⚡ Quick Summary
- Security experts warn free VPNs often sell user data inject ads and contain malware
- Running VPN infrastructure costs millions annually making truly free services inherently suspicious
- Some free VPNs use customer devices as proxy exit nodes without consent
- Businesses should prohibit free VPN use on any device accessing corporate resources
What Happened
A comprehensive investigation by ZDNet into the free VPN market has revealed that security experts remain deeply sceptical about the safety and privacy claims made by free VPN providers. The report, which includes interviews with multiple cybersecurity professionals, paints a concerning picture of an industry where the product being sold is often not the VPN service itself but the user data it collects.
The investigation found that many free VPN services employ business models fundamentally at odds with their stated purpose of protecting user privacy. While users download these applications expecting anonymity and security, several popular free VPNs have been documented selling browsing data to third-party advertisers, injecting their own advertisements into web traffic, and in some cases, using customer devices as exit nodes for other traffic — effectively turning users into unwitting participants in proxy networks.
Security experts interviewed for the report emphasised that running a VPN infrastructure requires substantial ongoing investment in servers, bandwidth, and engineering talent. When a VPN service is offered for free, users should critically examine how the company sustains its operations — because the costs do not disappear simply because the user is not paying a subscription fee.
Background and Context
The VPN market has exploded in recent years, driven by growing public awareness of online privacy threats, the desire to bypass geographic content restrictions, and increasing concern about government surveillance. The global VPN market is projected to exceed billion by 2027, with free services capturing a significant share of consumer adoption — particularly among users who perceive paid VPNs as an unnecessary expense.
The economics of free VPN services are fundamentally problematic. A typical VPN provider must maintain servers in multiple countries, handle enormous volumes of encrypted traffic, invest in security audits, and employ engineering teams to keep the infrastructure updated and secure. These costs can run into millions of dollars annually. Free VPN providers must offset these costs somehow, and the most common methods — data harvesting, ad injection, and bandwidth resale — directly contradict the privacy protection that users expect.
The problem extends beyond privacy. Several free VPN applications have been found to contain malware, including keyloggers and cryptocurrency miners that run silently on users' devices. For businesses whose employees use free VPNs on company devices or networks, these security risks can be catastrophic. Ensuring that company devices run properly licensed software — including a genuine Windows 11 key with built-in security features — is a far more reliable foundation for privacy and security than any free VPN.
Why This Matters
The free VPN problem illustrates a broader challenge in consumer technology: users consistently underestimate the true cost of free services. The adage that "if you are not paying for the product, you are the product" applies with particular force to VPN services, where the gap between the promised benefit (privacy) and the actual business model (data monetisation) represents not just a failure of expectations but a fundamental betrayal of trust.
This matters especially in the current privacy landscape, where data protection regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and Australia's evolving Privacy Act are giving consumers new rights over their personal information. Free VPN providers that harvest user data may be operating in a legal grey area — or outright violating these regulations — but enforcement remains inconsistent, particularly when the VPN providers are headquartered in jurisdictions with weak privacy protections.
For businesses relying on enterprise productivity software and cloud services, the free VPN risk extends to the corporate network. When employees use free VPNs, they may inadvertently route corporate traffic through compromised infrastructure, exposing sensitive business data to unknown third parties. This creates a security vulnerability that no amount of corporate firewall investment can fully mitigate.
Industry Impact
The ongoing scrutiny of free VPNs is reshaping the broader cybersecurity market. Paid VPN providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark have invested heavily in independent security audits, no-log certifications, and transparency reports to differentiate themselves from free alternatives. This has raised the bar for the entire industry, creating clearer quality signals for consumers willing to do their research.
Operating system vendors are responding to the VPN market's trust deficit by building privacy features directly into their platforms. Apple's iCloud Private Relay, Google's VPN by Google One (now discontinued but indicative of the trend), and Microsoft's increasing investment in Windows security features all represent platform-level alternatives to third-party VPNs. This trend could eventually marginalise standalone VPN providers as OS-native privacy tools become more capable.
