If you rely on Google's VPN service to secure your internet connection, you'll need to start looking elsewhere for the best VPN deals. That's because Google has confirmed that it will retire its VPN in the coming months for all Android users ...except those with a Google Pixel 7 smartphone or newer.
The Californian company started to inform Google One subscribers via email earlier this week. Spotted by the team at Android Authority, the message doesn't specify an exact date for the shutdown, but confirms Google One VPN will be phased out "later this year".
Google explained how its VPN service would shield Google One subscribers from hackers, advertisers, and broadband restrictions across Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac
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Google One starts from £1.59 per month and bundles additional cloud storage for Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive, as well as exclusive editing features in Google Photos. The most expensive tier (£7.99 per month) also includes Fitbit Premium, 10% back on all Google Store purchases, and a Nest Aware subscription.
Until the latest shake-up, VPN by Google One was included in every subscription plan.
"If you want more protection from hackers and online monitoring, you can make your connection more secure with a virtual private network (VPN) by Google One. Turn on VPN by Google One in the Google One app to encrypt your online activity for an extra layer of protection wherever you're connected," Google described the soon-to-be-dead functionality in the online Help Pages of its website.
Google says it decided to strip out the perk for Google One because it wasn't seeing strong demand from its users. In a statement to ZDNet, the US search firm said: "We're refocusing our efforts to support more in-demand features with Google One. To keep our subscription service fresh, we're discontinuing the VPN feature, as we found people simply weren't using it."
VPN by Google One was introduced in October 2020 to bolster its monthly subscription. Android smartphones were the only supported devices at launch, with Google later bundling apps for iOS, Windows, and macOS. The VPN is designed to be simple to set up and offer protection when using unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
However, VPN by Google One did lack some of the more advanced features found on popular alternatives, like Surfshark, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN, to name just a few. All of these offer functionality like split-tunnelling, allow you to spoof your location by choosing VPN server locations dotted across the globe, and offer apps for more devices including the Fire TV Stick, Wi-Fi routers, and Linux PCs.
If you were relying on VPN by Google One to encrypt and protect your internet activity, the cheapest VPN deal we'd recommend is Surfshark. This provider has cut subscription prices by 85% and will include an extra 2 months for free when you sign up. At £1.79, it's an absolute steal.
Another superb deal comes from powerhouse provider NordVPN. It's got a shelf overloaded with awards and recently expanded access to cover more than half of the world's countries. It's offering 3 extra months free with your subscription and a 66% price cut. At £2.89, this is a decent discount.
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Both of these VPN deals come with a 30-day no-questions money-back guarantee, so you can treat the first month of your subscription like a free trial.
Customer support is available 24/7 with Surfshark and Nord, so you can cancel at any time — from any time zone around the world.
