Improve your privacy and security online by encrypting your online connection. Microsoft Windows VPN software keeps your digital data and personal details private from prying eyes while also preventing ISPs from slowing your Internet speed during network congestion.
This tool is an invaluable resource for those concerned about ISPs selling their data, viewing pornographic material or living in countries with strict censorship regulations. Best of all, it’s completely free and straightforward to set up.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is an ideal solution for techies who prefer inspecting source code, as well as those needing extra protection against government surveillance or other threats. Part of Proton’s digital security products – also including Proton Mail and Drive – it boasts an excellent privacy policy, proven track record in handling data responsibly, and operates out of Switzerland – which has some of the world’s strongest internet privacy regulations.
Proton VPN’s easy and straightforward setup process make the app user-friendly on all platforms, with tabbed settings for all platforms and most actions taking only one click to complete.
Proton VPN includes features like port forwarding, which forwards connections through firewalls, and NetShield, a security software program which blocks ads and malware, to provide digital protection products with free plans that bundle them together for maximum savings. There is also a solid money back guarantee but does not offer as many customer support options as NordVPN or Surfshark do.
Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield, established in 2008, boasts an expansive network of servers located in 80+ countries and 125 cities worldwide. Additionally, Hotspot Shield features anti-malware protection to safeguard users while its built-in VPN kill switch cuts internet access in case the connection drops unexpectedly. Furthermore, unlike some competitors, Hotspot Shield does not retain user identification data or share it with third parties.
Windows app users will find their app easy to navigate, with a straightforward setup process and one-click server connectivity. While its UI may lack features like server load figures or Favorites system for grouping of locations, it does allow you to configure settings such as automatically starting at Windows startup, stopping IP leakage and activating a VPN kill switch – features found with many rival products but lacking in VPN.com’s product.
Hotspot Shield offers desktop applications, browser extensions and mobile apps for both Android and iOS platforms; its latter version may have limited features but still supports iOS 11. Each app provides advice for common issues by embedding documents from its company website; for more in-depth assistance you can head directly to its support site.
Opera VPN
Opera provides a free VPN in its desktop browser that claims not to log any user data and unblock Netflix, but their privacy policy indicates otherwise. According to Opera, usage information such as website addresses, originating IPs, location and time spent browsing may be collected as well as shared with third-parties for advertising and promotional campaigns.
Though you can use this service to conceal your location, it does not offer the same level of security that a real VPN does; only HTTPS provides basic encryption which cannot be used for tunneling purposes.
At times, their connection speeds are truly unreliable, while their privacy policies cause you to question their intentions. Although they claim a no-logging policy, their servers may still store personal data from users located in countries that may not respect privacy rights. Also, the company is owned by McAfee in the US which could indicate they share your data with other companies.
IPVanish
IPVanish VPN service provides high DNS with IP leak protection, unlimited bandwidth and a 45-day money-back guarantee. Security features of this VPN tool include 256-bit AES encryption technology and OpenVPN technology as well as support for IPSec, which provides fast yet secure connection stability.
IPVanish provides a kill switch that blocks Internet traffic if its VPN connection fails, and has a team available 24/7 to provide support in case any problems arise.
IPVanish offers a user-friendly interface and includes tabs for quick-connect, server list, account settings, list/map view server selection options for filtering by proximity/latency as well as favorite list addition. In addition, there’s an helpful graph displaying data up/down status along with server connections; plus there’s even an integrated torrent client!
