NetGuard - no-root firewall

Marcel Bokhorst, FairCode BV

In-app purchases

About this app

NetGuard is an internet security app, which offers simple and advanced ways to restrict apps' access to the internet.

Applications and addresses can individually be allowed or denied access to your Wi-Fi and/or mobile connection. Root permissions are not required.

Blocking access to the internet can help:

• reduce your data usage
• save your battery
• increase your privacy

Features:

• Simple to use
• No root required
• 100% open source
• No calling home
• No tracking or analytics
• No advertisements
• Actively developed and supported
• Android 5.1 and later supported
• IPv4/IPv6 TCP/UDP supported
• Tethering supported
• Optionally allow when screen on
• Optionally block when roaming
• Optionally block system applications
• Optionally notify when an application accesses the internet
• Optionally record network usage per application per address
• Material design theme with light and dark theme

PRO features:

• Log all outgoing traffic; search and filter access attempts; export PCAP files to analyze traffic
• Allow/block individual addresses per application
• New application notifications; configure NetGuard directly from the notification
• Display network speed graph in a status bar notification
• Select from five additional themes in both light and dark version

There is no other no-root firewall offering all these features.

If you like to test new features, you can participate in the test program: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/eu.faircode.netguard

All required permissions are described here: https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/master/FAQ.md#user-content-faq42

NetGuard uses the Android VPNService to route traffic to itself, so it can be filtered on-device instead of on a server. Only one app can use this service at the same time, which is a limitation of Android.

The full source code is available here: https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard

Ratings and reviews

Really good app. I personally use it more for the privacy aspect to block apps that I do not want to connect to the internet but it also help save mobile data too. After years using the free version it I finally jumped to pro version. The free version will be enough for most users but the good work deserves to be rewarded so consider going for the pro version. I also really appreciated the fact that it is open source and updated frequently. It is not completely perfect, I would have liked to be able to use a n external VPN on the top of it and an even better battery usage when activating advanced feature like traffic filtering. The author gives rather clear answers on these so I'll still give it 5 stars.

Despite Google's persistent efforts to try and take this app down, it's easily the best firewalls for Android. If I could give it 10 stars I would. Google are clearly fearful of less ad revenue and despise any app that might provide consumers with more data privacy and choice, like this app clearly can. Google are driving tech savvy customers away with some of their more recent decisions. Personally, I am divesting myself from as many of their products as I can.

This app did everything it claims to, and did it very well. My wife's phone dropped wifi for some reason, and her favourite app used her entire phone data quota in a couple of days. I installed NetGuard and it worked. After using it for a couple of days I was so impressed that I paid for the pro version even though I don't really need the extra features, because I appreciate good software. I can't understand the negative reviews from people who expect more from an app than it claims. Thank you.

What’s new

* Updated to SDK 36