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Best Overall
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Loads of servers for multiple connection options
Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
From $3.19/mo
Limited-time deal on 2-year plan
Too many confusing plans
Best for Streaming
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Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost
Best for Powerful Extras
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Unlimited simultaneous connections
Works with Netflix and other streaming services
Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance
We searched through many popular VPNs and tested them to bring you the three best VPNs for your iPhone operating system. While there were many options to choose from, a few stood out ahead of the crowd. Our choices for the three best VPNs for your iPhone or iPad are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark, with our top pick being NordVPN.
While NordVPN came in as our front-runner, ExpressVPN and Surfshark had impressive speeds and features that landed them a spot in our top three. All of these VPNs will allow you to watch regional streaming content, including Netflix. Additionally, they all have strong, secure connections and no activity logging.
ExpressVPN came in as the most expensive per month with Surfshark as the least expensive, but a VPN isn’t built on price alone. Online privacy, user data, fast speeds, functionality, and no logging of your online activities are all important when choosing an iPhone VPN app.
Let’s look through these top three and see what features and services are the most important to you. We think you’ll like what you find.
| VPN |
Best Overall
 NordVPN |
 ExpressVPN |
 Surfshark |
| Starting price | Starts at $4.19/mo | Starts at $8.32/mo | Starts at $2.49/mo |
| Free version | |||
| Streaming support | |||
| Learn more | See NordVPN Pricing | See ExpressVPN Pricing | See Surfshark Pricing |
It’s worth noting that all three of these VPNs use AES 256-bit encryption, have an expansive server network, offer unlimited bandwidth, are user friendly, and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Loads of servers for multiple connection options
Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
From $3.19/mo
Limited-time deal on 2-year plan
Too many confusing plans
Nord is widely considered the top VPN in the business and for good reason. This service provider allows you to not only watch streaming services on your iPhone but also keeps you secure while doing it. Its strict no-logs policy means the data on your iPhone won’t be shared or recorded. While this is important on a computer, it’s even more important on a mobile device.
While NordVPN does have one of the highest price points in the industry, it’s well worth it. Located in Panama, this VPN service is outside of the 14 Eyes alliance.
The NordVPN iOS app also gives you access to other NordVPN services like safe passwords and cloud storage. Paired with its connection speeds, this makes NordVPN the least invasive and most secure VPN for iPhone.
We liked all the features you get on the NordVPN iPhone app. You’re given the option to save your favorite servers as well as auto-connect to the fastest server available. NordVPN gives you a security score with options to optimize your security features in the app. There are also shortcuts for Siri to turn your VPN off and on with voice commands, which is a nice addition.
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The specialty servers section is especially impressive, as you can activate a double VPN, Onion over VPN, and P2P. The double VPN will route your data through two separate VPNs for extra security. Onion over VPN allows you to connect to your VPN then open a Tor browser on your phone. The P2P specialty server is your torrenting support. All of these are easily accessible through your NordVPN iPhone app.
The app makes you hunt around a little, and there’s no tutorial when you’re first starting.
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There’s an icon at the bottom dedicated to Meshnet, which is NordVPN’s feature allowing you to create a network of devices you can connect to no matter where in the world they’re located. This seems like something we’d use far less frequently than dark web monitoring or Threat Protection, so it was strange it has an entire icon dedicated to it on the main toggle bar.
This iOS VPN is not the fastest VPN, and the least expensive price comes only with an annual plan, which has to be paid all at once. If NordVPN really wants to jump ahead of the pack, lowering the monthly price as well as adding a few more features might go a long way.
| Price range | $4.19 to $15.49/mo |
| Free version | No |
| Number of servers | 5,441 |
| Number of connected devices | 6 |
| VPN protocol | IKEv2, IPsec, OpenVPN, NordLynx built on WireGuard |
| No-logs policy | No logs |
| Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
| Torrenting support | Yes |
| Learn more | Read Our NordVPN Review |
Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost
ExpressVPN is the streamer’s best friend. It supports more streaming platforms than its competitors and has detailed instructions on what to do if you need help for any of its supported platforms.
