What is the best VPN for Android users and is there a free option?

NordVPN is ZDNET's top pick. It offers capabilities beyond basic VPN. Overall, it's a solid choice, and with a 30-day money-back guarantee, it's worth a try.

When you're deciding which VPN service is the right one for you, personal preference can be just as important as objective performance. Since these VPNs have 30-day money-back guarantees, your best bet is to try one out and see if you like it.

We analyzed the best VPNs for Android using the most important criteria to help you make an informed decision, including:

• Kill switch: This feature automatically cuts your internet connection if your VPN connection drops. 
• Price & refund policy: How much does the service cost, and how long is the money-back guarantee period?
• Countries: Having more servers is better, but server locations also matter. Does the VPN have servers in countries you want to connect through?
• Simultaneous connections: You'll want to use a single VPN subscription for all of your devices. 
• Platforms: Most VPNs have native apps for the most popular operating systems, but make sure your VPN is compatible with your devices.
• Logging: VPN providers maintain data logs, which could put your privacy at risk. Does the VPN provider log your traffic or just log critical billing info?

Furthermore, we have also kept in mind the reputation, customer reviews, and security history of VPN organizations. We have considered different use cases, affordability, user-friendliness, the servers and countries on offer, and more in our review.

Probably not. Many Android-based devices are not updated to the latest Android releases and have no update path. Some vendors even ship brand-new devices running older (and far more vulnerable) versions of Android. 

However, these VPNs support Android OS as far back as versions 5 and 6. Chances are that most people are running a version that's fully supported by a native VPN app, especially if they keep their smartphones and tablets up-to-date (which is recommended as a best practice for security and privacy). 

Some providers may even support older versions of Android with a manual installation. You may need to connect with customer service to find out which older versions are supported and get step-by-step instructions on installation. 

While these technologies are intended to protect you and your device, they protect different aspects of your usage. VPNs fundamentally protect data in motion, which is the data being sent to and from the internet. VPN protection is generally provided by encryption, so hackers can't spy on the data while it moves, although some organizations will also bolt on malware scanners, data breach monitors, and more. 

Anti-malware software protects against the execution of malicious software on your device. Those apps scan data, monitor apps, and intercept the actions of apps while they're running on your machine. When it comes to mobile devices, this may also include checking permissions and ensuring apps don't have more control over your device than they need.

Although we do not typically recommend free VPN services due to their lack of reliability and low-quality performance, there are several free VPNs for Android that are support by premium paid subscriptions. These free services are sometimes offered by reputable VPNs like Atlas and Hotspot Shield and are generally safe to use. However, they usually have severe data or performance limits, which make them useful only as a way to test out the full service. One exception to this is Proton VPN's free service, which has no data caps or speed restrictions. 

Outside of a free Proton VPN account, there are very few practical applications for free VPNs. And in the worse case scenarios, you could be putting your data at risk because less reputable free VPN services could be selling your information for a profit.

Getting a VPN up and running on your Android device is fairly straightforward. Once you've chosen the VPN you want to install, go to the Google Play Store and search for it. In most cases, you'll be able to download the VPN's app directly from the Google Play Store, but you may have to download it from the VPN provider's site. (If this is the case, please make sure you trust the vendor and domain.)

After the app is downloaded, you can open it and log in to the service with your username/email and password you created when you subscribed.

In rare cases, you may have to manually set up a VPN service on your device. Most VPN providers have extensive FAQ sections on their sites with details on how to complete a manual setup. It's best to reference those instructions for the specific VPN you're using and to contact support if you have any issues.

Most people's phone data runs through a local carrier, which is moderately difficult for hackers to intercept. Generally, if you're using your carrier's LTE or 5G connection, you're reasonably safe. But carriers have data caps and data carriage fees that can get expensive. Even if you have an unlimited data plan, carriers charge for hotspot use.

To avoid extra costs, you can use local Wi-Fi that coffee shops, airport lounges, hotels, and schools often offer to the public for free. Unfortunately, that Wi-Fi is often open and easy to intercept. Having a VPN on your Android phone can protect your data when you're accessing the internet through one of these hotspots. In fact, I recommend never accessing the internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot without an active VPN.

Furthermore, you may want to consider using a VPN to remain secure and to select your preferred location if you are using your Android device to stream content.

If you want to run a top VPN on your Chromebook, your best bet is to install an Android VPN client to do the heavy lifting. ZDNET experts discuss that in-depth in our Guide to the Best VPN for Chrome and Chromebooks 2023. 

There are a number of other Android VPNs you can consider outside of this list. Here are a few more of our favorites: