Updated on: February 3, 2026
Fact-checked by Hazel Shaw
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🥇 ExpressVPN
: Even though ExpressVPN doesn’t have a free plan, you can test it risk-free as a first-time user with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It has virtual servers in India (via Singapore and the UK) that aren’t constrained by India’s strict VPN data retention laws but that still reliably provide you with an Indian IP address. ExpressVPN is also very secure, maintains super fast speeds, and has best-in-class streaming, torrenting, and gaming support.
Finding the best free VPNs for India is more important than ever. With increasing government surveillance, strict data retention laws, and frequent website blocks, protecting your online privacy has become a real challenge. A good VPN can help you stay anonymous, access restricted content, and browse safely without your internet service provider (ISP) or third parties tracking your activity.
Some solid free VPNs work well in India, and I’ll share the best options below. Just keep in mind that free VPNs often come with limitations like slower speeds, smaller server networks, and data caps. They’re fine for light browsing or occasional streaming, but aren’t the best choice for heavy use or sensitive activities.
That’s why I highly recommend a low-cost premium VPN like ExpressVPN. It offers excellent privacy features, works great in India, and gives you a much smoother, safer online experience. Editor’s Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best Free VPNs for India
VPNs Removing Servers From India
Under India’s current laws, VPN servers that are physically located in India must store user data for at least 5 years. As a result, many major VPN providers have decided to remove their physical servers from the country. However, some VPNs (including a handful on this list) replaced their physical servers in India with virtual servers, which are located in a different country but still provide users with an Indian IP address. The virtual servers are not subject to India’s user data retention laws.
1. 🥇 ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for India in 2026
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for India — while it doesn’t have a free plan, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free for a whole month. It has 2 virtual server locations for India, super-fast speeds, and industry-leading security and privacy features. Its apps are easy to install and use, and it’s my top pick for streaming, torrenting, and gaming.
- Supports P2P in India
- 2 Indian virtual server locations
- Lots of useful extra features
- Blazing-fast speeds
- Only split-tunnels apps
ExpressVPN offers virtual servers in India via the UK and Singapore, allowing the provider to bypass India’s data retention laws. A virtual server provides an IP address from the corresponding country, but it’s physically located in a different country. I conducted multiple IP tests on servers in both locations, and I was assigned an Indian IP address every single time. ExpressVPN also has servers in 105 countries, including many locations close to India, like Singapore, Thailand, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.
The VPN also comes with great extras. One of the most useful ones is split-tunneling, which lets you pick which traffic uses your standard internet connection versus the VPN connection. For example, you can stream with the VPN to avoid ISP throttling while simultaneously ordering local delivery with Zomato or Swiggy via your actual network.
Another great feature for security is Advanced Protection. It includes a very good ad blocker, a malicious site blocker, a tracker blocker, and even an adult site blocker. In my tests, it got rid of every single ad on sites like News of India, Cricbuzz, and Flipkart.
I’m also impressed that ExpressVPN works with 100+ streaming sites — its customer support reps confirmed the list includes Netflix India, Hotstar, and India-based Zee5. Additionally, it supports torrenting on all servers, including India, and works with all of the popular torrenting clients like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Deluge.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is undoubtedly the best VPN for India. It comes with virtual Indian servers as well as physical servers in nearby countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka, provides lightning-fast speeds, and includes advanced security features. Despite not having a free plan, ExpressVPN provides excellent value.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
Editor’s Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
2. 🥈 Proton VPN — Free VPN With Unlimited Data & Router Support
Proton VPN has a good free plan with unlimited data, which is pretty rare for a free VPN. Another uncommon feature is that the VPN supports router setups on its free plan, which means every device in your home will be protected by the VPN. This allows you to get around the 1 connection limit on the free plan — none of the other VPNs on this list support a router configuration on the free plan.
