Best VPN for iPhone & iOS 2023

We’ve tested more than 20 VPNs and concluded that the best VPN for iPhones is NordVPN. Along with a no-logs promise you can trust, NordVPN offers an array of useful security tools, including a malware scanner and a double VPN option – no wonder it’s so highly rated on the iOS App Store.

Along with NordVPN, we’ve taken a detailed look at a number of other VPNs that have fantastic apps for iOS devices, including Surfshark and ExpressVPN. There’s also some handy information on how to choose a VPN to suit your needs and install it on your iPhone, as well as some recent security updates regarding iOS kill switches.

Read on for more in-depth reviews of top VPNs, as well as all the information you’ll need to make the right decision for your business. And don’t forget you can grab a quick VPN quote from our handy comparison tool.

• The Best VPN Apps for iPhone: Results Table
• Best VPNs for iPhone: Speed Tests
• The Best VPN Apps for iPhone: Analysis
• How to Choose the Best iPhone VPN for You
• How to Use a VPN on iPhone
• Best free VPN Apps for iPhone
• NordVPN is the Best iPhone VPN
• FAQs

Top 6 iPhone VPNs 2023

As you can see from the table above, there are several top-tier VPN providers that have apps for iOS. Based on our rigorous testing performed by VPN experts, we’ve ranked them based on a number of different factors:

1. NordVPN – excellent speeds and great security features
2. Surfshark– best for the user experience on iOS
3. Express VPN – a secure, reliable provider
4. Private Internet Access – best for tech-savvy VPN veterans
5. IPVanish VPN – best for unblocking Netflix
6. TorGuard for iPhone – best for teams who need a VPN

Best VPNs for iPhone: Speed Tests

Tech.co has tested a whole range of VPNs to find out which ones are the speediest. Before we get into the results, remember that whatever VPN you choose, it’s going to have some impact on your internet speeds. You’re always going to be sending your data on a longer journey when using a VPN than you are when you’re not.

The VPN that least impacted our speeds during testing was NordVPN, with a barely-noticeable 13% drop off. In second place was Surfshark, which only made us 20% slower while we used it, and ExpressVPN came third with a drop-off of 23.1%. Here are the full results:

Best VPNs for iPhone: Analysis

NordVPN

NordVPN’s iPhone client works on devices running iOS 11.0 or up and can be installed on everything from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 12. Despite all the features, the iOS user interface is easy to use, and the map you can consult to work out which server you’d like sets NordVPN apart from ExpressVPN and other providers.

On top of its consumer offering, NordVPN has both a business VPN option and a cloud backup service called NordLocker, which is just $3.99 per month for the premium service. NordLocker is an ultra-secure cloud storage platform that encrypts data at rest, in transit, and in use – something not all cloud storage platforms do.

NordVPN key features

NordVPN’s iPhone client is almost as feature-rich as the software is for desktop devices, with built-in adblocking and antivirus safeguards to offer extra data protection to all users. The key security features in the iOS app are:

• A kill switch
• Bare-metal, RAM-only servers
• AES-256 bit encryption
• Zero logging promise
• Private DNS service
• Obfuscated servers
• 24/7 live chat & email support

NordVPN uses AES-256-bit encryption to secure traffic passing through its network. AES-256 is a cipher, which just means it sets out the rules (or ‘standard’ – which is what the ‘S’ in AES stands for) on how data should be encrypted. It is considered an incredibly secure encryption standard and will ensure any confidential company files remain confidential.

The kill switch, on the other hand, will drop your internet connection for you if your device disconnects from a VPN server, ensuring you don’t produce any unencrypted, masked traffic. Just bear in mind that NordVPN’s iOS kill switch only works when you’re using the IKEv2 protocol, and it’s not a setting you can turn on and off – it’s just on by default. Protocols are sets of instructions that dictate how data is sent between devices and/or servers, and they do slightly different things. A ‘stealth’/obfuscation protocol, for example, will hide the fact you’re using a VPN from your internet service provider/someone watching the traffic you’re producing.

