Planet VPN has 50 million downloads on Android and says that its free VPN has “no limits on traffic, bandwidth, or time.”

However, free VPNs often come with caveats and need to earn money somehow. In the case of Planet VPN, this may be achieved via Planet Search — a Chrome extension that re-routes users' internet searches through intermediary platforms before they reach monetized Yahoo search results.

Planet Search has 2 million users, according to its Google Web Store page, and its parent company, Free Planet VPN S.R.L., was recently referenced in an investigation by Socket into ‘searchjacking’ apps.

While its role modifying a user's search engine has previously been documented and is identified in the Chrome Web Store, our investigation reveals that the developer was actively funneling users from its VPN product to its Chrome extension until at least mid-January this year.

Planet search, redirect & monetize

According to Socket’s report, these ‘searchjacking’ apps can “take over the browser's default search engine, route every query through a suspicious proxy server, and collect partner referral payments from Yahoo or Bing under a syndication partner ID.”

TechRadar has independently analyzed the source code of Planet Search and confirmed that it changes Chrome’s default search engine — using the chrome_settings_overrides.search_provider manifest key — to planet-search[.]com.

Using planet-search[.]com as the default search engine redirects users’ search queries through several intermediary platforms before landing on Yahoo’s syndication endpoint (/yhs/search) configured with commercial syndication parameters and campaign tracking tags.

While Planet Search states in the Chrome Web Store that it alters default search settings, the listing explicitly promises that “default search results will be provided by Google.” On another page it says the provider will be switched to Microsoft Bing. However, during our tests we consistently landed on Yahoo search result pages.

While TechRadar’s technical analysis traced the redirect hops to a Yahoo search endpoint, Planet Search’s privacy policy discloses that “certain web search services” are provided through CodeFuel, a search monetization platform. The same document also states the service may "gather data related" to usage, specifically citing "search queries" along with "the time and date of your search queries."

The Socket.dev report suggests many of the extensions may have obtained users via paid advertising campaigns. However, our research suggests that in the case of Planet Search, some of its users have been funneled from its VPN product.

Planet VPN's installer promoted the extension

TechRadar’s analysis of older Planet VPN desktop clients confirms that in version V.2.10.69.99, released on January 13, 2026, the app prompted users to install the Planet Search extension at setup.

However, frustration over the extension goes back years, with several people highlighting difficulties removing the tool .One user said they had "tried everything like deleting all of the folders on my PC" to get rid of the extension, while another said "it feels like malware."

TechRadar has not verified whether the current Planet Search extension still uses methods which make it difficult to remove.

How Planet Search may profit

When you enter a query while using the extension, that query is routed via its planet-search[.]com domain and several intermediary domains. The query is then handed off to major search providers (in our case Yahoo) with partner syndication tags (e.g. hspart or hsimp) at the end of the URL.

In search revenue-sharing arrangements of this kind, a user clicking on sponsored ads may generate a referral commission for the ad network, which may then share revenue with the extension publisher. TechRadar could not confirm whether Planet Free VPN receives any revenue from this arrangement.

While common among ad-tech toolbars, routing searches through redirect hops may expose user search intent to third-party commercial networks and is not something normally associated with the digital privacy protections of a VPN.

The free VPN privacy dilemma

All commercial VPNs exist to make a profit. And when an app is free, more often than not, you are what’s generating that profit.

While there are a few reputable free VPN providers, even the most well-established providers come with caveats — whether data limits, the inability to choose servers, or limited access to international servers.

For this VPN, Planet Search may be one way the provider is able to make money, although TechRadar could not confirm whether it earns revenue through the extension. It also offers paid-for tiers and may be monetizing its products in other ways.

Free Planet VPN S.R.L. did not respond to a request for comment before publication.

I don’t know what I’d do without Google.

I rely on its search engine for answers to all my questions; I’m writing this article up using Google Docs; its Calendar and Gmail apps help run my life; my phone and tablet are both powered by Android; Chrome is my go-to browser of choice; Google manages my passwords and is my authenticator app for 2FA, and I watch an ungodly amount of YouTube — I could go on, but you get the picture.

It’s scary if you sit and think about Google's stranglehold over our daily lives for too long, and so I’ve been desperate to try and de-Google where possible. I was glad, then, when the Fairphone 6 Plus came across my desk.

