Dangerous free VPNs rocket up UK App Store ranking as users look to bypass age verification laws – these are the ones to avoid
The best VPNs are reputable and will securely protect your data online, but the same cannot be said for every free VPN.
Many free VPNs collect, share, or sell your data. Most have questionable privacy credentials at best, and outright dangerous ones at worst.
At Tom's Guide, we always recommend a paid service over a free one, but if you do subscribe to a free VPN, ensure it's one of the best free VPNs.
These are PrivadoVPN Free, Proton VPN Free, and Windscribe Free. We've dug into the details in our reviews, and these are the top three we recommend.
Many people in the UK are turning to VPNs in order to get around UK age verification laws. The new law came into effect on July 25, 2025, and proof of age is now required to access sites hosting "explicit content."
Serious privacy concerns have arisen because of the information users are required to submit. Credit card checks, photo ID, and AI-powered age estimation are some examples, with highly-sensitive personal information being entrusted to third-party providers.
But by attempting to avoid age verification with a dodgy free VPN, you might still be putting your data at risk. Here's how to stay safe.
The table below is a quick way to compare the seven VPN apps that are currently in the top twenty.
In the "Safety status" column:
✅ = is safe to use.
❌ = is a potential privacy and security threat.
VPN
Safety status
Price (per month)
Free trial?
Proton VPN
✅
$3.59 / £3.59 / Free
No
VPN Super Unlimited Proxy
❌
Free
N/A
NordVPN
✅
$2.91 / £2.31
Yes – Android only
Free VPN by FreeVPN.org
❌
Free
N/A
Free VPN: Unlimited VPN Proxy
❌
Free
N/A
Opera
✅
$4 / £3.33 / Free
Yes
Surfshark
✅
$1.99 / £1.49
Yes
Surfshark: the best cheap VPN + 7-day FREE TRIALSurfshark isn't just the best cheap VPN – it also has an unmatched 7-day free trial. You'll get unlimited access to all of its features for 7 days, and then decide whether to stay or go. It offers top-quality privacy, can unblock streaming sites, and has unique features such as Alt ID.
The 2-year deal starts at $1.99 / £1.49 per month ($53.73 / £40.23 up front). You'll also receive an extra 3 months of protection for free and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PrivadoVPN: Cheap and fast with a great free planPrivadoVPN is the cheapest VPN we recommend. Despite the price, it still packs a punch and is a great option if you're looking to spend as little money as possible. It's fast, great for streaming, and our tests showed it's safe to use too.
The 2-year deal is $1.11 / £1.11 per month ($30 / £30 up front), with 3 extra months thrown in. There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee, and its free VPN version is the best of its kind.
Seven of the top 20 free apps on the UK App Store are VPNs. But we'd only recommend downloading four of them. These are:
As of Tuesday, July 29, Proton VPN tops the free apps charts. Proton VPN is highly secure and one of the most private VPNs. Its mission is to campaign for a free and open internet, and it boasts a host of anti-censorship features.
One of those anti-censorship features is its free version, Proton VPN Free. It lacks the array of features included in the premium plan, but it's covered by the same high standards of encryption, security, and privacy. It abides by Proton VPN's strict no-logs policy and has a rock solid kill switch.
It is a very reputable free VPN and Android VPN users don't even need to create an account to sign up.
VPN is usage in the UK has spiked dramatically, with Proton VPN seeing a huge increase in sign ups – 1,400% over its baseline.
However, sitting at #2 is VPN Super Unlimited Proxy – and we have concerns about this one.
The free app features ads and it says your usage data is tracked. It has a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 from over 100,000 reviews, but we'd recommend avoiding it.
It claims to offer fast speeds, with unlimited bandwidth. None of the best free VPNs offer both of these features, and leaves us asking what's the catch. We also couldn't see any record of an independent audit.
App #5 was Free VPN by FreeVPN.org. Similar suspicions are raised with this app, despite its page stating no user data is collected from the app.
We investigated its privacy policy and found it to be incredibly sparse and vague. This is a red flag and leaves us with more questions than answers. It's another free VPN app we recommend you steer well clear from.
Free VPN: Unlimited VPN Proxy is #8 on the list and it appears to be the worst offending free VPN on there.
