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99 Free Online Privacy and Security Tools

99 Free Privacy Tools for 2024: Online Security Apps for Nothing

Trackers, malware, spyware, ads, search engines – there is no shortage of software that aims to grab as much of your user data as possible. These free privacy tools can help you prevent that.

Andrej Hadji-VasilevSamuel ChapmanJasna Mishevska

Written by Andrej Hadji-Vasilev (Writer)

Reviewed by Samuel Chapman (Editor)

Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)

Last Updated: 2024-02-08T15:44:00+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

User privacy is an important topic. Companies left and right are selling your data to advertisers, making it very likely that your data will fall into the wrong hands at some point. If you want to be proactive to mitigate your risks — without spending a dime — we’ve got 99 free privacy tools that’ll help: VPNs, antivirus, password managers, secure messaging, ad blockers and more. 

Key Takeaways:

  • Keeping your data private should always be a priority when you’re online. 
  • Most of the apps you use on a daily basis aren’t optimized for privacy, which creates the need for privacy-oriented tools and browser extensions. 
  • The best way to ensure security and privacy is to use tools that are built around protecting your user data. 

One thing to note before we get into the tools themselves is that they are not necessarily recommendations, and they are in no particular order. Some will do a better job than others, so try them out before committing. 

  • 05/15/2022 Facts checked

     Since publishing our original article, we added a few new tools to the list, and reordered the list slightly. 

  • 01/20/2024

    Changed Blur’s name to IronVest to reflect its rebranding.

VPNs

A VPN, or virtual private network, will encrypt your connection and route it through its servers, hiding your real IP address and location. 

1. Windscribe

how to watch full house windscribe
Windscribe’s UI puts plenty of information at a glance. 

Windscribe is our top recommendation for a free VPN. Its free plan provides 10GB of data and 10 locations to choose from, and you can learn more about it in our Windscribe review.

2. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN app
ProtonVPN took a page from NordVPN’s design book with its map overview. 

ProtonVPN’s free plan comes with three locations and unlimited data. It does limit your speed, but it is still absolutely respectable. We talk more about it in our ProtonVPN review.

3. TunnelBear

tunnelbear review ease of use
TunnelBear doesn’t fail to remind you how much data you have left for the month. 

TunnelBear VPN has solid encryption and respectable speeds, though 500MB of data per month is hardly enough for anyone. You can find out more about the virtual private network in our TunnelBear review.

4. Hide.me

Hide.me Windows client
Hide.me will subtly remind you that you’re on its free plan. 

Hide.me’s free plan provides you with 10GB of data per month and five server locations. You can only use the VPN on a single device, though. You can find out more about Hide.me in our Hide.me review.

5. Speedify

Speedify-VPN-dark-theme
Speedify shows you info like connection speeds — pretty useful if you ask us. 

Speedify is primarily a tool that aims to speed up your connection, but it’s also a VPN that doesn’t require an account. It’s not the fastest — nor the safest — VPN out there, but it does the job and it gives you 2GB of data per month. You can read our Speedify review for more details. 

6. Hotspot Shield

hotspot shield client
Hotspot Shield’s dashboard gives you all the info and statistics you could need. 

Hotspot Shield comes with respectable performance, solid security and 500MB of data per day. The privacy policy isn’t too impressive, though, which we discuss in our Hotspot Shield review.  You should also avoid using it on mobile, since its app doesn’t encrypt your traffic. It works more like a free proxy, rather than a true VPN app.

7. PrivadoVPN

07 privadovpn
PrivadoVPN puts the kill switch front and center, though we’d advise against disabling it. 

PrivadoVPN has a generous 10GB of data and offers plenty of protection despite the bare-bones features. The strict no-logs policy and excellent device compatibility are great too. You can find out more in our PrivadoVPN review

8. VPNBook

08 vpnbook
VPNBook offers plenty of configuration files, though setting it up is difficult. 

