The VPN industry is inundated with subpar providers, many of which display intrusive ads and sell your data. Because of that, it’s important to read reviews and other people’s experience with VPNs before you set out to use one.
Reddit, an online social media platform, is one of the best places for real and authentic opinions. We read hundreds of reviews by people who have used VPNs to see what actual users think of them.
Many users on Reddit don’t recommend using a VPN that’s completely free as it’s not safe. Instead, you should use a premium service that comes with a free trial or money-back guarantee.
In this article, you’ll find a list of the best free VPNs by Reddit and why users on the platform recommend them.
Free VPNs recommended by Reddit users:
- 1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN by Reddit that comes with a free trial
- 2. NordVPN – Best Reddit VPN with powerful security features
- 3. Private Internet Access – Cheap VPN on Reddit with a 7-day trial
- 4. ProtonVPN – User-friendly Reddit VPN that has a free version
- 5. AtlasVPN – Lightweight Reddit VPN with a free version recommended for beginners
Before we explain our reasoning behind selecting the above-mentioned VPNs, take a look at some of the factors that went into creating the list:
- Reddit reviews – How popular the VPN is on Reddit.
- Reliability – How safe it is to use the VPN.
- Number of servers – How many servers the VPN has.
- Features – What features you get with the VPN.
- Trial version – Whether or not the VPN has a trial version.
Should I use a free VPN according to Reddit?
Reddit doesn’t recommend using free VPNs as they’re known for stealing your data and selling them to advertisers. They also lack many features that make VPNs safe.
According to Reddit, it’s best to use a premium VPN that has a free trial version or a money-back guarantee such as ExpressVPN so you can get your money back if it doesn’t work for you. Check out our list of best premium VPNs Reddit users recommend if you want to explore more options.
The best free VPNs according to Reddit in 2024
We personally tested all of the VPNs on our list after reading their reviews on Reddit. Some of them have a free version and all of them have money-back guarantees so you can easily get a refund. Here’s a more in-depth look at the best free VPNs by Reddit:
1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN by Reddit that has a free trial version
- Has a free 7-day trial version on Android and iOS
- Recommended by Reddit for its exceptional performance
- Apps have a very minimalistic design
- More expensive than other Reddit VPNs
ExpressVPN is the most recommended VPN on Reddit. Reddit users often vouch for it because of its minimalistic app design, reliable performance, and powerful security features like military-grade encryption and DNS leak protection. The VPN has over 3000 RAM-based servers in 94 countries, so it’s also great for accessing geo-restricted content.
Located in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN isn’t part of the 14 Eyes agreement, and thus isn’t required to share its data with the government. Moreover, it’s been externally audited multiple times, so you can rest assured your data will be safe with it.
ExpressVPN covers 5 devices at the same time. It comes with a kill switch, split tunneling, and stealth servers. You can get it for $6.67 per month with a 30-day money-back guarantee and avail a 7-day free trial version on Android and iOS.
| Location | British Virgin Islands |
| Number of servers | 3000+ in 94 countries |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Starting price | from $6.67/month |
2. NordVPN – Safe and secure VPN according to Reddit’s users
- Recommended by Reddit for its great customer support
- Includes several security features designed to boost your privacy
- Has over 5000 servers
- Connection speeds may slow down sometimes
NordVPN is another name you hear a lot in Reddit circles. It’s a simple app, but has many advanced security features along with a large server network of 5000 RAM-based servers in 59 countries.
Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN has had multiple external audits to boost its credibility. Some of its main features include Multi-Hop routing, a kill switch, dark web monitoring, and split tunneling.
Multi-Hop routing, in particular, is an interesting feature. It increases your security by passing your online traffic through two servers (though admittedly, it does slow down your Internet’s speed a little).
NordVPN also comes with built-in Onion over VPN connectivity and lets you connect to 6 devices simultaneously. One thing Reddit users don’t seem to like about NordVPN is that it has inconsistent speeds and can be slow sometimes.
