10 Best VPN for Android 2024 (updated in December 2024)

Using a VPN on Android comes with tons of perks — you can access your favorite streaming content when traveling abroad, you can secure your P2P downloads, and you can protect your web traffic from malicious actors. 

That said, many VPNs are not a good fit for Android users. They either don’t have native Android apps, or their apps are just hard to use. In addition, many VPNs have slow speeds or don’t work well with streaming services.

So I put together a list of Android VPNs that actually provide great value. I’ve been using VPNs while traveling for 10+ years, and all of the providers mentioned in this article have intuitive Android apps, are good for streaming, and provide good speeds (ExpressVPN is the best Android VPN in my opinion). 

🥇 1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN Service for Android in 2024 ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN definitely has the best option for Android users. The provider has a very intuitive app for Android that’s also feature-rich, it comes with a huge server network and super-fast speeds, and it provides excellent streaming and torrenting support.

I really love how user-friendly the provider’s Android app is. It comes with a quick-connect tool that automatically connects you to the fastest server, and all features and settings come with helpful explanations. Plus, you get access to Shortcuts, which is a tool that lets you create 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites that show up on your connection screen after you connect to the VPN — for example, I always use Shortcuts to secure my access to Netflix and my bank’s site when I travel. 

I also like how feature-rich the VPN’s Android app is. My favorite thing is how it provides free built-in access to ExpressVPN Keys, which is a really good password manager that helps you secure your logins. Also, you get access to Advanced Protection — this tool provides excellent online security, as it blocks intrusive ads, it protects you from malicious websites, and it can even block adult sites (thus providing access to parental controls).

ExpressVPN is also excellent for streaming and torrenting on Android. It actually has the best streaming support on the market since it works with 100+ streaming platforms, including top ones like Netflix, Disney+, and Max. On top of that, it provides the best P2P support out there since it allows torrenting on all of its servers. 

And the provider has a huge network, with servers in 100+ countries. This makes it super simple to connect to nearby servers to get the fastest speeds. And speaking of speeds, ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN for Android on the market — in my tests, it always provided me with blazing-fast browsing and streaming speeds on both nearby and distant servers.

ExpressVPN is affordable, with plans starting at $5.49/month. It’s pricier when compared to other VPNs, but I still think the money is worth it since this VPN provides excellent value. Plus, it backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

🥈 2. Surfshark — Excellent Pick for Streaming & First-Time VPN Users Surfshark

Surfshark provides very good streaming support via its Android app. The VPN service is compatible with 100+ streaming apps, including top ones like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. What’s more, the provider’s Android app has a tool that spoofs your GPS data — it matches it to your VPN IP address, which makes it much harder for mobile streaming apps to detect and block your VPN connection. 

I also really like how easy-to-use the provider's VPN app is — the interface is very simple to navigate, and it doesn’t take more than 4–5 seconds to find and connect to a VPN server. What’s more, the VPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you can use it on as many Android phones as you want. 

And you also get excellent security with this provider. On Android, you get access to CleanWeb, which is a very good ad blocker — I tested it a few times while traveling, and it always got rid of annoying ads on travel booking websites. What’s more, there’s also IP Rotator, which provides enhanced privacy by regularly changing your VPN IP addresses without dropping your VPN connection.

Surfshark also has a really huge server network — it comes with 3,200+ servers in 95+ countries. And it also performed really well in my speed tests, as it maintained fast speeds for browsing, online gaming, and streaming on both nearby and distant servers. 

I also like how you get access to split-tunneling on Android. This tool is called Bypasser, and it lets you pick which apps and sites use the VPN, and which ones don’t — this is really great, as most Android VPN apps only let you split-tunnel apps. Split-tunneling is useful, as it could help you boost VPN speeds.

Surfshark is very affordable, with plans starting at $2.19/month. In addition, it also backs all plans with a 30-day refund — even better, the refund policy is risk-free, meaning you don’t need to meet any requirements to qualify for it.

Read my full Surfshark review

🥉 3. CyberGhost VPN — Good for Streaming & Has a Great Malicious Site Blocker CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN comes with very good streaming support since it works with 50+ streaming platforms. It does this via 100+ dedicated streaming servers that are located in 20+ countries — the servers are optimized to refresh their IPs very fast, so that streaming services have a harder time detecting and blocking them. The VPN is also great for Netflix, as it’s compatible with 15+ libraries, including top ones like Netflix US and Netflix UK.

