ExpressVPN for Android: Review & Testing Results (2026)
We tested the ExpressVPN Android app on multiple devices, focusing on battery impact, performance, and how well the mobile-specific features work.
Setup on Android
The ExpressVPN Android app is available on the Google Play Store and as a direct APK download from ExpressVPN's website — the latter is useful in regions where Play Store access is restricted. Setup involves downloading the app, logging in, and granting VPN permissions. It takes under two minutes.
The app supports Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and later, covering the vast majority of active Android devices. We primarily tested on Android 14 (Pixel 8 Pro) and Android 13 (Samsung Galaxy S22).
Battery & Performance
Battery impact is one of the most common concerns with mobile VPNs. In our 8-hour standby test with the VPN active, the Lightway protocol added approximately 6–9% battery drain compared to no VPN. OpenVPN added around 12–16% in the same test. This is competitive with other major VPN providers.
Speed performance on Android mirrors desktop results on nearby servers. Long-distance connections (e.g., connecting from Europe to Australia) showed higher variability, which is expected.
Android-Specific Features
Auto-Connect on Untrusted Networks
Automatically connects when joining unknown Wi-Fi networks. A genuinely useful feature for users who regularly use public hotspots. Works reliably in our tests — the VPN was active within 2–3 seconds of joining an untrusted network.
Split Tunneling
Works correctly in Lightway mode on Android — a notable advantage over the Windows client. You can select specific apps (e.g., banking apps, local streaming) to bypass the VPN.
Network Lock (Kill Switch)
Available on Android but requires enabling in settings. Uses Android's built-in Always-On VPN feature under the hood, which is more reliable than app-level implementations.
Dark Mode
The app respects system-level dark mode settings on Android 10+. A small but appreciated detail for night-time use.
Streaming on Android
We tested streaming unblocking from an Android device connected to a US server. Netflix US, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video all loaded without issues. BBC iPlayer and DAZN also worked. Geo-restricted YouTube content (e.g., region-locked music videos) was also unblocked correctly.
Limitations on Android
- No Threat Manager (available on iOS but not Android as of testing)
- Shortcut widget not available on Android (only iOS)
- No dedicated tablet UI — the phone layout scales acceptably but isn't optimized
Android Verdict
The Android app is solid and well-maintained, with genuinely useful auto-connect and split tunneling functionality. Battery impact is lower than most rivals thanks to Lightway. The main gap relative to iOS is the missing Threat Manager. For most Android users, this is a very capable VPN app.
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