Best VPN App for iPhone

Overview: Best VPN for iPhone

 

Apple product users always enjoy a higher level of security because of its proprietary software and excellent security features. Many iOS products have the reputation for being resilient and less susceptible to viruses and malware. 

If you search for a VPN on the App store, you will be inundated with countless free applications which look too good to be true. So why should you bother to pay for an app if you can just get it for free?

 

Why Don’t I Just Use a Free App?

Most free applications on the iPhone app store fall into broad categories. These are businesses and they need to make money somehow, so nothing is ever truly free.

Free Trial

Most applications will fall into this category. There is no better way to showcase your service than to deliver a freemium service. You will generally enjoy a 7-day trial with reduced server access and speeds. Also, you may not be able to access additional functionality like ad blockers, multi-hops, or adjusting security protocols amongst others.

After the free trial ends, you will be asked to pay, or the application will stop working on your iPhone. These are great for say a short holiday if you need a VPN.

These types of applications are common and generally trustworthy, but always do some background research on the provider. The VPN provider is incentivized to give you the best service possible so that you start to pay.

Also, try to see if the application is actually produced in-house or has been farmed out to a third-party developer. Running a global VPN is expensive, so you want to get a service that is being monitored and updated. Be wary of applications that are still in Version 1, most apps that have been around some time will be on Version 3-7.

 

Adverts

The other broad category of free VPN apps for iPhone will be advert driven. Whenever you are connecting, disconnecting, or adjusting a function in the app an advert will pop up. 

One thing to be aware of is what type of log policy they are using. These ads will be targeted at you based on your browsing habits but is that information then being passed on in any way that could personally identify you.

Just be aware that your data may be sold in a non-personally identifiable way, this is exemplified by one of the most popular free VPN providers on iPhone.

Also be aware that free VPN apps are a popular way for hackers to track you, farm your data, and insert malware.

 

FreeVPN.org

4.3/5 with 11K+ ratings

Though FreeVPN state that they do not log your data, they will sell it as part of a package of data to the provider. FreeVPN also can control what adverts you see, and report on engagement and click-through rates. This is why free VPNs are not ideal if you are security conscious or want to retain your anonymity, but if you’re not fussed then crack on.

You can see what data FreeVPN will share from the privacy policy on their website:

We DO NOT sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect our or other rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

Malicious and Insecure

They say online that if the product is free then the payment is your data. The iPhone app store is littered with big and small companies, as well as hackers who use VPN apps to harvest data, inject ads into your browser, or even worse attempt to put malware scripts into your phone.

Below are two prime examples of companies with questionable histories when it comes to protecting their users.

 

HolaVPN

2.3/5 with 200+ reviews

Hola has long been a scourge of the VPN industry. They have been outed multiple times for having terrible customer service and selling on customer information. Through their parent company Luminati, they sell residential proxies of their unsuspecting customers, as well as logging everything you do through their application to sell to advertisers.

It’s no surprise the majority of their ratings on the App Store are 1 star. Hola VPN is one to avoid if you don’t want your data compromised and potentially have scripts injected into your browser and even your phone.

Luminati has made a name for itself by selling on proxies and spare bandwidth of their users to commercial outfits and even hackers who go to use them to carry out botnet attacks.

Avoid at all costs.

VPN360

4.5/5 with 22K+ reviews

VPN360 will probably appear at the top of your search if you look for a VPN on your iPhone in the app store. Looks pretty good with that rating and number of reviews right?

In fact, it seems to have double the reviews of the biggest players in the market like Surfshark, IPVanish, and NordVPN. We smelt something fishy, so we decided to dig a little bit.

Their software is developed by Infinity Soft, a company with only 1 page on its website. Dig deeper and it turns out they are owned by an old name we are familiar with. Anchor Free.

Anchor Free owns a number of VPN companies including Hot Spot Shield. Hot Spot Shield was investigated in 2017 by the Fair-Trade Commission in the US for maliciously and repeatedly injecting scripts and advertising cookies into their users’ browsers. 

When you use a VPN, it passes through their DNS before going onto the target website. Anchor Free was manipulating users’ traffic to put in advertisers’ cookies who had paid them. Since then Anchor Free has always been treated with suspicion. 

