10 Best VPN apps for Android Devices | Fast, Secure VPN apps for Smartphones & Tablets

ExpressVPN is one of the most respected names in the VPN industry. Along with the now industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee and efficient 24/7 live chat support, ExpressVPN pioneered the idea of “one-click connect” in its mobile apps.

Its Android app has a 4.1-star rating in the Play Store and is compatible with all Android 5.0+ devices. It can be downloaded from either the Play Store, or, for the more Google-phobic out there, as an APK file for sideloading onto your device. ExpressVPN provides L2TP/IPSec setup instructions for users of Android versions 2, 3, and 4.

The app is easy to use and offers split-tunneling, which allows you to decide which of your apps use the VPN tunnel and which don’t. It also features a kill-switch (called “network protection”), which is something we wish more Android VPN apps would include.

ExpressVPN is a no-logs VPN service with servers in over 90 counties and a strong focus on privacy.

NordVPN is a no-logs VPN service is based in NSA-free Panama. Its Android app has a very respectable 4.3-star rating on the Google Play Store and is compatible with all Android 5.0+ devices.

The app is quite distinctive in the way it looks thanks to its dynamic map of server locations. It uses OpenVPN in UDP mode by default, although TCP (presumably using port 443) is also an option. Besides this, the app allows you to connect to NordVPN’s special Obfuscated servers, which use XOR encryption to evade VPN blocks.

The app also sports a kill-switch and NordVPN’s “CyberSec” feature. As with its desktop apps, this uses a DNS blocklist to protect users from malware, help prevent botnet control, and block many intrusive web ads.

As is increasingly common, its APK is also available to download directly from the NordVPN website, which will auto-update when new versions become available. This is perfect for those who wish to avoid the Google Services Spyware Framework.

CyberGhost is a budget-friendly VPN service based in Romania – which is great for users wanting to avoid the jurisdiction of the 14-Eyes spying alliance. It offers great geo-spoofing capabilities with its massive number of server locations and is a good choice for users looking to unblock geographically restricted content. While we would like to see obfuscation (stealth) features available from CyberGhost in the future, users are still able to cloak their VPN usage by running TCP over port 443. 

The Android app uses OpenVPN encryption (which is our recommended protocol for security), and with CyberGhost’s fast servers, you won’t be waiting on buffering screens. Overall, CyberGhost is a high-functioning, low-cost VPN that’s great for newer VPN users.

Try it for yourself with its generous 45-day money-back guarantee on subscription plans longer than one month.

SurfShark is registered in the British Virgin Islands and offers an Android 5.0 app rated 4.3 stars in the Play Store. We are pleased to see that you can also download the .APK direct from the Surfshark website.

Surfshark has always impressed us with the incredible amount of bang it offers for your buck, and its Android app is no different. It includes a kill-switch, split-tunneling (“Whitelister”) for apps you want to exclude from the VPN, a DNS adblocker, an incognito mode for web searches, and even a GPS override feature that ensures your browser’s GPS location matches your VPN location. It is also has a fantastic privacy policy and keeps no logs.

The Surfshark Android app uses IKEv2 by default, but also offers OpenVPN (UDP and TCP, although port numbers are not specified). It also offers the Shadowsocks protocol for those who need to evade restrictions on VPN use.

VyprVPN is based in Switzerland and is notable for owning its own server network, which gives it complete control over its infrastructure. It’s great for the security-conscious Android user looking for privacy because it keeps no logs. The app supports all versions of Android, but we recommend sticking to 4.0.3 and later.

VyprVPN for Android has a somewhat modest 3.9-star rating in the PlayStore, but it has nonetheless always worked flawlessly in our tests. It has a fully-featured app with a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, ad and malware blocking, and public WiFi protection to ensure the VPN connects each time that your device joins a new network.

The app uses OpenVPN, and you can switch between ports, which is great. Plus, the Android app offers VyprVPN’s obfuscation feature called Chameleon, which is known to be great at defeating VPN restrictions in countries where VPN use is frowned upon. This is a lot of features for an Android VPN app, and users get the benefit of a large network of servers in over 70 countries; which makes it excellent for unblocking content worldwide.

