The Best Free VPNs for Linux 2026

Linux users can secure their internet activities for free with Proton VPN and Hide.Me.

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

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2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Privacy VPN

5.0

Editorial Rating

On Proton VPN's website

Proton VPN

PROMOTION: Get 70% Off

Privacy-focused VPN headquartered in Switzerland, outside the Eyes alliances, with an independently audited no-logs policy
Secure Core servers in Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden add an extra hop to your connection, making it much harder to trace back to you
Includes a Stealth protocol that disguises VPN traffic to bypass blocks in restrictive networks and countries

4.7

Editorial Rating

On hide.me's website

hide.me

Reasonable pricing, plus generous free tier
Independently reviewed no-logs policy

The best free VPNs for Linux include Proton VPN, which has a one of the best free plans available, and hide.me, which has a native command line app for Linux for a more lightweight experience. Both options are open-source and independently audited, giving valuable insight into their privacy protection.

In this article, we’ll solely focus on the free versions of the top Linux VPNs available, detailing their features for speed, location access, security, and privacy.

In this article

The best free VPNs for Linux
Compare the best free Linux VPNs
Methodology
Proton VPN: Best free plan
hide.me: Best command line app
Bottom line: The best free VPNs for Linux
FAQs

The best free VPNs for Linux

PROMOTION: Get 70% Off

5.0

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Privacy VPN

VPN

Proton VPN

Privacy-focused VPN headquartered in Switzerland, outside the Eyes alliances, with an independently audited no-logs policy
Secure Core servers in Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden add an extra hop to your connection, making it much harder to trace back to you
Includes a Stealth protocol that disguises VPN traffic to bypass blocks in restrictive networks and countries

Learn More

4.7

VPN

hide.me

Reasonable pricing, plus generous free tier
Independently reviewed no-logs policy

Learn More

Compare the best free Linux VPNs

VPN
Best for	Free plan	Headless setups
Free version	Yes — unlimited data, unlimited speeds, servers in five countries	Yes — unlimited data, restricted speeds, 7 locations
Paid plan starting price	Starts at $2.99/mo	Starts at $2.49/mo
Open source
Linux app type	GUI and CLI	CLI
Learn more	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review	Get hide.me VPN Read hide.me Review

How we test and rate VPNs

Every VPN in this guide is hands-on tested by our team using a consistent process. We evaluate each product across seven areas:

Features (30.5%): We review every VPN for inclusion of a working kill switch, split tunneling, multiple VPN protocols, multi-hop servers, and the option to add a dedicated IP. We also review the size of the server network and number of server countries available.
Test results (20%): We run download and upload speed tests with no VPN as a baseline, then connect to servers in four regions (U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia) to calculate the VPN's impact on our speeds. We also connect to each region's Netflix library to verify streaming access, and run WebRTC and DNS leak tests using BrowserLeaks to confirm our real IP and DNS data remain masked.
Editor's score (15%): We use each VPN ourselves, evaluating interface clarity, feature accessibility, and anything else that affects day-to-day use that isn't captured by our other criteria.
Value (11%): We evaluate each product's value based on starting price, money-back guarantee length, and the number of simultaneous connections allowed under a single subscription.
Privacy and security (9.5%): We verify each VPN's no-logs policy, check whether it has been independently audited, review its encryption standards, and note its headquarters jurisdiction.
Customer service (5%): We evaluate how thorough the customer support is based on how many ways there are to contact human support.
Compatibility (3%): We review each VPN's availability across desktop, mobile, browsers, routers, and smart devices.

We test VPNs at least twice a year. Testing has been carried out across Windows, macOS, and mobile, so our results reflect real-world performance across devices.

To learn more about how we test, read our full VPN methodology here.

