What's the best VPN for iPhone?

VPN
1

I bought my first iPhone earlier this year and figured it was finally time to improve my security and privacy by getting a solid VPN. I also need it to unblock streaming platforms and various websites that get geo-restricted when I travel.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing these 5 iPhone VPNs. While they all look similar on paper, some services definitely stood out.

NordVPN - Best VPN for iPhone overall?

NordVPN has worked perfectly on my iPhone so far. I managed to get excellent speeds with both NordLynx and IKEv2 protocols and access all websites that were previously unavailable. Threat Protection Lite is a great feature that blocks ads and trackers on my iPhone directly through the VPN. Overall, I’m pretty impressed.

  • Based in Panama (excellent privacy laws)
  • 6,700+ servers in 113 countries
  • Optimized iOS app
  • AES 256 encryption scrambles your outgoing data
  • No-logs VPN with RAM servers guarantees total privacy
  • Unblocks Netflix and similar streaming services
  • NordLynx provides stable and fast connection (possibly better than WireGuard)
  • Has IKEv2 protocol optimized for smartphones
  • ThreatProtection Lite eliminates ads, malware, and trackers
  • Offers 10 simultaneous connections
  • 30-day refund guarantee (on all subscription plans)
  • Customer support available via 24/7 live chat
  • Priced at $2.99/month (with coupon below)

74% Off NordVPN Deal for Reddit: https://nordvpn.com/coupon-deal

Surfshark - Affordable and fast VPN for iPhone

Surfshark is similar to NordVPN and I was able to get a solid connection on remote and close servers. However, it offers a smaller server network, meaning that servers could get overcrowded. The biggest plus for me is that it gives you unlimited simultaneous connections. I’ve tested it on all my platforms, and it worked perfectly.

  • Based in the Netherlands
  • 3,200+ servers in 100 countries around the globe
  • Dedicated app for iOS
  • Relies on RAM servers
  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Unlocks restricted websites and streaming platforms
  • Supports AES 256 encryption
  • CleanWeb protects users from trackers, malware, and ads
  • Uses WireGuard protocol
  • 30-day refund guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat support team
  • Starting price: $2.19/month (2-year plan)

Surfshark’s 82% off coupon: https://surfshark.com/deals/coupon

Proton VPN - Swiss VPN with impressive speeds on iPhone

ProtonVPN also gave me reliable performance. I loved its VPN Accelerator, which improved my speed on remote servers. Hopefully, other VPNs will implement this as well. This is one of the fastest VPNs I tried and it also has a healthy server network. The only downside is that Proton VPN does not seem to be as good as NordVPN and Surfshark when it comes to streaming (based on my tests).

  • Based in Switzerland
  • Has 9,100+ servers in 112 countries
  • Optimized iPhone VPN app
  • Utilizes WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols
  • AES-256 encryption protects outgoing traffic
  • Stealth protocol camouflages VPN traffic
  • Holds 10 simultaneous connections
  • 30-day money-back policy
  • 24/7 live chat customer support
  • Starting price: $3.59/mo.

Proton VPN coupon: https://protonvpn.com/offers/coupon

ExpressVPN - An audited VPN for iPhone

ExpressVPN recently went on a significant discount, so I figured I may try it as well. It seemed very secure, and the app is especially intuitive, letting me connect with a single click. I was a bit disappointed by its Lightway protocol as it’s not as fast as WireGuard. Do you guys think it’s on par with other leading VPN services?

  • Based in the British Virgin Islands
  • Network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries
  • Runs smoothly on iPhone
  • Audited no-logs VPN
  • RAM servers powered by TrustedServer Technology
  • Has advanced Lightway protocol
  • 8 simultaneous connections
  • Uses AES 256 encryption
  • Can unblock various streaming services
  • 30-day refund policy
  • 24/7 live chat customer support
  • Starts at $4.99/month (2-year plan)

CyberGhost - VPN for iPhone (based in Romania)

I heard CyberGhost has dedicated streaming servers, so my hopes were high. Unfortunately, this was definitely the worst performance I experienced out of these iPhone VPNs. And despite having a huge server network, I will not continue using CyberGhost.

  • Based in Romania
  • Has 11,500+ servers in 100 countries
  • Servers specialized for streaming
  • Has a working iOS app
  • RAM-only servers guarantee user data gets deleted
  • 7 simultaneous connections (a bit low)
  • Uses AES 256 encryption and supports WireGuard protocol
  • 24/7 live chat customer service
  • 30-day refund guarantee
  • Costs $2.19/month

All in all, I think I will continue using Surfshark or NordVPN for iPhone. Is there any other iPhone VPN app that I should test out? So what do you recommend? What is the best VPN for iPhone?

