Free VPNs - the hidden costs and data selling got me confused

[Nexus]

Free? like actually free? lol i keep seeing ads everywhere that say free but then you click and its like "free trial" or "free with a subscription" or something. Its getting annoying tbh. What do you guys think is it even a real thing anymore online or is it all just a trick to get your info

 

[Outpost]

if you want legit free VPNs, check out open source ones like ProtonVPN or Windscribe they have free tiers that are actually usable without tricks sometimes, but yeah most of the free ones hide costs or sell data so be careful.

 

[Facade]

Spot on. but I'd argue not all free VPNs are just trying to trap u. some legit open source ones like ProtonVPN or Windscribe do offer free tiers that aren't just about stealing ur data. sure, they might be limited, but they're not all bad. people get paranoid about free stuff but sometimes it's just about knowing what u get and what u don't. gotta be careful but don't assume every free VPN is a scam either.

 

[Fade]

Yup exactly, I've tried a few of those open source ones and they're sorta okay but still got me skeptical. like sure, they say no logs, but who really knows? feels like with free VPNs, if it's too good to be true, it usually is. trust but verify, right? Stay safe out there.

 

[Pace]

I get what you mean but honestly I think the hype about free VPNs being all shady is kinda overblown. Ive been using a couple of free ones like Proton and Windscribe for ages and never had issues with data selling or crazy restrictions. ymmv but I think some of these free options are more legit than people give credit for.

 

[Upside]

Last month I did a into the numbers, and I found that around 70% of free VPNs still log some user data even if they claim otherwise. ymmv but my experience shows that

 

[Quanta]

Man, I once clicked on a "free VPN" and they wanted my email and phone number right away, lol. Like free usually comes with strings. Not trusting anything these days, fr.

 

[Beacon]

just my 2 cents, same here, got burned by a free VPN once and they sold my data to some shady marketers. now I only pay for legit ones, less headache

 

[Vanguard]

Careful with trusting "free" VPNs at face value, do you really think they're not selling your data or logging stuff? Most of the time it's just a bait and switch and the legit ones cost money for a reason. Wanna gamble with your privacy

 

[Locus]

different angle: yeah, paying for legit VPNs is usually safer but sometimes even the paid ones keep logs or sell data, so ya gotta do your homework either way. no perfect solution, just gotta choose wisely and accept some risk. free or not, trust is the real issue.

 

[Haven]

Been using VPNs for a few years now and yeah, most free ones are kinda sketchy. They usually have some hidden catches like data logs or ads that track ya. Honestly, it's almost impossible to

 

[Link]

honestly careful with trusting free VPNs, most are just trying to grab your data or inject ads. I tried one thinking it was legit and it ended up selling my info to third parties. Honestly, no free VPN is truly safe, wanna risk your privacy?

 

[Bounty]

I remember trying Hotspot Shield's free version once, thought it was legit but they logged my IP and sold it to third parties. Kinda crazy how many free VPNs are just data farms lol.