AdGuard VPN Free 2024 Review: 5 cons and 3 pros

AdGuard VPN Free 2024 Review: 5 cons and 3 pros

6.6
★★★
  1. AdGuard VPN Free: Free VPN With Data Limit 3 GB per month/mo

    • Very low download (22 Mb/s) and upload (21 Mb/s)
    • The amount of data transferred is limited to 3 GB per month
    • Only 50servers are available
    • Only 2 simultaneously connectable devices
    • Not applicable for streaming video
    • Uses its own AdGuard protocol
    • Free for unlimited time
    • Very good security level

    The AdGuard VPN Free is one of the products of AdGuard Software Limited, a company that has specialized in Internet security since 2009. Although the first version of AdGuard VPN was only released in 2020, it quickly proved its potential.

    The free version AdGuard VPN Free can be used indefinitely, with the advantage of broad device support and a very good level of security. Its operator uses its own AdGuard protocol in its products, one of the best on the market, as it is very difficult to detect VPN connections. The unpaid variant also serves as a trial version of the paid AdGuard VPN.

    Compared to the paid version, AdGuard VPN Free has a number of limitations. Users only have access to 50 servers and can only connect to 2 devices from a single user account. The amount of data transferred is limited to 3 GB per month, the connection speed is artificially reduced, and AdGuard VPN Free does not support streaming videos or torrents.

    All in all, AdGuard VPN Free is a good choice for users considering getting the paid option. However, for the best free VPN, AdGuard VPN Free loses out.

  2. AdGuard VPN Free Subscription: Discount Code, Free Trial, Money Back Guarantee…

    • Your Price:  Free (2 devices)

    AdGuard VPN Free is free, so it can be used as a trial version of the paid AdGuard VPN. Unlike other free VPNs, its use is not limited in time.

    No special actions are required to use AdGuard VPN Free. Download the classic app version designed for your device, create a user account, and skip the subscription option. Detailed instructions are available on the AdGuard website.

    Under one account, AdGuard VPN Free can be used on a maximum of 2 devices simultaneously.

    The paid version AdGuard VPN priced at $2.40 per month offers unlimited connection speeds, unlimited data transfers, and full support for streaming videos and torrents. It can be used on up to 10 devices simultaneously.

  3. AdGuard VPN Free and Supported Devices: Android, iOS, macOS…

    • Device limit: 2

    Platforms supported

    • Android:
      Yes
      Android is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Android TV:
      No
      Android TV is supported by 36 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Apple TV:
      No
      Apple TV is supported by 18 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Fire TV:
      No
      Fire TV is supported by 43 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Chromebook:
      No
      Chromebook is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Chromecast:
      No
      Chromecast is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
    • iOS:
      Yes
      iOS is supported by 99 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Kodi:
      No
      Kodi is supported by 21 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Linux:
      No
      Linux is supported by 61 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Mac:
      Yes
      Mac is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
    • NAS:
      No
      NAS is supported by 24 % of reviewed VPNs
    • nVidia Shield:
      No
      nVidia Shield is supported by 14 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Playstation:
      No
      Playstation is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Raspberry Pi:
      No
      Raspberry Pi is supported by 17 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Roku:
      No
      Roku is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Router:
      No
      Router is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Windows:
      Yes
      Windows is supported by 100 % of reviewed VPNs
    • xBox:
      No
      xBox is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs

    Browser Extensions

    • Brave :
      Yes
      The Brave browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Chrome :
      Yes
      The Chrome browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Edge :
      Yes
      The Edge browser add-on is offered by 21 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Firefox :
      Yes
      The Firefox browser add-on is offered by 34 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Opera :
      Yes
      The Opera browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Safari :
      No
      The Safari browser add-on is offered by 0 % of reviewed VPNs.
    • Vivaldi :
      Yes
      The Vivaldi browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.

    AdGuard VPN Free supports the same platforms as the paid version.