- Unlimited data
- Auto-connect to best location
- Router support
- No torrenting support
- Servers aren’t close to India
The VPN’s free apps include convenient automation, too. I’m a big fan of its auto-launch and auto-connect features. Auto-launch automatically starts the Proton VPN app when you turn on your computer, and auto-connect links you to a server right away — helpful if you’re on a public network like at a café, coworking space, or university campus in India.
I also like that it shows the server load, which is helpful since its 5 free locations are pretty far from India. This way, you can switch to a new server to try to find one with less crowding to get faster speeds.
Proton VPN offers some unique security features. For example, its advanced kill switch is useful if you’re protecting sensitive activities like accessing blocked websites or using public Wi-Fi at places like airports, cafés, or railway stations across India. It won’t let you access the internet without the VPN connection, preventing your real IP address from being exposed.
However, most free plans block features behind a paywall, and Proton VPN is no exception. It only provides access to servers in the US, the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland, and doesn’t support streaming and torrenting — though some sites like Netflix work occasionally (unlike ExpressVPN, which works with over 100 streaming sites all the time).
Proton VPN’s paid plans have more perks, including servers in 127 countries, streaming and P2P support, and 10 connections.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN has a fantastic free plan. It includes unlimited data and has great apps and security features, but you only have access to servers in 5 countries (not India) and streaming and torrenting aren’t allowed. Users can upgrade to the Plus plan to get access to the India servers, watch their favorite India streaming services, and securely download files.
Read the full Proton VPN review
3. 🥉 hide.me — Best Free VPN for India With Unlimited Data & Great Security
hide.me is my top pick for a free VPN for India. The free plan offers unlimited ad-free bandwidth, so you can use it to protect your connection in India all the time. It also gives you access to servers in 7 countries, though none are very close to India.
- Unlimited data
- Customizable kill switch
- App & site split-tunneling
- No server location near India
- No streaming or torrenting
hide.me has great security and privacy features. One of my favorites is StealthGuard, an advanced kill switch similar to Proton VPN. It also includes an app-level kill switch, letting you choose specific apps (like a torrent client) that are blocked if the VPN disconnects. Plus, you can set up different connection rules depending on the type of Wi-Fi network you’re using in its auto-connect settings.
The VPN also offers split-tunneling. It’s really flexible because you can either choose specific apps to always use the VPN, or specific apps to bypass it. This way, you don’t have to manually select every app — you can just pick the few that need different settings, which saves a lot of time. This is great if you want to stream local content in India while keeping sensitive activities like torrenting protected through the VPN.
There are some drawbacks to the free plan, though. It limits speeds, unlike Proton VPN, and you can only connect 1 device — plus, there’s no router support. In addition, you don’t get any torrenting or streaming support for any popular platforms (but even if it supported streaming, you still wouldn’t have access to an Indian server to watch Indian streaming services). For the best streaming support, I recommend ExpressVPN.
hide.me’s paid plans give you access to 10 connections, unlimited data, servers in 58 countries, and streaming support.
Bottom Line:
hide.me has the best free plan for India with unlimited bandwidth — it has servers in 7 countries, has extras like split-tunneling, and comes with strong security and privacy features. The paid version adds even more security features and servers and streaming and torrenting support.
Read the full hide.me review here
4. Windscribe — Free VPN Good for Bypassing Network Restrictions
Windscribe’s free plan is a strong option for getting around network restrictions in India. It offers two protocols — WStunnel and Stealth — that are specifically designed to bypass censorship. Both run on port 443, the same port used by regular HTTPS traffic (like banking and shopping sites), making it almost impossible for networks to block them without causing major disruptions.
- Unlimited connections
- Hong Kong location near India
- P2P support
- Only 10GB of monthly data
- No India server location
Windscribe also comes with a lot of advanced security features. One of my favorites is split-tunneling, which also split-tunnels IP addresses for rerouting your favorite Indian websites. There’s also a pretty customizable ad and malware blocker called R.O.B.E.R.T., which can also be set to block Indian gambling and adult sites. Plus, you get Auto-secure Networks, which automatically identifies unknown networks and connects the VPN to protect your privacy and data.
