Your iPhone is a marvelous device.
From a world class camera to a highly refined OS, your iPhone has it all.
It may be the most stable and secure smartphone available, but iOS does have vulnerabilities regarding privacy and security.
Through our guide, I have discussed some of the best VPN for iPhone based on these 12 factors:
- App Store Ratings: Ratings picked from App Store
- Compatibility: If a VPN is compatible to which iOS version.
- File Size: Mentioned download size of the VPN file
- Productivity Rank: App store productivity and utility rank for each app (changes every day)
- User Reviews: Analyzed 5 most recent reviews from users on app store using App Annie
- Jurisdiction: Where a VPN is based i.e. outside of 5, 9, and 14 eyes countries.
- VPN Logs: If a VPN tracks your online activity. Look at our privacy logging guide.
- Leak Tests: Performed IP leak, DNS leak, and Web RTC test.
- Speed Tests: Performed speed test for each VPN on different servers.
- Transparency Report: Analyzed if a VPN reveals its transparency report that shows if they have received requests from the government to share users’ data.
- Number of Servers: Checked server count and locations.
- Cost: Listed the price and packages for each VPN for iOS.
Before we look at the top VPN apps for Apple devices, let us compare some key factors for all iPhone VPN apps.
App Store Ratings
Here are the App Store ratings for best VPN service providers
Positive and Negative Ratings
Let’s see the negative and positive reviews for 11 VPN providers on App Store given by iOS users.
Positive reviews are calculated by summing up 5-Star and 4-Star ratings, while negative reviews are calculated by summing up 1-Star and 2-Star ratings.
Here we see IPVanish hits the highest positive ratings followed by TunnelBear, NordVPN, PIA, and Hide My Ass.
Speed Test Results
I conducted a VPN speed test for all 11 providers listed in this guide. My internet speed without internet was 14.1 Mbps.
I have compiled all of the results in the table below:
| Providers | Server Connected | Download | Upload | Speed Decline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | France | 4.58 | 2.85 | 68% |
| Surfshark | Netherlands | 3.13 | 3.89 | 78% |
| CyberGhost | Israel | 5.66 | 5.06 | 60% |
| ExpressVPN | Canada | 7.08 | 12.3 | 50% |
| IPVanish | Australia | 4.79 | 8.07 | 66% |
| Ivacy | Brazil | 6.03 | 12.2 | 58% |
| VyprVPN | Indonesia | 1.39 | 1.63 | 90% |
| TunnelBear | Ireland | 1.09 | 6.45 | 93% |
| PIA | Australia | 3.72 | 15.7 | 74% |
| HideMyAss | Cyprus | 9.69 | 8.33 | 32% |
| PureVPN | Iceland | 7.21 | 3.35 | 48% |
As you can see, HideMyAss is the fastest VPN for iPhone with only 32% decline in speed followed by PureVPN and ExpressVPN.
File Size
If you don’t want a VPN file over consuming your iPhone’s internal storage, then you must look at the stats below:
P.S: All sizes are in Megabytes (MB)
Here we can see NordVPN has a larger file for download i.e. 131.4 MB, while IPVanish has the smallest file size i.e. 26.9 MB.
The data was collected from the App Store.
Compatibility
In the table below, you will find VPNs compatibility with iOS versions.
| Providers | Compatibility |
|---|---|
| NordVPN | iOS 9.0 or later |
| Surfshark | iOS 9.0 or later |
| CyberGhost | iOS 9.3 or later |
| ExpressVPN | iOS 10.0 or later |
| IPVanish | iOS 10.0 or later |
| Ivacy | iOS 10.0 or later |
| VyprVPN | iOS 9.0 or later |
| TunnelBear | iOS 9.0 or later |
| PIA | iOS 9.0 or later |
| HideMyAss | iOS 9.0 or later |
| PureVPN | iOS 10.0 or later |
Servers
Here I have compiled a list of servers these each VPN provides
Here we see NordVPN winning the race with 5,241 servers followed by CyberGhost with 3,800 servers and PIA with 3,307 servers.