On a desktop, you would generally have the choice between IKEv2 and several other protocols to implement in tandem with a kill switch. The IKEv2 protocol, however, is particularly good for re-establishing lost connections, such as when you’re on public transport, which explains why the kill switch is only available whilst IKEv2 is being used.

NordVPN was one of the first providers to switch to diskless servers that run entirely off RAM (Random Access Memory) rather than a hard disk, and since then, Surfshark and others have followed suit. RAM-only servers mean nothing is stored locally on servers, and all data is wiped every time they’re powered down.

Even if someone managed to steal a NordVPN server and tried to extract data about the websites it was used to access, they’d find nothing.

NordVPN will encrypt and handle all your DNS requests privately too (DNS servers translate human-readable search queries – e.g. a website you’ve looked up – into website IP addresses). There’s also email and live chat support if you need support or have an issue.

NordVPN in focus: advanced security features

NordVPN has a Double VPN function (which reroutes your connection through two VPN servers, encrypting it twice) and also provides an Onion-Over-VPN option, which will hook you up to the Tor network and make it even easier for you to stay anonymous.

This makes it stand out for journalists and activists working in countries with draconian censorship laws, such as Iran and China – especially when protests are ongoing.

Last September, hundreds of thousands of Iranians were protesting after Mahsa Amini, a woman who was arrested for not wearing a headscarf in public, died in police custody. 24 hours after WhatsApp and Instagram were banned, demand for VPN services rose 2,164% compared to the previous 28 days. We trust NordVPN to take care of those using its networks in such situations – but you can’t say that about all VPNs.

If you’re working somewhere where VPNs are either banned or have to be government-registered, NordVPN is a shrewd choice.

If you’re working somewhere where VPNs are either banned or have to be government-registered, NordVPN is a shrewd choice. It has servers that change how the packets of data you’re sending over the internet look to anyone viewing them – after passing through NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, VPN traffic looks akin to normal traffic.

A lot of sources online say that NordVPN doesn’t have obfuscated servers for iOS, but instructions regarding how to connect to one through the app are provided on its website. All you have to do beforehand is make sure you select the OpenVPN TCP/UDP protocol in the app.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection tool is great for dealing with pesky malware (which could save your skin if you click on the wrong thing) and will scan every file you download and every website you visit through Safari on your iPhone. On top of this, the provider even has its own, ultra-secure protocol called NordLynx, for fast and increasingly secure browsing.

NordVPN App Store rating and reviews

The iPhone NordVPN app is rated very highly on the App Store, with a user rating of 4.5, based on 86,000+ ratings. Users commend the app for its strong encryption, and fast service, echoing our own findings. Many sing the praises of its fast connection speed.

As we’ve discussed, you’ll always experience a dip in speed when using a VPN, whatever provider you pick, so it’s reassuring to know that NordVPN users find this to be minimal.

Read our full review of NordVPN and check out the provider’s plans below. The “Standard” package is simply the VPN, whereas the “Plus” package adds a password manager and the “Complete” plan comes with a VPN, password manager and 1TB of secure cloud storage.

Surfshark for iPhone

Surfshark is one of the quickest VPNs around, and the provider has a squeaky-clean privacy track record. The provider is usually one of the most forward-thinking companies currently operating in the industry, often adding new features before others do.

Surfshark Key Features

The Surfshark user experience on iOS is probably only equaled by NordVPN and ExpressVPN, with the three providers definitely out in front when it comes to producing easy-to-navigate user interfaces that reduce technical features down to their simplest iterations.

Surfshark’s app will always show you not only where the fastest server is, but also the nearest server to you, as this service is all about speed. If you’re going to be making business calls and having other conversations that can’t afford to be interrupted by a poor signal, then Surfshark has you covered.

A unique feature available to Surfshark users using iOS devices is No Borders Mode, which will help you bypass internet restrictions enforced in places like China and Russia. It does this by maintaining optimized servers designed specifically to get around things like national firewalls.

