A VPN software works like a relay between your internet connection and the website that you are trying to access. A VPN will route all your internet traffic through another network, and this allows you to hide your original IP address from the services that you are using. This also helps prevent data breaches while using a public network.
This can be extremely helpful for people who browse on the public Wi-Fi connections often, these public Wi-Fi networks are often used by multiple people and are not very safe to share private data on them. VPN also helps unblock websites that have region restrictions or are blocked by your internet service provider.
Also Read: How To Use Your iPhone As Webcam – Enable Better Zoom Calls During This Lockdown!
There are many features and elements to consider before choosing the right VPN for you, there are thousands of options available in the market right and it can be extremely overwhelming to choose one among then.
Cost: VPNs are available in free and premium variants, while paid VPNs offer a much better quality of service without any advertisements, speed limits, or data throttling, not everyone is interested in signing up for an additional subscription. Paid VPNs offer high levels of privacy and security making it a better option for privacy-focused users.
Privacy: The best VPNs in the market do not keep any activity logs or connection logs such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. There are many other VPN offerings that might be cheap but often less secure, you can choose between the different VPN providers based on the level of privacy being offered by them.
Location: The location of the VPN provider is an important aspect in determining the end-user experience, most VPN providers offer multiple locations and it is important to choose a server location closest to you in terms of physical distance to get the lowest response times and the highest internet speeds.
Security: While most of the premium offerings come with good security features, there are some VPN providers than add an extra layer of security. Express VPN adds IPv6 and DNS leak protection while NordVPN goes an extra step in obfuscation and Double VPN.
There are more than enough options to chose from and all of them offer great Android support. Ultimately what you choose boils down to the smaller details or personal references.
When determining the best VPN for Android you need to look out for a few things mentioned above. You might also be using the VPN on more than one device, so it is important to ensure that it works with your computer operating system and has enough licenses to cover all your gadgets.
Best VPN Apps for Android
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the options that is quickly gaining popularity and there is a lot to like about it. The service comes with a dedicated app and is extremely user friendly. It also comes with some neat options such as location picker and insecure network detection, there is also a kill switch to improve privacy and security. ExpressVPN boasts 256-bit AES encryption and has consistent speeds.
Also Read: How To Stop Android Apps Running In The Background!
ExpressVPN has high-quality apps for a wide range of devices, the Android app provides access to high-speed servers across over 94 countries and supports Phones, Tablets, Android TV and even Kindle devices out of the box.
After signing up for an ExpressVPN subscription the website will provide you with instructions to install the app on your device via Google Play Store or APK.
While ExpressVPN is not the cheapest option out there, it certainly is worth the money you pay for it if you want the best Android experience. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to test the service without any issues. The ExpressVPN comes in three pricing plans. You save big on the 12-month plan and get an extra three months free.
Pricing: Approximately Rs 975/month or Rs 6,000 for a year
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is hugely popular with over 10 million downloads and a very high Google Play Store rating. It comes with notable benefits such as Double VPN technology that passes your connection through two separate VPN servers adding an extra layer of security. NordVPN also has a zero logs policy which means that it doesn’t track the user’s online activity.
The focus for the app is mainly on security and privacy but the service doesn’t miss out on other features either. The Android app is easy to use and pretty basic, it doesn’t come with too many configuration options.
There is also a desktop app with many more features and a better experience. There is an option in the Android app that allows it to turn on the VPN automatically whenever you connect to a Wi-Fi network to enhance your online browsing. The performance is pretty good and there is also a live chat if you run into any issues.
There is also a custom DNS server option and allows you to use OpenVPN TCP instead of UDP. While these are not ground-breaking changes, these are nice little added bonuses for more experienced users. NordVPN also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and the multiyear offer offers a very good deal.
Price: Approximately Rs 900/month or Rs 6,300 per year. Also available at Rs 6,300 for 2 years