VPNBook is an all-free VPN based on OpenVPN. It comes with several preconfigured files, but it’s a chore to set up. We wouldn’t recommend it for users who aren’t tech-savvy. 

9. Avira Phantom VPN

09 avira phantomvpn
We wish Avira told us which location we’re tunneling through. 

Avira Phantom VPN’s free plan gets you 500MB of encrypted data per month (1GB if you register and verify your email) and limited functionality. If you only need a basic VPN, without much data or advanced security features, Phantom VPN does the job. Read more about it in our Avira Phantom VPN review.

10. PacketiX

10 packetix
PacketiX’s website shows you how websites looked like 20 years ago — and the UI is no different.

PacketiX looks ancient, but functions well. It’s basically an online environment for PacketiX VPN, aimed at students but available to anyone who’d like to give it a try. 

11. SecurityKISS

11 securitykiss
SecurityKISS will give you a list of locations to choose from and show you how much data you have left. 

SecurityKISS VPN doesn’t require you to register for an account, and there are no ads or speed throttling. The free version limits you to 300MB of data per day though.

12. ZoogVPN

12 zoogvpn
ZoogVPN’s web interface gives you all your account information at a glance. 

ZoogVPN has a solid free plan that you can get by registering and verifying your email. It gives you 10GB of data and five locations, as well as apps for almost all popular devices. Read our full ZoogVPN review to learn more.  

13. TorVPN

13 torvpn
TorVPN lists several use cases, but 2GB of data won’t be enough for P2P and (legal) torrenting. 

TorVPN is based on OpenVPN, and is a bit complicated to work with. You have to re-register every seven days, and for the duration of each registration period, you have 2GB of data and only one server (which you can change at the beginning of each period). 

Password Managers

Password managers will generate strong passwords and securely store them for you so you only have to remember one master password. 

14. Bitwarden

bitwarden my vault
Bitwarden’s categories make finding a password easy. 

Bitwarden’s free plan is great for individuals who don’t need advanced features — in fact it ranks as our top free password manager. It’s very secure and easy to use, as we discussed in our Bitwarden review.

15. Dashlane

alternative lastpass dashlane
Dashlane offers a lot of features, and its UI is easy to work with. 

Dashlane is our favorite password manager for macOS, and it comes in second on our list of the overall best password managers. The free plan is very generous, letting you store up to 50 passwords on a single device. You can read more about it in our Dashlane review

16. Sticky Password

sticky-password-slider1
Sticky Password doesn’t have the most modern UI, but it’s great in terms of functionality.

As we discussed in our Sticky Password review, this password manager has plenty of features for tech-savvy users. Autofill, password generator, secure notes, digital wallet, two-factor authentication (2FA) and even biometric authentication are all available with the free plan. 

17. Zoho Vault

Zoho-Vault-Slider1
Zoho Vault offers a lot of password templates for popular apps. 

Zoho Vault‘s personal plan is free and offers plenty of features. There is no limit on how many passwords and notes you can store, and there’s a password generator too. You can find out more about it in our Zoho Vault review

18. IronVest

privacy ext blur
IronVest will jump in when it notices an opportunity to generate a strong password.

IronVest (formerly Blur) is a feature-rich extension. Even with the free plan, you’re looking at an excellent password manager and generator. You can find out more about it in our IronVest review.

19. RoboForm

roboform-security-center
The password strength indicator boosts security and privacy.

RoboForm offers a password manager that saves unlimited logins, has autofill and works on almost any platform. You can find out more about it in our RoboForm review

20. LastPass

lastpass dashboard
Icons make it easy to find a specific password you’ve saved with LastPass.

LastPass is an overall excellent free password manager. You get unlimited passwords, autofill and a password generator, but there’s a one-device limit on the free plan. We covered it in more detail in our LastPass review.

21. Norton Password Manager

20 norton password manager
Norton’s categories approach makes combing through your passwords very easy. 

