Latest update: Apple unveils a new iCloud+ service with 3 major security features. They are Private Relay (Will keep all users’ iOS traffic encrypted), Hide My Email (Will allow users to hide their emails), and unlimited Home Secure Video cameras. One great thing is that Apple refused to raise its prices while offering these features.
iPhones are and always have been much more privacy-focused. Take any Apple keynote, and you’ll hear them talk about privacy over and over again. Recently Apple’s head of software, Craig Federighi, testified in the Apple v. Epic Games trial, and said, “Today, we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don’t find acceptable and that is much worse than iOS.”
Similarly, Apple released iOS 14.4.2 with a major security update for a vulnerability in Apple’s WebKit browser engine that has been actively exploited by hackers in the past. But, even with the update installed, you cannot assume your iPhone is safe and un-hackable without a VPN. To help you pick the best VPN for iPhone 2021, I tested out 100+ VPNs on my iPhone 12 Pro Max to come up with the list of top six (6) providers.
| Best iPhone VPNs | App Store Rating (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 4.6 |
| Surfshark | 4.4 |
| NordVPN | 4.6 |
| CyberGhost | 4.8 |
- 3,000+ Servers in 94 Countries
- Hard disk free infrastructure (RAM only)
- 256-bit Military-Grade Encryption
- Excellent unblocking capability for Netflix, Hulu & more
- 5 Multi Logins
- Zero-knowledge DNS
The Best VPN for iPhone in 2021
Short on time, here are some of the best VPN for iPhone 12 Pro Max and older models. If you don’t want to go through our detailed provider description and instead want to check out a quick overview of our recommended VPN providers, click here.
- ExpressVPN – Overall Best VPN for iPhone
- Surfshark – Best VPN for iPhone with unlimited devices
- NordVPN – Best Encrypted VPN for iPhone and iOS
- CyberGhost – Best User-friendly VPN for iPhone
- IPVanish – Best VPN for multiple Apple products
- PIA – Best iPhone VPN with largest server network
Quick Comparison Table of iPhone VPNs
| VPNs |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | British Virgin Islands | Panama | Romania | USA | USA |
| Money-back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 45 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Servers | 3,000+ in 94 Countries | 3,200+ in 63+ Countries | 5,500+ in 59 Countries | 6,600+ in 90+ Countries | 1,600+ in 75 Countries | 35,000+ in 77+ Locations |
| Simultaneous Connections | 5 | unlimited | 6 | 7 | unlimited | 10 |
| Streaming | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and More | Netflix US and UK |
| Supports P2P | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | $6.67/month | $2.49/month | $4.13/month | $2.25/month | $2.62/mo | $2.69/month |
| More Info | ExpressVPN Review | Surfshark Review | NordVPN Review | CyberGhost Review | IPVanish Review | PIA Review |
6 Best VPN for iPhones (Updated 2021)
Here are the top picks for the best VPN app for iPhone. These top 6 VPN for iPhone are not only affordable but also super secure.
1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN for iPhone
Server: 3,000+ | Countries: 94 | Multi-Login: 5 | Encryption: 256-bit | iTunes Rating: 4.6 | Best Price: $6.67/mo
Next up, just after NordVPN, we have ExpressVPN. Now the only reason why I’ve placed ExpressVPN at the second spot is because of its price. If you can afford to pay $6.67/mo , then trust me, there’s no better VPN for iPhone & iPad out there.
One of the main perks of owning ExpressVPN is the ability to unblock Netflix. With 3,000+ servers in 160 locations, you can stream any service you can think of in Ultra HD quality. I managed to stream Netflix US and BBC iPlayer on my iPhone & iPad without any buffering issues. It also successfully unblocks Prime Video & Hulu. It also features fast speed servers.
| Country Servers | Download Speed |
|---|---|
| US- New Jersey – 3 | 85.3 Mbps |
| Italy – Milan | 84.17 Mbps |
| Canada – Toronto | 84.17 Mbps |
| Australia – Melbourne | 85.84 Mbps |
| UK – Docklands | 89.17 Mbps |
As for security features, ExpressVPN offers 256-bit encryption, no-logs, leak protection, split tunnelling and much more to make your IP address completely secure. One thing I forgot to mention about its servers is that they run on the TrustedServer technology. This ensures complete data wipes every time their servers reboot. It also offers a kill switch feature by the name of network lock.
