The Best Free & Paid VPNs for iPhone

5 Best Free & Paid iOS VPN Apps

1. 1. ExpressVPN: Best VPN for iPhone

   The best overall VPN for iOS, with a fast and user-friendly app.

   Ranked #1 VPN for iPhone

   

    96% 

   (1,774 user reviews)

   Visit ExpressVPN

   Pros

   • Very easy-to-use iOS app
   • Supports all Apple devices, including iPad & Apple TV
   • Fast mobile connections
   • Streams Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO & more
   • First-class privacy and security features
   • 24/7 live customer support

   Cons

   • No kill switch
   • Little integration with iOS features
   • More expensive than its rivals

   Overall iPhone & iPad Rating: 9.6/10

   This VPN's overall iOS rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. Learn more here.

   • iOS App:
     9.59.5/10
   • Apple System Integration:
     9.89.8/10
   • Logging Policy:
     9.69.6/10
   • Speed:
     9.29.2/10
   • Streaming:
     9.69.6/10
   • Encryption & Security:
     9.79.7/10

   With its intuitive and easy-to-use app, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for all iOS devices including iPhone and iPad.

   The one-tap connect button makes securing your Apple device as simple as possible. The VPN also works with the most recent iOS software updates on iPhone, iPad, and even Apple TV.

   Although it’s more expensive than other VPN services, ExpressVPN includes enough advanced features to make it worth the extra money.

   Cheapest Price	$6.67/mo over 15 Months See all plans
   Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection	88Mbps
   iOS App Store Rating	4.5
   Apple TV Support	Yes

   Compatible with all Apple devices

   ExpressVPN’s intuitive iOS app could not be simpler, even if you’ve never used a VPN before.

   A large connection button in the center of the screen makes the app very easy to use, even on smaller iPhone screens. When connected, the top half of the app will glow green to confirm the VPN is on.

   ExpressVPN’s app for iPhone and iPad.

   ExpressVPN was also one of the first VPNs to work on all Apple devices. What’s more, the VPN subscription comes with MediaStreamer, ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS service.

   MediaStreamer lets you unblock streaming platforms on your Apple TV, which doesn’t allow full-VPN apps onto its App Store.

   As the Apple Watch shares a network connection from the iPhone, ExpressVPN will encrypt your watch data, too.

   Fast speeds for unblocking streaming apps

   ExpressVPN is an extremely fast VPN for iOS. Connecting to a nearby server, our VPN speed tests revealed a download speed loss of just 7.9%.

   Even better, ExpressVPN maintained a high average speed when connected to servers around the world.

   The VPN’s impressive speed performance is down to the introduction of its bespoke Lightway VPN protocol. In fact, Lightway is much quicker to reconnect than most other protocols.

   Our tests found that Lightway is more than twice as fast as OpenVPN connecting to a VPN server. So, when your iPhone is switching between WiFi networks and cellular data towers, you won’t notice a drop in connection.

   These fast speeds help make ExpressVPN the most reliable VPN for streaming on iOS. The VPN unblocked every content platform we tested, including US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, and DAZN.

   No kill switch and relatively expensive

   There are a few drawbacks that hold ExpressVPN back from being the perfect iOS VPN.

   Primarily, it does not have a kill switch on iOS, despite it being present on ExpressVPN’s other applications.

   If your VPN disconnects, your real IP address will become visible. Although we didn’t experience VPN connection drops in our tests, this serious privacy issue needs to be rectified.

   The VPN service is also more expensive than the other VPNs on this page. However, features like split tunneling, 24/7 live chat, and best-in-class privacy features make ExpressVPN worth the extra cost.

   To test the VPN first, take advantage of ExpressVPN’s seven-day free trial on iOS.

   Visit ExpressVPN

   or read our full ExpressVPN Review.

2. 2. NordVPN: Fastest VPN for iOS

   Secure iOS VPN with fast speeds and advanced features.

   

    94% 

   (246 user reviews)

   Visit NordVPN

   Pros

   • Includes advanced iOS features
   • Intuitive app for iPhone & iPad
   • Smart DNS feature works on Apple TV
   • Very fast speeds
   • Private logging policy
   • Built-in kill switch for added protection

   Cons

   • Map interface is awkward on iPhone
   • Doesn’t accept PayPal payments
   • Server breach in 2018

   Overall iPhone & iPad Rating: 9.5/10

   This VPN's overall iOS rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. Learn more here.

