How to find the right VPN for your iPhone

Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are tools and resources for encryption and privacy that come in the form of web services. They are compatible with almost any operating system available on the market, and they can work with your iPhone or iPad without any issues.

What does VPN for iPhone mean?

VPN on iPhone is an added layer of security and privacy. It will hide your IP address and traffic so no hacker, governmental agency, internet retail stores, or advertising companies can see and track your activity when you are connected.

Using a reliable, secure VPN app on your iPhone means that you will be protected from malicious hotspots, cybercriminals looking to steal your data or credit card numbers, ransomware, and even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) selling logs of your activity to the highest bidder.

On top of all that, you will be able to enjoy your preferred British, American, Japanese, French, Spanish, Mexican, Brazilian, or Australian (and more) shows and streaming channels from around the world. VPNs are a great option for your iOS device so you can listen to your favorite streaming music or movie sites in the allowed geographic region.

Why you need a VPN on your iPhone or iPad

Online security on iOS devices is incredibly strong. However, once you’re on the internet, you’re no longer secure but instead virtually unprotected from several risks and hazards associated with the world wide web.

A VPN can make your life easier since it will hide your IP address and let you use a temporary one that you can choose at your convenience. Better yet, most paid VPN options have dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of servers, so you can select the fastest for your preferred activity: torrenting, downloading content, online streaming, geo-spoofing, or just enhanced privacy.

Also, VPNs enhance a user’s security when they are connected to wifi. That is probably the best reason to have a VPN on an iPhone because the VPN encrypts the client’s data and protects him/her from malicious people in the same network trying to use the device for crypto mining or data/identity theft.

Online security for your Apple device

Most respected VPNs have an exciting feature if you love your online security: a kill switch. It immediately disables your internet connection when your VPN signal or service goes down, which serves as valuable protection. Anything can happen in those precious few seconds when you are left unprotected!

iOS users, like users of any operating system, have to deal with hotspots. Wireless hotspots are wireless access points located mainly in public places, such as cafés, airports, libraries, doctor’s offices, hotels, and more. They provide internet access to mobile devices on the go, and they let you get online from anywhere you may be. But Wi-Fi poses a security risk for everyone, including iPhone and iPad users. VPNs ensure that you are secure online and that your identity is protected.

Numerous users also take advantage of a VPN’s ability to cope well with heavy video streaming sites and other international streaming services, from anywhere in the world. A VPN makes it possible for customers to protect their locations and access all kinds of content online.

VPNs are an iPhone users’ best friend because all of its features are available to customers of the iOS operating system. Owners of all iPhone models, such as the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X (and even older models!) can benefit from a VPN, as well as users of iPad, the iPad Mini, the iPad Air, or the iPad Pro – in all sizes and generations.

You also may need a VPN for legal torrenting, which is a peer-to-peer sharing platform. In addition, online streaming for iPhones and iPads is significantly safer if you can have the help of a VPN. Most quality brands can work with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Kodi, and other services.

VPNs are enormously useful tools that provide users with data security and the ability to remain anonymous and away from the prying eyes of Big Brother or your ISP. If you want a secure internet experience, purchase one of the five best VPNs for iPhone that we mention.

What a VPN on an iPhone can’t do

While VPNs are advantageous and beneficial for the overall security health of your iPhone system, there are certain things that they cannot do. For example, while they help in keeping you anonymous on your online sessions, they don’t make you entirely invisible.

VPNs aren’t designed to protect you from malware and viruses, although iOS is better than other operating systems in this regard. The best way to combat these threats is with antivirus software. It should be noted, however, that some VPN brands include an ad blocking feature that serves as an aid in preventing you from acquiring some viruses.

Free VPN for iPhone

A free VPN service also offers encryption and privacy. Like paid VPNs, they also send your traffic through remote servers to protect it and your IP address from hackers, ISP, government, annoying advertisers, etc.

However, the level of encryption offered by a free VPN is not nearly the same as what you can find with a custom, paid alternative. That makes free VPN especially dangerous, and if you take into account that they may sell your traffic to the highest bidder to pay for infrastructure, services, and other expenses, you may want to stay away from them altogether.