From a compatibility perspective, ExpressVPN works with all iOS devices running iOS 10.0 or later. Overall, ExpressVPN is truly one of the best iOS VPN. It is also out top VPN for Android devices. It is a bit expensive, however, it still offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 5 multi-logins.
Read our full review of the ExpressVPN iPhone for more information.
How to set up ExpressVPN on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
2. Surfshark – Fastest VPN with Unlimited Multi-Logins
Server: 3,200+ | Countries: 65 | Multi-Login: Unlimited | Encryption: AES-256-GCM | iTunes Rating: 4.4 | Best Price: $2.49/mo
So if you think ExpressVPN is too pricy, you’re going to love Surfshark. Starting from just $2.49/mo , Surfshark is truly on the most budget-friendly VPN you can get for your iPhone.
But despite being so affordable, it is actually packed with similar features that you can find in more premium VPNs services like ExpressVPN. It is headquarters in the same BVI jurisdiction and offers powerful features like 256-bit encryption, Kill Switch, CleanWeb, NoBorders mode, Camouflage mode, and much more. It is fast, but not as fast as ExpressVPN.
| Country Servers | Download Speeds |
|---|---|
| Kansas City – US | 79.3 Mbps |
| Charlotte – the US | 84.7 Mbps |
| The United Kingdom – London | 25.5 Mbps |
| Canada – Montreal | 25.17 Mbps |
| Australia – Perth | 25 Mbps |
With features like Camouflage mode, you can access restricted websites like US Netflix and even download torrents without raising any red flags. As far as compatibility is concerned, Surfshark can run on any iOS device running iOS 9.3 and later. All in all, Surshark is an excellent choice for any iPhone user. It is affordable and also comes with unlimited multi-logins and 30-days refunds. Even Surfshark is compatible with firestick and other devices as well. Both Surfshark and NordVPN work with iOS devices.
Read our full review of Surfshark for more information and if you’re still not sure about it, buy Surfshark’s free trial and try it yourself.
How to set up Surfshark on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
3. NordVPN – Best Geo-unblock VPN for iPhones
Server: 5,500+ | Countries: 59 | Multi-Login: 6 | Encryption: 256-bit Double Encryption | iTunes Rating: 4.6 | Best Price: $3.30/mo
NordVPN is certainly the best VPN app for iOS in terms of privacy and usability. I mean, its iOS app is top-notch and it is also not located under any 5-Eyes countries. That’s something a lot of VPN services need to copy. It is also one of the strongest VPN for iPhone with top-notch security features and encryption.
As for features, NordVPN has plenty to offer for iPhone users. To start off, NordVPN offers an enormous server network of 5,500+ servers. These servers are equipped with obfuscation technology and can easily help you stream Netflix in HD quality as well as download torrents through third-party clients like iTransmission. It also offers good connection speeds:
| Country Servers | Download Speeds |
|---|---|
| US-New York | 93.5 Mbps |
| Australia | 91 Mbps |
| Japan | 92.25 Mbps |
| United Kingdom | 92.84 Mbps |
| Germany | 90.59 Mbps |
Other security features include Onion over VPN, Kill Switch, Cyber Sec, no-logs and much more. As for compatibility, you can install it on iPhones, iPad and iPod touch running iOS 9.0 or later. As for pricing, NordVPN is very modestly priced at just $3.30/mo . All of its subscription plans come with 30-day NordVPN refunds and can be used on 6 devices simultaneously. You can try Free NordVPN for 30 days with a hack.
Read our full review of NordVPN iPhone for more information.
