Best VPNs for iOS

If you’re an iOS user, there’s a good chance you might find it difficult to look for the perfect VPN. While you have plenty of options now in this golden age of VPN providers, some services offer specific features and benefits to their iOS users, while some have a shoddy, thrown-together iPhone app that significantly diminishes the quality of their service. Figuring out who offers what for you can be tricky.

So, to spare you the headache, we’ve taken a look at some of the best VPNs for iOS devices. In order of quality, this list hopes to show you the pros and cons of the highest quality choices you’ll find for iPhones. These are the absolute best that we found, so remember that even the lower spots have some great services that certainly won’t disappoint. It’s up to you which particular VPN best suits your needs.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN’s crisp, clean main interface

Usability

9/10

Speeds

9/10

Price

3/10

Say hello to the number one spot on our list, ExpressVPN. Coming as a surprise to no one, ExpressVPN earns its top spot with some of the highest speeds of the entire VPN market, a massive server collection, reliable connections, plenty of features, and an incredibly easy-to-use iOS software that makes for an unbeatable user experience for iPhone. This level of quality, of course, comes at a cost. A $99.95 a year cost, to be precise. However, if that hefty price tag isn’t a concern to you, there really is no beating Express.

You can download ExpressVPN for iOS here.

Pros
yes
One of the fastest VPNs available.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 90 countries.
24/7 helpful live chat.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Maximum 5 simultaneous connections.
Costs $99.95 annually.
Surfshark

Surfshark

Surfshark

Surfshark’s extensive settings page

Usability

8/10

Speeds

8/10

Price

7/10

While Surfshark isn’t the cheapest of our budget picks, it certainly is one of the higher-quality ones. It practically offers premium grade quality, with quick speeds and high reliability to a decently robust server count spread over 50 countries. The setup and user experience were both solid, and overall, we had a great time using the iOS software. It ran smoothly, connected us with no issues, and delivered the speeds that we were hoping for. If you’re looking for a middle ground between budget and quality, Surfshark might be the perfect solution.

You can download Surfshark for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Excellent speeds.
Costs $59.78 annually.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 50 countries.
Maximum 10 simultaneous connections.
24/7 helpful live chat.
30 days money-back.
Cons
None
NordVPN

NordVPN

NordVPN

The front tab of NordVPN’s software

Usability

9/10

Speeds

10/10

Price

4/10

We’re almost certain that you have heard something about NordVPN before. NordVPN delivers some serious high quality, with practically unbeatable speeds, unshakable reliability, and a wide selection of features on its software for all platforms.

NordVPN is by far one of the best quality VPNs for iOS, as the software runs smoothly, and our connection was stable and lightning-fast on iPhone. Everything about the NordVPN experience is completely smooth, all the way from setup to its daily use. If you’re looking for a straightforward, unbeatable quality VPN, consider NordVPN. There’s a reason it’s as widely loved as it is. Just make sure you read the fine print on its increasing price after the first subscription.

You can download NordVPN for iOS here.

Pros
yes
One of the fastest VPNs available.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 55 countries.
24/7 excellent live chat.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Maximum 6 simultaneous connections.
Costs $59.04 for the first year but doubles after initial plan.
Private-Internet-Access

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

PIA’s privacy settings

Usability

6/10

Speeds

7/10

Price

9/10

Private Internet Access, despite not being the biggest name on our list, has a great reputation in the VPN market. Countless users choose PIA due to its excellent price, highly reliable servers, and excellent speeds. The setup took a bit of trouble, and customer service wasn’t the easiest to get help for certain issues, especially since their live chat isn’t 24/7.

However, once things were running, we had a very pleasant experience with their iOS software. It’s not quite as pesky to maneuver as some of their other platforms and still delivers the same speed and quality as other devices. Overall, PIA is a great pick, especially for iPhone users.

You can download Private Internet Access for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Excellent speeds.
Costs $39.96 annually.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 75 countries.
Maximum 10 simultaneous connections.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Live support isn’t 24/7 and can be difficult to get help from.
IPVanish

IPVanish

IPVanish

IPVanish’s detailed, if slightly cluttered, quick connect screen

Usability

7/10

Speeds

8/10

Price

4/10

IPVanish is by no means a low-budget option, but it certainly delivers quality. With IPVanish, you’ll get quick speeds, reliable, responsive connections, and a plethora of features, all customizable with the highly detailed software that they provide.

It was extremely easy to set up and relatively easy to navigate and use once you know your way around the program. Luckily, IPVanish’s iOS software is a bit nicer to maneuver than most of its other platforms, so iPhone users get the sweeter end of the deal here.

You can download IPVanish for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Excellent speeds.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 55 countries.
Unlimited simultaneous connections.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Live support isn’t 24/7 (however, they were quick and helpful).
Costs $89.98 annually.
TunnelBear

TunnelBear

TunnelBear

Your primary bear-selection screen

Usability

9/10

Speeds

5/10

Price

8/10

If you’re looking for good budget picks, TunnelBear might just be what you’re searching for.

Rather than long-term plans, TunnelBear offers an extremely affordable monthly price plan, with a fully-featured free version to choose from as well.