11 Best iPhone VPNs that meet the 12 Factor Criteria:
Let us look at the best VPNs for iPhone in 2019:
- NordVPN
- SurfShark
- CyberGhost
- ExpressVPN
- IPVanish
- Ivacy
- VyprVPN
- TunnelBear
- Private Internet Access
- HideMyAss
- PureVPN
Before you swipe through our iPhone VPN list, just get a glimpse of our video guide showing the top VPNs for iPhone in a nutshell:
#1. NordVPN
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (33.1K reviews)
As you can see, 1 Star rating is gradually up on the rise and on decline. The 5 Star rating is on the low side, but is steady.
The decline was due to various reason which I will be exploring in the reviews section below.
2. Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPad touch.
3. Size: 131.4 MB (heaviest VPN file size)
4. Productivity Rank: #31 in productivity chart
5. User Reviews: Here are the recent 5 reviews for NordVPN
That’s a 4 poor ratings out of 5 going against NordVPN. This makes it easier to imagine why the past month reviews had higher ratio of 1 Star ratings.
Once user mentions that NordVPN does not work in China with its iOS app.
I should make one thing clear here that NordVPN does have obfuscated servers available for desktop and Android version, but not for iPhone.
If you’re using it on Windows, Mac, or Android, you will be able to bypass Chinese geo-restrictions with the help of obfuscated servers.
One use mentioned that the service makes the internet too slow. Agreed, it does.
NordVPN surely advertises that its app is free, but there’s also mentioned that there is in-app purchase which user may have missed.
In fact, it is the cheapest VPN for Phone or any device if you compare the prices of NordVPN with others mentioned in this list.
To me, it is still the best iOS VPN when it comes to price, features, and value for money.
6. Jurisdiction: It is based in Panama, which has NO data retention laws. It is not legal in Panama to ask companies to reveal users’ data.
7. VPN Logs: It does NOT keep usage logs nor does it stores connection logs as per our research.
8. Leak Tests: NordVPN passed the IP leak, DNS Leak, and WebRTC. The testing server was France. Here are the results:
9. Speed: Before I conducted speed test for NordVPN, here is the snapshot of my internet speed without a VPN i.e. 14.1 Mbps
I connected NordVPN to Paris, France server and here are the results
Internet speed with NordVPN: 4.58 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 68%
10. Transparency Report: NordVPN is owned by Tefincom as it is mentioned on App Store. It does not provide transparency report on its website.
11. Number of Servers: 5,241 servers in 60 countries, highest number of servers that makes it the best VPN for iOS.
12. Cost: $2.99 (3-year plan), $3.99 (2-year plan), $6.99 (1-year plan) with 30-days money-back guarantee. It is cheaper than most.
#2. Surfshark
1. Ratings: 3.7 Stars out of 5 Stars (47 reviews)
Out of 47 reviews, Surfshark did well to secure 15 5-Star ratings, which seems impressive.
Its poor reviews has significantly declined as well which is a good sign too.
The last week of April was considerably good for Surfshark.
2. Compatibility: Supports iOS 9.0 or later. Works on iPhone, iPad, and iPad touch.
3. Size: 68.9 MB
4. Productivity Rank: Not in 100
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 recent reviews for Surfshark
People seems to like Surfshark after looking at the recent reviews of Surfshark. All going in favor of the app.
Surfshark just made its mark last year that is why there are only 47 reviews on app store.
A user from United States mentions some ley points that Surfshark iOS app has an easy-to-use interface, fantastic chat option, and unblocks Hulu without any issues.
An Indian user pointed out the fact that this app unblocks US Netflix. Yes, its true!
A user from Denmark makes a confession that at first he had given the app bad review because the app would not work in Dubai.
But Surfshark works absolutely fine in Denmark so he was forced to change his review to positive.
Because the customer support solved the issue within no time, he claims that Surfshark is the best cell phone VPN.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in British Virgin Island, the same country where ExpressVPN is based. BVI does not have any data retention laws and is a perfect place for a VPN.
