
There are two primary the explanation why somebody may need to set up a VPN on an iPhone. One essential motive is to guard their privateness and enhance their safety. One other key motive is {that a} VPN can be utilized to make it seem like you might be primarily based in a special nation, which may unlock content material that wouldn’t be accessible the place you really are.
In case you are involved about how safe the information on you iPhone is a VPN could also be an answer that would provide you with peace of thoughts. We have now a choice of VPNs for iPhone that we suggest beneath. However first we’ll shortly tackle why you may, or won’t, need an VPN to guard the information in your iPhone.
Apple talks rather a lot about how safe iOS is due to built-in options similar to sturdy password suggestions, iCloud Keychain password administration, two-factor authentication, and using Face ID and Contact ID to unlock your iPhone and signal into web sites and accounts. Apple lets iPhone customers management whether or not data is shared with apps put in on their gadget and cease electronic mail senders getting particulars (similar to location primarily based on an IP tackle) when an electronic mail is opened. It is usually potential to wipe an iPhone remotely whether it is lose or stolen, and Lockdown Mode can be utilized to lock down an iPhone if you’re the sufferer of a cyberattack (similar to Pegasus, which hit the headlines in 2021). For particulars of different methods Apple protects your iPhone see our iPhone safety suggestions.
Safari in iOS will shield you from malicious web sites, cease you being tracked, and allow personal looking, and, as a part of an iCloud subscription (from $0.99/£0.79 a month), iCloud Non-public Relay will encrypt your information and ship it through a relay to cover your location and IP, and conceal particulars of what you might be looking to forestall web sites from having the ability to create a profile of you. This latter function is just like one of many advantages a VPN can provide–however it’s essential to notice that it solely works with Safari and it might not work inside sure networks as a result of it’s identifiable as a proxy server.
A typical VPN received’t stop malware from attacking your iPhone, however it is going to encrypt your information in order that no one can spy on it; cover your iP tackle in order that web sites you go to can’t establish you and create a profile primarily based in your conduct; and, in contrast to iCloud Non-public Relay, it is going to do that no matter app you might be utilizing. Consequently web sites you go to can’t monitor you; your web service supplier can’t see what you’re as much as; and no one can discover out what you purchase, the place you store, what you watch, if you go to mattress and the place you’re happening vacation.
One of the crucial common incorporates a VPN can provide is the flexibility to cover the area you might be browsing from. This implies you’ll be able to surf as if you’re primarily based out of the country–and entry content material that might in any other case not be accessible to you. This opens up companies similar to U.S. Netflix for these within the U.Okay or BBC iPlayer for these within the U.S. (It’s essential to notice, thoughts you, that utilizing a VPN to get round geo-restrictions is often towards the phrases and situations of streaming corporations similar to Netflix, Amazon, and the BBC.)
Whereas VPNs are a novel idea for many individuals, they’re quite simple apps to make use of and require no earlier data or technical experience. It’s as straightforward as launching the app, urgent the Join button after which launching Safari or whichever app you need to use. For extra data, we’ve got a separate articles that designate methods to use a VPN on an iPhone and why you may want a VPN in your iPhone. You may also need to take a look at our round-up of the most effective VPN offers, which we replace month-to-month, simply bear in mind that low costs for the primary yr of two are widespread, however the next subscription worth will kick in as quickly as that supply interval ends.
Greatest VPN app for iPhone
NordVPN

Professionals
- Glorious speeds
- Good unblocking
- Smart worth
Cons
- 6-device restrict
- No cut up tunnelling
NordVPN, one of the common names within the VPN market, is a good all-round service. It gives super-fast speeds due to its NordLynx protocol (primarily based on WireGuard), and plenty of servers across the world. And whereas there are cheaper choices on the market, Nord has a smart price ticket, together with a hefty low cost should you subscribe for 2 years.
It’s adept at unblocking common video streaming companies similar to Netflix and Disney+ and can, in fact, unblock web sites that you could’t in any other case entry.
Nord’s iPhone app appears to be like nice and is straightforward to make use of. You may have a listing of your favourite servers for even sooner connection, in addition to configuring the app so it connects to the VPN when your cellphone joins an unknown Wi-Fi community.
There’s a kill swap on each iOS and macOS (and Android and Home windows)–which is able to preserve your information and placement hidden even when the VPON stops unexpectedly). The one lacking function is cut up tunnelling, so you’ll be able to’t set it up in order that solely particular apps use the VPN. (Nord does provide this in its Home windows and Android apps, however not on iOS.) However most individuals don’t want to do this anyway.
NordVPN relies in Panama, which has stringent privateness legal guidelines. Plus it doesn’t gather or retailer any details about how or if you use the service, so it might don’t have any information at hand over even when authorities have been to request it, which they received’t. These claims have been audited, most lately in December 2022.
The service helps you to hook up with as much as six gadgets without delay and in addition has apps for iPad, Mac, Home windows, Android, and Amazon Fireplace TV.
See all costs and plans at NordVPN.com.
Learn our NordVPN overview.
Surfshark

