- According to a NordVPN report, 12% of UK VPN users still rely on free VPN services.
- Instead, overall VPN awareness skyrocketed to 80%.
- NordVPN warns of serious potential privacy risks
Millions of Brits still prefer free VPNs over paid services, according to a recent survey by NordVPN.
A survey carried out in August found that a worrying 12% of UK VPN users rely on free services, likely underestimating the risks involved, including data collection or weak encryption integration. This follows a May TechRadar survey which found that almost every fourth of our readers continue to rely on free VPNs.
NordVPNThe data shows that while user awareness in the UK is growing – even surpassing levels in the US, Canada and Australia – a strong proportion continue to choose free VPNssuggesting that basic knowledge alone is not enough to dissuade people from using it.
“People understand security intuitively. However, online threats often seem abstract until someone becomes a victim,” said Marijus Briedis, CTO of NordVPN. best VPN on the market now, according to TechRadar observers.
Briedis believes that choosing free VPNs may be a matter of economics. “Inexperienced users are looking for quick solutions to pressing problems, such as protecting their data or masking their online activity. But when faced with only random needs, people gravitate towards the path of least resistance without necessarily making a conscious compromise.”
A deal with the devil?
So, what exactly are the risks that VPN users might face when choosing a free VPN? In addition to classic drawbacks such as limited performance and functionality, some free VPNs often record browsing history, sell bandwidth, or insert tracking codes, effectively turning users into products.
“People often assume that free VPNs offer the same basic protection as premium services, just with some advertising,” explains Briedis. “The reality is that they often provide insufficient security, actively compromising privacy.”
Government agencies use several free VPNs from countries with questionable data collection practices, the CTO notes. Recent investigations have shown that many free gifts in official app stores are not disclosed. connections with both Russia and China.
“We have also noticed instances of weak encryption protocols being used that leave users vulnerable on public Wi-Fi, which defeats the primary purpose of a VPN,” Briedis added.
Compounding the problem, app store ratings prioritize speed and ease of use over privacy policies, often misleading users into believing that free VPNs have proven reliability. “Privacy violations are often invisible to users because they don’t see how their data is being collected or sold,” Briedis said.
Additionally, data may be shared with multiple third parties, not just the VPN itself, compromising privacy and security with just one click. “Data brokers collect information from multiple sources to create detailed profiles,” continues Briedis.
Your money or your data?
So all free VPNs are excluded? Of course not – best free VPN The services are safe and even recommended for certain use cases. Software may be free for ideological or social reasons, or used in a broader business model. Protonvpnfor example, is one of this list. However, this is the exception, not the rule.
For users choosing free services, we recommend that you remember that running a large-scale consumer VPN service requires significant investment in infrastructure, bandwidth costs, and ongoing security maintenance.
For this reason, if you see “free and unlimited” in app stores, economics dictate that the revenue has to come from somewhere, usually through data monetization, bandwidth resale, or aggressive upsells, Briedis notes.
Before making a final decision, he recommends that users ask themselves the following questions: Who owns this service? How are servers paid? Have their claims of lack of registration been confirmed by independent authorities?
If these answers aren't clear, you can bet your bottom dollar that your data will be the price to pay. And ironically, “free” may very well be the most expensive purchase you didn’t even realize.