    VPN can be used on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS operating systems. Users can also install add-ons for Chrome, Brave, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Vivaldi browsers.

    Extensions for smart TVs, gaming consoles, or routers are not yet available. However, AdGuard VPN Free is constantly evolving and is regularly updated, so it is possible that the list of supported devices will expand in the future.

  4. AdGuard VPN Free App: User-friendliness, whitelist, server selection…

    • App Languages: 🇺🇸 English +8 more🇪🇸 Spanish 🇷🇺 Russian 🇫🇷 French 🇮🇹 Italian 🇯🇵 Japanese 🇨🇳 Chinese 🇰🇷 Korean 🇩🇪 German
    • Whitelisting:
      Yes
      Whitelisting is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs

    Installing AdGuard VPN Free is quick and easy. In case of complications, detailed instructions on installing and using the application are available on the website separately for each supported platform.

    The application environment AdGuard VPN Free is clear. Its use is intuitive and easy to understand, even for beginners. What we appreciate about it is the original graphic design and clear interface. The application AdGuard VPN Free is translated into 9 languages including English. Users can choose between dark and light modes.

    The unpaid version AdGuard VPN Free has a number of limitations compared to the full version. For example, users do not have access to all available servers, and the amount of data transferred is limited to 3 GB per month.

    In the application settings AdGuard VPN Free, the user can enable automatic VPN activation when connected to a Wi-Fi network. The application will choose the most suitable server for the connection itself. The user can change the choice, he just has to choose from the servers available for the non-paid version.

    All available and unavailable servers are listed alphabetically, with those locked next to each other having a lock icon. An interesting option is to select a server according to its current response speed, which is displayed next to the name as an ms value (for example, 13 ms). The lower the value, the better. The fastest VPNs are colored green, plus the top three currently best servers appear at the top of the list.

    The AdGuard VPN Free application gives users the option to select sites to access directly. This whitelist feature is useful if you want to separate normal activity and activities where you need to protect yourself with a VPN. You can choose between general mode and integrated mode. General mode uses AdGuard’s own protocol and is faster, while the slower integrated mode uses IPSec.

    The advantage of AdGuard VPN Free is the ability to switch between DNS servers. The default DNS servers are used in the application’s automatic setup, but you can choose from up to 9 additional servers or add your own. You can also change some advanced settings in the application, such as logging level or diagnostic information.

  5. AdGuard VPN Free Connection Speed: Upload, Download & Latency

    • Traffic limit: 3 GB per month

    Download speed

    Upload speed

    Server latency

    Connection speed is intentionally reduced in the free version of AdGuard VPN Free.

    During testing, we achieved average download speeds of 22 Mb/s and upload speeds of 21 Mb/s. Compared to other VPNs, this is very below average, not enough for 4K video playback. For these purposes, a speed of at least 50 MB/s is generally required.

    The data transfer limit for AdGuard VPN Free is limited to 3 GB per month, for video watching or torrenting purposes this is insufficient. We measured the response speed at 19 ms.

    Unlimited data transfer volume and download speeds of up to 91 Mb/s are offered by the paid variant AdGuard VPN priced at $2.40 per month.

  6. AdGuard VPN Free Server Locations

    • Number of servers:
      50
      The average number of servers for the reviewed VPNs is 1699.
    • Number of countries:
      11
      The average number of countries available for the reviewed VPNs is 41.
    Europe 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇹 Italy 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇵🇱 Poland 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇹🇷 Turkey 🇺🇦 Ukraine
    North America 🇺🇸 USA
    South America
    Asia
    Africa
    Oceania

    AdGuard VPN Free has only 50 servers in 11 countries in its offer. Compared to the competition, this is below average.

    Moreover, with the exception of one server in the US, all are located in Europe. There are no countries with government censorship issues. AdGuard VPN Free does operate servers in the USA and the United Kingdom.

    Servers of the paid variant AdGuard VPN are generally fast and sufficient for 4K video playback. However, the AdGuard VPN Free servers have deliberately limited data transfer speeds, making them unusable for ultra-high-definition content playback.

