Is a free VPN worth using? Here's why it could be risky

Free VPNs often impose speed caps, data limits, and fewer server locations, and many collect or leak user data; a 2026 NDSS study of 281 Android VPN apps found 29 leaked traffic, 61 sent unencrypted data, and 76 transmitted advertising IDs. Evaluating a free service’s business model—whether it’s funded by paid subscriptions or advertising—helps determine if its privacy trade-offs are acceptable, but a VPN does not replace antivirus or protect against phishing.