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A VPN keeps the connection on your Android device private, whether you’re using a phone while out and about or are streaming your favorite show with a tablet from the comfort of your couch. Using a VPN keeps your mobile service provider and any other malicious third parties from spying on your traffic. Anyone who tries to get eyes on your browsing data will find that it appears to originate from the VPN’s server instead of your Android device. We put a wide range of VPNs through our rigorous testing process and picked our top choices for Android. Proton VPN is our Editors' Choice winner, thanks to its free tier and robust coverage, but plenty of worthy services on this list might work better for you, so read on for all of our top picks.
Our Top Tested Picks
Our experts have tested this product and selected it for this story. Its inclusion and description here solely reflect findings from our independent review. The company has paid for highlighted placement on this page.
Proton VPN
The Best VPN Deals This Week*
- Surfshark VPN — $1.99 Per Month + 3 Months Free (87% Off 2 Years Starter Plan)
- McAfee — Total Protection Essential for $3.33 Per Month, Includes Anti-Virus and Scam Detector
- ExpressVPN — $3.49 Per Month + 4 Months Free (73% Off 2 Years Basic Plan)
- Norton VPN Standard — $3.33 Per Month for 5 Devices (50% Off 1 Year Plan)
EDITORS' NOTE
October 2, 2025: With this update, our lineup of recommended VPNs for Android remains unchanged. Our remaining picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we reviewed and evaluated three new VPNs for potential inclusion in this roundup.
- Best free VPN subscription yet
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Large server network
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent upload speed scores
- High latency scores
Proton VPN is packed with features at a very affordable price and has one of the best free subscriptions we've seen. Particularly appealing features include a Kill Switch and NetShield, the latter of which is Proton's ad and tracker blocker. We were pleased to see that the Android app does a good job translating the Proton VPN experience to mobile.
VPN users on a budget should consider trying Proton by downloading the free version first. After learning how to use it and determining whether it best suits the needs of your Android device, you can upgrade to the paid version.
- Support for multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
- Excellent speed results
- Global server coverage
- Wealth of available features and add-ons
- Built-in antivirus tools
- Expensive, and annual pricing could be clearer
- Antivirus component could be better
With a large server network and a remarkable collection of privacy tools, NordVPN's offering on Android is hard to beat. The Android app brings many of the service's best features, including some unique to mobile.
Experienced VPN users will get the most out of a NordVPN subscription. Features like the company's unique Meshnet offering are interesting and expansive, but they may be confusing to anyone unfamiliar with VPN use.
- Excellent server coverage and performance
- Impressive suite of security features
- Well-defined privacy policy
- Quarterly transparency reports
- Affordable long-term plans
- High monthly cost
- Average server network size
Surfshark VPN has just about every feature you'll need, including unlimited simultaneous connections. Existing customers will be happy to see that the service's excellent design from the desktop client carries over to Android, making it simple for even the most novice VPN users to navigate the app.
VPN users with privacy concerns will appreciate Surfshark's wealth of tools to keep their traffic habits under wraps. Surfshark also has a large global server presence, so you get many local options no matter where you're trying to connect from in the world.
- Large, diverse, widely distributed fleet of servers
- Fast speed test results
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Support for post-quantum encryption protocols
- Expensive monthly and annual plans
- No multi-hop connections
- Ad blocking is spotty
- Ownership with a sketchy past
For frequent flyers who love their Android devices, ExpressVPN is enticing. Its large collection of far-flung server locations makes it ideal for stable connections anywhere you roam. These connections allow for quick speeds and low latency across many different parts of the globe.
VPN users looking for many server location options will appreciate the sheer size of ExpressVPN's server network alone. The company also offers strong security features across all its mobile offerings, including Android.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Excellent privacy policy
- Annual independent audits
- Friendly, approachable design
- No multi-hop connections
- Unimpressive customer support
While its friendly bear design makes the app approachable, TunnelBear VPN is a ferocious defender of privacy with a remarkable transparency policy. Its Android app allows you to use app-level split tunneling rather than the website-level split tunneling found in the iOS version of the application.
VPN beginners will appreciate TunnelBear's easy-to-use and whimsical Android app, while the VPN also offers top-notch privacy features for the configurator in all of us.
Best for Bargain Hunters
Mullvad VPN
- Affordable
- Requires no email or account information
- Radically transparency
- Open Netflix access in all regions tested
- Awkward desktop interface
- No transparency report or warrant canary
- Servers in a small range of countries
Mullvad VPN has an unusual, privacy-focused account system for an unbeatable price. We find the simplicity of its Android app a little more accessible than its desktop client, as the app is light on features but performs capably and reliably while maintaining a VPN connection.
Mullvad VPN will appeal to people seeking basic VPN coverage at a good price without having to fork over sensitive personal information. Advanced features such as multi-hop and port forwarding are added bonuses.