How to set up NordVPN on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
4. CyberGhost – Ranks High in Productivity Chart by iTunes Store
Server: 6500+ | Countries: 89+ | Multi-Login: 7 | Encryption: 256-bit military-grade | iTunes Rating: 4.3 | Best Price: $1.99/mo
Number four (4) on this list of best VPN for iOS and iPhone is CyberGhost. Now there are a lot of reasons why I like this VPN service. First off, it is ranked #7 on iTunes Productivity Chart. But aside from numbers, I think CyberGhost has one of the best-looking apps out there with a clean user interface.
As for features, CyberGhost offers a massive server network consisting of 6,100+ servers in 89 countries. In addition, it offers features like Kill Switch, 256-bit encryption, built-in ad blocker and tons more. Compatibility-wise, CyberGhost can be installed on any device running iOS 9.3 or later.
One thing that I don’t think any other VPN besides CyberGhost offers is an app separate from the Apple Watch. It is also one of the best VPN for iPhone 12 Pro Max and other latest iPhone models. During testing, CyberGhost offered inconsistent speeds as shown below. My base internet speed was 100 Mbps.
| Country Servers | Download Speeds |
|---|---|
| US-New York | 73.41 Mbps |
| Australia | 45.14 Mbps |
| Italy | 54.67 Mbps |
| United Kingdom | 58.51 Mbps |
| Germany | 63.67 Mbps |
But despite all of the premium features that it offers, it is not all that expensive. CyberGhost VPN starts from just $1.99/mo . It also comes with 7-multi logins making it a great Apple TV VPN along with other Apple devices and a 45-days refund policy.
Read our full review of CyberGhost for more information.
How to set up CyberGhost on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
5. IPVanish – Best VPN for App Store
Server: 1,600+ | Countries: 75+ | Multi-Login: 10 | Encryption: 256-bit | iTunes Rating: 4.5 | Best Price: $2.67/mo
Another super popular VPN you can get for your iPhone or iOS device is IPVanish. As for features, IPVanish offers 256-bit AES encryption, SOCKS5 web proxy, Zero traffic logs, 40,000+ shared IPs, 1,600+ VPN servers, and much more.
It delivers great performance on a consistent basis and works exceptionally well with torrenting and streaming services. Compatibility-wise, IPVanish requires iOS 9.0 or later so it’ll work on any modern iPhone, iPod, or iPad. It offers good speeds on most of its servers.
| Country Servers | Download Speed |
|---|---|
| US | 67.98 Mbps |
| UK | 67.76 Mbps |
| Italy | 77.84 Mbps |
| India | 71.15 Mbps |
| Germany | 75.34 Mbps |
The only thing that concerns me about IPVanish is its US jurisdiction. However, it promises to keep no logs as strictly written in its robust privacy policy. Overall, it’s a very capable VPN service for iPhones. As for pricing, IPVanish costs $2.67/mo and comes with unlimited multi-logins along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full review of IPVanish for more information.
How to set up IPVanish on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
6. Private Internet Access – Super easy iPhone VPN to setup
Server: 3,390+ | Countries: 44+ | Multi-Login: 10 | Encryption: 256-bit | iTunes Rating: 4.7 | Best Price: $2.69/mo
Moving further down the list and we have Private Internet Access. What can I say about this VPN, it just a well-built VPN service on your iPhone. It not only offers quality apps but also a ton of security features.
If we talk about its features, Private Internet Access offers 35,000+ servers, a no-logs policy, an ad-blocker, Multiple VPN Gateways, and tons more. Despite being US-based, it keeps no logs, which is quite impressive. PIA VPN is super impressive when it comes to performance as well. Needless to say, Netflix and torrenting both work. You can install PIA VPN on any device running iOS 11.0 or later. During testing, PIA managed to deliver amazing speeds:
| Country Servers | Download Speeds |
|---|---|
| United States | 91.09 Mbps |
| Australia | 85.5 Mbps |
| Canada | 53.17 Mbps |
| United Kingdom | 86.09 Mbps |
| Germany | 73.59 Mbps |
Now let’s talk about the most important factor, the price. Private Internet Access is quite affordable and costs only $2.85/mo. What’s even more impressive is the fact that it offers 10 simultaneous connections and 30-day refunds. All in all, PIA VPN definitely deserves a spot on this list.
