Updated on: May 3, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best free VPN for Canada in 2024:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN: It doesn’t have a free plan, but it has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free. It provides fast and reliable servers in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, excellent security features, great streaming support (works with Netflix Canada), and easy-to-use apps for all of the major operating systems.
Using a VPN in Canada is a great way to protect your privacy online, improve your online security, and boost your speeds for streaming, gaming, and torrenting if your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is throttling them. If you’re budget-minded, a free VPN is the best choice for browsing the web more securely in Canada.
However, free VPNs aren’t my favorite option. They often don’t have servers in Canada, and many that do have Canadian server locations are lacking in reliable security features, trustworthy privacy features, and functional connection speeds.
Even the best free plans have significant shortcomings. In most cases, free VPNs limit most features behind paywalls, don’t provide access to all customer support channels (like live chat), and more. That said, I know that not everyone can afford an expensive VPN, so I spent a couple of weeks testing free VPNs to find the best ones for Canada.
I managed to find a few good free VPNs for use in Canada, but I still recommend a low-cost premium VPN like ExpressVPN — it has incredible security and privacy features, the fastest connection speeds available, and works great for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and browsing. Though, if you’re set on using a free VPN, every option on my list will work well in Canada.
Quick summary of the best free VPNs for Canada in 2024:
- 1. 🥇 ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for Canada in 2024. Excellent security + a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 2. 🥈 CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-friendly VPN for Canada with helpful automation and an intuitive interface.
- 3. 🥉 hide.me — Great 100% free VPN for torrenting + has good security but no streaming support.
- 4. Proton VPN — Good free VPN with unlimited data & intuitive apps, but it only allows 1 device.
- 5. Hotspot Shield — Decent free VPN for general web browsing with unlimited data (has ads).
🥇 1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Canada in 2024
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for Canada. While it doesn’t offer a free plan, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee — this way, you can test out its Canadian servers and all of its features for a full month risk-free. It has 3 reliable server locations in Canada, maintains the fastest speeds on the market, works with all of the popular streaming services, allows torrenting on Canadian servers, and includes top-notch security features. Simply, you’re not going to find a better VPN in 2024.
It has servers in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, so you can choose the closest ones to you for the fastest connection. A VPN’s speeds are mostly dictated by how far the internet signal has to travel (and the encryption process), so you should pick close servers whenever possible. I never had an issue connecting to ExpressVPN’s servers in all 3 Canadian cities.
ExpressVPN’s speeds were incredibly fast — during my tests, I didn’t experience any buffering while loading web pages or watching videos. I also downloaded a file almost as fast as when I wasn’t using a VPN.
Along with industry-standard VPN security features, ExpressVPN also has:
- No-logs policy. Its policy has been independently audited and confirmed multiple times, which ensures ExpressVPN doesn’t store your data.
- TrustedServer Technology. ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers, so your data is never saved to the hard drive. Plus, all data on the server is erased each time the server is rebooted.
- Perfect forward secrecy. This feature assigns you a new encryption key each time you connect to a server, preventing hackers from ever accessing future or past keys.
- Full leak protection. ExpressVPN protects you against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks, which could reveal your IP address. I ran several tests on servers in all 3 Canadian cities, and my real IP address was never leaked.
- Split-tunneling. This convenient feature allows you to route choose which traffic is routed through the VPN.
- Advanced Protection. This feature includes an ad blocker, Threat Protection that blocks trackers and prevents you from accessing potentially malicious websites, and an adult site blocker.
There’s no better VPN for streaming and torrenting than ExpressVPN. It works with 100+ streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, DAZN, Netflix Canada, and Disney+, and Canada-based services like CBC Gem, CTV, and TVA Canada. ExpressVPN also allows torrenting on its Canadian servers and works with all of the popular torrent clients like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Deluge.
ExpressVPN is also very user-friendly. Its interface is very easy to navigate, and I found and connected to a Canada server in under 10 seconds. Plus, it has easy-to-install apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, smart TVs, Amazon Fire Sticks, and even routers.
ExpressVPN offers monthly and yearly plans starting from $6.67 / month. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is hands-down the best VPN for Canada. It has reliable servers in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, is very secure, has extras like Advanced Protection and split-tunneling, and has excellent streaming and torrenting support. Although it doesn’t have a free plan, each premium plan is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈 2. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-Friendly VPN for Canada
CyberGhost VPN is a great VPN for beginners. It has really user-friendly apps, a quick and easy setup process, and an intuitive interface that makes connecting to one of its 3 Canadian server locations a breeze. I really like that CyberGhost will automatically connect you to the fastest Canadian server when you press the power button to activate the VPN — you don’t have to manually search for a server in Canada.
