There are several ways to hide your IP address for free:
- Use a free proxy server: You can use a free proxy server to hide your IP address and browse the web anonymously. However, it is important to keep in mind that free proxies can be risky to use as they may be operated by malicious individuals who could use them to snoop and steal your personal data or compromise your security. You can get a free proxy from the Free Proxy or similar websites.
- Use a free VPN (Virtual Private Network): Some VPN services offer a free version that allows you to hide your IP address, encrypt your internet traffic, and browse the web securely. However, free VPN services may have data usage or speed limitations and may not be as secure as paid services. You can use ProtonVPN. It is provided by a reliable company with a good track record and has a free plan.
- Use the Tor browser: The Tor browser is a free, open-source browser that routes your internet traffic through a series of servers to hide your IP address and provide anonymity. The Tor browser is highly secure but can be slower than a proxy or VPN as it routes the traffic through multiple successive servers (like the layers of an onion :)). You can download Tor from here.
There is also an option to use the freemium plans of paid proxy services like ScrapingBee. You can only make a limited amount of proxied requests using the freemium plans of such services but if your needs are small then this might suffice.
It is important to keep in mind that hiding your IP address does not guarantee complete anonymity or security on the internet, and it is still important to practice safe browsing habits and use strong passwords to protect your personal information. On top of it, you might encounter captcha pages more often than before while using such free services as the same IP address will be shared by many users.