Surfshark in Focus: SurfShark One

However, Surfshark does set itself apart from the pack with the recent release of Surfshark One, an all-encompassing cybersecurity solution that includes a VPN, Antivirus, a safe search tool to hide you from trackers and hackers, and a data breach alert function.

Starting from only $1.19/month on top of your VPN subscription or $3.49/month as a standalone product, it could actually be a cheaper solution for businesses looking for maximum protection, simply because it’s so cheap and you’d usually have to buy three or four products if you want all of Surfshark One’s features.

Surfshark App Store reviews and ratings

The Surfshark iPhone app has got a pretty good rating on the App Store, with an amalgamated score of 4.8 based on 12,000 ratings. Satisfied users have highlighted the consistency of the service and the fact that disconnections or having to wait for things to load is a serious rarity.  Another thing that seems to have impressed customers is the speeds, echoing my own experience and that of our research.

Express VPN

The sleekest iPhone VPN app and an ultra-secure option for consumers

When it comes to the best VPN for a specific use case, NordVPN or ExpressVPN, our second-best iPhone VPN, are almost always the best two for the job. ExpressVPN has a strong set of features and a slick interface, making it easy to use and a powerful tool. ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers spread across 94 countries, covering more territories than most of its competitors. It’s one of the speedier names in the business, so if you’re planning to make conference calls from your phone or on the go, then this might be the VPN for you.

ExpressVPN has an iPhone app that works for phones running iOS 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. It’s one of the best VPN apps for iPhone, providing almost all the security features from the desktop app on both Android and iOS. It only allows for five simultaneous connections, which is less than many of the other providers on this list, and it’s one of the priciest too – but to be completely fair to ExpressVPN, you get what you pay for.

Express VPN key features

Express VPN offers an option that lets its users manually pick out which server to join, a pretty easy process on the app for iOS. The basic security features available in the app mirror the provider’s desktop clients, and include:

• Bare-metal, RAM-only servers
• AES-256 bit encryption
• Zero logging promise
• Private DNS service
• Obfuscated servers
• 24/7 live chat & email support

The only thing ExpressVPN’s iOS app is missing is a kill switch, but this is quite common amongst iOS clients produced by the top providers (unless you’re NordVPN). There is an ‘auto-reconnect’ function though, which will restart your VPN as soon as you reconnect to the internet. It’s not perfect (and it’s certainly not a kill switch) but it’s better than what is provided by Windscribe and others in terms of an alternative (which is nothing) – so you have to give ExpressVPN props for that.

In terms of stealth technology,  it’s important to note that not all of ExpressVPN’s servers are obfuscated servers. However, it does automatically connect you to one when you need to, such as if you’re connecting through China. To keep you safe, ExpressVPN uses AES-256 bit encryption and TrustedServer technology, which is ExpressVPN’s own iteration of RAM-only servers that don’t store any information on hard disks and are wiped every time they’re powered down.

A Private DNS is provided, as is a strong commitment to keeping zero logs, which has been enforced by comprehensive audits performed by consultancy companies like PwC. The provider also recently rolled out a feature called Threat Manager for iOS, Linux, and Mac users (Windows and Android provision is coming soon). This tool will prevent your device from communicating with servers that are listed on ExpressVPN’s “blocklist” of malicious sites and trackers (currently available on Mac, iOS and Linux – Windows and Android provision coming soon).

ExpressVPN in focus: a quality user experience

ExpressVPN’s user interface is one of the sleekest around, and the provider has dumped a load of really useful guides into the guide so you can start troubleshooting issues without even leaving the app. The vibrant colors and easy-to-navigate menus do put it amongst the best-designed VPN apps for not just iOS devices, but Android ones too.

ExpressVPN may be pricier than its competitors, but it’s led the way with RAM-only servers and is continuously adding features.

