Browsing the web and accessing your social media profiles on your Android phone is not as private nor safe as you might think. The risk of three-letter organizations monitoring your activity as a result of many Android apps that transmit data without encryption increases when you connect to free WiFi at your favorite coffee shop.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) spoofs your location and makes your device appear as if it connects to a remote server managed by the VPS service provider. While it routes the traffic to another server it also encrypts all the data you send, this makes it difficult for government organizations to track your location and as well as allows you to access services or networks that might be blocked in your area.
Some VPN services claim that their product protects users against malware and phishing websites, but standalone Android security apps do much better at securing devices against viruses. Another good use of VPN’s is the support on some of them to block ads, as ad blocking apps for Android are a sort of luxury.
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What is a VPN?
An Android phone or tablet can effortlessly become a target of prey when connected to innocent-looking WiFi networks. These malicious networks are created by heinous parties that imitate networks provided by local businesses and aim at recording email passwords or financial account settings. The man-in-the-middle attack is a classic example of how these egregious persons redirect a victims’ web traffic from legitimate sites to fake ones to collect passwords and credit card numbers.
A VPN service routes your traffic through a virtual tunnel and encrypts all the data that pass through this tunnel before connecting your device to another server. Not only that a VPN app will make your device appear in a different place from where you are but also make it difficult for attackers or hackers to receive what you are writing or sharing.
Another primary reason why people consider installing and using VPN services is for their ability to make devices appear connected from the network of the VPN server and not the network of your real location. A VPN enables everyone around the world to access region-locked video streaming content such as Netflix and Hulu movies or shows, BBC video streams, sporting events, and also bypass Internet firewalls on various social media and news websites imposed by some governments. This game of cat-and-mouse with governments and different businesses fighting against VPN connections and having their IPs’ blocked from accessing websites is endless. With a free VPN you might not be able to access everything you’re disallowed to view, but as the vast majority of services support subscriptions that will equip you with newer IPs that aren’t yet detected, you will be able to enjoy the denied freedom.
What a VPN isn’t
A Virtual Private Network is not a completely anonymous service. You cannot use it to access hidden websites on the dark web. For total anonymity or accessing the dark web, you’ll have to use the anonymization network provided by Tor Project. There are Android apps that connect to Tor client and allow you access to both services with no trouble regardless of your location.
Browsing the web with your Android (or any other device) through a VPN is not the speediest way to do so. You’ll never experience the same browsing speed your ISP gives you when connected to VPN servers, the download and upload speed drops further when you are connected to servers from far-away. The net speed varies from the infrastructure of the provider but never equals your real speed.
While the VPN encrypts your transmitted data, this encryption stops when you are disconnected. If what you are viewing or using is outlawed by your local authorities, is better to take into consideration the risk of accessing the web through VPN servers.
Advertisers do keep an eye on what you do on the Internet to deliver relevant ads to you. Unless your VPN of choice blocks these ads, using it will not have an enormous impact on the type of advertisement served to you. From relevant ads, and you will just end up viewing irrelevant ones.
NordVPN
Nord VPN is the ultimate VPN service for Android and other clients. With thousands of servers in the United States alone and hundreds for almost every country, it makes sure you never run out of new IPs. But its massive amount of VPN servers is not all that makes this application great. It is one of the few VPN apps protects your Android from malware, phishing, and other online threats and also blocks ads on your Android.
Nord VPN app has servers that are capable of bypassing specific country restrictions and also uses the TCP protocol for the selected server. The Nord VPN free trial for seven days for every new user and for a limited time you can pay just $48 for an entire year subscription. The usual NordVPN price is billed at $69 a year. One of the best Android VPN services (if not the best) offered for a low and affordable price.
Nord encrypts your data not once but two times for extra security. You can also force the app to connect to one of the servers you preselected automatically or to connect to a random server whenever your device is turned on. The app is excellent for those residing in countries where social media are blocked, and people struggle to maintain connections with their loved ones.
ExpressVPN
Express VPN is one of the most intimidating options when looking for a mobile VPN. This service stands for its large quantity of servers spread across the globe, counting over than 1,000 servers spread across 94 countries it makes a great app when you want to view information coming from all around the world.
