VPN Melon review for Android - how does it fare compared to alternatives?
Students love this cute and fruity VPN, but does it hold up to your VPN needs? Read the in-depth VPN Melon review for Android here.
What is VPN Melon for Android, and why are people searching for it?
VPN Melon is a free VPN available for Android phones. It has an unusual name for a VPN service, but VPN Melon has been gaining serious popularity among middle and high school students as a tool to unblock wi-fi restrictions in schools. What these students do is to use VPN Melon to bypass school filter to gain access games and Youtube or other popular sites like Twitch and Tumblr on their smartphones over the school wi-fi network.
Related: Not sure what wi-fi restrictions in schools are? Read our guide on wi-fi restrictions in schools and ways for unblock them here.
VPN Melon review - what we really think about VPN Melon for Android
At first glance, VPN Melon is has a really childish and lighthearted user interface. To get connected to VPN Melon, you have to tap on the BIG watermelon image on the main page or screen. We can definitely see why it appeals to students and younger people, but it did give us some doubt about about its performance as a VPN app.
However, after having tested it for this VPN Melon Review on our Android devices in a wide variety of use cases across a 3-4 day period, we found that VPN functionality for VPN Melon works exactly like what you would expect— once connected to a VPN server, you can use VPN Melon for Android to bypass school wifi filters, and to get sites like Youtube and Twitch, or even play games like Robloxx or Minecraft over your school wi-fi network.
Getting connected - VPN Melon review
Getting VPN Melon VPN profile installed and to work is also straight forward and simple. First, you need to download the VPN Melon for Android app, and then use it to install a VPN profile on your Android device. This is a step you have to perform just ONCE with VPN Melon, which is the same and with most VPNs for Android phones out there. After getting the VPN profile loaded (or installed) onto your Android phone, you just need to open VPN Melon app again, and tap on the connect button to get connected.
Downsides of VPN Melon (Ads!) - VPN Melon review
Connecting for the first time in our VPN Melon Review is where we found the experience slightly unpleasant, not straight-forward and not so easy to perform.
When connecting for the first time, you are required to select a server. Selecting a server for us was not as simple as tapping on a country of your choice. Tapping on 'USA 1' for us for example, did not switch to "USA 1" as the default connecting server immediately. To our surprise, we were greeted by an full screen video ad, lasting about 6-7 seconds and cannot be skipped. In our case, the video ad was about a mobile game that we had zero interest in.
Right after wasting 6-7 seconds watching the first video ad, we would think it is time to get our VPN connected. However, this is where we were surprised to see YET ANOTHER video ad. This time, we were shown a full screen ad, that although not a video, had a 10 second timer which we had to wait for it to count down before we could skip.
Hey, we understand that VPN Melon is a free, ad supported app. Unfortunately the developers of VPN Melon has decided to slap more than a few ads at various touch points before being able to connect to VPN. This is one of the things about VPN Melon that we think is a huge downside to using the Android VPN. From our initial tests, the video ads were shown at many as 5 times just to get the VPN Melon connected for the first time.
However, if you are a frequent user of free VPNs, this should not be something strange to you. VPN Melon is among the many ad-supported VPNs for Android out there. However, we would recommend that you chose a trusted VPNs for Android without any ads.
Free VPNs and its dangers
Free VPNs are a really good proposition for users who want to use it on a short term or temporary basis. However at Appsverse, being a VPN company, our team understands the dangers of Free VPN, and would strong advise against using any Free VPN services due to the hidden dangers of that casual users may not be aware of.
Free VPN services could be collecting your sensitive data and selling them without your knowledge. Sensitive data can include usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers, and problems with account or credit card theft usually goes unnoticed until something big such as large fraudulent charge occurs on the credit card. Generally, we would advice to avoid Free VPN services usually perform these For these basic reasons:
- Logging and data collection
- Selling of personal data such as username and passwords, credit card numbers etc
Why you should not use free VPNs like VPN Melon for Android
VPN Melon has not made any claims of no Logging data collection policy, nor do they declare that they do not sell your information to third parties for money.
Read related: Read in-depth study of the Dangers of Free VPNs and what they do with your personal data HERE
Instead of using VPN Melon, what is a VPN that I can trust?
For an Android VPN that works with unblocking wi-fi restrictions in schools, VPN Proxy (currently the most downloaded Android VPN!) is one of the best options you can find in the Google Play Store.
Comparison: VPN Melon vs VPN Proxy
Summary of VPN Melon
- Decent VPN for use at schools to unblock wi-fi restrictions
- No clear logging policy. Does not say how VPN Melon handles data
- Ok speeds
- PLENTY of ads (each videos ad is 6-7 seconds long)
- No premium upgrade? No way to get ads off VPN Melon
- App is barebones and feels untrusted
Summary of VPN Proxy
No ads, forever. VPN Proxy also retains your privacy and does not collect nor sell your data ever:
- NO ADS
- NO LOGS policy
- Also unlocks school wi-fi restrictions
- Install and use for FREE. Get 3 days free trial
- Upgrade to premium only if you like
- Lightning fast speeds
- Previously top rated for iOS, just released on Android