This is a list of free VPN services that are usable with regular OpenVPN program. These are useful for:
- getting quick access when you don’t have a VPN account handy;
- backup connection that is rarely used and for which you don’t want to pay subscription fee.
They also work where you have OpenVPN, but can’t or don’t want to install service’s own app.
The following characteristics are not considered:
- security - not considered
- privacy - not considered
- speed and latency - not considered
Basically, if it works, it can be included in this list. Look at it this way: you get more than what you paid for. Note, however, that OpenVPN configuration file can contain things that affect your system. You can check the config before using it or use an app that imports configuration and discards dangerous options.
Services that provide OpenVPN configs
- Proton VPN – registration needed
- VPNBook – no registration, password changes periodically
- FreeOpenVPN – no registration, password changes periodically
Services that don’t provide OpenVPN configs for free
Although you do need their custom client app, if you snatch OpenVPN configuration from it, you can use it with regular OpenVPN on a different device. For example, you can install the app on VM and forget about it afterward.
- Windscribe – open source apps for multiple platforms, registration with email (disposable works), 10 GB/month, OpenVPN user name and password are different from account’s credentials
- PrivadoVPN – apps for multiple platforms, but not Linux, registration with email (disposable doesn’t seem to work), unlimited data, better speed for first 10 GB/month
- hide.me – apps for multiple platforms, open source client with limited functionality, registration with email (disposable doesn’t seem to work), unlimited data, requires manual extension every month, internet access seems to be blocked by default, addresses resolved by their DNS server are automatically unblocked.
If you know other similar services, feel free to share.