Some of the best free VPNs for Android are must-have bits of kit. They keep your personal data and browsing history safe from third parties, allow you to connect to home streaming services while abroad, and add a layer of reassurance to your online activities.
However, picking a trustworthy free VPN isn't always straightforward. So the TechRadar team can help. We have hands-on experience testing the best VPNs, with over 3,000 hours of device testing, 28,000 speed tests, and over 2,200 streaming tests across more than 100 VPN reviews.
Best VPNs for Android: paid for services
Free VPNs are handy in a pinch, but they have serious downsides making them better for occasional use over day-to-day protection. Data limitations, capped speeds, and a reduced pool of servers can get pretty frustrating. Essentially, they're no match for their paid counterparts.
You can get a premium provider for just a few bucks, too, and a cheap VPN always offers a better experience than a free one. With that in mind, here are today's top paid VPNs:
The best free Android VPN overall
Our full PrivadoVPN Free review mentions how it's the best choice if you want a free Netflix VPN for your Android device. In addition to reliable Netflix unblocking, it can bypass the geo-blocks of Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer—unlike Windscribe and Atlas VPN Free, which unblock some but not all of these.
What's more, PrivadoVPN Free doesn't skimp on performance, either, churning out peak speeds of over 900 Mbps in my recent testing; that’s almost on par with today's fastest VPNs. The good news doesn't stop there, as PrivadoVPN boasts rock-solid security, too. The Android app has all the VPN essentials, including a kill switch, AES-256 encryption, split tunneling, and a choice of protocols (OpenVPN and WireGuard).
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The PrivadoVPN free Android app isn't quite as powerful or feature-rich as the competition, but it connects more quickly than its desktop counterpart and is easy to use. However, it's worth noting that while PrivadoVPN Free does stick to a no-logs policy—and I didn't find anything suspect during my research—it's yet to undergo an independent security audit to prove its claims.
As the best free VPN overall, PrivadoVPN Free also blows the competition out of the water for server locations. While Proton VPN Free offers access to servers in just 5 countries, PrivadoVPN Free gives you 13 cities in 10 countries, including the US, UK, France, Canada, and Switzerland. The higher server count also means you’re less likely to encounter a congested server that'll slow your streaming sessions.
As with any free VPN, PrivadoVPN Free has its share of compromises. First, only a single device is allowed on each free plan. Second, it offers limited data (just 10 GB per month), unlike Proton VPN Free, which offers unlimited data. However, compared to rivals with limited data allowance, PrivadoVPN Free doesn't cut you off after you exhaust the monthly data limit—you’ll still be able to use the service, although at a sluggish speed of 1 Mbps.
All in all, PrivadoVPN Free, despite being a new entrant in the VPN industry, offers a comprehensive service with stunning speeds, lots of locations, and solid privacy features, and it’s the #1 choice if you want a free streaming VPN. However, to watch a lot of content, you’ll need unlimited data, so consider upgrading to a PrivadoVPN paid plan.
The best unlimited free Android VPN
As our testing has proved time and time again, Switzerland-based Proton VPN is one of the most secure VPNs on the market right now—and the same is true for the Proton VPN Free Android app. In addition to being independently audited, the app is also open-source, meaning users are free to inspect its code at any time to make sure the provider is living up to its privacy promises.
Next, as we mentioned in our full Proton VPN Free review, you get a stacked buffet of security features, including class-leading encryption, a reliable kill switch, and a strict no-logging policy (which has been audited, too, unlike PrivadoVPN Free). Speeds are lightning-fast, too, with Proton VPN clocking at over 950 Mbps when I last tested it.
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Proton VPN Free’s Android app, like its free iPhone VPN app, has a very similar design to the desktop version—and it’s certainly more powerful than PrivadoVPN Free’s Android app. You get expert-level networking tweaks plus support for the IKEv2 protocol alongside OpenVPN and WireGuard. Furthermore, I saw no technical issues, pesky ads, or leaks during my hands-on testing, and the option to choose locations from either a map or a conventional list is praiseworthy.