In addition to the streaming services, ExpressVPN has more server locations than most of its competitors, so you’re likely to find the region you’re looking for when choosing content.
ExpressVPN is secure and has tools embedded to help you feel more protected. You can check leak protection and see if your IP address is hidden right from the app.
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Speed on ExpressVPN was great! There was no slowdown (it actually sped up the coffee shop Wi-Fi) and no noticeable lag. There’s also an included password generator. This might not be necessary considering iPhone’s proprietary password generator, but an extra feature is nice.
The threat manager is a really nice feature. Even though Apple put proprietary code into the latest iOS updates that allows you to “Ask App Not To Track,” that doesn’t necessarily cover all third-party trackers. ExpressVPN builds tracker blocking into the app to help you avoid trackers and malicious sites that may be able to install malware onto your phone.
There aren’t as many features as the other VPNs on this list. ExpressVPN is pretty cut and dry with the protection it provides.
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While the service supports torrenting and split tunneling, there wasn’t an easy-to-use option on the app. We also aren’t thrilled with the headquarters in the British Virgin Islands. While technically not a 14 Eyes alliance country, it’s still a territory of Britain, which is a Five Eyes country. Since ExpressVPN does log some information, there could be issues with data collection if the company was pressed.
| Price range | $8.32 to $12.95/mo |
| Free version | No |
| Number of servers | Thousands in 160 locations |
| Number of connected devices | 5 |
| VPN protocol | Lightway (UDP and TCP), IKEv2 |
| No-logs policy | Some |
| Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
| Torrenting support | Yes |
| Learn more | Read Our ExpressVPN Review |
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Works with Netflix and other streaming services
Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance
If your main reason for getting a VPN is all the extra security features, then Surfshark may be the best choice for you. Not only does it allow for saving favorite servers, there are also options for multiple other privacy services that come included with your subscription. They include the following:
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We were impressed with Surfshark’s server labels that tell you whether or not the server you’re accessing is virtual or not. Virtual servers can be slower than their physical counterparts, so knowing what option you’re choosing is nice.
We also liked the Surfshark One incognito browser located in the app. This allows you a truly private internet search experience. Additionally, while VPNs are legal in most countries, Surfshark has a no borders option that grants you access even in restricted areas.
The MultiHop option is also nice because it’s pre-configured. That means you can simply choose one of their pre-made double VPN options or you can create your own. Considering Surfshark has 3,200+ servers, there are nearly endless options. There’s also an in-app referral program with a personalized link that allows you to earn free months of Surfshark if your friends sign up.
While Surfshark has a ton of pros, we aren’t fans of it being headquartered in The Netherlands — a 14 Eyes country. While it claims no logging, Surfshark does save your email address (fair) and billing information (dicey). Since billing information can easily be traced back to you, we weren’t thrilled about this option.
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Also, Surfshark supports torrenting, but there isn’t an option in the app to easily connect to a torrenting-optimized server. Considering the easy connection to Surfshark One, CleanWeb, and choice of protocol, it’s strange this isn’t included.
| Price range | $2.49 to $12.95/mo |
| Free version | No, but a 7-day free trial is available |
| Number of servers | 3,200+ |
| Number of connected devices | Unlimited |
| VPN protocol | WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN (UDP), OpenVPN (TCP) |
| No-logs policy | Some logs |
| Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
| Torrenting support | Yes |
| Learn more | Read Our Surfshark Review |
Not all VPNs are created equal. We tested several different VPNs including CyberGhost, VyprVPN, and Private Internet Access (PIA) for unblocking streaming libraries, features, speed, quality connections, and price.
While there were some notable options, these failed to offer as much privacy or features as the three we ended up choosing. While CyberGhost, VyprVPN, and PIA didn’t measure up at all, there were two other VPNs we had hope for but ultimately decided to leave off this list.
