More and more people are turning to VPN apps to boost their privacy and security on their Android devices. Far less, however, realize the potential risk of downloading the wrong one.
Google’s latest fraud advisory alert has sounded the alarm about the rising threats of malicious VPN and warned that some dodgy VPNs could be spyware in disguise – and it’s far from the first time this year these risks have been identified.
In August, it was revealed that fraudulent adtech group VexTrio were behind some VPN apps and, in the same month, security researchers revealed that a popular free Chrome VPN extension was actively spying on its 100k+ users.
Almost all of the untrustworthy VPN apps are free, that’s why we only recommend a handful of free VPN apps and even then they often come with certain limitations.
Luckily, though, some of the best Android VPN services have already dropped their as part of their Black Friday VPN deals. These limited offers make now the perfect moment to boost the security of your device with a legitimate VPN app. Here’s how:
Best Black Friday VPN deals
TechRadar’s top Android VPN
Surfshark One: $2.19 per month – 88% off + 3 months free
Surfshark is TechRadar’s best Android VPN right now. It has sleek apps, serious speeds, flawless unblocking, a selection of handy Android home screen widgets, and unlimited connections.
Starter is Surfshark’s cheapest price plan (and is also currently on offer), but Surfshark One is where the real deal is. Besides an excellent VPN product and Alternative ID, here’s what you get with Surfshark One over Starter for a bit more than $2 a month:
✅ Full antivirus built in
✅ Privacy-first web search
✅ Email, ID, and credit card fraud alerts
You can try Surfshark risk-free for yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee. Read Surfshark’s review here.View Deal
TechRadar’s all-around best VPN
NordVPN Basic: $2.99 per month – 73% off + 3 months free
NordVPN is TechRadar’s all-around best VPN app, thanks to amazing speeds, great security, and impeccable unblocking capabilities. Unique features like Threat Protection and Meshnet set NordVPN apart, though it is a bit more expensive than Surfshark.
For Black Friday 2025, NordVPN has reduced its price across all of its 2-year plans. For us, one of the best deals is NordVPN Basic, which is now less than $3 a month. Here’s what’s included:
✅ Servers in over 126 countries
✅ Unlimited data use
✅ Connect from 10 devices at the same time
✅ Blocks ads and malicious domains
NordVPN also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so that you can try it out for yourself to see if it’s the right VPN for you. Read NordVPN’s review here.View Deal
The risk of malicius free VPNs
As the demand for VPNs continue to increase − especially as mandatory age verification is introduced around the world − cybercriminals are actively looking to exploit people’s interest.
Talking to TechRadar, Daniel Card, a cyber-security expert and a Fellow of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, explains that among the threats, malicious free VPN services could turn your device into part of a rotating proxy service. In other words a botnet, which allows hackers to spread malware across devices.
“We have been discussing, as a community, VPNs and the risks they pose for a long time now. We had started to make some headway on this with public education and awareness. Then the UK Online Safety Act seems to have undone all of that,” said Card.
Not all free VPN apps are malicious, but many do carry risks. That’s because running the infrastructure needed for a VPN is expensive and if they aren’t charging a subscription, then free VPN providers might resort to profiting off your data – exactly the sort of thing you’re trying to avoid by downloading a VPN in the first place.
Commenting on this point, Card said: “The rule tends to apply: if it’s free, you are the product.”
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