A Virtual Private Network or VPN is a network utility to mask personal identity online. Moreover, it is used to fake your IP Address online and show yourself surfing from a different location. There are multiple uses for VPN. Therefore, we have compiled a list of Best Android VPN Apps. This list goes through the best overall services that work all around the world. Some countries have tighter security than normal. You can read about Best VPN Apps for Chinese Android Phones here. Since, not everyone uses a VPN for the same purpose, therefore, what’s good for one individual isn’t necessarily good for everyone. Go through the list below and find the most suitable deal for yourself.
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How to choose a VPN for Android?
If you open the Play Store and search for a VPN, there are practically countless options available. However, from time to time we come across a bunch of Apps that are actually a scam. Either they do not work at all or steal users’ data.
It is pretty easy to avoid these kinds of mistakes. Before continuing, the first thing everyone should know is that ‘nothing is free’. If an app is offering free VPN services, it is either supported by a huge number of intrusive ads, stealing data or it just does not work anyway. However, a lot of paid VPNs offer free trials or limited versions of their services. These are somewhere in the range of 300-600MB per month and limited bandwidth.
In case of free trials for paid VPNs, those are pretty safe to use. The only reason for providing free trials is to allow users to experience their product before buying. However, the data is so limited therefore, you cannot actually use it for free in long term.
Completely free VPNs could be outright scams. These VPNs most likely steal and sell your data to interested parties. It is used for stuff like targeted ads. Some free VPNs even inject malware and viruses in phones. Therefore, always be careful and go with a VPN that is trusted and has a good record.
Free VPN vs Paid VPN
When it comes to peace of mind and overall satisfaction, there is not even an argument. Paid VPNs are the way to go. These work with high-speed internet and offers premium security to its users.
Free VPNs on other hand could be shady a lot of times. Therefore, it is advisable to not use free VPNs for any sensitive work. This involves using personal accounts, banking, credit card transactions, and social media. Use the free VPNs for small tasks only. Normally, the free VPNs run out of speed after using it for a while anyway.
Note that most of the free VPNs mentioned in this list are actually free trials of paid VPNs. Some of these may require credit card info but most of these do not. You just need to sign up with Email and it’s good to go. Completely free VPNs are mostly shady and we cannot recommend questionable tech to our readers.
Best Free Android VPN Apps
1: NordVPN
Either going for the free version or buying a premium package, NordVPN is one of the best options out there. It works in the tightest of firewalls. A lot of people working in China use NordVPN because it constantly keeps updating its software to bypass China’s Great Firewall.
In addition to awesome access, premium users get amazing deals and discounts on long-term plans. The free users however are not disappointed either. There is a decent bandwidth available every month. All you need to do is just sign up with Email and that’s it! Use the same account in up to 6 devices.
Best Features:
- 24/7 customer support
- Over 5,000 servers in more than 60 locations around the globe
- Military-grade protection and Double VPN option
- Automatic Kill-Switch
- Works well with Netflix, Hulu, Prime, and other streaming sites/services
2: Express VPN
Just like our first pick, Express VPN is another trusted name in its genre. It is secure, fast, and reliable. Moreover, use the same account on more than one device. Let’s say someone uses an Android, a tablet, a PC, and another phone. Just sign up once and login with the same ID on all of these accounts. The speed on any of the devices is not affected. Use all the devices at the same time and they all will get their personal full possible speed.
Best Features:
- Optimized for Video Calling
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Works in China
- Optimized for streaming movies and TV shows like Netflix, Prime, Hulu and lot of other sites
- Servers available in over 148 cities around the globe
- First month of premium service is free (Credit card needed to buy and refund service)
3: PrivateVPN
Very concerned about privacy? Or you’re a tech savvy that loves to mess with different VPN protocols. Then PrivateVPN is one of the best options out there. It offers multiple protocols like OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, IKEv2 And IPSec. Moreover, the special security system helps avoid IPv6 leaks.
Another cool thing about PrivateVPN is how to secure the transferred data it. Every bit of data passing through is encrypted using a 2048-bit encryption key. Lastly, use PrivateVPN to download torrents anonymously on Android. It is specially optimized for P2P traffic.
Best Features:
- Optimized for P2P traffic. Download torrents at fast speeds
- 2048-bit data encryption
- VPN servers in over 50 locations
- Kill Switch
4: Tunnelbear VPN
When it comes to interface and cool animations, we have to give it to Tunnelbear. It is one of the best looking VPNs for Android. The bear digs a tunnel for you and when he comes out, the IP address is changed to a different location. It is a small detail but looks cool.
When it comes to real business, isn’t shy of quality. It provides end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption. Therefore, every bit of data transferred is actually safe from the prying eyes of hackers and government agencies. Just like any good premium VPN, use Tunnelbear one multiple devices with the same account.
Best Features:
- Complete anonymity and company promise not to log any of users’ data
- 500MB of free data every month for free users
- 256-bit AES encryption
- One of the best Android VPNs for Skype, WhatsApp, Instagram, Viber, etc
- Superfast streaming of movies and shows all over the world
5: AstrillVPN
It is one of the lesser-known VPNs for Android. Overall, AstrillVPN’s servers are located in over 65 countries. That is a big number for any regular VPN services. Moreover, each location hosts multiple servers to ensure that none of the users face sluggish internet speeds.
