If you want to get the protection of a VPN for your Android device, but don't necessarily want to shell out for one, it can be difficult to determine which free Android VPN services are worth your while. The best free Android VPN will protect your personal data against snoopers, offering you peace of mind when you're browsing on the go. Additionally, it may also allow you to stream the odd movie, TV show, or sports event that's blocked in your region – although even the best free VPNs struggle with this.
Unsurprisingly, good free VPNs are few and far between. Luckily for you, our experts are well-versed in testing and reviewing the best VPNs. For this guide, we've dug in and found the top 3 free VPNs that work like a charm on Android devices.
Based on factors like ease of use, data allowance, streaming support, and privacy, we've ranked PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, and Windscribe in that order.
The 3 best VPNs for Android at a glance
If you're an occasional VPN user, or don't want to use your VPN for a great deal of streaming, uploading or downloading, then a free VPN should suit your needs just fine.
However, if you want a VPN to use every day, premium VPNs tend to have more to offer than free ones. With a premium VPN service, you won't have any data or speed limits, offer thousands of servers everywhere in the world, and have a long list of privacy and usability features.
If you do decide you want a premium rather than a free Android VPN, we recommend NordVPN. It ticks all these boxes, and then some.
How we chose the best free Android VPNs
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
A lot of free VPNs on the market are, unfortunately, not worth your time. Whether it's invasive ads, restrictive data or speed limits or even tracking and selling your data, the free VPN market is rife with terrible VPN services. However, thanks to our years of experience testing out and compiling detailed reviews of all kinds of VPNs, we know exactly what to look for in a free Android VPN.
We've prioritized the VPN's ownership, i.e., the company behind the service, and its privacy credentials to ensure the free VPN app is at the very least reliable and keeps your data safe.
Next, we've tested out what the VPN is like to use both on Android and other devices, namely how simple it is to get started, and whether or not you're subject to ads for using the free version.
Other than that, we considered factors that will overall impact your VPN experience. This includes whether or not it offers streaming support, what customer support it offers, whether or not data limit, and how many servers it has, as well as where these servers are located.
All of this is used to evaluate the free Android VPNs, and to rank our picks. To know more about our testing process, check out how we test VPNs.
In our latest update to this page, we've revamped our entire review format. Other than that, we updated all the stats and figures, such as server count and top speeds, to reflect our latest test results. I've also included information about the latest updates from the VPN providers, for example Proton VPN's new redesign of its apps.
The best free Android VPN
What we like:
PrivadoVPN Free is easily the best free streaming VPN. In our latest round of testing, PrivadoVPN Free was able to unblock UK and US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV, Max, and Sling. This puts its performance above both Windscribe Free and Proton VPN Free.
Even better, the service clocked over 950 Mbps in our speed tests, which puts it on par with the fastest VPNs. While a VPN cannot speed up your internet connection, fast speeds do mean that you won't be slowed down while using one.
PrivadoVPN Free also offers one of the largest server spreads for a free VPN I've ever seen. It offers 12 servers in 10 cities around the world, including Switzerland, France, Canada, the US, and the UK. When compared to premium services, this isn't a huge amount, but if you consider that Proton VPN Free only offers 5 locations, it's well ahead of the competition.
PrivadoVPN Free is also simple and easy to use, with a straightforward "on" button you can press to get connected instantly. We also found that its Android app actually connects quicker than the desktop version, meaning you can get connected even quicker.
Plus, it comes with all privacy essentials, like AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and even split tunneling so you can decide what sites and apps your VPN runs on. There's also obfuscation, which will hide your VPN usage and help you avoid VPN blocks.
What could improve:
Although we didn't find anything troublesome in PrivadoVPN's no-logs policy, the fact remains that it hasn't undergone an independent audit yet. Until then, Proton VPN Free remains our top choice for privacy.
Without downplaying the lack of a privacy audit, PrivadoVPN Free's biggest limitation is its limited bandwidth. You get just 10 GB per month, which will do if you're an occasional VPN user. However, if you're looking for 24/7 VPN protection, go for Proton VPN Free instead, which doesn't come with any data cap.
Still, it's worth mentioning that unlike other free services, PrivadoVPN doesn't completely shut down after you've used up your monthly quota. You'll still be able to use the service, but only at a speed of 1 Mbps.
PrivadoVPN's Android app is admittedly a lot simpler than its rivals. While this is perfect for beginners, there could be an argument by VPN pros who require more customization.
🔒 Read our in-depth PrivadoVPN Free review for all the details.
