6 Best VPNs for Android – Tested for Speed & Security in 2024

There are a lot of Android VPNs available at the Play Store, but which ones can be trusted? I looked at the list of the most downloaded VPNs and saw that the most popular VPNs aren’t the best ones. Unfortunately, people are downloading the first or second VPN they see in the results, especially if it’s free.

However, just because it’s first doesn’t mean it’s safe or reliable. In fact, a good rule is that if it’s a free VPN, it probably won’t do what you want it to do.

There are a few reasons that you need a VPN on your Android device.

• Security on public Wi-Fi and unsecured hotspots
• Bypassing firewalls and accessing geo-blocked content
• Anonymous browsing

I took advantage of free trials and money-back guarantees and subscribe to over 50 Android VPNs to find the best ones for everyday use.

I was looking for a VPN that has:

• Native Android app
• Lightweight
• Unlimited data and speed
• Doesn’t slow down my phone

When I was done with my tests, I found 6 VPNs that I’m comfortable recommending.

CyberGhost is the top VPN for Android that I’ve tested. It has robust security features and bypasses geo-blocks with ease.  It has over 90 distinct server locations, letting you take advantage of local content in almost any location.

I found that this VPN worked great for streaming services, opening up much the much more extensive catalogs of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others. I got incredible speeds from any server location, ensuring I could stream in the highest quality available.

Installation couldn’t have been easier with an easy-to-use app you can download straight from the Play Store. Streaming and security features are both easily navigated through the intuitive interface, with any options and configurations easy to personalize for your unique needs.

CyberGhost really excels in security and privacy as well, with 256-bit encryption to protect all of your activity. The company doesn’t maintain any user logs, so you can count on true confidentiality. Every plan has a money-back guarantee that can be triggered within the first 45 days, so don’t shy away from trying them out.

Even before my extensive research into Android VPNs, I was well aware of NordVPN. You likely are, too, with the VPNs many partnerships with content creators of all types. It has a reputation as one of the best VPNs for torrenting, but I wanted to see how it holds up as an Android VPN.

I found their app to be among the best, with an extremely user-friendly design. It’s a great choice for beginners with a crystal-clear setup and intuitive layout. Choosing your location and security setting is quick and convenient.

It had some very versatile features I didn’t see in other options, including the ability to set a dedicated IP for applications where a typical dynamic VPN IP won’t work. It had great speeds across all the locations I tested, delivering the same reliable performance regardless.

There was a major incident back in 2018 where unauthorized server access took place. However, no user data was leaked at all, and they have since tightened up their security. Overall, I’m convinced that they can deliver reliable security and privacy for Android VPN users.

IPVanish delivers the core features you need in an Android VPN, but I did find a few issues. One of the big ones is the lack of an automatic kill switch. You can set it up, but you have to go through the advanced settings of your Android to activate it. To IPVanish’s credit, they do walk you through the steps needed to turn it on.

I found the speeds to be very decent across all the servers I tried out, letting me stream video with no problems whatsoever. There are over 75 countries available to choose from, making it easy to get the specific Netflix or another catalog you’re looking for.

The app itself is easy to use, with clear indicators for all features. It has an automatic feature that points out the fastest available server for your selected location, letting you maintain lightning-fast speeds. It’s got most of what you need, but the lack of a kill switch really is an issue.

The PureVPN Android app is lightweight and doesn’t slow down your phone or take up too many resources. The app is very easy to use, once you set the Android permissions, you can just click on the Best Server or choose the location of your choice and connect.

PureVPN comes with several advanced features. The first is the Always On, which will automatically connect your VPN whenever your phone is online, to ensure that you’re never unprotected. The other option is Split Tunnelling which won’t work if Always On is activated. Split Tunnelling lets you exclude certain apps from the VPN protection. So, if you want the VPN on, but want to watch your local Netflix or access your banking app, you just add the apps to the exclusion list.

I connected PureVPN to a US server and was able to watch US Netflix and my ESPN app. In total, the PureVPN for Android has servers in 78 countries and you can sort them in alphabetical order, most popular, or P2P only. The app will also save your most recent connections allow you to choose a favorite.

I was very happy with my Surfshark for Android experience. It has an excellent interface that I found intuitive and very easy to use, a common problem that many of the Android VPNs I tried couldn’t overcome.

Navigation through the many different features was easy to pick up. The UI was spread out across four tabs, so I could find anything I needed just a click or two away. Surfshark even has dedicated support for its Android VPN, ensuring I got the specific support I needed.

I ran an IP Leak test to verify that my IP address and DNS weren’t leaking. I was happy to see that the test showed my US VPN IP address and not the one connected to my physical location.

I didn’t notice any lagging on my internet speed, I was able to browse all my regular websites, stream Netflix, and make video calls with crystal clear quality.

They have over 60 server locations available to choose from, and the interface makes it easy to pick the appropriate location for bypassing location restrictions. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands, so they can deliver on their promise that governments can’t interfere with your privacy.

The TunnelBear for Android app is a good option when it comes to security on mobile networks, public Wi-Fi and unsecure hotspots. All the servers are encrypted with military-grade encryption, protecting your data from hackers.

If you are trying to bypass online censors, you can activate the GhostBear settings, which hides that fact that you’re connected to a VPN, but it also slows down your internet speed. The Android app also has a VigilantBear, better known as a Kill Switch, and a split tunneling feature called SplitBear.

I tried streaming geo-blocked content with TunnelBear and had mixed results. The first time I connected I couldn’t watch Netflix or Amazon Prime Videos. I tried a few hours later with a different US server and was able to watch Netflix, but still couldn’t get past the Amazon Prime VPN block.

You can download TunnelBear for free, although you’ll be limited to 50MB of data a month and access to a few of the US servers.

Before you choose a VPN for Android you have to understand why you want a VPN. Is security a priority for you, do you need to access websites that are blocked in your region, or do you simply want to watch streaming channels or apps that aren’t available in your region.

What I like about the six VPN for Android apps above is that they received high marks in all the important categories.

1. Free Trials: If you’re not sure about the VPN, you can try it risk-free and see how it responds to your specific device and needs. Just don’t forget to cancel the account if you decide it isn’t the right one for you, or you can get charged for an annual account.
2. Get a VPN that allows multiple connected devices: Why limit yourself to a VPN that will only work for Android. You can get a VPN that allows connections on multiple devices and platforms. In addition to Android, you can use my recommended VPNs for Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, Fire TV, Android TV, and most routers.
3. Only download a VPN from the Play Store: The easiest way to get a VPN for Android is to download it from the Play store. If the VPN you’re using isn’t available in the Play Store, you’ll need to download the APK file, upload it to your Android device, deal with configuring the settings, and run the risk that the file is corrupted or includes malicious software.
4. Protects your Android on public Wi-Fi: Android phones are most vulnerable when connected to public Wi-Fi. It provides hackers with an entry point to your private data. In addition to regular encryption, some premium VPNs offer additional protection on public Wi-Fi.
   
5. Take Advantage of Extra Features: in addition to encrypted servers and a remote IP address, some VPNs have free security tools. For example, CyberGhost has Privacy Guard, NordVPN has CyberSec, and Surfshark has CleanWeb. All these tools are designed to increase your privacy by reducing your digital footprint. They block trackers, cookies, ads, and malicious sites to keep you safe online.