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Best Android VPN for gaming in 2025

The best VPN for Android will be essential for privacy on your smartphone, and we have an overview of the best options, with ExpressVPN as the top choice.

Which is the best Android VPN in 2025? Our phones are one of the main ways that we access the internet, so it only makes sense for us to protect our privacy while we do so. This includes protecting you from unpleasant players who might try DDoS attacks when playing online, as well as paving the way for you to access geo-restricted content.

Below, we've got an overview of some of the best mobile VPN providers that specifically work well with Android. We've assessed them based on their compatibility with popular games, their price, speed, privacy features, and general usability. Every option below can be trusted to offer a decent service and enhance your mobile gaming experience.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

NordVPN

NordVPN

Best Android VPN overall

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NordVPN specifications:
Server range 111+ countries
Compatible apps YouTube, Snapchat, Netflix, Call of Duty: Mobile, TikTok, and more
Free trial No free trial
Money-back guarantee 30 days
Simultaneous connections 10
Router support Yes
Average latency (ping) 24.94ms
Average jitter 15ms
Pros
  • Fastest VPN
  • Works with most streaming platforms
  • Speedy encryption with WireGuard protocol
Cons
  • One of the more expensive options
  • No free trial

You've probably already heard of NordVPN, because since its founding in 2012, it's cemented itself as the de facto VPN for many internet users. It's well deserving of its solid reputation too, as it offers a fantastic level of performance and a robust suite of privacy features.

During our testing, we found that it was notably faster than other major providers like ExpressVPN. When you're at home, you might encounter artificial slowdown because your internet service provider (ISP) doesn't like you using a lot of bandwidth. However, with a speedy service like NordVPN, you can mask your activity (limiting the ISP's ability to slow things down) and potentially give you a faster, smoother experience than you've encountered before.

One thing we love about NordVPN is that it has continuously expanded its service over the years. Even just comparing its current offering to what was available at the start of the decade, you can see an increase in countries covered by the server selection, an increase in its simultaneous connection allowance, and even the addition of a NordVPN eSIM called Saily. Admittedly, Saily is a separate product, but there are frequent offers available that get new subscribers various Saily benefits for free.

Though it isn't the cheapest VPN (nor, I hasten to add, the most expensive) it's a case of getting what you pay for, with its impressive WireGuard protocol enabling swift encryption, and compatibility with pretty much all the major mobile games. It's easy to see why it's a popular choice, and while it might drain your battery just a little faster, that's true of any VPN you might use.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

Best premium Android VPN

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ExpressVPN specifications:
Server range 105+ countries
Compatible apps Tinder, Roblox, Disney Plus, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and more
Free trial No free trial
Money-back guarantee Money-back guarantee
Simultaneous connections 8
Router support Yes
Average latency (ping) 34.81ms
Average jitter 44ms
Pros
  • Servers span 100 countries
  • TrustedServer system adds an extra layer of privacy
  • Lightway protocol encrypts data really quickly
Cons
  • Costs a bit more than other popular providers
  • Lack of free trial
  • Small connections cap

VPNs are at their most annoying at times when you try to launch your favorite game (or app) and find that you can't because the VPN is banned. Of all the providers on this list, ExpressVPN is the least likely to give you this problem because of the frequency with which it refreshes its VPN servers' IP addresses. So if one of them gets blocked, before long it'll have a new IP address and should have no trouble worming its way back in.

ExpressVPN loses out to NordVPN by just a hair's breadth. Our only real reasons for putting it lower are that, A) it's the most expensive of the popular VPN choices, and, B) it's came out a little slower than NordVPN in our testing, which is a pity. For the price, you'd expect it to be the fastest of the bunch. (It'd also be nice to get a free trial, but, hey, VPNs almost never give them for some reason).

For the especially privacy-conscious among you, the addition of ExpressVPN's TrustedServer system will also be a selling point. What it does is make it so it's actually impossible for the servers to write any data on your internet activities, so you don't need to worry about your secrets sitting inside some business's database.

Like NordVPN, it also has the benefit of being compatible with all the major games and apps that you're likely to use on your Android device. Besides, even in the rare instance that it is not, the IP refreshes we talked about earlier should rectify that issue. It essentially does everything you could want it to.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

Surfshark

Surfshark

Best VPN for unlimited connections

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Surfshark specifications:
Server range 100+ countries
Compatible apps TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Pokémon Go, FIFA Mobile, Roblox, Minecraft, and more
Free trial One week
Money-back guarantee 30 days
Simultaneous connections Unlimited
Router support Yes
Average latency (ping) 32.44ms
Average jitter 31ms
Pros
  • Allows unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Seven-day free trial
  • Decent price
Cons
  • Smaller server total than others
  • Fewer server locations

Just as a shark has a seemingly unlimited number of teeth as you stare into its gaping maw, Surfshark allows you to have an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. That's particularly handy for anyone who has a large household that they want to keep private online - and though you might expect that to be quite an expensive service, it remains a relatively cheap VPN, and one that has a VPN free trial for anybody who wants to test the waters before committing.

