Google sold a VPN for four years as part of Google One. It ended on June 20, 2024, and many people who relied on it were left with an app that no longer connects. If you have a Pixel 7 or later, a VPN by Google switch now sits in your phone’s settings instead, free and on by choice.
That VPN is the odd one out in a degoogling plan. A VPN’s whole job is to hide your traffic from your network and internet provider, and Google’s version hands that traffic to Google instead. Google says it doesn’t tie your VPN traffic to your account, but it’s still the company that runs your search, email, browser and phone. A replacement takes about ten minutes.
What Happened to Google One VPN
- VPN by Google One shut down on June 20, 2024, after an announcement in April 2024. The Google One app and the Windows and Mac apps no longer connect.
- VPN by Google on Pixel replaced it on Pixel 7 and later phones and the Pixel Tablet, at no extra cost, in 32 countries including the US, UK, Canada, France and most of the EU. It doesn’t work on a rooted phone, with an unlocked bootloader or on an unofficial version of Android, so it stops if you move to GrapheneOS.
- Google Fi VPN still exists for Google Fi customers and is a separate service. Our Google Fi alternatives cover leaving Fi itself.
- Chrome’s IP Protection, a plan to hide your IP address in Incognito mode, was retired in October 2025 with most of the Privacy Sandbox.
Quick Comparison
| VPN | Best for | Price (Oct 2026) | Privacy | Based in | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Most people, and a real free plan | Free; Plus $9.99/month or $3.49/month on a 2-year plan | No-logs audited yearly by Securitum, latest in 2025 | Switzerland | Yes (apps) |
| Mullvad | Paying with no personal details | €5/month flat | No email, account number only, cash accepted | Sweden | Yes (apps) |
| IVPN | Strict privacy with extra services | From $6/month or $60/year | No email; yearly Cure53 security audits | Gibraltar | Yes (apps) |
| Mozilla VPN | A familiar brand on Mullvad’s network | €9.99/month or €4.99/month billed yearly | Runs on Mullvad’s servers | US | Yes (apps) |
| VPN by Google | Pixel owners staying with Google | Free on Pixel 7 and later | Not linked to your account, per Google | US | No |
Which One Should You Pick?
- If you want something free that you can trust, use Proton VPN Free. It’s limited to one device and a handful of countries, with no data cap.
- If you want the least possible link between you and your VPN, use Mullvad. You get a random account number, and you can pay with cash in an envelope.
- If you already use Proton Mail, a Proton Unlimited plan covers the VPN, Mail, Drive and Pass on one bill.
- If you need more than five devices, Proton VPN Plus covers 10, and IVPN Pro Suite covers 10.
The Alternatives, One by One
Proton VPN
Proton VPN comes from Proton AG, the Swiss company behind Proton Mail and Proton Drive. Its apps are open source, and Securitum’s 2025 audit, carried out on site in Zürich, found no logging of user activity. It was the fourth yearly audit.
- Pick it because the free plan is genuinely usable, with no data limit, no ads and no time limit, and Stealth mode and the kill switch are free too. The paid plan adds Secure Core, which routes traffic through Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden first, plus NetShield ad and tracker blocking, streaming and P2P.
- Possible deal-breakers are that the free plan works on one device only and picks your country for you from a short list. Proton’s pages also disagree on free-plan speed, calling it “medium” in one place and unlimited in another.
- Prices (Oct 2026) are free, then Plus at $9.99/month, or $3.49/month on the 2-year plan ($83.76 for the first two years), for 10 devices. Proton Unlimited, with Mail, Drive and Pass, costs $12.99/month or $7.99/month over two years. Proton showed us only dollar prices.
Mullvad
Mullvad VPN AB is a Swedish company that asks for nothing about you. You click a button, get a random account number, and that’s your login. You can pay by card or PayPal, or post cash in an envelope in several currencies.
- Pick it because it collects nothing that identifies you, and outside firms audit it often. In 2026 alone, X41 D-Sec checked its account and payment systems, Assured reviewed its WireGuard code and Leviathan tested its Android app.
- Possible deal-breakers are the five-device limit and the lack of streaming features. Mullvad removed OpenVPN in January 2026, so it only uses WireGuard, which a few strict networks block.
- It costs €5/month whatever length you pay for, and the price has never changed.
IVPN
IVPN is a small company registered in Gibraltar. Like Mullvad, it lets you sign up without an email address.
- Pick it because it’s open source, has Cure53 check its apps every year, and its newer plans bundle extras. Plus adds Mailx email aliases and modDNS filtering, and Pro Suite adds Portmaster Pro, a firewall that shows which apps connect where.
- A possible deal-breaker is that its only no-logs audit dates from 2019, and IVPN says it won’t commission another. It relies on its yearly security audits instead.
- Prices (Oct 2026) start with Standard at $6/month or $60/year for 5 devices, then Plus at $8/month and Pro Suite at $10/month for 10 devices. Weekly passes start at $2.
Mozilla VPN
Mozilla VPN is made by the people behind Firefox and runs on Mullvad’s servers, about 500 of them in more than 30 countries.
- Pick it because you want Mullvad’s network with Mozilla’s apps and billing, and five devices on one plan.
- A possible deal-breaker is that it costs about the same as Mullvad while adding an extra company in the middle, and it needs a Mozilla account.
- Prices (Oct 2026) are €9.99/month, or €4.99/month billed €59.88 a year.
Windscribe, If You Only Need a Little Free Data
Windscribe’s free plan gives 10 GB a month with a confirmed email address, or 2 GB without one, on unlimited devices in 10 countries. It’s a handy backup for travel. Reviews disagree on whether its no-logs claim has ever been audited on its own, so keep your main VPN elsewhere.
How to Switch From Google’s VPN
Turn off VPN by Google on a Pixel
- Open Settings, then Network & internet, then VPN.
- Tap VPN by Google and turn off Use VPN.
- Back on the VPN screen, tap the settings icon next to any VPN you no longer use and make sure Always-on VPN is off for it.
If you used the old Google One app on a computer, uninstall it. On Windows, open Settings, then Apps, search for VPN by Google One and choose Uninstall. On a Mac, drag it from Applications to the Trash.
Install Proton VPN
- Download Proton VPN from protonvpn.com, Google Play, F-Droid or the App Store.
- Create a Proton account, or sign in with your Proton Mail account if you have one.
- Tap Connect. The free plan picks the fastest server it offers.
- Turn on the kill switch. On Android, set Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN in the phone’s own VPN settings. On iPhone and computers, use the kill switch in Proton VPN’s settings.
With Mullvad, generate an account number on mullvad.net, pay for time, and type the number into the app. Write it down somewhere safe, because it’s the only way back into your account.
Check That It Works
Open a “what is my IP” page with the VPN off, then on. The address and location should change. Proton VPN and Mullvad both run their own check pages for this.
What a VPN Doesn’t Do
A VPN moves trust from your network and internet provider to the VPN company. It doesn’t make you anonymous. Google still knows who you are while you’re signed in to Gmail or YouTube, and your browser can still be fingerprinted. Pair the VPN with the other steps on this site. Start with a private DNS resolver and a browser that isn’t Chrome, then look at Google’s tracking settings.
What You Lose
Partial is fine. Turning a VPN on only for public Wi-Fi already covers the risk most people actually face.