While we would usually suggest being cautious about fully-featured free VPN services, TunnelBear is a fairly trusted name. It’s by no means a top-quality premium service, but TunnelBear offers decent speeds, a good user experience for iOS, and plenty of bears, all at an extremely affordable price point.

You can download TunnelBear for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Low monthly cost, and great free version.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 40 countries.
24/7 helpful live chat.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Speeds can sometimes fluctuate.
Maximum 5 simultaneous connections.
ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN’s funky, Hollywood hacker-esque interface

Usability

5/10

Speeds

6/10

Price

8/10

Despite not being the fastest on our list, ProtonVPN puts up a mean fight with its solid quality, great reliability, optimized software, and excellent price. One of our higher quality budget picks, ProtonVPN is extremely affordable and even comes with an excellent free version to give it a try without any risk.

While it doesn’t offer any additional features for iOS users, Proton has done a great job of optimizing their software for iOS and ensuring that it will run smoothly for a great experience for iPhone users.

You can download ProtonVPN for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Multiple price packages, starting at $48.00 annually, with a great free version available.
Servers in over 55 countries.
Maximum 10 simultaneous connections.
30 days money-back.
Cons
Speeds can sometimes fluctuate.
No live customer support.
“No-logging” policy has been questioned in the past.
Hotspot-Shield

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield’s main statistics screen

Usability

8/10

Speeds

7/10

Price

3/10

Much like ExpressVPN, Hotspot Shield is an insanely high-quality service, especially for mobile devices, at a fairly steep price. It costs only a little shy of Express’ price tag, but for that price, you get a seriously quality VPN with tremendous and reliable speeds, plenty of useful features, and fast, clean software to control it all from. Hotspot Shield seems to run particularly well on mobile devices, making it an excellent pick for iOS users.

You can download Hotspot Shield for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Great speeds.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 80 countries.
24/7 helpful live chat.
45 days money-back.
Cons
Costs $95.88 annually.
Maximum 5 simultaneous connections.
CyberGhost-VPN

CyberGhost VPN

Cyberghost VPN

CyberGhost’s “Favorites” tab, which saves your preferred settings

Usability

7/10

Speeds

7/10

Price

8/10

Despite spending a considerable period of its lifespan with a very neutral reputation, CyberGhost has had a substantial second wind in recent times. The service, following new acquisitions, got a complete renovation and is now rapidly gaining both popularity and reverence alike from new users.

What was once a decent VPN is now a fast, affordable, reliable VPN, all with great software for any major device. Like other platforms, its iOS software looks relatively similar to its other ones, with a clean, well-made interface and solid performance that makes it run smoothly no matter how slow your device is.

You can download CyberGhost for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Great speeds.
Costs $47.88 annually.
Strict no-logging policy.
Servers in over 90 countries.
Maximum 7 simultaneous connections.
24/7 helpful live chat.
45 days money-back.
Cons
None
ZenMate

ZenMate

ZenMate

ZenMate’s connection and traffic monitoring statistics

Usability

8/10

Speeds

3/10

Price

6/10

If you’re new to VPNs or just want something simple to set up, ease of use is likely a big factor for you. If that’s the case, ZenMate is an excellent option. It’s by far one of the most accessible VPN services to get started with, no matter your device. And its iOS software is just as optimized and straightforward as other platforms. You can maneuver, customize, and change whatever settings you want in just a click or two, completely personalizing the software to the settings you prefer within seconds.

ZenMate comes with all the features you’d expect from a VPN service at a reasonable price. Their server count and consistent speeds can be a bit disappointing, especially if you’re unfortunate enough not to be near one of them.

You can download ZenMate for iOS here.

Pros
yes
Costs $59.99 annually.
Strict no-logging policy.
Unlimited simultaneous connections.
24/7 helpful live chat.
14 days money-back.
Cons
Speeds are lackluster.
Servers are spread over 70+ countries, but they don’t have many in total.

The Final Verdict

While it’s difficult to crown a single “king” (or queen) of the VPN selections for iOS, we can certainly break it down into three categories: speed, budget, and convenience. So, if you’re looking for a VPN that serves any one need better than the others, hopefully this will give you an idea.

First off, ExpressVPN is our pick for speed. Services like NordVPN may be able to measure up and occasionally even beat ExpressVPN in raw connection speed. However, ExpressVPN’s quality, paired with some of the best speeds available on the market, makes it a go-to choice for any user who wants sheer speed and complete fluidity with their experience. Especially on mobile devices like iPhone, ExpressVPN will have little to no impact at all on your performance.

Next up, Private Internet Access is our low-budget pick. It may not be as cheap as TunnelBear, but PIA is a VPN for users who want a super affordable service that still delivers some excellent quality. PIA doesn’t sacrifice quality for its cost. It gives you the quality of premium VPNs at a ridiculously affordable price, and its iOS experience is no exception.

Last but not least, ZenMate is our pick for convenience. Like we said, even if it isn’t the most efficient, fastest, feature-filled VPN on the list, ZenMate is great for users looking for that excellent usability. Its software is easy to set up and use, its customer support was great, and overall, ZenMate is just an enjoyable experience that works nicely with iPhone.

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