Along with NordVPN, there aren’t many other providers that invest as heavily in both the user experience and their network architecture, and you can expect more regular updates considering ExpressVPN was recently purchased for close to $1 billion by Kape Technologies, which also owns Private Internet Access and CyberGhost. According to the provider’s release notes, Lightway, a protocol produced by ExpressVPN themselves to improve speed and security, was made available on iOS in June – making it one of the only VPN providers along with VyprVPN and NordVPN to pioneer its own protocol.

ExpressVPN App Store ratings And reviews

The ExpressVPN iPhone app certainly has a lot of cheerleaders, with a rating of 4.5, with 46,000 reviews. Users on the App Store are very complimentary about the speed and features of the ExpressVPN app, with many praising the flexibility and number of locations that it offers. We did spot a few comments from residents in China stating that the app isn’t as effective there as it used to be, but this conflicts with other reports and testing processes that claim the opposite. See our guide to ExpressVPN Pricing or check out the table just here:

Private Internet Access

A secure, trustworthy option for tech-savvy iPhone users

Private Internet Access (PIA) gets its balance of cost and features just right, offering plenty of options but without a hefty price tag. PIA’s iPhone app for devices running iOS 11 or above does exactly what it says on the tin – provides truly private access to the internet.

PIA boasts an enormous server fleet of servers – around 35,000 – but describes its network as ‘US-focused’ (around half the servers are there, similar to NordVPN). This is good news if you’re working for a US-based business and you’re going to be using your VPN to access US resources.

Private Internet Access is on par with IPVanish in that it offers up to 10 simultaneous connections per device, so you can use it on your iPhone, work computer, and all the other tech you browse the internet with. Although it’s not as speedy as NordVPN, connection times are commendable.

Private Internet Access key features

Private Internet Access carries enough security features across to its iPhone app to make it one of the best around. Here are the basic protections afforded by PIA’s iOS client:

• A kill switch
• Bare-metal, RAM-only servers
• AES-256 bit encryption
• Zero logging promise
• Private DNS service
• 24/7 live chat & email support

How can we be sure that a VPN like Private Internet Access is really doing what they say they do and not keeping any logs? Well, PIA can point to at least two court cases that have taken place over the last couple of years, in which the US government demanding they hand over certain data. In both instances, Private Internet Access couldn’t help – because they didn’t have any logs stored. This is good news if you’re worried about staying private whilst viewing confidential files and documents about your business.

PIA also provides all users with a kill switch on iOS, so you’ll never accidentally search for something unprotected, unlike IPVanish’s iOS client. AES-128-bit encryption is set as the default, but PIA also offers AES-256 encryption, which is the strongest, widely-used standard around. The provider also recently rolled out its NextGen Network with RAM servers, just like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. All PIA’s servers are also bare-metal (they are the only client using them), which is another plus in terms of security.

Private Internet Access has a malware and ad blocker called PIA MACE, which is really handy if you’re part of a business that faces cybersecurity threats regularly (which, in the 21st century, is pretty much all companies). PIA, unfortunately, doesn’t offer obfuscation/stealth technology on iOS though. This is one reason why it isn’t as high up the list as the likes of ExpresVPN, a VPN with obfuscation technology that has the capacity to mask not only your IP address but the very fact you’re using a VPN. It is possible to implement a basic form of ‘obfuscation’ (although it’s a stretch to even call it that) by using the multi-hop function, which reroutes your connection and encrypts it twice over.

PIA in focus: good for iOS, the best For Linux

Private Internet Access offers split-tunneling capabilities on iOS, which means you can decide exactly which apps and programs you want to use a VPN with, and only send data from those applications through PIA’s tunnels.

Private Internet Access isn’t the best choice for newbies, but if you’re experienced with VPNs, you’ll get on fine. Private Internet Access is certainly the best choice if you use a Linux distro such as Ubuntu or Debian. A lot of VPNs offer a command-line client for Linux but they’re rarely fully featured, but PIA’s is and has a great GUI (graphical user interface) for Linux. If you’re part of one of the many companies that still use Linux as their OS but also have staff members with iOS devices, then PIA could help you kill two birds with one stone.