Buy PrivadoVPN Free if:
✅ You don't want to sacrifice speed. PrivadoVPN Free is a rare exception wherein a free VPN is as quick as the fastest paid-for VPNs.
✅ You want lots of servers to choose from. With 12 locations in 10 countries, PrivadoVPN Free has one of the biggest server lists among free providers.
✅ You want to stream for free. PrivadoVPN Free gets past more streaming sites than any other competitor.
Don't buy PrivadoVPN Free if:
❌ You need unlimited data. Although PrivadoVPN Free claims to offer unlimited data (at 1 Mbps), in reality, you'll only have 10 GB per month.
❌ You want peace of mind. PrivadoVPN Free hasn't yet invested in a third-party audit of its security and no-logs policies.
A free Android VPN with unlimited data
What we like:
One of the biggest limitations of free VPNs is bandwidth, with many VPN providers having data restrictions. Proton VPN Free, however, has an unlimited data allowance. While providers like PrivadoVPN and Windscribe limit you to just 10 GB of data per month, you can use Proton VPN Free 24/7 and never get held back.
However, unlimited data with sluggish speeds would be less than ideal. Fortunately, while Proton VPN Free may not be as speedy as its paid counterpart, it is still quick enough to support intensive browsing sessions. In our review, we found the service hit peak speeds of over 520 Mbps in our last round of testing – making it faster than some premium VPNs.
Proton VPN Free is also the best free Android VPN for privacy. Its paid-for counterpart, Proton VPN, is one of the most secure VPNs on the market, and Proton VPN Free also benefits from this high level of security. For instance, the free Android app is both independently audited and open-source. This means that users have the liberty to pop over the app's hood and ensure the privacy is exactly as claimed by the makers, as well as having this independently confirmed by a independent third party.
Proton VPN Free comes with a lot of anti-censorship features, but its Guest Mode is particularly noteworthy. Currently only available on Android, this feature eliminates the need to create an account to be able to use Proton VPN's free version.
Not only does this make Proton VPN Free more user-friendly but also more privacy-friendly, seeing as you don't have to enter your details, such as email.
Speaking of user friendly, Proton VPN has recently redesigned its iOS, Android and Windows apps, meaning they are at lot more streamlined than they used to be. This redesign has got rid of its functional server map, making it purely aesthetic instead. This has made the apps a lot less cluttered and easier to navigate.
Finally, in its effort to promote internet freedom, Proton VPN has partnered with German news broadcaster Deutsche Welle to provide unrestricted (and free) access to unbiased news coverage, no matter where you are. This is a great added extra that highlights Proton's commitment to fighting online censorship.
What could improve:
One of the biggest reasons Proton VPN Free has lost its top position on this list is that it doesn't come with any streaming support. This means you will not be able to unblock any streaming platforms while using Proton VPN Free. If you'd like to stream geo-blocked content for free, consider PrivadoVPN Free instead.
Another limitation of Proton VPN's free version is that it doesn't allow you to pick and choose a server. Even with 100+ servers, there are only 5 locations (Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Romania, and the US), and you'd have to disconnect and connect again, or "re-roll" your server) if you're not given the location you desire.
In comparison, PrivadoVPN Free not only gives you access to 12 locations but also allows you to choose your connection.
🔒 Read our in-depth Proton VPN Free review for all the details.
Buy Proton VPN Free if:
✅ You need unlimited data. Proton VPN stands out as possibly the only reputable free provider to offer unlimited bandwidth.
✅ You want class-leading privacy. Combined with tons of security features, Proton VPN's audited and open-source apps make it #1 for privacy-conscious users.
✅ You'd like fast speeds throughout. While it's not as fast as PrivadoVPN Free, Proton VPN Free doesn't stifle its connection speeds at any point.
Don't buy Proton VPN Free if:
❌ You want to stream foreign content. Unlike PrivadoVPN and Windscribe, Proton VPN's free plan cannot unblock any streaming platforms.
❌ You want to be able to choose your server. Oddly enough, Proton VPN Free always automatically assigns you a server location instead of allowing you to pick one.
The most secure free Android VPN
What we like:
We found that Windscribe Free offers some great features you don't usually see from non-paid VPNs. For starters, it's just as fast as PrivadoVPN, topping out at over 900 Mbps in our latest tests. It also has a huge range of servers for a free VPN (14 locations across 11 countries) and impressive unblocking capabilities – both signature pros of PrivadoVPN.
Speaking of streaming, Windscribe Free definitely has a better performance than Proton VPN Free, as it unblocks BBC iPlayer and a few Netflix locations. That said, PrivadoVPN unblocks a lot more locations and streaming services, meaning it's still our top recommendation if you're looking for one of the best free Netflix VPNs.
