Android phones have always been simple and safe to use. Whenever you feel like you need a new application for your mobile, you simply download it from the google play store and enjoy it’s easy to use interface.
However, there is always an apparent use of internet access by these apps and an android does not provide many options towards managing such access.
With active access to your internet data usage, sometimes these apps may get access to your personal data without your explicit permission.
In addition to this, with a plethora of android users in the world, the number of apps being created and developed has been increasing constantly. This brings out an issue of security regarding malicious software getting a gateway to your mobile device.
What is a Firewall App and Why is it necessary?
A Firewall App for Android basically refers to the first line of defense. It acts as a gatekeeper by filtering internet traffic for different active apps in your mobile device and uses configuration methods in order to determine whether to allow or block communications to and from these apps.
In a simple sense, firewall apps for android work towards privacy control, granular control, and blocking ads by restricting internet access for apps that use such access only for displaying ads.
Firewall apps not only help to diminish the risks of viruses but also put you in control. They help you decide what apps get internet access through your data connection and how much.
Although you can switch from either data or wifi for internet connection in your android device, it does not give options to stop apps from using the internet and this is where the firewall apps come in handy.
Best Firewall Apps For Android: Our Top Pick 👌
There are various firewall service apps available on the Google Play Store but not all of them are 100% reliable. Following is a list of the most commonly used and reliable Firewall Apps for Android that are available on the Play Store.
1. No Root Firewall
No Root Firewall is one of the best Firewall Apps for Android that are available on the play store. It has been developed by a company called Grey Shirts which has been in the market since 2012 and its current portfolio estimates more than 7 million installs.
There are only a few firewall apps on the play store that provide the level of security as produced by this app. No Root Firewall App issues a multiplicity of features along with complete protection of your android device.
Pros:-
1. One of the most important features of this app is that it requires no root. If you have been an avid user of firewall apps, you would notice that it is almost exactly like the Droidwall Firewall App except with no root required.
2. No Root Firewall App has an extremely simple interface and is easy to use. It does not require the user’s phone number or location and minimum permissions.
3. Using No Root Firewall App for android, you get to control as to what apps can or cannot have access to your internet data usage. It constantly notifies the user if a particular app on the android device is trying to gain access to the internet.
Furthermore, for additional control, you can also control whether a specific app should gain access to the internet over the wifi or your mobile data with just a single tap.
4. One of the other variegated features of the No Root Firewall App regards to the security of personal information. It helps to prevent your personal data from being given to the internet through the use of certain apps on your android device.
5. With this app, you can also deny or allow internet access based on Ip addresses, hosts, and domain names for specific websites.
6. No Root Firewall App is absolutely free with zero ads and no in-app purchases.
Cons:-
1. Now, one of the negatives for this app is that it does not support IPv6. This means that at times it may not function for LTE users.
2. Some of the users of No Root Firewall App may find the multiplicity of features and options a little bit overwhelming when used for the first few times.
Overall, No Root Firewall is a perfect solution for android firewall needs.
2. Mobiwol: No Root Firewall
Mobiwol is a firewall app for android that helps you take back control by monitoring and filtering internet data connections that are launched by the apps on your device.
It helps with the prevention of data discharge and management of data limits along with battery saver options. This app has one of the most easiest and appealing UIs due to which it has been a choice for many regarding their android firewall needs.
Pros:-
1. Mobiwol Firewall App for android is one of the only full feature ‘No Root’ apps available on the google play store. This refers to the fact that it can be used on any android mobile device whether rooted or not.
2. Through Mobiwol, you can now easily customize data permissions for the various apps on your android device.
You can allow or deny certain apps to use internet connection only when they are active on the foreground, allow/block ads for apps that otherwise function offline, and prevent these apps from draining your battery when in the background.
3. One of the important pros of this app is that it is extremely appealing and very easy to use. If you are a user of Mobiwol, you will notice that there are minimal complications in regards to the settings and options within the app which makes it very attractive to the average user.
4. Mobiwol: No Root Firewall app is the only firewall app on the Google play store which uses a data usage reporting feature.
This feature is very unique to Mobiwol in that it takes over the traditional inbuilt data usage feature of android and helps the user analyze and set data limits for each of the apps for the purpose of data maximization.
5. There is always real-time logging and tracking of connectivity that the apps in your device have with data connections, servers, and IP addresses.
