We have tested several VPN’s to see which ones come out best for iPhone and iPad. Here we mainly looked at speed, security and privacy, ease of use, extra options and price. Thus, we arrived at the following top 3 best VPN’s for iOS
- ExpressVPN: the best ‘Overall’ VPN, also for iPhone and iPad.
- CyberGhost: excellent VPN, more competitively priced than ExpressVPN but not as fast.
- Surfshark: relatively new VPN, spot on and fast.
Nowadays it is increasingly important to take extra security measures when you go on the Internet, even if you have an iPhone or iPad. Public Wi-Fi networks are not always safe, and many sites and agencies track your online activity. To make sure you’re not bothered by prying eyes, it’s good to take extra security measures, such as using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Although iOS is known for its good security against malware, that says nothing about the security of the networks Apple’s devices connect to. One of the nice things about iOS is that you can install a VPN on it very easily. Read below to find out what the three best VPN’s for iPhone and iPad are.
The best VPN apps for iPhone and other iOS devices: our top 3
If you want to choose the right VPN, it’s important to first think about what exactly you’re looking for. Do you want a fast VPN? Or are you going for high encryption and extra security? How much do you want to pay for a subscription at most? With these considerations in mind, we’ve listed three great VPN’s for iPhone for you.
1. ExpressVPN: stable speeds and good security
The security, speed, and ease of use of ExpressVPN are all well done. This premium VPN is a good choice for iOS because it actually has few drawbacks or weaknesses. ExpressVPN keeps your data safe and offers a choice of thousands of servers in nearly 100 countries. Plus, it has a simple, clear app that works easily on iPhone and iPad.
It won’t surprise you that we think ExpressVPN is the best VPN on the market right now. This is true not only for iOS, but for other devices as well. Still, the VPN service has ééone drawback: it’s a lot more expensive than much of the competition. Fortunately, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee. So if you’re still not satisfied with the VPN service, you’ll just get your money back.
2. CyberGhost: efficient and easy to use
CyberGhost is a user-friendly VPN provider with a fair price. The speeds of this service are very solid, the security is thick and the application is easy to use. This might be the best VPN to use if you don’t have much experience with VPN services yet. Another big plus is the 45-day money-back guarantee. This is longer than most other VPN’s, giving you a longer trial period, so to speak.
Our tests do show that CyberGhost is generally just a bit slower than other options, such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark. Still, this provider scored unexpectedly high in our most recent speed test. This makes this VPN an excellent choice for your iPhone or iPad.
3. Surfshark: high quality for a small price
Surfshark is a fairly new VPN service that we quickly saw climbing high on our lists. We therefore wholeheartedly recommend this VPN, partly because of their exceptionally low price. The speeds are also fine and the iOS app is very clear. Surfshark’s safety is also well taken care of. With this VPN you can browse the internet to your heart’s content on your iPhone or iPad.
Since Surfshark is relatively new to the market, we’ve seen a lot of change recently in terms of customer service and additional options. They seem to be picking up their great success well, although this does come with some hiccups every now and then. You can try the service for 30 days with their money back guarantee. This way you are never tied to an annual subscription.
What should you look for when choosing a VPN for iPhone?
There are several things to consider when choosing a good VPN for iPhone. Here are some of the criteria we considered when creating our top 3:
- Speed: VPNs can significantly affect the speed of your internet connection. To ensure that your connection is slowed down as little as possible, we looked at the effect of the VPN on the internet speed of our iPhone.
- Security and privacy: If a VPN uses good encryption protocols, has a strict logging policy, and has made no mistakes in the privacy of their users, chances are you’re dealing with a good VPN. The presence of extra security measures, such as a kill switch, also counted in our decisions.
- Ease of use: Since we have noticed that VPNs are used less when they are difficult to install and use, we also looked at the ease of use of the VPN. We also paid attention to matters such as the appearance of the software on iOS and the quality of customer service.
- Servers: If you want to use a VPN to unblock websites, a VPN with a large server network and many server locations will help you most. For example, if you only use a server in many countries, you will not be able to access US Netflix. At the same time, a server near your actual location is useful, as it will affect your internet speed the least.
- Additional Features: Not every VPN has the same options. Some VPNs only do what they are made for in the first place: securing your connection. Other VPN services go a step further and also give you handy extra tools for safe surfing. Think of an adblocker. Also, some VPNs are more committed to unblocking streaming services such as Netflix and NPO than others.