The Express VPN is offered for free for a 70day trial period during installation, and its regular price starts at $13 a month (not the cheapest VPN service you can find), but if you’re willing to pay for a year at once, the monthly price drops at just $8.32. With every subscription, you receive unlimited bandwidth and Express VPN apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, and iOS. Express VPN security involves the 256-bit encryption for all the transmitted data from your device when it is connected.
IPVanish VPN 
IPVanish is one of the fastest and securest VPN providers available today. The only downside to this service is that its functions are not offered for free, not even for short-timed trial. As a premium VPN for Android, the price of IPVanish is at $77 a year or $10 a month. A little salty VPN.
The salinity in price for IPVanish is somehow excusable when considering its full potentials. The service comes with over than 1,000 servers shared in 60 countries which total more than 40,000 shared IPs. It has unlimited peer-to-peer traffic (adding more to its download and upload speed) and never keeps track of your activity logs. Thus, improving the overall offered security features.
The 256-bit AES encryption secures your data, it enables full access to blocked websites and censored apps and allows unmetered switching from server to server.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN is a beast of a Virtual Private Network. Vypr, a VPN network provided by Golden Frog and GmbH has servers located in 70 countries, and it has around 700 VPN servers that supply over than 200,000 different IPs. These numbers genuinely describe the quality and potentials of this service.
Vypr VPN provider owns and manages the servers which supply its users with connection IPs. The fact that no third-party hosting service is involved with shared IPs offers a higher security for the users. Your transmitted data is always encrypted, and it has barriers that prevent untrusted WiFi networks and malicious sites from recording your activity.
With a free Vypr VPN account you receive a one-time 1GB of data usage and two simultaneous connections.
TunnelBear VPN
TunnelBear is the coolest and most entertaining VPN service of all times. It actually gives me more the feeling of playing a strategy game. The TunnelBear app for Android (and other mobile platforms) comes with a built-in map from where you can select server networks for connection from over than 20 countries (TunnelBear is a relatively new service and is still expanding.)
The app has some automatic functions that allow you to force the app to automatically connect to any server once you pair your Android to an insecure WiFi network or to networks that are not added in your checklist. You may also select apps for which the network will not be tunneled, and this means that you can still use your much-faster network to chat on Messenger and access via VPN once you open Hulu or Netflix app.
TunnelBear is a cheap VPN, with monthly pricing pre-set at $9.99 a month, but if you’re willing to buy a yearly subscription that price drops to just $4.99. New users that download the TunnelBear VPN app receive 500MB of free data bonus, and may increase the free data by one more GB for installing the TunnelBear app for computer, an extra one GB for each invited friend that signs up, and one more GB for tweeting about TunnelBear.
PureVPN
PureVPN is a premium VPN service that is made for individuals that want to access restricted websites and content and as well as for companies to ensure that their employees have anonymous communications for the outside world.
Pure VPN not only that encodes everything by tunneling the networks to a remote server but also has an antivirus of its own that protects users from advanced threats, malicious websites, and control which apps are allowed to run on the device PureVPN is downloaded. The app lets you choose which apps will run on your IP and which will be having their transmitted data encrypted and tunneled, it also encodes the data when connected to public WiFi networks and shuts down every Internet activity when the connection to the VPN is dropped. Leaving nothing for prying eyes to look at.
PureVPN has over than 80,000 VPN IPs for you to bounce from one location to another. It offers complete protection against IPV6 and DNS leak, and every new account comes with 2GB of free Internet data. The most significant thing about this service is its low pricing, even for a limited time, you can unlock PureVPN’s full potential for just $2.48 a month in a two-year pre-paid subscription.
TorGuard VPN
TorGuard VPN and anonymous proxy service is one of the top-rated services both for provided features and security. TorGuard offers over than 3000 dedicated fresh IPs shared across 50 countries of the world and supports five simultaneously connected devices with one account.
With TorGuard you can anonymously browse the web, use torrents, or view Netflix movies that are not available in your country without having to worry about access-prevention measures or activity logs. Torguard offers complete Ipv6 leak protection.
TorGuard VPN price starts at just $4.99 a month, and for each subscription, you receive a free anonymous webmail service.
