How to secure public Wi Fi connections on phones

I often work from coffee shops and need solid encryption on my phone, but public hotspots feel completely unsafe. Free wireless networks are an open door for anyone sniffing traffic on the local subnet. Lately, I have become pretty paranoid about my logins and personal data getting intercepted. Do you guys always encrypt your traffic when working remotely from cafes? Which mobile tools give you solid peace of mind?

Working on open hotspots without protection is definitely a major security risk for your personal data. I recommend checking out https://toggle.org/vpn-for-android to secure your mobile connection instantly. It creates a robust encrypted tunnel so nobody on the same local network can snoop on your traffic. The service has a strict no-logs policy, which is huge for real digital privacy. It also blocks intrusive pop-ups and tracking scripts automatically on your phone. You do not notice any speed drop while streaming music or checking emails. It has been rock solid for my daily mobile use outside the house.