It’s time to admit it: the scary future where hackers can access your personal data and even attack the mightiest corporations in the world is now a reality. Even if you’re just another regular user minding his/her own business, your phone is still a target. True, desktop PCs are under more pressure, but mobile gadgets are also within the scope. Today we’ll help you find the best VPN for Android that will create a brick wall against the hackers and the government agencies.
Today, a VPN is the best software for protecting your privacy and keeping your device safe. Here is how it works: a Virtual Private Network gives the user access to numerous servers around the world. It only takes a second to connect to a service of your choosing, and once you do that, your computer/mobile device changes its IP. The VPN creates a “fake” IP, one that prevents any third parties from getting their hands on your precious data. AES 256-bit encryption, AKA the military encryption, makes sure no intruder can ever “squeeze” through the line of defense.
Top-5 VPN Services for Android
Why would one use a VPN for Android?
In 2019, people are used to keeping everything on their phones, including private photos, text messages, email, and, of course, passwords and logins. And while it’s always a good idea to delete any data that can potentially hurt your privacy/bank account, most users are simply too used to having everything on their mobile devices to let go of this habit. With a VPN, your phone/tablet will always be safe.
Aside from protecting our personal data, they also come with hefty tricks that allow us to get access to otherwise blocked/restricted websites (Netflix or Facebook, for example). This is important: the market of VPNs is getting bigger and bigger, making it harder for regular users to make the right choice. Not every single service is worth your while. On PlayMarket, you’ll find dozens of free VPNs. Please, don’t let the fact that they’re free trick you into using any of those apps because they might make everything worse.
Our team is happy to help you with finding the most suitable option(s) on the market. Overall, there are six providers on the list, and they each come with their strong and weak sides. Every single VPN supports the most secure protocol for Android – OpenVPN, along with AES 256-bit encryption. Let’s start our search for the finest VPN for Android. We’ll review both commercial and free VPNs, giving you the broadest possible range of options to choose from.
The Best VPN For Android In 2019
#1. ExpressVPN – Arguably The Greatest VPN On The Planet
Pros:
- The VPN app is very user-friendly, which is not always the case with Android devices.
- A staggering number of servers to choose from.
- Access to servers in 94 countries with a single click.
- The money-back guarantee lasts for 30 days.
- Performance, speed and privacy are top-notch.
- This VPN allows you to watch Netflix without any hassle.
Cons:
- Even with the 15-months package, ExpressVPN is still expensive.
- Despite the steep price, there aren’t that many options and features available.
- You can only protect 3 devices at a time).
ExpressVPN is always in the top-3 of international “Best of the best” lists because it offers one of the greatest experiences for modern-day users. It comes packed with all the latest features, including Kill Switch, Split Tunneling, one-click server switching, and an impressive line-up of servers. Thanks to the company’s enormous resources and professional team of experts, speed and performance never disappoint. Add friendly and helpful customer support, unlimited torrenting and streaming, and you’ll understand precisely why ExpressVPN is the king of the kings.
Is ExpressVPN safe?
This VPN’s HQ is located in the British Virgin Islands, a territory outside of UK’s jurisdiction and anti-privacy laws. Furthermore, ExpressVPN follows the no-logs policy, thus making sure that your private data will never be in any danger. A quick note: they do keep timestamps and bandwidth, but that won’t’ hurt your data/device, as they won’t have anything substantial to share with any third parties.
And what about protection? The advanced AES 256-bit encryption protocol will protect your device from even the mightiest attacks. The list of security features includes Kill Switch, encrypted DNS, OpenVPN, and IP masking, to name a few. The bottom line is – if you put privacy first, ExpressVPN is a solid pick.
ExpressVPN Android App
The VPN client for Android is extremely easy-to-use and user-friendly, which is excellent for people that are just getting used to the concept of a VPN. Installation is easy: the entire download-install-launch process won’t take more than 5 minutes. Just follow the on-screen instruction.
All you’ll have to do is switch the VPN on/off and choose a server to connect to – that’s it. The interface is specifically made to be as straightforward as possible.
What about torrenting and streaming?
We do not support the illegal download of copyrighted material, but torrenting is about more than that. Thanks to the P2P protocol, people can share their data with other users around the globe. With ExpressVPN, you’ll be able to enjoy high speeds and stable connections, which is vital for this task. With the VPN on, you won’t even feel a significant drop in speed. You are free to choose between servers in 94 countries (148 locations, 2000+ servers) and connect to any of them with your phone/tablet.
Streaming is also available with ExpressVPN. Forget about playing “cat and mouse” with Hulu, HBO, Netflix, and other streaming platforms. For accessing Netflix, switch to a server located in the US, and enjoy your favorite shows. Geo-restricted content can be unlocked with a single click/ push of a button!
