OpenVPN Connect is the “official” application developed by OpenVPN Inc. and is intended to be more user-friendly for VPN users with no technical experience. It is less feature-rich than openvpn for Android, which is designed toward more advanced OpenVPN users.
Openvpn for Android, a free open-source client developed by Arne Schwarzbe, enables you to connect with any VPN service that is compatible with 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. The setup process is fairly straightforward. You just need to import your VPN profile files (the config files have an extension of.ovpn) which you can obtain from the website of your provider or by reaching their live chat support team.
After you’ve transferred your profile to the app, tap on the server to connect. Once connected it will ensure that all Internet traffic is routed through a secure tunnel and directed to the server selected by the app. You can see the status of your connection as well as information in the Status tab. The kill switch is turned on by default. It will block your internet connection if the VPN tunnel is cut off.
The app provides a per application VPN as well as an always-on option that automatically establishes an automatic VPN connection every time the app is opened and continues running even after your device has gone to sleep or switched networks. However, the latter feature requires Android 7.0 or higher and can make your battery run more than usual.
