I'm sure you already know why you're here. If you don't, try doing that thing where you
retrace your digital steps until you have that "Oh! That's what I was doing," moment.
VPNs are pretty powerful tools that help us maintain an ounce of privacy on the
internet while also giving us access to foreign streaming catalogs. Obviously,
there's a lot more to them than that, but those are the two primary reasons the
average person uses a VPN. These nifty little tools aren't just exclusive to your desktop,
though. In fact, if you have an Android device, you've got a number of options at your disposal.
So, I'm going to take you through some of the best - and worst - Android VPNs out there. But,
just to make things a little interesting, I'm going to play a game of Jenga throughout this
video. If I lose, you guys can make fun of me in the comments. If I win,
I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ll have nothing to make fun of me for.
Without further ado, let's get into the video. Hit it!
Starting us off is a favorite of the internet, ExpressVPN, which,
by the way, we have a discount link for in the description of this video. Give
it a click, and you’ll receive 49% off your ExpressVPN subscription. How cool is that?
ExpressVPN really ticks all the right boxes, and while it is a little more
expensive than its competition, it's one of the best and most consistent
performers around. It's a fantastic option for privacy, thanks to its
strict no-logging policy that ensures none of your identifying information is logged.
It uses the OpenVPN protocol in tandem with AE256 encryption, keeping all of your data
secure from pesky internet spies. ExpressVPN also recently introduced its own protocol,
called Lightway. It's just as secure and offers quicker connection and download speeds.
Of course, the great thing about ExpressVPN is that it can be used
on practically any device. It's got apps for mobile devices and desktops,
including Chromebooks and Linux systems. The company does a fantastic job of regularly
updating its apps, and most bugs that we come across are often fixed in good time.
Android users will enjoy a beautiful interface with controls that are easy
to understand and a wonderfully simple setup process. Simply open up the app,
hit the ON button to use the VPN, choose a VPN location either from the list of
recommended locations or from a list of all available options, and you’re done!
ExpressVPN works across a range of Android devices, including Samsung, Nokia, Huawei,
LG, Google Pixel, and more. You’ll be able to auto-connect to untrusted Wi-Fi networks, enjoy
the benefits of advanced leak protection, in-app troubleshooting for your technophobic moments,
and a network protection kill switch that will stop all traffic if ExpressVPN can’t connect.
For its excellent privacy features and comprehensive app suite, we're putting
ExpressVPN in the Great category. When he's done, he says "Nice" and thumbs up the camera.
Next up, it's the spooky CyberGhost
CyberGhost offers one of the largest VPN server networks in the world,
accessed by a pretty little client and powered by the latest and greatest in the world of VPN
technologies. However, it doesn't include some of the privacy features that its competitors do.
CyberGhost offers NoSpy servers, which, according to the company, are specially-tuned servers
in a high-security facility in Romania, which is CyberGhost's home. Additionally,
this VPN offers malware and ad blocking, and while these can be useful features, I generally
recommend using a standalone 3rd-party ad blocker and antivirus software for the best results.
The CyberGhost Android app gives you access to some pretty sweet benefits,
like Wi-Fi Protect, which will let you know when you’re about to connect to a
public network with no security. It also offers One-Tap Connect,
which helps you hide your IP with just one tap thanks to the app’s simple, fresh UI design.
While it might offer some pretty good security and privacy features, I'm not a fan of the
less-than-adequate integrated ad blocking, and the high subscription cost which starts
at a steep $12.99, is a bit of a letdown too. So, I'll be putting CyberGhost in the Good category.
Josh slides the icon, which has a sad face on it, over to the
Good category.
NordVPN is up next. And, you’ll be happy to know
that we’ve got a discount link for you in the description of this video,
which will get you 68% off if you use it to sign up. It’s a steal if you ask me.
Its accelerated NordLynx speeds, Bitcoin support, and P2P-optimized servers make
NordVPN an almost irresistible choice. While it doesn't have the best OpenVPN speeds,
it's a great VPN all-around and works well for Android devices.
NordVPN scores quite well in the privacy category, thanks to its strong AES-256-GCM encryption,
as well as perfect forward secrecy support to regularly change keys. This means that,
even if a nasty internet villain manages to penetrate one of your browsing sessions,
they'll be locked out of the next one.
This VPN also has a few other tricks up its sleeve that help boost your privacy further,
like Onion Over VPN, which routes your traffic through NordVPN's own
network first before directing it over the Onion network and to its
final destination. While this extra layer of privacy does slow the service down a little,
it makes it super difficult for anyone to trace activity back to you.
