The best free VPNs we've tested

In the realm of cybersecurity, "best VPN" and "paid VPN" are effectively synonyms. Yes, free VPNs (aka virtual private networks) do exist, but most of them are extremely sketchy. That means your data could be logged, sold, or leaked — or even downloading an app intentionally bundled with malware. They need to keep the lights on somehow. So, here's my general rule of thumb: Paid, premium VPN services are always the safest and most reliable. But there's a small loophole for cash-strapped use