Using a VPN is one of the best ways to protect your data from surveillance while you’re browsing the web. However, it's essential to choose the right one and ensure you're downloading it from a reputable source.
While downloading directly from the VPN provider is the safest way to get your hands on the best VPNs, this isn't always possible. It’s rare, but sometimes websites go down because of excessive traffic or connectivity issues that a provider can’t control.
What you’re more likely to find is that when you’re browsing from a country with excessive internet restrictions, most VPN providers are blocked at the VPN level. In these cases, an app store like Uptodown which offers a wide range of software downloads is the best alternative.
What is Uptodown?
Uptodown is an app store that provides an alternative to official app stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store. Founded in 2002 by José Domínguez and Luis Hernández as a university project, Uptodown has grown from humble beginnings to a huge organization with over 35 employees based in Málaga, Spain.
Although the site started off as a way to give Spanish developers a platform to offer software to their users, today UpToDown provides services in 17 different languages to over 130 million users. The platform primarily serves Android users with over 80% of their downloads coming from Android APKs, but they also include downloads for Windows and Mac apps as well. They offer a pretty broad range of programs too, including productivity apps, social media apps, gaming apps, and of course, VPN apps.
Uptodown is completely free to use, which begs the question of how they monetize the site. Well, when you download an app you’ve served several ads either in the Android downloader app or on the splash page for the download button. The site used to be monetized entirely through ads provided by some pretty reputable partners like Brave, Microsoft, and Opera, but in recent years they’ve begun offering a subscription service where you can pay $2.99 a month to get rid of ads.
Is Uptodown safe?
Uptodown is one of the more reputable free download sites out there. The site itself is completely free to use, but you should probably throw on an ad-blocker just in case.The apps Uptodown offers are a different story, but they do take several steps to make sure that the apps you’re using are legit and safe to use.
Their first line of defense is an anti-virus check. All apps on Uptodown are scanned using VirusTotal, which employs more than 70 antivirus engines to check uploaded apps. Each app has the VirusTotal report published on the download page, so you can check for yourself if there’s any potential issues with the app. Of course, any app that fails one of the virus tests isn’t published on Uptodown.
However, it's important to note that while VirusTotal is effective at detecting known viruses, no system is foolproof. New viruses and malware variants which fool an anti-virus’ heuristics can sometimes slip through the cracks. Additionally, Uptodown's last certificate update from VirusTotal dates back to 2022, suggesting that their security measures might not be up to date with the latest threats.
They also take several measures to make sure you’re downloading the correct files. All of the installers Uptodown provides are hosted on their own servers, so there’s no possibility of a bait-and-switch with malware once the installer passes a virus scan. Uptodown also provides you with a file hash generated using SHA256, which allows you to check whether the file you’re downloading is the original one or if it’s been modified in some way by a third party.
Finally, Uptodown’s staff check through each app to make sure they meet the minimum requirements for safety and quality. They rely somewhat on user reports to filter out apps that aren’t immediately harmful, so it’s still possible you might end up using an app that’s not safe. Where possible, you should remain cautious and perform your own due diligence before downloading any software, especially something as critical as a VPN.
Should you download a VPN from Uptodown?
The issue with Uptodown, like any other app store, is that not every app on it is reputable. When you’re hosting tens of thousands of apps, it’s inevitable that you’re going to end up with a questionable app or two on your service.
I can’t speak for every VPN on the site, but I can say that if you come across a free VPN on Uptodown you should avoid it. Free VPNs often compromise your privacy by collecting and selling your data to third parties, completely defeating the purpose of using a VPN.
Just to give you an example, while checking out the VPNs available on Uptodown I immediately noticed some bad eggs: VPN Super, Super VPN (easily confused!), and Hola VPN. I’m sure I could have found more examples of terrible VPNs which monetize your data, but the point is that I didn’t really have to dig at all to find these ones.
If you choose to use Uptodown to download a VPN, you need to make sure you're selecting a reputable provider. Well-known and trusted VPNs, like those found on our list of top VPNs, are generally safe to download from Uptodown. However, we cannot guarantee the safety of any installers you download on Uptodown, so proceed with caution.
That said, there are a few scenarios where downloading from Uptodown can come in handy. If you're unable to access the latest version directly from the provider's website due to geographic restrictions (like browsing from a country where they’ve recently banned VPNs), Uptodown might allow you to sneak past these geo-blocks so you can get your hands on a VPN.
Older devices like outdated Android phones won’t necessarily be supported by newer VPN software either, but Uptodown might be hosting an older version of the client that may still be compatible with your system.