Proton VPN Free’s party piece, though, is its unlimited data allowance. Unlike other free providers that cap your data usage to around 10 GB per month, Proton VPN doesn't come with any data limits. A huge perk of this—in addition to limitless browsing, of course—is that you can use Proton VPN’s always-on VPN feature to connect once and stay protected.
Another standout offering is that it has partnered with German news broadcaster Deutsche Welle to offer free and unrestricted access to unbiased news coverage from around the world. It's the kind of commitment to transparency and accessibility that I love to see.
However, the lack of P2P support (making it a less-than-ideal torrenting VPN), and server limitations mean that Proton VPN is no longer the #1 free choice. It gives you access to just 5 servers (US, Netherlands, Japan, Poland, and Romania), compared to PrivadoVPN Free's 13 and Windscribe’s 14. Even worse, you won't be able to choose your location—you'll have to rely on an auto-connect button.
So, while Proton VPN Free is undoubtedly a top choice for privacy buffs after 24/7 unlimited VPN protection, it still has its limits which, by the way, can be done away with by upgrading to its paid plan. Proton VPN offers one of the largest server networks and a clean sweep of streaming services. Plus, you’ll have a 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out risk-free.
The best free Android VPN for beginners
In my comprehensive Windscribe Free VPN review, I found that this Canada-based provider is a well-rounded free VPN with excellent reach, great unblocking, and reliable privacy and security. It stands out from the crowd by offering an impressive spread of servers—14 server locations in 11 countries. This is better than both the providers mentioned above.
While not as comprehensive as PrivadoVPN Free, Windscribe Free does well to effortlessly unblock UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer, meaning it’s a good UK VPN and an excellent option for fans of British movies and TV shows who want reliable access to their favorite content. All in all, it's an impressive performance for a free service.
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Another positive of Winscribe is that it comes with unlimited simultaneous connections. It’s the only provider here that allows you to install its app (whether you're on Android, iOS, or desktop) on any number of devices with a single account. Windscribe is a great pick for VPN newbies, too, and its Android app is easy to use. All you need to do is choose a location from the simple text-style list, click Connect to begin, and Disconnect when you're ready to call it a day.
If you're looking for deep and customizable configuration, you'll be better off with Proton VPN, but the good news is that Windscribe’s Android app doesn’t miss out on any key features. You get a good selection of protocols, a well-written privacy policy, strong AES-256 encryption, multiple layers of leak protection, and a firewall to block internet access if the VPN connection drops. However, just like PrivadoVPN Free, Windscribe has yet to undergo an audit for its privacy claims and apps.
The only downside to using Windscribe Free is its stingy data cap of 10 GB a month. If you’re a regular VPN user, you’d be much better off with Proton VPN Free (unlimited data); even PrivadoVPN Free, which offers 10 GB of regular data and then unlimited data at a speed of 1 Mbps, is a better pick than Windscribe, where once you exhaust your limit for the month, you’ll have to wait for the next month to be able to use it again. Also, while consistent speeds of around 240 Mbps will get the job done, Windscribe is not as speedy as the competition.
Overall, Windscribe is a simple and easy-to-use free Android VPN with good security, surprise unblocking successes, and more servers than most free providers. However, a strict data limit means that it doesn’t quite compete with the big dogs.
How I test free Android VPNs
TechRadar's VPN testing starts at the provider's website where we look for clues to gauge how reliable the service is. This includes combing through and inspecting the VPN's privacy policy, support options, and any security claims it makes.
Next, we install the provider's free VPN apps on various platforms (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) and test each one of them. This includes checking the reliability of the kill switch and leak protection, as well as any additional features on offer, such as split tunneling, one-connect functionality, etc. This one's a biggie since free VPNs aren't always safe.
We use two locations and around 120 tests to evaluate the provider’s speeds. Lastly, to check if the free VPN can unblock geo-restrictions on streaming sites, we throw multiple big-name streaming sites at it, including Netflix, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.
Should I use a free VPN
A free VPN is limited at its best and outright unsafe at its worst. However, as long as you pick a reliable provider (which are often "freemium" editions of their paid versions), a free VPN can be a serviceable solution, especially if you’re not looking for anything more than basic (and occasional) privacy and security on the internet and public Wi-Fi networks.