The standard Fairphone 6 Plus runs Android 16, but the model I’ve been testing for the past month comes preinstalled with /e/OS. This custom mobile OS removes all proprietary Google services, tracking, and built-in Google apps, but is still technically a fork of Android, which means it plays nice with many Android-compatible apps (solving one of the biggest hardware barriers to de-Googling).

The /e/OS Fairphone 6 Plus is available exclusively through Murena for $699.99 / £583 (around AU$1,009); that's slightly more than the standard model, which retails for $649.99 / £569 (roughly AU$1,100).

Armed with this Google-free phone and a list of apps to install, I was ready to see if I could de-couple from Google once and for all.

But after one month of trying, I’ve given up.

What is de-Googling?

This steadily growing trend is, as the name suggests, an approach to choosing software and hardware that's devoid of Google’s interference — specifically, de-Googling involves choosing options that have stronger privacy protections for users and less data-tracking services.

But this isn't just a matter of hopping over to Apple's iOS ecosystem and calling it a day (iPhones, of course, can access almost all Google services). It’s about maximizing privacy in a way that doesn't lock you into a walled garden. For some, de-Googling is also about de-Americanizing — that is, finding hardware and software produced outside of the United States.

Especially in the wake of the US government sanctioning International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyers, which left them unable to access essential online services, and previous efforts to ban non-US citizens from accessing the top-tier AI models, it's understandable that some people want to find tech alternatives produced either in their home region or by more stable allies.

In my case, I used the Fairphone 6 Plus as my day-to-day smartphone, swapped my default search engine to DuckDuckGo, and installed services like Proton to manage my mail.

Instantly, I was glad to be able to access the /e/OS and platforms like its App Lounge (its built-in app store) without a login, which kept my activity anonymous to some extent.

I also liked the neat Advanced Privacy widget, which not only lets you block in-app trackers, hide your IP address, and disguise your location on the fly, but also includes a neat graphic showing how many data leaks you've been shielded from over the last 30 days. It gamifies the experience of de-Googling in a fun way.

And while Proton offers paid tiers, I was able to trial its encrypted mail service with a free account, keeping my costs just as low as they were before I switched from my previous Android phone (albeit with a more limited service).

But for all of these early wins, I started to rub up against the more frustrating realities of de-Googling just as quickly.

/e/OS lacks some must-have Android optimizations — even simple ones, like the option to arrange apps how you want across pages (instead, it takes the Apple approach of apps automatically filling up pages; you can’t create gaps or custom arrangements beyond folders and reordering them).

Others on Reddit have also flagged the jankiness of the aforementioned App Lounge and the difficulty in finding navigation apps comparable to Google Maps. I don't live in a major city, so this hasn't been a big red flag for me, but it's true that most Google Maps alternatives lack the coverage and public transport integration to be relied upon.

Plus, while you can use a free version of services like Proton (like I did), I’d need to pay $12.99 / £10.39 / AU$20.79 a month (or equivalent to $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$15.99 if billed annually) for the experience I got from Google for free, which does add up at a time when costs are rising, and I’d ideally be tightening my purse strings. Remember, too, that this is not a cheap phone.

My frustrations also went beyond the general chore of untangling Google from my life.

I butted up against issues with the Fairphone 6 Plus specifically — its sluggish chipset and good-but-not-great cameras left me wanting to go back to my Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra on several occasions.

I do appreciate the Fairphone's modular, eco-friendly construction, and in our Fairphone 6 Plus review, we noted that its Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset "starts sluggishly" before finding its feet in general use.

I'm also lucky enough to be able to test the best Android phones (like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra) on a regular basis, so I've perhaps been spoiled by their flagship-level performance straight out of the box.

You may, therefore, not encounter the same hardware frustrations, but trying to de-Google on the Fairphone 6 Plus felt like a double-whammy of difficulty.

In for a penny…

The problem with de-Googling is that it’s full of friction points. And I’ve found that when it comes to tackling that friction, people are very binary — they either want next to none, or, if they’re willing to accept some, they’d also be willing to accept a lot to make their privacy-focused tech dreams a reality.

That is to say, if people want to go the proper de-Googling route — and my 'people', I mean the folks willing to put in the effort to find the best app alternatives, and change out their hardware — they are also likely willing (and have the technical confidence) to take the step of installing GrapheneOS on a Google Pixel phone.

The GrapheneOS/Pixel combination still has its drawbacks, but its privacy features are more robust than those you'll find in /e/OS, and newer Pixel models like the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10a edge out the Fairphone 6 Plus in terms of hardware (which, crucially, would be the only Google involvement in this solution).

