There are literally countless free VPN for iPhone on the App Store.
But finding one that is safe and legitimate can be a hard ask.
In this article, I will discuss whether a free VPN for iOS is suitable for you in 2020 or if you’re better off with a paid option when choosing the best VPN for iPhone. Keep in mind that paid VPNs are always one step ahead in terms of privacy and security as compared to free solutions with their limited features.
7 Best Free VPN Apps for iPhone
Top-rated premium VPNs have a clear edge over services that cost no money. Nonetheless, some VPNs offer some great benefits for iPhone users who want better privacy and stay safe from online trackers.
Here’s a list of the best free VPNs for iOS devices in 2020:
1. Surfshark – Best free VPN for iPhone
Surfshark is the best free unlimited VPN for iPhone. It is not exactly free, but offers a 7-day free trial exclusively for iPhone users. The free version comes with all the advanced features including kill switch and CleanWeb.
It also offers the IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols, the former of which is particularly efficient at providing good speeds and strong security for iOS devices.
Surfshark has an impressive network of 1,040 servers located in over 140 countries. With these servers, you can transcend all geographical limitations constraining your browsing/streaming experience. For instance, unblocking US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and other streaming services is a walk in the park with Surfshark.
Nor do you have to worry about bandwidth limitations during and after the free trial period with this VPN. Its also one of the fastest VPN service in the industry.
The dedicated iOS app of Surfshark has very stripped-down and appealing design that perfectly balances functionality with simplicity. With AES-256 encryption and a user-oriented logging policy, the VPN guarantees privacy of users.
It also supports torrenting for users that want to safely perform p2p-activities under the protection of strong encryption protocols and safety mechanisms like kill switch.
If you want to extend your subscription beyond the free trial period, the 2-year plan will set you back only $1.99/mo , which is extremely affordable for what is probably the best free VPN for iPhone in the market today.
Read full Surfshark VPN review to learn more.
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Well-designed iOS app
- Works with US Netflix and other streaming apps
- Free trial lasts only 7 days
2. ProtonVPN – Totally Free VPN
ProtonVPN is among the best free iOS VPN available in the market. The provider has the distinction of offering unlimited bandwidth for free . It has a dedicated VPN app for iOS that is very simple to use and is satisfyingly responsive.
Nonetheless, being a free service, it tends to be a little slow and only has 3 server locations. To unlock more locations and get faster speeds, you will have to purchase the premium version. If you can overlook these drawbacks, then ProtonVPN deserves the highest spot in the list of free VPNs for iPhone.
To know more about this VPN, check out our detailed guide on ProtonVPN review.
- Unlimited bandwidth
- AES-256 encryption
- Good logging policy
- Average speeds
3. Windscribe – Top Free VPN App for IPhone
Windscribe is an excellent free iPhone VPN app. You can access 10 server locations in the free version, which is more than what most providers offer for free.
What’s more, its bandwidth allocation of 10GB/month is pretty good considering the industry norm among free providers is much lower bandwidth allowance than that. Moreover, if you carefully use your mobile data on iPhone/iPad, Windscribe might actually last you every month without your bandwidth running out.
View our detailed Windscribe VPN review to find out everything about this VPN.
- 10GB/month data cap
- 10 free servers
- Smooth iOS app
- Average speed
4. SecurityKISS – Compact Free VPN
Security KISS offers free VPN for users of iPhone. It offers several servers and uses reasonably strong security for users that are looking for stronger security on iPhone.
With Security KISS connected on your iPhone device, you can cope with censorship and content restriction issues. It offers both free and paid services, the former of which comes with a bandwidth limit of 300MB/day. While this may be too small for users with high bandwidth requirements, it can still come in handy if you use it sparingly, such as when connected to a public wireless network where your privacy could be at risk.
View our detailed review of SecurityKISS to learn each and everything regarding this VPN.
- 300MB/day data cap
- Decent speed
- Good for privacy
- No dedicated iOS app
5. Speedify – Fast IPhone VPN
Speedify is a decent free VPN for iPad users as well as iPhone. This VPN focuses on maximizing connection speed for iPhone devices above anything else, and it tends to be somewhat faster than other providers.
