Best Picks
When you need a quick free VPN connection for your Android phone or tablet.
By Sam Singleton and Ian Paul
PCWorldFeb 15, 2024 6:30 am PST
Image: Michael Crider/IDG
It might be surprising, but free VPNs are no longer just for PCs. You can also use them to help easily boost your security and privacy game on an Android device. Whether you want extra security while using a public Wi-Fi network, or to get around geo-restrictions for most of your favorite streaming services, a free VPN can help you do it without having to pay for anything.
The problem when looking for a good free VPN, though, is that there are a large number of them available on the Google Play Store. So how do you determine which ones are worth your time? Our experts here at PCWorld have tested a slew of VPNs, both for PCs and Android devices, and have curated a list of the best free options you can feel confident in using. Check out our top picks below.
And if you’re looking to further upgrade your Android phone’s security, which we highly recommend, be sure to look at our recommendations for the best free antivirus for Android as well. Additionally, you can check out our guide to the best VPNs covering multiple devices.
ProtonVPN – Best for unlimited use
Pros
- Fantastic speeds
- Easy-to-use multi-hop feature
- Supports TOR over VPN connections
Best Prices Today:$96 at ProtonVPN AG
Why we like ProtonVPN
If you only have one device to worry about, ProtonVPN is an excellent choice. This free service provides what the company calls “medium speeds,” meaning you don’t get access to the 10-gigabit-per-second servers that paying customers do. Still, the speeds are just fine. But what you won’t find here are any servers supporting Netflix streaming. That’s another premium feature; however, you can still likely get other streaming services that aren’t as actively fighting against VPNs the way Netflix is.
ProtonVPN has an excellent privacy policy, there are no data limits, but you will have to create an account to use this service even when it’s free. ProtonVPN Free provides three country choices.
Who should use ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is a great option for anyone with a single Android device who needs a free VPN. Perfect for the one-off phone or tablet user, ProtonVPN provides unlimited data so it can be used all day without worrying about hitting a cap. Plus, privacy-conscious users can take heart that apart from the info required to sign up, ProtonVPN doesn’t collect any other user data.
Read our full ProtonVPN review
Windscribe Pro – Best for multiple devices
Pros
- Secure.link Generator is a helpful link-shortening service
- Works with Netflix
Cons
- Not the fastest
Why we like Windscribe Pro
Another solid choice for Android users. You won’t get the unlimited usage like you do with ProtonVPN. Instead, you get up to 10GB of browsing per month. But there are no device limits, and you have 10 country connection options.
Windscribe requires a confirmed email address to use its free service. Windscribe’s privacy policy is good, but it does track bandwidth usage to keep you to those free limitations.
Who should use Windscribe Pro
Windscribe Pro’s free Android VPN is best suited for those who need access across multiple devices. Watch out for the data limit though, as you can hit it pretty fast while using multiple devices.
Read our full Windscribe Pro review
Hide.me – Best for no sign-up usage
Pros
- Good download speeds
- Easy-to-use Windows app
- No-logs promise
Cons
- Speeds were inconsistent in our tests
- Expensive single year subscription
Best Prices Today:$59.95 at Hide Me
Why we like Hide.me
Hide.me has pretty good speeds, and like Windscribe you’re limited to 10GB per month. Hide.me offers five connection choices including two U.S. locations (east and west), Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. Hide.me doesn’t require an account for signing up, making it seamless and easy to use.
Who should use Hide.me
Since Hide.me’s free version does not require a sign-up in order to use, it’s good for those who just need a VPN for simple, one-off tasks. Alternatively, if you’re concerned about privacy, not having to enter in any personal information is a huge plus as well.
Read our full Hide.me review
Speedify 10 – Best for leveraging both cellular and Wi-Fi
Pros
- Very good speeds
- Speedify’s failover feature seamlessly transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular networks
Cons
- Privacy policy says it collects some personal information
- Desktop mode for the Windows app needs work
Best Prices Today:$71.88 at Connectify
Why we like Speedify
A solid VPN choice for anyone using the VPN on a phone. Speedify’s specialty is a seamless VPN transition between Wi-Fi and cellular. Typically, when you go between Wi-Fi and cellular the connection drops and restarts, but with Speedify it just keeps on going, which is nice. It also harnesses your Wi-Fi and cellular together to try and boost connection speeds.
Speeds are pretty good with Speedify, staying within the top 15 for speeds overall. The downside of this free offering is that you only get 2GB of data usage per month. That’s not much, which is why this is our last suggestion. But if you need something simple for basic web browsing Speedify is well worth a look.
Who should use Speedify
Due to the small data limit, Speedify is recommended for users who just need a VPN for basic web-browsing or a one-time use. The seamless transition between Wi-Fi and cellular and potential connection speed boost means that Speedify is an extremely convenient way to keep a VPN connection up while on the go or in spotty Wi-Fi areas.
Read our full Speedify 10 review
What to look for in a free VPN for Android
This will follow a lot of the advice we’ve already given for free stuff when it comes to Android. Google is doing a better job than ever at keeping harmful apps out of the Play Store, but there is still a chance of some random VPN app having malicious intent. Another problem is that even if the app is fine, the service itself may be up to no good.
For those reasons we always advise going with a well-known VPN service provider to reduce your chances of running into security issues.
Next, you want a free app that is truly free. Not some 7- or 30-day trial that will automatically start charging the card connected to your Play account after the trial period. You should also read over the privacy policy to make sure there’s nothing there you’re going to have a problem with.
Finally, you want to make sure the VPN has data limits that suit your needs.
How we tested
Speeds were based on our tests for Windows using an Ethernet connection. Clearly, on an Android device relying on Wi-Fi the speeds will be very different. Still, they give us an idea of how much slower the connection will be once the VPN is active.
We also checked out the VPN’s privacy policy to make sure there’s nothing objectionable there, and we took a look at the interface to see if it’s easy enough to understand how to use it.
If you need a VPN for your Android phone or tablet these four services should be at the top of your list for consideration.
FAQ
1.
What is a VPN?
A VPN, or virtual private network, hides your identity and encrypts your traffic while browsing the internet. Also, VPN servers are located all across the world, allowing you to connect to a server in another country. So if you want to access location-restricted content like streaming services, you can connect to the appropriate country’s server and gain access to content that may have been locked in your area.
2.
How does a VPN work?
In short, a VPN hides your IP address by redirecting your web traffic through a remote server hosted by the VPN company. The VPN server then appears to be the source of your traffic instead of your actual location. These remote servers can be located both in different countries around the world or even in your own country. Additionally, your network traffic is encrypted from your computer to the VPN, which adds an extra layer of security.
While connected to a VPN and browsing the internet, the VPN acts as a middleman between you and a website. If your computer sends a request to the VPN, it will then pass it along to a website. In return, the website sends its response back to the VPN, which forwards it via a secure encrypted connection to your computer.
3.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
In the United States as well as most countries, using a VPN is perfectly legal. Some certain websites try to block VPN connections, but that is dependent upon their own terms of usage. It is important to know that while using a VPN is legal, some of the activities done while using a VPN can still be illegal. Activities such as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are both illegal with and without a VPN.
