Some free VPN providers might seem appealing, but some are not. They use unsavory business practices to make money and compromise your digital privacy, such as selling your data or flooding users with ads. Many free VPNs also operate in unregulated jurisdictions, which can be difficult to regulate.
Free VPNs often offer you ads which consume your data and slow down your connection. This is how they make money to offset the cost of their servers as well as their service. It can be stressful but it’s even worse if you are using a VPN for business. A slow internet can impact productivity.
In addition some VPNs for free sell your data to advertisers and inject spyware to monitor your activities and deliver you targeted ads [*]. This can result in malware, phishing attacks, and other security threats. One example of wikipedia reference this is when the free VPN Hola was used to create a botnet that attacked 8chan.
Paid VPNs have a paying client base that allows them to invest in increasing server quality, feature development, and privacy and security on the internet. They also have a better reputation which can help to avoid fraudulent operators and rely on a company that takes its customers’ privacy seriously. A trustworthy VPN service provider will offer various plans that are affordable, including secure encryption protocols and advanced features and dependable customer support.