2

PSA: The last two VPNs on your list (ExpressVPN and CyberGhost) both gotten taken over by Kape Technologies and have gone downhill fast (I used to use ExpressVPN).

I’ve been using NordVPN for the past few months and it’s been great. Very intuitive and simple iOS app, extremely fast speeds, huge server network, strong security, and the ad-blocking feature (Threat Protection) is also great on my iPhone. You can get a 30 day risk-free trial to test it out here: https://nordvpn.com/30-day-trial

3

Idk why you haven’t talked about NordVPN’s Meshnet feature - it’s its most stand out feature tbh and no other VPN offers it

4

I agree that NordVPN is the best choice from your list. I’ve used Mullvad in the past, but it’s expensive and not good with streaming. I also had captcha authentication issues with the servers.

5

Very interested in Proton VPN. Would you say that it provides faster performance than NordVPN on smartphones?

6

You might consider testing out IPVanish. It’s similar to Surfshark in many ways. The only problem is that it is based in the US, which is not great for privacy.

7

I’d say that the first three VPNs on this list are a great choice. They are well-integrated into the Apple environment, provide military-grade encryption, AES-256, and are based in privacy-friendly countries. The main question is how many servers do you really need, and are you prepared to pay a bit more to get some extra features.

8

One of the biggest reasons I picked Surfshark over NordVPN was the unlimited device connections. I have it installed on my iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple TV, and it’s been great for switching between devices seamlessly. Here are a few of my observations after comparing Surfshark and NordVPN

  • When switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data, Surfshark sometimes takes a second longer than NordVPN to reconnect.
  • WireGuard speeds are solid, but servers in Asia tend to be slower compared to NordVPN.
  • Netflix unblocking is hit or miss - worked for Netflix US and UK, but sometimes Disney+ detects it.

For the price, unlimited devices, and ad-blocking features, Surfshark is a great iPhone VPN, but if you prioritize speed and reliability, NordVPN still wins.

9

NordVPN’s iOS app is probably the best optimized one I’ve used. I noticed that the battery drain is lower compared to other VPNs, especially when using NordLynx. Threat Protection Lite is also a nice bonus. It blocks sketchy ads at the network level, so you don’t need a separate ad blocker. Only thing I’d improve is the widget; it’s functional but could be more customizable

10

One thing I noticed while testing iPhone VPNs is that not all of them have a proper kill switch on iOS. Apple has some restrictions on how VPNs work, and many just drop the connection without blocking traffic when the VPN fails. NordVPN actually has a built-in iOS kill switch that works even if the app crashes

11

As far as iPhone VPNs go, I think that Surfshark is probably the best. It runs super smoothly and provides consistent and fast connection (both with WireGuard and IKEv2).

12

PIV is really good for security features however it has slower connectivity compared to the others. I would trust NordVPN I remember when Samsung utilized them for privacy.

13

I’ve been using NordVPN on my PC and iPhone. It’s very reliable.

14

ExpressVPN runs good for me, but I think that it is a bit overpriced. Will probably switch to Surfshark to see what the hype is all about.

15

Are CyberGhost’s streaming servers just a marketing gimmick? I know they work with most streaming services but so do the regular servers

16

You can’t go wrong with either one on this list. If I had to choose just one, NordVPN would get my immediate vote. But Surfshark comes a very close second in my book. Both will do the job just fine on an iPhone.

17

All of these options sound pretty good for iPhone users. Especially NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN.

18

To get the best performance on an iPhone, I recommend that you use the IKEv2 protocol instead of, say, NordLynx or WireGuard. It is specifically designed to give optimized performance on smartphones and is particularly well integrated into the iPhone ecosystem.

I personally use ProtonVPN, as it has great server coverage and is located in one of the best privacy jurisdictions around the world. From my experience, it also performs really well on remote servers, on which I regularly get 500+ Mbps.

19

Everyone keeps mentioning the same old VPNs, but for my uses, Mullvad has always been great on my iPhone. It’s just an affordable, secure VPN that is extremely trustworthy and private.

20

I use Surfshark on my iPhone. I love that it has an integrated GPS override feature, which is something you have to do manually with most VPNs. Otherwise, your connection could easily get flagged as suspicious as your IP address won’t match your real GPS location.