I’ve been searching high and low for the ultimate VPN solution for my devices for quite some time now. Throughout my research, I discovered that the world of VPN services is vast and varied, with each option offering its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
There are some excellent options for desktop users and others that are ideal for mobile devices. However, finding a VPN that performs very well across all my devices has proven to be quite challenging.
I’m pleased to say that I have finally found a solution that works great not just for my desktop computers but also for my mobile devices, especially my iPhone.
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Story at a Glance
- The new version of Surfshark’s iOS app makes it a strong competitor in the market.
- The user experience and app performance improvements have made the iOS app a top choice for iPhone users.
- My top VPN for iPhone, as you’ve guessed, is Surfshark!
The Best VPN for iPhone in 2024 2023: Surfshark
I recently tested Surfshark, a VPN for iPhone, and I was pleasantly surprised by its performance! After a recent app update, this VPN provider has further established itself as a leading choice. This VPN is not only exceptional for iPhone users, but it also stands out as one of the top VPN services on the App Store.
Notable Improvements:
So, what sets Surfshark apart as the best VPN for iPhone? Let’s delve into its impressive enhancements.
User-Friendly Interface
The new interface is incredibly user-friendly, providing the perfect server location for any VPN requirement through its intuitive and easy-to-navigate design. I’m really grateful for the app’s clear information about the currently active VPN server.
Quick Connection Preferences
Now you have the option to select the ideal server that suits your requirements and designate it as a Quick Connect preference, making it easier to connect to a VPN server.
It is truly convenient for those who primarily require a single location for their VPN requirements. When traveling, having a VPN server that is fast and located nearby is essential.
When traveling in Europe, New York is an excellent choice for a VPN server location.
Connection Statistics
If you’re searching for a VPN that provides clear insights, Surfshark’s iOS VPN is a great option. It comes with a built-in VPN feature that allows you to view connection statistics.
With a simple tap on the newly designed server area, all the relevant information is right at your fingertips.
You can easily access details like connection time, VPN IP address, and the protocol in use.
Tab-Based Navigation
When using the VPN, the navigation tabs provide you with updates on your location within the app and make it easy to quickly navigate to the VPN section or settings. Let’s take a look at how the tab-based navigation enhances the user experience.
- The VPN tab has all the necessary components for connecting to a VPN, such as selecting a server, accessing your preferred VPN location, and searching for a new VPN server.
- The ONE tab. Surfshark offers additional services under the name ONE, which can be accessed for an additional fee. I won’t delve into the specifics currently, since my main objective is to discuss the VPN aspect of things.
- The Settings tab is the essential area for customizing your app to perfectly align with your preferences. Surfshark makes it incredibly convenient for users by providing highly practical preconfigured settings, saving you valuable time.
Smart Recommendations
When it comes to the VPN tab, this iOS VPN stands out with its impressive array of server options that are carefully tailored to your specific usage patterns.
When it comes to choosing VPN servers, factors like speed and recency play a crucial role. Extremely useful.
Optimized User Experience
The recent enhancements to the iPhone VPN app have significantly enhanced the usability and user-friendliness of Surfshark.
I would appreciate it if other top iPhone VPNs could take a cue from Surfshark and enhance their iPhone apps. In my opinion, Surfshark stands out as the top VPN option for iPhones at the moment.
Lightning-Fast VPN Server Connections
Surfshark has significantly improved its VPN connection speed with the latest updates, resulting in a much faster and smoother overall experience overall.
The VPN connection is now established even faster, providing one of the quickest speeds compared to other similar services.
Minimal Impact on Device Performance
Here is an additional surprise from Surfshark. Thanks to the reduced memory footprint, your iOS device’s battery life and efficiency remain unaffected, while the app continues to protect your VPN traffic seamlessly. I truly believe this is the best iPhone VPN in 2024!
Surfshark VPN alternatives
Now, let’s delve into the top competitors in the market for iPhone VPN services. If you’re on the lookout for the perfect VPN service for your iPhone, you might come across various options to consider.
I truly enjoy Surfshark, and it performs exceptionally well for my personal needs.
However, if you’re already using any of the VPNs mentioned below, I don’t believe there’s a need for you to switch to Surfshark at this time. All of them provide excellent VPN services and connections.
It’s worth noting that Surfshark has recently released an upgraded mobile VPN app, but it took them some time to catch up with the competition.
NordVPN
NordVPN is widely recognized as a leading player in the VPN industry. The product provides a powerful set of security features, an extensive server network, and an intuitive interface that attracts a wide range of users. Although Surfshark offers a similar level of service, NordVPN sometimes falls behind in terms of connection speed, reliability, and pricing. However, it is highly regarded as one of the top VPN options for iPhones.
However, NordVPN remains a top choice for iOS users, thanks to its extensive network of 5000 servers, essential features such as the VPN kill switch, and the ability to establish multiple VPN tunnel connections.
