A VPN for Android is great for protecting your online identity, but like everything useful in life, it comes at a price. Luckily, there are free VPNs for Android you can use to hide your IP address and encrypt your online traffic.
You can use a free VPN on Android to watch geo-restricted content or keep your online traffic safe when you’re on a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Using a free VPN is a great way to stay protected and see if you’re ready to pay for a premium one like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Below, you’ll see our top candidates for the best free Android VPN apps.
Top 5 free VPNs for Android
- Proton VPN – Best free VPN for Android with unlimited data
- PrivadoVPN – Best free VPN with advanced security features
- Windscribe – Free VPN with the highest number of server locations
- AtlasVPN – Free VPN for Android with the most user-friendly UI
- Hide.me – Most popular free VPN for Android
Before we move on to the next section, let’s take a look at some of the things that helped us create the list of best free VPNs for Android:
- Number of servers – How many servers the free VPNs have.
- Data limit – How much data you get with the free VPNs.
- Privacy – Whether the free VPNs sell your data to advertisers.
- Reputation – How popular the VPNs are.
- Security features – Whether the VPNs have any features that boost your online privacy.
Why should you use a free VPN for Android
Using a free VPN for Android is a great way to protect your online traffic. Here are a few reasons why you should use one if you can’t afford a premium VPN service:
- Increased privacy – A free VPN will change your IP address and encrypt your data, making sure your online traffic doesn’t get leaked.
- Unblocking geo-restricted content – Using a good free VPN will allow you to watch your favorite foreign shows and movies that aren’t available in your region.
- Security features – Many free VPNs for Android come with security features like a kill switch, split tunneling, and DNS leak protection. These features help increase your online privacy.
- Avoiding ISP throttling – If your ISP throttles your connection whenever you reach your data limit or download torrents, use a free VPN so your browsing activities remain hidden.
- Live streaming blacked out games – With the help of free VPNs on Android, you can watch games like NHL or MLB if they’re blacked out in your region.
The best free VPNs for Android
We tested a lot of free VPNs and found 5 to be the best ones for Android. Remember, if you enjoy using the VPN and it gives good results, we recommend paying for the full version so you can increase your online privacy.
Here are the best 5 free VPNs for Android:
1. Proton VPN - Best overall free VPN for Android in 2023
- Unlimited data usage on Android
- Based in Switzerland
- Comes with a kill switch and DNS leak protection on Android
- Only 3 server locations
- Only has 1 simultaneous connection
Created by the same people who gave us Proton Mail, an end-to-end encrypted email app, Proton VPN is our top choice for the best free VPN on Android. It has unlimited data, which means you can use it as much as you want. You won’t be bombarded with ads on your Android because it has a no-log policy and it’s located in Switzerland, a non-5/9/14 Eyes country.
| Number of servers | 3 server locations |
| Location | Switzerland |
| Simultaneous connections | 1 |
You get 3 server locations: Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States. Your online traffic undergoes military-grade encryption and features like kill switch and DNS leak protection keep your data from getting into the wrong hands.
ProtonVPN on Android has 3 server locations.
The free version of Proton VPN on Android uses the OpenVPN protocol and it also has an “Always-On VPN” switch so you always remain protected.
Netflix is hard to unblock with a free VPN, but we managed to find a few servers from Japan which let us stream Japanese content. Other streaming sites are easier to access since most of them aren’t actively blocking VPNs.
If you get the premium version on your Android, you’ll also get an ad blocker. You can get it for as low as $5 per month.
2. PrivadoVPN – Best free VPN for security
- No-log free VPN for Android
- Based in Switzerland
- Advanced security features on Android
- All servers are located in North America and Europe
- Doesn’t unblock Netflix
PrivadoVPN is a great free VPN for Android as long as you stay within the 10 GB monthly data limit. Once you’ve consumed all your data, all servers except one will become unavailable and its speed will be capped at 1 Mbps. That being said, it’s one of the few free VPNs for Android that respects its users’ privacy.
| Number of servers | 9 server locations |
| Location | Switzerland |
| Simultaneous connections | 1 |
Most of PrivadoVPN’s servers are based in the USA.
It’s based in Switzerland and it doesn’t collect any logs. You can safely use it without worrying about advertisers stealing your data and showing you targeted ads. There are a total of 9 server locations, two of which are the USA and the UK.
