Surfing the Internet is something we all do in our daily lives. However, the Internet is not a safe place. Internet Security is a major issue nowadays, considering the surge of the internet in the most remote areas of the world. If you worry about the bank transaction you just made or you fear surfing the web on a public WiFi network, well VPN is for you. VPN gives you that security when you are doing a transaction or using a public WiFi network.
VPN also known as Virtual Private Network lets you use the internet more securely and lets you overcome regional restrictions. By using a VPN service, you can ensure that all of your internet communication is encrypted and potentially protected from prying eyes. They can even get around firewalls. It may let you view Facebook or watch Netflix in ways you normally can’t. Many people use them to overcome regional restrictions with various types of content as well. Whatever the reason, VPNs are powerful and popular tools.
There many many VPN service providers and most of them provide dedicated Android apps. Obviously, a dedicated Android app helps to make things as hassle-free as possible. To help you choose the right VPN, we have compiled a list of 6 Best VPN Apps for Android. The VPN service providers in this list do not keep logs to protect user privacy. They also do not limit bandwidth for BitTorrent and file-sharing traffic.
So, without any further ado, here are our 6 best VPN apps for Android in no particular order. You can choose to install the one you like.
1. Private Internet Access
The Private Internet Access is operated by London Trust Media, Inc., with branches in the US and Iceland, which are a few of the countries that still respect privacy and do not have a mandatory data retention policy. This means the company does not log IP address, traffic data or browsing activity, either, and the app is straightforward to use.
In addition, Private Internet Access does not censor traffic and treats all traffic including BitTorrent and file-sharing equally. However, in certain regions, the BitTorrent traffic is routed through a second VPN for legal purposes. The service is also generally reliable and touts excellent 24/7 customer support, along with support for AES-256 + RSA4096 + SHA256 encryption.
It also brings features like Kill Switch, IPv6 Leak Protection, DNS Leak Protection, and Shared IP System. Its own MACE technology protects users from malware, trackers, and ads.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN has some impressive strengths including a strict “zero logs” policy – the firm does not store any user information, which makes it ideal for users looking for a highly secure and private experience. It also offers ‘Double VPN’ technology which passes your connection through two separate VPN servers, as opposed to just the one, for an extra layer of security (there are only a certain number of Double VPN servers, though).
While the focus is clearly on security and privacy, NordVPN does not lag in other areas. The Android app is easy-to-use, but pretty basic and lacks configuration options, with the desktop app having a much better interface. The performance was good, although nothing spectacular. The app also provides a live chat feature for 24/7 customer support.
3. ExpressVPN
With ExpressVPN, you have a choice of nearly 100 different locations around the world. The service is also generally reliable and touts excellent 24/7 customer support, along with support for 256-bit encryption and the ability to have two simultaneous connections. It is one of the most trusted, secure brands in the virtual private network industry, and that is for good reason. It is super fast and extremely safe, boasting a SSL-secured network with 256-bit encryption and, get this, unlimited bandwidth and speed.
The company does not log traffic data or browsing activity, either, and the app is straightforward to use. It provides a list of viable locations to connect with, and it usually works pretty well – allowing you to connect within seconds. There is also a home screen widget for quick connections. You can try ExpressVPN free for 24 hours.
4. PureVPN
This service has more than 750 servers spread across 141 countries, and it has a self-managed network, so there are no third-parties involved. It supports 256-bit encryption, offers round-the-clock support, and boasts a zero logging policy for your online activities. You can also have five simultaneous connections on different devices. The Android app is easy to use. You can browse based on your country of choice, simply tap to join a server, or just pick the fastest server available.
File-sharing is allowed on some servers. PureVPN upholds regional copyright laws and closely monitor changing policies on the matter and is thus subject to change. You can always refer to their customer support for details on which servers allow file-sharing. You can also set a purpose for your online activity, whether you intend to stream movies, share files, or look for higher security and anonymity. PureVPN also says it has dedicated servers for these specific purposes, though it is unclear what this impacts.
5. IPVanish VPN
The IPVanish app is good overall, although it is missing a kill switch, a standard feature which instantly shuts down the internet connection in the event the VPN drops (to prevent your true IP from being revealed). Still, that does not detract from the impressive download speeds this VPN achieved during our testing.
Although based in the US (so not for the more NSA-phobic out there), this high-profile VPN company has good privacy credentials. Furthermore, there is no logging of the user’s activity here, plus you get 256-bit AES encryption with the OpenVPN protocol, along with 24/7 customer support. IPVanish accepts payment in Bitcoin and permits torrenting. IPVanish also throws in a free Smart DNS service for all customers.
6. PrivateVPN
The PrivateVPN is a Swedish VPN that is praised highly for unblocking Netflix. With servers in over 50 countries, including the US, PrivateVPN will unblock a lot of Netflix catalogs. Outstanding connection speeds will let you stream in HD, and you can use the VPN on six simultaneous connections.
The VPN is fully featured with all the pro security features that you require to watch Netflix safely. These include strong military grade encryption. The software is easy to use and is available on all popular platforms. PrivateVPN does not store any logs of its users’ activity. They claim to protect the privacy and anonymity of their customers and due to their non-logging policy, DMCA notices are ignored.
PrivateVPN also allows torrent traffic on all servers. All traffic is treated equally and they promise not to throttle traffic under any circumstances. For the price, this VPN is very hard to beat. Finally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bonus
VyprVPN
This Switzerland-based VPN provider offers a very sound Android VPN service. It features 700 servers in over 70 countries. There is a dedicated app that is extremely well optimized. In addition, the service offers multiple protocols including OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP and Chameleon, the latter being the firm’s own tailored solution. Performance is impressive overall, too, and we saw some particularly good download speeds with the service.
They also maintain their own hardware. Otherwise, it works as expected. You connect and then surf the web. The free version includes a one-time stipend of 1GB. You will have to pay for one of the premium plans to get more. Thankfully, it is unlimited. Their logging policy is fairly clear cut. They keep logs for 30 days to help weed out criminals and other policies. There are some consumer protections, though. You can find out more with a simple email to their customer service.
A few last words
While there are many VPN apps available for Android, the above apps are what we believe as best VPS apps. Except for VyprVPN, all VPN services in the list respect users privacy and anonymity and have a no log rule. In addition, they allow all type of traffic including file sharing and BitTorrent and they do not throttle traffic.
While there are free and less expensive VPN services they do not offer the same level of privacy and anonymity offered by the above apps. If you are looking for good VPN app for your Android, then you should really try some of the apps in the list. If we missed any of the best VPN apps for Android, then tell us about them in the comments and do not forget to subscribe for more updates.
See Also
- 7 Best App Lockers For Android
- 8 Best WiFi Analyzer And WiFi Scanner Apps For Android
- 6 Best Free Wifi File Transfer Apps For Android