The 5GB/month bandwidth limit is pretty good, but may not be sufficient for heavy users. Although Speedify deserves to be considered one of the best free VPN on iPhone in terms of speed, its privacy policy is not that reassuring as it keeps logs of IP address and timestamps.
View our detailed review of Speedify to find out everything about this VPN.
- Fast servers
- 5GB/month bandwidth
- Well-designed iOS app
- Keeps user logs to some extent
6. TunnelBear – Popular Choice
TunnelBear is rated moderately on this list of top free VPN for iPhone. It has a few pros and some cons as well.
It flaunts a decent range of 20+ servers that iPhone users can utilize to hide their IP address and attain some anonymity on the web. The drawback with TunnelBear is that your free service is its 500MB bandwidth limit that can run out pretty fast.
Nonetheless, it is pretty good for privacy and for users that have minimal VPN usage requirements.
View our guide of TunnelBear review to learn everything regarding this VPN.
- Excellent UX
- 20+ free servers
- Good logging policy
- Only 500MB a month
7. SurfEasy – Clean Interface for IPhone
SurfEasy can be used as a free VPN for iPhone 6 and all models beyond that. It features a simple to use interface for the iPhone that allows you to choose from multiple server locations directly from the homescreen.
Unfortunately, the free iPhone version of SurfEasy caps your data at 500 MB per month, which probably won’t be sufficient if your VPN usage is high.
However, it may be sufficient for individuals who simply use VPN services in specific circumstances only, such as when inputting sensitive information on banking related forms and other such activites. While SurfEasy isn’t he best available VPN, it is effective enough to protect iPhone from the inherent security vulnerabilities in free public Wi-Fi hotspots.
View our detailed SurfEasy review to learn everything regarding this VPN.
- Intuitive UI
- Multiple server locations
- 500MB Data cap
Do I Need a Free VPN service for iPhone?
Many of you might be wondering why the iPhone needs a VPN to strengthen its security. Those who are satisfied iPhone customers know that iPhone’s security standards are better than its alternatives like Android.
Nonetheless, iPhones have a fair share of problems of its own in terms of privacy violations of users. The facetime bug, for instance, is a glaring example of the flimsy privacy inherent in the iPhone.
In these turbulent times, you can’t rely on factory settings and default security levels to meet our security standards. You need additional privacy measures, a requirement that is best fulfilled by VPN services.
But there is a catch when it comes to free VPN for iPhones.
These services usually have small bandwidth allowance, making them unsuitable for some tasks like streaming. Moreover, free services usually have only a few server locations available, limiting your ability to bypass geo-restrictions.
But the worst of all? You can’t rely on a free VPN to keep you protected on the web. That’s why your best bet is to test the full potential of a VPN with Surfshark’s free-trial.
Why Free VPNs Are Risky for iPhone/iOS Devices
Since products selling for free have no direct way of generating revenue, companies employ underhand means to make money.
VPNs with the “free” tag have a bad history of keeping log of users, displaying dozens of ads on your phone, and even sell your information to any advertising agency looking for it. What’s more, free providers don’t really bother about coming off as transparent in their operations. The vaguely written privacy policies raise even greater red flags.
It is hard to ascertain the jurisdiction that a free VPN listed in the App Store falls under. For all you know, you might get your hands on a VPN app that is under the surveillance of the Five Eyes, which seriously puts you at the risk of getting your privacy compromise by agencies. This is why it is extremely important that you pick a VPN service that you can actually trust. And if that means spending a few bucks for it, then so be it.
The risks of free VPNs for iOS notwithstanding, there are some providers that you can rely on to value your privacy, albeit there are restrictions to the features that they will allow you to enjoy on their free plans. However, VPNs like Surfshark let you access it’s 7-days free trial exclusive for iPhone users.
Free VPNs for Other Devices and Apps
If you’re looking for better privacy solutions for free for platforms other than iPhone, you can see the following articles:
Final Thoughts
There is no question that users need to secure themselves on the web from all sorts of threats crawling around.
Although a free VPN for iPhone won’t offer the same level of security and performance you can expect from premium VPNs, if you’re careful, you can discover a free provider that is reliable enough. Surfshark’s 7-day free trial offers the best balance between functionality and affordability, if you’re looking for a free VPN solution for your iOS device.
