As of 2020, Google One subscribers don't need to look elsewhere for a VPN to protect themselves online, as the company includes VPN services as part of their subscription. For the past year, this VPN has been included with any Google One plan, so you can get it whether you pay Google $9.99 per month or $1.99 per month.
If you're one of the Google One users who relies on this VPN, bad news: Google is killing it, just like so many other products and services it's launched over the years. The company told 9to5Google that they were discontinuing the VPN, mainly because people stopped using it. So, if you 're a fan of Google One VPN, you're probably one of the few.
However, VPN services won’t disappear overnight. Google said they will gradually turn off the feature "over the coming months," but there is no clear deadline. However, Pixel-based VPNs will still be supported. If you have a Pixel 7 or later, you'll be able to use the VPN built into your phone rather than through Google One. (Pixel 8 devices already have this feature.)
But for everyone else, you won’t be able to rely on this VPN for much longer. Once Google removes it, you'll still be able to use all the other Google One features included in your plan, just without a virtual private network. (At least, until Google removes another feature.)
Which VPN should you switch to?
Just do a Google search and you will see that there are many alternatives on the market. Unless you cancel your Google One subscription outright, you probably won't be excited about the idea of spending more money on another VPN: If you're looking for a VPN specifically for your Android device, you can find David Nield's list for free here recommend. This includes options like PrivadoVPN, TunnelBear VPN, and Proton VPN.
However, free VPNs aren't particularly ideal: either the experience is more limited than you'd like, or the service itself isn't as private as a VPN should be. Instead, you might want to consider the paid options for your next VPN: You can upgrade to Proton VPN's paid tier for $10 per month to get features like multi-device and faster speeds. If unlimited devices are your priority, you might consider Surfshark, which comes with various paid plans. Mulvad is so private that it doesn't even require an email address.
You can find our full list of paid VPN recommendations here.
Check out these VPN alternatives to Google One:
Mulvad (from US$5.32/€5 per month)
Surfshark (starts at $15.49 per month or $41.86 per year)
Proton VPN (Free, or from $10.63/€9.99 per month, or from $76.50/€71.88 per year)
PrivadoVPN (Free)
TunnelBear VPN (Free)