Even though CyberGhost isn’t a totally free VPN, it is free to try. It has a 24-hour free trial period that lets you test all of its premium features with no payment details needed. Plus, it has a generous 45-day money-back guarantee on all long-term plans.
I also really appreciate the device compatibility that this VPN offers. Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost has apps for all major platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, PC, Linux, and smart TVs (and supports manual setups on routers). Plus, all of the apps have default settings that make setting up and using the VPN really easy — it only takes a few clicks.
CyberGhost is a good VPN for streaming and torrenting in Canada as well. CyberGhost has 100+ streaming servers that work with 50+ streaming services (like Netflix Canada). Plus, it has 8,500+ P2P servers in 70+ countries for faster downloads and works with top P2P apps like BitTorrent, uTorrent, and Vuze.
The VPN also has impressive security and privacy features. It has a no-logs policy that’s been independently verified, plus it shares a transparency report every 3 months. It also supports very good VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and WireGuard that are all great for speeds and security. Plus, its Content Blocker feature protects you from visiting malicious sites, and its NoSpy servers are more secure since only CyberGhost’s staff have access to them.
CyberGhost VPN has affordable prices that start at $2.19 / month. In addition to the 45-day refund for long-term plans, it also has a 14-day money-back guarantee for its shortest plan.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN is a user-friendly VPN that’s ideal for beginners. It has excellent device compatibility, works great for streaming and torrenting, has robust security and privacy features like an audited no-logs policy, Content Blocker, and NoSpy servers, and has a free 24-hour trial and a generous risk-free 45-day money-back guarantee for long-term plans.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
🥉 3. hide.me — Good Free VPN for Torrenting
hide.me is a really good free VPN for P2P traffic. It allows torrenting on all of its free servers and works with all of the popular torrenting apps. It also has port forwarding, which helps you get faster download speeds. It doesn’t have servers in Canada but does have a server location in the US, which is close enough for good speeds.
I like how hide.me includes all of its excellent security features with the free plan. It comes with RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection. Its no-logs policy underwent an audit, but it was confirmed way back in 2015 — I’d like to see hide.me conduct an updated audit to align itself with most of the other VPNs on this list.
The free plan also comes with extra features like split-tunneling, which is really great since you can use this feature to only send P2P traffic through the VPN to boost your speeds. There’s also MultiHop, which sends your traffic through 2 servers instead of 1 for extra security.
I had fast speeds for torrenting, and the free plan comes with unlimited data. This means you can download as many files as you want, which is rare for a free VPN.
hide.me offers monthly and yearly paid plans that start at $2.22 / month and include 10 connections, and servers in 54 locations. All plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
hide.me is a good free VPN for torrenting in Canada. The free plan provides decent speeds and access to servers nearby Canada (in the US), as well as really good security features and extras like split-tunneling and MultiHop. Plus, it comes with unlimited data for downloading files.
4. Proton VPN — Great Free Plan for Canada With Unlimited Data
Proton VPN has a great free plan and is one of the only ones on the market to offer unlimited data. However, note that you only get 1 connection and access to servers in 5 countries — the US, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania. Even though it doesn’t have servers in Canada like hide.me, the US servers are close enough to provide good performance.
Proton VPN has excellent security and privacy features. In addition to perfect forward secrecy and full leak protection, you get full-disk encryption (so none of the data on the hard drive is readable). Plus, Proton VPN’s no-logs policy has been verified by an outside security firm, and it publishes a transparency report, which provides further proof that the VPN doesn’t store or share user data. I also like how all of Proton VPN’s apps are open-source, allowing anyone to inspect their code for security vulnerabilities. What’s more, all of its apps are audited.
Upgrading to ProtonVPN’s paid plans gets you streaming and torrenting support. The paid plans start at $4.99 / month and also include access to 4692 servers in 91 countries, including Canada, 10 connections, and a really good ad blocker (NetShield). All plans are covered by a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN is a great free VPN for Canada. It comes with unlimited data, fast speeds, and strong security features like full-disk encryption, full-leak protection, and open-source (and audited) apps. Upgrading to a paid plan gains you access to Canadian servers and full streaming and P2P support. Proton VPN backs all paid plans with a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Proton VPN review
5. Hotspot Shield — Good VPN for Surfing the Web (With Unlimited Data)
Hotspot Shield’s free plan is really good for surfing the web, as it allows unlimited data. It also has user-friendly apps and good features on the free plan, like automatic launch options so you never browse unprotected.