Read our full review of Private Internet Access for more information.
How to set up PIA on iPhone (Video Tutorial):
How to Choose the Best VPN for iPhone and iOS?
So these were my top six (6) VPN providers for iPhones. You can either go with the VPNs I’ve recommended or you can do your own research and find a VPN that you think works best on your iPhone. Just keep in mind that you should avoid crappy VPNs that require manual configurations or poor privacy policies.
Here are some factors that I choose to pick the best VPN app for iPhone:
- Fast connection speeds
- No Logs policies
- Easy to use apps for all iOS versions
- Tons of server locations
- Security features like Kill Switch, leak protection, 256-bit encryption & more
- Extensive money-back guarantee
- Plenty of simultaneous connections
Security
Each VPN provider on this list offers 256-bit AES military-grade encryption to protect your data and they also follow a strict no-logs policy, so you don’t have to worry about your privacy.
Most of these VPNs also offer automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection on iOS devices.
Ability to unblock geo-restricted sites
I have made sure to include the best VPNs for iPhone that can unblock most major streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and more. All the VPNs mentioned above work with multiple popular streaming sites and can also unblock blocked apps on iPhone like WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and more.
Speed
Speed is one of the most important factor when it comes to choosing the best VPN for iPhone and iPad.
Generally, VPNs slow down your speeds as data has to travel a longer distance. Therefore, we have included the VPN’s that offer high download speeds, so the slow down in speed is barely noticeable. These VPNs will work great with streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
Why I Don’t Recommend Free VPNs for iPhone?
So why would you get a paid VPN when there are plenty of free ones available on the iTunes store? Well, obviously because of privacy and better features. It’s way better to try VPNs that offer free trials, rather than getting any VPN that is totally free. If you don’t know, free VPNs are infamous for selling user data. This allows advertisers to plague your iPhone or any other device with targeted ads.
Another major reason to avoid free VPNs is because of features. If you get a free VPN, you’re not going to get a lot of features. You’ll have to deal with limited bandwidth and server locations. Moreover, most free VPNs are generally a pain in the neck. This is why I only recommend paid VPNs. If you still want to try totally free VPNs, you can check out our separate article on the free VPN for iPhone.
Why you need a VPN for iPhone and iOS?
There are several things you can do with a VPN on your iPhone or iOS devices. By using a VPN, you can:
- Encrypts your online data to stop hackers from tracing your phone and hacking your device.
- Bypass censorship and access geo-restricted apps and sites like WhatsApp, Skype, Instagram, Google and more.
- Unblock streaming sites that are blocked in your region like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO and more.
- Stream and download movies on torrents safely on your iPhone.
- Bypass ISP throttling by masking your IP address and online activities from your ISP and government authorities.
iPhone VPN kill switch on Reddit
From the VPNs mentioned above only a handful offer a built in kill switch. Some of the best VPN with kill switch for iPhone are ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, CyberGhost and PIA. We decided to head to Reddit to see what user’s are saying about iOS VPN.
One Reddit user said that he uses NordVPN and PIA with iPhone and it works fine.
FAQs about iPhone VPNs
Follow these steps to get a VPN on your iPhone:
- Sign up for a VPN service (we recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN for iPhone)
- Download its iOS app from VPNs official site
- Log in using your credentials and connect to any server you want.
No, iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) don’t have a built-in VPN. However, they do support all VPNs, so you can easily set up one of the best iOS VPNs mentioned above.
Although we discourage the use of free VPN for iPhone, if you still want to try one out, here are some of your best choices:
- ProtonVPN
- Windscribe
- Speedify
- TunnelBear
No, it is perfectly safe to use a VPN on your iPhone. The VPNs mentioned above offer dedicated and safe apps for iOS devices that you can easily download and set it up. In fact, VPNs are recommended for iPhone users because it can help you mask your location and keep your online privacy intact.