HideMyAss VPN
HMA VPN (or Hide My Ass) is another favorite and affordable VPN service that allows everyone to hide their IP location and access to restricted websites or online content. HMA is part of the Avast Security (with Avast having one of the best security apps for Android), assuring secure and untrackable connection through its servers.
HMA VPN does not offer any data for free, and at nearly $12 a month is not the most cheap VPN for Android you can get. Although the yearly subscription priced at $79 drastically lowers its pricing. HMA just like the rest of VPN providers encrypts your data and makes sure your location and activity logs are undetectable.
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is an open source VPN service and is made for everyone that wants to learn the ins’ and outs’ of VPN services. To use the service as an open source you will have to set up an OpenVPN server of your own (here’s a guide on how to do that), and if you’re unwilling to go through all this process, you can still use it by importing your PrivateTunnel profile or other VPN profiles you might have.
SuperVPN
Super VPN is the best Free VPN for Android you can get at this time. It doesn’t have a large number of disposable servers like the most of the VPN providers listed above. But as it doesn’t ask for obligatory payments for its services, there’s little you can ask from it.
Super VPN for Android on free version has VPN IPs located in France, Canada, United States, and Germany. While for those that purchase the SuperVPN Pro service priced at just $5 a month gain access to IPs in Japan and England. There’s a Global VPN connection that randomly selects an IP from any of the countries the service has a server.
Norton WiFi Privacy VPN
Norton has been dedicated to developing antivirus and anti-malware software since 1991, and it commits its self to holding back hackers from an accessed authority on almost every type of digital device. The company provides a VPN service of its own named WiFi Privacy. The Norton VPN app, however, is not downloadable or accessible for free, and it tags one of the lowest prices in the market.
Norton WiFi Privacy VPN sells for just $39.99 a year, and if you’re not satisfied with the product, you can always ask for a full refund during the first month. Norton’s VPN app is the best option for anyone that’s not willing to spend money on a VPN, and that doesn’t easily get annoyed by display ads.
Private Internet Access VPN
The VPN by Private Internet Access is one of the best tools you can get to protect your private browsing data on mobile. Private Internet Access offers dedicated servers with unlimited bandwidth with its 3062 servers shared across 30 countries. The service is still expanding with more servers in new nations added now and then.
Besides encrypting and cloaking your IP location, this app also has filters that prevent you from opening malicious websites or from installing hijacked applications. It is a highly recommended and top-rated VPN app that encrypts connection on any network you choose to connect, blocks advertisement, stores no traffic logs, and allows you to connect up to five devices simultaneously.
ZPN Connect VPN
ZPN Connect offers one of the top free VPN proxy services for mobile users. With just one account signup, ZPN gives 10GB of free data usage to connect to VPN servers located in 20 countries. It is also quite inexpensive with premium subscriptions starting at $1.99 a month for 50GB of data and $5.99 a month with unlimited data traffic.
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited
VPN Unlimited by KeepSolid is an outstanding VPN service that targets individuals and businesses. VPN Unlimited makes it clear that its services are not proxy ones that only mask your IP but are actually really tunneling and encrypting every information your traffic transmits when connected to any of the available server IPs.
The KeepSolid VPN service supports mobile and windows users and as well comes with downloadable extensions for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers. It actually is the only service by far to have a dedicated application for Windows phones. With VPN Unlimited you can access restricted websites and also purchase a private new static IP to mask your network and use it over time. Pricing for the VPN Unlimited plans start at $4 a month, and there’s a lifetime subscription that costs just $149.99. The service has different deals for individuals and businesses based on what their requirements and expectations are. There’s a one-week free trial available for anybody willing to give it a try.
Speedify VPN
Speedify is well known for its VPN service for desktop, but as mobile users are rapidly outnumbering PC users, the company has decided to follow the flow and adapted. The Speedify VPN for Android has everything its Windows counterpart supports. Speedify VPN can VPN tunnel traffic from WiFi and cellular network and allows swapping through them with just one tap on the screen of your Android.
Every new user that signs up for Speedify receives one GB of free data that will be available for an entire month. Paid plans at Speedify VPN start at $8.99 a month and can be discounted for half of the price if the payments are selected yearly.
