VPN

Add a VPN. One you can trust.

As of 17 Oct 2026, 8 VPN apps passed our four rules. These 8 are where we'd start. Most free VPNs didn't make it, and below we say why.

Every VPN here passed all four rulesApps that fail one are not listed. The rules
  1. AuditedAn independent firm checked its no-logs claim or its security in the last 24 months. We link the report.
  2. Owner shownA named company, and the country it answers to.
  3. Free tier explainedIf it is free, we say who pays for it.
  4. No commissionWe earn nothing when you sign up. No affiliate links, ever.

What a VPN does

  • Hides what you do from the Wi-Fi you are on and your mobile network
  • Makes sites see the VPN's country, not yours

What it doesn't

  • Make you anonymous: the VPN company sees your traffic instead
  • Block malware, or stop sites tracking you once you sign in

The top 3

Also great. Five more.

Picked by hand, 17 Oct 2026
Skip these

Free VPNs that won't say who runs them.

A VPN sees everything you send. If an app is free, unlimited, and you can't find the company behind it, you're trusting a stranger with all of it.

More on Be careful

  • Hidden ownersResearchers traced popular Play VPNs to companies they don't name in the store.
    Tech Transparency Project, 2025 · source
  • Encryption that can be undoneTwo groups of Play VPN apps, over 700 million downloads between them, used one built-in password for every user, so their traffic can be decrypted.
    FOCI 2025, "Hidden Links" · source
  • Malware insideIn a study of 283 VPN apps, 38% were flagged by antivirus engines, and some injected code into pages.
    ICSI / IMC 2016 · source
AllFreeUpdated this year
8 apps · sorted by name
All 8 apps
App ▲ What it does Price Updated ▼ Min Android ▼ Get it
CyberGhostTop 8CyberGhost S.R.L.
 Servers aimed at streaming — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
ExpressVPNTop 8Express Technologies Ltd
 One tap to connect — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
IVPNTop 8IVPN Limited
 A paid VPN that does not ask for an email — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
Mullvad VPNTop 8Mullvad VPN AB
 A numbered account, no email, one switch — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
NordVPNTop 8Nord Security
 A fast VPN with a map you can actually use — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
Private Internet AccessTop 8Private Internet Access, Inc.
 A VPN with a lot of switches — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
Proton VPNTop 8Proton AG
 A calm VPN with a free plan paid for by paying users — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play
SurfsharkTop 8Surfshark B.V.
 One plan, many devices — Hand-checked 17 Oct 2026 — Google Play

'Top 8' marks the apps above. Data from F-Droid and hand-checked entries, as of 17 Oct 2026.

Questions

What does a VPN not do?

It does not make you anonymous. The VPN company sees your traffic instead of your network. It does not block malware or stop a site tracking you once you sign in.

Can I bring my own server?

Yes. WireGuard is a tool, not a provider. Use it if you already run a server. It is not listed as a VPN here because there is no company to audit.

Why are most free VPNs missing?

They failed a rule: no named owner, no recent independent audit, or no explanation of who pays. See Be careful.

How we pick the top 8: a person tries the apps and checks each maker's page, then writes the labels down with a date. How we choose