We wanted to love IPVanish. It unblocked Netflix for us and was the only VPN to offer a tutorial of its dashboard. Customer support is easily accessible, the price is lower than competitors, and there are plenty of server options to choose from.
Unfortunately, IPVanish is headquartered in the United States. The U.S. is a Five Eyes country and not very discreet about its penchant for spying on its citizens. Since IPVanish has a history of logging data for the FBI, we couldn’t recommend this VPN for usage on such a personal device as your cell phone.
Proton VPN comes pretty highly recommended, so we were surprised when it didn’t unblock Netflix for us. There are plenty of great features offered by ProtonVPN including its VPN accelerator and a true no-logs policy confirmed by a third-party auditor. It’s one of the fastest and most secure VPNs on the market.
Since Proton VPN is headquartered in Switzerland, it’s not in a 14 Eyes country. There’s also a free version that doesn’t log your data if you’re looking to save money on a VPN. Proton VPN is lower priced than other VPN providers on the market.
Since Proton VPN touts itself as supporting high-speed streaming (including Netflix), we couldn’t get past the fact that we were blocked from watching Netflix content. But this could also be because Netflix is constantly working to block VPNs from accessing its content and Proton may just need a bit of time to catch up. (For context, when we first tested Proton VPN it successfully unblocked Netflix for us.)
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The best iPhone VPN is NordVPN. It unblocks regional Netflix content, doesn’t log your data, is headquartered outside a 14 Eyes Alliance country, and has extra features like dark web monitoring.
Proton VPN has a free tier that doesn’t log your data and allows you secure and fast browsing. It also gives you unlimited data and even comes with features like Proton Mail, calendar, and drive. It may not unblock Netflix, but there has been success with other streaming services. If you’re looking for a VPN for free, this may be the one for you.
NordVPN is a great choice for iPad users. It unblocks regional Netflix content so you can watch U.K. Netflix on your tablet, doesn’t log your data, and is headquartered in Panama outside the 14 Eyes Alliance. It also comes with extra features like dark web monitoring and even malware protection.
Yes, VPNs really work on iPhones. Apple products have great security, but they aren’t infallible. Having a VPN installed can keep you safe on public Wi-Fi and from potential hackers.
VPN setup on your iPhone is easy. Download the app you wish to use from the app store and then either create an account or log in to your existing account. The app will ask for your permission to enable the VPN and you should be able to connect from there. It should take less than five minutes to download, install, set up, and run your new VPN.
Yes, Apple devices do need a VPN. While Apple’s security features are difficult to penetrate, it’s still possible to hack into an Apple device. Installing a VPN gives you an extra layer of protection.
We believe the 3 best VPNs for iOS devices are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark. Each of these VPNs had plenty of security features that made us feel like we were getting the most for our money. They also provided the ability to unblock Netflix and other streaming service catalogs while maintaining speed.
While there is no perfect product, choosing the right VPN can be a painless process. It comes down to what’s important to you and your family. These three offer enough protection and features to make them worth your while.
| Starting price | Best for | Learn more | |
NordVPN |
Starts at $4.19/mo | Best overall | See NordVPN Pricing Read NordVPN Review |
ExpressVPN |
Starts at $8.32/mo | Best for streaming | See ExpressVPN Pricing Read ExpressVPN Review |
Surfshark |
Starts at $2.49/mo | Best for powerful features | See Surfshark Pricing
Read Surfshark Review |
We tested all VPNs on a slower, coffee shop-style Wi-Fi network similar to what you’d find on most public Wi-Fi. Each VPN was tested on an iPhone 12 Pro Max running the latest version of iOS 16. VPNs were chosen for excelling in speed tests and the ability to unblock streaming services, logs policies, headquarters, price, and additional features including:
Loads of servers for multiple connection options
Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
From $3.19/mo
Limited-time deal on 2-year plan
Too many confusing plans
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