As cybersecurity becomes increasingly important, using a VPN while accessing the internet is considered crucial. Not only does it keep hackers from accessing your information, but it also stops governments from keeping too close an eye on you. Also, it allows you to access content that’s not available in your region.
But you might have done some research and balked at the prices of the various VPN services. And maybe you considered using a free VPN service, but were not quite certain it would do the job.
Well, here are the reasons you should consider using a free VPN service and their counterpoints.
It’s better than nothing
The one major reason that free VPNs are worth their salt is that many people are not prepared to pay. Young users, for example, might not even have a credit card or means to pay for a service, and their parents may not understand what they want it for. Others are living from salary to salary, and simply cannot afford another monthly or yearly fee.
In this case, a free VPN is worth it, no matter its flaws. Your security is crucial, and you should not remain vulnerable simply because you don’t have the resources necessary to keep yourself safe.
It will keep you safe
And, even if it’s not as useful as a paid service, it will ultimately keep you safe. The free options are not simply duds that don’t do what they claim. They are generally as secure as the paid options, and it’s other factors you will have to sacrifice.
Speaking of which…
It will cap your bandwidth
This is one of the major downsides of a free VPN service. Most of them are the free version of a paid-for service, and they only allow you limited use. Some will cap your bandwidth at a ridiculously low 500MB, while there are those that give you as much as 10GB per month.
Although, not all free VPNs cap your bandwidth. CyberGhost, for example, gives you unlimted bandwidth completely free. You will inevitably suffer low speeds. But for good security, it may be a worthy sacrifice.
Bad customer service
If you need help with something, a free VPN provider may cause you grief. After all, since you’re not paying, they don’t prioritise you as much as you’d like. Of course, you’re unlikely to need all that much customer service, and when you do, you probably have enough patience to deal with this.
Ads, ads, ads
And finally, free VPNs have to make their money somewhere. Some services will inundate you with adverts. They can be so pesky as to ruin your experience, causing you to throw caution to the wind and disable your VPN.
If you can afford a paid VPN, don’t cut corners. It’s worth it, probably more so than what you’ve spent on other online services in the past. However, if you are strapped for cash, the free options will do the job.
