OpenVPN

Editors' ReviewDownload.com staffNovember 15, 2018Download and use the OpenVPN app for Android to connect to a VPN service. The open-source app doesn't provide the virtual private networking service. Instead, you first subscribe to a VPN service, like from AirVPN, and then use the OpenVPN app to connect to the service.ProsOpen-source client: Developed by Arne Schwabe, the OpenVPN app for Android is based on the OpenVPN 2.x source code. In contrast, other popular Android VPN clients differ from the community version of OpenVPN. OpenVPN Connect is based on the community version but was reworked to allow it to run on iOS. Another older client, OpenVPN Settings, requires you to root your phone to install and run.Easy enough to set up: From the website of your VPN provider, download a configuration file to your phone for the server you want to connect to. (AirVPN, Mullvad, and other popular VPN services make it easy to create and download this file to your Android phone.) Then in the OpenVPN app, tap the Import button over on the right (the plus sign), browse to the configuration file, and tap it to connect. SEE: The 9 Best Paid and Free Android VPNs You Can TrustConsYou have to like a bit of fiddling: If you're not comfortable with downloading and then locating a file on your Android device, you probably want to look to another VPN option, such as Private Internet Access.Bottom LineIf you want to subscribe to one of the best VPN services that requires you to use your own OpenVPN client to make a connection, you'll want to download the OpenVPN app for Android. It requires a few more steps to set up than most consumer VPN apps, but for many it's worth the effort.