Also, a number of the reviews looked fake, with one of the developers responding to an angry comment with a charming review entitled “For Blind People”

Why It’s Better to Pay

A VPN essentially handles ALL of your online data and information. Think of them like a bank but for your data. Go with someone that you know and trust who has a reputation. After all, you wouldn’t leave your money with someone just because they were cheaper than a bank. Your data contains valuable information about payments, and browsing history and is a backdoor route into your computer.

A trusted provider will have solid encryption, a tried and tested zero logs policy, a history of keeping people’s data safe, and a whole host of other great features for less than $7 a month. 

Also, a paid provider will develop and run their applications in-house, as well as their technology and servers. Gives you the assurance that the app will work, customer service will be responsive, and also that your data is secured from your phone to their servers and then online.

 

 

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Top 5 Best VPNs for iPhone

 

Surfshark

Surfshark has been consistent in its support for online rights and privacy. Based in the Netherlands you won’t have to worry about your data being compromised by third parties such as the government. Accordingly, they take their user’s data very seriously and have a solid zero logs policy which has been tested in a criminal trial.

Apart from that, you get access to a wide range of features including advanced security like multiple VPN gateways. Similar to NordVPN’s Double VPN, you can rout your connection through 2 different VPN connections and make your IP untraceable. You can also use a SOCKS5 proxy for VOIP calls and make your FaceTime calls secure.

With its 3,200 servers in 65+ countries, it also helps successfully unblock the most popular streaming apps such as US & UK Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, Hotstar, and more. Furthermore, it has a kill switch functionality that will ensure that there won’t be unexpected data leaks in the event of a sudden VPN disruption.

Surfshark prices start from $2.49 a month giving you the ability to connect unlimited devices simultaneously as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also has fantastic customer service offering 24/7 live chat and email support.

 

 

Nord VPN

NordVPN is our most rated of the Top 5, with an impressive 12,000+ reviews. They are one of the biggest and most established companies in the industry. With an industry best of 5,500+ servers in over 60+ countries, their reach is truly global.

Like CyberGhost they give you a 7-day free trial to road test any of the subscriptions with no reduced functionality. Their application is super slick and easy to use, with an intuitive and up-to-date interface, allowing you simple one-click connectivity.

You can also take advantage of their abundant additional functionality. Cybersec is their proprietary ad blocker software which works automatically in the background. Acting like additional anti-virus, it blocks malware and malicious websites. As well as streaming your browsing experience by blocking a whole host of annoying adverts. DoubleVPN gives you increased anonymity; you are able to rout your connection through 2 VPN servers in 2 different countries making your IP untraceable. Just be aware this will slow down your speed.

Their servers are super-fast, and you can get some of the fastest available for any VPN provider, as well as access to a server irrespective of whatever country you travel to around the world.

Subscriptions start from as low as $2.10 per month for their multi-year subscriptions and you can connect 6 devices at the same time. On top of the 7-day free trial, you also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

 

 

IPVanish

IPVanish is based in the US and is a Tier 1 company that operates all of its own DNS servers. Often cheaper providers will rent from third parties who may in turn leak or sell your data. Not so with IPVanish. 

Access 40,000+ shared IP addresses across 2,000 servers in 70+ countries. This means whether you are at home or using their VPN abroad you will never be far away from a fast and stable connection. 

The application is intuitive and easy to use. You can set the app to connect automatically when your phone tries to connect to the internet, which also helps to secure your phone abroad when you are accessing untrusted public Wi-Fi sources. You also get a nice diagnostics tab where you can see upload and download speeds for your chosen server. Also, it has a must-have kill switch which cuts your internet connection if for any reason the VPN app stops working. Meaning that your connection is always secured.

What sets IPVanish apart from the competition is its great customer service. Access ticket support and live chat. As well as a free toll-free US number to call the team any time you get a problem.

Prices start from $6.70 per month, and you can connect unlimited devices at a time, allowing you to connect all of your family’s devices with one subscription. You also get 30-day money-back guarantee with the annual package meaning you can get an instant refund if you decide that IPVanish isn’t for you.

