Google Shuts Down One VPN Service After Almost Four Year

Google confirmed that its VPN by Google One will no longer be available in the coming months after almost four years of service.

The VPN service launched in 2020 as an added layer of online protection for Android phones.

Google One Faces Challenge Due to Lack of Users

Currently, VPN service is available in the Google One apps both for Android and iOS phones. The service is also available to Mac and Windows users for a certain price.

Initially, Google One VPN costs $9.99 per month on the Premium plan. However, due to a lack of customers, the company decided to discount the subscription and made it available for only $1.99 per month since March 2023.

However, Google recently announced that it will be continuing the VPN service after finding out that people were not using it. Moreover, the company shared that the team handling the feature will be refocused and transitioned to support more in-demand features of Google One.

Google One to Close VPN Service Soon

As of writing, there is still no specific timeline as to when the service will be completely unavailable anymore. Existing users of the service will be directed to third-party VPN alternatives.

The Windows client of Google One VPN is also reportedly super buggy. Some suggested that it is probably easier for the company to shut down the service than to fix it.

On the other hand, the free VPN service that was included in the Pixel 7 series in 2022 will not be affected by the shutdown. According to its introduction, the free service will be available for five years to Pixel 7 users.

In June, Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and Fold will be getting a significant VPN upgrade, similar to the one that is included with the Pixel 8. The VPN with Google Fi will also remain unaffected and available.