    Overall, the range of countries, servers, and data transfer rates for AdGuard VPN Free are inferior to those of competitors. For occasional use, however, the free option is usable. AdGuard itself states that the free version serves more as a means to try out the paid version AdGuard VPN.

  7. AdGuard VPN Free Security Features: DNS Leak Protection, Kill Switch…

    • DNS leak protection :
      Yes
      DNS leak protection is offered by 92% of the reviewed VPNs.
    • Kill Switch:
      Yes
      Kill Switch is supported by 87% of the reviewed VPNs.
    • Multi-Hop:
      No
      Multi-Hop connection is offered by 20 % of the VPNs reviewed.
    • Tor:
      No
      Tor support is offered by 19 % of the reviewed VPNs.

    The security level is very good with AdGuard VPN Free. DNS protection is available through AdGuard servers, the user can also choose one of the servers from other providers such as Cisco, OpenDNS, or Quad9.

    The AdGuard VPN Free supports a kill switch feature that disconnects the device from the Internet when it loses connection to the VPN server. This prevents the user’s data from being compromised and their location from being revealed.

    The advantage of AdGuard VPN Free is the use of its own proprietary AdGuard protocol. The protocol cannot be distinguished from a traditional Internet connection, which reduces the risk of the VPN connection being detected. It is planned to publish the protocol as open source in the future. The AdGuard VPN Free uses TLS 1.3 with both 128-bit and 256-bit encryption.

    From a security perspective, we can recommend AdGuard VPN Free.

  8. AdGuard VPN Free & Streaming: Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime…

    • Amazon Prime:
      No
      Amazon Prime streaming is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Disney+:
      No
      Disney+ streaming is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
    • HBO:
      No
      HBO streaming is supported by 57 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Hulu:
      No
      Hulu streaming is supported by 49 % of reviewed VPNs
    • Netflix:
      No
      Netflix streaming is supported by 67 % of reviewed VPNs
    • YouTube:
      Yes
      YouTube streaming is supported by 97 % of reviewed VPNs

    During our testing of AdGuard VPN Free, we were unable to unblock any streaming platforms other than YouTube. We couldn’t even connect to servers that support streaming; that’s the privilege of the paid version only AdGuard VPN.

    Considering the data intensity of streaming video and the existing limit of data transferred, 3 GB per month is not AdGuard VPN Free suitable for these purposes anyway. However, most competing free VPNs also don’t support streaming, so AdGuard VPN Free isn’t far behind in that regard.

    The paid option AdGuard VPN can unblock video from streaming platforms Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.

  9. Features of AdGuard VPN Free: AdBlock, Static IP…

    • Blocks Ads:
      Yes
      Ad blocking is offered by 44 % of the VPNs reviewed.
    • Blocks Malware:
      Yes
      Malware blocking is offered by 33 % of the VPNs reviewed.
    • Blocks Trackers:
      Yes
      Trackers blocking is offered by 38 % of the VPNs reviewed.

    AdGuard VPN Free handles blocking ads, trackers, and malware very well, using its own DNS servers to do so.

    An advantage is the available kill switch feature, which disconnects the user from the Internet if the connection to the VPN server fails. This prevents sensitive data leakage and possible disclosure of the user’s location. The AdGuard VPN Free also supports the exclusion of websites and applications on which the VPN connection should not be active.

    Static IP address, port forwarding, and other features were not available when writing this review. However, AdGuard VPN Free is under active development, and new features are continuously being added. However, it is possible that they will only be included in the paid version.

  10. AdGuard VPN Free‘s CPU usage and App Performance

    The AdGuard VPN Free for Windows is one of the least power-hungry applications on the device. Not only does it only take up around 50 MB in storage, but at the same time, it develops a lower load than the paid version.