Just like Proton VPN Free, Windscribe's free Android client is also open-source and available for inspection to everyone, so you can inspect it to make sure it offers exactly what it claims. This is just the first of its privacy and security features.
Its R.O.B.E.R.T. feature not only blocks trackers, ads, and malware, but can also be customized to block gambling and adult content sites, as well as any other domain or IP of your choosing.
In addition to a robust kill switch and split tunneling, there's also auto-connect, MAC spoofing, multiple layers of leak protection, VPN obfuscation, and packet size adjustment. It's worth mentioning that while Windscribe offers plenty of tweakable features, newcomers have the option to just tap the power button on its homepage and get protected.
One thing that makes Windscribe Free stand out from the competition is that it comes with unlimited connections, unlike PrivadoVPN Free or Proton VPN Free which only offer a single connection. So, protect all your devices at once on one free plan.
What could improve:
In addition to only offering 10 GB per month, Windscribe Free will also cut you off as soon as you exhaust your available bandwidth, unlike Proton VPN Free, which lets you browse at 1 Mbps.
It's also worth noting that although Windscribe allows you to sign up without providing your email, you'll only get 2 GB of data per month if you choose to do so, as opposed to the usual limit of 10 GB. If you're looking to do some more heavy-duty browsing, Proton VPN Free is a better option either way because it not only comes with unlimited data but also doesn't ask for any of your credentials.
While it is great that Windscribe offers a slew of features on its free version, its apps feel the brunt of having to display so many options – including its Android client. The interface on mobile feels clunky, and doing anything other than pressing the big on/off button on the homepage can be a real pain, especially if you're new to VPNs and are unfamiliar with what various settings do.
Another minor inconvenience we faced while testing Windscribe's free Android app is that it doesn't list all of the freely available servers together at the top. Instead, the server locations are listed as per the usual alphabetic arrangement, meaning it's difficult to find servers you do have access to on the free plan.
We'd also like to see Windscribe undergo more independent audits, especially for its security and no-logs policies. The last verification it went through was in July 2024, when its server stack was fully audited.
🔒 Read our in-depth Windscribe Free review for all the details.
Buy Windscribe Free if:
✅ You want plenty of features. From important features like a kill switch and split tunneling to nice-to-haves like R.O.B.E.R.T. and auto-connect, Windscribe offers incredible value.
✅ You need tons of servers. Windscribe Free offers the best server selection of any free VPN – 14 server locations in 10 countries.
✅ You want support for streaming. Unlike Proton VPN Free, Windscribe's free Android app gives you access to certain Netflix libraries and BBC iPlayer.
Don't buy Windscribe Free if:
❌ You're a regular VPN user. Windscribe Free's stingy 10 GB of data per month won't cut it for you if you rely on a VPN for your day-to-day.
❌ You want proof of privacy. Unlike Proton VPN, Windscribe hasn't put its no-logs policy through an independent audit.
What is a free Android VPN good for?
A free Android VPN will help you crank up your security by protecting your data from snoopers who may be lurking around on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
Additionally, good free versions of reputable VPN companies will also allow you to access local banking and VoIP apps. You may also be able to access some region-restricted streaming content. This is great when you're traveling to a country where the services might be blocked due to strict internet censorship or copyright/licensing issues.
Finally, using a free VPN is a great idea if you're contemplating subscribing to its paid counterpart. Since the free version will typically just be a stripped-down version of the paid-for VPN, it should be enough to give you an idea of what to expect should you commit to a paid plan.
Plus, unlike using free trials or money-back guarantees, you can use the free VPN for as long as you like without worrying about your trial auto-renewing and having to pay for a full subscription.
What don't you get with a free Android VPN?
While there are many great free VPNs out, you will miss out on some features if you're using a free VPN instead of a paid-for one. For starters, you'll only get access to a handful of servers in a few select countries, as opposed to a paid-for VPN's huge fleet of servers – many of them in hundreds of locations worldwide.
Additionally, even the very best free VPNs tend to put limits on the amount of data you can use per month. Although Proton VPN Free is an exception to this, as it offers unlimited data, it comes with its own limits. It doesn't let you pick and choose a server, of which it provides a total of just 5 anyway. Paid-for VPNs, on the other hand, come with unlimited data, which makes them suitable for high-bandwidth tasks such as gaming, streaming, and torrenting.
Speaking of these use cases, free VPNs can barely support them. For streaming, they either don't unblock any streaming platforms or only a select few of them. As for gaming, given their small pool of servers, you might not find the location needed to support your gaming sessions. What's more, even if you find a free VPN that does have the ability to do this, you'll likely be held back by its limited data allowance.