ExpressVPN Pricing
And now let us take a look at the available plans:
- The most attractive deal [$8.32 a month], save 35%, 12-months – $99.95
- [$9.99 a month] 6-months – $59.95
- [$12.95 a month] 1-month – $12.95
This VPN comes with a 30-day MBG (Money-Back Guarantee), which is more than some of the rivals offer. But, there is no free trial.
#2. NordVPN – The Most Secure And Private
Pros:
- The Double Encryption protocol helps you sleep better at night.
- 2800 servers in 60 countries.
- Performance is solid.
- You can protect up to 6 devices.
- If you go with the yearly plans, the price will drop significantly.
- The VPN is incredibly secure and private.
- The 3-day free trial is a nice touch.
- They accept Bitcoins.
Cons:
- Sometimes, the connection speed is slow.
- Not the best customer support on the market.
- Lacks features and configuration options.
Many professionals in the field, including our experts, believe NordVPN is the best choice for people that put privacy and security first. This company has been working hard for years, making sure that their product offers the best possible protection. Plus, it features a generous number of servers, always delivers a stable performance, and can be equally great for hiding your true identity, unlocking geo-restricted content, and downloading big files through torrents. Compared to ExpressVPN, it’s not as fast; plus, the Android app is a bit basic. But, overall, NordVPN is a fantastic VPN.
It can protect up to 6 devices/connections at the same time – perfect for a big family with multiple devices. And while the monthly plan isn’t much cheaper than ExpressVPN, the yearly plans offer some of the best deals on the market and will be suitable for users that are ready to commit.
Is NordVPN safe?
The HQ is located in Panama, a country that puts privacy first. It’s not a member of any surveillance alliances and won’t transmit your personal and sensitive data to government agencies around the globe. Plus, NordVPN follows the no-logs policy. They value their reputation too much to be “spying” on their customers. Just as the title claims, this is the most secure and private Virtual Private Network out there.
Double VPN technology is a God-sent for those that put their security first. It channels your active connection through not 1, but two servers, making it almost impossible for anyone to notice your activity. Add AES 256-bit encryption, support of the OpenVPN protocol, 2 Kill Switches, and you’ll get a brick wall of a VPN. NordVPN features dedicated servers for anonymity (servers with unique IP addresses for each user), DoubleVPN servers for extra protection, P2P servers for torrenting, Onion servers (they can be used with Tor for even more security), and obfuscation servers for people living in China, North Korea, and similar countries
NordVPN Android App
While NordVPN is a great choice for safety-concerned users, it’s important to stress that the VPN client for Android is very basic and lags behind the leaders of the race. For the average user, that’s not a big deal, though. Besides, the 24/7 live chat is great, every single menu/setting is right there on the main panel, and even your kids will be able to make sense of it all in two minutes.
The team working on NordVPN did a fantastic job of making the installation procedure as fast and straightforward as possible. And while the interface might not be as feature-packed as some of us would like, it is, indeed, very easy to use and you won’t find any glitches, bugs, or freezes while using it.
What about torrenting and streaming?
Performance is solid but not exceptional. For the average user, this isn’t important, but for torrenting, the higher the download speed, the better, and in that regard, NordVPN can’t compete with ExpressVPN.
It’s not the slowest VPN, of course, and you’ll still be able to use it for torrenting. This service officially supports the P2P protocol and won’t use throttling or download caps against you. For unblocking geo-restricted content, NordVPN is just as useful as any other VPN on our list.
NordVPN Pricing
And now let us take a look at the available plans:
- The best deal [$2.99 a month], save 75%, 36-months – $107.55
- [$3.99 a month], save 66%, 24-months – $95.75
- [$6.99 a month], save 41%, 12-months – $83.88
- [$11.95 a month] 1-month – $12.95
Same as ExpressVPN, NordVPN is good for a 30-day MBG. Furthermore, it offers a 3-day free trial.
#3. IPVanish – The Best In Terms Of Speed
Pros:
- IPVanish is capable of protecting up to 5 phones/tablets/other devices at the same time.
- 24/7 customer support is lovely.
- Despite the fact that this is a US-based company, the No-Logs policy applies.
Cons:
- The aforementioned laws of the United States won’t let you enjoy this VPN to the fullest.
- The 7-day MBG is an unpleasant surprise.
- Might be a bit cheaper.
This is another popular VPN with an impressive performance. Too bad it lacks Kill Switch, but that’s not critical. Thanks to its own, unique technology, the download speed is better than most VPNs offer. Compared to NordVPN and even ExpressVPN, it’s the obvious leader in this regard.
