I get it!
You want privacy, and you want to keep your online activities hidden. You don’t want the government to keep an eye on you.
And…
You want to keep your identity, your finances, your passwords, your emails, etc. away from hackers.
Same pinch!
Even I want that. Everyone else wants that. You are not alone! Unfortunately, in their attempts to keep themselves protected, people often end up exposing their data to prying eyes.
How you ask?
By installing fake privacy apps that are all over the place! You can find them crawling all over the Android app store, and everywhere else on the Internet. No one bothers to find out the country of origin of those apps. Forget that! People don’t even bother reading the terms and conditions!
They will just blindly give whatever permission those apps ask for.
The threat is real in the case of VPN apps that come up with tall promises. Did you ever bother to find out about their jurisdiction? Did you learn about the technologies they use? What about their logging policy?
There are too many questions, but too few of them are answered.
My suggestions to you?
- DO NOT fall for free VPNs. If you want a free VPN, check out this article I wrote on the best free VPNs available today.
- DO NOT use VPNs that fall in the jurisdiction of a member state of 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, or 14 Eyes alliance.
- NEVER EVER use a VPN that does not have a no-logs policy.
- DO NOT use a VPN that doesn’t offer AES encryption.
- NEVER EVER use a VPN which does not provide either one of these two VPN protocols – OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec
- NEVER EVER use a VPN that doesn’t pass the IP/DNS Leak Test.
Are these things sounding like rocket science to you? Worry not my friend! I have a full guide for you on what a VPN is and how it works. Read it.
Now that the basics are covered, I will walk you through the list of 10 best VPN apps for Android.
Short on Time? Here is a Quick Summary
If you are short on time, here is a quick summary for you:
| Serial No. | VPN Name | Why Is It Great? |
| 1 | NordVPN | Fastest VPN you can get for Android. It is reliable, secure, and great for streaming. |
| 2 | ExpressVPN | Extremely secure, very fast, handles streaming like a pro. |
| 3 | SurfShark | It gives unlimited connection against a single license. It is super secure and good for streaming. |
| 4 | CyberGhost | Extremely user-friendly and perfect for rookies. |
| 5 | Private Internet Access | Keeps you safe from all sorts of malicious files floating around on the Internet. |
Wait! Where’s the remaining FIVE?
Calm down! It was the summary. I gave the top 5 there. Anything you want to achieve with a VPN is covered by them. But don’t worry. The detailed blurb below will list all 10.
The Best VPN Apps for Android
Did you get your coffee? It is going to be an extensive writeup. You better have something relaxing in your hand. Even a lollipop will do if that works for you.
So, here we go…
#1. NordVPN – The Fastest VPN I Have Tried
You can read my full review on NordVPN here. Trust me, it is the fastest VPN you can get today.
Here is a quick snapshot of what you get with a NordVPN subscription:
- Super-easy Android interface.
- It supports every Android device on the planet. It will work even on your Android TV.
- It never throttles the bandwidth. You can enjoy unlimited bandwidth.
- You can install it on 6 devices against a single license.
- It offers a Kill Switch for Android.
- It is excellent for streaming. It gives zero-buffering streaming experience.
- It has a strict no-logs policy.
NordVPN is really budget-friendly if you go for a long-term subscription plan. It has 5700+ servers spread across 60+ countries.
That’s a lot! They have metal servers.
What servers?
Metal servers! By that I mean, real servers. They do not have any virtual servers. All servers are physically present in their said location.
When it comes to privacy, NordVPN rocks! It uses the military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. In case you didn’t know, it is the best encryption technology available today. AES encryption is widely used by the military and even by the NSA.
One more thing – even a supercomputer will take over a million years to break the encryption without the secret key. Regular computers don’t even stand a chance.
Talking of jurisdiction, the company is located in Panama, which is not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance. Your data is completely safe. Panama’s laws safeguard your privacy.
NordVPN offers both OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec protocols, which are the finest in the market.
Talk of streaming, and Nord will give you a buffer-free experience! That is possible because of its speed! More importantly, it is capable of bypassing the geo-restrictions put forward by most of these streaming services.
Whether you want to watch Netflix US or Hulu, or HBO GO, BBC iPlayer – Nord will let to watch whatever you want.
Even if you want to bypass the Great Firewall of China, Nord can do that happily for you using its specialized obfuscated servers.
Its customer service is excellent. You get a 24/7 chat support. There is email support, as well. In fact, you may not even need to get in touch with their support system. The extensive knowledge base will solve almost every problem you can face.
