Many free VPN apps have been found to be affiliated with Chinese companies and are transferring user data to China. Despite previous suspicions, these apps are still available on the App Store and Google Play, HackRead reports.
Although VPN services are supposed to provide a secure connection to the internet, a new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) shows that they actually do the opposite. Under Chinese law, companies can be required to hand over user data to the government. Of particular concern is VPN developers, who have access to all of a user's online activity.
According to a TTP report dated April 1, 2025, more than 20 apps in the top 100 VPN services on the US App Store had ties to China. Many of them attempted to hide their involvement with China through front companies. Several apps, in particular, belong to the cybersecurity company Qihoo 360, which is affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
One of the front companies is Autumn Breeze Pte. Ltd., which was listed as the developer of the Snap VPN app on Google Play. Despite denying any connection to Qihoo 360, TTP determined that Qihoo 360 was purchased by Autumn in 2020 and later sold due to US sanctions.
Following widespread outcry, apps like Snap VPN and Thunder VPN linked to China were removed from the App Store. However, a re-check by TTP revealed that Chinese VPN services still remain in the Apple Store.
In the Apple store, you can still download Turbo VPN and VPN Proxy Master, which are related to Qihoo 360. There are similar cases on Google Play, where Snap VPN is still offered, as well as Signal Secure VPN, X-VPN, VPNify, and others.
According to TTP, Apple and Google may not remove these VPN apps for financial gain. Most free services have advertising or internal purchases, from which the stores receive a percentage. According to TTP, it is profit that is more valuable to companies than protecting user privacy.