The best Google One VPN alternatives

Google One subscribers had less than four years of VPN access before the tech giant announced it was pulling the plug – and quite understandably, countless current users are looking for Google One VPN alternatives to fill that gap.

While I've always been skeptical of a VPN made by Google – a company that has made its billions from exploiting our data rather than protecting it – Google One VPN was a passable product. However, the best VPNs I've tested are far superior, and you don't have to break the bank to get one.

Here, I'll quickly run down my top five recommendations. They're all reliable, secure products that aren't owned by Google, and won't compromise your privacy. Any one of them could suit your unique needs best, and what's more, they all offer far more functionality too, so whichever you pick, you'll be better off. 

Best Google One VPN alternatives in brief

1. NordVPN: the best VPN overall
NordVPN is quite simply the most well-rounded VPN I've tested. It's fast, secure, can access streaming content from all around the world, and it has apps for just about every device.

It costs about $3.50 per month—less if you catch a bargain deal—and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out for a month and get a full refund if you don't enjoy it.

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ExpressVPN: best VPN for beginners
ExpressVPN is very easy to use, and makes staying safer online just as simple as Google One VPN. It has servers in over 100 countries, and it's fully audited so you can be sure it's safe to use.

It's more expensive than NordVPN at $6.67 per month, but it's well worth it if you value simple, attractive apps. You can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee, and Tom's Guide readers get three months free.

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Surfshark: the best cheap VPN
Surfshark is the best choice if you're looking for a Google One VPN alternative on a budget. It offers great privacy features, class-leading speeds, and unblocked every streaming site I tried in my testing.

Starting at less than $2.50 per month, it's cheaper than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, and you can upgrade your subscription to add more tools if you need them. Again, you're covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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The best Google One VPN alternative overall

From my hands-on testing, NordVPN is the best service overall right now. It has great privacy features that have been fully audited by third parties, and covers all the other bases at a very reasonable price.

Compared to Google One VPN, NordVPN outdoes it on almost every front. In our testing, it maxed out at 950 Mbps – much faster than Google's 345 Mbps – and NordVPN's ability to choose a server almost anywhere in the world allows it to unblock websites and streaming content. 

Its apps are admittedly a little more complex than the Google One suite, but they're polished and fairly easy to use. What's more, if you sign up for higher subscription tiers, you can bundle NordVPN with cloud storage, a password manager, and even cyber insurance. For some, that could replace Google One altogether.

Starting at around $3.50 per month, and often less when there's a deal available, NordVPN is my top recommendation if you're looking for a Google One VPN alternative. Find out more in my NordVPN review, or use the button below to find the best current deal.

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The simplest Google One VPN alternative

If Google One's simplicity appealed to you, ExpressVPN might be the best alternative. Its interface is very intuitive, and many people will only need to tap the big on/off button that dominates the home screen. 

ExpressVPN doesn't sacrifice privacy, though, and in my in-depth ExpressVPN review, it excelled in every area. The same goes for unblocking streaming sites, and here ExpressVPN matches NordVPN at every step.

However, if your main priority after leaving Google One VPN is absolute ease of use, ExpressVPN is a great choice. It makes staying safe online easier than any of its rivals, and whether you're not hugely comfortable with tech or just want an easy life,  you can set and forget you're even using a VPN.

You could get your subscription for less with our ExpressVPN promo codes.

However, one reason I rank NordVPN higher is the fact that ExpressVPN is more expensive, at $6.67 per month, which includes an extra 3 months on top of your first year. For that, you'll also get the VPN and a password manager, whereas NordVPN offers more for less.

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Best cheap Google One VPN alternative

Surfshark sits at number three in my guide to the best services available right now, and it's there because it offers excellent privacy features for a bargain price. I only found one minor issue in my Surfshark review, which led to the kill switch failing under heavy testing, but this is extremely unlikely to happen in real-world use.

Big streamers will enjoy Surfshark too, and it's level with ExpressVPN and NordVPN when it comes to unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, and the like. Another nice feature is Alternative ID, which creates spoof emails and personas you can use to avoid spam in your real mailbox.

Similarly to NordVPN, you can also upgrade your subscription, and this will get you antivirus protection, ID breach alerts, and a plan with personal data removal service Incogni, which is run by Surfshark.

Despite Surfshark already being available at a cheap price, our Surfshark coupon codes could see you save even more money. Take a look now to save money on your subscription. 

Prices start at less than $2.50 per month, and often drop to around $2 per month, which is very good value. For bargain hunters who don't want to go over the top in terms of price with their Google One VPN alternative, Surfshark is hard to beat.

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Other Google One VPN alternatives

Most people will find NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark fits the bill as a Google One VPN alternative. However, there are plenty of other worthy products available, so I'll briefly run these down in case any pique your interest.

PIA: cheap and full of advanced features
Private Internet Access is a great choice for those who like to have more granular control over their VPN. It's a little more complex to use, but you'll have access to tons of extra features like port forwarding, encryption level, and a command line tool. 

Admittedly, it might be a considerable step up from Google One VPN, but in practice, it's not too difficult to use, and it's well-liked by its dedicated user base. It's a great torrenting VPN and has US VPN servers in every state.

Prices start at a very reasonable $2.19 per month, and occasionally even less, so it definitely won't break the bank.

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Proton VPN: Swiss-based privacy-focused VPN
Similar to PIA, Proton VPN is a techy alternative to Google One VPN. The apps are attractive and display all the features very well, and in my testing, it matched NordVPN and Surfshark by delivering speeds of over 950 Mbps.

With around 6,000 servers in 91 countries, there should be a fast option for most people, and it's also able to unblock every streaming site I've tested it with.

Prices aren't super cheap at $4.99 per month, but Tom's Guide readers can claim a discount that brings it down to $3.59, which is quite reasonable. 

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PrivadoVPN: the best free provider I've tested
PrivadoVPN is my final Google One VPN alternative, and much like ExpressVPN, it's better suited to those who want simple software. It's also my top-rated free VPN, so you can test it out indefinitely before upgrading.

The free plan is limited to 10 GB of data, while the paid plan is unlimited. Speeds are great on both plans – I've seen speeds of over 900 Mbps from the free version, and 950 Mbps on a paid plan. 

Privacy advocates won't be impressed with the fact its no-logs policy hasn't been audited—although this is reportedly in the works—but in my testing I haven't found anything to suggest the service isn't safe to use.