Free Android VPNs also generally come with only a handful of features as compared to their paid competitors. For instance, the best cheap VPN service, Surfshark (with prices starting at just $1.99 per month plus tax for a two year subscription), has a feature called Alternative ID that generates aliases to protect your real identity online. Other notable features top premium VPNs offer include double encryption, built-in blockers for ads and malware, and multiple simultaneous connections.
Are free VPNs safe?
Security is right at the center of the free vs. paid VPN debate. While paid-for VPNs generally invest a lot of resources in developing state-of-the-art security architectures and features, scrupulous free VPNs often offer below-average encryption.
Certain free providers have come out to be absolute scams, too, with some being Trojan horses for malicious software and others operating as P2P networks. The latter is a security nightmare, as it simply routes your data through another user's device – and not through an encrypted VPN tunnel.
However, so long as you stick to reputable free VPNs, such as the ones we've mentioned in this guide, you should be fine. With these providers, you don't have to worry about your online activities being logged and then sold off to advertisers and data brokers for a profit. Plus, these VPNs thoroughly tested by our in-house VPN experts, so we have real-life experience and can verify that they function exactly as they're supposed to.
In addition to combing through a provider's no-logs claims and Terms and Conditions, another sign you can look for to identify the legitimacy of a free VPN is evaluating its intent. Generally speaking, the best-case scenario is when a free VPN is just a sneak peek into the provider's paid-for product. This way, it wants to tempt customers into subscribing to its superior, paid VPN.
However, if the VPN doesn't have a paid service it wants to push, i.e., it only offers a free VPN, that's when you should question its intent. After all, why would the provider offer a non-money-making product that's not even a funnel into another paid product? In such cases, chances are that your personal data is the product that's actually helping the VPN make a living.
Can you get a premium VPN for free?
Technically, yes. Although there are no VPN providers that offer their paid-for versions for absolutely free of cost, you can use the best VPN free trials and money-back guarantees to enjoy class-leading VPN protection for a few weeks for free.
Then, if you like what you see, you can continue with your subscription. If, however, you're dead set on not paying a single dime, just cancel your subscription before the free trial or risk-free coverage runs out.
It's worth mentioning here that paid-for VPNs don't necessarily cost a fortune. Take a look at the best cheap VPNs, for instance, and you'll find that providers like Surfshark and Private Internet Access cost only around $2 per month – and make no mistake, their small price does not mean they're limited in performance.
How does a free VPN work for Android?
A free VPN on Android, particularly one by a reputable provider, works exactly like its paid counterpart. As soon as you switch on the VPN, you're connected to a VPN server, which effectively spoofs your real IP address and replaces it with that of the VPN server you have connected to.
It's worth noting that a VPN's IP cloaking abilities are what grant it the power to sidestep geo-restrictions on overseas content. It's also how the provider is able to "hide" you on the internet, keeping your online activities and location under wraps.
Next, in routing your mobile's internet traffic through its server, the VPN sends it through an end-to-end encrypted tunnel, which, to put it simply, makes your data unintelligible to third parties.
This data is only de-encrypted once it reaches its intended location. So, even if bad actors were to get their hands on your data while it's in transit (which could include personal information and/or browsing history), they won't be able to read it or cause you any harm.
Back to the best free Android VPNs ^
How we test the best free Android VPN services
At Tom's Guide, we follow our meticulously crafted VPN testing methodology to evaluate VPN services. We begin our investigation at the VPN's website, where we read through its privacy and data handling claims and evaluate their transparency. This step is important as it is, but it's even more crucial when we're dealing with free VPNs, which are infamous for offering lackluster privacy.
Next, we download and install the apps on all supported devices, including Android, and check every single feature on offer. This includes testing the kill switch, leak protection, and other features like split tunneling.
We also put the VPN through rigorous speed and streaming tests, which we use to evaluate its real-world performance and compare it with its competitors. Finally, we test out the provider's customer support and check if it's able to solve our queries within a reasonable time frame.
Back to the best free Android VPNs ^
The experts that test VPNs at Tom's Guide
Olivia joined Tom's Guide in October 2023, and is currently VPN Commissioning Editor. She regularly uses VPNs to make sure they deliver what they promise, and specializes in testing VPNs with streaming sites.
Mo has written about VPNs for Tom's Guide, day-in, day-out, for five years. He's an expert when it comes to what makes a VPN truly usable, and loves it when a VPN makes staying safe online as easy as possible. He is also a contributor to TechRadar, T3, and What Hi-Fi?.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