PIA App Store ratings and reviews

Private Internet Access certainly has its iPhone fans, with a rating of 4.6, based on 5,700 reviews. Read the reviews and it’s clear to see that many users really value the strong security features of Private Internet Access. Some users claim they have the odd issue with connectivity, although we have to stress that this isn’t an issue we came across in our testing. Below, we’ve listed PIA’s pricing plans.

IPVanish VPN for iPhone

An iPhone VPN app that can unblock Netflix produced by a provider that controls swathes of its own network

On the App Store, IPVanish pitches itself as the ‘fastest VPN’ on the market. While it’s a bold claim, we can say from our own testing that its service is certainly one of the quickest we’ve used. IPVanish’s iPhone app works on devices using iOS 11 and up. IPVanish’s latest upgraded means that its servers now have a 25GB capacity rather than 10GB, which is great news if you/your business’s employees are looking to make a lot of video calls.

IPVanish has a healthy number of VPN servers – over 1,900 in over 75 countries at the time of writing – so there shouldn’t be any issues getting connected. IPVanish tracks server ping time and makes connection suggestions based on speed. Users can log in to their IPVanish account on up to an unlimited number of devices at the same time, which is (infinitely) more devices than NordVPN allows and ideal for small businesses that don’t want to buy accounts for every staff member.

IPVanish’s has a number of useful features, but iPhone users don’t get as many perks as Android users.

If you’re primarily looking for a VPN to use for work, then IPVanish is probably worth it considering you can add a 500GB secure cloud backup space for just an extra $2 on top of the subscription cost.

IPVanish VPN key features

IPVanish has a number of useful features, but iPhone users don’t get as many perks as Android users. The service is one of the best mainstream VPN services for power users who want granular features and plenty of them. The baseline security features available on the iOS app are:

• AES-256 bit encryption
• Zero logging promise
• Private DNS service
• Obfuscated servers
• 24/7 live chat & email support

IPVanish, like NordVPN, has obfuscation provision, which means you’ll be able to hide not just the websites you’re visiting, but the fact you’re using a VPN at all. It is another VPN that uses AES-256-bit encryption too, the strongest widely available encryption standard, as well as a private DNS service.

The biggest downside to the IPVanish iOS client is that it does not have a kill switch, unlike the one it provides for other operating systems (although the provider calls it a ‘Network Lock’ – confusing, we know). This is a major issue because kill switches are integral to keeping data being sent through VPN tunnels secure and IPVanish doesn’t have a compensatory ‘Auto-reconnect’ feature on iOS like ExpressVPN.

If you did a bit of digging on this provider, you might find some information detailing how IPVanish responded to a court summons in 2016 and handed info regarding connection times and protocol usage. However, since then, IPVanish has been acquired by Stackpath. In reference to the case, the IPVanish CEO has reiterated:

“With no exception IPVanish does not, has not, and will not log or store logs of our users as a StackPath company” – Lance Crosby, IPVanish

Since then, there has been no news to suggest that IPVanish has returned to its previous ways.

IPVanish in focus: network control

One unique feature of this provider that sets them apart in terms of security from a lot of other VPN companies is that IPVanish owns and operates the entirety of their tier-1 server network, meaning they don’t outsource any of their security infrastructures in the same way other VPNs do.

VyprVPN is another provider known for its network control, but this doesn’t mean a provider renting servers should raise any red flags (there are many other means, like using RAM-only servers, to provide security assurances), but it does mean your provider has more control over the servers you’re using. In theory, this means that technical issues can be resolved a bit more quickly, which is good news if you’re reliant on your iPhone VPN for business and you are, for instance, working from abroad.

IPVanish used to have a pretty poor customer support provision, but now you can voice your concerns and queries using its 24/7 live chat support service.