7. VPN Logs: Surfshark does NOT keep any kind of logs i.e. connection or usage logs.
8. IP Leaks: Surfshark passed all types of leak test i.e. IP leak, DNS leak, and WebRTC. The chosen server was Netherlands. Here we see the results
9. Speed: I connected to Netherlands server
Internet speed with Surfshark: 3.13 Mbps
Internet speed decline: 78%
10. Transparency Report: It has not revealed any transparency report other than the fact that they operate from BVI.
11. Number of Servers: 800+ servers in 50+ countries
12. Cost: $1.99 (3-year plan), $5.99 (1-year plan), $11.95 (1-month plan) with 30-days money-back guarantee.
#3. CyberGhost
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (11.3K reviews)
The month of May started off with a flying start for CyberGhost as it received about 500 5-star ratings.
Thus revealing that it is one of the best VPN for iPhone.
Later in the section, I will be discussing as to why the trend for CyberGhost increased at rapid pace.
2. Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.3 or later and works with iPhone, iPad, and iPad touch.
3. Size: 86.5 MB
4. Productivity Rank: #14 in productivity chart
5. User Reviews: Here are the 7 most recent reviews for CyberGhost
Largely, all the reviews have come from Great Britain, meaning that CyberGhost iOS app is clearly famous in the region.
All of these reviews are highly in favor of CyberGhost. Users have commented that so far they haven’t yet faced problems with the app and is easy-to-use app.
There was a user with a 3-Star rating who wanted to know how to cancel the subscription, but didn’t mentioned the reason why.
Apart from that, everything looks smooth for CyberGhost.
6. Jurisdiction: It is based in Romania which is not a part of 5, 9, or 14 eyes intelligence sharing countries.
7. VPN Logs: It stores connection logs, but does not keep any kind of usage logs.
8. IP Leaks: I connected CyberGhost to Israel’s server and it passed the test. The snapshot is as follows:
9. Speed: I connected to Israel’s server
Internet speed with CyberGhost: 5.66 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 60%
10. Transparency Report: It publishes yearly transparency reports for its 30 M users. Over 27K requests were filed for DMCA complaints in 2018 alone, but it never handed out the data.
11. Number of Servers: 3,800+ servers in 60+ countries.
12. Cost: $2.75/month (3-year plan), $5.99/month (1-year plan), $12.99/month (1-month plan) with 45-days money-back guarantee.
#4. ExpressVPN
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (24.8K reviews)
As you see in the visuals above, 1-Star ratings for ExpressVPN has gradually declined, while the 5-Star rating has marginally increased.
It is one of the most oldest of VPNs around and everytime we see there’s a ton of reviews added up on this list.
2. Compatibility: It requires iOS 10.0 or later. It works with all iOS devices.
3. Size: 53 MB
4. Utility Chart: #80 in Utilities
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the most expensive VPN in this list of providers, and no one likes to hear that their product fails to deliver that it promises.
Here we see 2 negative reviews given by ExpressVPN users from different countries.
Once user claiming that it disconnects whenever it feels like, while other saying that it crashes every time upon opening.
Sometime when the app requires an update, it crashes at start.
A user from US specifically mentions that the service needs improvement in the African region.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in British Virgin Island, outside of 5, 9, or 14 eyes intelligence sharing countries. It does not have data retention laws.
7. VPN Logs: ExpressVPN has never kept any logs as it was proven when their servers were seized in Turkey that held no useful information during the assassination of Andrey Karlov.
8. Leak Test: It easily passed the Leak Test when testing on Canada server. You can see the results below:
9. Speed: Connected to Canadian server
Internet speed with ExpressVPN: 7.08 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 50%
10. Transparency Report: If the foreign government succeeds in compelling BVI Court to order ExpressVPN to share information, it cannot be tied back to ExpressVPN users because it does not store any critical logs.
11. Number of Servers: 3,000+ servers in 84 countries (160 cities)
12. Cost: $8.32/month (1-year plan), $9.99/month (6 months plan), and $12.95/month (1-month plan) with 100% money-back guarantee for first 30-days.