If you want to download region-exclusive games, or get region-exclusive bonuses in games you already play, this VPN should make it easy for you to do so. Meanwhile, as it is compatible with most major streaming services, we'd say that it's one of the best VPNs for streaming too. You could use it to turn your phone into an international entertainment center.

It's worth noting that its servers span a smaller selection of countries than other providers, so if there are certain countries that you want to have covered by the service you're using, then it's worth checking the locations available on the Surfshark website to make sure they are covered. Nonetheless, though Surfshark's selection may be modest compared to other leading providers, it still blows a lot of the smaller VPNs out of the water in this regard.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost

Best VPN for streaming

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CyberGhost specifications:
Server range 100+ countries
Compatible apps FIFA Mobile, Minecraft, Roblox, Genshin Impact, Twitter, Facebook, Netflix, Disney Plus. and more
Free trial 24 hours
Money-back guarantee 45 days
Simultaneous connections 7
Router support Yes
Average latency (ping) 45.19
Average jitter 16
Pros
  • Broad streaming compatibility
  • Longer money-back guarantee
Cons
  • Small connections cap
  • Not as speedy as others

Gaming on your phone is great, but what about those of you who like watching movies and TV shows on your phone just as much, if not more? Well, to you, I recommend CyberGhost. This VPN is compatible with just about every major streaming platform, as it is notably cheaper than the likes of NordVPN and ExpressVPN, it saves you a bit of money to spend on Netflix or Disney Plus.

While it is a little slower, this won't really be an issue for streaming. The slowdown will essentially be imperceptible to everyone other than super-competitive gamers. Casual gamers are also not likely to notice much difference here, and it will still protect you from DDoS attacks and give you access to content that is usually not available in your region.

It is a pity that you only get seven simultaneous connections here, especially when you have no cap with Surfshark, and even NordVPN and ExpressVPN have upped their limits recently. Still, if you're only planning to use it on your phone for streaming and gaming, then this isn't going to be a problem.

All things considered, if you're after a cheaper mobile VPN to use on your Android device, then this is probably the best option. If you've got any reservations, you can still fall back on its 45-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to get a full refund at any point within the first month and a half if you'er unhappy with anything at all.

How to choose the best Android VPN

If you're getting a VPN on your phone for the first time, the sheer breadth of choices can be daunting and overwhelming. However, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind which should help make the choice a little easier. First and foremost, you're going to want to make sure that the VPN has a decent mobile app that'll work on your device (and this applies to everything on this list, if you've got an up-to-date Android phone).

Next up, you're going to want to check compatibility. Do you want to access region-exclusive content on a certain game? If so, I recommend reading up on the experience of other players who have tried it with a VPN on. If you can't find the specific insight you're after, most VPNs have a 30-day money-back guarantee, during which time you can get a full refund at any point. This provides plenty of time for testing.

The next consideration to remember is the range of countries that each of them cover. For instance, if you are interested in accessing geo-restricted content, you will need to ensure that your VPN of choice actually has servers in that region. The big VPNs typically cover 100 or more countries, but you can find complete lists by heading over to their official websites.

There's also the matter of privacy features. Privacy is the primary benefit of a VPN for most users, and while every VPN has something to offer on that front, they've each got a slightly different suite of features. For instance, while this is common among all of the choices in this list, not every VPN has kill switch (which severs the connection in the connection if the VPN drops, so none of your data leaks).

Last but not least is the pricing issue. If you've really not got the budget to spare, there are a few free VPNs out there, but not many. Most of them make their money back by selling the data they acquire from you while the VPN is on. Others might even deliver malware onto your device. There are genuine free ones too, though they usually come with a monthly data cap. I strongly recommend doing a bit of background research before going for any free VPN.

If you've got any other questions about using an Android VPN, check out the FAQs below:

Do Android devices have a built-in VPN?

Not universally, but phones in the Google Pixel family (7 onward) do have a built-in VPN. Nonetheless, many users still choose to opt for a dedicated VPN service. This is due to the fact that the free offering is generally very primitive. While it can give you a little extra privacy, you won't get the superfast protocols, additional privacy features, or breadth of connection points that the likes of ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or Surfshark offer.

Is VPN safe for Android?

Yes, assuming that you use a trusted and reliable VPN, it is perfectly safe. Dodgy ones might add malware to your phone, or record your data, but this is not a risk with any of the options included in this list.

How much does a VPN cost?

VPN prices vary significantly. Some of them are free, while others might set you back about $10 a month. However, if you go for the plans where you commit to a year or two in one go, you're going to get a significantly cheaper price. You have to pay upfront, of course, but if you divide it by month, you're typically getting a bargain of about 80 - 90%, so it makes a lot of sense to go for longer plans. Remember, the 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to back-out.

Still want to scope out the market a bit more? Check out our guide on the best iPhone VPN if you have multiple devices you need to protect. You should also read our Roblox VPN guide if you plan on using one with that game specifically.

See PCGamesN for an updated guide to the best gaming VPN to use in 2025.