Most consumer VPN traffic is trivially detectable. Standard WireGuard uses a distinctive 32-byte handshake, OpenVPN’s TLS negotiation has fixed cipher patterns, and even IKEv2 sits on named ports that any ISP netflow inspector can flag. If you are on a network that throttles or blocks VPNs (mobile networks in India during exam windows, ISPs in Russia after 2024, hotel and airline Wi-Fi that upsells “premium” access), you need obfuscation, not just encryption. These are the seven best stealth VPN apps for Android in 2026 that actively hide the fact that you are tunnelling.
Every app below runs on Android 9 and up, ships either a stealth protocol (Stealth, Stunnel, Shadowsocks) or WireGuard-over-TCP that looks like ordinary HTTPS. Prices are USD as of August 2026.
What to look for in a stealth VPN
Six criteria to evaluate. The first three are the difference between a VPN and a stealth VPN.
- True protocol obfuscation. Stealth mode, obfsproxy, Shadowsocks, or WireGuard-over-TCP/TLS, not just a “port 443” toggle.
- DPI resistance. Deep packet inspection should not be able to fingerprint the traffic against known VPN signatures.
- Bridge or relay support. For hostile networks, you want the ability to route through a first hop that hides the exit country.
- No-logs audit. A public audit, not a marketing page.
- Kill switch and DNS leak protection. Baseline hygiene.
- Open source client when possible. For an app that sees all your traffic, the code should be readable.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Obfuscation method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvad VPN | Cash-flat pricing, open source | No | €5/mo flat | WireGuard-over-TCP, bridges via Shadowsocks |
| Proton VPN | Free tier with unlimited data | Yes | $4.99/mo (annual) | Stealth protocol (proprietary) |
| Windscribe | Custom port choice | 10 GB/mo | $9/mo | Stealth (Stunnel), WSTunnel |
| IVPN | Audited no-logs | 3-day trial | $6/mo | Obfsproxy (v3), WireGuard-over-TCP |
| NordVPN | Country-restricted network | 30-day refund | $3.09/mo (2-yr) | Obfuscated Servers (OpenVPN + XOR) |
| Amnezia VPN | Fully self-hosted, DIY | Free client | Server cost | AmneziaWG, Shadowsocks, XRay |
| v2rayNG | Free + BYO server | Free | Free | VMess, VLESS, Shadowsocks, Trojan |
1. Mullvad VPN, best for cash-flat pricing and open source
Mullvad VPN is a €5/month flat-fee VPN with no accounts, no email required, and a public bridge network based on Shadowsocks. On Android, enable “WireGuard over TCP” plus “Bridge” mode and traffic looks like plain HTTPS to a Shadowsocks relay before reaching the WireGuard exit.
Where it falls short: the server list is small (roughly 50 countries), the flat pricing means no cheap multi-year deal, and Netflix works only on some exits.
Pricing:
- Free: no.
- Paid: €5/mo flat, pay by card, crypto, cash, or bank transfer.
Platforms: Android (and Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS).
Download: Google Play · Aptoide · F-Droid
Bottom line: pick Mullvad if you want the simplest pricing in the category plus real bridge support.
2. Proton VPN, best for a free tier with unlimited data
Proton VPN is one of the very few audited free VPNs with no data cap. The free tier is limited to three countries and does not include Stealth, but the paid tier’s Stealth protocol is a proprietary TLS-based obfuscation that works on networks where OpenVPN and WireGuard are actively blocked.
Where it falls short: Stealth is paid only; the free tier is standard WireGuard and gets blocked easily.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited data on three servers.
- Plus: $9.99/mo or $4.99/mo on the annual plan.
- Unlimited: $12.99/mo (bundles Mail, Drive, Pass).
Platforms: Android, plus every desktop OS and iOS.
Download: Google Play · Aptoide · F-Droid
Bottom line: pick Proton VPN if you want a paid stealth protocol from an audited provider plus the option of a real free tier.
3. Windscribe, best for custom port choice
Windscribe ships a Stealth mode based on Stunnel, plus a WSTunnel option that wraps WireGuard in WebSocket, plus the ability to specify any TCP port. On restrictive Wi-Fi that only permits 443, Stealth mode looks like TLS to any inspector.
Where it falls short: the free tier is only 10 GB/month, and Stealth requires the paid tier.
Pricing:
- Free: 10 GB/mo with limited countries.
- Pro: $9/mo or $69/yr.
- Build a Plan: $1/location.
Platforms: Android and every desktop OS.
Download: Google Play · Aptoide
Bottom line: pick Windscribe if you like fiddling with port choice on hostile networks.
