The Best VPNs for Android

Ranked #1 VPN for Android

ExpressVPN is our best-rated VPN overall, but it’s also our top choice for Android. Its custom VPN app for Android is very easy to install and use on smartphones, tablets and TVs. Once the VPN is running, you’ll experience very fast and consistent speeds across the entire VPN server network.

In fact, whether you connect to nearby or distant VPN servers, ExpressVPN’s speeds are remarkably quick and stable, which is ideal for HD streaming. If streaming is why you want an Android VPN, then ExpressVPN unlocks 19 different Netflix libraries as well as Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and more.

ExpressVPN also operates a privacy-first logs policy, which means it won’t collect any personally-identifiable user logs. Plus, the company is based in the privacy-focused British Virgin Islands, a country not required or expected to hand over data to outside governments.

Additionally, ExpressVPN is very secure. Its Android app includes all top security features including AES-256 encryption and the ability to “block the internet when unable to connect or reconnect to VPN” – which works just like a kill switch.

Also, you can use ExpressVPN on up to five devices at one time.

Overall, ExpressVPN is slightly more expensive than our other top recommendations, but it is without a doubt the best VPN for Android. If you’re looking for quality and reliability, it’s worth the extra couple of dollars a month.

Ranked #2 VPN for Android

IPVanish is an extremely good choice for those who want lots of configurable options with their Android VPN. In fact, the Android app comes with advanced settings like split tunneling, OpenVPN scrambling, and port selection.

If your Android device doesn’t support VPN apps, you can download the VPN’s APK file from your IPVanish account and sideload the VPN into your device.

We recorded fast download (and upload) speeds using IPVanish, particularly on same-country servers.

From a privacy perspective, IPVanish operates a strict no-logs policy so web activity logs won’t be stored on its VPN servers either.

IPVanish is therefore an excellent choice for Kodi and IPTV fans, who may like the fact that IPVanish is currently the best VPN choice for Kodi and the top-rated VPN for Firestick.

The problem with IPVanish is that it doesn’t work that well with streaming platforms. While it unblocks US Netflix, it doesn’t work with many other services like BBC iPlayer or Disney+.

There’s no VPN kill switch on the Android app either, but you can manually configure your Android device to provide the same protection.

On  the whole, IPVanish’s strong security and fast speeds will win over those who aren’t looking to stream on their Android device.

Ranked #3 VPN for Android

NordVPN is a very good VPN service for Android devices, even if it can’t quite compete with ExpressVPN. Its Android VPN app is simple and user-friendly, and you can set it up in just a few minutes.

It works with most popular streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, and it also comes with dedicated VPN servers for P2P torrenting and Tor.

NordVPN is a very fast VPN service – in fact, it’s one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested. You’ll experience the best speeds if you connect to a nearby VPN server, but it’s also very fast on longer distances.

However, NordVPN isn’t perfect. The Android app doesn’t have a built-in VPN kill switch (which is common), but you can manually set up similar protection from within your Android device settings. If you’re not willing to alter those settings, you’re at risk of exposing your real IP address.

Another drawback is the lack of VPN protocol choice within the Android app. If you want to use an alternative protocol you’ll have to manually configure it.

NordVPN is still a secure VPN that uses 256-bit AES encryption. It’s cheaper than both ExpressVPN and IPVanish on long subscriptions, which makes it a very good alternative.

Ranked #4 VPN for Android

CyberGhost is the ideal choice if you love to stream on your Android phone or tablet. Its custom app for Android is sleek and intuitive, and it comes with VPN servers dedicated to accessing content on popular streaming platforms.

You can watch Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more by tapping on the ‘Streaming friendly’ tab and connecting to your desired VPN server. With very fast download speeds on local servers, CyberGhost will allow you to watch your favorite shows in HD with little buffering.

CyberGhost’s no-logs policy and an always-on VPN kill switch make it one of the most secure Android VPNs on the market, too.

Unfortunately, CyberGhost is not as fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN. It also won’t work in high-censorship countries like China and Turkey, unlike it’s top two rivals.

Aside from that, CyberGhost is a great VPN for Android, and its custom Android app is the most visually pleasing. It also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is more generous than the 30 days offered by the other VPN services in this list.

Ranked #5 VPN for Android

PrivateVPN has a secure, fast, and feature-packed Android VPN app. The app is well-presented and easy to use, with a modern-looking and intuitive interface.

Like CyberGhost, it comes with VPN servers dedicated to accessing streaming platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Its stealth protocol feature (ideal for high-censorship countries like China), port connection options, and the ability to block IPv6 requests, make it a very safe VPN to use. It also doesn’t keep any user activity logs.

However, PrivateVPN comes with a very small VPN server network of only 150 individual servers. This can lead to congestion at peak times and recently its speeds connecting to US servers has worsened.

While it’s not as high-performing as the other three recommendations above, PrivateVPN comes with a true seven-day free trial. It doesn’t require any payment upfront, so you can try PrivateVPN at zero cost before buying it.

Overall, PrivateVPN is a great Android VPN for speed, security, streaming, and torrenting – all for a low monthly subscription cost.