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ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is known for its strong focus on privacy and security, making it a prominent player in the industry.
This VPN service prioritizes privacy, boasting a strict no-logging policy and top-notch encryption. Additionally, they offer a VPN accelerator feature that enhances server speeds, giving the impression of superfast connections.
On the downside, the server network of this particular service is not as extensive as Surfshark’s.
Additionally, some users may find the overall user experience to be less intuitive, particularly when it comes to configuring default settings and making adjustments to the VPN connection.
When it comes to premium plans, ProtonVPN on the iPhone does have a slightly higher price point than Surfshark.
For those who value privacy and security as their top priorities, ProtonVPN could be a viable option to consider instead of Surfshark.
When you take into account their comprehensive range of secure email, storage, and password managers, the price becomes less of a concern due to the additional features they offer.
In addition, ProtonVPN is the sole premium VPN provider that provides a free VPN plan for iPhone users. While it may not offer as many features as other paid VPNs, this option remains a solid choice for those on a limited budget who require a VPN.
In the competitive VPN market, both ProtonVPN and Surfshark stand out as strong contenders, each offering their own set of unique features and strengths.
It all boils down to what matters most to you: your privacy, security, server network, and user experience.
Private Internet Access (PIA)
PIA, also known as Private Internet Access, is well-liked for its extensive server network and customizable features. It’s perfect for tech-savvy users who want to customize their VPN settings. PIA’s performance, particularly on desktops, may not be as seamless as Surfshark’s, but it offers a more budget-friendly option for users.
When it comes to dependable performance and respectable connection speeds on the iPhone, PIA has a good history. Although the user interface may seem overwhelming to some, particularly those who are less familiar with technology.
In summary, PIA is a great choice for users seeking a highly customizable VPN at a more affordable price compared to Surfshark.
In my opinion, this app is not suitable for desktop users, especially Mac users, due to its instability. However, if you’re specifically looking for a VPN for iPhones or mobile devices, PIA is a highly affordable option that works well for mobile use.
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Reasons to Trust the Privacy Tutor Team
At Privacy Tutor, we thoroughly research and carefully select our VPN recommendations. We recognize the importance of our advice in helping readers make critical security decisions. We make sure to thoroughly vet and recommend VPN services that we genuinely believe in.
Having extensive experience using VPNs before they became popular, we have gained a in-depth understanding of the leading providers and the best configurations. We even created our own private VPN service to satisfy our technical curiosity!
Although we do receive commissions for referrals, it’s worth noting that we personally purchase and test all the VPNs we review. After extensive testing, we only recommend a select few services that meet our high standards. We aim to empower readers with the necessary knowledge to enhance their online privacy and security, rather than focusing on immediate financial gains.
Rest assured that our VPN recommendations are grounded in practical experience, technical knowledge, and unbiased evaluations.
Our goal is to enhance online safety for all users with our recommendations. Continue reading to discover which VPNs have successfully met our rigorous evaluation criteria! We prioritize your privacy and security and will help you find the perfect service for your needs.
Our Process for Choosing the Best iPhone VPN
Let’s dive into our testing methodology to shed light on how we selected the top iPhone VPN. We tested our VPNs based on actual usage, rather than solely relying on data sheets and marketing claims. We conducted a thorough evaluation of various VPN apps on an iPhone, analyzing their performance across different categories:
- Assessing the performance of VPNs
- Ensuring a Reliable VPN Connection
- My thoughts on the iPhone app experience
- Exploring VPN Features and Performance
- Integrating iOS into your tech setup
- Price information
We also considered factors like pricing, customer support, and the overall user experience. Our team conducted extensive testing on each VPN app to provide recommendations based on firsthand experiences, free from any bias.
VPN Apps Compared
Here is the table comparing various parameters of the VPN apps mentioned in today’s article:
| Surfshark | NordVPN | Proton VPN | PIA | |
| VPN Quality and Speed | 4.4/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.3/5 |
| VPN Connection & Stability | 4.8/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.8/5 | 4.4/5 |
| iPhone App Experience | 4.9/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| VPN Features & Performance | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 |
| iOS Integration | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Pricing | 4.9/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.0/5 | 4.9/5 |
Let’s see how each of these categories played a role in selecting the best VPN for iPhone users.
VPN Quality and Speed
One of the most important things we looked at was how fast and good each VPN was. Our team tried different servers in different places to see how well they worked. In order to see how much a VPN changed internet speeds, we also did speed studies with and without one.
To be able to get a full picture, we used mobile networks, public Wi-Fi, private networks, and other types of links. Our goal was to help our readers find the best and safest VPN.
ProtonVPN was by far the fastest iPhone VPN. This was likely because of their VPN accelerator tool. Surfshark, NordVPN, and PIA were the next fastest.