We were able to play Amazon Prime and Disney+ without any problem, but it didn’t work with Netflix. There are no servers in Asia on the free version so you won’t be able to unblock Japanese or Korean content.
The free version of PrivadoVPN on Android is equipped with an ad blocker, an uncommon feature in free VPN services. Additionally, it comes with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, malware protection, and DNS leak protection.
There are two protocols you can use on PrivadoVPN: OpenVPN and IKEv2. Both protocols give great speeds and PrivadoVPN is one of the best free VPNs for P2P file sharing, though you’ll run out of data fast if you try to download large files.
The premium version of PrivadoVPN starts at $4.99 per month.
3. Windscribe - Best free VPN for Android with the largest server network
- More server locations than other free VPNs for Android
- Doesn’t record information on Android
- Can unblock most streaming sites on Android
- Located in Canada
- 2 GB monthly data limit if you don’t sign up
Windscribe is another great free VPN for Android. It has more server locations than Proton VPN and PrivadoVPN, but it has a monthly data limit of 2 GB. Once you’re out of data, your only option is to either switch to another VPN or get 8 GB more by adding and verifying your email address.
| Number of servers | 11 server locations |
| Location | Ontario, Canada |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
Windscribe’s 2 GB monthly limit can be upgraded to 10 GB by adding your email.
Canada isn’t exactly an ideal place for VPN companies because it’s part of the 5 Eyes alliance. You can start using Windscribe immediately after downloading the app on your Android without having to create an account.
Having more server locations than Proton VPN means you can unblock geo-restricted content from more regions, but watching videos in HD will quickly drain your data so you might not always be able to watch movies.
Despite being based in Canada, it’s one of the most private free VPNs for Android. It doesn’t log your data and you’ll see no ads while using it. It comes with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, Always on VPN, and DNS leak protection.
While there are many useful guides on Windscribe’s site, there’s no live chat. You can only talk to a bot which may not always have a solution to your problem. The premium plan starts at $5.75 per month.
4. AtlasVPN – Best VPN with the simplest UI
- WireGuard for fast speeds on Android
- A kill switch and split tunneling included in the Android version
- Doesn’t log any information
- Located in the USA
- Only 2 server locations
AtlasVPN is a relatively new VPN for Android, but it’s quickly become one of our favorites thanks to its user-friendly UI and stance on privacy. It only has two server locations: The Netherlands and the USA (New York and Los Angeles).
| Number of servers | 2 server locations |
| Location | Delaware, United States |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
Android users get 5 GB per month and unlimited simultaneous connections. It’s quite a simple and easy-to-use app that comes with essential security features like military-grade encryption, a kill switch,split tunneling (exclusive to the Android version), and WireGuard tunneling protocol.
AtlasVPN on Android lets you use 5 GB per month.
WireGuard is considered the fastest and safest VPN protocol, which is why AtlasVPN is perfect for those who want fast speeds and good security. Some may hesitate to use it because it’s based in the USA, a 5 Eyes country, but it has a strict no-log policy.
Unblocking streaming sites is a bit hit-and-miss. If you’re lucky, you might be able to access sites like Amazon Prime and Disney+, but we didn’t find any server that was able to unblock Netflix.
The free version of AtlasVPN is great for beginners who just want to use a VPN when dealing with sensitive information, but if you want one for streaming foreign content, then we recommend using Proton VPN.
AtlasVPN’s 3-year plan is available for $1.83 per month.
5. Hide.me – Oldest free VPN for Android
- Free Android version has a kill switch and split tunneling
- P2P-optimized servers on Android
- No need to create an account
- No WireGuard tunneling protocol
Hide.me is a free VPN for Android that’s been around since 2012, making it the oldest service on this list. It has a total of 4 server locations: the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, and the USA. All of the servers support P2P file sharing, but because it’s been around for so long, unblocking geo-restricted content might not always work.
| Number of servers | 4 server locations |
| Location | Malaysia |
| Simultaneous connections | 1 |
Hide.me is one of the oldest free VPNs for Android.
It comes with a monthly data limit of 10 GB. Just like Windscribe, you don’t have to create an account and can immediately start using it after downloading the app on your Android. The best thing about Hide.me is that it has a kill switch, split tunneling, and DNS leak protection. You also get military-grade encryption.