   • iOS App:
     9.29.2/10
   • Apple System Integration:
     9.89.8/10
   • Logging Policy:
     9.59.5/10
   • Speed:
     9.59.5/10
   • Streaming:
     9.59.5/10
   • Encryption & Security:
     9.89.8/10

   NordVPN is a very good alternative to ExpressVPN. Its iOS app is well-integrated with the most advanced iOS features.

   We also verified that NordVPN is the fastest VPN on our iPhone, and it’s available for a budget price on long-term subscription plans.

   Cheapest Price	$3.30/mo over 27 Months See all plans
   Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection	93Mbps
   iOS App Store Rating	4.5
   Apple TV Support	Yes

   Optimized for iOS

   NordVPN is well-integrated with iOS. The app works with Shortcuts, which is Apple’s built-in automation app.

   After setting the VPN up, ask Siri to “quick connect,” or you can add the widget to your home screen for quick connections.

   The VPN app also detects whether your iPhone or iPad is using light or dark mode, and mirrors the app’s theme accordingly.

   NordVPN’s app for iPhone and iPad.

   You can also enable CyberSec, NordVPN’s DNS-based ad blocker, within the app’s settings. This only blocks pop-up ads, though, which is rather limited.

   More positively, NordVPN features a Smart DNS tool. Using this feature is the easiest way to unblock TV shows and movies on your Apple TV.

   Minimal speed loss and strong security features

   NordVPN is the fastest VPN for iOS. This is thanks to the NordLynx protocol, a more secure adaption of WireGuard.

   In our most recent battery of tests, we recorded just a 2% loss in download speed when connected to a nearby server.

   And connecting from the UK to the US, we registered a 7% loss in download speed.

   If you need a VPN for secure FaceTime calls or to unblock streaming apps, NordVPN will maintain fast and lag-free connections.

   NordVPN also comes with advanced security features to keep your internet activity private from third-parties.

   Most importantly, the app includes a built-in kill switch to protect your IP address, which is a rarity for iOS VPNs.

   In addition, NordVPN encrypts traffic using the AES-256 cipher and employs a wide range of secure VPN protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard.

   The VPN company is also based in Panama, a safe and private jurisdiction outside of the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance. The country also doesn’t mandate any data collection.

   Minor issues but no major downsides

   NordVPN doesn’t have any significant drawbacks, although some smaller issues need to be resolved.

   The most prominent issue relates to a NordVPN Finland server breach in 2018. No user data was compromised, and the VPN service has drastically improved its security as a result.

   With the introduction of co-located and RAM-based servers, NordVPN has joined ExpressVPN in leading the industry security-wise. With this, the company has gradually regained our trust, too.

   For certain, NordVPN needs to revise its map interface, which is too small to interact with on iPhone screens.

   Moreover, the lack of PayPal as a payment method will frustrate certain users. However, this isn’t an issue if you subscribe with your usual payment method on the App Store.

   Overall, NordVPN is an excellent multi-purpose VPN that has resolved its faults and now has no significant disadvantages for iOS users.

   Visit NordVPN

   or read our full NordVPN Review.

3. 3. Private Internet Access: Most Advanced iOS VPN

   Security-focused iOS VPN with many configurable settings.

   

    86% 

   (29 user reviews)

   Visit PIA VPN

   Pros

   • Strong security settings and customization
   • Includes widget for iOS 14 & 15
   • The largest server network
   • Works with US Netflix and BBC iPlayer
   • 24/7 live chat support
   • Comes with an ad blocker

   Cons

   • Based in the US (Five Eyes jurisdiction)
   • Doesn’t work with many streaming apps

   Overall iPhone & iPad Rating: 8.8/10

   This VPN's overall iOS rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. Learn more here.