The enterprise VPN market remains robust but is evolving toward Zero Trust architecture, which reduces dependence on traditional VPN tunnels. Corporate IT departments are increasingly replacing VPNs with secure access service edge (SASE) solutions and identity-aware proxies that provide more granular access control. This shift reduces the relevance of consumer-grade VPNs in business contexts.
App store operators — primarily Apple and Google — face growing pressure to better vet VPN applications and remove services that engage in deceptive data practices. Both companies have taken steps to police VPN apps, but the volume of available applications and the technical difficulty of detecting data harvesting make comprehensive enforcement challenging.
Expert Perspective
Cybersecurity professionals consistently advise that a reputable paid VPN from a well-established provider with independently audited no-log policies is the minimum standard for users who genuinely need VPN protection. Free alternatives should be viewed with extreme scepticism, regardless of their marketing claims or positive app store reviews — which can be artificially inflated.
Privacy researchers emphasise that VPN usage alone does not constitute a comprehensive privacy strategy. Users who rely solely on a VPN while continuing to use services that track them through cookies, device fingerprinting, and account-based tracking are gaining far less privacy protection than they believe. A holistic approach to privacy includes using privacy-focused browsers, managing cookie permissions, and being selective about which services receive personal information.
Network security engineers note that the technical sophistication of some free VPN data harvesting operations is remarkably high. Some services employ traffic analysis techniques that can extract valuable user data even from encrypted connections, demonstrating a level of engineering investment that belies the "free" label and underscores the commercial value of the data being collected.
What This Means for Businesses
Every organisation should have a clear policy on VPN usage. At minimum, employees should be prohibited from using free VPN services on any device that accesses corporate resources. IT departments should provide approved VPN solutions for remote access and ensure that these tools are properly configured and regularly updated.
Companies should also educate their workforce about the risks of free VPNs. Many employees use free VPNs on personal devices that also connect to corporate email, cloud storage, and collaboration platforms. An affordable Microsoft Office licence with enterprise security features, combined with a reputable corporate VPN or Zero Trust solution, provides a far more secure foundation than trusting employee device security to free consumer tools.
For businesses evaluating their security stack, the VPN conversation should be part of a broader Zero Trust assessment. Rather than simply replacing free VPNs with paid ones, organisations should consider whether modern alternatives like SASE or secure web gateways better address their actual security requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Security experts warn that many free VPNs monetise through data harvesting, ad injection, and bandwidth resale
- Some free VPN applications have been found to contain malware including keyloggers and crypto miners
- Running VPN infrastructure costs millions annually so free services must offset costs through hidden means
- Businesses should prohibit free VPN use on any device that accesses corporate resources
- OS-native privacy features are increasingly viable alternatives to third-party VPN services
- A holistic privacy strategy extends well beyond VPN usage to include browser settings cookies and account management
Looking Ahead
The free VPN market will likely face increasing regulatory scrutiny as data protection enforcement intensifies globally. App store operators may implement stricter vetting processes for VPN applications, and consumer awareness campaigns by cybersecurity organisations could reduce adoption of untrustworthy free services. Meanwhile, the shift toward Zero Trust architectures and OS-native privacy features will continue to reshape how both consumers and businesses approach online privacy and security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are free VPNs safe to use?
Most cybersecurity experts advise against using free VPNs. Many free providers monetise through data harvesting advertising injection and bandwidth resale which directly contradicts the privacy protection users expect. Some have been found to contain malware.
What should I use instead of a free VPN?
Security professionals recommend reputable paid VPN services with independently audited no-log policies. For businesses operating system native security features and Zero Trust architectures offer more comprehensive protection than consumer VPN products.
Can free VPNs access my browsing data?
Yes. Unlike the privacy they promise many free VPN providers can see and log your browsing activity. Some have been documented selling this data to third-party advertisers and data brokers.