Rethink blends a WireGuard VPN with a transparent firewall and real-time network monitoring to block spyware, ransomware, and DNS manipulation. Open‑source and tracker‑free, it leverages 300+ global DNS locations for fast, secure connections. With 1,000,000+ total downloads and 35K in the last 30 days, it remains a notable tool in the TOOLS market.
Pros & Cons
WireGuard-based VPN for fast, secure outbound connections
Open source with no trackers
Comprehensive per-app monitoring and firewall controls
DNS protection across 300+ global locations
Not ranked in any top lists, limiting visibility in rankings
Marketing text is highly technical and may be less approachable for casual users
About Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN is a tools app developed by Celzero.
Download Statistics
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN has been downloaded 1.1 million times. In the last 30 days, the app was downloaded 35 thousand times.
User Ratings
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN is rated 3.86 out of 5 stars. The rating is based on 3.4 thousand ratings.
App Information
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN is FREE to download. The APK download size is 72.82 MB. The latest version available is v0.5.6. The last update was on August 9, 2026.
Technical Requirements
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN requires Android 6.0+ or higher. The app has a content rating of Everyone. The app has been available on Google Play since April 2021.
Description
Say hello to a safer, transparent, and secure Android.
VPN: Connects to multiple WireGuard VPNs of your choice.
Safe: Reveals network activity of installed apps and lets you disable, uninstall, or firewall them.
Secure: First line of defense against spyware, ransomware, and malware that steal personal information and takeover accounts. Protects from DNS manipulation typically employed to censor websites, social media, and messaging apps.
Fast: DNS Servers deployed to 300+ locations world-wide to ensure your internet is as fast and highly available as it can be.
Open: Open source and free of any trackers.
***Features***
Firewall: Prevent apps from connecting to the Internet. Block spyware, malware, ransomware and more.
A firewall blocks any app connecting to the Internet over WiFi or Mobile data. Since most forms of surveillance require the data to be sent the network to a server, firewalling them effectively mitigates the threat (File Managers, Alarm Clock, Calculator are few such examples of apps that do not require any Internet access to function). The firewall feature uses Accessibility Service to detect and firewall background applications.
Monitoring: Keep tabs on incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.
If enabled, the connectivity logs are collected and analyzed. Automated reports flag previously unknown or suspicious connections, and reveal the extent of attempt to steal data by spyware networks. In our tests, around 60% of the traffic is flagged and reported as being initiated by known spyware. Logs generated are made available in near-real time to the user for their own analysis.
WireGuard: Secure outgoing Internet traffic.
The app uses fast, modern, light-weight, and secure WireGuard protocol to encrypt outgoing connections to any compatible VPN provider of your choice.
Anti-censorship:
The app encrypts your internet connection to Domain Name System (DNS) server run by Rethink with presence in our 300+ locations world-wide. DNS servers are the address book of the internet: A DNS server provides the exact addresses you need to visit a website or open an app.
Data Monitor: Track per-app and per-connection Mobile or WiFi data usage.
Recent changes: New: Rethink Proxy Network, in partnership with Windscribe. New: Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) support for DNS. New: Configurable anti-censorship techniques. New: Bypass selected apps from all proxies. New: Automation support for apps like Tasker.
UI: Upgraded to Material 3. Improved stability, performance, and reliability.
Get a detailed PDF report for Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN with download trends, rating history,
and key performance statistics — useful for competitive research or tracking your own app.
Learn more
Are you the developer of this app? Join us for free to see more information about your app and learn how we can help you promote and earn money with your app.
Comments on Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN for Android
★★★★★Eduard Tikhenko· May 2, 2026
Please make possibility to block all AI domains.
★★★★★D. “Xerixs” Sam· Sep 20, 2026
This app is amazing for reclaiming control over Android's increasingly closed ecosystem, especially if you need to use an uprooted phone. It lets you control network activity for all your apps. While it is not perfect, it doesn't need to be. The features it provides (e.g. DNS management, IP blocking, a firewall, and proxy support) are more than enough for most general safety and privacy use cases. Honestly, these kinds of functionalities should be a native part of the basic Android OS.
★★★★★Keith White· Aug 4, 2026
Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN still works in 2026 impressed.
★★★★★Chris Ward· Jul 24, 2026
This app has got my back .the only app to combat the"Ivan the terrible firebase remote config from the malious developer causing great harm impairment. As the malious Developer co-opts every legitimate potential dangerous API, this app aggregates the developer consequently developer named an IRQ conflict as "Rethinking Blacklist ".txt Justice is served via Google backed MALIOUS developer! When is the 3-year ending career criminal?
★★☆☆☆Sharnali Haque· Jul 18, 2026
Actually, after the latest update, you have a problem. If you block WhatsApp, it opens automatically. No one should install this app. I uninstalled it. 🤬
★☆☆☆☆M. La Buse· May 20, 2026
doesn't work, I hit apply after selecting dns block lists but nothing happens. What is rdns plus? A subscription?
★★☆☆☆Rich Adams· Aug 23, 2026
Worked great originally, but latest update (0.56) broke local connections. Everything comes from 10.111.222/24 now, so local things that previously allowed my phone IP no longer do. Gave up trying to debug and just went back to 0.55u, which works fine. I know there's option to disable for local addresses, but the entire point is I want the firewall applied to everything. I don't want it changing source IP.
Google Play Rankings for Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN
This app is not ranked
Technologies used by Rethink: DNS + Firewall + VPN
22 permissions·42 libraries
Subscribe to see full permission and library details
Trust & Safety: Open source and tracker-free. The app requests a broad set of permissions including INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE, CAMERA, FOREGROUND_SERVICE, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SYSTEM_EXEMPTED, INTERACT_ACROSS_USERS, MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, POST_NOTIFICATIONS, QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED, USE_BIOMETRIC, USE_FINGERPRINT, WAKE_LOCK, WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE and DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION. Connectivity logs can be collected and analyzed when enabled to monitor traffic and security events.
Each subscription will automatically renew 3 days before the expiration date for
the same time period. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time before the renewal.