#5. IPVanish
1. Ratings on App store: 4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars (29.1K reviews)
Here you see a lot of negative reviews piled up against IPVanish which is certainly not a good sign.
We see a slight increase in 5-Star ratings but that’s not enough against a steady increase in poor reviews.
Negative reviews are taking a great toll on app’s ratings.
2. Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.0 or later after you update IPVanish app.
3. Size: 26.9 MB (lightest of all VPN providers)
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for IPVanish
Things are not looking good for IPVanish at recent times as users are getting frustrated with the service.
Frequently disconnection is the issue faced by a lot of users, and they are asking for refunds. Not good at all.
Being the second-most expensive VPN in this list, you expect excellent service. Once you don’t get it, it started to fall on the VPN provider.
There is one user complaining that it doesn’t work in China despite the provider claiming that it does.
With all other odds, one user stepped up and claimed that it secures your browsing even when you are carrying banking transactions.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in US, a staunch member of 5-eyes countries. If US government issues subpoena to any company, it has to abide by the law without any exception of IPVanish.
7. VPN Logs: IPVanish does not keep any kind of logs. If government issues a warrant, hopefully they will not find anything.
8. Leak Test: IPVanish also passed 3 types of leak test I performed when testing on Australia server making it the best VPN for iOS.
You can see the snapshot of results below:
9. Speed: Connected to Australian server
Internet speed with IPVanish: 4.79 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 66%
10. Transparency Report: It does not provide any transparency report.
11. Number of Servers: 1,300+ servers in 75+ locations
12. Cost: $6.49/month (1-year plan), $8.99/month (3-months plan) with 7-days money-back guarantee. It is expensive than other VPNs on this list except for ExpressVPN.
#6. Ivacy
1. Ratings on App store: 4.4 Stars out of 5 Stars (295 reviews)
There are not many reviews in the last month to discuss the progress of Ivacy on app store.
It is important here to mention that there are 7 (1-Star rating) against 9 (5-Star rating), which is an average performance to say the least.
2. Compatibility: It requires iOS 10.0 or later and is compatible with all iOS devices.
3. Size: 64.1 MB
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for Ivacy
There are 2 5-Star reviews glowing in the above visuals with both users satisfied with the performance of the app and its speed.
The one with a negative review claims that the Ivacy app does not work with BBC or ITV Player.
The thing that concerns me the most is that Ivacy was not able to refund the money according to this user despite giving 30-days money-back guarantee.
6. Jurisdiction: It is based in Singapore, which is not a part of 14 eyes countries, but is close partner in sharing intelligence information.
7. VPN Logs: Ivacy does not keep any kind of logs and does not track your internet activity.
8. Leak Test: Ivacy passed the leak test on a Brazilian server. Here are the results for your viewing:
9. Speed: Connected to Brazilian server
Internet speed with Ivacy: 6.03 Mbps
Decline in speed: 58%
10. Transparency Report: It does not reveal transparency report.
11. Number of Servers: 1,000+ servers in 50+ countries (100+ cities)
12. Cost: $2.25/month (2-years plan), $3.33/month (1-year plan), $9.95/month (1-month plan) with 30-days money-back guarantee
#7. VyprVPN
1. Ratings on App store: 4.1 Stars out of 5 Stars (1.7K reviews)
VyprVPN has a poor run so far as the iOS app. Looking at the ratings above, it is easier to assume that this app is certainly not favorite amongst users.
1-Star rating is all we see throughout this month and that could be very frustrating for the VPN and surely for the user who paid for it.
2. Compatibility: Works good with iOS 9.0 or later
3. Size: 59.7 MB
4. Productivity Rank: Not in rankings
5. User Reviews: Here are the 7 most recent reviews for VyprVPN
There are two extremes of reviews available for viewing for VyprVPN. You can see there are three 5-Star ratings and four 1-Star ratings.
Many users complaining that this app is a waste of time and money, as it doesn’t work on Mac, disappointing live chat support, and so much else.