Proton VPN: Best free plan

Browse Privately With Fast & Secure Connections

5.0

Editorial Rating

On Proton VPN's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Privacy VPN

VPN

Proton VPN

PROMOTION: Get 70% Off

Privacy-focused VPN headquartered in Switzerland, outside the Eyes alliances, with an independently audited no-logs policy
Secure Core servers in Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden add an extra hop to your connection, making it much harder to trace back to you
Includes a Stealth protocol that disguises VPN traffic to bypass blocks in restrictive networks and countries

What we liked

Proton VPN is ideal for users who want a VPN with a GUI or a CLI app that offers a very generous free plan.

It offers seamless integration and support with Linux distros like Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. While other distros have been reported to work with it, Proton doesn't offer official support for them at this time.

Proton VPN’s free version offers strong security features, unlimited bandwidth, and great Linux support with easy-to-follow guides and even a GUI element. It has multiple free servers in five countries, which can stay fast thanks to the unlimited bandwidth limit.

No matter where you're using Proton VPN, it impressed us with its privacy-centric features, like:

Kill switch: A kill switch disconnects your device from the internet if your VPN connection drops.
Secure VPN protocols: Proton supports fast and secure protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN.
Open-source software: This boosts security as it allows public auditing, which makes it more trustworthy for VPN users.
No-logs policy: Third-party companies have verified its strict no-logs policy, demonstrating its commitment to privacy.
Swiss-based: Being based in Switzerland with stringent privacy laws and outside of the 5, 9, and 14 Eyes Alliances is a major plus.

Proton VPN dashboard open on the Preferences tab.

What we didn’t like

We had connectivity issues with the IKEv2 protocol while testing Proton’s free VPN service. When the IKEv2 protocol was selected, we couldn’t connect to any VPN servers unless we disabled the kill switch first. This was quite frustrating since a kill switch ensures your data traffic is protected even when you lose your VPN connection.

Other key factors we weren’t too pleased about include:

Poor server selection: You can’t choose specific countries for servers; the selection is automatic. You'll have to shuffle through the server countries to get to your preferred server location.
Wait time between server changes: You have to wait 85 seconds to change servers, which can be a nuisance when you want to swap servers quickly.

Proton VPN dashboard app showing a connection to a Netherlands server.

Proton VPN Free specs

Free version	Yes
Bandwidth limit	No — unlimited bandwidth
Number of servers	Servers across 5 countries
Number of connected devices	1
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, Stealth (proprietary)
No-logs policy	No logs
Linux app type	Native GUI client
Paid plan starting price	Starts at $2.99/mo
Learn more	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Test results

To assess Proton VPN’s performance, we conducted speed tests, Netflix tests against its geo-restrictions, and leak tests.

Proton VPN had minimal impact on our speeds, successfully unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested, and prevented all data leaks.

Test type
Audited no-logs policy	Yes, audited by Securitum in September 2025
Speed	Maintained our download speed with most servers
Netflix	Unblocked Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia
DNS leak	Passed, no DNS leaks
WebRTC leak	Passed, no WebRTC leaks
Kill switch	Passed, no trace of our physical location when switching servers
Learn more	Get Proton VPN Read Our Proton VPN Review

Star rating summary

Proton VPN earned a perfect star rating of 5.0 due to its ease of use, extensive security features, audited no-logs policy, and privacy-friendly headquarters.

Decision factor	Weight	Verdict
Our experience	15%	5.0
Value	11%	5.0
Features	30.5%	5.0
Test results	20%	5.0
Privacy and security	9.5%	5.0
Compatibility	3%	5.0
Customer service	5%	5.0

hide.me: Best for headless setups

4.7

Editorial Rating

On hide.me's website

VPN

hide.me

Reasonable pricing, plus generous free tier
Independently reviewed no-logs policy

What we liked

hide.me is a great choice for Linux users who prefer a headless setup, since it works with a native command line app. You just download the project from GitHub, run the install script, and connect to VPN servers right from the command line.

On top of hide.me's simple Linux integration, we also find the VPN as a whole to be a good option, even when using its free plan.