    In addition, it is generally possible to reduce the load on the device by limiting some VPN features. For the free version AdGuard VPN Free, some restrictions are already active, but even greater savings can be achieved, for example, by deactivating the automatic start of the VPN when connected to the Internet.

    We did not notice any load problems when using AdGuard VPN Free.

  11. AdGuard VPN Free Torrenting Servers

    • Torrenting servers:
      Yes
      Torrenting support is offered by 89 % of the reviewed VPNs.

    AdGuard VPN Free blocks connections to P2P servers, so torrenting is not supported either.

    This feature is only available in the paid version AdGuard VPN, which offers unlimited data transfers and faster connection speeds. During testing, we achieved average download 91 Mb/s and upload 94 Mb/s values.

  12. What is the country of origin of AdGuard VPN Free?

    • VPN Provider: AdGuard Software Limited
    • Country of origin: 🇨🇾 Cyprus

    AdGuard VPN Free is one of many services developed by AdGuard Software Limited. The latter has been in business since 2009 and has specialized in protecting privacy in the online world since the beginning. You may know it for the excellent AdGuard AdBlocker.

    The company was founded in Moscow but is now headquartered in Cyprus. The country is a member of the European Union and is not one of the countries notorious for tracking and sharing information about its citizens.

    The provider AdGuard VPN claims to guarantee a high level of privacy for users.

  13. AdGuard VPN Free and Privacy: Logging Policy, Security Issues…

    • No-Logs Policy:
      Yes
      The No-Logs Policy is followed by 78% of reviewed VPNs.

    For AdGuard VPN Free, the same privacy conditions apply as for the paid option.

    Only data necessary for the proper functioning of the service is collected by the applications. This includes the email address and password required to create a user account and diagnostic data (volume of data transferred, length of connection to the VPN), which is necessary to monitor the limits of the free version.

    In addition, the AdGuard website uses cookies, no other data is collected by AdGuard VPN Free.

    Furthermore, all data collected is immediately anonymized to not be linked to specific users. A kill switch feature is available to support user privacy.

    As of the time of writing this review, no audit AdGuard VPN Free has been performed to guarantee the level of security. At the same time, however, AdGuard has never experienced a leak of user data.

    Thus, AdGuard VPN Free can be considered a secure service in terms of privacy compliance.

  14. AdGuard VPN Free Support: Chat, e-mail…

    To contact technical support at AdGuard VPN Free, you can use the email address provided for traditional questions (support@adguard-vpn.com) or for security-related issues (security@adguard.com).

    Users can also participate in open discussions on the AdGuard blog, GitHub, Telegram, and Reddit. The website has a knowledge base and FAQ center. AdGuard is also active on the social networks Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

    The quality of support at AdGuard VPN is average compared to competing VPNs. While it does give users a fairly large selection of available resources, we miss the option of direct, quick contact via chat, for example.

  15. AdGuard VPN Free FAQ

    What is the difference between paid AdGuard VPN and free AdGuard VPN Free?
    The paid version AdGuard VPN offers unlimited data transfers and connection speeds with no limits. During my tests, I achieved the download 91 Mb/s and upload 94 Mb/s values. Users can connect to 1,000 servers in 59 countries around the world on up to 10 devices simultaneously. Support for torrents, streaming video, or split tunneling is also advantageous.
    What server AdGuard VPN Free should I choose?
    By default, the choice of server depends on why you want to use the VPN. If you want to remain anonymous, it is recommended to use the geographically closest server. If you want to change your current location, choose any server other than the one in your location. For the fastest connection, just select the server with the lowest ms value in the app. Fast servers are colored green, with the three fastest servers at the very top before all others.
    Is AdGuard VPN Free secure?
    Yes, AdGuard VPN Free is a secure VPN. Users have dedicated DNS servers and a kill switch feature. In addition, AdGuard VPN Free uses its own AdGuard protocol, which is one of the best on the market. All sensitive data stored by AdGuard VPN Free is immediately anonymized. The AdGuard VPN Free does not store user logs and has no history of data leakage.

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