Remember the lifelong lesson your parents taught you when you were little: you get what you pay for. Paid VPNs charge for their services, and in that way, they can invest in new and faster servers, exciting features, maintenance, and other things. Free VPNs are free because they can’t and won’t offer you a comparable service.

How To Set-Up VPN on iPhone

Using the App

Users can install a VPN on their iPhone or iPad in a very straightforward way, directly from a VPN providers app. It just takes a few steps  – we will use ExpressVPN’s configuration fas an example. Users need to:

1. Register for an ExpressVPN subscription on the order page. You will generally have to provide an email address to register and designate your payment method.
2. Download and install the VPN app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
3. Establish a connection to your preferred server location.
4. Done. You can now use the internet in a secure, private way!

Manual Configuration

The other option for setting up your VPN on iPhone or iPad devices is to do it manually. It is lengthier and more complicated than doing it directly from the app, and its protocols have a lower encryption level.

Steps for manual configuration:

1. Make sure that you have internet, an iOS device, and a VPN account. We will use the PureVPN L2TP configuration for this example.
2. Access your home screen.
3. Tap on Settings.
4. Tap on General.
5. Tap on VPN.
6. Tap on Add VPN configuration.
7. Tap on L2TP Protocol
8. Insert the PureVPN L2TP into the description, then the PureVPN username name, then the desired server which you want to connect to, and then enter your password.
9. Insert 12345678 in the Secret Box.
10. Tap on Save.
11. Tap on PureVPN L2TP and Turn on VPN.
12. Your VPN is connected!

FAQs: VPN for iPhone & iOS devices

Is a VPN safe to use on an iPhone?

Yes, provided that you choose a paid, reliable VPN like those named on this list. Free VPNs may say they encrypt your traffic and don’t sell your traffic and data logs, but they most likely will jump at any opportunity to do so. Custom VPN apps offer robust encryption, provide the best protocols available, and have exciting security features such as a Kill Switch, DNS leak protection, and split tunneling to keep you safe and well-hidden.

How to test your speed on a VPN iPhone

You can use a web service, such as the Ookla speed test website. For a better assessment, you should consider discarding the best and worst results. To do a viable test, enable the VPN and connect to the fastest server that the brand recommends. Repeat the experiment and compare averages with and without the active VPN server. You should take into account the ping latency, which is the time that the system takes to query a server and get a response.

Will a VPN slow down the download speed on an iPhone?

Because VPNs involve information traveling peer-to-peer or end-to-end through remote servers, internet connections in all operating system, including iOS, can be slowed down a bit. However, the reduction rates are not overly significant, and the industry universally claims that the service does decrease speeds by approximately 10%.

Is an antivirus app enough to protect me on my iPhone?

Sadly, no. If your iPhone has antivirus software, it may be well protected against viruses, malware, ransomware, Trojans, worms, and other types of attacks. However, your data will be vulnerable as it travels over the internet. The use of a reliable VPN client keeps your information safe and private, no matter if you are at home, work, or even using public WiFi networks.

Is the app different for iPhone and iPad?

Most dedicated iOS apps are the same for both iPhones and iPads, as developers build an interface for the OS, not the specific device. The majority of top VPN clients and providers have one app for all operating systems.

Conclusion

If you value your online security and privacy, then you are wise to download a VPN provider for your iPhone or iPad. Yes, iOS does an excellent job when it comes to keeping its users s safe and protected, with two-factor authentication, touch ID, and other features. However, iOS does not have a system in place to protect your data, traffic, and online identity as they travel through the web. The only way this is guaranteed is to use a VPN.

Even if you feel like you have it all covered without the help of external services, the Wi-Fi protection alone makes it worth paying a few bucks per month for a VPN to avoid attacks by crypto miners, cyber thieves, and hackers intercepting public wifi networks

The bottom line is that you should prioritize your data safety with an encryption resource. Believe us: sometimes, even a small IP address leak can lead to trouble. Enjoy the added privacy, security, anonymity, and accessibility that a fast mobile VPN app can offer your iPhone and iPad. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PrivateVPN, Avira Phantom VPN, and Hide My Ass are top VPN service providers for iOS that we recommend you consider.