One user asks for refund, but it is important to note here that VyprVPN does not offer money-back guarantee. Rather, it offers 3-days free trial offer.
VPN connection iPhone failures were the major concern for US users. This is a continuous problem faced by users around the world.
‘VPN not connect iPhone’ is another common error faced by users.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in Switzerland that comes under those countries who are cooperative to 14 eyes intelligence sharing countries.
7. VPN Logs: VyprVPN does not keep any logs.
8. IP Leaks: VyprVPN has passed the leak test with ease. I tested it on Indonesia server. You could see the results as follows:
9. Speed: When connected to Indonesian server to check speed test
Internet speed with VyprVPN: 1.39 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 90%
10. Transparency Report: It is a product of Golden Frog Inc. and has independently audited its service by Leviathan Security Group that has revealed no privacy logs. But still does not reveal its transparency report.
11. Number of Servers: 700+ servers in 70+ locations
12. Cost: $5/month (1-year plan) for 3 devices, $6.67/month (1-year plan) for 5 devices with 3-days free trial period.
#8. TunnelBear
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (26.2K reviews)
TunnelBear started off well, but declined at the 1st week of May 2019 and then got back slightly up.
Its 1-Star review also declined at the same time which shows that the app is making a good impression.
It is one of the good VPN apps not just because its free, but it offers the best features that are offered under paid VPNs.
2. Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later and is compatible with all iOS devices.
3. File Size: 53.4 MB
4. Productivity Rank: #130 in productivity chart
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for TunnelBear
Comments from iOS users for TunnelBear service was incredibly admired. The feature that people admired the most was its FREE package.
Users can get up to 3500 MB for 1 month. But despite this fact, one user complaint that it bought a paid subscription but still it doesn’t unblocks Eurosports.
Another user complaining that I has a weak customer support, which I 100% agree as I have been a victim of their slow customer support.
6. Jurisdiction: It is based in Canada, which comes under the 5 eyes group of countries that shares intelligence information.
7. VPN Logs: Tunnelbear keeps your connection logs, meaning it will know at what time you have logged in to the VPN and the duration. But it would not know what you are doing online.
8. IP Leaks: TunnelBear also passed DNS, IP, and WebRTC leak test when connected to Ireland server. See the results:
9. Speed: When connected to Ireland server for speed test
Internet speed with TunnelBear: 1.09 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 93%
10. Transparency Report: It is the only few VPN provider that reveals transparency report.
11. Servers: 22+ servers in 20+ locations
12. Cost: Free 500 MB of data per month, $4.99/month (1-year plan), $9.99/month (1-month plan)
#9. Private Internet Access
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (26.9K reviews)
Private Internet Access got a head start earlier, but gradually declined due to poor ratings and then managed to end well.
The last week of April was particularly poor for PIA, where it received only 23 (5-Star ratings) against 30 (1-Star reviews).
2. Compatibility: It requires iOS 9.0 or later version and works well with all iOS devices.
3. Size: 27.7 MB
4. Productivity Rank: Not in rankings
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for PIA
You can only find one 5-Star review surrounded by four 1-Star review which is embarrassing to say the least.
Most apparent concerns of people are connectivity issues, doesn’t work in China, and the kill switch feature does not work.
The only user with 5-Star rating is the one claiming that it offers the best internet privacy.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in US, which is a part of 5-eyes surveillance country. If US government asks for users’ data, the company has to comply since there is no other option.
7. VPN Logs: PIA is not clear about its connection or usage logs. May be it does keeps logs or it doesn’t. No one knows. Yet, it is counted amongst the best VPN apps for any OS.
8. Leak Test: It passed all the leak tests when connected to an Australian server. Below is the screenshot:
9. Speed: When connected to Australian server to check speed, here are the results
Internet speed with PIA: 3.72 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 74%
10. Transparency Report: It does provide a report where it has received 0 court orders, 2 subpoena, and 1 warrant from the government since last year.
