Are free VPNs okay or not really worth it?
Many of you may remember the post I made about how to access American services like YouTubeTV (not regular YouTube) when you're not sure how. I can't find the original post anymore, but some people mentioned "free" VPNs there. Almost all of them, though, are only free for the first 30 days, and you have to cancel within those 30 days or you get charged. I tried NordVPN, and canceling and getting a refund was really a hassle. In short, it didn't work for me, but now I think I understand why.
Here's my situation. I don't use Wi-Fi at all, only mobile data, and I'm on an AT&T international plan. So... do I need Wi-Fi to use a VPN?
Nord is very good, and if you catch it on a sale, the 24-month plan is really cheap. Express VPN costs a bit more but is easy to use, and it's nice if your family members want to watch American Netflix or other streaming services at home. Both block ads and trackers. Proton is also excellent, but it's more expensive. That's because you're buying the whole security package: email, storage, and VPN. I don't like using anything without security, so I'll use something. You never know when your phone might connect to public Wi-Fi.
I've never seen anyone say a free VPN is good. Using AT&T's international plan isn't the best option either, and neither is the Verizon international unlimited plan that I use. The best option is to use a paid NordVPN along with a local data provider (cellular or Wi-Fi). If you plan to stay outside the U.S. for a long time, buy a local SIM card with a cheap, simple plan and put it in a second phone. You can connect your AT&T phone to the local phone through a hotspot to keep using calls and texts, and get a separate local number too. Add a VPN subscription on top and you can use everything you want, and in the long run the cost is about the same or cheaper.
Free is really bad! Other people using that VPN connect through your phone and use your data 😮. If a VPN is free, you're the product. I use the cheaper Surfshark. Before you buy a VPN, search for discounts and coupons. They're all there. Good luck.
Topcashback often runs promotions that give back 100% (sometimes more) of the cost of a 2-year VPN subscription. I've seen it for Nord, Surfshark, Express, Pure, and others. Just remember to turn off auto-renewal as soon as you sign up.
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