The most notable feature of AstrillVPN is the Multi-hop VPN network. This is something not available in every option. What it does is that, instead of just connecting you to just one server, the traffic actually goes through more than one server. This way, it is even harder to track the original IP address of VPN users.
When using AstrillVPN on Android or any other service, choose from one of the following protocols: OpenWeb, StealthVPN, WireGuard, OpenVPN, CiscoIPSec, IKEv2, L2TP, SSTP, PPTP. It is possible that one protocol may not work under certain firewall or security. Therefore, keep changing until you find the right one.
Best Features:
- Multi-hop VPN network feature for added security
- Available in over 65 countries
- 7-Day free trial
- Kill Switch to avoid accidental DNS and IPv4/IPv6 leaks
6: VyprVPN
Get access to one of the fast VPN services available. With VPN servers in over 70 locations, rest assured, everyone will find their desired location to connect to. Moreover, encrypt all personal data with a 256-bit unmodified encryption protocol.
It is also one of the best VPNs to use in China and bypass its firewall. Therefore, if anyone is looking for an Android VPN in China specifically, then give this app a go.
Best Features
- One of the fastest connection
- Great to use in China
- 256-bit Encryption
- NAT firewall
7: IPVanish
With some extra extras and impressive speeds, IPVanish manages to make it into our list for the best Android VPN services. The only major feature missing from it is “Kill Switch”. For those who are not aware, Kill Switch automatically turns the internet off in case the VPN is disconnected. Note that not a single VPN has 100% uptime. Therefore, the disconnects are bound to happen now and then. Therefore, it is good to have a kill switch, so that it automatically saves you from leaking the actual IP Addresses.
Overall, it is available in more than 60 locations and comes with 256-bit encryption.
Best Features:
- High internet connection speed
- 60+ server locations
- Lauded by many as the fastest Android VPN!
8: Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access or PIA is a simple and “Do-what-it-says” kind of app. There is nothing less, nothing more. The best thing about using PIA is that it is one of the cheapest options on the market. Therefore, you don’t have to dig deep into your wallet to get access to a fast VPN with good enough security.
With over 3,000 servers around the world, Private Internet Access manages super quick internet connection speeds. Therefore, you’d never get stuck buggering videos, movies, and TV shows. The video calls should be pretty smooth as well.
- Adblocking
- Superfast Internet Connection Speed (Up to 80%)
- 3,300+ servers
- Cheap and Affordable
9: HideMyAss!
HMA! is the largest VPN network in the world. It is quite an impressive feat. Thus giving birth to the feature “Favorite server”. Since there are thousands of servers, therefore, if users enjoy their experience with a certain server, save it for later use. How convenient is that? The servers are not just based on countries or cities. There are multiple servers in the same location.
Use HideMyAss! to protect your data on public WiFi hotspots, streaming content from around the world, or just masking your location. Unblock sites and apps that are locked either by owners or the country’s government.
Best Features:
- Biggest VPN servers network in almost every country
- Fast internet speeds
- Save favorite networks
- Kill Switch
- Public Wi-Fi hotspot protection
10: CyberGhost VPN
Become a Ghostie with CyberGhost VPN and enjoy your freedom online. It is no secret that a lot of agencies try to track the personal data of every user they can reach. This could be for a lot of purposes. However, not everyone likes their privacy breached. Use CyberGhost VPN for Android to protect all the activities on phone. Use the same account on multiple devices at the same time.
The company promises that it does not keep any logs or data. Since all data is encrypted by VPN, therefore, none of the activities of users are either tracked or saved anywhere.
- Free Trial without Credit Card
- No logs or records saved by the company. Complete anonymity
- Over 3,000 servers in 60+ countries
- Protect Online privacy by masing IP Address
Conclusion
Whichever VPN you choose from the given list above, we assure you that all of these are high-quality products. However, there are slight differences between these. For example, HideMyAss! is the largest network. However, their data privacy policy is a bit sketchy. Privacy-conscious people can go for other VPNs like IPVanish and NordVPN. It all comes down to personal preference.
We would love to know your feedback and experience with whichever VPN you chose to go for Android. Since all of these work across multiple platforms, therefore, make full use of this option and install VPN on all devices.
I will caveat the following by saying that I am currently living in China and because many websites and services and blocked or throttled by what is known as The Great Firewall of China, a good VPN is an absolute must for me.
I will also mention that I pay for a subscription to ExpressVPN ($99 per year) and that is the VPN that I will use for my main devices (desktops/laptops etc). I have tried quite a few of the paid VPNs and ExpressVPN is the most reliable long term. However, ExpressVPN now limits me to 3 simultaneous connections and that is not enough. Also, a month or so ago, the Chinese authorities had another clamp-down and this time ExpressVPN stopped working. It took them a few weeks to get back to full capability but it’s working fine again now.
So when ever I want to do Facebook, Insta, Twitter – even just a Google search, I have to have a VPN running. On my Android, my favourite is VPN Monster, closely followed by Turbo VPN. Neither of these are as good at staying connected as ExpressVPN but they are free and performant and it’s quick to re-establish a connection if they go down. Advertising is generally non-invasive and only occurs when you go into either app to connect or disconnect.
I also have free accounts with Windscribe and Proton VPN that are quite useful at times but have their limitations.
So the above was a long way to say that from my personal experience, I can recommend both VPN Monster and Turbo VPN (both inside China and elsewhere).
Thank you for you feedback Julian 🙂