- Price: Although the security and speed of a VPN are extremely important, the price of the service is of course also a factor that should count. Ideally, of course, you want to have as much quality as possible for as little money as possible.
Based on these criteria, we’ve compiled our top 3 best VPNs for iPhone/iOS. Which of the three options you choose depends on the factors that you consider most important.
Free vs Paid VPNs for iPhone and iPad
In a world full of VPNs, there are free alternatives in addition to paid services. While this may seem ideal, free VPNs are not always the best choice. For example, free VPNs often have a data limit, speed limit or server limit. This means that you cannot use the VPN without restrictions.
In addition, there have been studies into the security of free VPNs showing that there are regular security issues with these services. Of course you don’t want this with security software. However, if you download any free VPN on your iPhone, there is a good chance that your personal information will be collected or you will get malware on your device.
Would you like to try a free VPN? Then we recommend that you choose one of the VPNs from our list of the best free VPN services. This way you can be sure that you have a somewhat secure VPN, although you will still suffer from limits on your speed and data usage. Also keep in mind that we didn’t specifically consider iPhone users in this free list.
Why a VPN for iPhone and iPad?
A VPN has many advantages. There are several reasons why iPhone and iPad users choose to purchase a VPN service. Below you can read the most important reasons in a nutshell.
| REASON | NOTE |
|---|---|
| Securing your internet connection | iOS users are not always aware of the risks of public Wi-Fi networks. Especially on vacation, public Wi-Fi networks are not always secure. Because iPhones and iPads are so secure that you don’t need extra antivirus software, people sometimes forget that networks can be insecure too. Through public Wi-Fi networks, hackers can access your passwords, photos, and even banking information. So the main reason for most people to use a VPN on their iPhone or iPad is to secure their connection. |
| Protecting your privacy | For journalists in countries where there is a lot of censorship, a VPN is essential. The VPN protects your online activities so that others cannot see them. This keeps journalists safe. In many countries, this means that many people use a VPN to download torrents without risking a download fine. However, make no mistake: illegal downloading is also illegal with a VPN. |
| Unblocking sites and streaming services | With a VPN, you can access foreign websites that would otherwise be blocked, including streaming services such as US Netflix or the BBC iPlayer. This also works the other way around: many many countries use a VPN to watch a lot of national TV abroad. This is also essential for people in countries where heavy censorship applies. In China, for example, you can’t access countless western sites without a VPN. |
Set up VPN on iOS
There are several ways to install a VPN app on your iPhone or iPad. This is very easy with most VPN providers. If you want to know exactly how it works, read our guide to setting up your VPN on iPhone. For VPN providers with an iOS app, it often works like this
- Create an account and subscribe with a VPN provider on their official website;
- Download the VPN app from the App Store;
- Open the application and log in with your account details;
- Adjust the settings if necessary and choose the desired VPN server;
- Turn on the VPN. Your iPhone or iPad will probably ask you to adjust the VPN connection configuration under ‘networks’. You can just allow this.
Now you are connected to a VPN and can enjoy a freer, safer internet.
Install a VPN on iOS manually
In addition to installing an app, it is also possible to manually install a VPN on your iPhone or iPad. For this you need some information. You can find most of the information on the website of your VPN provider. Before you can set up this connection, you do need a subscription to a VPN service.
Follow these steps to manually install a VPN on your iPhone:
- Go to “Settings“;
- Scroll down and click on “General“;
- Scroll down and click on “VPN“;
- Click “Add VPN Configuration…” and fill in the details.
This way you have manually added the settings of your VPN. If your VPN service has an app, we recommend that you use it. That makes switching servers and turning the VPN on and off much easier.
Conclusion: the best VPN for iPhone and iPad
Right now, these are the best VPNs for iOS in our opinion:
- ExpressVPN
- CyberGhost
- Surfshark
These carriers work great on iPhone and iPad. They have handy software that can be found in the App Store and score well on both speed and security. ExpressVPN has the most stable and best results. CyberGhost is perfect for beginners. Finally, Surfshark is very cheap without compromising on quality.
Would you rather choose a different VPN for your iPhone? Then take a look at our overview of the best VPNs. In any case, a good VPN will give you more security, privacy and possibilities on the internet, even if you use iOS.
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