IPVanish App Store ratings and reviews

IPVanish is no slouch according to users on the iPhone App Store. It’s currently rated 4.2, with 9,600 ratings. IPVanish is clearly doing something right, as its reviews on the app store are written in flattering terms indeed. One user even describes it as a “gift to the world”. We wouldn’t go that far, even if our testing did show it to be one of the best. Like NordVPN, speed is also a key feature and doesn’t disappoint. Check out our full review of IPVanish for further information on the provider and familiarize yourself with its pricing plans here:

TorGuard VPN For iPhone

A well-regarded VPN with an excellent business option

Anyone with some degree of experience will find a lot to like with the TorGuard app, but beginners will find joy in it too. There’s no shortage of VPN servers – over 3,000 are available, based in 50 countries. TorGuard maintains great connection speeds when in use, so you won’t be compromising your broadband speed by downloading and using the software. TorGuard says on their website that its software can be used on all previous versions of iOS and has recently redesigned its app for the Apple-made OS.

TorGuard may not have a high-quality cloud storage backup service like NordVPN does, but it does offer what it calls a ‘business VPN’, with the most expensive packages providing 20 email addresses, 20 dedicated IPs

TorGuard, like ExpressVPN, only offers five simultaneous connections per account, which isn’t that many nowadays thanks to providers like Private Internet Access (up to 10) and Surfshark (unlimited) upping their game. If you’re looking for a VPN for your business though, TorGuard is still a great option thanks to its business packages, which will be discussed below.

TorGuard VPN key features

TorGuard doesn’t have as many features as the absolute top-tier VPNs, but it does have more than the average, with advanced settings that will keep expert users happy. Here are the core features available in the provider’s iOS app:

• Bare-metal, (some) RAM-only servers
• AES-256 bit encryption
• Zero logging promise
• Private DNS service
• Obfuscated servers
• 24/7 live chat & email support

iOS users with TorGuard will have to deal with not having a kill switch, although as you can probably tell already, that’s pretty normal for iOS apps. There’s also no native provision for the OpenVPN protocol, but TorGuard at least has instructions available on how to do this using another app (and it’s not super difficult either).

TorGuard in focus: a good choice for businesses

TorGuard may not have a high-quality cloud storage backup service like NordVPN does, but it does offer what it calls a ‘business VPN’, with the most expensive packages providing 20 email addresses, 20 dedicated IPs, and HIPAA compliance (more info on pricing is below). However, there are packages aimed at smaller businesses as they provide slightly fewer IP addresses/email addresses.

Most times you connect to a VPN you’re randomly assigned an IP address that other people have been using and will use. Dedicated IPs can help businesses with their security – if your company network is remotely accessible, you can create a whitelist of specific IP addresses and manage who has access to your corporate network. Dedicated/static IP addresses also help speed up things like secure payments as you’re less likely to experience IP blocking. So, if you’re looking for a VPN for personal use and for business, TorGuard might be a good shout.

TorGuard App Store ratings and reviews

There aren’t many reviews of the TorGuard app on the App Store, yet it has an impressive 4.7 score, with 127 reviews. This makes TorGuard our best-rated VPN on this list, albeit from a smaller cohort of reviews. Positives mentioned include a fast service and a user-friendly interface, as well as praise for the security features. When users do have teething issues with the service, it appears that someone from TorGuard is quick to comment, which is always good to see. If you need more information before you make up your mind, Read our full review of TorGuard.

How to Choose the Best iPhone VPN for You

As you can see from our reviews, there are plenty of iPhone VPN apps out there, and there are smaller names that we haven’t covered too. So what should be the priority consideration when looking for a new iPhone VPN?

Speed

This one is likely to be key for you if you’re looking to stream movies or make conference calls to colleagues. Speed is a key selling feature for most VPN providers, and some, such as NordVPN, have cracked the ability to route your data through servers without having too much of an impact on your internet speeds. It’s important to note that no VPN will be able to match your ISP speeds. This is simply because your data is being sent to a private server, so is going on a significantly longer physical journey – but stick with the likes of NordVPN and IPVanish, and you’re unlikely to notice. And remember, don’t be fooled by a free or cheap VPN claiming to speed up your connection.

