The easiest approach to instal a programme on your Android smartphone is occasionally to obtain an Android Package Kit, or APK, particularly when it comes to VPN services. The file format guarantees that the VPN app will work on your Android device, but downloading an APK isn’t often done through the more widely used Google Play store.
APK VPNs are often available through third-party suppliers, so you may need to be a little bit more selective in what you look for. For instance, while certain packages may appear enticing, they may also include harmful code, which you should obviously avoid.
However, there are many reasons why you would wish to instal software in this manner (rather than going through Google Play). This can involve testing applications that haven’t yet been released all the way up to being able to instal any version of any application—not just the most recent. So long as you take your time and double-check anything that seems suspect, it might be a fantastic way to approach things differently.
You should obviously exercise caution when it comes to the reliability of your download sources. Make sure the APKs you download are authentic, malware-free, and uncompromised in any manner, just like you would with Windows software.
We’ve provided a list of our top APK sources for VPN services on this page to aid you in your endeavour. Just keep in mind that even though the APKs could be free, you often still have to pay the relevant VPN operator for their actual service. But don’t worry; we also happen to have a list of the greatest VPN providers at our disposal. Meanwhile, we outline the advantages of utilising a VPN APK for some users at the bottom of the article.
1. APK Pure
One of the largest online archives of VPN APKs, APK Pure(opens in new tab), lists more than 250 results. Unfortunately, there isn’t a method to order them (by date or price), but theoretically you can filter the results by region, however at the time of writing that feature looked to be malfunctioning.
A very brief description, a large download button that displays the file size, a few images, the version number, the OS requirement, a list of the latest features, the launch date, and a history of VPN APKs are all there on each VPN page.
As predicted, a list of comparable VPN services is also provided (mainly rivals), and APK Pure provides a discussion forum with a star rating for each item. The download site states that it curates and manually checks every app before publication, making it 100% secure.
2. APK Mirror
APK Mirror (opens in new tab) provides a variety of VPNs that you can’t obtain anywhere else, while having fewer VPNs (only over 200) than its rivals. For instance, it’s the only one on this list that lets you download Samsung’s Enterprise VPN services. In order to obtain your fill of VPN APKs, it is thus not a terrible idea to combine this repository and the one stated before (APK Pure).
You may sort APKs using APK Mirror by developer name or programme name. It displays the quantity of downloads and the size of each download, but unlike APK Pure, it just has a basic Disqus-based comments section in place of a forum or user rating system. However, it displays both the file hashes and the certificate fileprints for each file. Nice! There are also a tonne of alternatives, like QR Code, PushBullet, and even RSS Feed, to make downloading files simpler.
3. APK4Fun
The search features of APK4Fun(opens in new tab) appeared to be malfunctioning at the time of writing. This library, which is powered by Google Custom Search Engine, boasts impressively more than 6,000 VPN results. Unfortunately, you can only access 100 (ed. : To find around 400 VPNs, use the search operator site:www.apk4func.com “VPN”).
It employs a star rating system similar to the competitors that is taken directly from Google Play (rather than generated by users on-site). It gives up to six sources from which you may get your files in addition to the typical information to verify the accuracy of the file you’re downloading.
However, we did not find any dead connections to APK4fun’s own servers. Instead, we found several dead links to external services. It’s unclear why this is the case, and regrettably, downloading earlier versions won’t be simple (archived versions are not located on a central page).
4. Uptodown
The only website we’ve recognised so far that uses an infinite scroll design rather than the traditional next/previous navigation scheme is this one. Due to its small design and ability to quickly sort through the 140+ VPN providers offered, Uptodown(opens in new tab) is able to appeal to its target market of smartphone users as a result.
Only the platform may be specified as a filtering parameter. Date and kind (whether they are free or not) cannot be sorted. The product page provides links to older APK versions, lists the installation permissions, provides a brief summary, as well as the customary screenshots and sharing buttons.
Although there are comments and “ask a question” areas on this website, we found them to be largely vacant. A staggering 57 antivirus programmes are scanned for viruses or spyware by Uptodown using VirusTotal.
5. Aptoide
Nowhere else has as many VPN APKs as Aptoide(opens in new tab). Unable to continue, we did, in fact, count to 500. However, our most recent global VPN audit revealed 340 providers globally, so we are somewhat sceptical of Aptoide’s assertions regarding the search results made here.
In any case, Aptoide, which has a similar narrow page layout to Uptodown, doesn’t filter material from Google Play; instead, it runs its own comment and rating system (rather successfully) and adds its own information, such as the MD5 and SHA1 signatures.
The method of downloading APKs is quite simple, and we appreciate that it displays the number of downloads that each brand has received. All the essential features are available here, including the ability to download earlier versions, share the page with others, simply find other alternative VPN APKs, and a list of the permissions each software needs to function.
The benefits of VPN APK
As long as you’re careful about the resource you’re utilising and stay with the more well-known ones listed above, using VPN APK can have a lot of advantages. The fantastic thing about a VPN that is compatible with Android is that you’ll be able to experience the same levels of protection and privacy that are available on other well-liked computing platforms.
The added advantage is that you may browse the internet with the knowledge that you have an additional layer of protection, which is always a good thing. A VPN provides significantly greater flexibility by enabling you to bypass regional restrictions by hiding your location from services. This is beneficial for businesses like streaming TV programmes, which sometimes forbid customers from viewing their material if they are abroad or in an odd location.
When it comes to avoiding the dreaded targeted advertising that is the scourge of many browser sessions, being able to successfully hide your online activity can be advantageous. Despite the fact that everything seems terrific, you should nevertheless proceed with extreme caution while contemplating a VPN APK arrangement.
If you have any doubts, it is usually best to avoid what appears to be a respectable free VPN (opens in new tab) and move in the direction of a respected, paid-for VPN. Spending some money could be the best course of action if you’re looking a hassle-free online existence. Services from the likes of ExpressVPN(opens in new tab), NordVPN(opens in new tab), and Surfshark(opens in new tab) have earned their sterling reputation for good cause.
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