Yes, a VPN can help you bypass App Store restrictions on iOS and macOS devices. This way you can download geo-restricted apps from other countries. Just follow these steps below:
- Go to your iPhone settings > select iTunes & App Store
- Click View Apple ID > you will be asked to confirm your login details.
- Select Country/Region and click Change Country.
- Pick any country you want to download the app from. For example, if you want to download Hulu, select United States > click Agree
- Open your VPN app > connect to a US server in the case of Hulu. Once the connection is established, you can access American App Store to download apps.
You can now access apps from all over the world. Some apps require you to change your address, so if you don’t have a payment method set up, you can use any random address of the country you are switching to.
Yes, you can use the best VPNs mentioned on this list above on your iPhones, iPad, and Macs. ExpressVPN is our top choice because it is the only VPN that offers a Safari browser extension for both iOS and macOS.
ExpressVPN, Surfshark and NordVPN are the best VPNs to watch Netflix on iPhone. These services unblock all major Netflix regional libraries.
No, VPNs work like other apps and they are optimized for the highest performance, so they will not drain your iPhone battery.
Technically speaking, you can use a proxy service to unblock content on your iOS devices. However, when compared to VPNs, proxies are a bit outdated and rarely work. For example, Netflix has banned most proxy services, meaning, you cannot access Netflix US, or other regional libraries using a proxy service.
Similarly, proxy services don’t offer encryption like a VPN, and they log user data to sell it to third party advertisers. Therefore, we suggest sticking to a reliable VPN for iPhone.
Final Thoughts!
Without a doubt, iPhones are literally the best when it comes to smartphone technology. Apple’s ecosystem is not only seamless but also super robust. But just like any other device that can connect to the internet, there are always privacy concerns and censorship issues.
So instead of mucking around with your privacy thinking nothing can go wrong with your iOS device, go for one of the best VPN for iPhone mentioned in this blog to truly make your iPhone invincible. No longer would you have to worry about geo-blocks or privacy issues.
So which VPN should you get? Well, if I had to choose just one best iPhone VPN, I would recommend ExpressVPN. It offers ultimate privacy for your iPhone. If you’re interested in discounts on VPNs, check out our best VPN deals.
Hi,
I have just bought an iPhone 7 about a week ago. I m pretty much amazed with its sleek design and impressive features. The AirPods work like magic with sophisticated sound quality.
However, I was searching for an iPhone 7 VPN as it would allow me to access blocked sites in my country. But shockingly, I couldn’t find any guide for installing VPN on iPhone 7.
Can you please help me to setup a VPN on iPhone 7?
Dear Melissa,
Thanks for commenting, iPhone 7 is no doubt a bedrock of entertainment and leisure, but geo-restrictions in various regions & cyber threats revolving around the iOS 10 can’t be neglected.
You can freely setup a VPN on an iPhone 7 and get the best out of it by reading our step by step guide about How to Setup VPN on iPhone 7.
I have been using iPhone 5S for a year and accessing blocked sites is my obsession. I must say VPN is the best gift that unblocking gurus gave us. Not only VPN offers unrestricted access to all blocked sites and services (with that I mean “all”), but it provides adequate online protection to iOS users which don’t come as stock. My count for strong online protection and unbeatable accessibility is PureVPN.
Hi Harriette,
Glad you liked my work. Undoubtedly, PureVPN makes the best VPN for iPhone by far.
Nord user since 2016 here. I can definitely say that they keep improving every year and the app now looks and works very well. Sometimes it takes a bit more time to connect to the server, it depends on how far the server is from me so I guess it’s normal, other than that – recommended.
Dear TinyAssasin,
Thanks for reaching out to us. We are glad that you found NordVPN app useful for your privacy needs.
ExpressVPN and PureVPN do in fact offer money-back guarantee. If you meant a ‘no money down’ tree trial, then HMA and Iron Socket don’t offer that either.
That’s what we have mentioned in the ‘things they need to improve’ section because a lot of people are looking for free trial. Offering a free trial might just help them target more potential customers who will at least try the services if offered for free…