The provider’s free plan also provides very good security, as it comes with perfect forward secrecy and DNS leak protection. Plus, you get access to the provider’s proprietary protocol called Hydra, which obfuscates your traffic. You may also use the WireGuard protocol, which is super secure and very fast.
That said, the free plan doesn’t include a server in Canada — only the US, the UK, and Singapore. If that’s a deal-breaker, consider getting ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN instead. Also, the free plan limits you to 1 device and doesn’t support streaming. Plus, you have to watch ads to get unlimited data, otherwise, it’s 500 MB per month.
On the plus side, you get access to a very intuitive app. I like how there are helpful explanations for most settings and features and how it only takes a few seconds to find and connect to a server. You also get access to split-tunneling on the free plan.
Hotspot Shield’s paid version starts at $2.99 / month and adds streaming support, access to servers in 85 countries (including Canada), and more. It backs all plans with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Hotspot Shield is good for secure web browsing, as it allows unlimited data. It also provides pretty fast speeds, strong security, and easy-to-use apps. But it limits you to servers in 3 countries (Canada is not available) and 1 device. The paid plans are affordable and come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Hotspot Shield review
Bonus. Windscribe — Easy-to-use Free VPN for Streaming
Windscribe’s free plan provides access to servers in 10+ countries, including Canada, and it works with popular streaming services, including Netflix Canada, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, as well as less-popular streaming services like DAZN and Crave. Also, it’s a very user-friendly VPN with a simple setup for its apps and a clean, well-organized interface that also supports unlimited connections.
Unlike Proton VPN and Hotspot Shield, Windscribe has a data cap of 10 GB per month (if you don’t provide your email address, you only get 2 GB). This is a decent allotment for basic browsing but is only enough to watch a few movies in HD or download a few medium-sized files.
Windscribe’s paid plans start at $5.75 / month and add unlimited data, servers in 62 countries, and full access to the ad blocker. But there’s only a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Windscribe’s free plan comes with user-friendly apps and good streaming support. It also has servers in Canada and a few other countries. The provider has affordable prices and a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Windscribe review
Quick Comparison Table
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To find the best free VPNs for use in Canada, I followed our rigorous testing methodology to make sure I only recommend VPNs with good security, fast speeds, user-friendly apps, and feature-rich free plans. Here are the criteria I used in my analysis and comparison:
- I made sure to only choose free VPNs with servers in Canada or nearby countries. In order to use services specific to Canada, like your bank or Netflix Canada, you need a VPN with servers in Canada. Some free VPNs don’t have servers in Canada but provide fast and reliable connections in nearby countries like the US. All of the VPNs listed here check each box.
- I checked that the VPN had strong security. My recommended VPNs follow industry standards like military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch that disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection fails, and DNS leak protection to prevent your data from being exposed.
- I prioritized a high data allowance. The majority of free VPNs set strict limits on your data. Proton VPN is one of the rare exceptions and allows unlimited data on its free plan.
- I tested for fast speeds. Encrypting your connection helps VPNs secure your data online, but the process slows down your connection speeds. I tested and confirmed that all of the VPNs on this list maintain fast speeds (ExpressVPN was, by far, the fastest).
- I selected free VPNs with affordable paid plans. If you do decide to upgrade to a paid plan, all of the VPNs I’ve recommended above offer affordable premium plans and come with a money-back guarantee.
Risks & Disadvantages of Using a Free VPN
- Inferior security. Many free VPNs are missing essential security features that you need to stay safe online. This includes 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy.
- Slow speeds. Due to the relatively small number of servers free VPNs offer, these servers get overcrowded, which further slows down your speeds. However, all of the VPNs listed above maintain fast speeds.
- Blacklisted IP addresses. Free VPNs usually don’t refresh their IP addresses as often as premium VPNs. This means it’s easier for websites to block you from visiting them.
- No streaming support. A lot of free VPNs don’t support streaming or don’t work with popular streaming apps. And the few that do typically impose a strict daily/monthly data cap. To get the best streaming experience, I recommend using a premium VPN like ExpressVPN — it has lightning-fast speeds and works with 100+ streaming services.
