The Best Android VPNs for 2023

When you connect to a virtual private network, or VPN, it routes your web traffic through an encrypted connection to a server operated by the VPN company. An observer will see all your web traffic (and the traffic of other VPN customers) flowing in and out of the VPN server, not your Android device. Also, when you’re connected to a VPN, your true IP address is hidden. All a snooping advertiser or scurrilous spy will see is the IP address of the VPN server. This protects your privacy but also makes it harder for anyone to discern your location because IP addresses are distributed geographically.

All this helps protect your privacy online. Advertisers and corporations are eager to know your habits, but a VPN makes it harder for them to track you online. A VPN also prevents your ISP from seeing what you’re up to—which is good, because they’re also keen to monetize your data.

Read on for the top Android VPNs we’ve tested, followed by everything you need to know about choosing the right app for your needs.

Proton VPN

Best for Free VPN Coverage

Why We Picked It

ProtonVPN has all the features you could want at a very affordable price and has the best free subscription. We were pleased to see that the Android app does a good job translating the ProtonVPN experience to mobile.

Who It’s For

VPN users on a budget. Give a VPN a try by downloading Proton VPN’s free version and upgrading to the paid version after learning how to use it.

PROS

• Best free subscription
• Numerous advanced privacy tools
• Strong customer privacy stance
• Slick, accessible client
• Excellent Speedtest scores

CONS

• Awkward Chrome OS implementation
• Complicated pricing structure

IVPN

Best for Minimalist Design Fans

Why We Picked It

IVPN uses an account system that protects your privacy from the start. We like how crisp the service’s minimalist design looks on Android as well.

Who It’s For

Minimalist VPN users will love IVPN’s pared-down design choices. IVPN’s affordable pricing and baked-in privacy further sweeten the deal.

PROS

• Flexible, affordable pricing
• Unique multi-hop system
• Privacy baked into its account system
• Strong stance on transparency

CONS

• Offers few server locations
• Multi-hop and Account ID might confuse some users

Mullvad VPN

Best for Basic VPN Coverage

Why We Picked It

Mullvad VPN has an unusual, privacy-focused account system. We find the simplicity of its Android app a little more accessible than its desktop client.

Who It’s For

Mullvad VPN will appeal to people seeking basic VPN coverage without having to fork over sensitive personal information. Added bonuses are advanced features such as multi-hop and port forwarding.

PROS

• Requires no email or account information
• Extremely affordable
• Radically transparent
• Some advanced features, including multi-hop and port forwarding

CONS

• Awkward desktop interface
• Servers in a small range of countries
• Pay-as-you-go system may confuse some customers

NordVPN

Best for Experienced VPN Users

Why We Picked It

With a large server network and a remarkable collection of privacy tools, NordVPN is hard to beat. The Android app brings many of the service’s best features and includes some unique to mobile.

Who It’s For

Experienced VPN users will get the most out of a NordVN subscription. Features like the company’s unique Meshnet offering are interesting but may be confusing to anyone unfamiliar with using a VPN.

PROS

• Multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
• Numerous server locations
• Uses WireGuard VPN technology
• Unique Meshnet features

CONS

• Expensive
• Poor malware-blocking results
• Occasionally cramped interface

Surfshark VPN

Best for Privacy-Conscious Users

Why We Picked It

Surfshark VPN has just about every privacy feature you’ll need. Existing customers will be happy to see that the service’s excellent design carries over to Android as well.

Who It’s For

VPN users with privacy concerns will appreciate Surfshark’s wealth of tools to keep their traffic habits under wraps. Surfshark also boasts the largest global server presence, so you have a lot of connection options.

PROS

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Large global server presence
• Multi-hop and split tunneling tools
• Intriguing potential in Surfshark Nexus

CONS

• High monthly price
• Privacy policy needs clarification
• Confusing long-term subscription pricing

TunnelBear VPN

Best for First-Time VPN Users

Why We Picked It

While its friendly bears are at the forefront, TunnelBear VPN is a ferocious defender of privacy and is remarkably transparent. Its Android app has all the features found in TunnelBear’s other clients.

Who It’s For

VPN beginners will appreciate TunnelBear’s easy-to-use and intuitive Android app. The VPN also offers top-notch privacy features.

PROS

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Excellent privacy policies
• Annual independent audits
• Friendly, approachable design
• Bears

CONS

• No multi-hop connections
• Split tunneling not available on all platforms

CyberGhost VPN

Best for Frequent Travelers

Why We Picked It

CyberGhost has a big fleet of VPN servers, and a recent visual refresh makes it look modern. We especially like that the Android app retains some of the advanced features of CyberGhost’s desktop apps.

Who It’s For

All of those servers around the world, combined with CyberGhost’s excellent speed test scores, are perfect for VPN users who love to travel. The company also offers various add-ons, including antivirus, for subscribers.

PROS

• Large, well-distributed server fleet
• Allows up to seven simultaneous connections
• Several add-ons, including antivirus
• Outstanding speed test scores
• Newly completed third-party audit

CONS

• Expensive
• Confusing privacy policies

ExpressVPN

Best for Server Location Diversity

Why We Picked It

For the frequent flying Android owner, ExpressVPN is an enticing but expensive offer with its large collection of far-flung server locations.

Who It’s For

VPN users looking for a lot of server location options. ExpressVPN also offers strong security features.

PROS

• Large, diversely distributed fleet of servers
• Strong privacy and security practices
• Split tunneling
• Stylish interface

CONS

• Expensive
• No multi-hop connections

Mozilla VPN

Best for Open Internet Supporters

Why We Picked It

Mozilla VPN gives customers VPN protection while supporting nonprofit Mozilla simultaneously. It repackages Mullvad VPN’s WireGuard-powered product, and it looks great, too.

Who It’s For

If you’re a Mozilla fan, this is the VPN for you. The product is simple, expensive, and a repackaged version of another company’s product, so this VPN is primarily a way for people to support a nonprofit organization while receiving a service in return.

PROS

• Helps support nonprofit Mozilla
• Powered by privacy hawk Mullvad
• Simple, snazzy design
• Multi-hop and split tunneling
• Excellent Speedtest scores

CONS

• Few server locations
• Expensive, limited compared with Mullvad

Private Internet Access VPN

Best for Mobile-Only VPN Users

Why We Picked It

Private Internet Access offers several smart mobile VPN tools, including a snooze button. It supports WireGuard and OpenVPN on all platforms, including Android.

Who It’s For

Mobile-only VPN users will appreciate the app’s split tunneling and multi-hop features. Note that the product is more expensive than many competitors, however.

PROS

• Split tunneling and multi-hop
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Numerous server locations
• Good Speedtest scores
• Completed third-party audit

CONS

• Expensive
• No free version

Buying Guide: The Best Android VPNs for 2023

What Does a VPN Do on Android?

Mobile devices are unique because they can access the internet via both Wi-Fi and cellular radio onboard. They also move around with us, out of our safe home networks and into all sorts of other places. We’ve seen some remarkable research hinting at the privacy consequences of mobile devices: phony wi-fi devices that impersonate familiar networks can ensnare thousands of unsuspected devices, and bogus base stations that can track phones (and perhaps intercept data). These are exotic concerns, but it’s important to understand the worst-case scenarios to protect yourself.

How a VPN Works

Too much of the security industry relies on fear, uncertainty, and doubt among consumers. Although there are absolutely threats to your privacy and security lurking out there, no single tool will protect against all of them.

While some VPN services claim to protect you against malware and phishing sites, standalone antivirus software does a better job at this. One of the most dangerous threats people face is having an account taken over by an attacker. To protect against this, we strongly recommend using a password manager to create strong, unique passwords for every site and service you use. We also recommend enabling multi-factor authentication, wherever it’s available. While VPNs do make it harder for you to be tracked online, advertisers and snoopers have a variety of tools at their disposal, such as browser fingerprinting. We strongly recommend familiarizing yourself with the privacy settings in Android OS and in your browser of choice.

Keep in mind that although VPNs do improve your privacy online, they aren’t true anonymization services, and you can’t use one to connect to hidden websites on the dark web. For both of those activities, you should use the Tor anonymization network. There are Tor client Android apps on the Google Play store, so getting online with Tor is simple.

Finally, a VPN could potentially have as much insight into your online activity as your ISP, so it’s important to pick a VPN you can trust. When we review VPNs, we read through privacy policies and interview company representatives to understand their efforts to protect customers. If you don’t think you can trust a particular VPN, choose another. There are plenty.

Do Android VPNs Work With Netflix?

A common use of VPNs is location spoofing. When you send your web traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server, the data appears to originate from the VPN server rather than your actual location. Journalists and activists have used this capability to get around restrictive internet controls imposed by various governments.

But for most people, location spoofing with a VPN is for streaming content restricted to specific geographic regions. That said, video streaming services are starting to get wise. We’ve noticed Hulu and Amazon Prime Video also frequently block access when they detect a VPN. Note that streaming companies are well within their rights to block VPN users. Just because you’re paying to watch Netflix in the US doesn’t mean you can view UK Netflix.

Some VPNs work with Netflix, but their effectiveness can change daily as the streaming companies and VPN services play a cat-and-mouse game of spoofing and blocking.

How Do We Test VPNs for Android?

It’s not surprising that rerouting your connection to other, perhaps distant, servers can negatively impact your internet speeds. Usually, a VPN greatly increases your latency and reduces the speed of downloads and uploads. The severity of the impact depends on the location of the VPN servers and the network infrastructure the VPN provider can access, among other things.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic limited our access to the PCMag Labs test network, requiring us to change how we perform VPN speed tests. Instead of testing all the products back-to-back once a year, we continue to test VPNs and update the results on an ongoing basis. Note that we don’t look at VPN performance over cellular connections. That’s because we can’t control how or when the phone connects with cell towers. Instead, we test speeds only on Windows machines. Our most recent results are in the table below.

What Is the Best VPN for Android?

Although Android phones and tablets are a radically different form factor than desktops and laptops, what we look for in a VPN remains the same.

The number and distribution of available VPN servers provided by the company are important. Lots of servers in lots of places means finding a server near where you live and while traveling should be easier than with a service that has only a few server locations. A surfeit of servers also means there are many options when spoofing your location.

The location of a VPN company is also important. Depending on where the company has its corporate headquarters, local laws may require the company to retain user data. That’s not a good thing, especially if maintaining your privacy is your primary concern. We read each company’s terms of service and interview representatives to fully understand the security and privacy measures a VPN provides.

What Is Two-Factor Authentication?

Another important feature Android owners should look for is split tunneling. This lets you designate which apps send their data through the VPN connection and which travel outside. That’s useful for apps that frequently block VPN access or require a lot of bandwidth but not security—such as video or music streaming apps and mobile games.

The price and number of licenses per subscription are important factors to consider. VPN services range from free to incredibly expensive, but it’s typical for a service to allow five simultaneous accounts per subscription. Some companies have started moving away from this restrictive model, which is good news for consumers. If you’re paying more than $10 per month, be sure the VPN service offers features that justify the price. Our list of the cheapest VPNs is a good place to start, and our list of free VPNs gets the job done without requiring you to open your wallet.

Finally, it’s worth thinking about the experience of using a VPN app. If it’s ugly, confusing, or difficult to use, you probably won’t use it. A good VPN app doesn’t need to be a work of art, but it should be reliable and easy to use. Look for apps with simple interfaces and those that provide most, if not all, of the functionality you’d find in the desktop version of the app.

Which Free VPN Is Best for Android?

Proton VPN is the only service that does not have data restrictions, making it the only truly free VPN on our list. However, the free tier limits your server location to the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States, and you can only use the free VPN service on one device at a time.

Proton VPN’s excellent reputation was built on the success of its sibling product, ProtonMail. ProtonVPN also has good privacy policies and regularly submits to third-party audits.

(Editors’ Note: While they may not all appear in this story, IPVanish and StrongVPN are owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.)