VPNs have become an essential part of using the internet, whether you're looking to access geo-restricted content on YouTube or Netflix or simply wish to hide your web surfing activity from your internet service providers.

Most VPN services have a subscription model, where they charge you for the service. Luckily, that's not the case for all of them. Here are the best free VPNs for the Android OS.

1. Windscribe VPN

Windscribe is a Candian VPN that's available on a variety of platforms, including Android. While there's a paid version, you can use Windescribe VPN for free. They use military-grade encryption and have a strict no-logs policy.

With a free account, you get 10GB of free encrypted web surfing a month. You can increase that and earn an extra 5GB a month by tagging Windscribe on Twitter as a form of advertisement. You also get a malware detector and ad blocker automatically with the app.

The Android app is lightweight at just under 80MB when installed. Its sleek and intuitive design makes it easy to use even for non-technical users. Additionally, you can use the same free account on an unlimited number of devices, both Android and not.

Downsides

If you're looking for a free app to bypass Netflix's geo-restrictions, then Windscribe isn't the one for you. Only paid users get access to global Netflix content.

Also, as a free user, you're limited to 10 locations out of Windscribe's 60 available servers. And while connection speeds are highly unstable for free users, it won't get in the way unless you're loading up online games or videos that take up a lot of bandwidth.