Best Free VPN for Android: Which Should You Use?

VPNs, virtual private networks, are software tools that provide users with a secure connection to the internet thereby increasing online privacy. These tools are used widely by businesses and individuals. In this review, we’re going to go over how VPNs work, why you should use one, and if you should pay for one, and we’ll cover the best free VPN for Android devices.

How VPNs Work

Virtual private networks are servers that any device—such as a computer or an Android device—can use to connect to the internet securely. When a user turns on their VPN, all their internet activity is routed through the VPNs encrypted tunnel to a server which is then connected to the internet.

This connection to the internet via a VPN means all your web traffic is routed through a server and mixed with other users’ activity. The best free android VPN services will have high-level encryption used to protect your data as it’s routed through the server.

Why You Should Use a VPN

VPNs are great security tools that can ensure none of your data is being spied on, and they’re especially helpful when you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi network.

Once you’ve connected to a VPN, all your browsing activity is routed through an encrypted tunnel meaning you’re protected against cybercriminals, targeted advertisements, and other snoopers. VPNs also hide IP addresses giving you privacy and access to content that is otherwise restricted based on your geographic location.

Should You Pay for a VPN?

While it’s ultimately up to each person, we highly recommend paying for a VPN service to have unlimited data and all the possible features. Any free service isn’t genuinely free as many of the free options will sell your personal information instead of keeping it private.

What’s more, free VPN services will often limit the amount of data you can use and restrict the overall functionality of their apps. This may mean that you can’t select a server based on location or that you can’t unblock regional content.

Our Review Process

While reviewing Android VPN apps, we focused our attention on four key criteria that helped us determine if the app is something that we’d recommend—security, server network, unblocking content, and price. We gave each criterion a score out of 5, so you can determine which VPN is best for you.

Why is the Security of a VPN Important?

VPNs are designed to offer privacy and to hide your IP address. The more security features an application has, the safer you can feel as you browse the web.

Why Do I Need to Know about the Servers of a VPN?

When you sign up for a VPN service, you have access to all the servers associated with that company. If a company has a large count of servers, each server will have fewer people using it which means you’ll have a better internet connection.

What Does it Mean to Be Able to Unblock Content with a VPN?

Many social media sites, streaming services, and websites block access to their content depending on where a user is in the world. Many VPNs can get around these geo-restrictions and help you get access to all the content you want.

Why Is Price Important if I Want a Free VPN?

There are no truly free VPN services as they can’t offer you a service without something in return. Rather than protect your online privacy, they sell your data, have limits, and even target you with ads.