Best Free VPN for the UK: Safe and Secure VPNs

The United Kingdom is surely among the most popular locations when talking about online streaming, gaming, and even gambling. People often use a VPN for gambling to unblock various UK-based online bookies and casinos. However, in the same fashion, many of them want a great free UK VPN. Besides, this country is a 5 Eyes member, along with the US. These countries are notorious for online surveillance and data collection, which makes it impossible to enjoy privacy online. On top of that, the UK internet space is full of geo-restrictions.

They will prevent you from accessing foreign streaming platforms and TV channels. But if we talk about the opposite, it’s the same case. Abroad, you can’t watch BBC iPlayer, ITV, and many other channels and platforms. The solution, however, lies in the best free VPN for the UK.

It’ll encrypt your traffic and make it impossible for ISPs to track you online and collect your data. Moreover, with the ability to change your online location and IP, you can unblock any service you want, in and out of the United Kingdom. Let’s see, however, what are your best choices for these purposes.

Best Free UK VPN for Up to 30 Days (Risk-Free!)

The point of this ranking of the best free VPNs for the United Kingdom is to give you really free providers. Albeit, you’ll see how limited they are, and in reality, these aren’t REALLY the TOP service out there. For that reason, we decided to take a quick “detour” and talk about risk-free UK VPNs.

Not sure what we’re talking about? Well, the point is to use a premium VPN free trial and enjoy the service for as long as the free trial allows. In this case, it will be up to 30 days.

NordVPN: The #1 Free VPN for the United Kingdom for 30 Days

Since we’re in a good mood, let’s start with the #1 free VPN for the UK. NordVPN, an affordable and cheap VPN, can be used for free for 30 days using the money-back guarantee trick. This provider is extremely awesome, yet, it’s cheap and offers a long refund policy, albeit for long-term plans.

The button below takes you to NordVPN’s site where the cheapest deal can be found. It’s very attractive and costs under $3.2 a month for the 2-year plan. This very plan sports a 30-day money-back guarantee, and even the monthly plan is subject to it.

Enjoy NordVPN for Free for 30 Days

The principle is simple. Select the plan, preferably the cheapest one, provide your email, and pay for the subscription. This very solution lets you use NordVPN as the best free VPN for the UK for 30 days and enjoy its limitless experience right then and there.

To get a refund, go to its site before the first 30 days expire and request a refund by contacting support through live chat. Much like ExpressVPN, our next pick, NordVPN will refund you with no questions asked and you’ll receive your money back pretty much the same day or in 3-5 days.

Why Choose NordVPN Over 100% Free UK VPNs?

NordVPN packs 6,300 servers in over 110 countries, with a wide server fleet across the UK. To be accurate, you’ll get nearly 450 servers in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

An awesome thing about NordVPN is that it’s blazing fast, so speeds and performance aren’t an issue. This is backed up by NordLynx support, which delivers much better performance than OpenVPN. Do you intend to use a VPN for streaming purposes?

In that case, its streaming-friendly servers will work with BBC iPlayer abroad and if you’re in the UK, you’ll effortlessly unblock Netflix US and other foreign platforms. What’s more, NordVPN even has torrenting servers that you can use for anonymous torrenting in the UK or abroad.

Double VPN servers ensure two encryption layers, unlike ExpressVPN which, unfortunately, misses this feature. Needless to say, features like DNS leak protection, a kill switch, 256-bit encryption, and RAM-only servers are all here, so security is top-grade.

A no-logs policy is yet another beautiful feature of NordVPN. Not only is it crystal-clear and privacy-friendly but it’s also audited by Deloitte and PwC for the highest degree of trustworthiness. Note that NordVPN will also work in a censored country like China if you travel there from the United Kingdom, thanks to obfuscated servers.

Everything else about it is just excellent. It has 10 simultaneous connections – 2 more than ExpressVPN – and offers apps optimized for every major platform. All of this can be yours for FREE for 30 days without losing a single hard-earned penny!

ExpressVPN Can Be Used for Free for 30 Days!

Let’s talk about ExpressVPN. This is an established name in the VPN industry and quite frankly, the #2 best choice on the market next to NordVPN. It’s not free by any means but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all of its plans, making it easy to use it for free and not lose money.

How to do that? Simply click on the red button below that’ll take you straight to its site. From there, you can go for its extremely attractive 1-year plan with a 49% discount and 3 free months. Even the monthly plan, which is on the expensive side in the long run, has a 30-day refund policy.

Get ExpressVPN for Free for 30 Days

Either way, choose the plan you want, enter your email address, and select the payment method. Once you pay, you can use this service limitlessly, with no bandwidth/speed limits. Now, before the first 30 days expire, you’ll need to contact ExpressVPN through live chat on the site.

Explain that you want a refund and they’ll issue it immediately. You’ll get your money back with no quibble, which means you didn’t lose anything. Yes, you paid at the start but since you got a 100% refund, the math is pretty simple – you lost exactly $0.00!