11. Number of Servers: 3,307+ servers in 32 countries.
12. Cost: $3.49/month (2-years plan), $5.99/month (1-year plan), $9.95/month (1-month plan) with 7-days money-back guarantee.
Download Private Internet Access iOS app
#10. HideMyAss
1. Ratings on App store: 4.6 Stars out of 5 Stars (14.8K reviews)
There’s not much positives to talk about HMA as you can see the above image is flourishing with negative reviews.
On the last week of April, there were only negative user reviews and not a single positive.
2. Compatibility: Works on every iOS devices having 9.0 or later.
3. Size: 95.3 MB
5. User Reviews: Here are the 7 most recent reviews for HideMyAss
By looking at the reviews, it is easier to imagine that HMA is quite popular in Vietnam, where it has received 4 reviews out 7 most recent ones.
But all of these users from Vietnam are not happy with its performance.
They’re complaining that the app disconnects quite a few times before connecting.
One user who has given a 5-Star rating also mentioned that it doesn’t connect.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in United Kingdom, a strong partner in 5 eyes alliance countries. It can share your data if the government issues a warrant.
7. VPN Logs: Hidemyass keeps connection logs, but does not store usage logs.
8. IP Leaks: I connected to Cyprus server to check whether HideMyAss leaks IP or DNS. It passed all the tests. Here is the screenshot:
9. Speed: When connected to Cyprus server to check speed
Internet speed with HideMyAss: 9.69 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 32%
10. Transparency Report: It has been issuing transparency report since 2014 onwards despite the fact that it is based in a country that shares intelligence.
11. Number of Servers: 910+ servers in 190+ countries (the only country having servers in North Korea). The only VPN that covers so many countries, making it the best mobile VPN in the market.
12. Cost: $4.99/month (2-year plan), $6.99/month (1-year plan) with 30-days money-back guarantee and 7-day free trial.
#11. PureVPN
1. Ratings on App store: 3.9 Stars out of 5 Stars (667 reviews)
There is not a single week where 5-Star reviews exceeded poor ratings as I analyze ratings for April to May.
There’s not much to talk about as the data says it all.
2. Compatibility: It requires iOS 10.0 or later and works with iPhone, iPad, and iPad touch.
3. FileSize: 42.9 MB
5. User Reviews: Here are the 4 most recent reviews for PureVPN
People don’t have anything good to say about PureVPN as well.
One thing users should know about PureVPN is, they have launched a new iOS app that became available for users only a week from today.
Many user are complaining that PureVPN does not work in China despite claiming that it does.
It works fine on MacBook as one user posts, but is extremely unstable on iPhone.
6. Jurisdiction: Based in Hong Kong, not a member of 14 eyes group of countries.
7. VPN Logs: It did store connection logs previously and handed it out to authorities, but since PureVPN does not keep any logs.
8. IP Leaks: PureVPN also passed the test when we tested it on Iceland server. Here is the screenshot:
9. Speed: Connected to Iceland server
Internet speed with PureVPN: 4.58 Mbps
Decline in internet speed: 48%
10. Transparency Report: It is owned by GZ Systems Limited, but does not reveals its transparency report.
11. Number of Servers: 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries (180+ cities)
12. Cost: $3.33/month (1-year plan) but currently offering a 73% discount.
App Permissions Required on iPhone
App permissions may seem unnoticeable feature on your iPhone, but it gives access of your private stuff to apps.
This could get very risky!
We don’t even notice giving these apps permission to access our iPhone’s content, just hurrying to get started with the app.
No doubt Apple App store is much secure than Google’s play store because you can turn off some permissions manually on iPhone, and still the app would work.
The same does not goes with Play Store because if you decline app permission, the app will refuse to work.
Here are some permissions required on iPhone:
Here you see location, contacts, photos, microphone are camera are the sensitive app permissions that you can five access to apps.
You can also turn off these permissions manually by going in to settings and then privacy option.