Available as a browser extension or a dedicated mobile app, the Norton Password Manager is a great way to store and organize passwords, addresses, cards and notes. The mobile app lets you unlock it with a fingerprint or Face ID, making it even more secure. It’s free, and aside from being a stand-alone product, it’s also included in the Norton Security suite we reviewed

22. RememBear

remembear-achievements
RememBear has an achievements section that’s basically a security to-do list. 

RememBear is a password manager that gives you all its features for free, but only on one device. You can store one-time 2FA codes, and it even has support for biometric authentication. Read more about it in our RememBear review

23. LogMeOnce

LogMeOnce-Slider2
The web interface certainly requires some getting used to. 

We mentioned in our LogMeOnce review that the user interface is a pain to deal with, and that still holds true. However, if you’re willing to spend some time learning how to navigate it, LogMeOnce is one of the most feature-packed free password managers out there. 

24. Master Password

23 master password
You can try out Master Password on their website. 

Master Password is a creative take on a password generator that creates complex passwords. Its Spectre algorithm uses your name, a secret word or phrase of your choosing and a domain to generate a unique password in a reproducible manner. Passwords are stored locally on your device, and you only need your master password to access them. 

25. KeePass

KeePass-homepage-2020
KeePass, when are you going to update your UI? 

KeePass’s user interface unfortunately hasn’t been updated in quite some time. That being said, it’s open source and free, so if you’re willing to spend just a few minutes getting to know it, it might be the secure password manager you need. Find more details about it in our KeePass review.

26. NordPass

26 nordpass
NordPass lets you create custom folders for better organization. 

NordPass is a free password manager that lets you save unlimited passwords with autofill and autosave. There’s even multi-factor authentication, which we discuss in our NordPass review.

27. Avira Password Manager

27 avira password manager
While the UI is simple enough, the tips and tricks let you get the hang of it very quickly. 

The Avira Password Manager has a free plan with a password generator, autofill and multi-device sync. It will even save your credit cards. All of this makes it an excellent choice if you don’t want to spend money. 

28. Keeper

Keeper-Security-Audit
The web vault is unfortunately reserved for paying customers. 

Keeper’s mobile-only password manager has unlimited password storage and a password generator for a single mobile device, with 2FA for added security. We discuss it in more detail in our Keeper review.

29. Google Chrome Password Manager

chrome password manager
Chrome’s built-in solution is very simple to use, and it’s better overall than you think. 

Google Chrome has an excellent built-in password manager, and best of all, it’s completely free. As we discussed in our Google Chrome review, it’s a convenient way to save your passwords. 

30. mSecure

30 msecure
Don’t worry about the countdown timer — it’s free after that, too. 

mSecure technically doesn’t offer a free plan, but you can continue to use the free features once your free trial for the paid version is over. mSecure lets you save unlimited passwords and provides you with over 20 built-in templates, as well as a strong password generator. 

Antiviruses

The best antivirus software will help protect your system from viruses and malware, as well as spyware and hijackers that may try to steal your data and hold it for ransom. 

31. AVG

AVG-Client
AVG’s dashboard shows you if any aspect of your device is unprotected. 

AVG topped our list of best free antivirus software, thanks to an overall excellent feature set that covers all bases. You get solid, real-time protection for your device and you can find out more about it in our AVG review.

32. TotalAV Antivirus

totalav-slider5
TotalAV will scan your system for malware, but also for any unnecessary startup programs and junk files. 

TotalAV might not be the first name that springs to mind, but their free antivirus solution is surprisingly good. It’s an on-demand antivirus scanner that’s very easy on system resources, allowing you to keep using your device while it does its job. Read more about it in our TotalAV Antivirus review.

33. Bitdefender Antivirus

Bitdefender-Free
We like a no-fuss interface every once in a while. 

Bitdefender took the win in our best antivirus for macOS roundup, but even if you aren’t a macOS user, it’s an impressive free antivirus (we ranked it as the most secure antivirus software). The free plan offers excellent real-time protection. You can find out more about it in our Bitdefender review

34. Avast

Avast-Client
Virus protection works great with Avast, though we’d steer clear of their performance enhancements. 

