A virtual private network (VPN) is the best way to secure data in transit, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises without the information technology necessary to set up and operate their own secure and private VPN. This type of device encrypts and protects all of the data that travels over the internet between a mobile device like a laptop or smartphone and the VPN server. Because of this, it is significantly more difficult for curious hackers to pry into personal data. Companies typically want secure access to a server where they may store documents, programs, and other office resources that employees can access remotely. To help you choose the best one for your company, we have compiled a summary of the best free VPN tools for businesses so that you can see what works best for your employees.
What Is A VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) allows everyone on your team to reap the benefits of having their online traffic directed through an encrypted tunnel that connects their device to a server run by the firm that provides the VPN service. No one, not even other users on the same Wi-Fi network, is able to monitor or intercept their communications in any way. Even Internet service providers cannot see them, which prevents them from selling anonymized data on their customers' movements.
When connected to the internet, your team members' real IP addresses, which are connected to a street address or telephone number, will be concealed by the IP address of the VPN server. They can even impersonate someone else's location by connecting to a server in another country. In this way, it can also bypass geo-blocks allowing you to appear as if you are based in another location than the one you are currently in.
Although this may not help your employees perform their tasks directly, it does protect their privacy and the data they provide, as it allows safe access to critical business information. However, sensitive files and corporate data shouldn't be delivered over any system that doesn't already encrypt and secure them.
If members of your workforce routinely travel for work or perform their duties from a distant location, they may find themselves in locations where the Wi-Fi connection is unreliable. Similarly, remote workers would need to fake their location to access the regionalized versions of websites. Giving your employees the resources and training to improve their privacy and keep themselves safe will also help secure your company's information.
Bear in mind that your companies and their personnel will still require the most fundamental level of security protection. By utilizing password managers and multi-factor authentication, you will be able to protect yourself against account takeovers, which have the potential to reveal company data and be exploited in phishing campaigns. Antivirus software shields computers from malicious software like ransomware, which can be repaired but takes essential time and money.
Our Top 4 Best Free VPN Services For Businesses
There are only a handful of VPNs that provide a free option. Instead, most VPN businesses offer customers free trials with a time limit or money-back guarantees. On the other hand, the free VPN programs that are described in the next section all provide free membership tiers. They aren't the only ones, but out of everything we've seen thus far, they are the ones that are the greatest.
But, the free versions of every VPN service listed have certain limitations. Certain services cap how much bandwidth a user can consume within a specified time frame. Some people maintain a modest number of simultaneous connections, typically restricting themselves to one or two at a time. Some limit you to specific servers, meaning you cannot switch to a server that provides better performance or simply spoof your location.
Free VPNs come with a certain amount of historical baggage because not all VPN providers are trustworthy actors. Specific virtual private networks (VPNs) may engage in unethical behavior. It is challenging to determine who is on the level and who is not while using virtual private networks (VPNs) because a significant portion of their operation is hidden from the outside world.
TunnelBear
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) software offered by TunnelBear offers one of the easiest-to-navigate user experiences, mainly due to the software's well-designed user interface, which features a parade of animated bears. This product also comes with a subscription plan designed specifically for companies that need to connect more than two users. In addition, TunnelBear has one of the most robust dedication to user privacy on our list, as seen by its consistent transparency reports and annual security audits.
In addition, the company, which has its headquarters in Canada, makes available a free version of its service, which has a more significant number of high-value features than the free versions made available by its rivals. In addition, it provides a robust commitment to users' privacy and details on how it will implement that promise in its transparency reports. TunnelBear has a feature known as VigilantBear, which is a kill switch. This function prevents your data from being exposed if your connection is lost. GhostBear is another function designed to get around censorship by disguising your web browsing as usual. However, because using GhostBear considerably slows your surfing experience, you should limit how often.
ProtonVPN
One of the virtual private networks (VPNs) that offers the best combination of speed, dependability, and security is called ProtonVPN. Because it also comes in a free edition, it is an excellent alternative for those who may not be able to buy some of the more expensive choices presented in this list. A VPN accelerator that can increase your speeds by up to 400% is included in the subscription version of this service. In addition, it is relatively easy to set up and operate, which may be significant for proprietors of small businesses with less experience with technology. Because of the free version's speed and functionality restrictions, you must upgrade to a paid plan if you want access to additional server locations and better connection speeds. There is also no dedicated IP add-on, and its customer support choices are restricted. This means that problems that require customer support could take longer to address if you cannot debug them independently.
Hide.Me
Hide.me is one of the virtual private networks (VPNs) that has received the highest ratings from review aggregators such as G2 and TrustPilot. It provides top-of-the-line encryption using military-grade AES-256, various server locations, and compatibility for multiple devices. In addition, it is one of the very few business VPNs that offer split tunneling, which allows you to select the traffic routed via the VPN and the traffic not routed through the VPN. Because it provides a free plan in addition to low-cost premium plans beginning at $9.95 per month, it is an excellent choice for enterprises that must adhere to strict financial constraints.
There is no such thing as a perfect product. In today's world, a kill switch is an essential component of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and while Hide.me does have one, reviews have stated that it is not nearly as effective as it could be. In addition, its user interface could be more intuitive, and it can take you significantly longer than you would have anticipated to get the service up and running. One last disappointing aspect of the platform is that it only provides access to 2100 machines spread across 78 different data centers. In comparison, a paid service from NordVPN offers more than 5500 servers spread across 81 other server locations. Despite this, Hide.me has successfully squeezed several server locations across six continents out of its minimal resources.
Windscribe VPN
The Windscribe VPN service is unquestionably another leading example of a free VPN provider worthy of being included on this list. It has incredible features and offers 10 GB of free data each month in exchange for your email address, which is required to use the service. You can also gain 5 GB of storage space if you tweet about Windscribe.
Even though its headquarters are located in Canada, a country member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, Windscribe VPN staunchly adheres to its no-logs policy. Put another way, it does not store or identify your IP address or connection timestamps.
In addition, the WireGuard protocol is supported by this VPN, and the results of our tests demonstrated an average speed retention rate of 43%. In addition, users who use Windscribe for free can access 11 different server nations from which to choose. This encompasses countries such as Germany, the United States, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, Hong Kong, and Turkey.
The free version of Windscribe VPN comes with valuable features such as a kill switch, a free SOCKS5 proxy, ad filtering, the ability to create a secure hotspot, and multi-hop functionality. In addition, it provides you with a great deal of flexibility to configure your preferences, such as opening the application automatically at startup, automatically connecting to the most recent location, and permitting LAN traffic even while the firewall is turned on. In addition, you can choose from over 25 different languages, which makes it easier to set up a VPN.
Even among free VPN services, there is a great deal of variety; thus, it is in your best interest to test out several different ones before settling on the one that most effectively meets your requirements. Even when using a free subscription, an excellent virtual private network (VPN) service should not provide too many obstacles to its users and should be simple to operate and comprehend. It is strongly recommended that you test out a few different services until you find the one that works for you. This is very important before taking the plunge and paying for a virtual private network (VPN). Premium virtual private networks (VPNs) can provide more advanced security features, larger server fleets, improved connection speeds, and additional streaming services that are not banned.
