For years, getting any kind of meaningful VPN protection meant signing up for a paid service or fumbling with sketchy free apps that often did more harm than good. Mozilla just removed that dilemma for Firefox users by rolling out a free, built-in VPN as part of the browser itself. The feature works quietly in the background, hides your IP address from sites you visit and asks for nothing in return. It's a notable shake-up for a category long dominated by subscriptions.
Keep in mind that free VPNs can be dangerous. If they're not from a trusted provider, they can put your data at risk or include vulnerabilities you wouldn't find in some of the more popular paid VPN services.
In its post about the Firefox 149 updates, Mozilla notes, "Free VPNs can sometimes mean sketchy arrangements that end up compromising your privacy, but ours is built from our data principles and commitment to be the world's most trusted browser."
In CNET's tests, among VPN services that offer a free tier, the best free plan on the market is Proton VPN's free service. (It's the only free VPN CNET currently recommends.) But the free Proton VPN service is missing some features found in the company's premium plan, such as the ability to choose a server manually or connect multiple devices at the same time.
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For limited or casual use
Mozilla's overall VPN technology has undergone independent audits from Cure53, has resolved security issues over its history and uses WireGuard, which gives it a good security foundation.
The browser-based free version may give the impression that it offers the same level of overall protection as a stand-alone VPN. However, it only protects web traffic viewed through the Firefox browser.
"The fundamental limitation is scope," said Jacob Kalvo, a cybersecurity expert and CEO of Live Proxies, which provides technical services to businesses and individuals. "[The free Firefox VPN] only protects browser traffic, not apps, system processes or other network activity. That creates a false sense of 'full protection' for less technical users."
That could make it a useful feature for casual use while browsing the web for those who don't already have a VPN service. And Kalvo says the 50GB data limit is generous for a browser-based VPN.
But, he said, for anything involving "sensitive data, competitive intelligence, or large-scale operations," he doesn't recommend it.
"This is a controlled, limited-use product rather than a full privacy solution," Kalvo said.