Free VPN for Android: Install, Set Up and Know the Limits

9F VPN is a free VPN app for Android phones. You download the APK from our download page, install it, and tap connect; you don’t need an account and the app shows no ads. The free plan has lines in Germany and the United States and 2 GB of high-speed data per day. After that the connection stays on in Slow Mode until the daily reset. If you need more data or lines in Asia, VIP adds both.

VPN for Android: what you get for free

Slow Mode keeps you connected at about 2 Mbps per connection, which is enough for messages and simple web pages but not for HD video. Your high-speed data comes back at 00:00 UTC+6:30. One VIP account works on up to 5 devices.

The current Android version is 2.3.1. 9F VPN is available for iOS and Android only, so this guide covers Android phones and tablets.

VPN extension or VPN app on Android?

People who search for a free VPN extension for Opera, Chrome or Firefox (Mozilla) on Android usually want protection inside one browser. 9F VPN is not an extension or add-on, and there is nothing to download from a browser’s add-on store. It is a full Android app: when it says “Secured”, traffic from all your apps goes through the VPN, not just one browser tab. Some browsers offer their own VPN or proxy features; those are separate products, so check their terms directly.

Free VPN APK download: where to get it safely

The only official source is https://9fvpn.com/download. The app is not on Google Play, so any “9F VPN” listing in an Android app store, an APK from another site or a file forwarded in a chat group is not ours and may have been changed. The download page also shows the file’s SHA-256 checksum if you want to verify what you downloaded.

If the download doesn’t start, you are probably inside another app’s built-in browser (Facebook, Messenger, Telegram and others often can’t download APK files). Open the link in Chrome or your phone’s own browser and try again.

How to set up and use a VPN on Android

1. Download. Open the download page and get the APK. Chrome may warn that this type of file can harm your device; it shows that message for every APK.
2. Allow the install. Tap the finished download. Android says installing unknown apps isn’t allowed from this source; open the settings it offers, allow your browser, then go back and tap Install. You can switch that permission off again afterwards, and the app keeps working.
3. First run. Pick your language on “Welcome to 9F VPN”, tap “Get Started”, then read “Your Privacy Matters” and tap “I Agree & Continue”.
4. Connect. On “Home”, tap the connect button. The first time, Android asks for permission to create a VPN connection; accept it, or the app can’t connect. The status moves from “Not Connected” through “Connecting…” to “Secured”, and Android shows a small key icon in the status bar.
5. Choose a line (optional). “Auto-Select Optimal Server” picks a line for you. To choose yourself, open “Servers” and tap a line marked “Free Server”.

To turn the VPN on later, open the app and tap the connect button on “Home”; tap it again to turn it off. You don’t have to repeat the install or permission steps.

The home screen also has four modes: Smart Turbo, 4K Streaming, Low Latency, and Privacy Shield. “Smart Turbo” is a good default; “4K Streaming” and “Low Latency” tune the connection for video and for games.

Free VPN settings for Android mobile

You don’t need to type in any server details. Everything is set inside the app; Android’s own VPN screen (usually Settings, then Network & internet, then VPN) only lists the app after your first connection.

A few phone settings do matter:

• Only one VPN at a time. If another VPN app is connected, or is set as “Always-on VPN” in Android’s VPN settings, turn it off first. Otherwise 9F VPN can’t start.
• Battery saving. Aggressive battery savers can close the app in the background and drop the connection. Set the app’s battery usage to unrestricted.

VPN app on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO: extra steps

The 9F VPN app installs on Xiaomi phones the same way as on other Android phones, but Xiaomi phones are stricter about background apps and APK installs than most:

• Before installing an APK, the phone may run its own security scan and ask you to confirm. Let it finish, then continue.
• Open the app’s info page (long-press the icon, then App info), set Battery saver to No restrictions, and turn on Autostart if your version shows it. Without these settings, the VPN can disconnect a few minutes after you lock the screen.
• You can also lock the app in the recent-apps view so clearing apps doesn’t close it.

Menu names change between MIUI and HyperOS versions, so look for the closest match. Other brands with aggressive battery management (Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Huawei) have similar settings.

Fastest or most stable VPN for Android?

No VPN is fastest for everyone: speed depends mostly on how far you are from the line you use and how busy your own network is. Here is what to expect from 9F VPN:

• The free lines are in Germany and the United States. If you are in Asia, they are far away, so pages take longer to start loading even when download speed is fine.
• After 2 GB in a day, Slow Mode limits your speed on purpose. That is the free plan working as designed, not a fault.
• VIP adds lines in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and the United States; most of them are much closer for readers in Southeast and East Asia.
• For stability, the app can switch lines automatically when the current one stops working, so leaving “Auto-Select Optimal Server” selected is usually the steadier choice.

If the connection is slow, try another line in “Servers”, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, and check that you haven’t used up the day’s high-speed data.

VIP on Android: prices and payment

On Android, you buy VIP on the website for a fixed number of days. Each purchase is one-time (no auto-renew). Plans:

• 30 days: 11000 MMK or 2.49 USD
• 90 days: 30000 MMK or 6.99 USD
• 365 days: 75000 MMK or 16.99 USD

Payment methods are KBZPay, WavePay, AYA Pay, and USDT (TRC20); USDT is available for the longer plans only. VIP is tied to your account, so sign in first (on Android: Google, Telegram, and email). Google sign-in needs Google Play services; on a phone without them, use Telegram or email.

Privacy on Android

From our privacy policy: We do not log the websites you visit, your DNS queries, or the content of your traffic, and we do not store your IP address. We do not sell your data and the Service contains no advertising or tracking SDKs. The full text is at https://9fvpn.com/privacy/.

A VPN hides your traffic from the Wi-Fi or mobile network you are on and shows websites the address of the 9F VPN server instead of yours. It does not make you anonymous: apps you sign in to still know who you are.

When something doesn’t work

• Stuck on “Connecting…”: switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, then try another line in “Servers”.
• Connects, then drops when the screen is off: set battery usage to unrestricted (see the Xiaomi section; other brands are similar).
• “Not Connected” right after tapping connect: you may have declined Android’s VPN permission. Tap connect again and accept it, and turn off any other VPN app.
• Install blocked: allow installs from your browser (see step 2), or download the file again in Chrome if it didn’t finish.
• Updating: the app tells you when a new version is out. Install the new APK over the old one; you don’t need to uninstall first.

Still stuck? Email support@9fvpn.com with your phone model, Android version and what you see on screen.