The Best VPN Apps for Android

From my shortlist, I had the best Android user experience with ExpressVPN . Its app is simpler and more responsive than NordVPN or Surfshark.

Simply tap the power button near the top of the home screen and ExpressVPN handles the rest.

In my experience, the time to connect is near-instantaneous on both WiFi and cellular networks, which is a key reason why ExpressVPN is my pick for frequent travelers.

A widget below the button displays your server location (tap it to open the server list), while bottom tabs navigate cleanly between the VPN, Add-ons, and Settings.

That said, the latest version of the Android app mirrors the desktop app’s panel layout, adding unnecessary clutter. While some of the additions are useful, I found the ‘Secure Device Assistant’ more annoying than helpful, and the ‘Time Protected’ counter utterly pointless.

Still, ExpressVPN deserves credit for bringing Android close to desktop feature parity. This includes split tunneling, auto-connect, a kill switch, and ad, malware, and adult content blocking.

The app itself is extremely secure, with industry-approved AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption, and trusted VPN protocols like OpenVPN, along with ExpressVPN’s own Lightway protocol.

Importantly, the built-in kill switch is superior to NordVPN’s, since it works in tandem with the split tunneling feature, and doesn’t interfere with apps not using the VPN connection.

And in case it wasn’t clear by now, ExpressVPN is a trustworthy service that doesn’t log your IP address, browsing activity, or device information. It also doesn’t share your data with third-party advertisers, like so many other Android VPNs do.

On all my Android handheld devices, I connected to an ExpressVPN server in under three seconds, and often in just one. This is extraordinary, and something no other Android VPN can match.

Connecting to nearby server locations, my internet speed fell by only 2%, and over long distances by only 15%.

ExpressVPN and NordVPN go neck-and-neck for speed, and depending on which country you want to connect to, one can be slightly faster than the other.

When it comes to bypassing streaming geo-restrictions, ExpressVPN is the unrivaled champion among VPNs. It unblocked over 95% of the 120 streaming services I tested it with.

Of the most popular content apps, I accessed 18 international Netflix catalogs, all Disney+ regions, many Prime Video countries, JioHotstar, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer.

Beating content geo-blocks has always been a core strength of ExpressVPN, and its prowess in this area has only improved in recent years. It is extremely rare to come across a server that doesn’t work with a content platform.

The same can be said about gaming with the VPN app on your Android smartphone or tablet. Whether it’s PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends, or Call of Duty, ExpressVPN’s fast and low-latency server network has never disappointed.

NordVPN’s servers currently cover the most countries out of all VPNs I’ve reviewed: a staggering 137.

Of particular note is the high number of server locations in Africa and Asia, which under-index in most other VPN services, including ExpressVPN and Surfshark.

There are also plenty of city-specific servers to choose from, especially in the United States, although NordVPN counts 2 fewer US VPN locations than ExpressVPN.

The ever-growing server network hasn’t harmed NordVPN’s connection speeds, which continue to remain fast and consistent, regardless of the distance traveled.

On average, my download speed dropped by only 4% connecting to close-by locations, and just 14% on much more distant connections.

These exceptional speeds, combined with reliable unblocking capabilities, really show when trying to beat the geo-restrictions of apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and many more streaming services.

It’s worth seeing these results for yourself by taking advantage of NordVPN’s 7-day free trial available via its website. You can sign up for the trial on desktop and then use it on your Android device.

Compared to ExpressVPN, NordVPN’s Android app is quite busy-looking: there’s a map, a quick connect button, drop-downs to specialty servers and devices, all on the home screen.

Despite the rather cluttered feel to the app, it’s by no means difficult to use. Even if you’re a pure beginner, you shouldn’t have any issues.

What stands out about NordVPN’s Android app is the wide range of settings on offer, which are tucked away in the Profile tab.

In addition to Threat Protection, the VPN’s ad and tracker blocker, you’ll find unique features that’ll further enhance your internet security.

For example, Tapjacking Protection prevents malicious apps from overlaying NordVPN’s app and tricking you into tapping them.

The option to use multi-hop servers, called DoubleVPN, is also handy. It routes your connection through two servers rather than one, adding further protection between your device and your destination app or website.

Beyond these extra features, the app uses industry-approved protocols Nordlynx (WireGuard) and OpenVPN, with the corresponding ChaCha20 and AES-256 encryption ciphers.

The VPN service also undergoes regular independent security and privacy audits to prove its claims.

