Your mobile phone is one of your most valuable assets: it stores your personal information, pictures, and private communication.
It is no surprise that there are many threats to your privacy and security looming right around the corner in the information age.
Luckily, you can prevent this. A firewall app on your Android phone can significantly eliminate malware, viruses, and security threats.
This article will reveal the top 5 best Android Firewall applications you can download today from Google Play Store.
Before we show you our top picks for the best firewall apps for Android, let us first understand what firewalls are and how they work.
What Are Firewall Apps?
The firewall is a type of software that has been around since the 1980s. It protects users while they access the internet and provides their home network with security.
The way that the firewall protects users is by restricting unauthorized users from accessing your private network. Effectively, this allows a firewall to control network traffic across the internet.
Though initially designed for desktop computers, firewall apps for mobile devices are available today. Depending on what mobile device you have, you need to evaluate whether or not you need a firewall.
Do I Need A Firewall For Android?
You may not need Android firewall apps if you’re an Android user.
The android operating system is based on the Linux Kernel. This means it is secure against most viruses and malware by design – a feature that most Linux systems have.
That is not to say that getting a virus on your phone or downloading malware is impossible. For example, if you download an app from a third party, your phone may no longer be secure.
If you have one or more third-party apps installed on your phone, you should consider downloading a firewall app.
Another reason you may want to consider a firewall is if you run server-side processes on your Android device. If so, your Android device will handle incoming internet traffic. In that case, you need a firewall for security.
Does My Phone Have Firewall?
Android phones do not have a built-in firewall by default. So, unfortunately, if you want to set up a firewall, you must download one from the Play Store.
Once you have a firewall app downloaded on your phone, you can turn it on by starting the app and enabling the firewall connections. Remember that you must give the app permission to turn on the firewall.
Stick around, and we’ll reveal our picks for the best firewall apps for Android.
What Kind Of Connection Do I Need?
This question gets asked frequently, as different users have different internet connections.
Generally, as long as you have internet access, you should use Android firewall apps on all modern Android devices.
Most firewall apps for Android work on both mobile data as well as Wifi networks. Your data may not be secure if you’re on a public wifi network. On the other hand, mobile data users have nothing to worry about.
For support of different network protocols, check the individual page for each Android firewall app.
Why Does My Android Firewall Show Up As a VPN Connection?
If you’re using a firewall, you may notice that it shows up as a VPN connection each time you connect to the internet.
This is normal – some Android firewall apps use the VPN packaging module available on Android, which shows up as a VPN connection. This simple method allows firewall apps to access the internet without requiring root.
Despite the VPN icon appearing on your mobile screen, the firewall application does not send external data. So, effectively, there is no extra data usage. Such applications also do not interfere with personal data and are built for security, so there is no need to block them.
Top Five Best Firewall Apps For Android
Counting down to our best firewall app for Android, we have ranked each app according to features, ease of use, ease of access, and system interface.
Some firewall apps may require you to root your Android device, and some applications may also have in-app purchases.
Make sure you check the individual requirements of the firewall app you want before you download it.
With that said, here are our picks for the best firewall apps for Android:
Net Patch Firewall
Key Features
- Device root not required
- Free to use
- Control over individual applications
- Manage applications with screen off
- Shadowsock/ShadowsocksR support
To start, we have the Net Patch Android firewall app.
The net patch is a “No root firewall app.” This means you do not need root access to your phone to run this app.
Net Patch protects your internet connection and data from unauthorized access. This is good if you want to control traffic and manage your connections, as it keeps your network safe from threats.
The app also lets you customize app usage from the settings menu. For example, you can block apps and their internet access and allow traffic from the apps you like.
One feature unique to Net Patch is blocking traffic even when your phone’s screen is off. The app also supports Shadowsocks and ShadowsocksR proxy, unlike its competitors.
Although it is free to download and works fine, the free version supports simple features. You will have to unlock the full version using in-app purchases for more advanced features.
Mobiwol Noroot Firewall
Key Features:
- Device root not required
- Dashboard to manage data usage
- Allows control of other applications
- No ads
Next up, we have the Mobiwol Noroot Firewall Android app.
