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

Works good but on my phone it seems to lose the apps randomly and a refresh usally doesnt help. Even a phone restart usally doesnt work. Usally they do seem to randomly reappear. I dont have the pro version. Would be perfect if there was some way to be able to use a VPN at the same time. I think that is an android problem though.

Works well for blocking sites. A few reasons I can't give it a higher rating. 1. To block sites you have to select from a list of what you've visited. You can't just type in the address. So you can't block a site without visiting it first. 2. The app randomly blocks text messages. I have to disable it to send them. I can reenable it and they will send fine for a while. There are no filters on my SMS app, so this shouldn't happen. A 2nd SMS app has the same issue. I've also had it block Maps.

Thus far, the app is excellent. You do need to spend a few minutes on the setup. I would also like to know if Netguard is willing to give a small discount on PRO version, as I am semi-retired and do a mass of pro Bono work, and my monthly bill for Apps, internet, telephones, and miscellaneous is staggering. In closing, I repeat that the app is top notch.

What’s new

* Reduced number of reloads
* Small improvements
* Updated build tools