Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are among the best security tools a web surfer can have, especially in these trying times. You can use them to surf otherwise seedy public WiFi with more security and privacy. They can even get around firewalls, and the list of potential uses goes on and on. Whatever the reason, VPNs are powerful and popular tools. Here are the best Android VPN apps and free VPN apps! We also linked a video just above that explains what a VPN is in case you want to know.
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Betternet VPN
Price: Free / $4.99+ per month
Betternet is one of the more decent VPN apps. It boasts a no log policy. We know a lot of people like that. The speeds are okay as well. It maintains a free model by showing video ads and sponsored apps. There is a premium version as well. They're very transparent on how they make money and their policies. It's refreshing. It also features a simple, one-touch interface. It's one of the better VPN apps. However, we would like to see a more coherent range of prices for various features. This one can get really expensive.
Freedome VPN
Price: Free / $5.99 per month / $29.99 per year
Freedome VPN by F-Secure has bounced on and off of this list multiple times over the years. It seems to have its stuff together right now. The app boasts everything you should need in a VPN, including a no logging policy, unlimited bandwidth, and a surprisingly reasonable price tag. It should be good for most VPN use cases from checking your bank account on public WiFi to streaming Netflix. This one has its ups and downs, but it's super reliable and the app works way better than it used to.
NordVPN
Price: Free trial / $11.95 per month / $83.99 per year
NordVPN is one of the larger VPN services available. It boasts over 5,000 servers in over 60 countries and also pretty decent speeds. The app has your usual array of VPN goodies, including a quick connect button for easy and quick VPN access, a strict no logging policy, unlimited bandwidth (on premium accounts), and no geo-restrictions. You can also extend your service to VPN extensions on Firefox and Chrome along with native desktop apps as well. You can try the service for free for a week. After that, the prices get a little steep. If you want to commit to this long term, you save a bunch of money by paying by the year. NordVPN did suffer a data breach in early 2019, but the problem seems fixed now.
OpenVPN Connect
Price: Free
OpenVPN Connect is one of the precious few truly free VPNs available on Android. It's also open source which is always a plus with security apps like this. Most of the apps so far have been the "fire and forget" variety but OpenVPN Connect requires a little more knowledge and, thus, has quite the learning curve. You can do things like import .ovpn profiles and engage in a number of advanced settings. This VPN also uses PolarSSL. It's pretty good for security. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty and actually learning the ins and outs of VPNs, this is a fantastic option. Do note that you'll need to create and set up an OpenVPN server yourself in order to use this application.
OpenVPN for Android
Price: Free
OpenVPN for Android is a branch off of OpenVPN Connect. It has a lot of the same features. The interface is a bit more friendly than the official app. You'll still need to learn how to set it up yourself, though. This app just makes it look less confusing and more modular to help you make your way around. At its very core, OpenVPN for Android and OpenVPN Connect accomplish the same goals in very similar ways and they're both free so you can't go wrong with either one. Do note that you'll need to create and set up an OpenVPN server yourself in order to use this application.
ProtonVPN
Price: Free / $4-$24 per month
ProtonVPN is a unicorn when it comes to VPN apps. It hits all of the desirable features. The app boasts unlimited use, a range of servers in various countries, and a robust no-logging policy. It's among the best for those who are really concerned about privacy. The free version is very good and it should be good enough for most people. There is a subscription option as well with three pricing tiers. These increase the speeds, number of available servers, number of devices, and even Tor support. It's top notch in terms of privacy and we would put this toward the top of our recommendations.
SpeedVPN
Price: Free
SpeedVPN is another one of the rare free VPN apps. It boasts a unique feature. It'll boot you from the network after 60 minutes. You can renew or reconnect as needed. However, this mechanic boots people off to free up bandwidth for active users and that helps keep the network from getting congested with inactive users. There isn't a whole lot of extra information needed. You log in, connect, and do what you need to do. We recommend this for something like checking email at the airport or other less intensive use cases. Obviously you'll need something a little stronger if you want to, say, stream US Netflix from another country.