Why Use ExpressVPN as a Free VPN for the UK?

The answer to this question is a bit longer. However, it’s worth noting that ExpressVPN has 3,000 servers in 105 countries, with many locations in the United Kingdom. This means it’s excellent for people in and outside of the UK wanting an IP address from this country.

In addition, it’s excellent for streaming. Our tests indicated that it can unblock BBC iPlayer abroad and give you access to ITV, which is yet another awesome channel. Streaming is buttery-smooth thanks to Lightway, a protocol that provides top-notch speeds and stability.

With 10+ Gbps speeds, ExpressVPN is also suitable for anonymous and fast torrenting. Moreover, it’s very simple to use and its apps span multiple platforms. This will allow you to use this free VPN for the UK (for 30 days) easily even on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.

ExpressVPN is a hallmark of security and privacy. With AES-256 encryption, it also includes a kill switch, split tunneling, IP/DNS leak protection, and even RAM-only servers. Plus, there’s Private DNS for routing your queries through a proprietary DNS server.

This ensures you’re not tracked online by your ISP. Another benefit is a no-logging policy, which is crucial for people in the UK. It stores no logs of online activities, IP addresses, and DNS requests, as indicated by audits from PwC, KPMG, and Cure53.

All in all, ExpressVPN is famous for a reason. It’s extremely reliable, safe, and secure, on top of which, it’s characterized by no bandwidth and performance limits. If you want one of the best free VPNs for the UK for 30 days, this is the one to go for if you’re not into NordVPN.

The Top 3 Really Free VPNs for the United Kingdom in 2024

With everything that NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer for free for up to 30 days, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better services. Still, if you want a free UK VPN in 2024 where you don’t have to spend any money or use a money-back guarantee, that can be arranged too.

We prepared 3 excellent free services that are safe and secure, but they’re lacking in many aspects, as you’ll see soon. Without further ado, let’s talk more about them and see what they’re about.

1. ProtonVPN

If poor VPN’s limited bandwidth is bothering you, let’s give you an unlimited free VPN – ProtonVPN. It has no bandwidth caps, all while offering impeccable security. Its free version has split tunneling, a kill switch, IP/DNS leak protection, and even WireGuard/OpenVPN.

It’s jam-packed with features, even boasting a VPN Accelerator for boosting your speeds. ProtonVPN’s free version is also subject to a no-logging policy. In it, you can see that no logs of your online footprints are stored and the provider is even audited by SEC Consult.

Much like many free options, ProtonVPN lacks many premium features, one of which is P2P support. You can’t download torrents with it, and it’s a poor option for streaming. Our experience with ProtonVPN’s free version showed that it doesn’t work with any streaming services, which isn’t the case with the premium version.

Whatever the case, the free version also doesn’t offer servers in the United Kingdom. This means watching ITV live abroad won’t be possible, as you get servers only in the US, Japan, Romania, Poland, and the Netherlands. ProtonVPN doesn’t have an ad blocker in the free version and its famous Secure Core servers are also absent.

We dislike ProtonVPN’s support which isn’t available through live chat even in the premium version. And speaking of its premium version, it’s bloody expensive and not worth your money compared to NordVPN or ExpressVPN, so we don’t recommend it.

ProtonVPN is a good long-term free VPN if you live in the United Kingdom. It has unlimited traffic and is here only for browsing due to slower speeds unsuitable for streaming or torrenting. If you don’t mind all the downsides, here you go – but don’t have your expectations sky-high!

Visit ProtonVPN

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2. Hide.me

Hide.me is our second-favorite free VPN in the United Kingdom in 2024. This provider is premium by default but it offers a limited free plan that anyone can enjoy. Simply download its client from the site, make a free account, and enjoy going online safely.

Hide.me has bank-grade encryption coupled with OpenVPN, IP leak protection, and even a kill switch. It also has a verified no-logging policy, where the same policy applies even to free users. Unlike many free VPNs, Hide.me VPN will NEVER sell or collect your data.

While it performs relatively well, it’s by no means faster than NordVPN and ExpressVPN. However, it does offer unlimited traffic, which we like, but there’s a big issue – forbidden torrenting, which is a result of uncapped bandwidth.

This paid VPN has UK servers but in the free version, you don’t get any. Instead, Hide.me VPN has 8 server locations, a couple in the USA, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and a few other countries. This makes it impossible to unblock BBC iPlayer, and in terms of streaming, this provider performs poorly either way.

It’s worth noting that it lacks many of its premium features. For instance, there’s no ad blocker, Bolt Proxy, MultiHop, and many other functionalities. Being a free VPN for the UK, it also doesn’t support simultaneous connections.

One account equals one device and that’s it. Not to mention its customer support through email – not the best around. You can get 24/7 support through live chat but it’s slightly slower to respond, which isn’t the case with NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

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3. PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN is another reliable free VPN for the United Kingdom in 2024. This one actually has servers in the UK in its free version and offers more than a few server locations. Aside from the United Kingdom, you’ll find VPN servers in France, Germany, the US, and plenty of other countries.