NordVPN’s Android app is compatible with Android 6.0 and above, so you’ll be able
to take full advantage of its features even if your phone’s a little out of date.
These features include malware protection via NordVPN’s Malware Protection Lite,
one-tap security, as well as Kill Switch protection for Android 8.0 and up.
All of my technophobe viewers will be delighted to know that NordVPN has
an extensive range of over 50 tutorials that explain how you can set the app up,
including coverage of 20 different platforms, Android included.
For its excellent privacy features, swift connection speeds, and great user support,
I'm putting NordVPN in the Great category. Way to go, buddy.
Josh gives the NordVPN icon a thumbs-up. Let's take a look at ProtonVPN next
If you hate paying for things, you'll be happy to know that ProtonVPN offers
some of the best free subscription tiers out there. If you don't mind paying for things,
its paid tiers offer great access to a range of privacy tools for a
perfectly reasonable price, with the Basic plan costing just $4.35.
Unfortunately, that's pretty much where ProtonVPN's pros end. My testing found
that ProtonVPN reduced upload and download speed test results by more than 80% and 70%,
respectively, while also increasing latency by an alarming 77%. Of course,
your results might differ, so take those stats with a grain of salt.
The app itself tries to redeem Proton with its clean user interface and simple design. The app
will direct you to use the quickest server in the country of your choice, which is nice, but that's
about it for unique functionality. It offers Proton’s signature Secure Core VPN, which protects
your connection by running your traffic through several servers before leaving the Proton network
for added security. The app also comes with NetShield, which is the company’s adblocker that
not only filters out those pesky ads – Josh swats away a swarm of ads that hover around his face –
But also protects you from malware and other harmful internet processes.
Overall, ProtonVPN is just an OK VPN and could be a good choice if you're not a fan
of coughing up your hard-earned cash. For this reason, I'm putting it in the Ok tier.
Moving swiftly along, it's the internet's favorite aquatic carnivore,
Surfshark. We’ve got a discount link for you in the description of
this video – you already know what to do. Josh gives a knowing look to the camera.
Surfshark has long been a force to be reckoned with in the VPN world,
boasting a large collection of privacy tools, a fantastic app, and unlimited device connections.
Its full suite of features totally justifies its slightly pricier monthly plan, in my opinion.
One of Surfshark's most appealing features is Whitelister, which is a split-tunneling tool that
lets you decide which apps and websites use your VPN connection and which don't. It's endlessly
useful since some sites block VPN access, so you'll have to disable it to get to them.
Multi-hop is another feature that you don't see in many VPNs nowadays. It creates a VPN
connection to a server and then bounces your traffic to another server to provide some
extra security. Some of the highlights of this VPN's privacy suite include a custom
DNS service called Smart DNS, an ad-blocker called CleanWeb,
Surfshark Alert, and Surfshark Search, which is a search tool that respects your privacy.
There is so much to like about Surfshark that it's
impossible not to put it in the Excellent category, so that's exactly where it'll go.
Finally, we have IPVanish
It's a relatively obscure VPN that's compatible with most devices out there, allowing for several
simultaneous connections. Unfortunately, if you were looking for a VPN to let you watch
your favorite k-dramas from foreign Netflix catalogs, IPVanish is going to disappoint you.
You're only able to access Netflix through their US servers, which basically means that
you'll only be able to access American Netflix catalogs. Kind of a letdown,
but if streaming is not that important to you, then it's not too disappointing.
However, IPVanish does let you access HBO, Crunchyroll, NBC Sports,
and a few other streaming websites. As for its privacy, IPVanish uses AES-256
encryption, as well as various security protocols that suit different needs.
IPVanish happens to have one of the more impressive Android apps we’ve
seen. It features a navigation menu with direct links fixed to the bottom of all app screens,
which makes for quick access throughout the app. You’ll also be able to build a Favorites
list for your most-used servers, so you can save a little more time when activating the VPN. And,
perhaps most interestingly, is IPVanish’s OpenVPN Scramble,
which serves as an extra layer to counteract sites with firewalls that detect OpenVPN.
Overall, it's a fairly basic VPN that doesn't have a whole lot to offer,
which is why I'm just gonna slide it over to the Ok category.
There you have it, folks: our tiered list of some of the most popular VPNs for Android
devices. Do you agree with our rankings? Let us know in the comment section below.
And that brings us to the end of the video!
If you enjoyed watching and want to catch all of our other videos,
be sure to subscribe and give this video a thumbs-up. Your support helps the channel a lot!
It also means that I’ll be able to continue playing Jenga in later videos, and we all know
how fun that is. Bye!