Apple devices are generally more secure to malware than their competitors, but they don’t offer any extra internet privacy or security. Whether you need to hide your online activities, keep your data secure, overcome ISP throttling, or circumvent some annoying geo-restrictions, a VPN is your go-to option. The fact that you can get a top free VPN for iOS is even more enticing, as you’ll still get to enjoy some VPN benefits even if not all. However, not all VPNs work well with iPhones and iPads, but we have tested and filtered various VPNs to come up with a list of the top free VPN for iOS.
Free VPN vs. Paid VPN for iOS
A free VPN, just like a paid VPN, will help you hide your online identity and secure your data. However, when something is free, there’s always a catch. Running a VPN is quite expensive, and so you can only expect a free VPN to provide basic services. This means that with a free VPN for iPhone or iPad you will have to compromise on a number of things:
Servers & Server Locations
Putting up and running a server requires money. The more the servers, the more the money spend. Since a free VPN will only earn a few dollars from advertising, you can’t expect them to give you many servers. Some free VPNs offer as few as 3 servers, and others like Hotspot Shield won’t even allow you to choose a specific one. Paid VPNs, on the other hand, strive to offer you as many servers as possible, with NordVPN having the biggest server network.
VPN Connection Speeds
Free VPN services generally have many users, meaning that you will be bunged with many other users in the same server. This will lead to slow speeds, considering the infrastructure is also limited.
Data Caps
All reputable free VPNs limit the amount of data that you can transfer on their network. This can start from as little as only 500 MB a month, data that can’t let you stream anything. The best premium VPNs don’t have any data or bandwidth caps.
Security & Privacy
Most free VPNs only provide protocols like PPTP and omit OpenVPN which is the most balanced protocol. This means that your data can be compromised when using such a VPN. Further, others even sell your data in order to get some profit and keep the VPN running. This is a huge compromise on privacy, and it can land you in trouble if you used the VPN inappropriately.
Top 3 Free VPNs for iOS devices
Nevertheless, there are still some decent VPN providers who offer a good VPN service to iPhone and iOS users. Here’s a list of the top free VPNs for iOS.
1. Windscribe
However, you can only use 10 servers with Windscribe VPN free plan. This is still a bit generous but considering the VPN is fast growing in popularity, speeds may be greatly affected. Further, Windscribe is based in Canada, which is a FVEY country, and therefore you can’t expect heaven in terms of privacy.
- 10 servers
- 10 GB Data transfer
- Speed: Up to 30Mb/s
Check here the best paid VPN for No Limitations.
2. TunnelBear
However, you’ll be limited to only 500 MB a month, a figure that can be improved by an extra 1 GB by tweeting about them. Though TunnelBear is quite free about their server selections, it is marred with unreliable connections,which are very rare with the top premium VPNs.
Free Plan Limitations:
- 0.5-1.5 GB Data cap
- No P2P allowed
- Average speeds
Check here the best paid VPN for No Limitations.
3. Hide.me
You will however be restricted to only three servers: Canada, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Your data transfer is also capped at 2 GB a month, with bandwidth allocated on a best-effort basis. The speeds are not as impressive as with a premium VPN.
- 3 server locations
- 2 GB Data transfer
- Best effort bandwidth
Check here the best paid VPN for No Limitations.
Top 2 Premium VPNs for iOS
The only key to overcoming the restrictions placed on free VPNs is going for a premium VPN. Below are the top premium VPNs for iPhones and iPads.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN doesn’t have any bandwidth or data limits, and you can watch Netflix US and Netflix UK as well as any other streaming channel seamlessly. The VPN also allows you to use P2P, and every subscription is eligible for a no-questions-asked 30-day money back guarantee. You can take advantage of this and use the VPN for one month completely free!
- Excellent Speeds
- Unlimited Data usage (Bandwidth)
- P2P / BitTorrent allowed
- 24/7 customer support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
30-Days Money-Back Guarantee
2. NordVPN
The iOS app is very simple but still lets you use advanced features like CyberSec and obfuscation. You can also choose between specialty servers like Onion Over VPN, P2P, Double VPN, and Dedicated IP. You can also connect to a server by simply selecting it on the map. With NordVPN, you can also unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms at excellent speeds. The VPN also has a 30-day money back guarantee.
- Very good speeds
- Biggest server network
- 24/7 Customer Care
- 6 simultaneous connections
- 30-day money back guarantee
30-Days Money-Back Guarantee
Wrap up
Though you can still enjoy some VPN benefits with the best free VPN for iOS, your general VPN experience will be very limited. With a premium VPN, you can overcome all restrictions and open up the whole internet. If you are on a tight budget, the two premium VPNs given above are the best in the industry, and they give you a chance for a free 30-day trial through the money-back guarantee. The VPN providers are true to their word, and so you can be confident while taking advantage of that!
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