I like that Windscribe’s free plan has unlimited connections and works with top streaming sites like Netflix. However, there are no free servers in India, so it won’t work to watch Indian streaming sites. What’s more, you only get around 10 GB of data per month — that might be enough for a few hours of streaming SD videos, but it won’t allow you to watch a lot of HD content.
Windscribe’s paid version adds access to unlimited data and servers in 69 countries.
Bottom Line:
Windscribe offers a free plan with great features for bypassing network restrictions. It also has excellent security features, great extras, streaming support, and unlimited connections. However, you only get 10 GB per month, which really puts a limit on your browsing. The paid plans remove the data cap and allow access to all servers.
Read the full Windscribe review
5. TunnelBear — Beginner-Friendly + Huge Free Server Network
TunnelBear has one of the largest free server networks with 47 countries. While there isn’t one for India, you get access to servers in nearby locations, like Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, which improves your speeds.
- Unlimited connections
- Multiple locations near India
- All premium features included
- No torrent support
- 2 GB of data/month
It’s also a great pick for beginners since its apps are easy to learn, and any user should love the cute bear theme. I also found it helpful that all of its features and settings come with explanations, and the interactive map makes it simple to see the closest servers to India.
TunnelBear includes all of its premium features on the free plan, and this even includes unlimited connections. You get split-tunneling for apps and sites (SplitBear), obfuscation for bypassing internet restrictions (GhostBear), and its kill switch (VigilantBear). It also includes two-factor authentication, which requires a code to access your account.
However, the free plan doesn’t support file sharing and only allows 2 GB of data per month, which is only enough for limited basic browsing. If you want a long-term free VPN for India, Proton VPN or hide.me are better options since both have unlimited data.
Paid plans provide access to unlimited data.
Bottom Line:
TunnelBear has a large free server network with multiple locations near India. It includes all of its features for free, including split-tunneling and extra security features. It’s also really great for beginners. However, it only offers 2 GB of data per month and doesn’t support torrenting.
Read the full TunnelBear review here
Quick Comparison Table
Editor’s Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
Using our VPN testing methodology, I analyzed the free plans offered by some of the top VPNs of 2026 to find the best options for India that provide fast speeds, great apps, and value-packed free plans. Here’s exactly what I tested and used to choose my VPNs and create my ranking order:
- I looked for servers in India or nearby countries. A VPN needs to have servers in India or fast servers in nearby countries. ExpressVPN has virtual servers in India and neighboring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
- I picked VPNs with good security features. While many free plans may lack essential security features, all of the VPNs on this list include industry-standard VPN security features like a kill switch, 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and leak protection.
- I tested for fast speeds. All VPNs will slow down your speeds to some degree because of the extra distance internet signals need to travel to VPN servers. The encryption process also contributes to the speed loss. But a good VPN is able to maintain fast speeds for browsing, streaming, and torrenting (ExpressVPN has the fastest speeds in the industry).
- I checked for additional features. All of the free VPNs listed here offer convenient extras like split-tunneling or an ad blocker.
- I made sure there are affordable paid plans. Since you may consider upgrading to a premium plan in the future, I only recommend free VPNs that offer budget-friendly paid plans and deals.
Risks of Using a Free VPN
- Insufficient protection. You should know that free VPNs frequently fail to provide fundamental security features, thus leaving your online traffic and IP address vulnerable to potential threats from hackers, ISPs, and government entities.
- Data restrictions. Many free VPNs limit bandwidth, typically ranging from 500 MB daily to 15 GB monthly. Proton VPN is one of the only VPNs whose free plan comes with unlimited data.
- Selling your data. Some free VPNs might compromise and monetize your personal data. Ensure your chosen free VPN holds a genuine no-logs policy to maintain your online privacy.