6. Mobiwol also lets you know whenever an app tries to log in access to the internet through real-time notifications which can be either turned on or off.
7. Mobiwol is absolutely free.
Cons:-
The only problem with Mobiwol is that it contains ads in the app itself.
With a plethora of user-friendly features, Mobiwol: No Root Firewall is an excellent Firewall App for all your security and data customization needs.
3. VPN Safe Firewall- Free Proxy
VPN Safe Firewall- Free Proxy App for Android helps to protect and secure your android device.
This Firewall App has been designed and developed by Pro Tools Apps and is the choice of many for a safe VPN connection over the internet along with security from malicious software and data usage customization.
Pros:-
1. As you may have noticed from the aforementioned details for firewall apps, the security of all online activities is a very important function in which VPN Safe Firewall App performs duly.
This app aids the user by providing options to either allow or deny applications gaining access to individual web addresses and block any background access for apps that are unauthorized.
2.The VPN Safe Firewall app for android and all of its unlimited features are completely free of all charges.
3. As the name of the app itself suggests the VPN performance of this app is absolutely unparalleled when compared to other Firewall Apps available on the Google Play Store.
This means that the data connection speed is excellent when it comes to using the app’s VPN for changing the user’s location during internet activities.
4. In distinction to the aforementioned No Root Firewall App, the VPN Safe Firewall App works over WiFi, LTE, 4G, 3G, and all other mobile data carriers.
5. The app includes options for saving battery, data usage reduction along with privacy and security.
Cons:-
- The UI for the VPN Safe Firewall app is not very easy and user-friendly and does not have proper names or icons for apps in the log list.
- The app has pop-up ads.
4. NetPatch Firewall
Like the other Firewall apps on this list, NetPatch Firewall App for android is a fairly good firewall app that respects your privacy and gives you control regarding the internet data connection initiated by the different apps in your android device.
Pros:-
- NetPatch Firewall app does not require a rooted device and can function over either WiFi, LTE, 4G/3G, and other mobile carrier services.
- The NetPatch Firewall app enables its users to block or allow any app which is internet network-based, IP addresses, and other hostnames.
- NetPatch is a free app with 7- day trial for a premium account for every user.
- This app allows you to allow or block wifi or data usage over every app on your device along with the management of internet connection.
- The app has no pop-up ads whatsoever.
- General features include the battery-saver mode, reduction, and customization of data usage and privacy controls.
The premium features of the Netpatch Firewall App include viewership of all network logs (including IP addresses, duration time, activity time, and other hostnames), blocked requests if any, creation and subscription to IP and domain groups from internet networks, supporting root domain names, etc.
One of the features of this app that sets it apart from all the other apps on this list is that the NetPatch Firewall app helps you to allow or block internet access for the apps on your device even when the screen is off.
This feature is exceptionally helpful when you need to tame applications from associating with the web when you are not effectively utilizing your cell phone. When you open your device, applications can interface with the web.
The NetPatch Firewall app for android also has features that support Shadowsocks and Shadowsocks proxy which you may not find in other firewall apps available on the google play store.
Cons:-
- Although the NetPatch Firewall app is free when you download it from the google play store, it has certain in-app purchases which cause a hindrance for many users worldwide.
- Another con for the NetPatch firewall app is that you have to either subscribe from the network or create your own rules because the app does not have inbuilt rules which makes it harder to use for the average consumer.
The NetPatch Firewall app can be construed to be an all-functioning app regarding firewall needs and is generally prescribed for expert users in the field ready to spend a few bucks.
5. Karma Firewall
Karma Firewall App earlier known as Kronos Firewall app is an excellent choice for a firewall as it lets you take back the control of your android device and block internet traffic to and from specific apps over data usage access.
In the event that you would prefer not to manage confusing and complicated settings and progress highlights, at that point this application is for you.
The application has an exceptionally basic design and with only a solitary tap you can either allow or block an application from associating with the web.
The StarGW designed and developed app is relatively new as compared to the other apps in the list and has caught the attention of a lot of android users looking for a firewall app for their device.
Pros:-
1. As mentioned before, the User Interface for this firewall app is exceptionally amazing with minimal to zero complications while using the app which makes it so attractive to its user base. So it’s best suitable for customers that are searching for a basic firewall app concerning primary features.
