How to Get and Use NordVPN on Android — 2024 Setup Guide

NordVPN is among the most popular VPNs available. It is frequently promoted by popular YouTubers and receives praise from various reputable sources, including us. However, what is the VPN like to use on mobile devices, and how can you get NordVPN on Android?

After extensive testing, I found that NordVPN’s Android app is just as impressive as the desktop version. In this article, I’ll explain multiple methods to install NordVPN on Android and highlight some of the key features it offers on this platform. Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

Get NordVPN for Android

Quick Summary: How to Get NordVPN on Android

Getting NordVPN on Android: Detailed Steps

The following steps explain how you can get NordVPN on your Android device. You can get it by downloading it directly from the Google Play Store or by sideloading an APK that you can download from the official NordVPN website.

Before getting NordVPN on Android, it’s worth subscribing to it through the official website. This ensures you get the best price for your chosen plan and can use the 30-day money-back guarantee without issues if you’re unsatisfied.

Subscribing to NordVPN

Installing via the Google Play Store

Sideloading via APK

How to Customize The NordVPN Connection on Android

Changing Protocols

NordVPN’s Android app lets you choose from 3 protocols: NordLynx, OpenVPN (TCP), and OpenVPN (UDP). You can easily switch your protocol by navigating to the app’s settings, accessing the VPN protocol menu, and tapping your preferred protocol.

NordLynx is NordVPN’s proprietary protocol based on WireGuard. It provides airtight security without compromising speeds and is generally the best option. As for the OpenVPN protocols, TCP is more stable but slower than UDP, while UDP is faster and better for high-bandwidth tasks. You can also choose the ‘Automatic’ option to let the app decide the best protocol for you.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling is a useful feature that lets you customize which apps use the VPN tunnel. This is useful when you want to stay on your local connection for banking and shopping apps. It’s easy to set this feature up from the settings menu — just enable it and pick the apps you want to exclude from the VPN tunnel.

Noteworthy NordVPN Features on Android

Meshnet

Meshnet is among NordVPN’s best features and is available in the Android app. Meshnet lets you set up your own network of devices, letting you safely share files and media, set up gaming servers, and more while staying completely safe.

Meshnet even lets you use another device on the network as a VPN server, sharing its IP address. This is especially useful when you’re on the go and want to access a service using the IP address of your home network.

Specialty Servers

Another highlight is that NordVPN’s Android app includes all its specialty servers, including the following options:

• P2P — allows P2P traffic to ensure safe and smooth torrenting.
• Obfuscated — masks your VPN activity to bypass VPN detection mechanisms like deep packet inspection.
• Onion over VPN — routes your traffic through the VPN server and the Tor network for added safety.
• Double VPN — routes your traffic through two VPN servers for an extra layer of protection.

You can easily find all the specialty servers on the front page of NordVPN’s Android app. Note that they may be a bit slower than the usual NordVPN servers for tasks like gaming, streaming, and web browsing, so you should only use them when safety is a top priority.

Threat Protection

Threat Protection blocks annoying ads and malicious websites, and it’s available in NordVPN’s Android app. What’s great about this feature is that you can choose to enable it even when you aren’t connected to NordVPN, ensuring your browsing activity stays protected at all times.

Dark Web Monitor

NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor informs you about leaked credentials that get compromised in data breaches. Once enabled, this feature will scan your NordVPN account email and let you know if your accounts on other websites were leaked.

I like that NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor isn’t limited to the email you subscribed with. You can add multiple extra emails to monitor, and the app will let you know whenever any of them are involved in data breaches.

Tapjacking Protection

Tapjacking protection is a simple yet effective tool that keeps malicious services or websites from tricking you. It lets you know when an overlay is tricking you into clicking something dangerous, ensuring you don’t accidentally compromise your security or privacy.

FAQs on NordVPN

Safeguard Your Android Connection Using NordVPN

In conclusion, following the above steps will easily get you NordVPN on Android. Before downloading it onto your device, you should subscribe through its official website, as this will let you get the VPN for as low as $2.99/month.

Regardless of your chosen plan, NordVPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for all subscriptions purchased from the official website. This lets you try the app risk-free and see if it suits your needs before committing to your purchase.

Try NordVPN for Android