Best Free VPNs for Android
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Evaluating an Android VPN requires looking at a unique set of criteria. We don’t take the same approach when categorizing them as we do with a desktop VPN, or even a paid Android VPN.
Below is more information on how we came to the test conclusions you see on this page:
For free Android VPNs, we specifically consider the following:
- The maximum monthly data and how long it lasts realistically.
- How fast is it, and whether or not it will slow down browsing and streaming.
- How many libraries and streaming services can it unlock, especially Netflix.
- How reliable is the logging policy and what data does it keep.
- What encryption is in use, and whether there are any useful security features.
- How easy is the Android app to use.
Read on for details on how we evaluate these criteria, as well as our recommended criteria for each criterion:
1. Data cap: 30%
Minimum requirements: 10 GB of data per month.
We recommend: Unlimited monthly data allowance.
The data cap is by far the most important factor for a free VPN for Android. No matter what you do online, and no matter why you are using a VPN, it will always consume your bandwidth.
You don’t need to be an expert in VPN testing to know that more data is better. Unfortunately, very few trustworthy VPNs actually offer an unlimited data cap. It’s the best case scenario, but you may need to compromise if you want other specific features of your free VPN on Android.
Anywhere between 4-10 GB is a popular allowance as well as a decent number for a free VPN to offer. This will allow you to stream a few hours of HD videos, as well as keep your general web browsing protected.
Anything less than 2GB is very restrictive. You have to be very disciplined about using your VPN, making sure to only activate it when absolutely necessary (eg if you are doing some online banking on public WiFi).
2. Speed: 20%
Minimum requirements: Less than 40% loss in speed on local connections.
We recommend: Less than 20% speed loss on local connections or 40% on remote connections.
Much like the data cap, download speeds have a similar effect when using a VPN.
Whether you use WiFi or use cellular data, a VPN will negatively affect your internet speeds. But most importantly, the best free VPNs will affect them as little as possible.
Our testing found that many free VPNs offer significantly slower speeds than their paid app counterparts. That’s why we make sure to manually test the speeds of every free service we review on a regular basis.
While free VPNs can be slower than paid ones, our expectations for the minimum you should accept remain the same. There is no reason for a good VPN, free or otherwise, to slow your internet by more than 40% on a nearby connection. And perfection would still slow it down by less than 20%.
However, one thing you should keep in mind is the list of mini servers for most of the free VPNs. If your free VPN does not offer a server in the country where you live, you will have to accept slower speeds.
Our speed test process for free VPNs for Android is simple. We connect with as many global servers as possible, and log their speeds via speedtest.net. We compare the log numbers with the numbers with no VPN connection, and we see how big the sudden drop is. We always use the same 100Mbps wireless office test connection. Download speed is prioritized, but upload and response time are also taken into account.
3. Running: 20%
Minimum requirements: It has access to at least one Netflix library – ideally in the US or UK.
We recommend: The above, plus a streaming library from at least another country.
You should not expect to get a high-quality VPN for free streaming.
Maintaining streaming servers and working groups of IP addresses is expensive and time consuming for VPN providers. Of course, the best performance goes to the paying customers.
Having said that, you should not accept anything at all. It is entirely possible to access at least one streaming library with a free VPN, or maybe more. You will have fewer options due to the limited selection of the server, although it will not be consistent.
In our testing experience, this area is the point where the difference between a paid and free Android VPN emerges. Even the best VPNs for free streaming can’t match their paid counterparts.
4. Registration policy: 15%
Minimum requirements: Minimal aggregate or anonymous usage data is collected.
We recommend: No records were kept at all.
The logging policy is one area where you absolutely do not have to compromise when choosing a free Android VPN.
Most trustworthy VPN services use the same basic logging policy for both their free and paid products across all platforms.
There is one difference that you should be aware of, which is possible additional data sharing to a third party. Some free apps are supported via advertising and data sharing partnerships. We make sure to read each privacy policy in full detail to ensure that your data is not being sold confidentially.
Almost every free mobile VPN without a paid version will fail to meet the criteria we set here. Most of the free Android VPNs cannot be trusted, and the reason usually lies in their privacy policy.
You should never download a VPN that stores personally identifiable usage data. The full IP address, browser timestamps, and DNS requests are always off limits – a good VPN will not collect or store them.
We think it’s a good idea for a VPN to store some public or shared information. The total amount of data you use in a month, the number of times you connected, or the total number of users connected to the server at one time are all acceptable. Such information should be deleted every few months at the most.
The perfect VPN does not log any logs associated with accounts of any kind. However, these are much rarer when only considering free VPNs.
5. Security and encryption: 10%
Minimum requirements: AES-128 encryption and IKEv2 VPN protocol.
We recommend: AES-258 encryption, as well as OpenVPN, WireGuard, or a detailed protocol.
The Google Play Store is full of hundreds of free apps that claim to be “VPNs,” but in reality only act as proxies.
Although proxies may change your IP address, they do not encrypt your traffic and DNS requests. It is important to make sure that the free VPN you choose specifies the encryption you are using.
AES-128 is completely secure, although we prefer AES-258 encryption. It’s been the standard for years now and is virtually unbreakable.
Many Android VPNs use IKEv2 as their primary (or only) protocol. It’s a good choice, and it strikes a good balance between speed and security.
However, we feel that OpenVPN is outdone as the most secure protocol. We can also fully recommend WireGuard, which is a newer protocol, which is faster than both IKEv2 and OpenVPN.
Finally, some services use a protocol of their own making. It’s rare to find it in free Android VPNs, but as long as the VPN provider is trustworthy, the protocol is likely to be completely secure.
6. Android app: 10%
Minimum requirements: Detailed and easy to use Android app.
We recommend: The above, plus additional features such as a key lock.
Even with a free VPN, it should at least have a functional and bespoke Android app.
Options and buttons should be clearly labeled, with a simple layout and intuitive menus. We usually consider a VPN kill switch to be a must. Without it, your IP address can be left exposed in case the VPN connection drops. However, it is much rarer on Android than other platforms.
With this free Android VPN, anything more than that is a bonus. Some may include extra features like app split tunneling or an ad blocker, but these are more bonuses than necessary.
You should always make sure that you download the correct and official version of any VPN on Android as well. Free and paid VPN apps have many copies on the Google Play Store. Downloading these copies can lead to viruses, video theft, URL spoofing, or any other nefarious side effect. Make sure to find the official Play Store link or download the .APK directly from the VPN service website.
Additional research by Liam Mulally
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