For ease of access, the app is available as an .APK download in addition to being featured in the Play Store.

IPVanish is a high-profile no-logs US-based VPN service. Its Android 4.0.3+ app rates 3.9 stars in the Play Store, but, again, has always worked well for us and is packed with useful features.

The IPVanish app does not include a built-in kill-switch per se., but on Android 8+ devices it provides instructions for enabling Android’s new built-in kill-switch feature to work with the app.

The app features split tunneling, insecure network notification, and XOR Scramble obfuscation technology. It uses OpenVPN in either  UDP or TCP mode, and you can select which ports it uses.

And, as with all the Android apps on this list, you can download the .APK from IPVanish’s website for improved privacy.

Ivacy VPN is a service based in Singapore that has superb apps for all platforms – including for Android mobiles and tablets. The VPN has everything you would need in a VPN to gain privacy and security on Android both at home and on public WiFi. And, if you want to bypass restrictions on a work or school network – to watch YouTube or access Reddit, for example – this VPN will work perfectly.

The Android app comes with all the features you need to protect your online activity from your ISP and the government. As a result, you will be able to bypass government censorship, or access restricted torrents or streams in total privacy without being tracked. We enjoy using Ivacy thanks to its servers in over 100 countries around the world. And, this is one of the few VPNs that reliably unblocks Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube TV, and other popular streaming services. A superb VPN that provides fast speeds for streaming.

Well worth comparing to our other options using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Cheap subscription prices – and can be used on up to 10 devices simultaneously. 

ProtonVPN is a superb service that is based in Switzerland – a location that is considered fantastic in terms of data privacy. The VPN can be used for free thanks to its basic subscription plan, however, this is restrictive in terms of server locations and speeds. On the other hand, if you like the service and want to be able to unblock Netflix US with unlimited speeds – you can simply subscribe to a premium subscription plan.

ProtonVPN has superb apps for all platforms, including Android, with the features you need to gain privacy and security both at home and on public WiFi. And, because this VPN has servers in 50 locations worldwide – you will always be able to unblock virtually anything you desire. We love using this VPN to unblock content on our Android devices when we are on a restricted network. And, we trust this VPN to protect our online habits from snooping WiFi providers and ISPs. Admittedly, this isn’t the fastest Android VPN on the market. However, it will let you stream in HD and it does unblock iPlayer and other sought-after streaming services.

A superb all-rounder that comes with great provenance. Well worth taking for a test drive using its 30-day money-back guarantee. 

PrivateVPN is a VPN provider from Sweden that is often recommended by VPN users. The VPN is pretty cheap considering what you get – and it is perfect for unblocking content from all over the world on an Android smartphone or tablet. With PrivateVPN you get apps for all platforms, and you can run it on up to 6 devices simultaneously. This makes it great for people who need it on their desktop, laptop, and mobile devices too. We love that this VPN can unblock more international Netflix catalogs than just about any other VPN service – and it also works with highly sought-after streaming services like iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube TV, HBO Max, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

We are always impressed by PrivateVPN’s live chat support, which can provide help unblocking content or setting up the VPN any time that you need it. And, with PrivateVPN you get the benefit of a no-logs policy, a kill-switch, port forwarding, and obfuscation – which makes it great for torrenting or engaging in other sensitive online tasks.

We think this VPN is amazing, but you don’t have to take our word for it thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Private Internet Access (PIA) offers top-shelf VPN security and features with apps for all platforms, including Android. It’s great for both new and advanced users, offering a simple interface with lots of options for customization. Users can select from a wide range of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard. 

PIA boasts excellent server speeds, with P2P support and built-in ad-blockers to improve your internet experience.

If you’re looking to protect multiple devices, PIA allows for up to 10 simultaneous connections, so you can protect your Android device along with pretty much any other computer or device you own all at the same time.

Test it for yourself, risk-free, with a 30-day no-hassle money-back guarantee.