5 Affordable VPN Services For Android In 2024
Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs in short, whether free or paid, can't guarantee absolute security, but using one is a step in the right direction. By masking your online identity, personal information, and internet traffic from the apps and websites you frequent and your ISP, a VPN can protect your privacy. At the same time, you browse and stream content on your Android device.
Unfortunately, with VPNs, the best-known names in the industry usually offer expensive subscription plans that might not be a practical solution for everyone. On the other end of the spectrum, free VPNs are, well, free, but you can't trust them, given that they're likely collecting and selling your user data, defeating the entire purpose of using a VPN in the first place. To help you find an effective alternative that balances cost with functionality, we've put together a list of five affordable VPN services for Android devices that you can consider looking into.
These services were selected primarily based on their affordability and the features offered for the price. Toward the end of this list, you'll find a more detailed methodology that explains how we selected these services.
Surfshark
What sets Surfshark apart from many other VPN services is that it offers unlimited simultaneous device connections. What this means for you is that you can protect all your devices with a single Surfshark plan. Beyond that, Surfshark's VPN helps protect your privacy online by connecting you to more than 3,200 servers across 100 countries. When connected to a VPN server, all ads and pop-ups are blocked, helping you view your content without any distractions.
You also get access to Surfshark's Alternative ID feature, which lets you create a new identity and email address for online registrations. Signing up for one of the higher-tier subscription plans will let you take advantage of other security features, like antivirus protection, webcam security, real-time alerts in case your credit card, email address, or personal IDs are part of a data breach, and data removal from people search sites and company databases, so you don't receive targeted promotional communication from businesses.
Surfshark has a no-log policy, which means the company does not store data about your online activity. Keep in mind, though, that the minimal personal information that is necessary for Surfshark to provide its services may be maintained for up to two years after you stop using the VPN. The company offers three plans — Surfshark Starter (priced at $2.29 per month), Surfshark One (priced at $2.89 per month), and Surfshark One+ (priced at $4.49 per month). These prices are only valid when you sign up for the two-year subscription, but you can cancel the plan within 30 days and receive a complete refund if you're not satisfied with the benefits.
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) has a global server network, with VPN servers spread across locations in 91 countries. Regardless of the location of the server you're connected to, PIA obfuscates your internet traffic, so it seems like it's coming from a normal source. The VPN provider has a strict no-log policy, which means your browsing data is never stored or sold.
Private Internet Access offers a split tunneling setup, which means you can choose to run certain apps through PIA's VPN servers, while trusted apps can connect directly to the internet. This can improve internet speeds and secure your data when you need it most. Subscribers can also take advantage of features like the kill switch and ad blocker for added security. If you want to take your online privacy one step further, you can even use PIA's multi-hop feature to route your traffic through more than one server.
Besides this, you can connect an unlimited number of devices to your PIA VPN plan and access 24/7 customer support as a customer. Currently, PIA offers a single subscription plan, with prices changing based on the duration of the plan. If you're trying to keep your VPN service as low-cost as possible, you can opt for PIA's three-year + four-month plan, which brings the monthly cost down to just $1.98. The annual plan has an average monthly cost of $3.33, while the monthly plan is the most expensive, costing $11.95.
NordVPN
While not the most affordable option on this list, NordVPN has consistently been one of the top VPN providers. With one NordVPN account, you can connect to one of over 6,300 VPN servers in more than 111 countries and secure up to 10 devices, including Android, iOS/macOS, Linux, and Windows devices. Paying slightly more for one of the higher-tier plans gets you access to more features like built-in malware protection, ad blocking, a password manager, and a data breach scanner, among others.
Unlike free services that throttle your speed when connected to a VPN, NordVPN offers robust connection speeds. Independent tests by AV-TEST in 2020 indicated that NordVPN's connection speeds exceeded those of comparable services in the market. Additionally, CNET's 2024 tests confirmed that NordVPN had the fastest speeds compared to services like ExpressVPN and Surfshark. Given this, if speed is a top priority for you, NordVPN might be the best choice for your needs.
The VPN provider offers three tiers of VPN services. The Basic plan, which is the most inexpensive and limited in terms of features, costs $3.09 per month for a two-year term. The Plus plan costs $3.99 per month for a two-year term but offers significantly more features, and the Ultimate plan is priced at $5.99 per month for the same term but offers more advanced perks, like 1 TB of cloud storage and cyber protection insurance coverage.
IPVanish
IPVanish might not be as popular as some of the other options on this list, but it's a feature-packed service that's budget-friendly, especially when you opt for the two-year plan. The VPN provider offers global server coverage, with over 2,400 servers located in more than 90 countries across the world. There are also over 4,000 IP addresses available to connect to, so your activity is less likely to be traced back to you. The provider offers fast speeds, thanks to its WireGuard protocol implementation, and you can connect to a WireGuard server if you're using a compatible Android device.
One of IPVanish's noteworthy features is that there are no device caps so that you can connect all your devices to a single IPVanish VPN plan. IPVanish also has a stringent no-log policy, which has, in fact, been verified through an independent audit by Leviathan Security Group. What this means for you is that the company does not log your details regarding your traffic data, search histories, app-related activity, upload and download content, and the source of your online streams.
If you're sold on IPVanish, you can purchase a two-year subscription for just $2.99 per month. This is the most cost-effective option, and you can take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not happy with IPVanish's features. The yearly plan, in comparison, costs $3.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs the most at $12.99 per month.
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN offers comprehensive protection for up to seven devices at a time. While this might seem limited compared to the other services on this list, most users will find this sufficient for their needs. You can connect a range of devices, including your Android phone or tablet, Windows PC or laptop, iOS/macOS device, smart TV, gaming console, and router, to the company's VPN server.
CyberGhost has VPN servers located across 100 countries, and you get unlimited bandwidth, ensuring you remain connected and can continue browsing privately without worrying about throttling or data caps. The service secures your data using 256-bit AES encryption, which converts your data into complex, unreadable code that can't be read by hackers. Features like the kill switch and split tunneling offer additional layers of security to keep your online data completely private. The company also has a no-log policy, so your browsing data, DNS queries, downloaded files, and connection data, among other things, are never made public. The company only collects essential information, like the number of successful and unsuccessful connection attempts, your username and email address, the frequency with which you use CyberGhost's services, and your billing information.
If you're interested in trying out CyberGhost, signing up for the two-year + four-month plan will give you access to the 45-day money-back guarantee. This guarantee lets you test out the service and request a refund if you're unhappy with it. The price for this plan is an average of $2.03 per month. Monthly and six-month plans are more expensive, so opting for the longer-duration plan will get you the best value.
Why these VPN services made it to this list
These VPN services were chosen primarily because they're cost-effective options for Android devices and offer a range of features that help keep your online data secure. We've also considered the data retention policies of each of these VPN services and made sure to only recommend the ones with no-log policies.
There are numerous myths about VPNs, including that these services slow you down. But the fact is that if you opt for a reputed service, like the ones listed above, you'll experience better privacy and security without your speeds being affected or your data being sold to marketers.