It says it tracks users and collects location, identifiers, diagnostics, and usage data. Like the above free VPNs, its ratings are to be taken with a pinch of salt. It has a 4.7 star rating from 14,000 reviews but should be avoided.
NordVPN was app #3 on the list. This definitely is a safe and secure VPN – in fact it's our #1 VPN overall. NordVPN isn't free, but it does offer a 7-day free trial for Android users.
NordVPN is extremely fast, recording speeds of over 900 Mbps in our testing and now supports post-quantum encryption – the new industry standard – across all its apps. It can protect up to 10 devices on one plan and has recently completed its fifth independent no-logs audit showing it doesn't log your data.
Tom's Guide readers can claim an exclusive NordVPN deal which sees you get an additional four months of VPN protection for free on all plans. Selected plans also include free Amazon gift cards worth up to $50 / £50.
The two-year deal starts at $2.91 / £2.31 per month and you can compare all plans using our NordVPN prices and plans guide.
NordVPN: the best VPN overallEXCLUSIVE DEAL: NordVPN is our #1 VPN overall. It's fast, secure, and unblocks all major streaming sites. Premium plans come with threat and malware protection and a password manager.
With Tom's Guide's exclusive deal, 28 months of protection starts at $2.91 / £2.31 per month ($81.36 / £64.56 up front). All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. With selected premium plans you'll also get your hands on free Amazon gift cards worth up to $50 / £50.
Opera is a secure browser with a built-in free VPN and the app has risen to #13 on the UK App Store rankings.
Opera's VPN isn't a big hitter, but it's a solid option, with a free and premium plan. In 2024, Opera VPN published a successful no-logs audit, and this month Opera VPN Pro adopted ExpressVPN's Lightway Protocol.
We rate Surfshark as the best cheap VPN and it's currently #19 on the UK App Store. It's one of the fastest VPNs on the market and one of the best streaming VPNs.
At $1.99 / £1.49 per month ($53.73 / £40.23 up front) Surfshark represents excellent value for money. It's far better than any free VPN thanks to its speed, security, features, and unlimited device connections policy.
The free VPNs we've recommended will protect your data and do the VPN basics. But if you can afford a premium VPN, Surfshark is a great, cheap option.
Surfshark also offers a 7-day free trial for all platforms. No other leading VPN provider has a free trial as comprehensive as Surfshark's. Almost all of the best VPNs offer a minimum 30-day money-back guarantee, but very few offer a 7-day free trial.
For more information about VPN free trials, check out our best VPN free trial page.
If you're after some alternative cheap VPN options, it's worth checking out PrivadoVPN at $1.11 / £1.11 per month and Private Internet Access at $2.19 / £1.69 per month.
Regardless of what you've downloaded it for, if you have one of these dangerous free VPNs installed on your device we'd recommend deleting it straight away.
We'd encourage people to subscribe to a premium VPN, but you don't always need to. There is a VPN for everyone, with a range of price points covered.
PrivadoVPN and Surfshark are both under $2 per month, while Proton VPN Free, PrivadoVPN Free, and Windscribe Free are all secure and reputable free providers.
But if you want to spend a little more money, NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN are all great choices.