The Google Play Store rating for NordVPN is 4.3. That’s exceptional!
You can sign up for NordVPN
#2. ExpressVPN – It Is a Super-Secure VPN
Just like NordVPN, ExpressVPN is exceptionally secure. But before I tell you a few tidbits about this one, here is a quick snapshot:
- You can use it on 5 devices simultaneously against a single subscription.
- The Android app is easy with a clean interface.
- It is pretty fast – fast enough to support both buffer-free streaming and lag-free gaming.
- It also offers a Kill Switch.
- It has RAM-only storage.
- It, too, has a strict no-logs policy.
The server network of ExpressVPN may not be as extensive as that of Nord, but it is pretty extensive. There are 3000+ servers spread across 94+ countries.
They have a combination of metal and virtual servers. Yes, some servers physically do not exist in the said location. That doesn’t stop it from offering fast VPN connections.
Talking of speed, it is definitely not as fast as Nord, but there is only a slight difference. If you go for comparison, you won’t even notice the difference by using the two.
That being said, ExpressVPN ensures that you have sufficient speed to enjoy a lag-free gaming experience and a buffer-free streaming experience in full HD!
Yes, yes! ExpressVPN can unblock every major streaming service include Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hotstar, etc. It is so good at bypassing geo-restrictions that it even fools the Great Firewall of China with ease.
Did I tell you that ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer technology will allow you to stream on devices that don’t support VPN, such as gaming consoles?
Wondering about the security aspect? It is unparalleled! The famous 256-bit AES encryption converts your data into ciphertext, and no one can break it with a secret key.
It offers both OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. There is no limitation on bandwidth, and you can happily use the VPN for torrenting as well.
By the way, do you use torrents on your mobile? Why? Isn’t it a bit messy out there on that small screen? Just curious, you know!
Coming back to ExpressVPN, it is a strict no-logs policy, and it runs on RAM-only servers. It means that there are no hard drive storage units on any of its servers. All your data is wiped out as soon as the servers restart!
The company is located in the British Virgin Islands, which is not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance. No one can secretly snoop around on your data.
The customer support of ExpressVPN is excellent. They have 24×7 customer service.
The Android app is smooth, and it even has a Kill Switch that will immediately kill the internet connection to your phone if the VPN connection drops.
Want to learn more about ExpressVPN? Feel free to read my extensive review.
You can sign up for ExpressVPN
#3. SurfShark – It Gives Unlimited Connections
If you are running low on budget, SurfShark is the most pocket-friendly VPN out there for you to grab. But, before I tell you some interesting details, here is a quick snapshot:
- One license for unlimited devices! Perfect for large families and home offices.
- Clean and easy-to-use Android interface.
- It has a Kill Switch for Android.
- It supports both streaming and torrenting.
- It has a no-logs policy.
Okay, now that you know the basics, here is what you need to know – it is the cheapest VPN you can get. Take a long term subscription plan and get it at a fraction of the price of NordVPN.
It also has AES encryption, a no-logs policy, and a MultiHop feature. The MultiHop feature is impressive. It will encrypt your data twice with the military-grade AES encryption.
Well, SurfShark isn’t that fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, but it is fast enough to give your buffer-free streaming experience.
Unfortunately, it is not fast enough to give you lag-free gaming experience.
Back to streaming, SurfShark can unblock every major streaming service. You can enjoy Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more! It can even bypass the Great Firewall of China.
SurfShark originated in the British Virgin Islands. They have strict privacy laws that cannot be breached by the members of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. Even better, the VPN provider doesn’t keep logs of your online activities.
The Android app is polished and user-friendly, and it comes with Kill Switch. You can choose from OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols while connecting to their VPN servers.
Talking of servers, they have 1700+ servers in 63 countries. That’s more than enough! Of course, it is nowhere close to Nord’s or ExpressVPN’s server pools, but I highly doubt you will ever use all 1700+ available servers.
Torrenting is totally permitted on SurfShark servers, and you can do that without revealing your real identity.
They have something called the Camouflage mode that will allow you to hide your VPN connection even from your ISP. I love this feature!
They, too, have robust customer support that operates a 24×7 chat to resolve all your queries. You can, however, resort to email support as well!
You will definitely love the Kill Switch of the Android app that will allow you to kill the internet connection if the VPN connection drops.
In short, SurfShark has all the features to keep your online activities hidden!
You don’t believe me, do you? Fine! Read this review before you can decide.
