Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have emerged as a powerful tool to safeguard your online activity and protect your sensitive data from cyber threats. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a remote server, masking your IP address and protecting your online identity. With the right VPN, you can browse the internet anonymously, access geo-restricted content, and avoid being tracked by advertisers, hackers, and government surveillance. Google’s Android operating system is present in billions of devices worldwide, including smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. As Android functions on such a broad range of products, most of which are internet-connected, VPN providers ensure that they support this OS. Also: The best VPN trials In this guide, I will explore the most reliable, fast, and secure VPNs for Android that offer robust security features and easy-to-use interfaces. Whether you’re looking for a free or paid VPN, I’ve got you covered. I’ll also explain how to set up a VPN on your Android device and what factors to consider when choosing a VPN. With over 700,000 reviews, NordVPN is one of the most popular consumer VPNs in the Google Play Store. However, that is not the reason we think it’s the best VPN for Android. Its helpful features and rock-solid performance carried it across the finish line. NordVPN supports peer-to-peer file sharing, streaming, and a number of other platforms outside of Android. Its Onion over VPN feature removes the need for a separate Tor browser. Plus, the brand’s Double VPN sends your data through two servers instead of one, encrypting your information twice. There are also add-ons available for an extra fee, including a dedicated IP address, password manager, and encrypted cloud storage. In my speed tests, NordVPN connected quickly and reliably to all the servers we tested, although you’ll want to use the smart connect feature for the best performance. But if you’re still not 100% sold on choosing NordVPN, you can try it out with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Prices start from $4.19 per month if you purchase two years of service upfront, with a standard month-to-month subscription coming in at $11.99 for basic protection. NordVPN is currently running a birthday promotion as well. New users who subscribe to a two-year plan will save up to 59%, and they will also receive either three months or one year free, at random. Read the review: Our NordVPN review Also: NordVPN vs Surfshark: Which it better for you? ExpressVPN is a popular VPN service that makes our list due to its generally high speeds, expansive server network, and user-friendly app for Android devices. ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries that are spread across 160 locations, so you can easily find a server to connect to wherever you are. In our testing, we found that ExpressVPN offers stable and consistent speeds. In addition to supporting Android 5 Lollipop and above, ExpressVPN works with a variety of platforms and browser extensions, and an APK is available. Therefore, you should be able to use its app regardless of what devices you own. ExpressVPN has a clear and easily accessible privacy policy. It doesn’t log browsing history or traffic, but it does log the dates you connect to the service, how much data is transferred, and the location of the VPN. At the time of writing, subscription costs begin at $6.67 per month if you buy a year of service upfront. As a bonus, ExpressVPN will also give you three months for free, added to the end of the contract term. Alternatively, you could pay $9.99 per month for six months of access or $12.95 on a month-to-month basis. A seven-day trial for Android devices is available. Read the review: Our ExpressVPN review Exclusive offer: Get 3 extra months free IPVanish seems to market itself as a click-and-go VPN service, but it’s much more than that. In terms of performance, IPVanish excels with fast connection speeds and solid transfers. A bonus of this VPN is its stylish user interface in the app, which not only looks good but is also extremely easy to navigate. A recent improvement has been made to the app’s VPN status indicator to display the connection status from different screens. IPVanish also features a variety of protocols and server options, and there are extensive options for configuring the app itself. Overall, IPVanish delivers a solid user experience and VPN service compared to many other options on the market. If you commit to two years, IPVanish offers a discounted plan for $3.33 per month. This increases to $4.50 per month for a yearly plan and $11.99 for a month-to-month subscription. Once your deal ends, you should keep an eye on the price hike unless you’ve chosen to turn off automatic renewal. Read the review: Our IPVanish review Surfshark is the best option if you want a cheap Android VPN that will keep your mobile data secure and mask your activities. In our speed testing, we found Surfshark’s performance to be average. It cut download speeds, but the connection times were fast. The VPN also has what it calls MultiHop, a double VPN feature that creates a more secure connection by routing you through two VPNs. Additional complimentary tools include ad-blocking, anti-tracking, and split tunneling. At present, Surfshark provides 3,200 servers in 100 countries. There is also a whitelist function that allows apps and devices to bypass the VPN on your Android device. Currently, Surfshark is running a sale on the two-year subscription plan. Reduced from $12.95 per month (the typical one-month subscription fee), the VPN will only cost you $2.30 per month, plus two free months. Alternatively, you can sign up for a year and pay $3.99 each month. A seven-day trial is available for Android devices. Read our review: Surfshark VPN review Exclusive offer: Get 3 free months Note: The information presented in this table is accurate as of our last publish date, and prices, ratings, and other details may have changed since then.
Kill switch: This feature automatically cuts your internet connection if your VPN connection drops. Price & refund policy: How much does the service cost, and how long is the money-back guarantee period?Countries: Having more servers is better, but server locations also matter. Does the VPN have servers in countries you want to connect through?Simultaneous connections: You’ll want to use a single VPN subscription for all of your devices. Platforms: Most VPNs have native apps for the most popular operating systems, but make sure your VPN is compatible with your devices.Logging: VPN providers maintain data logs, which could put your privacy at risk. Does the VPN provider log your traffic or just log critical billing info?
Furthermore, we have also kept in mind the reputation, customer reviews, and security history of VPN organizations. We have considered different use cases, affordability, user-friendliness, the servers and countries on offer, and more in our review. However, these VPNs support Android OS as far back as versions 5 and 6. Chances are that most people are running a version that’s fully supported by a native VPN app, especially if they keep their smartphones and tablets up-to-date (which is recommended as a best practice for security and privacy). Some providers may even support older versions of Android with a manual installation. You may need to connect with customer service to find out which older versions are supported and get step-by-step instructions on installation. Anti-malware software protects against the execution of malicious software on your device. Those apps scan data, monitor running software processes and downloads, and may intercept suspicious activities while they’re running. Regarding mobile devices, this may also include checking permissions and ensuring apps don’t have more control over your device than they need. These free services are sometimes offered by reputable VPNs like Atlas and Hotspot Shield and are generally safe to use. However, they usually have severe data or performance limits, making them useful only as a way to test out the full service. One exception to this is Proton VPN’s free service, which has no data caps or speed restrictions. Outside of a free Proton VPN account, there are very few practical applications for free VPNs. And in the worse case scenarios, you could be putting your data at risk because less reputable free VPN services could be selling your information for a profit. After the app is downloaded, you can open it and log in to the service with your username/email and password you created when you subscribed. To avoid extra costs, you can use local Wi-Fi that coffee shops, airport lounges, hotels, and schools often offer to the public for free. Unfortunately, that Wi-Fi is often open and easy to intercept. Having a VPN on your Android phone can protect your data when accessing the internet through one of these hotspots. In fact, I recommend never accessing the internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot without an active VPN. Furthermore, you may want to consider using a VPN to remain secure and to be able to pick your preferred location if you are using your Android device to stream content.