- Selling data. Some free VPNs log your online activity and then sell the data to third parties, who use the information to target you with ads. To ensure your privacy, it’s important to choose a VPN with a strict no-logs policy.
Free vs. Paid VPNs for Canada
The free VPNs on my list come with important security features like a kill switch, no-logs policy, AES 256-bit encryption, and leak protection. Some of them also have advanced security features like RAM-only servers or perfect forward secrecy.
Most free VPNs don’t have the same features as paid VPNs, unfortunately. They’re usually missing multiple device connections, don’t have many server options to choose from, don’t support streaming or torrenting, enforce data caps, and may even limit your speeds.
Some examples — hide.me supports torrenting and has unlimited data but only allows 1 device connection and doesn’t support streaming. Windscribe limits your data to 10 GB per month but supports streaming. Proton VPN has great security and unlimited data but only has 1 device connection and 5 server locations.
On the other hand, paid VPN plans include a lot more: a large server network with servers in 100 or more countries, unlimited data and speeds, streaming and torrenting support, and multiple or unlimited device connections.
There are good free VPN plans out there (including the ones listed above), but premium VPNs are better overall. Here’s an easy way to compare:
Free VPNs for Canada to Avoid
- SuperVPN. SuperVPN poses a risk to users, as it records personal data such as browser type and IP address. It also misses several critical security features and has a significant data breach in its history.
- Hola VPN. Hola VPN is not considered safe. It operates on a P2P basis, so when you connect, you use someone else’s IP address and vice versa. This setup allows others to engage in unethical or illegal actions using your IP, which could endanger you. Furthermore, it has a history of compromising user privacy.
- TuxlerVPN. TuxlerVPN’s questionable privacy policies include tracking your browser data, contact details, and website interactions, and claims in its privacy policy that it shares this data with third parties.
- AceVPN. AceVPN is missing vital security features such as a kill switch and does not offer dedicated device apps, requiring manual setup. Additionally, it provides only a limited selection of server locations.
- Phone Guardian. Phone Guardian offers limited functionality by only encrypting your data. It lacks other standard VPN features, such as the ability to change your location and IP address, so it isn’t very effective.
- Hoxx VPN. Hoxx VPN is not recommended for those concerned about privacy, as it logs your details, including IP address and online activities, and may retain this information even after you discontinue use.
- TouchVPN. TouchVPN has a large network with servers in over 80 locations, which is pretty good for a free VPN. However, it records your IP address and browsing activities.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. This provider is secure, provides pretty good speeds, and is good for streaming and torrenting. Unfortunately, it lacks a free plan (although its paid plans are super cheap).
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is one of the best VPNs in 2024, allows unlimited connections, is easy to use, and gives free users access to all of the servers and features that are available on the paid plans. Unfortunately, the free plan has a small 2 GB monthly data cap.
- Avira Phantom VPN. Avira Phantom VPN has a good free plan with unlimited connections, fast speeds, and access to servers in 35 countries. However, it limits you to 500 MB, which is only enough for browsing, and its desktop apps don’t let you choose the server you want to connect to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best free VPN for Canada?
ExpressVPN is my top pick for using a VPN in Canada. It doesn’t have a free plan, but it covers all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free. ExpressVPN includes industry-leading security features, lightning-fast speeds, works with 100+ streaming services, including Netflix Canada and CBC, allows torrenting on all its servers in Canada, and has user-friendly apps for all major operating systems.
For a completely free VPN for Canada, I recommend hide.me. It offers great torrenting support on its free plan, provides good speeds, has strong security, and is user-friendly.
Can I access my DAZN account using a free VPN?
Unfortunately, most free VPNs don’t work with DAZN. This is because either they don’t support streaming or don’t work with the streaming service.
The best free VPN for DAZN is Windscribe, but it only has a 10 GB monthly data limit. For the best DAZN streaming experience, I recommend ExpressVPN — it has unlimited data and is really fast.
Do free VPNs work with Netflix Canada?
Some do, including Windscribe. It has servers in Canada, but it also has a 10 GB monthly data limit that will only be enough to watch a handful of movies.
ExpressVPN is the best choice for securely streaming Netflix Canada. It has servers located in 3 Canadian cities, maintains lightning-fast speeds, and works 100% of the time with Netflix Canada.
What’s the fastest free VPN for Canada?
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN on the market. In my tests, I had lightning-fast speeds on all Canadian servers for all of my favorite online activities, including browsing, streaming, torrenting, and gaming. Although it’s not free, ExpressVPN’s plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test its speeds risk-free.
