Should You Trust Google’s Project Fi VPN?
Since 2015, Project Fi has been working with mobile giants to provide a cellular service that “just works” and so far, it has been reliable. This, however, means that Google has not been able to develop a privacy policy of their own since they piggyback off companies such as T-Mobile and Sprint, which raised some eyebrows about user anonymity.
As a means of overcoming any privacy issues, Google recently added a VPN option that enables all traffic passing through your device to be encrypted which sounds great. As a result, providers such as T-Mobile and Sprint can no longer store your data and track your activity since the information is encrypted. But, it is not clear on whether Google is the same.
So can Google’s Project Fi VPN be trusted? In this article, we’ll cover all the bases and provide you with some better alternatives.
Is the Project Fi an Effective VPN
To sufficiently answer this question it’s important to first understand why you need a VPN.
There are many out there that will argue that the whole point of using a VPN is to not only protect yourself from hackers, governments, and ISPs but to also avoid freely giving out data to big corporations. Without a VPN, corporations can collect, use, and sell your data to third parties or for their own personal gain, and corporations don’t get much bigger than Google.
If the purpose of using a VPN is to be able to watch geo blocked Netflix shows than you will be sorely disappointed. (You can check out our list of the best VPNs for watching Netflix here).
However, if you just don’t want you ISP to know what you’re doing online and want a sliver of anonymity online, then it is a viable solution. Of course, Google will still know what you’re doing and they will be able to continue to bombard you with ads based on your online behavior.
Bypassing Geo-Restrictions and Blocks
Project Fi VPN is known to bypass the great firewall in China, but there is little information on the VPN service being able to bypass geo-restrictions or blocks in other countries.
This is potentially due to not having the ability to change your location to a different country, as you would with a traditional VPN.
Connection Speed
For many VPNs on the market, their primary focus is to provide a secure connection without sacrificing the speed and performance of the device. Unfortunately, Google has said that by using their Project Fi VPN, you may “experience slight slowdowns”, although they do try to match the speed of the user’s connection. On top of this, Google has estimated that since all the data will be routed through Google, you will be using more mobile data – around 10% more.
Google Using Your Data
Since this is a Google-run VPN service and all your internet traffic is passing through Google, Google will be able to see all your activity. Although, Google has stated that the data isn’t tied to user identifiers. Still, there is no certain answer that Google doesn’t still use your information.
They can use the data is a few different ways such as maintaining and improving their product, protecting you from abuse, troubleshooting issues, verifying your data, and managing your networks.
Without the Project Fi VPN active, there are many ways in which Google collects, stores, and uses your private data which can all be found in the Google and Project Fi privacy policy. However, with the VPN enabled, they promise online anonymity on all activity.
Making the choice to use Google Project Fi VPN as a primary VPN provider all comes down to how much you trust Google and whether you believe that they will provide a totally secure, anonymous service.
Many people are trying to break free Google entirely, and if that sounds good to you, check out our list of alternatives to some of the more popular Google apps.
These VPN are Much Better Options than Project Fi
In our opinion, there are many other VPN services available that far exceed the abilities of Google’s Project Fi VPN. We’ve compiled a list of our top 2 VPNs that are better than Project Fi across all aspects such as privacy, security, performance, and bypassing restrictions.
Additionally, each VPN supports most major devices and platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. Though these VPNs may cost a little extra, paying for a trustworthy, reliable service is worth it.
1ExpressVPN
- Amazing speeds and performance
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No logging and no throttling policy
- Available for most devices and platforms
ExpressVPN offers the best speed and performance as any other VPN on this list. When connected, it will feel like you are not using a VPN at all. This VPN provider is ideal if you are looking to watch videos and stream content on your device and with there no throttling, you won’t experience any interruptions or delays.
On the security side of things, ExpressVPN offers an almost unbeatable AES 256-bit encryption as well as a no logging policy, which means that they don’t store any data that passes through their VPN servers.
When using ExpressVPN, you can secure up to 5 devices simultaneously, which includes most devices that run on Windows, MacOS, Android, or iOS. So you can not only protect your phone but your laptop and tablet too.
2CyberGhost VPN
- AES 256-bit encryption
- 7 simultaneous connections
- Easy to use interface
- 45-day money back guarantee
CyberGhost VPN’s remarkable connection limit sets it apart from other VPNs on this list. With 7 simultaneous connects you can protect the majority of your household’s devices on just one account. Having 7 connections at once won’t affect speed and performance as CyberGhost focuses on maintaining a fast connection regardless of how many devices are being used.
In addition to Cyberghost’s maximum 256-bit encryption, they offer a zero log policy which means they don’t store any of your information or browsing activity. Furthermore, they provide a simple, easy to navigate user interface that is perfect for those who want a secure connection but aren’t familiar with the in’s and out’s of VPNs.
Unlike the others on this list, CyberGhost offers a free, try before you buy option so you can fully test out the service before committing to their monthly or yearly payment options.
Stay Safe, Secure, and Anonymous Online
We believe that each VPN on this list outclasses Google’s Project Fi VPN in many ways. Regardless of which one you choose, you can ensure that you are safe, secure, and anonymous throughout your online experience.