As the name suggests, Mobiwol Noroot is an Android firewall app that requires no root. A completely free firewall, Mobiwol does not include any ads or in-app purchases.
The reason why we like it so much? It allows you to control any app running in the background. With Mobiwall, you can control the connectivity of your installed apps through a built-in app interface and settings as you like.
The Mobiwol Noroot Firewall app also alerts you when a new app tries accessing the internet. Additionally, it provides complete data visibility for those who want to monitor their data usage.
Mobiwol Noroot firewall is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a feature-rich no-root firewall. Download it now for free from the Google Play Store!
Afwall+
Key Features
- VPN Support
- LAN Support
- Tethering Support
- Multiple network connection support (IPv4/IPv6 TCP/UDP)
- Tor Support
If you’ve already rooted your device and are looking for an Android firewall, Afwall+ is one of the best options. The app has over half a million downloads and 4.1 stars on Play Store.
AFWall+ has a simple UI that works smoothly. You can use it to prevent any app from accessing the internet or allow and manage existing connections. This makes it great for security, as you can block internet access to any app anytime.
You can use AFWall+ with any protocol you want; not only does it support IPV6, but it also works well with TCP/UDP. In addition, the firewall runs smoothly over any internet connection, both mobile data and Wifi.
The app is also completely free to use without ads. Although there are no in-app purchases, you may want to donate to the app developers if you like the app. In that case, you can purchase the AfWall+ unlocker or the AfWall+ donate apps from the play store.
Note that Afwall+ requires you to root your device. If you’re looking for an Android firewall app that requires no root, check out one of the other apps on our list.
Netguard
Key Features:
- Device Root not required
- Open-source app
- No ads
- Multiple network support (IPv4/IPv6 TCP/UDP)
- Easy-to-use Interface
- App blacklist and whitelist
Netguard is an Android firewall app that requires no root. This makes it an attractive option for users who use vanilla Android and have not rooted their devices.
Unlike Mobiwall, Netguard is a minimalistic firewall app for Android that focuses on ease of use without compromising on features.
The app is entirely open-source; not only does this make the app free to use, but it also provides access to developers to improve security features constantly.
Although Netguard and Mobiwall are similar, Netguard offers advanced features like blacklisting and whitelisting apps. This allows users to block specific apps and control internet access for installed apps.
Another advantage of Netguard is more connection support. As Netguard can support IPV6, it does not have an IP address restriction. It also has a built-in VPN, which you need to access for the app to work correctly.
Noroot Firewall
Key Features
- Device root not required
- Simple and easy-to-use UI
- Requires minimal phone permission
- Access control settings
- Block-specific internet access
On the top spot of our best Android firewall apps, we have Noroot firewall.
Noroot firewall is a simple and easy-to-use Android firewall app that requires no root on your phone. Instead, it works by restricting unauthorized apps’ internet access over mobile data or Wi-Fi.
The firewall access control settings allow you to block anyone from using your connection. For example, you can block through a user’s IP address, domain name, or hostname. This level of security options is rare among firewall apps, giving Noroot firewalls that little bit of extra edge.
With Noroot firewall, you can also decide which apps can connect to the internet through the app’s simplistic UI.
This is where Noroot firewall truly shines; unlike other apps with complicated UI, Noroot has less cluttered menu options. This makes it easy to control which apps can access the internet.
If you like using a firewall that requires minimal user permissions, Noroot firewall is one of your best bets. You can use the app comfortably, knowing your data is safe, and you do not need to block the app from accessing specific services.
So what are you waiting for? Download Noroot firewall today to make your internet usage secure!
Final Thoughts
We have shown our picks for the best firewall apps, some requiring root and others not. Make sure you select the one which is best for your Android phone and meets all your requirements.
Depending on your app preferences and phone usage, you may not need an Android firewall on your phone.
However, if you’re looking to be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to download a firewall for your security over the internet. As they say, when it comes to cybersecurity: Better safe than sorry!
