If you are one of more than two billion people with an Android smartphone, you must be using a VPN.
Why is a VPN so important on Android?
Google’s Android mobile operating system is powerful and complex, but does not provide protection against some important security and privacy risks.
Without a VPN, your ISP, operator, and applications can monitor you online. Hackers can also use public WiFi hotspots to steal your personal information.
But don’t worry. The best Android VPNs keep you safe and secure while browsing, messaging, playing games and more.
You can also bypass geo-blocking so that you can access the content you want without any restrictions.
Remember, you can also use these VPNs on Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS and iOS devices.
What a Good Android VPN Should Have?
- Ease of use of the Android VPN app
- Reliable and fast VPN speeds
- Privacy-oriented logging policy & no IP or DNS leak
- Enhanced privacy and security features
- Running on Netflix and other popular streaming sites
- Have a wide variety of VPN server locations
Best VPNs for Android
1. ExpressVPN
Pros
- Extremely good VPN speeds
- Stylish custom VPN app for Android devices
- Works with Netflix and other popular streaming applications
- Privacy-friendly logging policy
- No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks
- VPN servers in 94 countries
Cons
- Price could be lower in short VPN plans
ExpressVPN is the best VPN on the market and is a great choice for Android users.
The exclusive VPN app for Android devices – not only for smartphones, but also for tablets and TVs – is very easy to set up and use.
Not only that, ExpressVPN’s Android application provides consistently fast, reliable speeds.
Whether you connect to nearby VPN servers or farther away, ExpressVPN’s speeds remain constant, which is ideal for streaming HD on Netflix.
ExpressVPN follows a secure minimum daily retention policy and the company is located in the British Virgin Islands, away from the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance.
Although there is not a Network Lock setting (the term ExpressVPN uses for a kill key), the similarly running Android application has a ‘block the Internet if it cannot connect to or connect to a VPN’.
In addition to the Android application, there are ExpressVPN applications for Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, iOS, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Linux and routers.
ExpressVPN also comes with full-featured VPN browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
You can also use ExpressVPN on up to five devices at a time.
Are there any defects?
Well, it’s a little more expensive than our other popular choices, but ExpressVPN is the best VPN. So a little expensive.
For a more in-depth look, please read our full ExpressVPN Review.
2. NordVPN
Pros
- Very good VPN speeds
- User-friendly VPN application for Android phones
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Enhanced privacy features, including mixed servers
- VPN servers in 60 countries
- Strict zero-day policy
Cons
- Extra VPN protocols require manual configuration
- No VPN killing key for Android app
NordVPN is a very good VPN service for Android users, even if it cannot fully compete with the exceptional package offered by ExpressVPN.
Still cheaper.
NordVPN’s Android VPN app is simple and user-friendly and can be installed in minutes.
It comes with P2P / torrent, dedicated VPN servers for Tor, and has mixed servers dedicated to high censored countries like China.
NordVPN is an incredibly fast VPN service. In fact, it is one of the fastest VPNs on the market. If you connect to a nearby VPN server, you will experience the best speeds.
However, NordVPN is not perfect.
NordVPN does not include a built-in VPN kill key for Android users (this is quite common). However, you can manually set a similar security feature in your Android device settings.
NordVPN has an integrated kill key for Windows, MacOS and iOS.
There are also VPN applications for Linux and Fire TV Stick, as well as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
Another minor disadvantage is the lack of VPN protocol selection in Android (and Windows). If you want to use an alternative protocol, you must configure it manually.
However, NordVPN is the ideal VPN for Android users on a budget.
For a more in-depth look, please read our full NordVPN Review.
3. CyberGhost
Pros
- Impressive VPN speeds
- Well designed VPN application for Android
- Works on Netflix and other popular streaming sites
- No way to keep a diary
- Android app comes with built-in VPN kill switch
- VPN servers in 90 countries
Cons
- Torrenting plugged on Android
- No torrent on Australian VPN servers
If you love surfing the internet on your Android phone or tablet, CyberGhost is the ideal choice.
CyberGhost’s exclusive Android application is sleek and intuitive and comes with VPN servers dedicated to accessing content on popular streaming platforms.
You can watch Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more by tapping the ‘Streaming friendly’ tab and connecting to the desired VPN server.
With very fast VPN download speeds (on local servers), CyberGhost lets you watch your favorite programs with a small amount of buffering in HD.
They also have special VPN applications for Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Amazon Fire TV Stick and more.
CyberGhost has a strict record-keeping policy and a constantly running VPN kill key for Android to keep your online data safe and confidential.
So that should mean it’s great for torrent, right?