 

CyberGhost

Trusted by over 30 million users, CyberGhost is based in Romania and has been going since 2011. They have established themselves as a leading player in the VPN market. They are also one of the few VPNs that consistently are able to crack the hardest region-restricted content like Netflix, meaning you can watch US Netflix anywhere in the world.

With 3,700+ servers across 60+ countries, they have one of the biggest server parks in the industry. With 1,000+ of those servers configured for high-speed P2P file sharing and streaming. Meaning you are always going to get a speedy connection.

One thing we loved about the app was its recent updates, the fact that the application is on Version 7 in the App Store, and also all of the negative comments had received a response from the developer, which shows that their team is responsive and actively looking to fix problems. Something that is often sorely missing from iPhone Apps. That also shows why it pays to have a trusted VPN with an in-house development team rather than a 3rd party app developer team who have 100 other apps they have to deal with.

You also get a 7-day free trial to road-test the app. They have a solid zero logs policy and a great reputation for security and privacy. As well as 24/7 live chat if you have any problems with your connection or app.

Prices start as low as $2.20 per month for a multi-year subscription. Allowing you to connect up to 7 devices at the same time. You also get an industry-busting 45-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.

 

 

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has consistently been rated as the top VPN provider in the industry for years. Like IPVanish they offer a Tier 1 service and own all their own network including their DNS servers. They also have top-of-the-line security protocols, which is why they are commonly used in China which is known to have the strictest censorship policies of any country.

Gain access to 3,700+ servers in 90+ countries. ExpressVPN may not have the most servers in the industry, but they definitely have the widest coverage. Which makes it an ideal VPN for traveling. No matter where you go, you will never be far from an ExpressVPN server.

They consistently offer the fastest speeds of any provider. Many providers struggle outside of the US and Europe to deliver good speeds, but ExpressVPN is consistently fast wherever you go.

Their application couldn’t be easier to use, with simple one-click and connectivity to the smartest server. You can even test server speeds in the application to see if you can find a faster server nearby, or in the country that you wish to connect to.

Like IPVanish and NordVPN you can also use a split tunneling function which white labels certain applications to not use your VPN which shows unencrypted traffic to your ISP. You get an in-built kill switch as well as auto-connectivity. Meaning that your internet won’t connect until your ExpressVPN app is up and running, keeping you secure on unsecured public Wi-Fi.

You get a 7-day free trial to see why ExpressVPN is the best in the industry. Annual packages start from $6.67 per month, allowing you to connect up to 5 devices, and an industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee. If you get any problems you can chat with an agent 24/7.

 

 

 

Use the Best VPN for iPhone

Surfshark is our top pick as the Best VPN for iPhone. It shares with us robust security VPN protocols with excellent encryption.

Here are some benefits of using Surfshark:

• Conceals everything you do online.
• Encrypts your entire internet traffic making you invisible to prying eyes.
• Assign you an anonymous IP address.
• Hide your data from hackers.

Note: For more information about Surfshark, please read our Surfshark REVIEW.

 

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How to Install Surfshark on iOS (With Screenshots)

1. Open the Apple App Store

 

2. Go to Search

 

3. Search for Surfshark

 

 

4. Click the Get button

 

5. Then click Install

 

6. Click Open

 

7. The app will then launch

 

8. Tap “Log in” then input your Surfshark account details

 

9. You may choose to log in with Apple, Google, credentials, or code

 

10. Click Quick-connect

 

11. Then click Continue

 

12. Select Allow

 

13. That’s it, you’re now connected to the fastest server available

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FAQs

Are the VPNs above free?

No, but you can try out their free trial versions.

 

Why use a VPN for your iPhone?

A VPN will encrypt all the online traffic you send with your iPhone. VPNs also make you invisible to hackers, cyber threats, and your Internet Service Provider. You will experience a quick connection without any disturbances.

 

Our Opinion

The iPhone has the best natural security protocols as an OS. However, there are skilled hackers and cyber threats that can still endanger your device and steal your data. To protect your iOS device, we recommend installing a reliable VPN service.

 

Final Words

We hope this article shares with you the best VPN for iPhone. Thank you for reading!