   • iOS App:
     9.79.7/10
   • Apple System Integration:
     77.0/10
   • Logging Policy:
     9.99.9/10
   • Speed:
     8.58.5/10
   • Streaming:
     99.0/10
   • Encryption & Security:
     8.88.8/10

   Private Internet Access (PIA) is the most customizable VPN for iOS we’ve tested. It’s therefore a great choice for advanced users.

   The service operates a no-logs policy, backed up by the company’s good history of protecting its users’ privacy.

   That said, the VPN may be too complicated for beginners and isn’t optimized for accessing geo-blocked streaming apps.

   Cheapest Price	$2.08/mo over 26 months See all plans
   Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection	98Mbps
   iOS App Store Rating	4.6
   Apple TV Support	No

   Superb integration with iOS features

   Of all the VPN apps we tested, Private Internet Access worked best with iOS’s advanced system features.

   PIA has a widget for devices running iOS 14 and 15. This displays a large connect button, along with information about the protocol and port currently in use.

   You can add this widget to your iPhone or iPad’s home screen for quicker connections, and to see useful information at a glance.

   The VPN app also integrates with Shortcuts and mirrors iOS’ light and dark mode. This creates a seamless experience on your iPhone and iPad.

   PIA is also the only VPN to provide a fully-featured iOS ad blocker. This has to be enabled under ‘Safari Content Blockers’ within iOS’ settings menu.

   The ad blocker is better than NordVPN’s CyberSec, as it blocks a wider range of ads. It also doesn’t require the VPN to be enabled. It only works with the Safari browser, though.

   PIA VPN’s app for iPhone and iPad.

   Highly-customizable app and a huge server network

   While almost all other iOS VPN apps are limited, PIA’s app includes as much functionality as the desktop clients.

   The VPN’s kill switch is enabled by default, plus the app lets you choose the encryption cipher, data authentication, and even the handshake algorithm.

   We recommend choosing AES-256-GCM, GCM, and RSA-2048 respectively. We haven’t seen any other VPN app for iOS with this level of customization, so it’s very impressive.

   Furthermore, you can arrange and customize which information is displayed on the app’s main screen with PIA. It could be usage data or favorite server locations, for example.

   The above feature ensures the limited space on your iPhone screen is only taken up with toggles and information most important to you.

   PIA also has the largest server network of any VPN service, with 29,643 servers in 78 countries.

   The size of PIA’s server network greatly reduces the likelihood of server congestion, delivering faster and more reliable connection speeds.

   Doesn’t always work with streaming apps

   Unlike ExpressVPN and NordVPN, Private Internet Access is not a reliable option for unblocking streaming platforms.

   It does work with US Netflix and Hulu, but not on every US server. In fact, you’ll have to trial and error servers until you find one that works.

   The VPN does have a dedicated UK streaming server, labeled UK London-Streaming. It consistently unblocks BBC iPlayer, so we wish PIA would offer a similar server for US streaming apps.

   Visit PIA VPN

   or read our full Private Internet Access Review.

4. 4. Windscribe: Best Free VPN for iPhone

   The best free VPN for iOS devices, works with US Netflix & Hulu.

   

    100% 

   (3 user reviews)

   Visit Windscribe

   Pros

   • 100% free
   • Functional iPhone & iPad app
   • Works with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer & more
   • Connect securely to 10 countries
   • No device limit
   • Includes kill switch

   Cons

   • 10GB monthly data cap
   • No live chat customer support
   • Based in Canada
   • Difficult to use on iPhone
   • No stealth protocol on iOS

   Overall iPhone & iPad Rating: 8.0/10

   This VPN's overall iOS rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. Learn more here.

   • iOS App:
     77.0/10
   • Apple System Integration:
     6.86.8/10
   • Logging Policy:
     9.59.5/10
   • Speed:
     7.67.6/10
   • Streaming:
     9.69.6/10
   • Encryption & Security:
     9.19.1/10

   Windscribe is the best free VPN for iPhone and iPad. It’s the only safe free VPN that works with streaming apps like Netflix, and it comes with 10GB of free monthly data. The VPN also comes with strong privacy, AES-256 encryption, and a native app for iPhone and iPad. If you want an advanced VPN without paying a cent, Windscribe is the best option.

