Free VPNs are a tricky business since you always have to ask how the company is covering the costs of such an offering. Some services see it as a chance to encourage upgrades or just as free advertising for the paid service. Others, however, host third-party ads, which means you may be targeted based on your browsing habits—potentially killing the point of using a VPN in the first place—while others might be analyzing the websites you visit in the name of optimization or big data collection. If you plan on using a VPN long term it’s a good idea to pay for the privilege. That way you get more s…