Meanwhile, anyone wanting to take the easy route could just switch to Apple.

The Cupertino company's privacy promises are bold (even following its push into AI), and while picking up an iPhone wouldn't technically be de-Googling in purists' eyes, iPhones are slightly better options than regular Android phones for the mildly privacy-conscious.

That leaves the /e/OS Fairphone 6 Plus caught between two paths.

Its privacy features are great, and again, Fairphone deserves credit for offering a truly sustainable smartphone solution. But as someone who was genuinely excited to try to de-Google, I'm not sure whether the trade-offs in both software convenience and hardware quality are worth the hassle.

Still, with some tweaks made to /e/OS and a more flagship-level Fairphone, I'd be willing to try again.

What do a clinical psychologist from Queensland, an artist from Atlanta, a bio-behavioural scientist from North Carolina, and a tech engineer from Hungary have in common? In spite of their different levels of tech knowledge, all four converted to Linux within the last six months to regain control of their privacy and data.

Nearly a year ago, reports of millions of new Linux downloads signalled a shift in attitude amongst average digital users. The catalyst was the end of free support for Windows 10, followed by Microsoft’s aggressive promotion of Windows 11 and increasingly intrusive data-collection practices that sparked user dissatisfaction.

While ever-expanding surveillance seems to be the hallmark of major tech companies, increasingly user-friendly Linux desktop environments and installation programs, along with LLMs eager to help with configuration issues, are enabling even the least tech-savvy users to reclaim their digital freedom.

TechRadar spoke to those who have already switched to Linux to understand their reasons, how difficult it was to change operating systems, and whether we all need to do so to really be more private online.

Why switch to Linux

Bio-behavioural scientist Christopher Smith says he had no programming experience when he decided to switch. After 25 years using Microsoft, he became increasingly frustrated with the operating system forcing him to accept software and services he never requested.

"Windows was preventing me from managing my laptop freely, thereby depriving me of autonomy in my digital choices," Smith tells TechRadar. "I paid for my laptop, but I felt as though Microsoft was deciding how I could use it."

As Smith looked for alternatives, he first tried Linux from a bootable USB stick before moving on to a dual-boot system. "I didn’t even know the term 'Linux Distribution' at first; I thought it was something for developers or hackers."

Choosing a beginner-friendly Mint distro with a Cinnamon desktop environment helped the transition, as it featured a familiar ‘point-and-click’ interface similar to Windows rather than dropping him straight into an often terrifying command line interface.

Since then, Smith hasn’t looked back. Using LLMs to gather information and engage with digital communities, he has quickly learned terminal commands. He recently bought a laptop running a fully Linux-based operating system and a desktop computer on which he is setting up his own Linux server. "I won’t have to rely on Big Tech anymore."

Smith even sparked curiosity among his colleagues as they saw him booting Linux from USB at work. "After that, two colleagues tried it, and they have now told me they are exploring it further," he says.

It’s a privacy game

But is this all really necessary? Or are Smith and his newfound voyagers simply uncovering a new interest — useful, but ultimately just something that piqued their curiosity?

Imre Lóránt Dévai, a Budapest-based technical engineer who recently transitioned to Linux, certainly believes in the former. He told TechRadar:

"Data collection can affect more than privacy: the software companies use to collect data may also consume computer resources, such as CPU, memory, or internet bandwidth. Some people therefore block it both to limit tracking and to reclaim control and resources."

Lóránt Dévai uses his Logitech mouse and its installation process as a micro-example. "On Windows, even managing its buttons and firmware required Logitech software, an account, and an app running in the background. On Linux, I instead wrote simple scripts for the functions I actually needed, such as mapping the buttons and checking the battery," he said.

For Brisbane-based psychologist Aaron Frost, the decision to leave Microsoft stemmed from his professional ethics and the need to protect his patients’ confidentiality.

Specifically, Frost began harbouring doubts about the behaviour of Big Tech following Microsoft’s Recall incident — the AI-powered Copilot feature that periodically captured screenshots of users’ activity to create a searchable history.

"We work in health, and the Australian Privacy Principles treat all health data as sensitive, and I couldn’t see a way you could use Windows and be compliant, so I grabbed an old Windows machine and wiped it," Frost told TechRadar.

Choosing the right distro was the biggest challenge as he moved from Ubuntu to Fedora and Gnome to find the one best suited to his needs — something that in the past may have been a real barrier to adoption.