   Cheapest Price	Free
   Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection	54Mbps
   iOS App Store Rating	4.0
   Apple TV Support	No

   The best free iOS VPN for streaming Netflix

   Streaming services license content by region, so the content available differs depending on the location of your IP address. After regularly testing 68 VPNs, we found that Windscribe is the only free iOS VPN that works with US Netflix.

   Windscribe also unblocks Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and every other streaming service we tested. All the other freemium VPNs we tested reserved streaming functionality for the paid plans, so it’s refreshing to see Windscribe provide this to all users.

   Although Windscribe’s free servers aren’t as fast as the premium ones, we were still able to take advantage of the iPhone’s XDR display and stream TV shows and movies in 4K UHD. We were able to maintain a fast connection in all 10 of Windscribe’s free server locations, too, which is important for accessing content from around the world.

   App is functional, but difficult to use on iPhone

   When using all of the default options, Windscribe’s app for iOS is easy-to-use. The large power button connects or disconnects you from the VPN, and the app conveniently displays what server location you’re connected to, along with your new IP address. The app’s support for the iPhone’s Taptic Engine is a nice touch, too.

   Windscribe’s app for iPhone and iPad.

   However, we often found it difficult to navigate the app on our iPhone. Although the interface works well on the iPad, the app’s small UI elements are not well-optimized for smaller screens. For example, toggling between server options is difficult and requires precision, which isn’t normal for a VPN app.

   The app also uses IKEv2 by default, which is a closed-sourced protocol that we don’t typically recommend. We recommend changing this to WireGuard or OpenVPN in the settings menu and selecting port 443.

   10GB of data per month limits the VPN's usefulness

   There is one major drawback to Windscribe Free. As standard, the VPN allows you to use just 10GB of data per month. You can extend this to 15GB by tweeting a promotional link for the company, but this still isn’t enough.

   We calculated that Windscribe’s monthly data cap equates to just six hours of HD YouTube or Netflix streaming, which is not a lot. That said, its allowance is one of the highest we’ve seen from a safe free VPN, and should be ample for encrypting public WiFi networks or occasional streaming.

   Despite these minor downsides, Windscribe is still far-and-away the best free VPN for iPhone. It includes more features than other free options, a kill switch, and secure VPN servers in 10 countries around the world.

   How to use Windscribe Free on iOS:

   • Sign up for Windscribe using its website.
   • To increase your monthly data allowance from 2GB to 10GB, create an account using your email address and password.
   • To increase your bandwidth to 15GB per month, tweet about Windscribe. Login to your Windscribe account and click ‘Tweet 4 Data’.
   • Download the Windscribe iOS app and log in using your account details.

   Visit Windscribe

   or read our full Windscribe VPN Review.

5. 5. ProtonVPN: Free iPhone VPN With No Data Cap

   Fast free iOS VPN with no data usage restrictions.

   

    100% 

   (2 user reviews)

   Visit ProtonVPN

   Pros

   • Free with no payment details required
   • No monthly data cap
   • Fast speeds on nearby servers
   • Open-sourced iOS app
   • Strong encryption & minimal logging

   Cons

   • Only three server locations
   • iOS app is basic
   • Only one simultaneous connection
   • No kill switch
   • Doesn’t work with Netflix

   Overall iPhone & iPad Rating: 6.5/10

   This VPN's overall iOS rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. Learn more here.

   • iOS App:
     66.0/10
   • Apple System Integration:
     6.86.8/10
   • Logging Policy:
     9.89.8/10
   • Speed:
     7.67.6/10
   • Streaming:
     11.0/10
   • Encryption & Security:
     99.0/10

   ProtonVPN is a trustworthy, Switzerland-based VPN that provides strong security features. Unlike other safe free VPNs, ProtonVPN doesn’t impose any data caps, so you can encrypt all of your traffic at all times. Although it only has free servers in three countries, these servers are well-distributed and provide fast and reliable speeds.

   Cheapest Price	Free
   Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection	95Mbps
   iOS App Store Rating	4.0
   Apple TV Support	No

   Unlimited bandwidth and fast connections

   ProtonVPN is unique in that it allows you to use as much data as you want for free. This makes it the only option if you want a free VPN that you can leave on at all times.