Avast is under the same management as AVG, but has slightly worse results in antivirus tests. It’s still user-friendly, convenient and keeps you safe from most threats. You can read more about it in our Avast review

35. Avira

Avira-Interface
Avira’s free plan offers trials for most of their paid programs.

Avira’s free version has real-time protection and multiple scan modes, which is excellent. You also get an ad blocker, as well as limited use of its (usually paid) Phantom VPN Pro. We cover it more extensively in our Avira review

36. Malwarebytes

36 malwarebytes
Malwarebytes’ real-time protection is unfortunately reserved for premium users. 

Malwarebytes is an on-demand anti-malware solution. It’s best used perpetually, to make sure any malware on your system is caught and dealt with. Read more about it in our Malwarebytes review

37. Microsoft Defender

37 msdefender
You’ll find Defender in the security settings.

Microsoft’s operating system comes with built-in antivirus software. Defender might not be flashy, and it may lack some features, but it’s very secure. For many users, that’s more than enough. 

38. Panda Free Antivirus

Panda Slider1
News in an antivirus is certainly a novelty. 

Panda Free Antivirus is a rather bare-bones version of the Panda Security Suite that we reviewed. It does a great job keeping your devices safe from malware and viruses, but the user interface is downright horrendous. 

39. Sophos Home Free

Sophos Home slider1
Overall status at a glance? Yes, please. 

If you don’t need real-time protection and you’re willing to run scans manually, the free plan of Sophos Home is a solid choice. You can use it on up to three devices and it has Sophos’ excellent parental control and web protection. When you get the free plan, you also get access to all the premium features for 30 days. You can read more about it in our Sophos Home review

40. Adaware Free Antivirus

40 adaware
Adaware is admittedly a bit cluttered. 

Adaware’s free tier is rather bare-bones, and only provides real-time protection and download protection. However, it’s still sufficient for users who only need the basics, without too many bells and whistles.

41. ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus

41 zonealarm
ZoneAlarm makes it no secret that Web Secure and Anti-Ransomware are paid features. 

ZoneAlarm’s Free Antivirus gets you a two-in-one solution by combining a firewall with an antivirus. The antivirus itself performs admirably, and comes with features like customizable scan modes and real-time protection. 

42. Comodo Antivirus

42 comodo
Comodo wants to scan your device the moment you install it. 

Comodo’s free Antivirus gets you its Defense+ technology that protects key system files. Add to this real-time protection and spyware scanning and you have a solid antivirus.

Secure Messaging & Email

Not every app keeps your messages private, so you should consider using secure messaging and email apps. 

43. Signal

43 signal
Signal boasts privacy, every step of the way.

Signal’s proprietary Signal protocol is open source and very secure, and each message or call is encrypted by default. As far as secure phone calls and messages go, Signal is the app you want to use. 

44. ZMail

44 zmail
ZMail might seem rudimentary, but it does a great job with fake emails. 

ZMail generates fake email addresses, allowing you to do things like test email servers or send emails without compromising your actual email address. Just don’t use it for anything malicious — don’t be that guy (or girl). 

45. Guerrilla Mail

45 guerrilla mail
The web interface is more than enough for online subscriptions.

Guerrilla Mail gives you an email address to sign up for online services. It’s great if you would rather not allow every service provider access to your real email. 

46. Voxer

46 voxer
Voxer is a rather creative take on quick communication.

Voxer is a push-to-talk (PTT) app that uses Signal’s proprietary encryption protocol. Although it supports text, photos, videos and location sharing, it’s primarily made for quick and effective voice communication like a walkie talkie.

47. Wickr Me

47 wickr
Wickr Me strongly emphasizes control over your data. 

Wickr Me’s free plan offers end-to-end encrypted communication, with file transfers up to 1GB and up to 30 users. You also get secure screen sharing, which is neat if you use it for collaboration with colleagues. 