"I don’t think I would have pushed through the first week without LLMs. The fact that Claude or Gemini or ChatGPT know terminal and know Linux totally removes that barrier to entry," Frost explains.

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AI as a learning ally

Indeed, LLMs are playing a significant part in making Linux less overwhelming than it used to be. "AI can be a patient, nonjudgmental 'virtual admin' that can help people who might otherwise feel intimidated by online forums," explains Lóránt Dévai.

For beginners, the Budapest-based tech engineer recommends using an agent within the terminal rather than an AI assistant service, as this may be more convenient than copying commands from the browser’s chat window.

Cloud-based AI may be fine for setting up a fresh system with no personal files, he explains, but once private photos or documents are on the computer, using a privacy-focused or local model is recommended to keep your data safe.

Although useful, LLMs are not without risks and require cross-checking. "For anything that could delete or change important data, it’s wise to check what the AI proposes before letting it act," Lóránt Dévai stresses.

In the same vein, Atlanta-based graphic artist Dan Rodda has been using LLMs only experimentally during his transition to Linux, including Mistral coding models, and checking their input. He finds them useful for routine technical questions but cautions that answers can be subtly wrong.

"I have occasionally consulted open LLMs for technical help but often have to double-check their solutions," says Rodda. "I think local AI has promising potential to be an automation toolset but have yet to leverage it personally."

How to stop relying on Big Tech

As they continue to progress, the four people interviewed by TechRadar all agreed that switching to Linux meant increasing their detachment from Big Tech.

"My views towards Big Tech have been pretty grim for quite a while, but now it feels like they aren’t even trying to maintain a social license, so I actually enjoy the process of finding a free solution to a service and then migrating and cancelling the subscription," Brisbane-based psychologist Frost explains.

"I have gotten progressively more disenchanted by Big Tech with their greed and surveillance," Atlanta-based graphic artist Rodda adds. "Switching to Linux is an ethical and self-respecting choice in my view. I have substituted most of my cloud storage, search engine use, and personal productivity software with open source or privacy-respecting stuff. I also run a privacy-oriented system on my Google Pixel called GrapheneOS."

Bio-behavioural scientist Smith lists all the software he uses to replace Big Tech. "I've left Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, and I've moved over to Brave Browser and also Vivaldi."

Budapest-based tech engineer Lóránt Dévai, the most tech-experienced across the group, is even building a home lab — using an old Linux laptop to run services for himself, and reducing his reliance on tech companies. This entails hosting his own search service instead of Google search, running Pi-hole to manage or filter DNS requests rather than relying on Google, self-hosting Bitwarden to store his passwords, and setting up alternative self-hosting to Google Analytics so that the data stays on infrastructure he controls rather than going to a large third-party provider.

"It’s a gradual move towards more control over my data and services," he explains.

In the future, they all would like to de-Google. "Google has decades of my personal information that's already been harvested and scraped, and you know the telemetry of just using their free services because you are the product," Rodda says.

"There's a plan to totally de-Google, but that's a much bigger nut to crack, I think, because I'm tied to the Google environment in various ways, so it's really hard to cut those one by one," Lóránt Dévai adds.

Would you switch to Linux, too?

If you, too, are thinking of making the switch, Lóránt Dévai recommends starting with small steps, trying out Linux first and being mindful of the data that an AI tool can access.

Rodda is very practical. "Take inventory of what you need in your digital life, what you actually use, then do a little research to find out what would be a good fit and try it out for a week. Distro-findere.com and distrochooser.de are good places to start."

Lóránt Dévai recommends experimenting before installing. "Boot a Linux distribution from a USB drive to see how it looks and works. If you like it, you can install it later," he says. You can also keep Windows and Linux side by side with a dual-boot setup and experiment with different distros to find the most suitable for you. The rest will come, they promise.

Ultimately, all our interviewees confirmed that their need to break free from Big Tech’s surveillance far outweighed the sense of familiarity that had previously kept them tied to Windows. Although it’s a small sample, the number of users switching to Linux looks set to rise, as Linux distros become easier to use and LLMs help newcomers regain control over their digital footprint.

"During the switch, I was amazed at the number of people who post in the Linux Mint subreddit that say: I finally made the switch, and oh my god, why didn’t anybody tell me before it was going to be this amazing," says Smith.

As ever, the Linux rabbit hole can run deep. And it is no secret that the switch has incredible potential for improving your privacy. But with many benefits now as simple as loading up a USB stick and your favourite LLM, one has to wonder: what exactly is stopping you today?