   You won’t notice that the VPN is running, either. Our latest speed test results found that ProtonVPN is the fastest free VPN available. Our 100Mbps internet connection stayed at an impressive 95Mbps when we connected to a local server, which is superb.

   Rather than imposing speed and bandwidth caps, ProtonVPN limits the functionality of its free plan by blocking access to streaming sites. Although this prevents you from taking advantage of the unlimited bandwidth and fast speeds for streaming, it is a fair compromise for a free service.

   The best free iOS VPN for security & privacy

   ProtonVPN is the most secure free VPN for iPhone and iPad. It uses 256-bit encryption, and free users benefit from the same minimal logging as paid subscribers. ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, too, which is a country with strong privacy laws and is not part of the 14 Eyes alliance.

   What’s more, a third-party security consultancy audited ProtonVPN’s iOS app, with all vulnerabilities now fixed.

   ProtonVPN has also open-sourced its iOS app and released the full source code. Both of these initiatives improve the overall safety and security of the iOS app. This level of transparency is rare, even for premium VPNs, so we’re pleased to see ProtonVPN extend this to all users.

   However, it is disappointing that ProtonVPN’s iOS app does not include a kill switch. Instead, the ‘Always On’ feature reestablishes a VPN connection automatically should it be cut out.

   Three locations, basic app, no advanced features

   The ProtonVPN iOS app is also very basic and would benefit from a redesign. It’s perfectly functional, but the app’s lack of graphical elements, overuse of lists, and map view are starting to look dated.

   ProtonVPN’s app for iPhone and iPad.

   ProtonVPN also only has free servers in three locations: the US, the Netherlands, and Japan. While its small network makes it less likely that you’ll be able to connect to a server in your country, these servers are well-spread out and within close proximity for most people.

   In all of our tests, it’s also never worked with any streaming service. You won’t be able to use ProtonVPN Free to watch Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Hulu.

   Another drawback is that you can only use ProtonVPN Free on one device at a time. As it is a free service, you can get around this by creating multiple accounts for each of your devices. Having said that, this is still a frustrating limitation and one that none of the other VPNs in this list have.

   On the whole, ProtonVPN is the perfect free VPN if you want to encrypt traffic and hide your IP at all times, but is not a good choice for streaming, torrenting, or any other premium features you expect from a VPN.

   How to use ProtonVPN for free on iOS:

   • Sign up for ProtonVPN on its website. You will need to use an email address and password.
   • Download the ProtonVPN iOS app and log in using your account details.
   • You will automatically be given unlimited data allowance and the choice of three server locations.

   Visit ProtonVPN

   or read our full ProtonVPN Free Review.

How to Try Any VPN Free for 7 Days on iPhone and iPad

All premium VPNs on the iOS App Store let you take advantage of a seven-day free trial.

This is because Apple incentivizes developers to implement a free trial period whenever payments are processed through Apple.

As a result, you can typically use a VPN for free on iOS, even when a VPN service doesn’t offer an official free trial. Learn more in our guide to the best VPN free trials.

To get a seven-day free trial for any VPN on iOS:

1. Download the VPN app through the App Store.
2. When installed, open the VPN app and tap Start Subscription. Authenticate the subscription using Face ID, Touch ID, or with your password.
3. Once complete, open the App Store and tap your account in the top-right corner. Tap Subscriptions and select your VPN service.
4. Press Cancel Free Trial and follow the prompts to confirm the cancellation.
5. Open the VPN app, connect to a server and use all its features. You’ll have full access to the VPN for seven days and won’t be charged.

This method works with the following paid VPN services:

• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN
• Private Internet Access
• CyberGhost
• IPVanish
• Surfshark

Completely free VPNs come with limitations, so this method is the best way to get a fully-featured VPN experience without spending money.

Additionally, since you should avoid many free VPNs on the App Store, this is the best way to ensure your data is kept private and secure.

EXPERT TIP: Make sure to cancel your VPN free trial at least 24 hours before the renewal date, or you may still be charged. Don’t worry, even when you cancel, you can continue using the VPN until the end of the seven-day trial period.

Free iOS VPNs to Avoid

Most free iOS VPNs are not safe and you should avoid using them at all costs.

