Best VPNs for iPhone in 2022

Apple is known for releasing devices that are secure and well-protected from online threats, however more and more iPhone users are seeing the need for a strong VPN that allows them to have an extra degree of security while enjoying other benefits of a VPN.

In addition to guaranteeing your online anonymity when browsing from your smartphone, a VPN for iPhone also offers interesting possibilities in terms of circumventing geo-restrictions on certain content, and circumventing censorship.

But beware. Before you rush to the App Store, keep reading for our recommendations on the best iPhone VPN providers — and get a better price by signing up directly with the service of your choice. We've put several services to the test on multiple platforms, and we've got our five picks for the best iPhone VPNs.

How to choose the best VPN for iPhone?

There is no shortage of iPhone VPNs as many providers offer dedicated apps for iPhone and iPad. For our buying guide, we picked VPNs whose app should be as easy to use as on a desktop computer, while offering enough options for more advanced users to do what they want.

Other important things to consider include strong security and a good privacy policy. The number of simultaneous connections allowed is also a point to check, because the more you have, the more of your devices (and those of your family) can be covered by a single subscription. The speeds obtained by the provider are also worth considering, especially if you plan to have your VPN running in the background on your iPhone at all times.

1.ExpressVPN - #1 Best VPN for iPhoneThe quality of ExpressVPN's iPhone VPN app is exactly what you'd expect from the world's top provider. It's a cinch to download, simple to use, and has almost all the features you also get on desktop. Sign up through TechRadar and you'll get an additional 3 months and a year of backup to their secure cloud for free!

2. NordVPN - an iPhone app that adds real value It's one of the biggest names in VPN, so it's no surprise that NordVPN has such a well-designed iPhone app. We like apps with obvious 'fast connect' widgets and NordVPN also performs very well when it comes to security, with Double VPN protection and a zero-logs policy verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

3. Surfshark - a mix of quality and affordabilityOne of the cheapest iPhone VPNs is also one of the best. And as a bonus, one subscription covers you for as many devices as you want - including Windows PCs, Macs, Androids, tablets, TV streaming devices and more.

The 5 best VPN apps for iPhone in 2022:

1.ExpressVPN

Dedicated iPhone app: Yes | Also available for: Windows, Mac, Android. linux | Maximum number of devices: 5 | Built-in kill switch: No | App Store Rating: 4.6

ExpressVPN is our top pick for the best VPN without hesitation, and we're just as happy to recommend it for iOS devices. The top-ranked provider has an extensive server network (with 160 server locations in over 90 countries) that managed to deliver very good speeds throughout our tests. In fact, it's brilliant on all platforms and browsers we've tested it on: Android, Windows 10, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Firefox... all of them!

Its iPhone VPN is very easy to set up and boasts a great user interface that emphasizes smart server selection through different filters. Users can connect in one fell swoop and use the VPN seamlessly, and it's easy to switch servers without having to manually close the current connection.

There are also some unusual extras, like the ability to switch protocols. Its Privacy & Security Tools menu adds some useful features to help you verify your connection, with options to view your current IP address and location, check for DNS and WebRTC leaks, and generate secure passwords. Lots of features common to ExpressVPN's great desktop clients.

ExpressVPN also has no trouble helping you access streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu, making it ideal for streaming. Its custom traffic obfuscation will allow you to get better connectivity with heavily censored regions like China and the Middle East.

ExpressVPN offers 24/7 customer support via live chat or email to help users with any questions or issues they may encounter. The provider has an excellent privacy policy and does not collect or log traffic data, connection IPs or browsing activity.

The main downside is the lack of a kill switch, which may be a problem for some (especially, to be blunt, those who use their iPhones for slightly dubious purposes, like torrenting), although the provider offers an option automatic reconnection which will attempt to re-establish the tunnel if your connection is interrupted. And the prices aren't the cheapest, but they may be worth the cost for those who want the best experience for iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads. Plus TechRadar readers can enjoy an additional 3 months free with the one-year plan!