Professionals
- Nice speeds
- Limitless connections
- In depth function set
Cons
- No IPv6 assist
- Privateness claims haven’t been audited
Generally you get what you pay for, however that adage can’t be utilized to VPN companies… particularly Surfshark. You may suppose it isn’t nearly as good as a result of it’s so cheap, however you’d be improper.
There’s rather a lot to love. The iOS app has a slick, easy interface which makes it straightforward to choose from one of many 3,200-plus servers on provide. That’s nearly double the 1,700 the corporate had a few years in the past: it’s continually enhancing.
In reality, Surfshark has launched new options regularly, and continues to be one of many few VPN companies to supply two-factor authentication. It doesn’t put any limits on the variety of gadgets you should utilize concurrently both.
It’s going to unblock streaming companies, similar to NordVPN, and has a couple of different useful options similar to multi-hop which helps you to route the connection by means of two VPN servers in several international locations for an additional layer of privateness. Keep in mind, nevertheless, that it doesn’t assist IPv6. This implies it is going to block all IPv6 visitors and power your gadgets to make use of IPv4.
Surfshark relies within the Netherlands, which is privateness pleasant and has lately commissioned an impartial audit of its no-logs coverage, which discovered no points.
The primary disadvantage is that the subscription worth jumps steeply upon renewal, so do pay attention to this, as with all VPNs, which have a tendency to supply low costs for the primary yr after which excessive subscription costs afterward.
You may see the low worth on Surfshark’s web site.
We additionally suggest studying our full Surfshark overview for extra particulars.
CyberGhost

Professionals
- Simple to make use of
- Nice speeds
- Glorious worth
Cons
- No cut up tunnelling
- Privateness claims haven’t been audited
As one of many longest-running and best-known VPN companies, CyberGhost is one other best choice for the iPhone, in addition to for different gadgets. It gives large ease of use, and nice connection speeds due to WireGuard.
The service is especially good for unblocking video streaming companies. Cyberghost was in a position to unblock each streaming service we tried together with Netflix, Disney+, in addition to U.Okay. primarily based BBC iPlayer and ITV X–up to now we issues connecting to those U.Okay-specific on-demand, however points with each disappeared once we used a server particularly optimised for ITV. (You get an outstanding quantity of alternative right here. There are no less than 7,100 servers accessible to connect with 91 totally different international locations.
The service is headquartered in Romania, which is sweet for privateness as it’s outdoors the 14-eyes group of nations that share intelligence, and the corporate has a coverage of not holding logs of on-line exercise, a declare that has been audited by Deloitte.
See all costs and plans on Cyberghost’s web site.
Learn our full
CyberGhost for Mac overview
Non-public Web Entry

Non-public Web Entry (PIA) is a good worth and feature-packed VPN service. It’s not the quickest or least expensive on the market, however it does have a heck of a whole lot of servers in 84 counties and is very configurable.
It’s primarily based within the U.S. which isn’t often supreme if you wish to shield your privateness, however it now has the reassuring Deloitte audit which makes its US location a non-issue. It’s hundreds of servers are arrange effectively for privateness. You may even pay anonymously utilizing cryptocurrency or reward playing cards.
It’s going to unblock Netflix and extra, however once we tried it didn’t unblock BBC iPlayer so it isn’t our first alternative for unblocking streaming companies, however it might unblock all the things you want it to.
Like Surfshark, it means that you can have an infinite variety of gadgets linked on the identical time.
See all costs and plans on Non-public Web Entry’s web site.
Learn our full
Non-public Web Entry overview
ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN has a free tier, that has restrictions on the variety of servers you’ll be able to select, and the speeds on provide. Those that pay for ProtonVPN get entry to glorious speeds, a great deal of choices and can even use the Safe Core servers, which route your connection by means of a number of servers for elevated privateness.
NetShield is included, which makes use of DNS filtering to guard customers from website-hosted malware, adverts and trackers.
ProtonVPN is sweet at unblocking streaming companies, however the privateness credentials are actually what you might be paying for right here.
The agency relies in Switzerland, which is right for privateness and a 3rd occasion has audited Proton VPN and verified its privateness credentials.
See all costs and plans on ProtonVPN’s web site.
Learn our full
ProtonVPN overview
ExpressVPN