Running a VPN service is expensive, so a VPN service can’t operate without a source of income.

Thankfully, top-rated free VPNs for iOS, like Windscribe and ProtonVPN, cover the costs of the free service with the money from premium subscribers.

However, many popular free iOS VPN apps earn money by collecting user data and selling it to third-parties.

Additionally, we found many free VPNs leaked our true IP address in our tests. This makes these VPNs useless for online privacy and security.

Make sure you don’t download these free iOS VPN apps:

• Flash VPN — Caught storing user data, despite claiming to be a no-logs provider.
• Hola — Logs websites visited, IP address, and connection timestamps.
• Larva — Logs IP addresses.
• SkyVPN — Logs IP addresses, device name and model, and location information.
• Touch VPN — Leaked our DNS and IP address, also logs network information, location, and your ISP.
• VPN 360 — Logs IP addresses, connection timestamps, and aggregated URLs visited.
• VPN Proxy Master — has sent user information to China, and logs IP addresses.
• Yoga VPN — Leaked our DNS and IP address, no transparency about its logging practices.

As of writing, when searching “VPN” in the iOS App Store, all 10 of the top listings suffer from IP address leaks or privacy-invasive logging policy.

Most popular VPNs on the App Store will log your information.

If you want to use a free VPN, make sure to research it thoroughly before using it. Otherwise, you could be putting your privacy and security at risk.

How We Test iPhone and iPad VPNs

With so many VPN apps in the iOS App Store, we’ve created a methodology to ensure we only recommend the very best iPhone VPN apps.

We maintain a record of over 50 VPNs and their feature-set on iOS. We update our records weekly to make sure our information is always accurate and up-to-date.

To find the best VPNs for iPhone, we measure:

• How well the VPN app integrates with iOS system-level features.
• Whether the VPN is usable on other Apple devices, such as Mac and Apple TV.
• What type of data is collected by the VPN and how it’s stored.
• How fast the VPN is across its server network.
• Whether it works with Netflix and other streaming apps.
• If the VPN uses AES-256 encryption and other security features.

Below, we’ve listed a detailed explanation of the attributes we analyze when rating the best VPNs for iPhone. You’ll also see the weighting of each attribute:

1. iOS App: 25%

Minimum Requirement: Native app for iPhone and an optimized app for iPad.
We Recommend: An easy-to-use app for iPhone and iPad with support for widgets and Siri Shortcuts.

For a VPN to be great on iOS, it needs to integrate well with Apple’s system-level features.

When evaluating the best iOS VPN apps, we looked for VPNs that had support for Siri Shortcuts, iOS widgets, and offered payment through the iOS App Store.

We also verified all the VPNs we recommend can be easily used by beginners and by experienced VPN users.

An iOS app must be easily downloadable through the App Store, have a large connect button, and settings easy to configure.

2. Apple System Integration: 20%

Minimum Requirement: Has native apps for macOS.
We Recommend: Mac app available on the App Store and a free Smart DNS tool for Apple TV.

We test every VPN on the full range of Apple devices. In total, we test the VPNs using an iPhone 12, an iPad Pro, a 27-inch Mac, and an Apple TV 4K.

As well as iPhone and iPad, we analyze each VPN’s app on macOS and check whether it includes Smart DNS functionality for use on Apple TV.

We give preference to VPNs compatible with the wider Apple ecosystem. In particular, we look at whether the VPN service’s Mac app is available on the Mac App Store, whether it can run on Apple’s M1 chip, and how good its Smart DNS tool is.

3. Logging Policy: 15%

Minimum Requirement: Collects only aggregated and anonymized data.
We Recommend: Collects no data.

Without a privacy-first logging policy, your web activity may be stored and passed onto third parties. In practice, this nullifies a primary reason for using a VPN.

This is especially true for free iOS VPNs, where many rely on selling user data to cover running costs. For example, we discovered popular VPNs like Hola, Larva, and SkyVPN, all logged user IP addresses.

As part of our research, we analyze every VPN’s privacy policy to understand what data is collected, how the information is used, and how long it is stored.