Get the Best iPhone VPN 2021 with Two Free OffersIf you haven't decided yet, you can also enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee. But to get the best value from our #1 app, upgrade to a 1-year plan - you'll get an additional 3 months free and a whole year of secure, unlimited Backblaze cloud backup.

Remember that you won't get this extra if you download directly from the App Store. You must click on one of the links on this page to benefit from it.

2. NordVPN

Dedicated iPhone app: Yes | Also available for: Windows, Mac, Android. linux | Maximum number of devices: 6 | Built-in kill switch: Yes |App Store Rating: 4.6

NordVPN's iPhone app is one of the best. It is an application with a wonderful user interface where everything is well organized, with at-a-glance information displayed by the "quick connection" widget which details the nearest server, availability, percentage of load and so on. right now. Basically, it has everything you could ask for in an iPhone VPN.

Security-wise, NordVPN supports standard 256-bit encryption and offers an automatic kill switch (a real boon), as well as double data encryption, which passes your data through two separate VPN servers. This provider also has a "zero logs" policy, which is good to know. It is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers to ensure that it holds up.

The app includes an auto-connect feature to automatically connect the VPN when it detects that you are using an untrusted network or Wi-Fi. Siri functionality has also been added (if you're into that sort of thing). And all the in-depth features you'd expect from the best desktop clients: a comprehensive protocol menu, specialty server lists, and more.

NordVPN delivers well above average performance - especially now that speeds are boosted by its WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol - and the network boasts an abundant amount of servers; more than 5,000 in all. Perhaps our only real complaint is that the default map view, when you open the app, is a bit difficult to use. But you can see we're really struggling to find fault here.

3. Surfshark

Dedicated iPhone app: Yes | Also available for: Windows, Mac, Android. linux | Maximum number of devices: Unlimited | Built-in kill switch: Yes |App Store Rating: 4.4

Surfshark has been making waves in the VPN market lately. That's largely thanks to its rock-bottom prices while promising unlimited VPN connections on as many devices as you want.

Its VPN app for iPhone is more or less the same as Surfshark's desktop app. We find the same list of locations, multi-hop connections (across multiple servers), ad and malware prevention, and split tunneling for apps and websites that allows you to connect your VPN only when you use some apps. There is also a dedicated kill switch, which may make you lean towards this provider if you think this feature will be useful on your iPhone.

More recently, small changes have been made to the iOS app, including the ability to change your preferred language within the app and the ability to reset your VPN profile to fix any connectivity issues.

Surfshark's relative simplicity will be a plus or minus, depending on what you want out of your VPN and how many features you want. But you're still not short of multiple protocols to choose from (OpenVPN/ IKEv2 and Shadowsocks) and 24/7 support with the company's live chat operators in case you run into any issues while using or installation.

But if Surfshark really wants to start competing with the big guys like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, we'd like it to walk the talk and hire an independent auditor to verify the provider's privacy statements.

4.Private Internet Access

Dedicated iPhone app: Yes | Also available for: Windows, Mac, Android. linux | Maximum number of devices: 10 | Built-in kill switch: Yes | App Store Rating: 4.7

In our performance tests, Private Internet Access delivered excellent results, which is a good start for any VPN. And if you're looking for a really usable option for your Apple device, PIA has a very affordable iPhone VPN app. Moreover, it is adored by Apple users, with a rating of 4.7 on the App Store.

On the security front, the provider supports OpenVPN, IKEv2, and fast WireGuard protocol, with 256-AES encryption, with Handshake TLS authentication protocol enhancements now using SHA-4096, and data authentication over OpenVPN CBC using SHA-256. A kill switch is also available, which works admirably well, and the vendor claims it doesn't have a login of any kind.

There are a few extras that add real value. The favorites system, for example, allows connection to the most used servers, while a new system of automation rules allows automatic connection on certain networks. And there's also ad and malware blocking.

For those who are fully integrated into Apple's ecosystem, you'll appreciate the ability to add Siri Shortcuts. Finally, there's PIA's InBrowser, which is a private browser for iOS (and its Android VPN app) with support for tabs and video.

