I built a WireGuard-only Android VPN after getting fed up with bloat. Here’s the story, the numbers, and what I’m shipping next.
Hey IH! I’m a solo dev and long-time VPN user. After years of bouncing between big providers, I was still dealing with cluttered apps, dark patterns, and endless server lists that didn’t feel real. So I built the thing I wanted to use every day.
What I built
Ox VPN is a simple Android VPN that connects in one tap. It’s WireGuard-only, has a small curated server list, and the free tier shows an ad only before you connect. No casino-style UI. No “10,000 servers” claims. Just connect and go.
Why this might be different
One tap to connect, then get out of your way
WireGuard only, for quick handshakes and solid speeds
Curated, working locations instead of a noisy list
Free tier with ads before connect only; Premium later for no ads and priority routes
Clear privacy stance: no activity logs (yes, no logs) on VPN servers; diagnostics are optional and only to fix bugs
Early numbers (first couple of weeks)
Store conversion ~22% after a screenshot and copy refresh
400+ total installs and growing
DAU is small but climbing as I tune connect reliability and reduce ad pressure
Top regions: IR, IN, UK, US, DE (interesting spread for a solo app)
What went wrong (and what I fixed)
First version had too much onboarding and felt slow to connect. I cut onboarding to two screens and tightened the connect path.
Ads felt heavy to some users. I now cap interstitials and only show them before connect.
Listing copy was generic. I rewrote it to be plain English and policy-safe.
What’s next (near-term roadmap)
Server list improvements: optional ping and load indicators if users find them useful
Transparency page: “what we collect / don’t collect,” server providers, and uptime
Intro annual for Premium when I’m confident about retention and support load
How you can help
Tear down my onboarding: what still feels unnecessary?
Tell me if ping/load chips would help you choose servers or just add noise
Share any Android edge cases I should test (device, OS version, captive portals, hotel Wi-Fi, etc.)
Stack
Flutter app, Android VpnService, WireGuard, small backend for health checks and routing.
Play link (tracked):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noughtpoint.oxvpn&referrer=utm_source%3Dindiehackers%26utm_medium%3Dpost%26utm_campaign%3Dlaunch_story
I’ll be around in the comments and will share follow-ups with the data I gather and the changes I ship. Thanks for reading — and for keeping me honest.
