Best iPhone VPN in 2024

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for iPhone and easily one of the best VPNs we’ve encountered overall. Its range of servers spans over 100 countries, and every one of those servers uses the TrustedServer system. This means that they can’t write any data about your online activity – guaranteeing complete privacy.

This VPN offers a speedy service through its use of multiple protocols (including Lightway, OpenVPN, and IKEv2). Whenever you use it, it automatically determines which will be the most effective to use with your network for maximum performance to ensure that it’s always running as smoothly as possible.

The biggest drawback, of course, is the fact that it is quite a bit more expensive than most providers. Indeed, it’s the most expensive choice on this list by some distance. Generally speaking, it’s a case of getting what you pay for though, as it’s a reliable service that we’ve seen a number of improvements to over the past couple of years.

Since 2021, it has established server connection points in about ten more countries, and significantly increased its allowance for simultaneous connections. Admittedly, at eight, it is surpassed by quite a lot of other VPNs, but it’s still a positive to see that it’s gone up (and may do so again in future) – besides which, eight connections will cover enough ground for a lot of users.

Still, the biggest points are its speed and reliability. When you switch the app on, the connection is virtually seamless (it won’t even interrupt the music you’re listening to). If you’ve got an internet service provider (ISP) that’s throttling your connection speeds, you may even find that things go faster with ExpressVPN on. Meanwhile, it’s compatible with pretty much all major apps, so if you want to use it for streaming or accessing geo-restricted content in the best iPhone games, you’re unlikely to have any issues.

Established in 2012, NordVPN has grown to become one of the most well-known VPN providers of all, and it has a quality of service befitting its reputation. Using the impressive WireGuard protocol, it is able to encrypt data much more quickly than many of its competitors.

In addition to that, the NordVPN Meshnet LAN is another really cool feature. This enables you to create a secure private network for all your devices to connect through and could come in handy if anyone ever fancies an online mobile gaming session, or if you have sensitive files that you need to send from one device to the next.

On that front, you can also have up to ten simultaneous connections with NordVPN, which is more than ExpressVPN has to offer, though notably less than those with no cap. That’s another way to securely send files between devices, anyway, and enough to cover all the devices in households that either don’t have a lot of people living in them, or who have a few people with only one Wi-Fi-capable device.

Aside from that, if you don’t mind paying its slightly higher price tag, there are really only good things to say about NordVPN. The iPhone app is really easy to understand and use (it’s literally just a case of switching it on once you open it) and you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues when using it with any other apps.

We recommend CyberGhost as the best VPN for streaming because of its broad compatibility with pretty much everything. Combine that with the fact that it has connection points in over 100 countries and you can then access all the international libraries of whichever streaming apps you prefer to use.

If you want to test it out on various platforms before being locked in, its 45-day money-back guarantee gives you over two weeks more time to get a grasp of things than you’ll get with the other major providers. If you find anything that you don’t quite like in that time, there is nothing to stop you from getting a full refund. There’s also a 24-hour free trial, which gives you a bit of extra time to try it out too.

Once upon a time, CyberGhost was a cut above the rest in terms of its connection allowance. Where others typically gave about five, it edged them out by offering seven. Unfortunately, times have changed and those that once offered less than CyberGhost now offer more, so if you plan on having multiple people on the same plan, it might make more sense to go for a different VPN.

Its average download times are also sometimes a little slower than competitors (and keep in mind that average download speeds change all the time due to a number of factors), but this is certainly no issue for streaming or general use – more for anyone who’s interested in serious, competitive, online play.

If you’re after a cheaper option, it’s significantly less expensive than many of the bigger VPNs too. For those reasons in particular, we’re loath to be too critical of it. Generally speaking, it stands shoulder to shoulder with the pricier ones, while the few small flaws are perfectly understandable for the price point.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is the best VPN to go for if you’re on a budget. You might worry that going for a cheap VPN means going for a sub-standard service, but aside from some minor limitations, PIA is in no way sub-standard.

Similar to CyberGhost (which is owned by the same business), its only real issue is the fact that its average download speeds can be a bit slower than the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN. However, these slower speeds are so minor that they’re really not going to register to anyone other than, perhaps, those who need a pristine connection to host a stream, or for playing competitively online.

One big benefit of PIA is the fact that it allows you to have an unlimited number of simultaneous connections – which sets it above a lot of the premium choices. You could split the bill between all the members of your household, making it even cheaper, and everyone can still have it on every single one of their compatible devices (without going down the complicated route of connecting via a router).

It’s got connection points in over 90 countries, and interestingly has over 35,000 servers spread across those locations. While server totals aren’t a huge indicator of the quality of a service, having as many as this is pretty cool because it essentially eliminates the risk of server congestion (slowdown caused by inordinate amounts of people using the same server to connect at once).

For its lower price, it’s a really impressive service – and if you want something that’s completely free, check out the next recommendation below.

Going for a free VPN can be a bit risky. There are many options out there that can offer their service for free because they’re making loads money by selling the private data that they accumulate from customers while the VPN is on. Fortunately, PrivadoVPN is one of the few free services you can genuinely trust.

The free plan is almost like an indefinite free trial, as PrivadoVPN also has several paid packages available. Going for the free one limits you to 10GB of data each month and only gives you access to a couple of the servers – besides that, you are essentially getting the full service.

While 10GB won’t be enough for someone who likes to watch loads of movies and TV shows on their iPhone, it’ll still be a very handy thing to have for many othes. Worried about the dangers of public Wi-Fi? Switch on your VPN whenever you use it. Disgusted by the idea of big companies tracking your health-related Google searches? Save the VPN for your more sensitive browsing sessions.

As (trustworthy) free VPNs go, 10GB is quite a generous allowance. However, if you happen to use it all up before it refreshes the following month, you’ll have a difficult time getting it to refresh, as it won’t do it automatically after that. Just keep a close eye on your data limit though and you should be able to avoid that problem.

The paid plan is not bad for anyone who decides to upgrade. It covers over 65 countries and it lets you have up to ten simultaneous connections. As a provider that’s only been around a few years, there’s a lot to love here, though – especially its free offering.