If your main reason for getting one of these apps is a VPN for streaming, then we think you're better off with one of the other providers on this list. Although it was successful in unblocking Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus, iPlayer was a failure. Those who want to access Netflix in the US are in luck, while our testing in other countries only gave us access to Netflix original titles.

The multi-year plan is the best choice here, if you're not afraid to commit that long. But it looks like PIA is on the right track...it recently added 15,000 more servers to its network, making it the largest of all consumer VPNs.

5. Windscribe

Dedicated iPhone app: Yes | Also available for: Windows, Mac, Android. linux | Maximum number of devices: Unlimited | Built-in kill switch: No |App Store Rating: 4.6

Download Windscribe on your iPhone and you'll enjoy an app that's as good as the device itself. But it's not just about style or substance, as Windscribe has also incorporated a lot of great features.

Some will probably only appeal to experienced iOS users (customizing OpenVPN and setting preferred protocols for different networks, for example), but the basic functions for accessing blocked apps and sites are also excellent. Windscribe's iOS app will really appeal to all users.

Recently the application supports the brand new WireGuard protocol, and the connection speeds have become fantastic. This means you can confidently leave Windscribe running in the background when using public Wi-Fi and cellular data, without worrying about your iPhone being slowed down while you stream or surf.

And when it comes to streaming, Windscribe has lived up to geo-restrictions on sites like YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+.

If you want to try Windscribe, it offers a free version (as a money-back guarantee). But note that if you're a complete VPN newbie, the service's support articles are a bit lacking and there's no live chat support like most of the other big providers on our list. days.

iPhone VPN FAQs

What is the best VPN for iPhone?

There are so many VPNs for iPhone that the answer is not easy. Fortunately, ExpressVPN stands out above the rest. It combines pretty much everything we like to see in a VPN app: worldwide server stacks, great encryption, a knack for unblocking restricted apps, a nice interface, and it's remarkably easy to set up and use.

Do I Really Need a VPN for iPhone?

Even Apple's App Store is not without its fair share of dodgy apps (although, truth be told, Google Play is a far more dangerous place), in terms of harmful activity, the argument that iPhone users have less to worry about than other users (especially Android) is certainly valid. However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be cautious.

What does installing a VPN on your iPhone change?

There are a multitude of reasons why you might want to download a mobile VPN app on your iPhone. The first and most important is security: the encrypted tunnels through which all data is exchanged when you're connected to Wi-Fi would be a mess for hackers to get hold of.

But it's a VPN's IP spoofing that makes things really interesting. By connecting to a server in another location, you can effectively change locations and trick your Apple iPhone into thinking it's in a whole different country. A country or location, for example, where you can stream a wider variety of Netflix shows, and where you can get cheaper prices on services and products. And super handy if you have trouble using WhatsApp in China or logging into Facebook at your school.

Are free VPN apps for iPhone worth downloading?

Free VPNs have their place in the market - there's no doubt about that. An extra layer of security when using public Wi-Fi isn't a bad thing at all - especially if you're shopping or having private interactions.

But in most cases, it's a false economy. Many free apps limit the amount of data you can use each day or month, so you can pretty much forget about using them for streaming and torrenting. Also, you may face an app full of advertisements, where the provider is probably making money by selling your data to third parties. Our advice...stay away, especially when the best VPN apps for iPhone on this list are very affordable anyway.

Do iPhones have a built-in VPN?

Although the iPhone does not currently have a built-in VPN, it offers excellent VPN support for manual and automatic configuration when downloading a number of VPN apps. To install a VPN on your Apple smartphone, all you have to do is select the iPhone VPN you want to sign up for, install the client and you're done.

Don't be fooled by Private Relay's announcement at the WWDC 2021 conference either. it only does this when browsing Safari or through apps with insecure connections.

By foregoing a VPN and replacing it only with Private Relay, you also deprive yourself of the location mirroring feature, and therefore the ability to unblock geo-restricted content. Although this is a nice feature, it is definitely not a VPN for iPhone.