Security

This is one of the main reasons that many of us choose a VPN in the first place – they are an essential tool for protecting our online activities and shielding them from private eyes, which is especially crucial if you’re dealing with sensitive business data or working abroad in places like China or the UAE. Always check the security features offered by an app before using it – the best will be falling over themselves to show you just how secure they are, and make sure they house at least a basic set of security features (a kill switch, AES-256 bit encryption, etc.).

Security is a major priority for both businesses and consumers in 2023, which is why staying away from free VPN apps is usually advised, however tempting it may be.

One fly in the ointment here is ‘free’ VPN apps. These usually make their many by selling your data to third parties (scroll down for more on this). It’s why we always recommend paying a few bucks a month for your peace of mind. Other “free VPN” apps have turned out to be malware in the past.

Subscriptions

Generally, VPN apps will often let you pay on a monthly or annual basis. Take a look at the pricing structure and make sure you know what you’ll be paying for the foreseeable future, especially once any special offers you might have taken have expired. Most providers nowadays offer 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can usually make this decision once you’ve road-tested the software. There’s also a whole world of discounts and reduced offers out there.

Customer Support

The level of support you get with a VPN depends on whether you’ve paid for it or not. Free apps are a dead loss here, and you can expect little to no support – another reason why we suggest paying. Even then, the quality of support from paid apps varies. Some offer the bare minimum, such as online forums, while others, such as NordVPN, offer email support and live chat.

How to Use a VPN on an iPhone

VPNs have long since shed their image of being solely used by hackers in dingy basements, are fully-fledged, easy-to-use consumer products these days. However, there are a few pointers we want to share with you.

What You Can/Can’t Do with a VPN app

A VPN is great for hiding your identity and shielding your activities online, there is no doubt about it – almost one-third of the world’s population has now used one. However, a VPN is not a substitute for good security software and best practice and should make up just one element of a given system’s security infrastructure, which should ideally include a password manager and antivirus software.

Generally, VPNs won’t protect you from viruses (Unless they’re Private Internet Access or Surfshark, providers that house malware protection features) or make your passwords any stronger (unless they’re NordVPN, which has developed a password manager called NordPass on top of its other products). Use a VPN as a tool for your online presence, certainly, but we don’t recommend relying on it in isolation.

iPhones, Kill Switches, and Data Leaks

If you’re familiar with the world of VPNs, you’ll know that kill switches haven’t always been available for even the most well-known providers’ iOS clients, and some providers still don’t offer them. On other operating systems, however, this is a staple feature provided by VPN companies, good and bad.

Historically, the issue with kill switches is based on what Apple does and doesn’t let apps do to phones they’re downloaded on. Permissions and entitlements handed out to apps can vary greatly in terms of what they facilitate for any given app (a reasonable permissions request would be a voice recording app asking to access your device’s microphone, for example), but VPNs attempting to integrate kill switches in their iOS clients are essentially asking subscribers to let a single app control their whole device’s network access.

Recently, security researchers have been drawing attention to how iPhone VPNs have leaked data for years and Apple has done little to rectify the situation, even when claiming to be turned on. ProtonVPN has been talking about this issue for at least two years. This is consistent with the idea that Apple isn’t actually granting full, system-wide network control to VPN clients, or else this wouldn’t be happening. iOS, in theory, can enable:

1. Operations that start prior to the activation of your VPN to continue sending data externally to the VPN tunnel
2. Third-party applications bypass the VPN and instead use the real iPhone IP address.
3. Apple to completely bypass the VPN client with services of its own.

Some VPNs like NordVPN, are restricted to using protocols that specialize in re-establishing connections or providing alternatives that at least try to minimize the amount of time you might spend disconnected (IKeV2, in NordVPN’s iPhone client’s case). NordVPN now states on its website that its VPN software’s kill switch “prompts a system-wide network lock in case a VPN connection drop”. However, this is a default setting and you won’t find your kill switch in your settings.