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Stability and VPN Connection
We also looked at how stable and connected the VPN was. We examined how quickly and reliably each app was able to connect and maintain a connection without dropping or disconnecting frequently. Additionally, we examined what it was like to travel worldwide and use various VPNs.
Surfshark did the best in this area. This is likely because the VPN protocols they use are very stable and don’t use a lot of memory. It was the app that stayed connected longer, acted consistently, and didn’t get in the way of my browsing or app use at all. Both NordVPN and Proton VPN came in a close second, but I did have a few problems with both of them.
It took longer to connect with PIA, but it was stable. I had to play around with the VPN settings to find the right mix of protocols and packet sizes for my needs.
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iPhone App Experience
Another important part of our review process was how easy it was to use the VPN app on an iPhone. We checked the general design, ease of use, and interface of each app to make sure it was clear and easy to use. We also checked out extra tools like split tunneling, ad blocking, and other ways to make the app your own, as well as how well they worked with the main app.
As I said before, this was one of the things that made the difference for me this time. Surfshark is the best VPN for iOS in terms of how easy it is to use. I think NordVPN is the second-best app, behind PIA and Proton VPN; however, all of them are functional. Even though Proton has fantastic branding, its app isn’t very user-friendly or practical.
VPN Features & Performance
We also looked at the different features that each VPN had and how well they worked on an iPhone. We paid special attention to kill switches, DNS leak protection, and multi-hop connections. We also looked at how well the VPN worked overall in terms of security, privacy, and getting to material that was normally blocked.
ProtonVPN should have won this title without any trouble. Unfortunately, ProtonVPN does not provide granular control over these capabilities, despite feeling like the greatest VPN out there that prioritizes user privacy. When compared to the other applications, I still think Proton is somewhat better.
iOS Integration
Last, but not least, we checked to see how well each VPN worked with iOS. This meant that it would work with Siri shortcuts, Touch ID or Face ID for authentication, and the ability to stop ads across the whole system. We also checked to see if the app connected and disconnected without any problems when we changed networks or put the phone in airplane mode.
All the apps worked well, and it’s safe to use your iPhone with any of them installed. I do prefer Surfshark because of the updated interface and unlimited connections, but ultimately, the choice of VPN app is up to personal preference.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Best iPhone VPN
Why should I use a VPN on my iPhone?
Using a VPN on an iPhone provides benefits such as increased online security, privacy protection, and the ability to access geo-restricted content.
What are the best VPNs for an iPhone in 2023?
In my opinion, Surfshark is the best VPN for an iPhone in 2024. It offers increased online security, privacy protection, and the ability to access geo-restricted content. With its updated interface and unlimited connections, Surfshark stands out as a preferred choice for many users, including myself.
How do I choose the best iPhone VPN?
When choosing the best iPhone VPN, it’s important to consider a few key factors. These include security features, privacy policies, speed, server locations, and customer support. If you read reviews and compare different VPN providers, it can also help you make an informed decision.
Are there free VPNs for iPhones?
Yes, there are many free VPNs for the iPhone. Among them are ProtonVPN and Wireguard, to name a few reliable options. However, it is important to note that free VPNs often come with limitations and may not offer the same level of security and performance as paid VPNs.
Do I need a VPN app for my iPhone or iPad?
If you want to use a VPN service on your iOS device, you can either install a VPN app or configure the built-in VPN settings. The easiest way to do it is to use the app, but you can manually configure your VPN settings as well.
Is it safe to use a VPN on an iPhone?
It is safe as long as you are sure that the VPN company is trustworthy and that they are not selling your private data. That’s why I always advise people to purchase a VPN rather than use a free one. Remember, if you are not paying for a service, you are the product.
What is the fastest VPN for an iPhone?
The fastest VPN for iPhone in my tests was ProtonVPN, but the most reliable ones were Surfshark and NordVPN.
Does my iPhone have a built-in VPN?
iPhones do not come with a built-in VPN, but they do support VPN use. You can manually configure a VPN in the settings or download a VPN app for a more user-friendly experience.
Which VPN provides the best value for an iOS device?
If you want to get the most out of your iOS device, Surfshark is my top pick. I have to say that this VPN really strikes me with how many features it has for such a low price. It lets you join as many devices as you want, has strong encryption, and gives you access to a huge network of servers all over the world.
Are there any reliable free VPNs for iPhone?
There are very few reliable free VPNs for iPhones. Among them, ProtonVPN and Wireguard are considered to be some of the best options.
What are the best VPNs for iPhone in 2023?
In my opinion, the top VPN options for protecting your iPhone’s internet connection include Surfshark, NordVPN, Proton VPN, and PIA. In my humble view, these VPNs provide great value, enhanced security for your iPhone, and the ability to safeguard your devices from unwanted surveillance and various online dangers.