You can purchase NordVPN for $3.99 per month with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It has a trial version for Android devices.
| Location | Panama |
| Number of servers | 5000+ in 59 countries |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Starting price | from $3.99/month |
3. Private Internet Access – Budget-friendly Reddit VPN that has a free trial version
- Recommended by Reddit users for torrenting
- Has over 35,000 servers in 84 countries
- Has a free trial version on all platforms
- The company is located in the USA, a 5 Eyes country
Private Internet Access has one of the largest server networks in the VPN industry – 35,000 RAM-based servers in 84 countries. That, combined with its incredibly cheap plans and security features, is the reason why so many users recommend it on Reddit.
Many Redditors believe it’s perfect for torrenting as all of its servers are capable of downloading and uploading large files. Another reason why people like it is because it has a simple interface that you can customize according to your preferences.
Many users on Reddit recommend PIA for gaming and torrenting.
The VPN supports 10 simultaneous connections and has been externally audited by Deloitte. Because it values robust security and fast connection speeds, it gives you the option to use WireGuard as well as other protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2.
You can get Private Internet Access for just $2.03 per month. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and also has a free 7-day trial version on all platforms.
| Location | Colorado, USA |
| Number of servers | 35,000+ in 84 countries |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Starting price | from $2.03/month |
4. ProtonVPN – Switzerland-based Reddit VPN that has an excellent free version
- Recommended by Reddit users for having a good free version
- Has many advanced security features
- Free version has several servers in 3 countries
- Premium version is expensive
ProtonVPN is a trustworthy and reliable free VPN. Reddit users recommend it because of its strong security measures and dedication to protecting user privacy. While the free version only lets you connect to 3 server locations, buying a premium plan will give you access to over 2500 servers in 68 countries.
A Reddit user’s comment on ProtonVPN on a post about whether or not its free version is safe to use.
It’s based in Switzerland (a non-5/9/14 Eyes country) and has been audited by independent firms in the past.
Most free VPNs are known for showing ads, but ProtonVPN has built a reputation of trust and reliability. Its apps are completely ad-free and you can easily use them to test the VPN’s performance.
Just like NordVPN, ProtonVPN also has built-in Onion over VPN connectivity and P2P-optimized servers. You can upgrade to the premium version for €5 per month. All packages come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
| Location | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Number of servers | 2684 servers in 68 countries |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Starting price | from €5/month |
5. AtlasVPN – Cheapest Reddit VPN that has a completely free version
- Recommended by Reddit for streaming and gaming
- Has a free version that has two server locations
- Uses WireGuard protocol
- The iOS version doesn’t have a kill switch
AtlasVPN is the cheapest Reddit VPN on this list. While not as popular as leading providers like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, AtlasVPN has still managed to gain recognition on Reddit for its competitive pricing and stable performance.
The VPN was launched in 2020 as a free service, but has quickly grown to become a feature-rich subscription-based option. The free version is still available and has two server locations.
What Reddit thinks of AtlasVPN.
Currently, the VPN has 750 servers in 38 countries and plans to add more. It uses WireGuard tunneling protocol and has many security features such as a kill switch, split tunneling, and military-grade encryption.
AtlasVPN’s 3-year plan is available for $1.83 per month.
| Location | Delaware, United States |
| Number of servers | 750 servers in 38 countries |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Starting price | from $1.83/month |
Methodology: how we picked Reddit free VPNs
There were many things we had to consider while making the list. Here are some of those factors:
- Reddit reviews – We read a large number of reviews on Reddit to see what users on the site think of the VPNs we’ve included on the list. We also wanted to see how popular the VPNs are on the platform.
- Reliability – As mentioned above, most free VPNs aren’t safe to use, which is why we made sure that we only include those on the list that are reliable and trustworthy. All of our top free Reddit VPNs have been audited and use RAM-based servers.
- Number of servers – Having more servers means you can easily find one that works with geo-restricted sites and apps. We tested several servers of all the VPNs and they all work great with many different sites.
- Features – All of the VPNs on our list have a multitude of features that enhance your anonymity and security. We tested many of them ourselves and found them to be extremely useful.
