With iPhone’s seeing great popularity since their inception back in 2007 it’s easy to see why there is a great demand for finding the Best VPN for iPhone.
The vast majority of iPhone users connect to public WiFI hotspots which makes them somewhat easy prey if anyone was looking to exploit them or their phones. This is where a good VPN for iPhone comes into play adding another level of security to each and every connection you make using the device.
Keep reading along and we will cover everything from things that affect iPhone users to the places you can get your hands on the 5 Best VPN for iPhone.
A Brief Introduction to iPhones
The iPhone revolutionised the world of mobile phones by introducing the concept of the Smartphone. Starting with the launch of the iPhone in June 2007, it was clear the world of mobile communications had changed. The iPhone had touchscreen capabilities, a flat key-less profile, internet connectivity and GPS.
The iPhone 3G raised mobile broadband connectivity to new levels as one could use high speed connections on Wi-Fi or cellular network for business and social tasks. More capabilities stemmed from more applications available on the iPhone.
However the numerous applications available for download presented a vast increase in the likelihood of vulnerabilities appearing from multiple attack points that average user would have a hard time tracking down.
IPhone Privacy
Wi-Fi and cellular internet connections can be intercepted and decrypted. This was seen in 2013 during the PRISM scandal. The National Security Agency of the USA and GCHQ of the UK were able to access SMS, emails, locations and notes from smartphones including iPhones.
This was a major red flag for anyone concerned about privacy. As the likelihood is that if these two organizations could have this capability, malicious hackers and others who look to steal your sensitive data on a daily basis could be ahead and already have a leg up on government agencies.
IPhone corrected privacy concerns in IOS 8 with a new built-in encryption system that ensured even Apple could not access an iPhone’s data without consent from the user. This was a big improvement.
However the main weak link in any user’s privacy and security remains with the fact that their data can still be intercepted and collected on insecure networks like public WiFi hotspots.
Other iPhone Concerns
Yet another concern for iPhone users is that they will still find it hard to access restricted and censored content much like other smartphone users.
Some countries like China restrict access to popular social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram while other countries restrict access to the same along with Google, Gmail, Netflix and adult content.
On a daily basis an iPhone user’s online habits are also closely monitored by ISPs that collaborate with the government but using an iPhone VPN can help to curb any security concerns you have.
Apple themselves even has its own terms and conditions on what users can access. For example, gaining access to torrent files is restricted as this violates Apple’s copyright agreements. Anyone using torrent sites can be in trouble with Apple and the law in case of copyright violations.
The arrest of a Kickass Torrents founder was triggered by a download from iTunes that was then illegally copied.
Using a VPN on iPhone
Using a VPN for iPhone (Virtual Private Network) is the best way of going around these censorship and surveillance concerns in restrictive countries.
A VPN encrypts data at the departure and arrival points such that only the user and the other end can see it. It also shields the user’s location so that the user can be seen to be in the United Kingdom or United States while actually in China.
With a VPN, a user can get access to censored and restricted sites like Netflix, and popular social networking sites regardless of their location in the world.
It is also difficult for the ISP to see what the user is doing online as any data being sent across the internet connection from the iPhone will be unreadable until it hits a VPN server.
A VPN will also shield the user from monitoring by Apple themselves meaning any restrictions placed on torrents or other areas that are restricted will go mostly unseen.
An iPhone VPN is the best way to secure data through better encryption while in transit. VPNs can also secure a user from attackers when accessing the internet on insecure networks like open Wi-Fi found at many public places like airports and cafes.
With all these benefits for using a VPN for iPhone it’s understandable to see why there are also many free VPNs for iPhone available, however understanding why these are not a good option is what we will cover next.
Why Not to Use a Free VPN For iPhone
With there being a great demand for using VPN’s on iPhone to protect any users sensitive data or activity it’s easy to see why many free VPNs for iPhone are popping up in the App store and online for download.
While some do work as a basic VPN for your iPhone they will have nowhere near the capability or security levels of a paid or subscription based service like ExpressVPN or IPVanish.
The key issue with free VPN for iPhone is that they hold nowhere near the same levels of encryption and are often prone to IP leaks where you real IP address is being shown to a service you are trying to unblock.
Speeds are also a key issue when using a VPN for free on iPhone as the majority of VPN servers available are heavily shared across their network, meaning you and another hundred or so users could all be connecting and fighting against each other for bandwidth.
There has been some recent bad news around free VPN’s namely Hola VPN in particular which was found to be selling users bandwidth to effectively create a giant Botnet.
This consisted of unsuspecting users who signed up and installed on the promise of being able to watch restriction content like US Netflix and other streaming services. A great article on this can be found here and shows how much of a common theme these issues are among free VPN’s online and why you essentially get what you pay for in the end.
