VPN services ensure significantly more security in the network – even under Linux. In addition to the paid subscriptions, there is a small selection of free VPNs for your Linux computer. We take a closer look at the free VPNs for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and Co.
Linux is generally regarded as a secure operating system, and some distributions are even extremely secure. That may be true in many places. The open-source approach ensures transparency, regular updates – including smaller components of the operating system – ensure that any security gaps are quickly rectified.
Nevertheless, even a Linux distribution is not immune to the dangers of the Internet. Although Linux is usually not a profitable target for malware or viruses, anyone who goes online with a browser under Linux reveals the same data as a Windows user. Country blocks or provider-side throttling cannot be circumvented by Linux either.
Free VPN clients for Linux
A VPN can help here. Of course, these are also available for Linux, where you can also benefit from the advantages of a VPN. In this guide, however, we are not looking at just any VPN service, but at those that you can use for free on Linux.
Incidentally, we have also put together free VPN services for other operating systems. You can find the appropriate providers in the following articles.
Let’s take a look at the options for a free VPN service on Linux. First the overview, later in the article we will go into detail about the respective providers.
- 1. CyberGhost VPN
✓ 45 days of free use (Refund warranty)
✓ without restrictions
✘ Registration required - 2. ProtonVPN
✓ Permanently free
✘ Only 3 countries and 1 device
✘ Registration required - 3. PrivadoVPN
✓ 10 GB data volume
✘ Only 3 countries
✘ Registration required
Our overview contains “real” free VPN services and VPN providers with trial period offers. You can easily use the former for a longer period of time free of charge, but usually with restrictions. The latter, on the other hand, promises you full functionality, but is limited in time. What’s right for you depends on your usage.
1. CyberGhost VPN
VPN in the complete package: security for everyone
With a huge selection of servers and good speeds, CyberGhost is a convincing VPN service provider. Its use guarantees maximum security and anonymity on the web. The up to seven devices on which the service can be used in parallel are also positive. This makes CyberGhost’s price-performance ratio particularly strong.
- 45 days money back guarantee
- Runs on Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, Kali, CentOS and PoP!_OS
- All locations, full functionality
- Chargeable after the trial period
- Registration required
You can try CyberGhost VPN for 45 days free of charge – with full functionality. There is a fee afterwards compared to the other services.
CyberGhost still deserves a mention because it supports a wide base of distributions. In addition, the setup is extremely easy despite the lack of an app: create an account, download the installation script, run it, done. You can read here exactly how this works.
If you use your Linux computer as the main computer, take a look at CyberGhost first. If you are convinced of the service, it is worth switching to a paid version. You can get them for less than two euros a month.
If you have CyberGhost installed on your computer, it is very easy to use. Just call “cybeghostvpn” with the appropriate parameters. There are plenty of them, so you can bring them with you, for example “cyberghostvpn –streaming –country-code” a listing of servers for video streaming. Choose your server – we’ll take Netflix USA as an example – and get started “sudo cyberghostvpn –streaming ‘Netflix US’ –country-code US –connect” your VPN connection. This works with any services and use cases, including changing the protocol from OpenVPN to Wireguard.
2. ProtonVPN
Strong overall performance
Server selection and speeds make ProtonVPN a solid offering. The service is really convincing thanks to good software and the transparent Swiss company as the operator. It is also one of the few operators that offers a permanently functional free version of its service. However, it really only offers the basic VPN functions.
- Apps for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Manjaro and Arch Linux
- 134 locations in three countries (USA, Netherlands, Japan)
- No volume limit
- Company location Switzerland
- Strict no-log policy
- Just one device
- Just a connection
- Registration required
ProtonVPN is exciting simply because the service offers free VPN access and does not limit the volume. Nevertheless, you have to live with smaller restrictions: you only get average speeds, you only have three countries to choose from and you would have to register beforehand.
If the restrictions don’t bother you, ProtonVPN is the perfect free VPN service for Linux. Especially since the service comes with native apps for the largest distributions. This makes setup a breeze. All other Linux users can configure ProtonVPN via OpenVPN. It’s a bit more complicated, but works perfectly.
3. PrivadoVPN
A VPN with no particular strengths, but no real weaknesses either
PrivadoVPN meets the basic requirements that one can have of a software of this kind. The speeds are okay, but not outstanding. The VPN offers access to international offers from many streaming services, but connecting to remote servers takes a long time. Other VPN services do a better job here. This mediocrity carries over into many areas of the software. Only the security of PrivadoVPN stands out positively.
- 10 GB of data per month
- 12 server locations
- Unlimited devices
- Strict no-log policy
- Just a connection
- Registration required
- No app, just OpenVPN
In the “Free” plan, PrivadoVPN offers you a free VPN service that also works on Linux. The only requirement is prior registration with the provider. Free access is limited to 10 GB data transfer per month and 12 server locations. The bandwidth, on the other hand, is not throttled, so PrivadoVPN is quite suitable for simple data traffic, but it quickly reaches its limits when it comes to streaming or other bandwidth-heavy applications.
There are no apps available for the common Linux versions. PrivadoVPN relies on OpenVPN, which is set up either via the command line or via the network manager. This should be no problem for experienced Linux users, but beginners might find it a bit more difficult. The setup of PrivadoVPN under Linux is described here.
alternatives
There are a handful of other VPN services you can use on Linux. You can find an overview in our detailed VPN comparison. In the individual tests of the respective services, we tell you which operating systems are supported. Otherwise, under Linux, you can always use the services that support OpenVPN. The only basic requirement for this is that you have installed the OpenVPN client on your computer.
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