Best Android Firewall Apps for Better Internet Security on Phones

Firewalls have been protecting desktops and private networks against unauthorized access since late 80s. And when mobile internet usage is overhauling every other device, it’s apparent that you need an efficient firewall for your phones too. So here are the best Android firewall apps that’ll provide you more security and control over your phone’s internet.

But do You Really Need a Firewall For Android?

Security on Android and PC works differently — so does the firewall. The use of a firewall on Android phones may not be as critical as PC, but it can help you manage the traffic and internet access for better security, data optimization and performance.

Best Android Firewall Apps

1. AFWall+ (Root Required)

AFWall+ is a popular firewall app for Android with over half a million downloads and bagging a rating of 4.2 stars on Play Store. It has a material inspired UI that makes it simple and easy to use and does the work of restricting the network access of the apps pretty well. You can not only disable internet access to the applications but also install and customize the firewall rules.

However, one thing that you may want to consider is that this app only works on rooted Android devices. So AFWall+ is a good option if you have a rooted phone. For the phones with no root access, check the other firewall apps on the list.

Features

• VPN Support
• LAN Support
• Tether Support
• IPV6/IPV4 Support
• Tor Support
• Material inspired Design
• Import DroidWall Rules

2. NoRoot Firewall

For all the unrooted phones, NoRoot Firewall is an ideal option. It provides a good combination of features and utility that you’re looking for in an Android firewall. You can easily manage the firewall of the app simply by checking and unchecking the boxes in front of the respective application. NoRoot Firewall has over 5 million downloads on Play Store with a 4.5-star rating.

While everything is perfect with this app, the only issue is it doesn’t support IPV6 so it won’t work with LTE connection.

Features

• Requires no root
• Provides fine-grained access control based on IP/hostname/domain name.
• Simple and easy to use UI
• Requires minimal phone permissions

3. Mobiwol

Mobiwol is another firewall app for android that doesn’t require root access. While other android firewalls provide varied options that sometimes get complicated, Mobiwol has kept it simple with minimal options. Just select the apps you need to block internet access and that’s it. In fact, that’s what makes this firewall so popular with over million downloads.

Features

• No root requires
• Notifies when newly installed apps access the internet
• Easy enabling and disabling the internet for individual apps
• Allows to disable background activity of the apps
• Dashboard for data usage monitoring

4. Netguard

Quite similar to Mobiwall, Netguard is a minimalistic Android firewall that enables easy control of internet access over individual apps. It has good settings management and some advanced options like app blacklisting or whitelisting. And the best part this is one of the firewalls on the list that requires no root access. When compared to NoRoot firewall, Netguard gives some better functionality such as IPV6 support and easy to use interface. So, if you are looking for a simple firewall for your Android and do not want to get into some advanced configuration — Netguard is the app for you.

Features

• No root required
• 100% open source
• Ad Free
• IPv4/IPv6 TCP/UDP supported

Wrapping Up

There are thousands of Android firewall apps in the market but the above-mentioned list should be exhaustive. Use any of these apps that suit your needs and control unwanted internet access. Moreover, for better security of your mobile, always download applications from trusted app stores.

Suggested Read: How to Improve Mobile Phone Security