48. Pryvate

48 pryvate
Pryvate lists the encryption algorithms it uses. 

Pryvate is an app that encrypts messages, video calls and files. It can only be decrypted from the recipient’s device, and the app keeps no communication records. 

49. Dust

alternative to whatsapp dust chats
Dust aims for its own entry in the English dictionary. 

Dust is an encrypted messaging app that deletes all your messages, either after you read them or after 24 hours. If you want, you can even delete them off the recipient’s phone. 

50. Wire

50 wire
Wire’s UI is extremely minimalist, but we like it. 

Wire’s free version works for up to five users and has a zero-trust approach, which requires extensive authentication to make sure nobody unauthorized has access. It’s perfect for collaborating with a small team.

51. Mailvelope

51 mailvelope
Mailvelope’s extension pairs with a web UI for key generation and management.

Mailvelope is a browser extension that encrypts your emails with Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption. PGP combines symmetric encryption and public-key encryption, so messages can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device, even if you’ve never exchanged messages with them before. 

52. GnuPG

52 gnupg
GnuPG’s UI is called Kleopatra, and it isn’t exactly simple.

GnuPG is an alternative to Mailvelope that also uses PGP encryption. It’s compatible with more operating systems than Mailvelope, but is slightly more difficult to configure and use. 

53. Element

53 element
Element puts you in control of your communication. 

Element uses the Matrix protocol to provide end-to-end encryption for all your communication. Its forte is that you can import chats from WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram into its app, making communication a lot more convenient if you use more than one app. 

54. Bridgefy

54 bridgefy
Bridgefy asks you to create a room where people can join and chat. 

Bridgefy comes with a twist — it only works offline. It’s a messaging app you use via Bluetooth, making it ideal for secure communication whenever you don’t have access to conventional, online messaging apps. 

55. Telegram

55 telegram
Telegram’s UI is very straightforward and the app is a pleasure to use. 

Telegram’s easy-to-use app lets you enable end-to-end encryption, though we wish it was enabled by default. Unfortunately, the app collects lots of metadata, such as your IP address and device, which doesn’t bode well for privacy. 

56. Viber

56 viber
Viber’s mobile app has a simple, effective UI. 

Viber is a multimedia communications app that uses end-to-end encryption, with a unique encryption key for each message. This makes it a great choice for secure communication.

57. Silence

57 silence
Silence will replace your messaging app and add local encryption. 

Silence is a secure messaging app that replaces your default text messaging app. Each message is encrypted locally, and there’s no need for servers or an internet connection. It’s so secure it doesn’t even let you take a screenshot of the app. Unfortunately, it’s only available for Android. 

58. iMessage

58 imessage
Apple’s iMessage is the go-to communication app for iPhone users. 

iMessage is Apple’s built-in multimedia messaging app, only available on its own operating systems. If you’re in the ecosystem though, it’s perfect for secure communication. 

Tracker & Ad Blockers

Ads and trackers can ruin your browsing experience and grab data you’d rather keep to yourself. Ad and tracker blockers help provide an ad, and tracker-free browsing experience. 

59. uBlock Origin

extensions ublock origin
uBlock’s overview shows you info on how many ads it has blocked. 

uBlock Origin is the best ad blocking browser extension, period. It works great, it’s incredibly configurable and it uses very few system resources. 

60. AdBlock

AdBlock-Settings
AdBlock is incredibly easy to use and very effective. 

AdBlock is a simple, straightforward extension that works great. The UI is very easy to work with, and you can pause the extension for specific websites. AdBlock also does a great job with pop-ups and trackers, as well as floating videos. 

61. Adblock Plus

extensions adblockplus
You can enable or disable Adblock Plus on a per-page basis.

Adblock Plus has a remarkably simple UI and is very effective at blocking ads and pop-ups. You can see how many ads the browser extension has blocked so far, which gives you an analytical perspective on ads in your internet traffic. 

62. AdBlocker Ultimate

62 adblocker ultimate
We like AdBlocker Ultimate’s playful design. 