The provider also has Content Blocker on Android — this is CyberGhost VPN’s ad blocker. It’s not really great at getting rid of ads, but it provides very good protection against malicious sites (it always stopped me from accessing HTTP websites in my Chrome web browser).

And Android users also get access to a really big server network, consisting of servers in 95+ countries. Plus, you also get access to WireGuard on Android, which is a very fast VPN protocol. Thanks to this, the VPN also provides very good speeds — in my tests, websites and HD videos always loaded very fast, and I never experienced high ping while playing online games.

The provider also comes with split-tunneling on Android — it’s easy to find and use, but it only allows you to split-tunnel app traffic (Surfshark’s split-tunneling feature lets you split-tunnel sites in addition to apps).

And I also think the provider has a user-friendly app for Android — the interface is simple to navigate with your finger, the design is really responsive, and all settings and features come with quick explanations. 

CyberGhost VPN has plans that start at $2.19/month, so it’s pretty cheap. It provides a generous 45-day money-back guarantee for all of its long-term plans. However, it only backs its shortest plan with a 14-day refund policy. 

Read my full CyberGhost VPN review

4. NordVPN — Great Android VPN App for Security NordVPN

NordVPN is among the best VPNs for privacy and security. It provides access to tons of useful security tools on Android, like Dark Web Monitor for example — this feature alerts you if your NordVPN login credentials are compromised in a data breach.

You also get access to Threat Protection, which keeps you safe from phishing and malicious domains — and if you sideload it (manually download it from the provider’s site and install it on your phone) instead of getting it from the Google Play Store, it can also block some ads. Though, if you’re mainly interested in ad-blocking, I think ExpressVPN’s Advanced Protection tool is much better. 

And you also get access to other great security features. This includes double VPN servers that send your data through 2 servers instead of just 1 server (this adds an extra layer of encryption). And there’s also tapjacking protection, which alerts you if a malicious app tries to add a screen overlay to trick you into performing actions that could compromise your data.

NordVPN provides access to a great server network, as it has 6,000+ servers in 110+ countries. The VPN provides fast speeds for all online activities on both nearby and distant servers, and it also supports torrenting on P2P servers in 110+ countries.

Finally, this VPN is great for streaming on your Android phone as well. It doesn’t say how many streaming apps it works with, but its support reps confirmed the VPN is compatible with top platforms like Netflix and Disney+. 

NordVPN comes with tier-based subscriptions, whose pricing starts at $3.99/month. The VPN provider also backs all purchases with a risk-free 30-day refund.

Read my full NordVPN review

5. Private Internet Access — Very Intuitive VPN With Great Torrenting Support Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a very good pick for beginners. Its app has a really simple-to-navigate interface that makes it simple to find and connect to different servers. Plus, all settings come with short explanations, so you never feel lost while using the VPN. And I also like how it supports unlimited simultaneous connections (just like Surfshark).

And this is a very good VPN for torrenting on Android. It allows P2P traffic on all of its servers, which are located in 90+ countries. In addition, the VPN also has built-in support for port forwarding — this feature can help you boost P2P speeds by connecting to more peers.

You get great streaming support too, as the VPN works with 20+ streaming apps. It’s compatible with top platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer, which is great — but I still think ExpressVPN and Surfshark are much better for streaming, as they both work with 100+ streaming platforms. 

And you also get access to MACE on Android, which is a really good ad blocker. I tested it several times by visiting ad-heavy websites, and it always stopped pretty much all banner, pop-up, and video ads from loading.

Private Internet Access comes with super affordable prices, which start as low as $2.19/month. On top of that, it also backs each purchase with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read my full Private Internet Access review

6. Proton VPN — Best Free VPN on Android Proton VPN

Proton VPN’s free version provides unlimited bandwidth, so it’s my #1 free VPN on Android (it’s also my favorite free VPN on the market). And in addition to unlimited data, the free plan also includes access to excellent security privacy — the provider’s no-logs policy is independently audited, and its apps are open-source (including Proton VPN’s Android app), meaning anyone can inspect the code for issues.

The free VPN version also has really good speeds — in my tests, I maintained smooth internet connection speeds for all online activities, such as watching videos, playing online games, and downloading files.

That said, the free VPN plan has some limitations. It only lets you use servers in 5 countries, it doesn’t support streaming and torrenting, and it limits you to 1 device. Plus, you can’t choose which server to connect to — the app automatically connects you to the fastest server.