Best Company Transparency
Windscribe VPN
- Industry-leading company transparency and communication
- Large number of payment options
- Best free plan of any VPN we've tested
- Anonymous signup allowed
- Unlimited number of simultaneous connections and devices
- Helpful AI support bot
- Short refund window
Windscribe's stalwart dedication to user privacy will jibe well with the Android crowd, who almost always prefer deep system customization and settings transparency over more closed systems. Add to that a stellar mobile experience on Android, and you have a recipe for mobile VPN success.
Like many VPNs on the market, Windscribe is reasonably priced and fully featured. However, where it stands head and shoulders above others is its transparency regarding user privacy. As a no-logs provider, Windscribe guarantees that no identifying information about its customers will be handed to law enforcement who submit records requests.
Best for Minimalist Design Fans
IVPN
- Flexible, affordable pricing
- Powerful multi-hop system
- Privacy is baked into its account system
- Strong stance on transparency
- Offers few server locations
- Multi-hop and account ID features might confuse some
IVPN uses an account system that protects your privacy from the start. We like how crisp the service's minimalist design looks on Android. The app also offers many helpful features, including app-level split tunneling, a kill switch, and a setting that will match your device's GPS location to the IVPN server location.
Minimalist VPN users will love IVPN's pared-down design choices. IVPN's affordable pricing and baked-in privacy further sweeten the deal.
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The Best VPNs for Android in 2025 Compare Specs
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What Does a VPN Do on Android?
Public networks pose more risk than a regular home connection. While the risk of direct attacks has decreased significantly since the late 2010s due to the widespread adoption of HTTPS, certain man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM) and hostile LAN networks can still place your data at risk. That goes for your favorite coffee spot, too. Just because nothing has happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t. Someone could walk into that shop and set up a fake Wi-Fi connection that impersonates a trusted network and use an SSL-strip attack to remove the protection of HTTPS and compromise your data.
Such an event may be unlikely, but these attacks happen to even the most tech-savvy individuals. It’s important to be realistic and understand the threats to your privacy. A VPN is a layer of security that protects your data from malicious actors and entities that may want to sell that data, such as your ISP. In the situation described above, a VPN would prevent your sensitive details from being readable by the network spy. However, a VPN doesn’t stop every type of threat you may face online.
While some VPN services claim to protect you against malware and phishing sites, standalone antivirus software does a better job. To protect against account takeovers from password leaks, we strongly recommend using a password manager to create strong, unique passwords for every site you use. We also recommend enabling multi-factor authentication wherever it's available. VPNs make it harder for you to be tracked online, but advertisers and snoopers are not defeated so easily. Advertisers can still read and track data saved to websites or in your browser. In addition to using a VPN, you can further protect your data by reading and understanding the privacy policies of your Android device and your browser of choice.
VPNs improve your online anonymity, but it doesn't remove traces of your activity from saved logins, protect you from malware, or secure your passwords. It is also key to pick a trustworthy VPN; otherwise, it could have as much insight into your online activity as your ISP. When reviewing VPNs, we read through their privacy policies and interview company representatives to understand their efforts to protect customers. It also helps if the VPN company has undergone a third-party audit of its privacy policy and security measures. However, where we draw the line may differ from where you do. Select a VPN that you trust with your personal information.
Do Android VPNs Work With Netflix?
Some do, but the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. You can use a VPN for location spoofing to access regional Netflix catalogs or your home catalog when traveling abroad. Aside from streaming access, journalists and activists have utilized this capability to circumvent restrictive internet controls imposed by various governments.
Video streaming services and VPNs have been locked in a never-ending battle as both services have grown in popularity. Once a VPN finds a new way around a block, the streaming service employs a fresh method to thwart that access. This can be a difficult field to navigate as a user of both services. We have our most reliable picks for services like Netflix, but their policies and methods are known to change rapidly. You could find that a reliable VPN you’ve used for years suddenly blocks you one day.
We've compiled our testing of Netflix compatibility across many different VPN services, which you can see below:
It is best to proceed cautiously and try a VPN’s free trial or lowest-tier subscription before committing to a lengthy one. If you primarily use your VPN to access streaming services, it may even be best to stick with a monthly subscription.
Which Free VPN Is Best for Android?
Regardless of platform, price is a key concern. Most VPNs average out to around $10 for a monthly subscription. It’s normal for that figure to fluctuate a couple of dollars in either direction, but you should be wary of paying more than that without adequate justification. Likewise, be cautious of deals that appear too good to be true. Our list of the cheapest VPNs is an excellent starting point, and our list of free VPNs gets the job done without requiring you to open your wallet.
Proton VPN is the only service without data restrictions, making it the only genuinely free VPN on our list. However, the free tier limits your server location to five countries, and you can only use the free VPN service on one device at a time.
Kim Key contributed to this article.