AdBlocker Ultimate boasts compatibility with almost any browser out there, and it also has a desktop app for Windows users. The extension is open source, so you can download the source code and tinker if you’d like. 

63. AdGuard AdBlocker

adblock adguard
AdGuard’s free extension is as simple as it is effective. 

AdGuard’s free AdBlocker browser extension blocks almost all ads. It also works admirably to get around scripts that ask you to disable your ad blocker to access a website. AdGuard has a VPN service, which you can read more about in our AdGuard VPN review.

64. 1Blocker

64 1blocker
1Blocker’s Safari extension is free, but the OS-level firewall requires a premium plan. 

1Blocker is made for Safari users and is available for free on the app store. It blocks ads, trackers, miners and widgets, and its parental controls can block explicit comments and adult websites.  

65. Privacy Badger

extensions privacybadger
Privacy Badger can be easily disabled if you don’t want it on a website. 

Privacy Badger is an artificial intelligence–based extension that looks for common behaviors in trackers. It can detect trackers even on websites that aren’t on any of the popular filter lists, making it very effective. 

66. Ghostery

adblock ghostery
Ghostery’s simple view offers a lot, but the premium detailed view is a whole other level. 

Ghostery’s free plan lets you view and block trackers at four configurable levels. However, we’d suggest looking into the paid plan, which gives you detailed insights into the trackers you come across — which is excellent if you want to know exactly what they do. 

67. AdAway

67 adaway
While difficult to install, AdAway is very much worth the hassle. 

AdAway is an Android-only app that blocks ads using a hosts file, which means it will block ads on a system level, not just in a specific browser. It’s fully open source, but only available via F-Droid, an alternative to the Play store.

68. Adblocker for YouTube

adblock adblocker for youtube
While the UI might seem sketchy, from a functionality standpoint, we have no complaints.

Adblocker for YouTube does only two things: it blocks ads on YouTube, and allows you to play videos in floating mode. It lacks any kind of configurability, but if you only want to block YouTube ads, it’s an excellent choice. 

69. uBlocker

adblock-ublocker 2
You can manage how uBlocker works on a website very easily. 

uBlocker is a simple yet effective ad blocker. It works not just against ads, but also malware and viruses. There is very little configurability, though. 

Secure Search Engines

Secure search engines aim to provide useful results without logging your searches or gathering personal identifying information. 

70. DuckDuckGo

brave duckduckgo
No-frills UI? Sign us up. 

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused alternative to Google. The search engine doesn’t track your search queries, so you can use it without fearing for your privacy. We also have a guide on how to use the DuckDuckGo email protection feature.

71. Gibiru

gibiru
In 13 years or so, Gibiru has grown quite a bit. 

Gibiru makes use of the Google search results algorithm, but also crawls lesser-known websites. This allows it to keep your search history private while giving you results that Google would usually skip. 

72. Oscobo

72 oscobo
Oscobo doesn’t give you any extra features on its homepage. 

Oscobo is a search engine that’s vocally opposed to Google’s data mining practices. Instead of collecting your personal data, Oscobo doesn’t log anything. It also keeps your data encrypted and never allows any third-party tools or scripts to track your activity. 

73. Qwant

qwant search result
Qwant’s news section is an interesting addition. 

Quant is a modern and highly configurable alternative to most search engines. It gets you plenty of filters, various themes and shows you trending news. Because it’s based in Europe, Quant gives its users protection according to the rather strict European privacy laws, and it also doesn’t collect any user data. 

74 disconnect search
DuckDuckGo is the primary search engine provider for Disconnect Search, though that’s configurable. 

Disconnect Search is a private search engine that acts as a middleman between you and any of the search engines you’d like to use. It gives you results from your chosen search engine, but before fetching the results, it strips away any identifiable information. 

75. Startpage

startpage
Startpage has its own extension, too. 

Startpage uses Google as its search engine of choice. However, before sending any request, it removes any identifiable information so the search engine can’t track you. 