However, if you want to use your VPN to stream, torrent, game, etc, that's when a free VPN won't cut it. This is because almost every single free VPN comes with limited data allowances (10 GB per month in most cases), which you're likely to chew through in just a short stint of high-bandwidth activity such as gaming or torrenting.
What's more, even if a VPN offers unlimited data (such as Proton VPN Free), it might not offer unblocking capabilities or a large pool of servers, meaning either you won't be able to access your location or choice, or even if you do, you can't bypass the geo-blocks.
It's well worth noting, though, that this doesn't mean you need to spend a fortune if you want a high-quality and fast VPN that can double up as a good VPN for gaming, streaming, and torrenting, and is super-secure at the same time. There are plenty of affordable cheap VPNs that can do everything a premium-level service can do, and that too, for a teeny tiny price.
How to choose a free VPN
While your personal use case will have the ultimate say on which VPN is the most ideal for you, there are a few key factors to keep in mind when you’re out shopping for a free Android VPN.
- Security: make sure you’re not paying for a free VPN with your privacy; choose a provider with a strict no-logs policy, a reliable kill switch, leak protection, and a history of upholding customer trust.
- Servers: while almost every free service offers a limited server list, you can still get a good selection of global servers if you opt for a high-quality free VPN. What’s even more important is to choose a provider that offers servers in the regions you wish to connect to.
- Speed and bandwidth: most free VPNs come with a limited data allowance per month, with Proton VPN being the only high-quality exception to this. However, you shouldn't settle for such stinginess on the performance front—top VPNs such as PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN offer the same lightning-fast speeds to both their free and paying users.
- Unblocking: if you want to stream geo-blocked content on your Android device for free, there aren’t a lot of free VPNs to choose from. PrivadoVPN Free and Windscribe Free are the two best options.
Free Android VPN FAQs
What is the best free VPN?
Our latest tests confirm PrivadoVPN Free is the best free Android VPN overall. It combines excellent speeds (peaking at 671 Mbps on WireGuard) with reliable unblocking of Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. You also get 10 GB of full-speed data each month, then unlimited browsing at 1 Mbps through Lite Mode, so the service never cuts you off entirely. The Android app is smooth, stable, and includes a built-in kill switch and split tunneling.
For privacy-focused users, Proton VPN Free is the strongest unlimited option thanks to open-source apps, Swiss jurisdiction, and multiple independent no-logs audits. Windscribe Free, meanwhile, offers the best blend of usability and flexibility, with 13 free server locations and consistently fast, 496 Mbps speeds. Together, these three are the only free VPNs we'd trust for Android security in 2025.
Why do I need a free Android VPN?
A good free Android VPN is a potent way to improve your device’s security when using unsecured public Wi-Fi hotspots, or for general privacy and anonymity on the internet no matter where you are. It'll also come in handy if you're traveling abroad (especially to a country with strict internet censorship and privacy-invasive ISPs and government authorities) and want to have continued access to VoIP apps and banking portals back home.
However, if your intended use cases include streaming, gaming, or torrenting, or if you want access to a vast number of locations worldwide, you'd be better off with an affordable premium VPN.
Can you get a premium VPN for free?
If you’re dead set on not wanting to pay for a good VPN service, there's a compromise you can lean into—use a premium VPN's money-back guarantee to get around 30 days of coverage, risk-free.
However, it's worth noting that premium, high-quality VPNs don't necessarily have to break the bank—Surfshark and PIA cost anywhere between just $2-3 a month and still manage to snap at the heels of expensive providers with their well-rounded packages.
How do I set up a free Android VPN?
Setup is straightforward, even if you've never used a VPN before. Open Google Play, download the app for a trusted provider (PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, or Windscribe), and create a free account. Most apps let you sign up with an email and password, and verifying your email often unlocks extra data. After installation, tap Connect to encrypt your traffic and protect your connection instantly.
You can also fine-tune settings for extra security. In Android's network menu, enable the Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN options to create a permanent system-level kill switch. If your provider supports split tunneling, you can exclude banking or mapping apps from the tunnel for convenience. Once connected, the VPN icon in your status bar confirms your Android device is protected, whether on mobile data, free Wi-Fi, or public hotspots anywhere in the world.
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.