The paid version provides access to more perks on Android — 6000+ servers in 110+ countries, support for up to 10 devices, compatibility with 40+ streaming services, torrenting support on servers in 90+ countries, and access to NetShield (a really good ad blocker). 

Proton VPN’s paid version starts at $3.59/month, which is pretty affordable. The provider also has a 30-day refund policy, but keep in mind it’s prorated. 

Read my full Proton VPN review

7. PureVPN — Good VPN for Users in Restrictive Countries (With Big Number of Servers) PureVPN

PureVPN works really well in restrictive countries like China and Russia, as it provides obfuscation to hide your VPN traffic and avoid VPN connection blocks. I can personally confirm that the VPN works without issues in China, as I use it very often when I travel there. 

The VPN also has a huge server network of 6,000+ servers in 65+ countries. This makes it simple to get good speeds because you can avoid overcrowded servers and use nearby server locations.

The provider also works with 10+ streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. This is good, though I think you get much better variety with ExpressVPN and Surfshark, as they both work with 100+ streaming platforms.

You also get access to good features on Android, such as split-tunneling and Shortcuts. I really like the Shortcuts feature, as it allows you to set up customized connections to specific streaming sites, such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. 

PureVPN has tier-based subscriptions and prices that start at $2.14/month. I think the provider is really affordable and offers good value — plus, I like how it has a 31-day refund policy.

Read my full PureVPN review

8. PrivateVPN — Good Minimalistic VPN With Fast Speeds PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN’s app design is extremely minimalistic, so new users won’t feel overwhelmed — plus, this makes it really easy to find and connect to servers, and also change all the settings you want. In my case, it didn’t take more than 5 seconds to find and connect to a server.

While the VPN’s mobile app is user-friendly, it does lack important extras. For example, it doesn’t come with split-tunneling, a tool that many other competitors (like ExpressVPN and Surfshark) provide access to.

On the plus side, the VPN also provides very good speeds — I was always able to load sites and HD videos instantly in my tests. This is because the VPN has 200+ servers in 60+ countries, so it’s pretty easy to use nearby servers for fast speeds. 

And PrivateVPN is pretty good for streaming too. It doesn’t say how many streaming apps it works with, but its reps confirmed that the VPN works with top platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.

PrivateVPN is super affordable, with prices starting at just $2.00/month. In addition, the provider also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read my full PrivateVPN review

9. IPVanish — User-Friendly Interface and Good P2P Support IPVanish

IPVanish’s app for your Android device is really simple to navigate — it has a search field to help you instantly find your desired server locations, it comes with a quick-connect tool, and its settings come with easy-to-understand explanations. Also, the provider allows you to connect unlimited devices. 

The provider is also great for torrenting, as it allows P2P traffic on all of its servers — a total of 2,400+ servers in 50+ countries, which is pretty good. It also provides good download speeds, as it usually took me just 10 minutes to torrent a 2 GB file.

 

The VPN service is also decent for streaming, as it works with top services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Sadly, it’s not compatible with other popular platforms, including Max and YouTube TV — if that’s a deal-breaker for you, consider getting ExpressVPN or Surfshark instead, as they both work with 100+ streaming sites.

IPVanish has affordable prices that start at $2.19/month. It also comes with a 30-day refund policy, but it only applies to its long-term plans. 

Read my full IPVanish review

10. Astrill VPN — Decent VPN for Users in Restrictive Countries Astrill VPN

Astrill VPN is a good option for people in restrictive countries — whether they live in such places, or are just traveling through there. That’s because this provider consistently circumvents government censorship in countries like China, Russia, and Turkey, for instance. 

The VPN also has decent streaming and torrenting support. It works with top services like Netflix, Max, and YouTube TV, and it also allows P2P downloads on servers in 30+ countries. 

That said, my biggest complaint is that the provider’s app is missing a kill switch, which is an essential VPN security feature. Other top VPN services (like ExpressVPN and Surfshark) all come with VPN apps on Android that have a kill switch. 

Astrill VPN provides good value, but it’s very expensive — its plans start at $12.50/month. What’s more, I also don’t like how this is one of the only VPN services on the market that doesn’t come with a refund policy.