- Trial version – Every VPN on the list has a trial version on multiple devices and all of them come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best Reddit free VPNs by category
The VPNs on our list are great, but no VPN can excel in every aspect. Below, you’ll find some options recommended by Reddit based on various categories:
Free VPN for PC by Reddit
For PCs, most people on Reddit recommend using NordVPN. As with other platforms, Reddit users don’t recommend using free VPNs as they won’t be able to fully protect your PC.
While NordVPN doesn’t offer a trial version on PC, it does come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can connect to one of its 5000 servers and unblock geo-restricted sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Free VPN for mobile by Reddit
For smartphones, people on Reddit suggest using AtlasVPN. Its free version has two server locations and a data limit of 5 GB per month.
AtlasVPN is a great choice for Android devices according to Reddit.
If you enjoy using the free version, we recommend getting the premium version (which only costs $1.83/month). It doesn’t show any ads, but using a free VPN is never a good option due to security risks and limitations in the features and server network.
Free VPN for torrenting by Reddit
As stated above, the best VPN for torrenting according to Reddit is Private Internet Access. It uses WireGuard protocol, which gives a great balance between speed and security.
With a huge server network, Private Internet Access offers great performance and reliable connections. You can add an additional layer of security to your torrenting activities by getting a dedicated IP for a small fee.
Free VPN for streaming by Reddit
For streaming, Reddit recommends ExpressVPN. While technically not a free VPN, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and has a 7-day trial version on Android and iOS.
Many users use ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS feature to watch geo-restricted content on their TVs.
You can use it to unblock all major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. It’s also one of the few VPNs that you can use to bypass NBA League Pass blackouts.
Why should you rely on Reddit user opinion?
You should rely on Reddit’s users’ opinion because the platform makes it very easy to find unbiased and knowledgeable opinions from a large community of individuals.
Reddit is a platform where users “upvote” or “downvote” posts and comments. The site has over 100,000 communities/groups, or “subreddits” as the platform calls them.
People ask questions, and share their thoughts and opinions in these subreddits. Other users engage in these discussions by leaving comments. Upvoting a comment means you agree with it and if a comment has too many negative downvotes, it generally means the commenter has provided inaccurate information.
Participating in discussions on Reddit rewards users with “karma.” Karma is a point-based system that indicates how active a user is on the site. Users with higher karma points are usually thought to be more knowledgeable and trustworthy (thought that isn’t always true).
There are numerous subreddits dedicated to VPN services and they’re frequented by thousands of people who provide valuable insights. Thanks to the diverse range of opinions that are shared on Reddit, users can make informed decisions when deciding which VPN they want to use.
That being said, we always recommend exercising caution no matter where you get your information from. It’s essential to verify information from reliable sources because anyone can participate in Reddit discussions.
Free VPNs that Reddit users do not recommend
There are many free VPNs that Reddit users recommend avoiding. Mostly because they sell your data to advertisers and thus can’t be trusted. Here are some services you shouldn’t use:
- Hide My Ass – Hide My Ass is terrible with bypassing geo-restrictions and fails to work with many streaming sites. It’s also been known to store personally identifiable information, so it’s best to avoid using it.
- OVPN – Reddit users advise against using OVPN because it was proven in court that the service stores its users’ data. The company claims that the VPN uses RAM-only servers, but it’s difficult to trust anything they say considering they’ve lied about keeping logs.
- Ivacy VPN – Ivacy VPN is an extremely cheap VPN service, but Reddit doesn’t recommend using it. One user on Reddit said its servers have poor quality and often get disconnected. The speeds are also patchy and the customer support is unhelpful, especially if you want to get a refund.
Frequently asked questions
According to Reddit, ExpressVPN is the best VPN with a free trial version. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee and the trial version is available on both Android and iOS. It has a great customer service team and over 3000 RAM-based servers. Plus, its no-log policy has been externally audited many times.
ExpressVPN or NordVPN if security is your top priority. They both have great security features like split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. Moreover, they’re both based in countries that aren’t part of the 14-Eyes group.
Yes, ExpressVPN is one Reddit VPN that offers a free trial for 7 days. You can avail it on Android and iOS devices. Once your trial version is over, we recommend getting a premium subscription because it’s not safe to use a VPN that’s completely free.