Whichever provider you choose, ensure it has a proven no-logs policy, secure encryption, features such as a kill switch, and a varied server network.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Android Circuit: Galaxy Z Fold 7 Reviews, Nothing Phone (3) Controversy, Epic's Google Play Victory
Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines across the Android world, including Pixel 10 Pro pricing, Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, iPhone Fold's market impact, Nothing Phone (3)'s controversial redesign, Epic's Google Play victory, and Microsoft updates Windows 11's Android connectivity. Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes. Pixel 10 And Pixel 10 Pro US Pricing Google will launch the Pixel 10 family later this month. The evolutionary handsets look to have small tweaks to the design, but there's one area that's going to remain unchanged. Google is keeping to the same prices as the Pixel 9 family, albeit with one option missing from the line-up: "As suspected, Google is dropping the 128 GB model for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. While it was not listed in European pricing, there was a question whether this was a regional quirk, but with European, US, and Canadian pricing all missing the 128 GB option, the higher starting price on the Pixel 10 Pro XL is because there's no 128 GB to 128 GB comparison possible. However, note that the 256 GB to 256 GB price is matched from the Pixel 9 Pro XL." (Forbes). Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review Samsung's latest foldable brings several changes from last year's model, including upgraded hardware and software in the camera, a new OLED screen, a lower profile and weight reduction. And they all add up to something significant. For many reviewers, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is now a practical if expensive option for consumers: "For the first time, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like a viable alternative to a flat phone, at least in terms of hardware. The new design is as thin and light as many flat phones, and the cover display is large enough to do anything you'd do on non-foldable devices. Plus, you have a tablet-sized display on the inside with serious multitasking chops. We lament the loss of S Pen support, but it was probably necessary to address the chunkiness of past foldables." (Ars Technica). The iPhone Fold And The Galaxy Z Samsung has another advantage in the current crop of foldables… Apple's iPhone Fold. Tim Cook's move into the origami world, but the potential of this iPhone os going to boost the market this year: "While the Galaxy handsets go on sale today, Apple's iPhone Fold is not expected until September 2026 at the earliest. If there's one thing that many who buy at the top end of the technology portfolios are known for, it's a magpie-like fascination with anything shiny and new. If it's there, they want it right now. There's no iPhone Fold right now, but there is the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that's ready for purchase." (Forbes). Nothing Phone (3)'s Controversial Changes Nothing Tech's CEO Carl Pei is pushing back against the reviews of the Nothing Phone 3. Many are picking out the lower specification chipset and the stripping away of the unique design elements all taking price against a rising price and the perception of 'gimmick' additions to the interface: "That encapsulates the Phone 3 as a whole. It's a fine Android phone, and one whose design stands out from the crowd. But flagship phones need to be great on all fronts. The Phone 3 is good enough at most things, but lacks a special trick that might set it apart from better-known smartphone competitors. The Glyph Matrix, at least in its current form, isn't that." (Bloomberg). Epic Wins Google Play Store Appeal Google has lost an appeal in its ongoing legal battles with Epic Games and must change how it approaches partnerships between manufacturers and the Google Play Store ecosystem: "The ruling by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday means the Google Play store will need to lift restrictions that prevent app developers from setting up rival marketplaces and billing systems. The injunction against Google has been on hold since last year during the appeal. (Bloomberg). And Finally... Microsoft has updated its Windows 11 desktop app that links to your Android smartphone with more features and utility added to both sides of the connection: We've reimagined the Link to Windows app as a connected PC experience hub — a central place where you can access, share, and control content between your Android phone and Windows PC. [Including] Recent activity, PC at a glance and Remote actions." (Microsoft). Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week's Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you'd like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
After Surging 15% in 1 Month, Does Alphabet Stock Have More Room to Run After Blowout Earnings?
Key Points Alphabet continues to deliver impressive results despite concerns that its dominant market share in search is under pressure. Google Cloud is growing margins. Alphabet is accelerating its capital spending. