OpenVPN Connect is the “official” app from the OpenVPN Inc. and is intended to be more user-friendly for VPN users with little technical expertise. This means that it is less feature-rich than the openvpn android app which is designed for more advanced OpenVPN users.
Openvpn for Android is a no-cost and open source client made by Arne Schwabe that lets you connect to any VPN service that supports the OpenVPN protocol. If your device doesn’t support the pre-configured VPN applications available on the Google Play Store, this is a great alternative. Setup is relatively easy. You just need to import your VPN profile files (the configuration files have an extension of.ovpn) which you can obtain from the website of your provider or by calling their live chat support team.
If you’ve imported a profile, just tap the server you want to connect to in order to connect to the server. Once connected, your Internet traffic is directed through a secure tunnel to the server specified in the application. The Status tab allows you to check your connection’s details and the status of your connection. The kill switch is enabled by default. It will shut off your internet connection when the VPN tunnel is dropped.
The app offers a per-app VPN as well as an always-on option that automatically creates the VPN connection every time the app is opened and keeps it running even after your device has shut down or switched networks. This one however requires Android 7.0 and higher, and may drain your batteries more than usual.