Free vs. Paid VPNs for India
I only recommend free VPNs for India that include industry-standard VPN security features to protect your data in India. These features include 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy. Aside from that, some also have more advanced security and privacy features, like full leak protection and RAM-only servers.
However, most free VPNs fall short compared to premium VPNs. Many of them restrict speeds and server locations available to free users, impose monthly or weekly data caps, and limit streaming or torrenting — for example, Windscribe’s free plan allows only 10 GB per month, while Proton VPN’s free plan doesn’t allow you to connect to a location neary India (the closest ones are in Japan and Europe).
Overall, upgrading to a premium VPN is a better option for users in India. Premium VPNs provide better speeds, more server locations, and more simultaneous connections. You also get enhanced security, making it a more reliable choice for smoothly and securely using the net in India, and better streaming and torrenting support.
Free VPNs for India to Avoid
- Hola VPN. Hola VPN is a peer-to-peer service, so it assigns users the IP addresses of other users instead of a typical server network. This is super risky, because it means someone could do very illegal things online while using your IP address.
- Phone Guardian. Phone Guardian doesn’t really work like a regular VPN. While it encrypts some of your data, it doesn’t change your IP address or have a VPN’s typical security.
- TouchVPN. TouchVPN lacks a lot of essential security features, and its 500 MB/day data cap is seriously limiting for any sort of online activity.
- TurboVPN. TurboVPN’s no-logs policy has some contradictions between its website and its Privacy Policy. Also, it hasn’t passed any independent audits, so it’s hard for me to trust it.
- AceVPN. AceVPN’s free plan requires you to be a blogger, influencer, or journalist to apply for it. And once you do get it, you have to manually configure the VPN on your device, since it doesn’t have any native apps.
- SuperVPN. SuperVPN logs a lot of your data, and it had a very large data breach that exposed over 130 GB of its users’ personal information.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivadoVPN — The free plan allows unlimited device connections, 10 GB of data per month, and supports P2P traffic, but unfortunately, PrivadoVPN’s free plan doesn’t have servers close enough to India to provide good speeds.
- Hotspot Shield — Hotspot Shield offers a free plan with fast speeds, good security, and unlimited data, but it doesn’t have servers near India and logs your IP address to serve ads on mobile.
- Avira Phantom VPN — Avira Phantom VPN has decent security features on the free plan and provides access to the entire server network on mobile, but you can’t choose a server near India on desktop, and it limits your data to 1 GB per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are VPNs legal in India?
Yes, but India passed a law that requires VPN providers to store user data on India-based servers for at least 5 years. This triggered some VPNs like ExpressVPN to replace their physical servers in India with virtual servers, which provide users with Indian IP addresses but aren’t physically located in India. Virtual servers allow VPNs to get around the data retention law and continue to secure their users’ privacy.
What’s the best free VPN for India?
ExpressVPN is my top VPN for India. While it doesn’t have a free plan, it’s the best overall VPN on the market in 2026 and offers excellent privacy and streaming support for India.
If you’re looking for a really good free VPN, check out Proton VPN. It allows unlimited data for free, has servers in 5 countries, provides good speeds, and comes with strong security features — but you don’t get reliable streaming, it doesn’t support P2P traffic, and it limits you to 1 connection.
Do free VPNs work with Netflix India?
There may be a couple, but most free VPNs don’t allow you to access a server in India. If you are unable to connect to an Indian server, you won’t be able to watch Netflix India. The few free VPN plans that include access to an Indian server have very small daily or monthly data limits.
The best way to watch Netflix India is to get a premium VPN like ExpressVPN, which has Indian servers, reliably works with Netflix India, has super-fast speeds, and is very easy to use.
Are free VPNs safe to use for India?
The majority of free VPNs are NOT safe to use in India. Many free VPNs lack basic security features, log your data (and sometimes even sell it), or contain malware.
However, all of the truly free VPNs listed here include industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy. They also have advanced security features like perfect forward secrecy and extra features such as split-tunneling and an ad, tracker, and malware blocker.