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) was so undervalued that it was the only "Magnificent Seven" stock that was cheaper than the S&P 500 in terms of the forward price-to-earnings ratio. But then, Alphabet shot up 15.2% in the month leading up to its second-quarter earnings report. Stocks that run up into an earnings print will often give up some of those gains unless the report was exceptional. But Alphabet continued to climb higher after it reported earnings on July 23 -- a sign that Wall Street liked what it saw. However, it's best not to take the market's reaction for granted. Here's where Alphabet stands, where it could be headed, and if the growth stock is a buy now. Google Search and Gemini are holding their own The primary reason Alphabet has been undervalued relative to other mega-cap growth stocks is a lack of conviction that its investments in artificial intelligence (AI) will yield sufficient returns to offset the potential decline in its existing core segments. Alphabet has numerous moving parts, including Google Search, YouTube, Google Maps and Waze, Android, devices such as Pixel and Chromebook, Gmail and Google Workspace, Google Cloud, and "Other Bets" like Waymo. Despite a diversified lineup, the weight of Alphabet's success is still carried on the shoulders of Google Search. In Alphabet's latest quarter, the company booked $96.43 billion in revenue, a 14% increase year over year (YOY). Google Search revenue came in at $54.19 billion -- an 11.7% increase YOY. Google Search is not declining; it is growing nicely and remains an integral part of the broader business despite worries that rival search and chatbot platforms would be eating into its market share. The misconception that Alphabet is lagging behind AI may finally be changing. Not only are Google Search and the rest of Alphabet's services doing well, but Alphabet's AI investments are producing impressive results. Gemini, the company's Chatbot, is powered by Google DeepMind. Gemini is multimodal, meaning it can process text, images, video, audio, and code. Gemini has 450 million monthly active users -- a 50% increase from the first quarter. For context, reports indicate that OpenAI's ChatGPT reached 800 million weekly active users in July. Alphabet's ecosystem has been expanding in the image-to-video market. On the second-quarter earnings call, Alphabet said that Veo 3, its video generation model, has produced over 70 million videos since May. Alphabet AI tools have free, basic versions, and more advanced subscription services that can be bundled with other offerings in Google One on a single customer and enterprise scale. So, investors should closely watch how Alphabet continues to monetize these tools and determine if they have the potential to eventually contribute to the company's bottom line. Google Cloud is thriving Google Cloud remains a distant third behind Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. But it's still a value-adding piece in Alphabet's portfolio. Google Cloud revenue jumped 32% in the recent quarter as Alphabet rolled out a flurry of AI infrastructure and generative AI solutions for customers. In the past, Alphabet's advertising, subscription platforms, and devices have acted as cash cows and were used to fund Google Cloud and Other Bets. But Google Cloud's profitability has been improving despite aggressive investment. In the recent quarter, Google Services generated a 40.1% operating margin while Google Cloud had a 20.8% operating margin, which is a lot higher than the 11.3% operating margin in the second quarter of 2024. Alphabet is proving that it can keep expanding Google Cloud since it is the company's fastest-growing segment by revenue, while also allowing Google Cloud to continue to the bottom line. Alphabet is so optimistic about the success of its AI endeavors and cloud that it is boosting its 2025 capital expenditures (capex) budget to $85 billion. Alphabet's second-quarter capex was $22.4 billion, and around two-thirds of that capex was invested in servers, and one-third went to data centers and networking equipment. Alphabet is far from a stalwart that is past its prime. The success is reflected in Alphabet's results and its investments in technical infrastructure. Alphabet can afford to ramp spending without compromising its balance sheet or profitability. Alphabet is still a great value Alphabet isn't as dirt cheap as it used to be, but the stock is still undervalued because its earnings continue to grow fast enough to keep a lid on its valuation. Over the last three years, Alphabet's stock price has roughly doubled, but earnings have also soared 86.5%. So given the solid earnings growth, Alphabet's price-to-earnings ratio remains compressed at just 20.6 -- a discount to its 10-year median of 28.6. When I look at Alphabet, I see a company that is showing measurable progress in AI, spending that is paying off, resilience in its legacy cash cows like Google Search and YouTube, and growth in cloud computing. All told, Alphabet checks all the boxes of a foundational growth stock to buy now. Should you invest $1,000 in Alphabet right now? Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $630,291!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,075,791!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,039% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. After Surging 15% in 1 Month, Does Alphabet Stock Have More Room to Run After Blowout Earnings? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM)'s On Fire Due To AI, Says Jim Cramer
We recently published . QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) is one of the biggest chip design companies in the world. The firm holds a commanding market share in the Android smartphone processor and GPU market. QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)'s shares depend to a large extent on Chinese smartphone performance and have gained a modest 6.3% year-to-date. In his remarks, Cramer discussed the firm's shares in the context of the broader AI-led bullishness in semiconductor stocks: 'It's the AI-related chips that are on fire today. . .Qualcomm. . .moving up again. . .Let's again speak of the stock market rather than Sweden's gonna do, what's happening in Sweden. The stock market is reacting incredibly positively to stuff and there are people who don't want to react to it or think that somehow those points aren't valuable. I think they're crazy. We're having a good rally.' Copyright: kobby_dagan / 123RF Stock Photo Cramer previously discussed QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) in February after an interview given by the firm's CEO: 'I did not find Qualcomm disconcerting because it was interviewed, he was interviewed with Jon Fortt and he's a bit promotional but I do think he's gotten what he needs.' While we acknowledge the potential of QCOM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