Now that we’ve covered why a free VPN’s are not a great idea, let’s go ahead and take a look at the 5 Best VPN apps For iPhone.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN comes out on top as its one of the most easy to use VPN’s for iPhone available due to it’s innovative app’s, server selection options and overall reliability and speed.
Using ExpressVPN on iPhone almost becomes second nature over time and allows you to connect to public WiFi hotspots with the piece of mind of knowing your data is safe and secure behind a high level of encryption.
Installing this VPN on iPhone’s couldn’t be easier as they offer round the clock support, along with numerous guides and setup tutorials to help you through the process.
The Speed of ExpressVPN really is the stand out factor for most as they have servers located in countries around the world so you can be sure you are able to connect to a server close to you and enjoy high speed streaming of services like Netflix or Hulu.
They offer as standard a 30-day money-back guarantee which makes this VPN provider a great choice for installing on iPhone as you can test them out for 30 days and see how easy it is to use ExpressVPN on your iPhone and other devices.
Try the Best VPN for iPhone!
IPVanish
With it’s awesome bespoke iOS app’s IPVanish is another solid VPN for using on iPhone to unblock websites, stay protected and encrypt your sensitive data and usage.
IPVanish run a Teir-1 worldwide server network that offers lightening fast speeds to all it’s users. This makes it perfect for watching services like BBC iPlayer or streaming movies on Netflix using your iPhone as you won’t experience any lag or buffering issues while watching your favourite shows.
IPVanish also have a major plus in the fact they don’t store any logs or your usage while using this VPN service, this means there is a lot less risk when torrenting or using services that are currently restricted in your country.
When it comes to subscribing to IPVanish you also have the added option of using Bitcoin to purchase the service anonymously which is a real plus for anyone concerned about companies storing their personal information.
With IPVanish they also offer you a 7-day money-back guarantee which makes it hard not to at least try them out for 7 days to see how well the app’s work on your iPhone.
NordVPN
With some really nice levels of security NordVPN is one of the safer options when it comes to a VPN for iPhone. Based in Panama, NordVPN manages to stay away from the prying eyes of US and European governments looking to track user activity online which is good news for any privacy concerned users as this means your data is safe.
NordVPN keep zero logs of your activity in addition to keeping out of sight of prying governments so for iPhone they are probably one of the most anonymous VPN services available.
Customer support is also great with NordVPN as they offer round the clock live chat who are available to help with any queries or setup issues you may run into.
Like IPVanish, NordVPN also accepts Bitcoin payments for their subscription plans along with offering you a 30-day money-back guarantee on all the available packages, so it’s easy to see why NordVPN is a good option when it comes to the Best VPN for iPhone.
PureVPN
With some seriously low prices, PureVPN is one of the best VPN’s for iPhone if you want to save some money when signing up to a VPN provider. They offer good app’s for iPhone & Mac and also provide you with great tools like the “Killswitch” which kicks in to prevent your real IP address or data being leaked if for any reason you are disconnected from a VPN server.
PureVPN’s UI is also one of the easiest to use and makes it simple to create and new connection and organise your favourite VPN servers in one location.
While their policy on logging and security may not be as good as ExpressVPN they still offer superior speeds to most the VPN clients you will find for iPhone so this makes them a top option if you need a VPN quickly for travelling and still want to access your favourite shows on US Netflix.
PureVPN offer new users a 7-day money-back guarantee which is good to see and will let you give them a go for 7-days to see what speeds can be reached, and what security options are available to you.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost made our 5 Best VPNs for iPhone list due to the fact they offer a great free version of their VPN client for people to download for PC, Mac, Android and iPhone. Surprisingly this is one of the only free VPN’s for iPhone we’ve come across that is worth at least trying as it offers a good level of security and speed.
While the paid version of CyberGhost is much better and offers a higher level of speed, reliability and security it’s good to see a VPN provider giving up a free service to new and existing users who may not be looking at this time to pay for a VPN provider.
Using the paid version of CyberGhost you get access to their 30-day money-back guarantee which is great if you want to compare the free version against the paid version for using on iPhone as the speed may vary greatly depending on where you live in the world.
Best VPN For iPhone Conclusion
Now we’ve taken a look at the top 5 VPNs for iPhone its shown that speed and reliabilty of any VPN provider are paramount in ensuring you get not only the best value for money, but for making sure you are able to do the things you would like such as streaming Netflix on an iPhone VPN.
Security is a key concern when using a smart phone in public and connecting to WiFi so knowing you have that added level of security using a VPN can give you some extra piece of mind that you data is safe on your iPhone and is only seen by the parties you intend to see it.
With many stories in the news about governments looking for further access to decryption on an iPhone’s data it’s good to know that by using a VPN you are effectively able to put up a roadblock between you and anyone looking to pry on your information that you have not given permission for them to do so.
