VPN for Android
Encrypt your Android phone's connection on any Wi-Fi network or mobile data. Kill switch, split tunneling and servers in 70 countries, one tap from your Quick Settings.
7-day free trial on every plan, through Google Play
Why use an Android VPN?
Your phone changes networks all day, and each network owner can see where your traffic goes. GatewayVPN keeps one encrypted tunnel open through every switch.
One encrypted tunnel, every network
Public Wi-Fi
Cafés, airports and hotels can't read what you send.
Travel →
Use your home banking and apps from abroad.
Streaming →
Watch your home library on residential IPs.
Gaming →
Hide your IP from other players in mobile lobbies.
Torrenting →
Hide your IP from peers and your ISP.
Android VPN app features
Three settings that matter most on a phone, plus the basics that run in the background.
Kill switch
Built on Android's Always-on VPN. If the connection drops, Android blocks all traffic until GatewayVPN reconnects.
Split tunneling
Choose which apps skip the VPN, or which apps use it. Works with Always-on VPN when "Block connections without VPN" is off.
Automatic protocol
Connects with WireGuard first and falls back to another protocol if a network blocks it. You can also pick one yourself.
- Reconnects automaticallyAfter a drop or a network switch
- Fastest serverOne tap picks the best server for you
- Ping indicatorSee each server's latency in the list
- 5 devicesOne account for your phone, tablet and more
How to set up GatewayVPN on Android
Four steps, about two minutes. Android asks for permission once, the first time you connect.
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Install the app
Get GatewayVPN from Google Play on your phone or tablet.
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Start your trial or log in
Pick a plan through Google Play, or log in with your account.
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Tap connect
Use the fastest server, or choose a country from the list.
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Allow the VPN
Tap OK on Android's connection request. It only asks once.
Optional: turn on the kill switch. Open Android's VPN settings, tap the gear next to GatewayVPN, and switch on Always-on VPN.
Full setup guide →Always-on VPN and the kill switch
GatewayVPN's Android kill switch uses two of Android's own settings. Turn on one or both, depending on whether you also want split tunneling.
Always-on VPN only
- GatewayVPN starts when your phone does
- Reconnects on its own after a drop
- Split tunneling works
- Apps can use your normal connection for the moments the VPN is reconnecting
Best if you use split tunneling
Always-on + Block connections
- GatewayVPN starts when your phone does
- Reconnects on its own after a drop
- Android blocks all traffic until the tunnel is back
- Split tunneling has to be off
Best on public Wi-Fi and for torrenting
Good to know: even with Block connections on, Android sends a brief connectivity check outside the VPN when you join a new Wi-Fi network. It doesn't carry your browsing, but it can reveal your real IP to the server Android checks.
VPN by Google vs GatewayVPN
Pixel 7 and newer phones come with VPN by Google at no extra cost. It's a solid layer for public Wi-Fi. It isn't built to change your location.
If you own a Pixel and only want Wi-Fi protection, it may be all you need. If you want to pick a country, stream, or protect more devices, that's where GatewayVPN comes in.
Details on VPN by Google from Google's Pixel help center.
| Feature | VPN by Google | GatewayVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Pixel 7 and newer only | Any Android phone or tablet, plus Windows, Mac, iPhone and routers |
| Choose a server country | No, assigned for you | Yes, 70 countries |
| Streaming | Not built for it | Residential IPs on every server |
| Split tunneling | Exclude apps | Exclude or include apps |
| Kill switch | Android Always-on VPN | Android Always-on VPN |
| Account | Google account | GatewayVPN account, no activity logs |
| Price | Included with Pixel | $4.99/mo on the 12-month plan, 7-day free trial |
Free Android VPN apps: what's the catch?
Running VPN servers costs money. When an app doesn't charge you, it pays for those servers some other way, and researchers have found that many free apps don't protect your traffic as promised.
- 283
- Android VPN apps from Google Play analyzed in a 2017 study by researchers from CSIRO, ICSI and UC Berkeley
- 18%
- didn't encrypt the traffic they tunneled at all
- 84%
- leaked traffic outside the tunnel
Ads and trackers
Many free apps embed tracking libraries that profile what you do, the opposite of why you installed a VPN.
Your data as the product
A VPN sees every connection you make. An app that doesn't charge you can log and sell that.
Limits that push you to pay
Data caps, slow servers and a handful of locations. If you'll upgrade anyway, pick a provider you trust from the start.
Source: ICSI, "Study: Many free Android VPN apps not secure"
How GatewayVPN protects your Android
Anyone on your network sees the same thing: an encrypted stream to a GatewayVPN server. Your DNS lookups go inside the tunnel to our own DNS servers, and the server keeps nothing once you disconnect.
- ChaCha20-Poly1305 with WireGuard, AES-256-GCM with OpenVPN and IKEv2
- RAM-only servers, no activity, DNS or connection logs
- DNS leak protection on every server
Servers in 70 countries
No bandwidth limits, residential IPs for streaming and torrenting allowed on every server. Three ways to pick one:
Let the app decide
One tap connects you to the best server for where you are. The right choice for everyday privacy.
Go by ping
The server list shows each location's latency. Pick the lowest number for gaming and video calls.
Pick a country
Need to appear somewhere specific, like home while you travel? Choose from 70 countries.
One account, 5 devices
Start on your Android phone or tablet, then use the same login on your other devices, including a subscription bought on Google Play.
- Android phoneYou are here
- Android tabletSame app
- Windows10 and 11
- macOSBig Sur and later
- iPhone/iPadApp Store
- RouterCovers TVs, consoles
Not supported by the Android app: Chromebooks, Android TV and Fire TV. For TVs and consoles, set up GatewayVPN on your router. A router counts as 1 of your 5 devices.
Get GatewayVPN for Android
Try any plan free for 7 days through Google Play. Every plan renews at the same price.
- 7-day free trial
- Same price at renewal
- 5 devices
- 24/7 support
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people ask most about GatewayVPN for Android.
Still have a question?
Our support team replies around the clock, usually within 30 minutes.
Contact support →Every plan includes a 7-day free trial when you subscribe through Google Play, and you aren't charged during those 7 days.
If you don't want to continue, cancel in the Play Store under Payments & subscriptions › Subscriptions before the trial ends. If you don't cancel, the plan you picked starts automatically.
Yes. Log in with the same account on Windows, macOS, iPhone and iPad, or set it up on your router. One subscription covers up to 5 devices at the same time.
Partly. Android's "Block connections without VPN" setting stops all traffic outside the tunnel, including apps you've excluded, so split tunneling only works with it switched off.
You can keep Always-on VPN on with split tunneling. GatewayVPN still starts with your phone and reconnects after a drop.
A little. Your phone does extra work to encrypt and decrypt traffic, so some added battery use is normal.
GatewayVPN connects with WireGuard by default. It's a lightweight protocol built to need less processing than older ones like OpenVPN, which keeps the extra drain small.
Yes. It works on 4G, 5G and any Wi-Fi network, and reconnects on its own when your phone switches between them. Encryption adds a small amount of data on top of what your apps use.
Android shows a key icon whenever a VPN is connected. When you see it with GatewayVPN on, your apps' traffic is going through the encrypted tunnel.
No. The Android app is for phones and tablets only. To protect a TV or console, set up GatewayVPN on your router. Every device connected to it is covered, and the router counts as 1 of your 5 devices.
In most countries, yes. A few restrict or ban VPNs, so check the rules where you live or travel. Using a VPN doesn't make an illegal activity legal.