What Makes a Great VPN for iPhone
| Must-Have Features | Note |
|---|---|
| Many Server Locations | The more the better. Huge server location count means you can access websites/contents from many countries. |
| Fast Speed | The faster speed is essential for streaming. VPNs normally tend to decrease internet speed. The one that tends to decline less, pick that one. |
| iOS software app | A VPN that has a dedicated iOS app and is available on the Apple Store. |
| Strong Encryption | Encryption keeps your data secured. Stronger encryption means better online protection on your iPhone. |
| Value for Money | Vital features are what makes the best VPN for iPhone great. Also, these necessary features must be available |
| Customer Care | Should be able to respond quickly and whenever users have questions, they can help anytime with their 24/7 live support. |
Want To Eavesdrop On Someone? Apple Has You Covered With Their Latest iOS Bug
Is it just me or is Apple just not taking user privacy seriously.
Now we all know the macOS High Sierra bug of 2017, you know the one that enabled users to gain root access of a mac using just “root” as the password.
Compare to the major security gaffe of 2017, this year’s security blunder is even more alarming.
If you haven’t checked out your twitter yet, btw you should because it’s literally blowing up with the news related to Apple’s latest security mess-up.
It hasn’t even been a month since 2019 and Apple is yet again in a rush to fix their latest iOS bug.
According to wired, the new bug lets anyone eavesdrop on an iPhone user through the built-in Facetime app.
What’s worse, in addition to just secretly hearing the other person’s conversation, the bug also lets users see what the other person is doing.
Even though Apple was notified about the issue prior to it blowing up on social media, the trillion dollar company didn’t bother addressing the issue.
The bug is also terribly easy to trigger. Apparently, all you have to do is call up someone using the Facetime app and while their phone is ringing, swipe up from the bottom and add your own number using the Add Person option.
Doing so will trick Facetime into switching to the group Facetime mode. This way, you can apparently eavesdrop on the person you’re calling without them even picking up.
If the person you’re calling presses the lock button, it triggers their camera without them even knowing about it.
Ever since the issue got viral on social media, Unbox Therapy, a big name in the tech YouTube community addressed this issue and labeled it as “The Facetime bug, the bug of all bugs”.
After an uproar from the community, Apple has kicked things into overdrive.
Since the bug is found to be only triggered by the group FaceTime calls, Apple has momentarily taken down their Group FaceTime servers.
According to Apple, the vulnerability will be patched later on in this week with a software update.
Apple’s official statement, “We’re aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week”
In the meantime, if you’re worried about someone triggering this bug on your iOS device, I suggest you either disable the Facetime app from the settings or opt one of the best VPN app for iPhone discussed below.
How to connect multiple Apple devices to a Single VPN?
Got more than one Apple device? Don’t want to purchase separate subscription plans for each of them?
Well, you don’t have to.
Since many best VPN app for iOS offer simultaneous connections, you can just use one subscription to secure multiple devices.
For instance, you can hook up your iPhone, iPad and even iPod using just one VPN subscription. You can even connect your apple tv to the same VPN subscription, however, it will take a bit of tinkering around. I suggest you check out the Apple TV VPN guide if you are interested.
Now, simultaneous connections vary from provider to provider. Some may offer 2-3 at max while others may allow up to 6 devices to connect simultaneously.
Down below, I have compiled a list of best VPN iPhone app that allow simultaneous connections.
PureVPN: 5 multiple devices
NordVPN: 6 multiple devices
Surfshark: Unlimited devices
CyberGhost: 7 multiple devices
ExpressVPN: 3 multiple devices
IPVanish: 10 multiple devices
Ivacy: 5 multiple devices
VyprVPN: 3 multiple devices
TunnelBear: 5 multiple devices
Private Internet Access: 5 multiple devices
Why do you need a VPN for iPhone?
Even tough iPhones are generally a lot more secure than their Android counterparts, they are still susceptible to online threats.
That said, using a reliable VPN for iPhone can greatly enhance the overall privacy of you iOS device.
People asking ‘what does VPN mean on my iPhone’, you can view these benefits below:
- A VPN for iOS allows you to secure your data on public networks.
- It masks your online location and encrypts your data.
- It helps you get past regional blocks.
