Best iOS VPN Apps In 2020

It is a known fact that over the years, the government has gotten very good at invading the privacy of citizens and monitoring their online activities. Users of iOS devices know that Apple has many high tech security features that actively protect you from third-party surveillance and that is great. Really, though, true shielding from scrutiny on iPhone and iPad devices is by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

A VPN basically works like an umbrella in the rain, shielding you from undue attention so third parties cannot know what you are doing online or track you. You also have the added benefits of being able to access blocked websites and keeping your devices safe when using public Wi-Fi. Now you are wondering why you haven’t gotten one yet right? Before you are taken on a thorough tour of the best iPhone VPN apps out there, here is a sneak peek:

• Nord VPN – Audited and secured, great for travelers.
• Express VPN – Very fast and good at dodging geo-locks.
• Cyberghost – Versatile and easy to use.
• Surfshark – Powerful and secure.
• PIA – Cheap and easy to install.
• IP Vanish – Great for novices and fun to use.
• TunnelBear – Simple and intuitive VPN.
• Hotspot Shield – Free and offers lots of servers.

How to Choose the Best VPN for your iPhone or iPad?

Okay, there are a whole lot of VPNs out there, and many of them can hold their own. But for your iPhone or iPad, you need more than just okay, you need something amazing, something with lots of functionalities, and character. This need is what birthed this list.

You might even need this information more now that you have probably started working from home regularly. These apps are the best iPhone VPNs you can find anywhere.

8 Best iPhone VPNs

If you are looking for the best VPN for iOS, there are some great ones about to come your way. You will not go wrong choosing any of these 8 apps.

Nord VPN (Best for travelers)

This is one of the most successful iOS VPN apps available anywhere. It is a great option for those that require unfettered access to the internet everywhere they go.

Pros

• You will have access to very fast speeds wherever you go.
• You can pay with your subscription using different means; cryptocurrency and cash.
• You have great features at really good prices too.
• The security and safety of personal information is top-notch

Cons

• The speed is fast everwhere but in Malaysia. You might not want to use this one if you live there
• Torrenting is only available on some specific servers
• You may experience some delay when using a client app (NordVPN for Windows) to connect to a server which can be annoying.
• The OpenVPN configuration can be a pain in the neck

Truly, NordVPN is a strong contender for the best all-round iPhone VPN. It has great security (256-bit AES), a dedicated iOS app that offers an automatic kill switch. The VPN app also sticks to its strict no-logs policy and has an added feature that many will like- malware blocker.

You can torrent, and with over 5,000 servers worldwide, the world is truly your oyster with NordVPN. It is not free, but they will offer you a 30-day money-back guarantee, and even the subscription is reasonable. This is one VPN you actually want to pay for.

Express VPN (best iPhone VPN for streaming and speed)

You have nothing to fear from streaming apps with this one, it has always got you covered.

Pros

• It is a really fast VPN, it can even increase the speed of torrents.
• Quite easy to set up and also very secure
• This VPN is particularly good at annihilating geo-blocks.
• Express VPN helps you stream smoothly on most streaming platforms.

Cons

• Kill switch is not really present.
• It can be a bit pricey, compared to others
• You will get no free trial here
• There is no phone support, just emails and chat

This iPhone VPN seems to do a lot of things quite well, even including gaming, this mostly due to its incredible speeds. It protects this blazing speed with 256-Bit encryption which also comes with AES- 256 cipher and a 4096- RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. It also has a security feature that changes your encryption key every time you are logged on. The app obviously takes security seriously, although it does not have a kill switch for iOS which is a real bummer.

No logs and leak protection are other ways to keep it secure. It is really a good app even if it is a bit pricey, you will get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Cyberghost (Best known for ease of use and productivity)

Cyberghost has it’s own unique features that make it stand out, Here is a pros and cons list:

Pros

• The app has a dedicated app for Apple Watch, amazing right!?
• The app looks amazing and has great UX
• Cyberghost has one of the highest numbers of serves available and they make good use of them.
• This one has a host of unique security features.

Cons

• Despite a no-log policy, the company still seems to keep some user data
• They also offer limited payment options which is a rare case

This low-key iOS VPN app is rated number 7 on the iTunes Productivity Chart, and also has a pretty impressive 4.5 rating in the Apple app store. Cyberghost has loads of servers for its users to enjoy, 256-bit encryption, and a kill switch. If you need a lightweight VPN app that is great for torrenting and streaming, this is the right one.

Surfshark (Best for Unlimited Logins)

The name might make you want to take a step back, but you can trust that this newcomer will go to town on any snoops on your behalf.

Pros

• It is blazing fast
• Customer support for this app is amazing
• You have unlimited connections! (that almost never happens)
• The subscription plans are not so expensive

Cons

• Torrenting is limited to just a handful of countries which is not ideal for those that love to torrent

This unassuming iOS app is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, and most of you will know what that means for sed. IT has a strict no-logging policy and uses 256-bit encryption, kill switch, and some extra features like camouflage mode. With all these features, it is not cheap.

Private Internet Access (Known for ease of setup)

Here is one that you can use while working on an assignment and watching a movie at the same time, it is that easy to use.