Read my full Astrill VPN review

Quick Comparison of My Top Picks

	Starting Price	Server Network	Number of Streaming Apps	Split-Tunneling	Free Plan	Money-Back Guarantee
🥇 1. ExpressVPN	$5.49/month	Servers in 100+ countries	100+			30 days
🥈 2. Surfshark	$2.19/month	3,200+ servers in 95+ countries	100+			30 days
🥉 3. CyberGhost VPN	$2.19/month	Servers in 95+ countries	50+			45 days (long-term plans) 14 days (shortest plan)
4. NordVPN	$3.99/month	6,000+ servers in 110+ countries	Unknown			30 days
5. Private Internet Access	$2.19/month	Servers in 90+ countries	20+			30 days
6. Proton VPN	$3.59/month	6000+ servers in 110+ countries	40+			30 days (prorated)
7. PureVPN	$2.14/month	6,000+ servers in 65+ countries	10+			31 days
8. PrivateVPN	$2.00/month	200+ servers in 60+ countries	Unknown			30 days
9. IPVanish	$2.19/month	2,400+ servers in 50+ countries	Unknown			30 days (long-term plans only)
10. Astrill VPN	$12.50/month	Servers in 55+ countries	Unknown

How I Chose the VPNs on This List

• I only picked VPNs with Google Play Store apps. I only added VPNs to this list that have apps on the Google Play Store. You shouldn’t have to perform an inconvenient and time-consuming manual setup to use the VPN on your mobile device.
• I prioritized VPNs with user-friendly Android apps. I made sure to only add VPNs in this article that have Android apps that are really simple to navigate and use — on average, it shouldn’t take you more than 5 seconds to find and connect to a server with any VPN on my list.
• I mainly ranked VPNs that are great for streaming and torrenting. I prioritized VPNs that are compatible with popular mobile streaming apps, like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. That, and I also added VPNs to this list that allow torrenting on most of their servers. For example, ExpressVPN (my #1 pick) works with 100+ streaming apps and allows torrenting on all servers.
• I only added secure VPNs to my list. I only included VPNs that can properly secure your internet connection in my article. Basically, all of my top picks have essential VPN security features, such as military-grade encryption, a kill switch to avoid traffic leak if the VPN connection drops, a strict no-logging policy, or DNS leak protection. Most of them also have advanced features for securing data, like RAM-only servers (every reset wipes everything) and perfect forward secrecy, which forces every VPN session to use a different encryption key.
• I prioritized fast VPNs. When you use a VPN, your original speeds will always slow down. So, I made sure to only add Android VPNs to my list that have huge server networks and fast VPN protocols (like WireGuard or IKEv2/IPSec) to minimize the speed loss.
• I made sure to only recommend VPNs that offer good value. I chose to only rank VPNs that have affordable prices, provide access to useful extras on their Android apps (like split-tunneling or an ad blocker), and come with generous refund policies.

Why Use a VPN on Your Android Smartphone?

• Protect your web traffic — VPNs encrypt your internet data, which means they make it 100% unreadable. This means third parties (like hackers and internet service providers) can’t spy on your encrypted connection to monitor sensitive data.
• Secure your privacy — When you use a VPN, it hides your IP address so that only the VPN’s IP address is visible. This prevents anyone from using your IP to track your location. 
• Improve your streaming experience — By hiding your location, VPNs allow you to access streaming sites and content that’s only available in your country when you travel abroad.
• Enjoy secure torrenting — Torrenting via VPN stops anyone in the torrent swarm (the total number of people downloading and uploading a torrent) from seeing your real IP address. In addition, it also stops your internet service provider (ISP) from seeing and throttling or blocking your P2P traffic.
• Get a better gaming experience — Gaming with a VPN might lower your ping, as the VPN might route your traffic more efficiently to the gaming server. In addition, using a VPN while gaming will protect you from Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks because it will hide your IP address.
• Stop bandwidth throttling — Normally, your ISP can see your web browsing, so they can selectively slow down your speeds if it thinks you’re using too much data. But a VPN hides your online activity, which makes it impossible for an ISP to throttle your speeds..

How to Install and Use a VPN on Your Android Phone

1. Sign up for a VPN with a good Android app. I recommend ExpressVPN since iit has a super easy-to-use app for Android, it works with 100+ streaming apps, and it provides blazing-fast speeds. 
2. Download the VPN app from the app store. Look up the provider’s app on the Play store, and hit the download button. 
3. Wait for the app to finish installing. The whole process shouldn’t take more than 2 minutes.
4. Open the app. Then, enter your login credentials to access your account. 
5. Finish setting up the VPN app. Just follow the on-screen instructions to finish the app setup process.
6. Connect to a server location. Scroll through the provider’s server locations, pick the one you like, wait for the connection to go through, and then start securely surfing the web.

Best VPNs for Android in 2024 — Final Thoughts: Final Thoughts