Add the AES encryption, amazing 24/7 support, and OpenVPN, and you’ll get a good deal. You won’t ever be disappointed by this service’s performance.
Is IPVanish safe?
IPVanish is located in the United States, which means the US laws concerning online privacy will apply. For most users that want to keep their personal data safe, this will be a huge turn-off, as the United States are known to spy on every single user they’ve got in their sights. The good news is – the company follows the same no-logs policy as the previous two. But there’s a catch: recently, the company was caught sharing private user data with several US agencies, which means IPVanish doesn’t follow its own policy.
The list of encryption protocols and security features is almost the same as with the previous two Networks: AES 256-bit encryption, unlimited P2P, LAN blocking, and protection for up to 10 devices are some of the highlights. In terms of security, IPVanish is almost on par with NordVPN.
IPVanish Android App
Installation is easy; the user interface is very friendly and straightforward. And, the Android app is among the best of the best. Customer support could’ve been a bit more professional (and fast), but overall, we were satisfied by its performance.
What about torrenting and streaming?
As we mentioned earlier, speed is this VPN’s pride and joy. With IPVanish on, you’ll only experience a 15-17% drop in performance, which is more than any other Network on our list can provide (ExpressVPN is also great). Stability is another reason for its popularity among the fans of torrents and streaming services. With over 1100 servers located in 60 countries, you won’t have a problem with hiding your real IP, accessing geo-restricted content, or downloading torrents.
IPVanish Pricing
And now let us take a look at the available plans:
- The most attractive deal [$6.49 a month], save 46%, 12-months – $77.99
- [$8.99 a month], save 25%, 3-months – $26.99
- [$11.99 a month] 1-month – $11.99
Compared To ExpressVPN and NordVPN, this is the worst pick in terms of MBG (only seven days) and the free trial (you won’t get one with IPVanish).
#4. VyprVPN – Fast, Secure, But Not 100% Private
Pros:
- No government laws will affect your privacy.
- Premium isn’t cheap. But with the 12-months plan, it becomes affordable.
- The VPN app for Android is well-optimized and easy-to-use.
- Performance is on par with the leaders.
Cons:
- The Premium package is still more expensive than most top-tier plans out there.
- Connection logs are kept by the company for an entire month.
- In some corners of the planet, the connection speed is horrible.
VyprVPN is very similar to NordVPN in that it’s secure, but at the same time, it’s also very fast. On the other hand, the company does keep some minor logs for as long as one full month, and for people that put privacy first, this VPN will never be the first choice.
The provider owns every single server, though, and that is a layer of security you won’t find with many services. VyprVPN might not have as many servers as, say, NordVPN, but the 70 locations will be more than enough to satisfy your needs.Their trademark Chameleon technology, in turn, will be your new best friend in getting access to otherwise restricted websites and content.
Is VyprVPN safe?
The HQ of VyprVPN is located in Switzerland – the government won’t be able to get its hands on your private data. The service does keep “mild” logs: those include fake IP addresses and connection times. That’s not a crime, obviously, but if you’re an extremely private person, this VPN app for Android won’t be #1 on your list.
The good news is – they are very clear about their privacy policy and don’t hide anything from the potential customers (unlike IPVanish). And if you combine the Switzerland privacy laws with this company’s policy, you’ll see that your data will be safe with them (but still not as safe as with NordVPN).
VyprVPN features a NAT firewall, OpenVPN, Chameleon, and AES 256-bit encryption. The security protocols are on par with the leaders, and once you choose a server from one of the 70+ locations, your data and device will become unreachable for the world governments and the hackers. With 200K IP addresses, one-click connection and no traffic limits, VyprVPN offers industry-leading protection.
VyprVPN Android App
This VPN comes with one of the best VPN apps for Android – it is fast, reliable, and easy to use. Fact: until recently, VyprVPN was only available on the Windows operating systems. But today, in 2019, the Android app is even better. Setup/launch is just as smooth as with all the other VPNs.
What about torrenting and streaming?
For torrenting and streaming Netflix, it’s a solid choice, but if you’re after speed, this provider might not be the best pick (compared to IPVanish, it’s not as fast).
VyprVPN offers a decent experience on all fronts and won’t be a disappointment for any user. By the way, Netflix isn’t the only streaming platform that you can unlock with this Network. They’ve got servers in most countries around the globe. Therefore, to gain access to content in the US, choose a server located in the US; the same goes for any other spot on the map.
VyprVPN Pricing
And now let us take a look at the available plans:
#1 – Basic: protection for up to 3 devices (computers, mobile devices – you name it)
- [$5 a month] 12-months – $60
- [$9.95 a month] 1-month – $9.95
#2 – Premium: protection for up to 5 devices/connections.