SurfEasy VPN
Price: Free / $3.99-$6.49 per month
SurfEasy VPN is one of the more flashy VPN apps. It's also the same developer that serves Opera its free VPN servers. It has a lot of the desirable features. The app has a strict no logging policy. Additionally, it's one of the few VPNs that actually has extra features for those who download torrents. Add 500 servers in 28 countries and this is actually a feature packed VPN. The prices are fairly reasonable. The free version gets you 500MB of data. The $3.99 option bumps that up to unlimited data. You'll have to get the $6.49 to get stuff like the torrenting features.
Thunder VPN
Price: Free
Thunder VPN is one of the newer VPN apps. It boasts a lot of good things. That includes unlimited bandwidth for free, no logging or user tracking, and it boasts servers all over the world. It seems almost too good to be true, right? During our testing, we didn't run into any real issues. The UI is easy enough and it does connect. Speeds are about average, but for the price, we didn't really think about it much. This appears to be a really decent, free VPN. We had no problems with it.
TunnelBear VPN
Price: Free / $9.99 per month / $59.88 per year
TunnelBear VPN is one adorable VPN app. It works like most VPN apps. You connect, it hides your location and your traffic, and that's that. The free version gives you 500MB per month. You can upgrade to unlimited for $9.99 per month or $59.88 per year. The company has a no logging policy as well as 256-bit encryption. It's always nice to have those. The free version is excellent for those who just want to check their bank statements on public WiFi while the premium version is probably better for those who want to use it for streaming or other, more intensive tasks. This is one of the most popular VPNs for mobile and it's a good one.
VPN Robot
Price: Free / $11.99 per month / $35.99 per year
VPN Robot is one of the newer VPN apps. It can do all of the things you'd expect. There are over half a dozen countries to choose from. You can also just choose the fastest server if needed. It doesn't require a username, login, or account. However, we couldn't get a bead on their logging practices. It's not available in China for what that's worth. There is a free version with ads or you can sign up for the premium version and remove ads. It takes a bite out of their forever free sentence in the Google Play description, but the free version is still decent. If you plan on paying for this, we strongly recommend springing for the year subscription price because it's over $100 per year cheaper that way. This developer also has Snap VPN which we suspect is the same app.
VyprVPN
Price: Free / $5.00 per month / $6.67
VyprVPN is another popular option. It features 700 servers in over 70 countries. 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'll have to pay for one of the premium plans to get more. Thankfully, it's 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.
VPNHub
Price: Free / $13.99 per month / $83.99 per year / $119.76 per 2 years
VPNHub is one of the newer VPN apps for mobile. It boasts no bandwidth limits so you can do basically whatever you want. However, you also have to pay for it as it has one of the most expensive monthly prices on the list. It works like any other VPN. You choose the server and country you want, connect, and then go about your business. It boasts servers in 60 locations worldwide, encryption, and cross-platform support. The biggest tick against this one is that it doesn't have a no log policy, so those who want to remain completely anonymous may need to look elsewhere. Otherwise, the VPN works well.
Windscribe VPN
Price: Free (10GB per month) / $9 per month / $49 per year
Windscribe VPN is an above average VPN app. It boasts a decent free version with a 10GB data cap per month. That should be more than enough for the occasional public WiFi or airport connection. The pro version obviously removes the cap. Some other features include a strict no logging policy, servers in 11 countries, and the usual VPN encryption goodness. The premium version has no data caps, unlimited connections, and servers in 50 countries. It worked perfectly fine during our testing and most Google Play reviews are positive as well.
ZPN
Price: Free / $1.99-$5.99 per month
ZPN has a couple of apps. Both of them are fairly decent. Their flagship product is Free VPN Proxy. It features a decent, stable VPN. The free version allows for 10GB of data per month. That's better than most and free VPNs with bandwidth restrictions tend to work better than those that don't. The $1.99 per month plan bumps that up to 50GB and the $5.99 option makes it unlimited. The only other difference we could spot were more servers with the premium version. Both premium versions and the free version have the no logging policy as well. It's a good sleeper pick for VPNs.
10 best security apps for Android that aren't antivirus apps!
If we missed any of the best VPN apps and free VPN apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists! You should also be sure check out our VPN reviews for ExpressVPN, NordVPN, SaferVPN, IPVanish, and PureVPN.
Related:
- How to use a VPN — a step-by-step guide
- Fastest VPN services you can rely on
- Best free VPN providers: Which ones are worth it?
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