Pros

• It is one of the easiest VPN apps to use
• The price is very pocket friendly
• This app amazingly offers 10 simultaneous connections
• It has a very impressive 4.7 rating on Apple App Store

Cons

• It might be a bit short on features if you are looking for something more robust
• PIA does not have live chat support
• There is no kill switch available for iOS

PIA is one of the best iPhone VPN apps and even though it might not be as popular as some of the others, it is definitely holding its own. It comes with a totally unprecedented 3,274 servers which put it in the fun zone. Security-wise, it has both 128-bit AES and 256-bit industry-standard encryption, zero logs, and a kill switch. You also get multiple VPN gateways and bandwidth without a cap. This is one for those that want a VPN app that holds its own even when it is cheap.

IP Vanish (Best for beginners)

This is an iPhone VPN that should be on your list of VPN apps to try out. Here is why:

Pros

• This app has got great coverage with over 1,400 servers worldwide
• Unlimited bandwidth.
• The speed is really fast, enough to stream 8K video
• You can also access censored apps and websites through the app

Cons

• The app has come under some fire over their no-log policies in the past
• It operates out of the United States which is one of the Five Eyes Countries, which means they have to hand over user data when asked to by the authorities.
• The IP vanish app looks barebones and basic
• Customer service, not the best, it takes too long to respond.

IP vanish provides solid security features including 256-bit AES encryption and a no-logs policy (even though they do not have a perfect record of this). You will also get bandwidth without a cap. This is the app for you if you like to know how things run under the hood because the app has a configurable interface.

TunnelBear (Known for busting Censorship Blocks)

This VPN with the funny name is actually a serious iOS app and it has a few features that keep it in the running for one of the best VPN apps for iOS:

Pros

• The app can unlock geo-blocked websites including Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Youtube
• TunnelBear offers a free VPN version, which is capped at 500MB daily
• If it is your jam, you can stream and torrent all you want
• The TunnelBear interface is playful and fun, makes for a really awesome user experience

Cons

• Streaming could lead to some buffering and reduced speed

TunnelBear is a decent iOS app and it offers some really cool features. The security is industry standard and uses 256-bit AES encryption, and according to the folks at TunnelBear, using something weaker is not even an option. They also have a feature that can whitelist and blacklist some websites. The paid version goes for a reasonable price, for all the functionalities that it comes with.

Hotspot Shield (Best for Speed and unrestricted browsing)

This is the perfect name for this VPN because it does an amazing job of shielding its users from prying eyes. Here are some of its pros and cons:

Pros

• Hotspot Shield was rated the world’s fasted VPN in 2019 and 2020, so you can imagine how fast it is.
• Hotspot Shields servers are located all over the word in all the continents. This provides some welcome variety for their users
• It also has a malicious software blocker that is quite effective
• It supports Chrome, Mac, Windows, iOS, and android
• 7-day free trial

Cons

• Customer service might not be as effective as they can be

The app offers a free version with a bandwidth limitation of 500MB but the paid one comes with unlimited bandwidth. Both the free and paid versions will give you military-grade 256-bit AES encryption along with inbuilt ad blockers. With Hotspot Shield, you will get an automatic kill switch along with no-logs no-nonsense policy.

FAQ

When any VPN app is being discussed, some of these questions may come up

Do I Need a VPN on iPhone/iPad?

iOS devices already have really good security features, adding a VPN makes your phone like Fortt Knox. Keeps out the prying eyes of those that might surveil you, helps encrypt your data, and if you love the occasional soap opera, lets you enjoy streaming services like Netflix.

How To Use VPN on iPhone?

If you have decided to get a VPN, you are in for a whole lot of excitement. You get to browse the internet with no care in the world, keep your personal data safe and well guarded, stop weirdos, or the government from stalking you online, and you can stream whatever you want to watch even from other countries by connecting to their servers.

How to Get a VPN on iPhone

Not it is possible that every VPN service will not put their app up for download on the apple store, that does not mean they are not legit. Although downloading from the iOS app store is the best way, you could also jailbreak your mobile devices and install the VPN app from another source. This might open up your phone to malware, though, you should be careful.

How to set up a VPN app on iPhone

Installing this from the app store is the best way to go about this. Follow these simple steps:

1. Choose a VPN from this article, visit their site and subscribe
2. Sign in at the website (use your unique username and password) and download the VPN service from the app store
3. Run it and log in using your username and password.
4. Make sure you agree to terms and conditions, then allow the VPN service to install VPN configurations on your phone.
5. Open your VPN settings and choose the encryption protocol you want and voila! Done. Just click a server at this point and connect and you are cooking with gas.

What is the Best VPN for iPhone?

Based on our extensive research, Express VPN is the clear winner. You can use it on all iOS versions, you get no bandwidth cap and can connect up to 5 devices, add Apple pay compatibility and easy to use interface, and that is all you need in a VPN.

Is VPN Safe for iPhone?

Yes, just make sure you download it from the Apple App Store and you will be fine. You would probably have to pay for it, but don’t fret, the free ones will probably give you an ads-in-your-face experience, plus capped bandwidth that would probably barely be able to browse. And, as you can see, a lot of these apps are affordable, so just buy a subscription.