One of the best parts for privacy-centric users is that the free plan doesn't require you to enter your credit card info or sign up at all. You can just install the program right from GitHub with no information tying you to the transaction.

What we didn’t like

Our main issue with hide.me's free plan is that it does limit your speeds. This shouldn't impact most things you're doing online, but any high-bandwidth activities, like gaming or streaming, may be affected by this.

Also, hide.me's free Linux app is limited to the Ubuntu distro, whereas Proton's free Linux app is available on Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora.

hide.me specs

Free version	Yes
Bandwidth limit	No — but speeds are restricted
Number of servers	7 locations
Number of connected devices	1
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, WireGuard
No-logs policy	No logs
Linux app type	CLI
Paid plan starting price	Starts at $2.49/mo
Learn more	Get hide.me VPN Read hide.me Review

Test results

To determine how well hide.me works, we performed three real-world performance tests: speed tests while connected to servers worldwide, Netflix tests to unblock geo-restrictions, and leak tests to assess privacy protection.

hide.me showed lots of promise with all of its tests. It had minimal impact on our download speeds and unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested. It also passed all three leak tests.

Test type
Audited no-logs policy	Yes, audited by Securitum in March-June 2024
Speed	Decreased our download speeds by an average of 12%
Netflix	Unblocked Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia
DNS leak	Passed, no DNS leaks
WebRTC leak	Passed, no WebRTC leaks
Kill switch	Passed, no trace of our physical location when switching servers
Learn more	Get hide.me Read Our hide.me Review

Star rating summary

hide.me has a high star rating of 4.7 because of its budget-friendly plans, impressive testing performance, and audited no-logs policy.

hide.me received lower scores in the experience, features, and test results categories. hide.me can struggle with connecting to servers, which made for a frustrating experience. It also lacks dedicated IP addresses, which is an important VPN feature.

Decision factor	Weight	Verdict
Our experience	15%	4.5
Value	11%	5.0
Features	30.5%	4.5
Test results	20%	4.5
Privacy and security	9.5%	5.0
Compatibility	3%	5.0
Customer service	5%	5.0

Bottom line: The best free VPNs for Linux

The best free VPNs for Linux are Proton VPN, due to its excellent security features and unlimited bandwidth, and hide.me, due to its lightweight headless setup support.

Although Surfshark, Private Internet Access, and NordVPN don’t offer free plans, they remain robust VPNs for Linux due to their compatibility with a variety of Linux distros.

FAQs

Does Linux have a built-in VPN?

No, Linux doesn’t have a built-in VPN. A VPN keeps your online activities secure, whether for surfing the web, watching shows on Netflix, torrenting, or gaming. It’s especially a wise decision to use a VPN on unsecured networks.

Is there a 100% free VPN?

Yes, there are some VPNs available that offer free plans, though it's good to be cautious when choosing one, since often the trade off is for your data. Some good, security-centric VPNs like Proton VPN have a free plan which comes with some limitations, but could still be worth it for you.

Do I need a VPN for Linux?

No, getting a VPN for Linux isn't necessarily needed, though it's an extremely valuable and powerful tool to ensure your online activities are secure. Using a VPN encrypts your internet traffic and data while masking your true location.

4.6

Editorial Rating

On PrivadoVPN's website

VPN

PrivadoVPN

PROMOTION: Up to 90% Off + 3 Months Free

VPN with a free plan covering 13 global locations, with paid plans starting at Free for unlimited devices
Built-in ad blocker, parental controls, and social media blocker included at no extra cost
Unlocked Netflix in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia in our testing

Author Details

Mars Groves

About the Author

Mars Groves approaches cybersecurity writing from inside the field. As a Cybersecurity Analyst at WEBGAP, an advisory board member specializing in browser isolation, and Editor-in-Chief of Secjuice, he brings practitioner-level knowledge to his VPN and data security coverage. He is currently interning at NASA JPL in software engineering and has authored more than 85 articles for All About Cookies, including more than 40 VPN reviews and guides.