PrivadoVPN performs well and its speeds aren’t an issue. Torrenting support is here too and occasionally, very rarely, it’ll work with foreign TV channels and streaming platforms. Security-wise, PrivadoVPN is impeccable.

It has a no-logs policy accompanied by features like military-grade encryption, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch. The free version also supports WireGuard, which, for example, you won’t find in Hide.me’s free version. What’s the catch?

Well, PrivadoVPN has only 10 GB of bandwidth a month. It’s more than some free VPNs but by no means enough. Another problem is that it still performs slower than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, so 4K streaming will not be pleasant – and neither will torrenting.

PrivadoVPN is very easy to use and it supports all platforms. However, the free version allows for no simultaneous connections, so you’re locked to only one device. At least you get 24/7 live chat support which is solid but not the best compared to premium services.

All in all, it’s nothing too different from ProtonVPN or Hide.me VPN. It’s the same limited experience with many caveats that’ll most likely infuriate you. But if you’re willing to save a bit of money and get a great 100% free UK VPN service in 2024, this one is also a formidable choice.

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Which Free UK VPNs to Avoid in 2024?

While we presented our top 3 really free VPNs in the United Kingdom on this list, normally, these aren’t all providers you can get. There are tons of free UK VPNs on the market but saying that all of them are good would be a big, bad lie. Let’s talk about some of them that you should absolutely avoid.

• Hola VPN. This provider is free, offers unlimited bandwidth, comes with a kill switch, and has UK servers. What could possibly go wrong? Well, if you check its privacy policy, you’ll see it’s a P2P VPN that collects EVERY bit of your private data and sells it to third parties like Bright Data. It’s extremely dangerous to use and definitely not recommended in and out of the UK.
• Betternet VPN. This service isn’t utilizing a P2P network like Hola VPN. Instead, it’s a full-fledged provider but a low-quality one, as it’s known for IP/DNS leaks, limited monthly traffic, and intrusive logging practices. Also, it’s based in the US, a 5 Eyes country that doesn’t respect your privacy.
• HideMyAss. It’s not a free VPN but a paid service based exactly in the United Kingdom. The provider is known for leaking user information to the FBI/CIA in the past, and its UK jurisdiction does it no good in terms of privacy. It’s not a bad VPN necessarily but also not the best for privacy. Check our HideMyAss review for more information.
• Turbo VPN. Another free service with extremely slow speeds, no UK servers, and the inability to unblock BBC iPlayer or any other UK online content. Not to mention its frequent leaks, annoying ads in the mobile app, and lackluster security. It’s just awful!
• Urban VPN. A VPN with free, unlimited bandwidth, and plenty of servers. It’s the same as Hola VPN in terms of logging, as it stores every bit of your private information. This free VPN is riddled with ads and even offers a paid version that’s more expensive than NordVPN. Much like Turbo VPN, it’s atrocious, despite offering UK servers that are, by the way, useless for streaming.

The Best Free VPN for the United Kingdom: Recap

Having said everything you need to know about the best free UK VPNs in 2024, it’s time to end this guide. Our recommendations, first and foremost, are NordVPN and ExpressVPN. These aren’t free VPNs – we won’t lie – but they’re your #1 service if you’re willing to go for a free trial.

Now, if you’re after a 100% free VPN for the United Kingdom and you don’t want to pay a penny, that’s okay. In that case, ProtonVPN is our favorite choice, closely followed by Hide.me and PrivadoVPN. However, these providers are limited and chances are they won’t fulfill your needs.

When it comes to non-paid VPNs for the UK, you don’t have much freedom. They’re different sides of the same coin. A coin with limited bandwidth, weaker security, slow speeds, no streaming/torrenting capabilities, and many other shortcomings.

Depending on your needs, you’ll need to adapt to them. That won’t be the case with NordVPN and ExpressVPN, both of which offer an “all-inclusive” experience with no compromises. After all, it’s why paid VPNs are superior to free VPNs.

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FAQ

Finally, let’s address a few more questions for those who want additional information.

Can I get a UK IP for free?

Yes, PrivadoVPN has free UK servers, so you can get it by connecting to a server in this country. However, we’d much rather use NordVPN and ExpressVPN, as their UK servers are more capable of streaming, torrenting, and providing fast speeds.

How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad for free?

By using a free VPN for the UK for 30 days, or NordVPN or  ExpressVPN respectively. 100% free providers won’t work with BBC iPlayer and they’re not a viable option.

Can free VPNs unblock porn in the United Kingdom?

Yes, but don’t get your hopes too high. We discussed the best VPNs for porn recently and said that free VPNs aren’t very reliable. Aside from all the issues we mentioned, they can be detected by the UK authorities, so you won’t be able to bypass the notorious age verification.

Even in this case, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are way better. Once you connect to a server abroad, porn sites will see you as if you’re located somewhere else and won’t require you to verify your age. This, in turn, allows you to watch porn limitlessly even in the United Kingdom.