VPN

Best VPN For Android?

Published

5 years ago

May 21, 2020

Dominik

Practically every VPN provider that’s still in business as of today offers a mobile app-sized version of their services, so one would assume that finding the best VPN for Android would be as simple as listing the best virtual private networks overall. And one would be wrong, because as it turns out, making a smartphone app is hard. Not that developing a decent VPN in general is easy, mind you. It’s just that the constraints of portable touchscreen devices often prove to be too much for most developers to handle. With that said, below you’ll find a relatively varied list of what we believe are presently the top five best Android VPN apps for any and every purpose.

#5 VPN by Private Internet Access (PIA)

In a world wherein form is never so much as an afterthought to function, PIA would reign supreme. It’s still pretty awesome, to be frank, it’s just that it’s difficult to continue recommending its Android port over literally every other alternative out there when its app looks like someone at Razer had too many Monster-vodkas and threw up all over the screen. Yet this VPN impresses in virtually every other respect, much like it does beyond the Android platform, as our in-depth PIA VPN review explains.

Pros:

Bulletproof privacy policy
Superb value for money
Its UI doubles as a parody of Razer’s software design practices

Cons:

Its UI doubles as a parody of Razer’s software design practices
Somewhat commonplace stability issues on Android 10 smartphones (fixes on the way, though)
Doesn’t offer a conventional free trial

#4 ExpressVPN

As one of the true heavy-hitters of the industry, ExpressVPN is, without a doubt, an extremely safe choice of a virtual private network client for Android. It doesn’t truly dominate in any individual respect but delivers a consistently predictable experience on the whole, which is certainly a plus in the context of privacy and cybersecurity. Its only major flaw comes in the form of painfully sluggish customer service whose very existence is, quite frankly, scandalous seeing how even the most conservative estimates have ExpressVPN’s monthly revenues pegged at high six-figures on mobile platforms alone. Yet despite that and some shady efforts at masking this state of affairs (by prioritizing trialing customers over paying ones), the overall ExpressVPN package is still superb – particularly if you’re shopping for a VPN service that encompasses much more than just Android.

Pros:

Pleasant design
Seamless cross-device integration

Cons:

Understuffed customer service department
Scummy attempts at hiding the above

#3 Windscribe VPN

A spotless privacy track record spanning nearly a decade and 10GB of free monthly bandwidth per user make an incredible tandem; one that is fully deserving of a place in our Android VPN hall of fame. Windscribe is a truly complete solution for mobile privacy and security that also includes an amazing desktop VPN client. Our only complaint is that its tiered service structure can easily intimidate newcomers to the VPN space, thus detracting from an otherwise stunning level of accessibility built into the very core of its identity.

Pros:

Super flexible pricing model
Free 10GB of VPN bandwidth per month

Cons:

Highly fragmentized service structure can easily befuddle inexperienced users
Occasional Play Store update which deletes a seemingly random configuration setting adds to its newbie-unfriendly nature

The Second Best VPN for Android: ProtonVPN

Moving into the VPN power user territory, few options can compare to ProtonVPN, especially on Android. Getting access to hundreds of high-speed servers spread out across the planet is a tempting proposition by itself, but having that privilege for a quite literal fistful of dollars makes TorGuard subscription look like daylight robbery directed by Sergio Leone himself, with the victim being nearly every other Android VPN on the Play Store and beyond.

Pros:

Transparent practices and policies paired with renowned anonymous email service
Excellent value for money
Support for up to ten simultaneous connections, i.e. devices

Cons:

Occasional network overcrowding
Only allows immediate subscription cancelations

The Best VPN For Android: NordVPN

“When in doubt, go with NordVPN” has been a long-standing rule of thumb in this niche, and things aren’t much different on Android. Over the last decade, the Panama-based provider built its Internet empire on an adamantium-solid foundation that comes down to best-in-class speeds and unparalleled app stability on every platform, Android-powered smartphones and tablets included. Yes, there’s always room for improvement — or avoiding major setbacks, at the very least — but at the end of the day, NordVPN is an amazing solution to a problem every Internet user has, whether they know it or not. That goes double if their smartphone of choice is running an OS owned by the world’s biggest spying agenc-I mean, renowned technology pioneer solely focused on the betterment of mankind.

Pros: