According to Statistica, it is expected that the total number of smartphone users will grow to 7296million users by 2025. As more and more people are getting online, digital security has become an integral part of our daily activities. This is also because a lot of governments, cybercriminals, and prying eyes are piercing at the data being transferred which is why the security and privacy of the users should take a primary role. That’s where VPN comes into play.
VPN or Virtual Private Network is a specialized program that adds state-of-the-art encryption and other algorithms to mask the data being transferred. In fact, these VPNs have the ability to mask a user’s exact location by adding a pseudo location that prevents watchdogs from locating the user. This is also how you can end up watching Netflix U.S. while sitting in your home somewhere in London, UK.
What Is A VPN?
A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a specialized app that anonymizes users when connected to the internet. It creates a private network on a public connection and since most VPNs use AES 256-bit encryption, it remains highly secure from any prying eyes. VPNs are great for accessing the internet masking your original IP address which is how your activities are logged.
With VPNs, the IP address and server location can be changed so that you can access data geo-restricted by any service provider such as Netflix. VPNs are also used to ensure the user is protected against cybercriminals, ad-trackers, watchdogs, alike making your activities on the internet as anonymous as possible.
Top 7 Best VPN Apps For Android
NordVPN
Rated as the #1 VPN brand by CNET, NordVPN’s name precedes it. It is a fast, secure, and private channel to connect to the internet without revealing your identity. Connect anonymously to any server and for context, NordVPN has 5,500+ servers in 62+ locations. You can connect six devices on a single account simultaneously which is a generous number, to be honest. There’s a split tunneling feature that allows creating a list of apps that you don’t want to use VPN such as bank apps.
NordVPN already has too many features that we can’t choose what to include here. It has a dedicated IP option if you want to stick with it. There’s a kill switch and you can use Tor on NordVPN as well. NordVPN has minimal logging along with double VPN, 24/7 customer support, multiple protocols, specially optimized servers for streaming and browsing, custom DNS, to name a few.
ExpressVPN
When choosing a VPN, what do you usually look for? ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs for Android and a recipient of many accolades from Trustpilot, CNET, CNN, TechRadar, to name a few. ExpressVPN has a network of 94 server countries and 3,000+ servers offering quick access to whatever location you want to hop on to.
ExpressVPN has a stellar record as a VPN with features like the kill switch, data leak protection, zero log policy, support of bitcoin as a payment method, and more. It has a rotating IP address feature that keeps any tracker away. There are specialized Netflix servers so that’s something you would really love as a Netflix binge-watcher. Split tunneling, a convenient home screen widget, multiple encryption protocols are a few other features that you should look out for in ExpressVPN as well.
Norton Secure VPN
Browse anonymously and securely with Norton Secure VPN. You can use all the global servers from Norton Secure VPN offering virtual locations and more. Its servers dynamically scale up to accommodate an increasing user base. There’s a kill switch that ensures there’s no data leakage or exposure should VPN fail.
You can have a no-log VPN onboard that ensures no activities are logged whatsoever. There’s bank-grade encryption so that your activities are hidden from any snoopers or prying eyes whatsoever. The split tunneling feature ensures anonymizing sensitive data via VPN while some services or apps can be tunneled through the usual VPN-free channel. Enjoy seamless internet usage with an ad-tracker blocker onboard.
IPVanish
IPVanish is another popular VPN app for Android with 75+ locations, 40K+ IP addresses, and unlimited device connection simultaneously without any hassle. IPVanish has some advanced VPN features including split tunneling, torrenting, speedy downloads, and more. IPVanish has 2000+ servers as well and it operates on a zero log policy.
Once you start using IPVanish, there’s no looking back. You can use this VPN to mask your location, protect data being transferred, and prevent yourself from being tracked or watched. Thanks to military-grade AES-256 encryption, IPVanish gives access to various connection protocols, leak protection, and a kill switch to prevent any data lapse during disconnection. IPVanish is also Netflix friendly so that’s something you should look for as well.
SurfShark
Certainly one of the most popular VPNs out on Android, SurfShark has already garnered popularity with 5M+ downloads and counting. SurfShark is currently the industry’s best VPN app with 3200+ servers in 65+ countries. There’s no limit on connections so you can literally connect 10 devices using the same SurfShark account. You can choose servers based on what you are browsing or streaming since there are literally thousands of servers to choose from.
SurfShark has a 7-days trial and 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try and if you don’t like it, you’ll get the money back. Some of the high-octane security features on SurfShark are Kill Switch, 24/7 Chat Support, Leak Protection, End to end encryption, among others. You have a tonne of in-app purchases to extend its features. Also, ExpressVPN has multi-platform support so that you can use it literally on routers, smart TVs, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and others as well.
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN has an expansive global network thanks to its 7,000+ servers spread across 90 countries. With no logs policy, CyberGhost VPN ensures neither of your activities is ever tracked by any prying eyes. Apart from that, the VPN ensures that you are safe since the app uses an encrypted VPN tunnel which safeguards you a long way.
CyberGhost VPN is encrypted with AES-256 which is a gold standard ensuring all the data coming to and fro your phone is secured with the strongest encryption. There’s a One-Tap connection so you can connect to servers on CyberGhost VPN in an instant.
TunnelBear
TunnelBear is a great VPN for Android offering blazing fast speeds on VPN. It has been rated as one of the best VPN apps for Android by Wirecutter and CNET. It certainly shows with a total 45 million user base so that’s what TunnelBear brings onboard. The VPN has a global VPN network spanning more than 22 countries and has an AES-256 bit encryption which is considered as an industry standard for the same.
There’s 24/7 support you need. You can connect to a VPN on TunnelBear with a single tap. Torrenting is supported and the VPN keeps auditing itself using third-party auditors. There are minimal log files, TunnelBear is affordable, and more so that’s pretty much great.
Wrapping Up
That’s the wrap on the top 7 VPNs for Android that we came across. Other honorable mentions are TunnelBear, Proton VPN, iTop VPN, and Private Internet Access among others.
Source: VPN Query