Even for the free services on this page, we only recommend the ones that retain the absolute amount of logs. For example, this includes aggregated connection timestamp data. The best premium VPNs are true ‘no logs’, meaning they don’t collect any user data at all.

4. Speed: 15%

Minimum Requirement: Average download speeds above 70Mbps.
We Recommend: Download speeds of at least 80Mbps and server connections under 3 seconds.

Fast speeds are an essential feature of VPN services, especially when connecting to patchy and slow mobile data networks.

Without a fast VPN, your internet will often be unusable even for basic web activities.

We run weekly speed tests on our test iPhone and iPad to server locations across five continents. We then calculate the average speed loss on our 100Mbps internet connection. The smaller the speed loss, the higher we rate the VPN.

In addition to raw download speeds, we measure how long it takes for the app to connect to a VPN server.

On your iPhone, you’re likely to switch between multiple networks every day. It’s therefore crucial the VPN protocol connects instantly as you change networks, otherwise, you may compromise your browsing activity or security.

5. Streaming: 15%

Minimum Requirement: Works with US Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
We Recommend: Works with many Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Disney+, and DAZN.

Using a VPN on your iPhone will let you mask your IP address and watch content on geo-blocked streaming apps.

We test every iPhone VPN with popular content platforms, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Disney+, and DAZN.

We track how each VPN performs over time, with results spanning multiple years. This means we know how consistently the VPN works with each streaming app, not just that it worked at a single point in time.

The best VPNs for iPhone unblock multiple Netflix regions, along with many more popular streaming apps. The worse-performing VPNs only work with US Netflix.

6. Encryption & Security: 10%

Minimum Requirement: AES-256, OpenVPN, leak protection, and a VPN kill switch.
We Recommend: AES-256, WireGuard, leak protection, and a VPN kill switch using firewall rules.

Many VPN apps on iOS don’t have sufficient security and encryption features. For example, Hola VPN doesn’t have any encryption at all, and Touch VPN leaked our DNS and IP address.

Using a VPN with high encryption secures unsafe public WiFi networks, and safely hides your web activity from your ISP.

To secure and anonymize your web activity on your iPhone, the VPNs we selected use gold-standard AES-256 encryption, have built-in DNS and IP leak protection, and use private DNS servers.

To verify these security features are as robust as the VPN services claim, we perform tests using Wireshark, a packet-capturing software. If we spot any unencrypted traffic, we downgrade the VPN severely.

How to Set up a VPN on iPhone and iPad

Installing a VPN onto your iPhone or iPad is easy, and will only take around 10 minutes from start to finish.

To set up and use a VPN on your iPhone or iPad, follow the below steps:

1. Sign up for your chosen VPN service through their website.
2. Go to the App Store and search the name of the VPN provider. Tap ‘Get’ and authenticate the download.
3. Once installed, open the VPN app and log in using your account details.
4. When prompted, tap ‘Allow’ to add the VPN configuration file. Enter your passcode to authenticate.
5. The VPN will now be successfully set up on your device.

For detailed instructions, read our guide on how to install a VPN on iPhone. It covers all setup methods, including IKEv2 manual configuration on iOS, using OpenVPN Connect, and installing a VPN on a router.

How to Use a VPN on iPhone and iPad

Below is a quick video tutorial showing you how easy it is to use a VPN (in this case ExpressVPN) on an iPhone:

Play

In short, launch the VPN app and connect to a server using the large power button.

If you need an IP address from a different country, select that country from within the server list.

We also recommend using the VPN’s recommended protocol, enabling the kill switch and any IP/DNS leak protection setting.

Why You Need A VPN on iOS Devices

Protecting your internet privacy and security on unsafe public WiFi networks is one of the most popular reasons for using a VPN. But that’s only one of several benefits.

A VPN is a versatile piece of software that enhances your iPhone’s privacy, security, and even entertainment options.

With a good VPN for iOS, you can:

• Bypass censorship and access the internet in censored countries, like China.
  
• Conceal your web history from your ISP, government, and other snooping third-parties.
  
• Hide your IP address and access the internet in censored countries, like China.
  
• Secure unsafe public WiFi networks to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM) and malware attacks.
  
• Unblock streaming sites to watch previously hidden content, like US Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Additional research by Luke Williams