airports. Even you can’t trust your home network, maybe your ISP is selling your data or a hacker is collecting your personal data such as bank account information.
A free thing attracts more peoples if you search through the Google Play or iPhone app store you will find a lot of free VPNs. But the question is – What are the pros and cons of free VPNs and paid VPNs? Are the free VPN services reliable and trustworthy? Scroll down and find out…
Head To Head Comparision – Free VPN vs Paid VPN
It’s time to compare Free VPN and Paid VPN (that’s why you are here). But you have to think about why you have to pay when you are getting it for free? A VPN can anonymous your online activity, shield you from cyber threats and give you access to geo-restricted websites. Managing a global server network, developing client apps, and providing user support is not free.
Paid VPNs earn money from their Subscription fee while free VPNs manage somehow or they limit the use of their free services. Some free VPNs make money by compromising your security and privacy. But you mainly use a VPN for securing your data and privacy. Don’t worry, we are here to help.
We will compare Free VPN vs Paid VPN on the bases of few points:-
- Security.
- Pricing.
- User Privacy.
- Service Quality.
So, stick here till the end of the article to know all about Free VPN vs Paid VPN. At last, we will also tell you about:-
- Risk and Issues with Free VPNs.
- Advantages of Paid VPNs.
- Best 3 Paid VPNs (our recommended VPNs).
Security – Free VPN vs Paid VPN
If you use a VPN to get maximum security while you are using the Internet then you have to know the type of connection of Free VPN vs Paid VPN.
Most of the Free VPNs use only PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) type of connection while Paid VPNs use OpenVPN (an open-source protocol that uses SSL encryption), Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol (L2TP) and IPsec combination.
PPTP is fine for you if you just want to watch streaming videos from other countries but this type of connection is not much secure. If a free service supports OpenVPN then it is much better then PPTP but still, you can’t get that many features and security from free VPNs compare to Paid VPNs.
Pricing – Free VPN vs Paid VPN
Different Paid VPNs charge different amount of subscription fee. Also, few of the Paid VPNs also give a 7-day free trial. If you don’t like their services, you also get 30 or 31 days money-back guarantee. You can subscribe on monthly or yearly bases. Use Paid VPN without any issues and risks with the maximum security and privacy of your data. You need an account and give a few personal information before using a Paid VPN.
The cost of Free VPNs is losing the security and privacy of your data. People are still using Free VPNs only because of the price of the Paid VPNs. Those who use Free VPN don’t want to spend a single penny but they don’t know their personal data is in danger. Also, Free VPNs have their limits. Using a Free VPN may give you a bad experience of using VPNs. Sometimes you don’t have to provide too much information or an account for signup.
User Privacy – Free VPN vs Paid VPN
If you don’t want a service to keep the track or activity of what you are doing online when you’re connected then you must use a VPN. We will suggest that if the company says it logs user activity, avoid using that type of VPN whether they are Free or Paid. First check the VPN is legally based, which determines which government’s regulations it has to obey.
Some VPN services are registered in offshore banking havens such as Panama or the British Virgin Islands. In such cases, it’s difficult to figure out who really owns or runs the company, or where it is based. If you’re trying to hide something illegal then such anonymity is great for you. You get full control and enjoy using without any worries, restrictions, and limits only with Paid VPNs.
Service Quality – Free VPN vs Paid VPN
Service quality of Paid VPNs is no match with Free VPNs. If you are thinking that why a VPN company is taking money while the other is not taking a single penny then the answer is the quality of service you get. Free VPNs also need money to provide services to their users. They make money by selling your browser history to third parties for advertising. They make money by showing or running ads which is very annoying.
Free VPN makes money by selling data which clearly means that your data is not completely secure. You will see a lot of ads, have bottle-necked bandwidth speeds, lack data encryption, and limited data usages. Some reputable companies put a limit on data and speed. You will not get good speed on Free VPN.
Now, we will discuss the services of Paid VPN. The service quality of Paid VPN is much better than the Free VPN. You will get unlimited data and many connection points. You get the above-average speed and also very helpful customer support with Paid VPN.
Paid VPN adds more security to your data and keeps your data safe from hackers also. Paid VPN get money from the subscription fee, run their servers and give high-quality services without the risk of losing privacy and security of your data. You will get what you pay for.
Risks and Issues with Free VPNs
If you are planning to use Free VPN then I will tell you the risk and issue you will face. We make a list of risk and issue of using a Free VPN so that you can easily understand the cons of using Free VPN:-
- Sell your browsing or personal data.
- Other users can access your connection.
- Weak and easily crackable security.
- Interrupted by ads.
- Slow Internet connection.
- Limited features.
Advantages Of Paid VPNs
There are a lot of advantages and pros of using a Paid VPN. Few of them are listed below that you will get after paying or you can also say – what you get while using a Paid VPN:-
- Genuine protection for your data.
- Topnotch network security.
- No speed limits or impose bandwidth.
- Get access to more server locations.
- Unblock Netflix in China.
- Other features for a better experience.
Best 3 Paid VPNs
I hope you understand the difference between Free VPN and Paid VPN. Now, you know Paid VPN is the best and right for you. You get different features, unlimited speed and data with added security and privacy to your data. It’s time to tell you 3 best-Paid VPN you should use:-
1. NordVPN
- Get 5,500+ servers in more than 55 regions.
- Max Device Supported – 6
- Above-average speed.
- Zero logging of user information.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
One of the best VPN that has more than 5,500 servers in 55+ regions. The speed of NordVPN is also very amazing and no logging of user information. Connect up to 6 device at a time. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee and gives you the best protection from the outsiders with reliable customer support.
2. ExpressVPN
- Get 3,000+ servers in more than 160 regions.
- Max Device Supported – 5
- Above-average speed.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best and reputed provider in this field with over 3,000 servers in 160+ regions. ExpressVPN is a little bit expensive but you get a 7-day free trial (for mobile user). You will get an automatic kill switch that will stop your data transfer if the VPN accidentally stops or closes. Connect up to 5 devices at a time. The speed is also great. ExpressVPN also gives a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you use ExpressVPN than your experience is surely amazing.
3. CyberGhost
- Get 6,000+ servers in more than 110 regions.
- Max Device Supported – 7
- Above-average speed.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
You can connect up to 7 devices at a time. You will get a little bit less speed than other VPN but the best part of this VPN is it has more than 6000 servers over 110+ regions. A large number of servers provide you to easy unblock websites. The performance of this VPN is very amazing and you also get a lot of other features with Cyberghost.
Final Thoughts…
By now it’s clear that if you want security, privacy and the best features then there’s nothing better than using a paid VPN. Free VPNs as you know are not really free, if you get something for free the you’re the product.
Investing in a paid VPN is just a smart choice. If you use free VPNs over paid ones then you’re just risking it on luck. Use a good paid VPN (like NordVPN) and stay safe!