VPN encryption Protocols to Use on iPhone
If you want to know what is VPN on iPhone used for in terms of encryption protocols, then here’s your answer:
- PPTP – Although you may find it fast, it provides less security
- L2TP/IPSec – It may provide stronger security, but it isn’t fast enough
- IKEv2 – Widely used by iOS users, but its encryption is not as strong as OpenVPN
- OpenVPN – Highly secured protocol and a faster VPN service
How a VPN works on your iOS devices?
Using a VPN app on your iPhone or iOS device is pretty straight forward. You just need to download the app from the Apple App Store and log in to your account using the credentials provider by your VPN service.
However, you will notice a prompt to install the VPN profile. Don’t worry, every VPN provider has their only VPN profiles and usually only require a tap of a button.
Once you’re all logged in your account, all you have to do is choose a secure server of your choice and hit connect.
To verify whether your Apple VPN app is working or not, just check the status bar of your iPhone. If you see a small VPN icon on top, you’re successfully connected a VPN server.
That’s it, that how simple it is to setup and start using VPN on iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
All of the apps that are listed above in the guide works best with iPhone. However, I would personally recommend you using PureVPN because it not only protects your online activity by encrypting your data, it would also keep you protected from the government, ISPs, and hackers.
A VPN will keep your iPhone protected at all times from any cyber attacks, hacking, and privacy breach. It hides your IP so no one would know your real location and anything you do over the internet remains hidden because your online traffic is encrypted.
Learn how to setup VPN on iPhone in detail, or just simply follow the steps below:
- Subscribe to a VPN from the table above
- Open up VPN App Store (iTunes Store) > Install the VPN provider app
- Enter Username and Password
- Connect to a Server
- You’re connected!
Many people might ask ‘what is VPN for iPhone’? A simple anser is, a VPN is a software that encrypts your web traffic and keeps it hidden from the eyes of hackers, government, and ISPs.
These VPN applications are available on iTunes Store.
Although I would highly suggest you go fair paid VPNs only, however, if you don’t feel like spending money, you can check out our detailed guide on free VPN for iPhone.
To tell you the trust, not much.
In fact, all of the VPN mentioned in this blog only cost a few dollars a month.
That said, as a general rule of thumb, always go for the longest subscription plan.
Monthly plans don’t really offer too much value in my opinion. Yearlong plans on the other are not only much cheaper but also come with hefty discounts.
For instance, a monthly plan usually costs somewhere around $10 a month. Compare that to a yearlong plan and it should only cost you around $2-$3 a month.
Now, you can find really cheap and free VPNs online, however, I don’t really recommend them. Such VPNs are not poorly built but also offer significantly less features.
To play it safe, just pick any of the VPNs discussed in this blog. I personally like Surfshark the best.
Best VPN for iPhone Reviews on Reddit
Reddit allows you to explore realistic reviews about pretty much anything. Let’s check out what Reddit has to say about iPhone app VPNs.
According to one Reddit users, you should opt VPNs that offer the IKEv2 protocol.
Scrolling through some of the comments on Reddit and the most recommended VPN for iPhone has to be NordVPN.
Best iPhone VPN Reviews on Twitter
Similar to Reddit, you can find some great suggestion on Twitter too.
According to the response of one Twitter user, TunnelBear is probably the best VPN to use with your iPhone.
Final Thoughts
IPhone are just awesome. There’s no other device quite like it.
Although iPhones are already considered quite secure, they are by no means invincible.
Just look at the recent Facetime bug. That’s how vulnerable your iOS device can be.
Instead of mucking around with your privacy, go for one the best VPN for iPhone mentioned in this blog.
They are not only cheap but offer ultimate privacy for your iPhone.
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.
Alternatively, you can opt PureVPN app if you want anonymity at better pricing.
Cheers!!!
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 a 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 & cyberthreats revolving around the iOS 10 can’t be neglected.
You can freely setup 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 doesn’t comes 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.
ExpressVPN and PureVPN do in fact offer money back guarentee. 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…