Professionals
- Simple to make use of
- Robust privateness and safety
ExpressVPN is one other glorious alternative in your iPhone. In addition to providing glorious safety and privateness, it additionally unblocks extra streaming companies than its rivals, and there’s pleasant tech assist accessible around the clock.
As with the opposite companies right here, there are additionally apps for different common gadgets, and you should utilize it on 5 of them on the identical time, so it ought to cowl the entire household. (In reality, since you’ll be able to join your router direct to the VPN, and all gadgets linked to that router depend as just one gadget, it’s straightforward to get across the restrict.)
It’s price noting, for many who plan to make use of this VPN on their non-iPhone gadgets as effectively, that the login course of can typically be confusingly inconsistent between the varied apps. When you’re logged in, nevertheless, the apps all feel and appear the identical, and work in the identical manner.
ExpressVPN relies within the British Virgin Islands for privateness causes and, like Nord and others right here, doesn’t retailer any information about your use of its service.
It isn’t low cost, although, costing significantly greater than rivals.
See all costs and plans on ExpressVPN’s web site.
Learn our full
ExpressVPN overview
PureVPN

Professionals
- Simple to make use of
- Beneficiant 10-device restrict
Cons
- No cut up tunnelling
- No WireGuard
PureVPN is notable not simply because it gives greater than 6,500 servers, however as a result of these servers cowl a whopping 141 international locations. You’re unlikely to wish to faux to be in most of them, however it may very well be a bonus should you do must entry one thing that’s not in one of many generally coated areas, or reside in a type of international locations and like an area server for the most effective speeds.
The iPhone app, similar to all PureVPN apps, was given a complete makeover in 2021 and now appears to be like brilliant and good. Extra importantly, it’s fast and straightforward to connect with your favourite areas, and it unblocks the stuff you need to watch. That features iPlayer, ITV Hub and different U.Okay. companies that some VPNs battle with, and U.S. Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Sadly PureVPN lacks lots of the options supplied by the competitors, and even with WireGuard the speeds weren’t notably spectacular–you’ll discover a loss in efficiency if you’re used to full fibre. That mentioned, it’s quick sufficient for streaming video. Our solely notable reservation is that cut up tunnelling is restricted to Home windows and Android, and isn’t accessible on both iPhone or Mac. One other annoyance was the truth that PureVPN triggered many web sites to power us to reply a type of annoying verification quizzes to show we have been human.
PureVPN is now primarily based within the British Virgin Islands, which is extra privateness pleasant than Hong Kong, the place it used to function. KPMG has audited and confirmed that PureVPN sticks by its no-logs coverage.
Set up the app in your iPhone and you may get a seven-day trial simply by getting into your electronic mail tackle. In case you prefer it, you’ll be happy to listen to that subscriptions are very fairly priced.
Learn our full
PureVPN overview
VyprVPN

Professionals
- Very straightforward to make use of
- Low beginning worth
Cons
- Patchy assist
- Comparatively few servers
VyprVPN is uncommon in that it owns and operates all of its servers and community {hardware}. Most VPNs hire their servers, set up customized software program and handle it remotely, however not Vypr.
That is why VyprVPN is a good alternative for privateness, and it additionally gives good speeds due to the introduction of WireGuard. It’s additionally why there are fewer servers, however they’re distributed amongst an excellent variety of international locations, together with those which most individuals need.
It’s speedy, due to WireGuard, and allows you to have 5 gadgets linked on the identical time.
Like its rivals, Vypr operates a strict no-logs coverage and gives deep reductions on the common month-to-month worth should you’re keen to subscribe for a few years.
Learn our full
VyprVPN overview
Ivacy

Cons
- No WireGuard
- No audit of privateness coverage
Ivacy isn’t a free VPN service, however it’s so low cost–to not point out impressively efficient–that we’d strongly suggest this over a free various. With choices like this accessible, there’s actually no level in struggling together with the constraints of a free service.
It could’t match the perfect companies right here for unblocking a great deal of video companies–it wouldn’t unblock Netflix Japan once we examined it–however it did work with the U.S. library from the U.Okay.
Click on the hyperlink above and also you’ll see a five-year subscription deal. Whereas that size of time may put you off, the up-front price is about the identical as lots of the two-year offers right here. So that you’re paying the identical cash (or much less), however getting entry for 5 years. If that’s not handy, we don’t know what’s.
In addition to working in your iPhone, Ivacy has loads of different apps, and you should utilize as much as 5 gadgets on the identical time with the service.
It doesn’t have the biggest variety of servers and also you’re not going to get absolutely the high speeds, however the attraction right here is worth: It’s a terrific service with solely minor niggles.
Learn our full
Ivacy overview