VPN for Android and iPhone
What the phone does with a proxy or a VLESS profile, which settings decide it and what to avoid.
What actually changes on a phone
A phone runs many apps at once, and each one decides for itself how to reach the internet. A proxy setting often covers the browser and little else. A VPN profile created in the system settings takes in the whole device, including apps that know nothing about proxies. That difference matters more on a phone than on a laptop, because most of what you do happens in apps rather than in a browser.
So when you search for the best free VPN software for Android, the first question is not which brand but which mode: per-app proxy, or whole device.
- 1VPN for iPhone: when a proxy profile is not enoughSet up a VPN on iPhone with a VLESS link: what the system VPN profile covers, when a proxy-only profile falls short and how to check the result.
- 2VPN APK: what to check before installingInstalling a VPN from an APK file skips the store's checks. Learn what to verify first, why game proxy APKs need extra caution, and when no APK is needed.
Settings that matter on Android
- VPN mode in the client: pick the mode that covers the whole device, not only the apps that read a proxy setting.
- Always-on VPN and "block connections without VPN" in the Android network settings: they stop traffic from leaving when the tunnel drops.
- Private DNS: if it is set to a provider you chose earlier, check whether it overrides the tunnel's resolver.
- Battery optimisation: some phones stop background apps, which can end the tunnel without telling you.
- Per-app routing: useful to keep a banking app outside, but every exclusion is a gap.
Free apps, APK files and the trade-off
Free VPN apps need to pay for servers somehow. Some show ads, some limit traffic, and some do things with your data that you would not accept if the terms were read. We cannot judge other services here, so use general checks: who runs it, what the privacy terms say, and whether it asks for permissions that make no sense for a tunnel.
An APK file from an unknown website adds a second risk: you cannot tell whether it was changed. Prefer an official store or the developer's own release page, and compare the developer name before you install.
Our own position is simple. We ship no app; you run a free VLESS client such as v2rayNG or Hiddify on Android and a client such as V2Box or Happ on other platforms. The client is third-party software, so read its terms and code on the developer's page or store listing; the service is the subscription link the bot gives you. Neither the sites you open nor your connections are logged by us; traffic is unlimited and one link works on any number of devices.
A short setup route
Open the Telegram bot and ask for a link; the bot issues your personal subscription link in about a minute, without sign-up.
Install a client you trust on the phone and import the subscription link from the clipboard.
Pick one of the five locations: Germany, Austria, Czechia, Singapore or South Korea.
Allow the system VPN request when Android shows it, and check the key icon in the status bar.
Open an IP lookup page to confirm that the address changed.
Game proxies and region tricks
Many searches for a "proxy server APK" on phones end with downloads of unknown files that promise a better route in a game. We do not recommend them. Game publishers set their own rules and can act on accounts that break them, and the file itself is the larger risk. A proper VPN client does not change what a game allows. The service has no servers in India, so it will not give you an Indian address either.
Which phone page to read next
The pages for individual cases cover VPN APK files, a VPN for iPhone and iPad, free iPhone options and iPhone setup, an Android tablet and Android TV, a Samsung, a Redmi or a Vivo phone, and what to do without the Play Store or App Store. Pick the one that matches your device.
Advice from a seller deserves a second opinion, so run the checks in the security checks section yourself instead of relying on our word. An AI model wrote the first version of this page, and an editor then read it against how the service really works.
Call log
01What should I check before installing a free VPN app on Android?
The developer, the permissions it asks for and its privacy terms. Read those before installing, not after.
02Does the same link work on both my phone and my tablet?
Yes, one link has no device cap.
03Does Android need root for this?
No. Standard clients use the system VPN permission, which you grant with a tap.
04Why does my tunnel stop when the screen is off?
Battery optimisation may be closing the client. Remove it from the restricted list and try again.
05Do I have to pay by card?
No cards or UPI. Payment in the bot is by cryptocurrency, USDT and others.
06Will it renew on its own?
No. Nothing renews by itself; you pay for each new period in the bot.
One lever, one link
The link arrives in about a minute, the trial costs nothing, and nothing renews on its own.