You can sign up for SurfShark
#4. CyberGhost VPN – Perfect for Rookies
If you don’t have enough experience with VPNs, you must go for CyberGhost. They did a great job keeping their application friendly for rookies.
Here is a quick snapshot of CyberGhost VPN:
- It gives a native Kill Switch for Android.
- It is excellent for streaming!
- There are dedicated torrenting servers if you feel like downloading something using torrenting websites.
- You can install it on 7 devices against a single license.
I am tired of telling the same thing over and over again. So, here you go!
AES encryption, no logs, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, torrenting & streaming support – you get everything that any good VPN will provide.
What is different is that CyberGhost has over 6000 high-speed servers in 90+ countries! That is the largest server pool I have seen so far. It beats even NordVPN in this field.
Talk of streaming, and it can comfortably bypass geo-restrictions and unblock services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, etc. Their servers are really fast, allowing you to stream content without buffering.
In case you want to bypass the Great Firewall of China, this VPN will not work. That’s disappointing.
As far as jurisdiction is concerned, CyberGhost is based in Romania that is not a member of 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. The country doesn’t have a mandatory data retention policy.
The Android app is smooth, and there is a dedicated Kill Switch as well to keep you safe when the VPN connection drops. What I like most about the Android app is that it is made with rookies in mind. It is so easy that even the first-time VPN users can use it like a pro!
What I like about CyberGhost is that it has integrated anti-malware protection and ad-blocker.
The customer service is pretty satisfactory as well. They have 24×7 support and a ticket system to solve your queries.
You can sign up for CyberGhost VPN
#5. Private Internet Access – Safeguards You from Malicious Files
Private Internet Access – that’s a pretty name, don’t you think so? Leave the name. Here is the snapshot of what you need to know:
- Easy Android app.
- It has a MACE feature that blocks ads, prevents malware, and stops trackers.
- It has an extensive server pool.
- It supports torrenting.
- It has a dedicated Kill Switch.
Now, coming to some details, did you know that I personally never recommend PIA? It has excellent features, fantastic security, etc., but I still don’t recommend this one.
One reason is enough! It is based in the United States of America – one of the founding members of the 5 Eyes Alliance. The United States is also a member of the 9 Eyes and 14 Eyes.
However, if you are okay with the shady privacy laws of the country and you trust the VPN provider’s claims, PIA is pretty robust, I will say!
It offers AES encryption, bypasses geo-restrictions of streaming services (barring BBC iPlayer), it has a no-logs policy, supports torrenting, and more!
It has a MACE feature that blocks ads and tracks. Its anti-malware program is also quite robust. There are 2700+ servers all over the world.
The Kill Switch of the Android app is an excellent feature that will kill the internet connection when the VPN connection is lost.
One thing that you must know is that the Android app of Private Internet Access will give 128-bit encryption by default. It is less secure than the 256-bit encryption. You have to select the higher encryption level from the settings segment.
They don’t have any chat support. The only way to get support is to raise a support ticket.
You can sign up for Private Internet Access
#6. VyprVPN – It’s Good, Really Good!
Let’s first take a look at the highlights, shall we?
- The Android app is very user-friendly.
- There is a dedicated Kill Switch in the app.
- It has military-grade encryption.
- It allows streaming.
- It allows 5 connections per license.
VyprVPN has every feature that is expected from a robust VPN. The 256-bit encryption is the gold standard today, and Vypr uses it. Your data cannot be decrypted without a secret key!
Adding to the security feature, the VPN passes IP/DNS Leak Test with flying colors. They even boast a no-logs policy.
They have a decent 700+ server pool spread in 70+ locations worldwide. The servers are high-speed servers, and you can enjoy buffering-free streaming.
It can bypass geo-restrictions of almost all popular streaming services with ease. Its obfuscated servers will allow you to bypass internet censorship in countries like China and Russia.
Most importantly, VyprVPN is located in Switzerland. The privacy policies are second to none. No one in this world can keep an eye on your online activities. Not only are you protected by Swiss privacy laws, but also because they don’t keep any logs at all.
The pricing is decent, but they don’t have a live chat. I really wish they had chat support.
You can sign up for VyprVPN
#7. SaferVPN – It Is Powerful, I Admit!
SaferVPN is not that popular as Nord or ExpressVPN, but it is undoubtedly one of the finest out there. Here are a few highlights of the VPN:
- It is perfect for streaming.
- It has limited torrenting support on selected P2P servers.
- The Android app is surprisingly simple to use.
- It has a strict no-logs policy.