- [$6.67 a month] 12-months – $80
- [$12.95 a month] 1-month – $12.95
Just like NordVPN, the most secure Network on our list, VyprVPN comes with a 30-day MBG and a 3-day trial.
#5. Tunnel Bear –A Great Choice For The Beginners, Offers A Free Plan
Pros:
- The Android app looks trendy and is very simple.
- The free plan with 500MB will serve you with pride and honor.
- On short distances, performance is worth the highest praise.
- AES 256-bit encryption is included.
Cons:
- As mentioned above, long-distance connections can be frustratingly slow.
Tunnel Bear is a popular and user-friendly VPN for Android. The balance between security, privacy, and “friendliness” is fantastic. The free version does have a harsh limit on monthly data, but if you don’t need protection all the time, 500MB a month might be enough. If you’re new to this and are looking for a free VPN for Android phone, Tunnel Bear is just what the doctor ordered. The privacy policy is open and clear; the connection speed on short distances is stable. But, there are also some downsides, including trouble with long-distance connections, P2P traffic, and streaming.
Is TunnelBear safe?
The HQ of TunnelBear is located in Toronto, Canada, a country that has online privacy laws similar to the United States – Canada is a part of the Five-Eyes agreement. Luckily, the company is an avid follower of the Zero-logs policy. Does that mean that your data will be 100% secure? Not quite, but it does mean that TunnelBear won’t have anything to share with the government, to begin with.
It’s up to you to decide whether that’s acceptable or not. This VPN doesn’t have the same set of features as ExpressVPN, but it does get pretty close with Kill Switch, DNS leak protection, and AES 256-bit encryption.
TunnelBear Android App
The user-friendly Android app is one of this provider’s strongest suites. The software for every major platform is excellent. If you own a gaming console/TV/router and were hoping for, say, simultaneous protection for every gadget connected to that router, we’re sorry to say that it won’t work as TunnelBear doesn’t support any of these devices.
What about torrenting and streaming?
On distant locations, prepare for some drops in speed (not critical, though). But that’s not the most important thing here. With TunnelBear, you’ll have to constantly struggle with getting access to blocked content. The same is true for torrenting. This VPN isn’t really made for that. The main focus with it is to offer the users a free 500MB plan and to appeal to them with the user-friendly interface. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other streaming services might work on occasions, but not on a constant basis.
TunnelBear Pricing
And now let us take a look at the available plans:
- Grizzly – ($5 a month), save 50%, 12-months – $59.99
- Giant – ($9.99 a month), 1-month – $9.99
- Little – (1-month). This is a free plan but has a 500MB limit for each month.
What is the best Android VPN App?
So, what should the best VPN for an Android device look like?
First of all, it should follow the no-logs policy. Thankfully, every single Network on the list follows this policy, which means you don’t have to worry about your private data being spied on. VyprVPN is also a bit “shady” though and keeps some minor logs for an entire month.
Solid performance and high connection speeds are critical. If you’re looking for stability, go with NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Regarding speed, IPVanish is the leader (with VyprVPN being a close second).
As you’ve probably learned from our reviews, the location of the HQ can also make it or break it for a modern-day user. The UK, the US, Canada, and most EU countries are bad for privacy. Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands, on the other hand, are just what you need. ExpressVPN is located in the BVI; NordVPN’s HQ is in Panama; VyprVPN is in Switzerland. IPVanish, in turn, is based in the US; TunnelBear’s HQ is in Canada. It’s not that the last two VPNs aren’t at all private, but it would be best to go with the other three if privacy is your first priority.
Choose Your VPN Service For Android
Thanks to the steep competition on the market, we, the users, can get industry-leading VPN protection at a relatively affordable price. As mentioned in the beginning, we’ve collected the best Virtual Private Networks out there in one post, and every single one of them excels at more than one thing. They all come with amazing apps for Android (and for other platforms as well), fantastic customer support, and several pricing plans to choose from. However, NordVPN lags a bit behind in terms of app speed, user-friendliness, and support (nothing critical, though).
If you’re looking for something to start with, go with TunnelBear’s free plan or choose VyprVPN or NordVPN for their free trials. With NordVPN, you’ll get the best 3-year deal (only 2.99 dollars a month).
For torrenting and unblocking geo-restricted content, ExpressVPN and VyprVPN are the best picks, as they’re equally fast and reliable. NordVPN might not be very fast, but it is, indeed, incredibly stable and dependable.
For protecting multiple devices, choose IPVanish (it can protect up to 10 devices at the same time). And finally, users looking for a full-fledged Network should pay extra attention to ExpressVPN, since it’s got all the modern-day features.