76. Swisscows

swisscows search bar
You can install Swisscows as a Chrome extension. 

Rather than track you, Swisscows uses semantic data recognition to give you faster and more tailored answers to your queries. This yields personalized results without the tracking. 

77. Mojeek

mojeek
Mojeek’s modus operandi lives up to its “no tracking” motto.

Mojeek is a crawler-based private search engine that creates its own index of web pages. This allows it to get you relevant search results without the requesting or tracking of your private data. 

78. MetaGer

78 metager
“Install MetaGer” is a bit misleading — the best you can do is set it as a homepage.

MetaGer is a private search engine built upon 24 small-scale web crawlers that the provider has complete control over. It has transparent algorithms that anyone can look into. 

Secure Web Browsers

Web browsers often allow advertising companies to collect user data. Secure web browsers prevent this from happening. 

79. Brave

brave browser sync
Brave’s minimalist UI and focus on privacy make it a great choice. 

Brave is a browser that comes with built-in ad blocking and cross-website tracker blocking functionality. It also blocks browser fingerprinting. You can find out more about it in our Brave review.

80. Tor Browser

tor slider 1
The specialized nature of Tor makes it a bit complex to work with.

The Tor Browser is a gateway for accessing the Tor network. Tor is a network of proxies that lets you access websites in the deep web, while keeping you safe anywhere you go. The proxies are maintained by volunteers, though, so their actual security can be hit or miss. Learn more in our Tor review

81. Firefox Focus

81 firefox focus
Firefox Focus is mobile-only and comes with a very clean UI. 

Firefox Focus is Mozilla’s mobile-only, Firefox-based browser that focuses on privacy. It’s a stand-alone browser that has more privacy and security settings enabled by default than the regular Firefox browser. It’s also always in private browsing mode, and you can lock the app itself behind a passcode. 

82. Orbot

82 orbot
Orbot’s Android UI is a tad dated, but works well. 

Orbot encrypts your traffic and bounces it off several proxy servers before it gets to its destination. Unfortunately, proxies are maintained by volunteers, which makes the actual security a bit questionable. 

83. Puffin

puffin slider 1
Puffin’s desktop browser is available only for paid users, but the mobile version is free. 

Puffin took the top spot in our most secure browser list, and its mobile version is free. As we discussed in our Puffin review, the browser loads websites on Puffin’s own servers rather than on the client side, which means that malicious online content can’t harm your device that easily.  

84. Vivaldi

vivaldi bookmarks
Vivaldi’s neat homepage gives you quick access to websites.

Vivaldi is an extremely configurable browser that’s loaded with so many features that it makes extensions practically unnecessary. As seen in our Vivaldi review, its best features are the security patches that are issued every one to two weeks, keeping the browser up to date on security. 

85. Epic

85 epic
Epic lets you set your favorite websites in a quick access screen. 

Epic Privacy Browser makes use of the Chromium source code, but with a twist — it’s like using Google Chrome in permanent incognito mode. It has a built-in ad blocker, tracker and fingerprinting blocker, and exiting the browser will delete all browser data. 

86. Waterfox

86 waterfox
Waterfox is the only private browser that doesn’t go for an extremely minimalist approach. 

Waterfox is an open-source Firefox offshoot which supports extensions for Firefox, Chrome and Opera. It’s more privacy-focused than Firefox and removes many Firefox features that collect data and decrease privacy. 

87. UnGoogled Chromium

87 UnGoogled Chromium
UnGoogled Chromium’s UI resembles a bare-bones Google Chrome quite a bit. 

UnGoogled Chromium is an open-source browser based on Chromium, without Google web services. This makes it an excellent privacy-focused web browser for people who don’t want to entrust Google with their personal information.

88. Bromite

88 bromite
Upon the first install, Bromite suggests a few private tools like Libera Chat. 

Bromite is another Chromium derivative that’s made to be as user-friendly as possible. It comes with several privacy enhancements and provides a clean, clutter-free browsing experience. 

