Free or paid: understand the trade-offs.

A free plan can be a useful way to explore a VPN. Check device allowances, location choices, data limits and any restrictions on features.

Paid plans may offer more connections and locations, but terms vary. A free tier is different from a trial that turns into a recurring paid subscription.

Proton VPN and hide.me list free plans in our partner catalogue. Compare their official terms rather than assuming all features of paid plans are included.