4. IVPN, best for audited no-logs stealth
IVPN publishes annual no-logs audits by Cure53 and ships obfsproxy (v3) plus WireGuard-over-TCP. The Android client keeps the two protocols one tap apart. IVPN is small; the customer base is a fraction of NordVPN’s, which paradoxically helps in some blocked-country scenarios because IVPN exits are not in the top-100-known-VPN block lists.
Where it falls short: small server count (~100 servers).
Pricing:
- Free trial: 3-day.
- Standard: $6/mo, $60/yr.
- Pro: $10/mo, $100/yr (adds port forwarding, multi-hop).
Platforms: Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS.
Download: Google Play · Aptoide
Bottom line: pick IVPN if the audit trail matters more than breadth of servers.
5. NordVPN, best for country-restricted network breadth
NordVPN has “Obfuscated Servers”, an OpenVPN-XOR-based mode that wraps traffic in an extra layer to disguise it as ordinary TCP. On a NordVPN Obfuscated exit, most DPI tools cannot fingerprint the tunnel, and the server count in restricted regions is the largest of any provider.
Where it falls short: Obfuscated Servers are OpenVPN only; WireGuard (NordLynx) does not have an obfuscated variant.
Pricing:
- Free trial: 30-day money-back.
- Standard: $3.09/mo on the 2-year plan; $12.99/mo month-to-month.
- Plus and Complete: bundle password manager and cloud storage at higher tiers.
Platforms: Android and every desktop OS.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: pick NordVPN if you need the largest obfuscated network at the cheapest per-month price on a long commitment.
6. Amnezia VPN, best for fully self-hosted DIY
Amnezia VPN is a free open source client that turns any VPS into a private VPN with your choice of AmneziaWG (a modified WireGuard with variable packet sizes that resists DPI), Shadowsocks, XRay, or OpenVPN over Cloak. Because it is your own server, the exit is not on anyone’s known-VPN block list.
Where it falls short: you set up a VPS. If that sentence is unfamiliar, this is not your tool.
Pricing:
- Free client (GPLv3 open source).
- Server cost: $3-6/mo for a small VPS (Hetzner, Vultr, Digital Ocean, etc.).
Platforms: Android, plus every desktop OS.
Download: Google Play · F-Droid
Bottom line: pick Amnezia if you can run a VPS and want a stealth exit nobody has fingerprinted.
7. v2rayNG, best free stealth client for BYO server
v2rayNG is the reference Android client for the V2Ray protocol family (VMess, VLESS, Shadowsocks, Trojan). It is what you use when a friend or a service hands you a subscription link for a Shadowsocks or Trojan server. Widely used in mainland China and Iran precisely because of DPI resistance.
Where it falls short: there is no server included. You bring your own or buy a subscription elsewhere.
Pricing: free, open source (GPLv3).
Platforms: Android.
Download: Google Play or github.com/2dust/v2rayNG
Bottom line: pick v2rayNG if someone else runs the servers and you just need a reliable client.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the simplest paid pick with no tinkering: Mullvad VPN.
- If you want a paid stealth mode from an audited provider: Proton VPN Plus.
- If you need a real free tier and can live without stealth: Proton VPN Free or Windscribe Free.
- If the audit trail is what matters most: IVPN.
- If you need the largest obfuscated network for restricted regions: NordVPN.
- If you can run a $5 VPS: Amnezia VPN. It is the closest thing to invisible.
- If someone hands you a v2ray subscription: v2rayNG.
FAQ
Can my ISP tell I am using a VPN? Yes, unless you use an obfuscated protocol. Standard WireGuard and OpenVPN have distinctive fingerprints. Only Stealth, obfsproxy, WireGuard-over-TCP, AmneziaWG, or V2Ray-family protocols really hide the fact.
Is a free stealth VPN safe? Proton VPN Free and Windscribe Free are the two audited free VPNs. Skip anything else that claims to be free (they usually monetise by logging or injecting ads).
What is the difference between a VPN and a stealth VPN? A regular VPN encrypts traffic but the encapsulation is recognisable. A stealth VPN wraps traffic so it looks like ordinary TLS or Shadowsocks, which is much harder to block.
Which stealth VPN works in India during exam-time throttling? Users report Mullvad’s WireGuard-over-TCP bridges, IVPN’s obfs3, and any v2rayNG-based setup as the most reliable during periods of aggressive DPI.
What is the cheapest stealth VPN? Amnezia VPN plus a $3/month VPS is the cheapest option if you can set up a server. Otherwise NordVPN’s 2-year plan at $3.09/month is the cheapest turnkey option with obfuscation included.