One downside to using NordVPN’s Android app is its kill switch. While ExpressVPN and Surfshark built theirs directly into the application, NordVPN uses the standard Android system setting.

The kill switch toggle in the NordVPN app is a simple shortcut to your device’s kill switch, where you can opt for the standard ‘Always-on’ solution, or add the ‘Block connections without VPN’ feature for maximum security.

The problem with using the system setting is that if the VPN connection fails, the kill switch will cut off internet traffic to all apps, even the ones you instructed the VPN to ignore via the Split Tunneling setting.

This happened frequently with the ‘Always-on’ setting enabled, and every single time with the additional ‘Block connections without VPN’ activated.

Unlike way too many free Android VPNs in the Google Play Store, Proton VPN takes your internet privacy and security very seriously.

Proton VPN is a proven no-logs VPN that doesn’t collect personally-identifiable activity data, and secures your connections with AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption via the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols.

Proton VPN’s kill switch works similarly to NordVPN’s, although the app actively pushes you to a more aggressive system block, which will break any app exclusions set via Split Tunneling.

These privacy and security protections have been rigorously tested and verified by multiple independent audits.

And to add further transparency and legitimacy, Proton VPN was one of the first services to open source its software, including its Android app. Its code is therefore open for scrutiny and bug-reporting.

Proton VPN’s free app is quick and easy to use. All you need to do is install the app from the Play Store and tap on “Continue as guest” to use the VPN without registering.

The “Continue as guest” option isn’t available straight away, though. On first launch, you’ll need to close down the app, and then re-open it for the option to appear.

The app is simple and designed for you to connect to a VPN server as quickly as possible. The home screen displays a prominent ‘Connect’ button that connects you to the fastest (nearest) server location.

As with all secure free VPNs, Proton VPN imposes restrictions to encourage users to upgrade to its paid service.

The most evident limitation is that you can’t manually connect to any of the free 10 countries on offer. Frustratingly, the app automatically connects you to the “fastest” available free server.

The choice of settings is also very slim, with very few features on offer. Options like split tunneling, NetShield (ad, tracker, and malware blocker), and VPN accelerator are all paywalled.

Plus, the VPN actively blocks any P2P traffic on all its free servers.

All in all, Proton VPN is a fantastic choice for ongoing unlimited protection, but useless for bypassing streaming geo-blocks and P2P downloads.

While rather dated-looking, Windscribe’s Android app is simple and easy to use: tap on the large button to connect to a nearby server, and the flag of your chosen country will display in the background.

The free VPN servers in Canada and the US are conveniently placed at the top of the list, but the rest are annoyingly buried in the server list. It would be better if they were grouped together.

I found the occasional pop-up prompts to invite friends for an extra 1GB per month quite annoying over time, but it’s also a good way to get additional free data.

Other than that, Windscribe’s Android app has good usability and comes with a rich selection of useful free settings, split into three main categories.

In ‘Appearance’ you can choose between light or dark mode, set custom images to show you’re connected to the VPN, and even adjust haptic feedback.

In ‘Connection Settings’ you can configure split tunneling and auto-connect. For improved mobile gaming and video-calling, you also get an MTU adjustment as well as a GPS spoofing setting, like with Surfshark, but for free!

Finally, there’s also an IP blocker (called R.O.B.E.R.T) that can block websites known for ads and trackers, social networks, adult content, gambling, clickbait, or custom websites you choose.

Windscribe’s standout feature is its ability to unblock geo-restricted apps, including multiple Netflix regions on its free servers.

This is partly thanks to a healthy free server network covering locations in Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, the UK and the US.

The big difference compared to Proton VPN is that you can switch between these free server locations as much as you like.

This ability to beat geo-blocks on apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Prime Video or Hulu, is incredibly rare among free VPNs.

While Windscribe’s free service can’t match ExpressVPN’s or NordVPN’s unblocking success, and fails with the likes of JioHotstar and American Netflix, what it can access is nevertheless remarkable.

I’, also amazed how the VPN’s Stealth protocols (included for free) still bypass the strictest of firewalls, such as the Great Firewall of China, 85% of the time.

Unlike subscription-based VPNs, free VPNs usually enforce a restrictive monthly data cap, and Windscribe is no different, limiting users to 10GB per month.

This amounts roughly to four hours of HD and two of 4K streaming time. If you’re a heavy internet user or streamer, you may run out of data fairly quickly.

The free VPN is also slower than some of its rivals, including Proton VPN. While it’ll also depend on your internet connection, I did experience some buffering and blurriness when streaming live content.