ExpressVPN, conversely, offers something called “Network Lock”. However, interestingly, the ExpressVPN website only claims that users can “greatly reduce the risk of data leaks by keeping the setting under Network Protection toggled on.” The fact ExpressVPN is effectively saying it can’t guarantee that data won’t be leaked seems consistent with the general idea that VPNs aren’t provided with the system-level network controls on iOS.

According to IPVanish, however, you can minimize your chances of leaking traffic through one of the three ways listed above by deploying these temporary fixes. While not perfect, they provide some sort of temporary solution to the problem:

1. When you want to use your VPN, first it on, and then restart any ongoing on your device. Connect to the VPN, then enable Airplane Mode, then disable Airplane Mode. This should stop ongoing connections from continuing outside of the VPN tunnel that you’ve just connected to.
2. When you want to use your VPN, be sure to connect to a Wifi router, because third-party applications can send data via mobile networks. If this isn’t possible. rid your phone of apps you don’t trust (or don’t let them automatically access your cellular data), and don’t use them while your VPN is on.
3. There is no solid fix for the fact some Apple services can bypass a VPN client.

It’s important to remember that, despite all this, you should definitely still use a VPN on an iPhone. These leaks, as IPVanish says, require “quite a specific set of circumstances” and will give you much, much more protection than if you weren’t using a VPN at all. This does not take away from the efficacy of a VPN’s core functions and it’s still more than worth the money, especially considering how cheap VPN providers like NordVPN are.

How to Install a VPN App

Installing an iPhone VPN app isn’t a dark art. It’s actually quite simple. Choose the one you want on the app store, and install it. However, you will need to sign up for a subscription and make an account with the provider.

When you first use the app, remember that you’ll need to activate it first. Just because it’s there on your phone, doesn’t mean it’s on all the time.

Also, take a look at the servers that you have access to in the app. If you want to access content in another country, you’ll need to ensure that you’re using a local server.

Should You Leave your VPN on all the Time?

Unless you’re working abroad in a country with high levels of government surveillance and you’re viewing content you think might get you into trouble (like a movie banned in the country), then there’s probably plenty of your browsing experience you can leave it off for.

Besides, many providers offer split-tunneling now, meaning you can encrypt some of your traffic from certain apps or programs, whilst leaving the rest unprotected. Using a VPN has an impact on your internet speeds though, and can also be a drain on your mobile phone battery. We suggest just turning it on as and when you need it.

Best Free VPN Apps for iPhone

Hop onto the App Store, and you’ll see plenty of free VPNs for your iPhone that promise to connect you online and hide your identity. It’s a tempting proposition – but should you be using one and saving your cash?

There’s an old adage that if a product is free, then you’re the product. That’s no truer than with VPNs.

Paid-for packages make a big deal about the fact that your data is secure and private, and won’t be shared. However, with free VPNs, there’s a trade-off – especially when you consider the high cost of running VPN servers.

The data that the customers of free apps funnel through the servers are highly valuable to third parties and can be sold on (typically anonymized) to help fund the app. Others, such as the well-known Hola, have been known to hijack bandwidth and use it for peer-to-peer connections, while Hola’s privacy policy page literally states they log IP addresses. There are also ‘providers’ like OperaVPN that aren’t really VPN services at all. Documented offenses by popular free VPNs include:

• Stealing and redistributing customer bandwidth (HolaVPN)
• Loading malware onto devices (ArchieVPN)
• Harvesting customer data for advertising companies (Psiphon)
• Keeping logs of user data (SuperVPN)
• Housing multiple tracking libraries (Betternet) 

Sadly, the above misdemeanors are all too common in the free VPN marketplace. Remember, always check a VPN provider’s privacy policy before you pay for a subscription – a good provider like ExpressVPN will tell you all about their transparency reports, independent audits and promise to keep no logs, whereas a shady free provider will use this opportunity to subtly say what you’re really signing up for (so they’re covered legally).

Not all free VPNs are sketchy, however. Some solutions like Opera offer 256-bit AES encryption, which even gives the top dogs a run for their money. The most important thing is to pick the one you can trust – see our guide to the Best Free VPNs to choose for more.