89. Iridium Browser

89 iridium
If Iridium Browser looks a lot like UnGoogled Chromium, that’s because they’re both based on the same core.

Iridium is a Chromium-based browser that’s backed by the Open Source Business Alliance. It focuses on security and aims to provide a fast, simple and privacy-focused experience. 

Windows Privacy Tools

Microsoft’s Windows operating system isn’t particularly privacy-focused, but with these free tools, you can prevent it from mishandling your user data. 

90. W10Privacy

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That’s a long list of features to play with.

W10Privacy is like Windows 10’s control panel on steroids. It’s a security tool that gives you total control of all privacy settings within your operating system. 

91. O&O ShutUp10++

91 shutup10
The recommended settings are very strict, but boost privacy quite a bit. 

O&O ShutUp10++ is an executable that lets you control where your data goes when you’re using Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can control any privacy-oriented setting, giving you complete control over your data. 

92. TinyWall

92 tinywall
It might seem overwhelming at first, but TinyWall is very easy to grasp. 

TinyWall is a lightweight, easy-to-use firewall. Unlike Windows’ built-in solution, this one is highly configurable and gives you more control over all settings. It includes things like support for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, boot-time filtering and is very easy to configure. 

93. WPD

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WPD organizes its settings into two categories. 

WPD is a minimalist dashboard that lets you enable and disable various settings on Windows 10. It’s organized into two main categories, each of which has a slew of toggles for you to play with. 

94. Privacy Repairer

94-privacy-repairer
Privacy Repairer has a predefined setting that enables all recommended options. 

Privacy Repairer bundles almost 60 options that give you complete control over Windows 10’s privacy settings. It’s a breeze to use and offers presets to make things even easier. 

95. DoNotSpy10

95 donotspy10
DoNotSpy10’s color-coded settings make things much easier.

DoNotSpy10 is an anti-spy tool for Windows 10 that prevents your operating system from collecting and sharing data. You can manage what you do and don’t want to share, putting privacy back into your hands. 

Other Privacy Tools

These tools don’t really fall under any of the aforementioned categories, but they’re still worth mentioning.

96. HTTPS Everywhere

https everywhere eff
HTTPS Everywhere’s UI gives you all important settings at a glance. 

HTTPS Everywhere is an extension that forces websites to load a secure version with an SSL certificate installed. This makes sure you’re using an encrypted connection when loading any website. 

97. Disconnect

97 disconnect
Disconnect splits requests into handy categories.

Disconnect is an all-in-one solution that blocks various requests for data. It’s a great way to learn what websites do behind the scenes and get control over your browsing. The Privacy and Privacy DNS plans are free.

98. GlassWire

98 glasswire
GlassWire’s timeline is a detailed overview of your network usage. 

GlassWire is a free firewall and network monitoring tool. It’s a neat way of monitoring all incoming and outgoing connections and getting alerts if something suspicious happens. 

99. Tails

99 tails
Tails’ portable OS uses the Tor network to ensure privacy. 

Tails is a complete operating system that you can start on almost any computer from a USB drive. It’s a live operating system, which means it’ll completely wipe itself once you shut it down. 

Final Thoughts

Your data privacy should always be a priority. The 99 privacy tools above will help you keep your user data to yourself — all for free. As a bonus, we have compiled a list of the best data privacy management tools to help you automate and expedite data removal.

Keep in mind that besides using these tools, you have to adhere to a set of best practices to enhance your digital privacy, as you can read in the online privacy guide.

What are your favorite free privacy tools? Do you use one or two, or do you have a whole collection of tools that work well with each other? Let us know in the comments, and thank you for reading.

FAQ

  • There is no one best tool for privacy — the best way to boost your online privacy is to use a combination of tools.

  • The safest browser that’s built around user privacy is Puffin.

  • A privacy tool is any piece of software (or hardware) that helps increase your online privacy and keeps your user data private.

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