Best iPhone VPNs for iOS in 2020

Although almost every one of the best VPN services offer iPhone VPN applications, the sheer number of options means it can be tricky to pick the best. And, of course, you'll want to get one which matches the quality and polish you're used to as an iOS user.

While Apple's ecosystem is well-known for its malware resistance, once you've sent your details into the ether there's nothing your phone can do. That's where an iPhone VPN comes in.

An iOS VPN isn't just for privacy, though. You'll be able to install it on your iPhone, iPad, even your iPod Touch (they still exist, apparently), and subsequently you'll be able to access streaming content from all over the world. Plus, seeing as your iPhone is probably the thing you'll be traveling with the most, an iPhone VPN will keep you protected when connected to potentially unsecured public Wi-Fi networks in shops, cafes, or public transport.

What makes the best iPhone VPN?

There are three major things we want to see in the best iPhone VPN: speed, security, and support – and it doesn't hurt if it looks great, either. While that might sound simple, many VPNs can't tick all these boxes. However, our top pick ExpressVPN does, and it has them in spades. 

There are also a number of other features we love to see in iPhone VPNs – all of which Express boasts, too. For starters, a wide network of servers in plenty of countries is great if you want to either sidestep national censorship or stream geo-blocked media from abroad. That could be regional Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer from outside the UK, Hulu from outside the US, or your Gmail account from within China.

Another important factor is app design. Your iPhone's nowhere near the size of a PC monitor, and that means every pixel counts. Whichever iPhone VPN you choose, should be optimized for a mobile form-factor. It doesn't have to be bare and minimal, but it does have to work intuitively.

So, below is our rundown of the five very best iOS VPNs and what they can do for you – all you need to do is pick which one to go with.

The five best iPhone VPNs for iOS today

ExpressVPN simply provides everything you need from an iPhone VPN. It's quick, private and simple to use, and seeing as the apps over all platforms are virtually identical, once you've used one you'll have mastered them all.

You'll get over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, meaning wherever you are you'll be able to get a quality connection. Plus, all your data's protected by AES-256 encryption as standard, with a selection of protocols, a kill switch and even split tunneling to tailor your usage.

Beyond technicalities, though, Express's interface is excellent and makes it super simple to access these in-depth features, meaning you can have as basic or as complex an experience as you want – perfect for novices and experts alike.

However, things can go wrong with even the best services, so having a stellar support system in place is essential. Thankfully, Express has you covered with its 24/7 live chat. You'll reliably get responses in minutes – often in seconds – and the operators are incredibly helpful and have never failed to resolve one of our queries.

If we had to split hairs, we wish Express VPN offered a few more simultaneous connections. Five is plenty in practice, though, and while you can only use five devices on the same account at the same time, you can have the app downloaded on as many as you like. That's plenty for the vast majority of users – and if it's not, you're covered by a no-quibble 30-day money-back guarantee.

Overall, Express offers the most fully-featured iPhone VPN app money can buy, so if you want the best, you need look no further.

If you've heard of any VPN before, it'll have been NordVPN. The security giant provides hugely popular and private services, and its iPhone VPN is no exception.

With great speeds across the majority of its 5,200 servers, Nord's sure to provide you with a good connection, and its 2048-bit double encryption and extra features like Onion over VPN and Double VPN should keep you nice and anonymous.

While it's effective, NordVPN's app design isn't quite as clean as Express's – it retains the map-based interface, and this doesn't work as well on mobile as it does on a monitor, making it slightly awkward to use. This is a very minor issue, though, as you won't really be spending more than a couple of minutes in the app itself.

Other features include two kill switches, DNS leak detection and auto-connect, and Nord has now even introduced Siri support which we're sure someone will find useful.

Other than that, Nord's great for streaming as well, so if you're on a trip and don't fancy hauling out your laptop when you're on the train, you'll be able to unblock pretty much everything straight from your phone.

If you're after a security-focused iPhone VPN that will do everything you need it to and more, NordVPN could be the right choice for you – and a 30-day guarantee covers you in case it's not.

If you're looking to get the cheapest iPhone VPN that's going to actually do its job well, Surfshark should be on your shopping list. At less than $2.50 a month you might think that it's cut corners and is no competition to costlier options, but in fact it's a well-rounded service that would be impressive at any price.

The iPhone app is totally plug-and-play, but while many will be satisfied with just pressing auto-connect, you'll also be able to explore some other features. For example, you can switch protocol between OpenVPN UDP and TCP, and IKEv2, and use a kill switch to ensure your connection doesn't become compromised.

One of its biggest selling points, though, is Surfshark's unlimited simultaneous connections policy. That means you'll be able to cover every single device (whether that's 10 or 100) in your house on your bargain-basement plan. That's incredible value.

While it's not quite as powerful as ExpressVPN or Nord, Surfshark provides a deceptively simple iPhone VPN that punches well above its weight and genuinely competes with the very best, regardless of price.

Sign up now on the Surfshark website.

IPVanish is one of the old guard – well-known and loved by those who were using VPNs years ago, and now trusted by the new wave looking for iPhone VPNs, too. If you want great speeds – especially in the US – it's a good option.

The app's design is divisive, and whether you like it will depend on what you want to see in your VPN. In-use, you're provided with a heck of a lot of info, including data up and down, IP address, server name and more. While the iPhone app has been toned down from the desktop version – reminiscent of The Matrix's black and neon green color scheme – it's not as clean as the rest on this list.

If you like that, though, IPVanish provides tons of in-depth features like auto-connect, a kill switch and a choice of protocols. A recent update also introduced the new unlimited connections policy, which we think has really added value to the service.

If you like to see a lot of techy data and aren't scared of a graph or two, IPVanish offers a seriously powerful iPhone app that can cover all sorts of VPN uses. However, for casual users, the options higher on this list deliver cleaner, easier user experiences.

Sign up now on the IPVanish website.

If you're not fussed about in-depth features, Hotspot Shield is a smart, simple, and good-looking iPhone VPN.

The Catapult Hydra protocol delivers searing speeds, and combined with the fact that Hotspot Shield can unblock just about any streaming service it's a perfect option for those who like to stay glued to their screen on the move.

However, apart from P2P compatibility, great speeds and adequate protection is about all you'll get. There's no kill switch, auto-connect, split tunneling, or anything else – but for the vast majority of users that won't be an issue. The only thing that might is the fact it's lacking a 'best server' feature, which would help immensely in getting the best connection.

But, for those after something that looks nice and just works, Hotspot Shield is a great choice – and you'll certainly be impressed with the speeds.

Sign up now on the Hotspot Shield website

Best iPhone VPNs for iOS FAQ

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