2. Unlike other firewall apps for android, the Karma Firewall app does exceedingly well when it comes to saving battery. The app along with being so easy to use is very lightweight with only 1.81 MB as the download size.
3. The app requires no rooting of your android device which makes it suitable for all average users requiring minimal rooting expertise.
4. The Karma Firewall app helps in preventing offline apps from gaining internet access to your data usage for ads and blocks your personal information from being received by the network servers in different parts of the world.
5. A really big plus point for the Karma Firewall app is that it is one of the safest and most trusted apps on this list.
The firewall apps protect your privacy from other servers and apps accessing the data but who protects your device from these firewall apps? The Karma Firewall app requires the least possible number of permissions from your device which means that the app itself cannot communicate elsewhere.
6. The Karma Firewall app is absolutely free with zero ads and in-app purchases.
Cons:-
1. One of the main negatives that the users of the Karma Firewall app for android face is that there is no separate management of WiFi and Mobile Data. If you block a particular app from internet access, it will do so for both and vice versa.
2. There is no feature to allow only specific outbound traffic and allow the inbound traffic for a particular app in your device.
6. InternetGuard Data Saver Firewall
Fairly new on the Google Play Store, the InternetGuard Data Saver Firewall app is ideal for you, in the event that you need to impede all the organization traffic with a single tap.
This is one of the only firewall apps for android on this list and the google play store that has such a multiplicity of features regarding data security, privacy, and usage.
The interface is also very simple to use without any complications and has gained a lot of publicity after its release in December 2017. The app has been designed and developed by SheikhSoft with a portfolio of around 5-6 apps on the google play store including this one.
Pros:-
- The app is extremely simple to use with no rooting of the android device required.
- The InternetGuard Data Saver Firewall app guarantees that there is no tracking or analytics of user’s personal information and ensures safety and trust.
- The app supports Android 5.1 and later.
- The app supports IPv4/IPv6, TCP/UDP which enables it to function on all carrier services for your device.
- A user working through several devices can utilize this app for all the devices making the app exceedingly efficient.
- The app automatically identifies and notifies the user if any currently or newly installed app is trying to gain internet access from the device’s network connection.
- One of the main distinguishing features of this firewall app is that you can very easily allow or deny data connectivity for each and every app on your android device.
Cons:-
- The VPN connectivity of the InternetGuard Data Saver Firewall app for android is comparatively weak and disconnects automatically at times.
7. Firewalla
Firewalla is an across-the-board, straightforward, and very powerful firewall that interfaces with your switch, shielding your devices from cyberattacks and furnishing you with rich experiences about your network.
It offers progressed answers for shielding your own information, screen and control your children’s Internet utilization, and secure all gadgets in your network including IoT gadgets.
The Firewalla Firewall app has been designed and developed by Firewalla LLC and has a very easy-to-use User Interface.
Pros:-
- The Firewalla Firewall App for android helps to easily identify and block all the malicious software that enters through the network access communications initiated by the apps on your device.
- The app contains a built-in VPN server and a VPN client.
- The Firewalla app helps to block ads for offline apps on your device and allow/block internet access for such apps.
- The app has a very easy installation process and can manage multiple devices for the user.
8. Power Firewall Pro – Network Protection (No Root)
The Power Firewall Pro app for android is a fairly good choice for your primary firewall needs. It is very easy to use with zero or no complications involved with the interface.
Pros:-
- It is very easy and fast to control and helps to either allow or block apps on your android device from gaining access to the internet data over both Wifi or Mobile data.
- The Power Firewall Pro does not require rooting of your android device.
- The app helps the user to save battery life by utilizing a minimum battery by itself and through blockage of access to the apps on your device.
- Along with reduced data usage, this app helps to increase privacy for the user and block access to any background running app.
- One of the attractive features of this app is that it is available in a dark theme which is in sort of a trend for the apps available in the market.
- The app is absolutely free with no ads and in-app purchases.
Cons:-
- The app does not involve filters for apps in the list of items which makes it a little bit ambiguous.
Conclusion
In today’s world with an exceeding number of apps being developed every day, there has come a need for proper security facilitators towards privacy and blocking incoming and outgoing traffic that may infect your android device.
Firewall apps for android have thus become an integral necessity towards keeping your personal information and internet data safe and secure.