- It has a decent price tag that you can comfortably afford.
Let me start by saying that it is located in Israel. The countries privacy policies are stringent, and the government cannot access your data. The no-logs policy is another advantage.
It has the industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption, and it offers OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols to choose from. Other protocols like PPTP and SSTP are present just in case you want to use them.
It has streaming-optimized servers that can quickly bypass geo-restriction. It can effortlessly unblock services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, DZAN, Showtime, HBO NOW, Kodi, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
The Android app has a straightforward design, and it is easy to operate. There is a problem, though! The app doesn’t come with a Kill Switch.
The company has a 24×7 chat support apart from email support and knowledge base.
I almost forgot
You can sign up for SaferVPN
#8. ProtonVPN – The Swiss Privacy Shield
When it comes to privacy, Switzerland is the best place you can think of. It is privacy heaven. You must have heard of how Swiss banks operate!
Here are the top things you need to know:
- It unblocks streaming sites.
- It supports torrenting.
- It has 1 Gbps high-speed servers.
- It has a very polishes Android app interface.
- It doesn’t give a Kill Switch for Android.
In one word – AMAZING! If you are concerned about privacy, ProtonVPN should be an obvious choice.
Add 256-bit AES encryption, SecureCore servers, torrenting support, bypassing geo-blocks, etc. to the list of features to the Swiss privacy trust, ProtonVPN is a clear winner.
Unfortunately, however, there are several problems as well. There is no dedicated Kill Switch in the Android app. In fact, the app doesn’t even give any hidden feature that works like a Kill Switch.
It has a limited number of servers.
There are slightly more than 430 servers across 33 countries, and I wasn’t happy about the server pool size! If this matters a lot to you, ProtonVPN might not be a great choice.
But the high-speed servers are excellent for streaming and gaming. Streaming is buffering-free, and it is capable of unblocking Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
ProtonVPN is also a bit costly, throwing it out of the competition when the budget is low!
You can sign up for ProtonVPN
#9. PrivateVPN – Budget-Friendly, But It Is Swedish!
Powerful and budget-friendly, PrivateVPN is quite popular. Here’s a quick list of features:
- It supports torrenting.
- It has a no-logs policy.
- It has 256-bit AES encryption.
- There is no Kill Switch for the Android app.
- It is cheap.
Just like every other VPN provider, I listed so far, PrivateVPN offers 256-bit AES encryption, which the best in class. The company says that it strictly follows a no-logs policy.
They offer IPv6 and DNS leak protection too! Streaming works great because it can bypass geo-restrictions. Their servers allow torrenting.
The Android app is polished, and it has a straightforward interface. What the app lacks is a Kill Switch. If the VPN connection drops, all your online activities will become visible.
The biggest problem that I have with this VPN provider is that it is a Swedish company! Sweden is a member of the 14 Eyes Alliance. I don’t trust any country that is a member of 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. They have shady practices.
I don’t know how the VPN providers located in those countries will perform under government pressure.
You can give it a try, but at your own risk! Oh, one more thing – they have a meager server count. With only 150 servers in 60 countries, I don’t think it is worth investing in this VPN.
You can sign up for PrivateVPN
#10. IPVanish – It Has a Funny Name!
The name sounds something like “Abracadabra and Vanish!” Well, the name might be funny, but that doesn’t stop it from being a feature-rich VPN.
Here are the top things you should know:
- The Android app is easy to use.
- The app has no kill switch.
- It bypasses geo-restrictions.
- There is no support for torrenting.
The most important features that will impress you straight away are the 256-bit AES encryption, 1300+ servers across 75+ countries, a strict no-logs policy, IP/DNS leak protection, fastest server suggestion, 24×7 chat support, and a money-back guarantee, etc.
Sounds pretty exciting, right? It is!
It can even bypass geo-restriction and allow you to watch Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, etc. Servers are fast, and streaming is not plagued with buffering issues even when you want in full HD mode.
Everything is fantastic except that IPVanish will not allow you to engage in torrenting! It doesn’t even have a Kill Switch for the Android app!
Worst of all, it is based in the US. I told you before! I don’t prefer any VPN that is located in a country that is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.
You can sign up for IPVanish
Conclusion
Why didn’t I list any free VPN? Simple! If you are looking for the best, you need to pay. Free VPNs are usually not trustworthy, and they come with limited data. You will run out of data allowance even before you realize it. If you ask me, I will always suggest any one of the top four VPN providers. What about the remaining? That’s your call!
