Google Pixel comes with VPN by Google, which means you donā€™t have to worry about paying for Nord or any other VPN service. I wonā€™t bore you to death with the benefits of using a VPN or get into the technical details of what it does. However, we will go through some real-world testing of the VPNā€™s impact on battery life and on applications, websites, and services you probably use on a daily basis. First up, letā€™s go through my testing of VPN by Googleā€™s impact on battery life.

Googleā€™s VPN Impact on Battery Life

  • Tested device: Pixel 10 Pro XL (256GB)
  • Screen brightness: 60%
  • Battery capacity: 100%

Day 1

  • VPN: Off
  • Screen time: 7h 22m
  • Battery life at end of day: 36%

Day 2

  • VPN: On
  • Screen time: 7h 41m
  • Battery life at end of day: 41%

Day 3

  • VPN: Off
  • Screen time: 6h 19m
  • Battery life at end of day: 45%

Day 4

  • VPN: On
  • Screen time: 6h 41m
  • Battery life at end of day: 38%

The first four workdays for me are almost identical. Iā€™m conducting keyword research, using Gemini and NotebookLM, Gmail, Docs, and Drive. I donā€™t really stream or use social media on my Pixel as itā€™s my work phone. However, it became abundantly clear early on that leaving the VPN on all the time had a fairly significant impact on my overall battery life.

I suspect the primary reason the impact was so high, causing a 5 to 7% reduction, was due to the type of work I was doing. Iā€™m frequently hitting Google, Firefox, and Bing searches to conduct keyword research. Search engines thought I was a bot and would throttle or even block my queries.

This brings us to our next section: VPNā€™s impact on apps and services on the Pixel.

Apps and Services Impacted By VPN Use

Google Searches

Surprisingly, Google searches are sometimes throttled or outright blocked when I was connected to Googleā€™s own VPN. Granted, this generally only happens when Iā€™m searching rapidly. Anyone who regularly does keyword research for SEO knows how quick those queries are flying.

The search frequency plus VPN use sets Googleā€™s bot radar off and results in your request being blocked, at least temporarily.

Chase Banking

I am consistently blocked every time I try to access my Chase banking account. The mobile app is blocked 100 percent of the time, but on rare occasions I can actually make it through on the web portal.

Certain Features of Amazon

I can search and add items to my cart just fine, but certain features are missing entirely. The Buy It Again feature doesnā€™t work, nor does the Subscription option. Itā€™s also difficult for me to get a return QR code when progressing through the returns process.

Planet Fitness

The screen that shows the QR code used to check in hangs for me until I shut the VPN off. The Wi-Fi in the gym is also blocked from use if you have the VPN on.

Ring

I cannot use the live camera feed on Ring. Other features of the app are blocked as well. For this reason, I try not to have it on when traveling for extended periods, as I frequently review the camera at my house when away.


How To Add Exclusions to Your VPN?

If you need to access certain apps or services that Google's VPN is blocking, you can add exclusions to the VPN. Here are some screenshots to guide you through the process:

  • Open the Settings app on your Pixel device.
  • Navigate to "Network & internet" and select "VPN by Google."
  • Look for an option labeled "Exclusions" or "App exclusions."
  • Add the apps or services you want to exclude from the VPN.

Once you've added your exclusions, these apps should function normally even when you have the VPN turned on. Just beware that you may be exposing your data by doing this. So, only exclude apps you absolutely trust and don't do any banking or sensitive activitivies on those apps while on an untrusted network. Escpecially the gym.

When Should You Turn Your VPN On?

You should turn your VPN on whenever you are on a network where you cannot physically touch the router or modem. This means restaurants, hotels, airports, parks, churches, etc. If you canā€™t unplug the router, it means youā€™re not home and should not trust the network.

What to Do if the Hotel or Airport Blocks Your Google VPN

There are some networks that forbid VPN-connected devices from using them. This happens fairly often at airports and some hotels. While the reasons may vary, the problem remains the same.

You are stuck on an open network and your Pixel cannot use a VPN to protect you, so what should you do? Here are a couple of options.

If you are a Google Fi user on a Pixel device, look for the W+ icon at the top of your screen. Google has partnered with different airlines to automatically encrypt traffic on their networks. Again, this only works for Pixel devices running on the Google Fi network.

Should that fail, or if you use a carrier other than Google Fi, try to turn on Private DNS.

Go to: Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS.
Select: Private DNS provider hostname.
Type: dns.google

How Does VPN by Google Compare to Other VPN Services?

Like NordVPN, Avast, and others, Google encrypts traffic between your Pixel and the VPN server. It also masks your IP address from local network observers. However, unlike its competitors, it does not let you change your location. So you cannot, for example, change your geographical location to the U.K. to get around geo-restricted content.

If these are features you rely on heavily, ExpressVPN might be a better choice.

Can You Use VPN by Google on Other Devices?

No, you can't use VPN by Google on your Windows or macOS-powered device. You can't even use it on a Chromebook, which is powered by Google's own hardware. The only devices other than Pixel 7 or later that have this capability are Pixel Tablets.

VPN by Google: Great Free Security with Some Quirks

Overall, not having to pay for another subscription service like a VPN is certainly a major plus. It's a solid VPN that is unfortunately limited to only a couple product lines. However, when it's permitted to, it can provide a much needed layer of security when browsing in unsafe locations.

The roughly 5 to 7 percent drop in overall battery is absolutely worth it if it can prevent your data from getting into the wrong hands. Looking for ways to make your secure Pixel or Android-powered device more productive? Check out our Pixel Productivity setup.