u/Timely-Rice3106

Let's face it, most free VPNs come with a catch. Slow speeds, data limits, endless ads, or questionable privacy practices.

But running a reliable VPN isn't free either. Servers, bandwidth and maintenance all cost money.

So I'm curious: what would you actually be willing to do in exchange for free, unrestricted VPN access for a period of time?

For example:

- Refer a friend who signs up.

- Share something on social media.

- Complete small tasks or challenges.

- Watch an optional rewarded ad.

- Something else entirely?

Assume the VPN itself is reliable, with no artificial speed restrictions, data caps or forced ads.

Would you be happy doing something in return for 7, 15 or 30 days of access? Or would you rather stick with a traditional free VPN that has limitations?

Genuinely interested in what people would consider a fair exchange, and what would immediately put them off.

I’ve been looking at quite a few VPNs that offer a free version alongside their paid plans, and I’m curious what actually makes people uninstall them or decide they’re not worth using.

Is it things like:

- Constant upgrade pop-ups?

- Too many ads?

- Very low data limits?

- Slow speeds / deliberately throttled speeds?

- Only one or two locations being available?

- Having to create an account before trying it?

- Not being clear about what the free version actually includes?

- Being pushed towards a subscription rather than being able to buy a small amount of access/data?

I’m particularly interested in things that seem reasonable on paper but are really annoying in actual use.

And on the other side, what restrictions do you think are completely fair for a free VPN?

Has anyone else recently been experiencing an issue with rewarded ads on Android where the ad completes and the reward is granted, but the X/close button on Google's ad UI doesn't respond?

I'm seeing behaviour along these lines:

- Rewarded ad plays normally

- Ad reaches the point where the reward is granted

- Google's X/close button appears

- Tapping the X sometimes does nothing

- Android's Back button can get the user out of the ad

- When exiting this way, the expected impression/ad lifecycle reporting doesn't always seem to complete correctly

I've had to implement my own fallback so that if this happens the user isn't punished — if they've legitimately reached the reward point, they still receive the reward.

That solves the user-facing problem, but obviously doesn't solve the underlying issue with the Google ad UI or the potentially missing impression/reporting.

I'm trying to work out whether this is:

1. A current Google Mobile Ads/rewarded-ad issue

2. Specific to certain ad networks/creatives

3. Device/Android-version specific

4. Something in my own rewarded-ad implementation

Has anyone else seen this recently?

Particularly interested if you've seen an ad reach the rewarded state but then had Google's own X button become completely unresponsive.

If so, what Android version/device and Google Mobile Ads SDK version are you using?

\[REQUEST\] What makes you keep a puzzle game installed?

For people who play puzzle games on Android, what makes you keep one installed and regularly come back to it rather than deleting it after a few days?

I'm curious about what actually matters once the novelty of a new game wears off.

For example:

\- Lots of different puzzle types vs one really polished puzzle

\- Endless/generated levels vs handcrafted levels

\- Difficulty that keeps increasing

\- Different difficulty options

\- Stats, streaks and personal records

\- Daily/weekly challenges

\- Different modes like timed, limited moves, etc.

\- Unlocks and progression

\- Being fully playable offline

\- New puzzles/content being added over time

\- Being able to jump in for a quick 5–10 minute session

I'm also interested in the opposite:

What usually makes you uninstall a puzzle game?

Too many ads? Repetitive levels? Gets too easy? Gets unfairly difficult? Too much grinding? Energy/lives systems? Notifications? Nothing meaningful to work towards?

I'm especially interested in what has actually kept you playing games you've already downloaded, rather than features that just sound good on paper.

If there's a puzzle game you've kept installed for months or years, what is it and what keeps bringing you back?

[REQUEST] What makes you keep a puzzle game installed?

For people who play puzzle games on Android, what makes you keep one installed and regularly come back to it rather than deleting it after a few days?

I'm curious about what actually matters once the novelty of a new game wears off.

For example:

- Lots of different puzzle types vs one really polished puzzle

- Endless/generated levels vs handcrafted levels

- Difficulty that keeps increasing

- Different difficulty options

- Stats, streaks and personal records

- Daily/weekly challenges

- Different modes like timed, limited moves, etc.

- Unlocks and progression

- Being fully playable offline

- New puzzles/content being added over time

- Being able to jump in for a quick 5–10 minute session

I'm also interested in the opposite:

What usually makes you uninstall a puzzle game?

Too many ads? Repetitive levels? Gets too easy? Gets unfairly difficult? Too much grinding? Energy/lives systems? Notifications? Nothing meaningful to work towards?

I'm especially interested in what has actually kept you playing games you've already downloaded, rather than features that just sound good on paper.

If there's a puzzle game you've kept installed for months or years, what is it and what keeps bringing you back?