Unfortunately not. The Android app is not very torrent friendly. CyberGhost’s Windows and MacOS applications clearly specify which VPN servers can be used for torrent, and are not available on Android.
In addition, CyberGhost is a great VPN service for Android users, and the dedicated app for smartphones is visually pleasing.
For a more in-depth look, please read our full CyberGhost VPN Review.
4. PrivateVPN
Pros
- Fast and reliable VPN speeds
- Simple and easy to use Android VPN app
- Works with Netflix and iPlayer
- Does not collect any user logs
- Advanced security features such as incognito mode
- VPN servers in 59 countries
Cons
- Few individual VPN servers (150)
- No VPN kill key for Android
PrivateVPN is the best VPN for Android # 4 thanks to its secure, super-fast and featured Android app.
In addition, absolutely no user will keep the VPN log.
The Android app is stylish and easy to use with a modern looking, intuitive interface.
CyberGhost comes with VPN servers dedicated to access broadcast platforms such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
But are there any cons?
Unfortunately yes.
PrivateVPN comes with a very small VPN server network that corresponds to a total of 150 separate servers. This can cause clogging during peak times.
However, it is definitely worth considering; we’ve achieved download speeds that are absolutely impressive. One of the fastest VPNs.
For a more in-depth look, please read our full PrivateVPN Review.
5. IPVanish
Pros
- Consistently fast VPN speeds
- Well-designed, powerful Android VPN app
- Works with Netflix
- Non-logging policy
- Advanced settings such as port selection
- VPN servers in 50 countries
Cons
- BBC does not work with iPlayer
- No VPN killing key for Android app
- Short refund period (seven days)
IPVanish is a good choice for those who want a large number of configurable options in Android VPN applications. It comes with settings such as split tunneling, OpenVPN scrambling, and port selection.
The VPN service offers very fast upload and download speeds and strict logging policy on nearby VPN servers to keep you safe online.
This makes IPVanish the perfect choice for streaming and Kodi fans (you can also use it on your Fire TV Stick).
Other special VPN applications that IPVanish offers include: Windows, MacOS, and iOS. Unlike our most popular VPN selection, there is no native Linux application.
IPVanish works with Netflix, but it’s not as easy to watch as our other popular choices, but BBC doesn’t open iPlayer.
Like NordVPN, there is no VPN termination button for the Android app. However, you can manually configure your Android device to provide a similar feature, and the payback period is very short (seven days).
For a more in-depth look, please read our full IPVanish VPN Review.
Which is the Best VPN for Android?
The best VPN for Android is ExpressVPN, which is also our overall best rated VPN.
ExpressVPN is a great choice for Android users because it is sure that it will keep you safe online because of its simple yet powerful and dedicated VPN application for Android devices.
It is also fast, private and works with both Netflix and torrent. However, ExpressVPN is not the only great VPN for Android users, but the one we use most among others.
Even better, all of the above VPN recommendations will work with various versions of the Android operating system: Pie, Oreo, Nougat, Marshmallow and more.
Which is the Fastest VPN for Android?
The fastest VPN for Android is ExpressVPN – the fastest and most consistent VPN we’ve ever tested.
Here are our internet speeds without VPN:
When we connect to the nearest ExpressVPN server:
You’ll be much safer with a 17% speed drop that’s fast enough to do everything you do online with VPN.
Some VPNs may be faster than ExpressVPN on some VPN servers, but ExpressVPN provides greater reliability in both long and short-distance connections than other VPNs we see.
Do I Really Need VPN on my Android Device?
Whether you’re just browsing or accessing sensitive information, it’s important to use a quality VPN on your Android phone (and all other devices connected to the Internet).
Why is that?
In many countries, ISPs sell information about users’ browsing habits to advertisers.
A VPN can protect you against this.
Even if you don’t care about it, we still recommend using a VPN.
VPNs can protect you from malicious hackers who take advantage of the weak security used by public WiFi hotspots to steal your valuable and private information.
And then VPNs have a less intimidating but equally important aspect. They let you unlock restricted content around the world.
In short, using a VPN on your Android smartphone is not only useful, but also important.
Can I Use VPN on Android TV?
You can install VPNs not only for your Android smartphone, but also on your Android TV!
Some VPNs come with a dedicated Android TV application such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, while others work with Android TV by connecting the device to a configured router.
If your VPN comes with a dedicated VPN application for Android TV, the installation process is the same as the process on your phone. Download the app from the Google Play Store and set it as you would on your phone.
If your VPN does not come with a dedicated application for Android TV, you can protect your device by configuring a supported router.
When you set up your VPN on the router, all the devices connected to the internet in your home; Including your Android TV – it will benefit from VPN encryption and your IP address will remain private.