There’s no WireGuard tunneling protocol, which is disappointing considering how long it’s been around. If you care about speed, then Hide.me might not be the best VPN for you, because it gave us slightly slower speeds than Proton VPN and Windscribe when we tested it.
If security is your top priority, though, then Hide.me is great. It has a no-log policy that’s been externally audited and it’s based in a non-5/9/14 Eyes country.
The premium version costs $3 per month.
Methodology: how we tested free Android VPNs
Testing multiple VPN services can be a difficult and time-consuming process for casual users. We invested a lot of time in testing all the VPNs you see on this list so you don’t have to. Here are some of the things we considered during the testing process:
- Data cap – It’s difficult to find a free VPN that has unlimited data limit, but we tried our best to include only those that have enough to last you an entire month.
- Number of servers – Most free VPNs have a very limited server network, which is why they’re not ideal for streaming geo-restricted content. We made sure we included free VPNs that have a sufficient amount of servers.
- Privacy – Our list contains free VPNs that don’t show you ads and have a strict no-log policy. In fact, Windscribe and Hide.me even have RAM-based servers to make sure no data is retained.
- Brand popularity – VPNs that are more popular will naturally have more reviews, which makes it easier for us to understand how good they actually are. All of the VPNs on our list generally receive positive reviews from their users.
- Security features – All of the VPNs on our list come with features like military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. These features are necessary to keep your online traffic safe and protected.
How to use a free VPN on Android
Downloading and using a free VPN on Android is easy and only requires a few simple steps. Here’s what the process looks like:
- Pick a VPN from our list.
- We recommend Proton VPN because it has unlimited data and it’s based in a non-14 Eyes country.
- Download an apk file of the VPN or get it directly from the Google Play Store.
- Open the VPN and tap the Connect button.
- You’re ready to start browsing anonymously!
Should you use free VPNs instead of paid ones?
Free VPNs for Android are great, but is it safe to use them? The VPNs on our list have a strict no-log policy and two of them even have RAM-based servers. They don’t show any ads so we know they’re not selling your data to advertisers. But we still recommend using paid VPNs.
You should only use free VPNs on Android to test them and see if you’re ready to pay for a premium one. Free VPNs don’t have a lot of servers and they lack most of the security features that paid ones have.
For example, you can use a kill switch on most free VPNs, but you won’t have the ability to route your online traffic through two servers or access the dark web. Another problem is that most free VPNs have a monthly data limit, which means you can’t always watch movies or download large torrent files.
If you want to watch geo-restricted content and take advantage of other features, we recommend using premium VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. These VPNs have advanced security features that enhance your privacy and all of their servers are RAM-based. Most premium VPNs have a trial version or a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom line
To sum it all up, there are many great free VPNs for Android that you can use to protect your online traffic. We consider Proton VPN the best free VPN for Android because it doesn’t have a monthly data limit and it has over 80 servers in three countries.
When looking for a free VPN, you have to make sure that it doesn’t show ads because then you risk having your data stolen by advertisers.
Many of them have a monthly data limit of 10 GB which can be frustrating if you want to share large P2P files or stream geo-restricted movies. These activities consume a lot of data and you’ll quickly reach your monthly limit.
With that being said, we recommend using a paid VPN once you’ve used a free one for some time. You shouldn’t completely rely on free VPNs since they’re not as secure as paid ones.
You won’t get WireGuard tunneling protocol on most free VPNs which is currently the fastest and most secure protocol in the VPN industry. Upgrading to a premium VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN will greatly benefit you in terms of speed, privacy, and security features and we highly recommend it.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, it’s okay to use a free VPN for Android as long as it doesn’t show ads and has a no-log policy. We recommend sticking to the ones on our list because none of those VPNs will sell your data to advertisers and they all come with security features that will keep your online traffic safe.
Yes, free VPNs for Android will successfully hide your IP address and encrypt your online traffic. Many of them come with DNS leak protection so your DNS requests will stay safe, too. Your ISP and other third parties won’t be able to know what sites you’re visiting and with some free VPNs, you’ll be able to unblock geo-restricted streaming sites.
Yes, it’s safe to use a free VPN for Android if it doesn’t show any ads. If you want to be completely safe, we recommend only using free VPNs that have RAM-based servers like Windscribe and Hide.me. An even better way of keeping your online traffic safe is by upgrading to a premium VPN like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.