The best free VPNs (and paid alternatives)

How can you best protect your personal information when online? The simple answer is with a virtual private network, or VPN. This is the easy part, but which VPN is best for you, and do you need to pay for the service? 
Based on customer reviews, we have compared the best VPNs (both paid and free) to give you a clear answer to this question. But first, we're going to explain how these services protect your identity and data.
SEE ALSO: The best VPN for Netflix in 2020: Deals and how to watch