The best VPNs for iPhone in 2026

Proton VPN's free plan is the best way to put a VPN on an iPhone without paying. Proton says it has no data or speed limits, shows no ads and doesn't log your activity. The limits are one device and servers in 10 countries that Proton picks for you, and streaming and P2P need a paid plan.

The iPhone app has a kill switch that stops your phone connecting to the internet if the VPN drops, plus DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and Proton publishes the apps' code for anyone to review. VPN Plus adds NetShield, which blocks ads, trackers and domains known to host malware, and Secure Core, which routes your traffic through servers in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden before it leaves Proton's network.

VPN Plus costs $3.49 a month on the two-year plan, billed at $83.76 for the first 24 months, then $83.88 a year. It covers 10 devices and more than 20,000 servers in over 140 countries, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The app needs iOS 17 or later, so an iPhone that can't update past iOS 16 won't run it.

ExpressVPN is the easiest paid VPN to try on an iPhone. Sign up in the app and you get a 3-day free trial, linked to the payment method on your App Store account. The app chooses ExpressVPN's own Lightway protocol for you, which the company built for mobile connections, and it includes a kill switch, split tunneling and Threat Manager, which blocks known trackers and malicious sites.

It also suits older phones, because the App Store lists iOS 15 or later. One subscription covers up to 14 devices, including Mac and Apple TV.

On ExpressVPN's website, the Basic plan costs $2.99 a month on the two-year plan ($83.72 for the first 28 months), then $99.95 a year. First-time customers who buy direct get a 30-day money-back guarantee. Subscriptions bought through the App Store don't qualify for it, and Apple handles those refunds instead. If you'd rather pay through Apple, the US App Store lists a 12-month Basic plan at $79.99.

Surfshark suits a family because a paid plan has no device limit, so every iPhone, iPad and Mac in the house can share one subscription. The iPhone app has a kill switch, CleanWeb for blocking ads and trackers, MultiHop, and Bypasser, Surfshark's split tunneling, which its iOS page says works on iPhone. You can choose WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 or Surfshark's own Dausos protocol.

The app needs iOS 17 or later. Surfshark says it has 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, and you can pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or in Bitcoin or Ethereum.

The Starter plan costs $2.49 a month on the two-year plan, which is $67.23 for the first 27 months, then $79 a year. The 7-day free trial is available on the one-year and two-year plans when you subscribe on Surfshark's website, and it covers three devices until you start paying. Website subscriptions also come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN supports iPhones and iPads on iOS 17 or later, including iOS 27, and one account covers 10 devices at once. New customers in the US and 14 other countries can take a 7-day free trial on the one-year and two-year plans. You pay by card or PayPal, nothing is charged during the trial, and you can cancel from your Nord Account before it ends. There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Its help center has iPhone guides for newer features such as Call Protection and Message Protection, as well as for dedicated IP servers and manual OpenVPN setup, so you're unlikely to be left without instructions.

We couldn't confirm website prices, because nordvpn.com returned an access error to us on November 4, 2026. On the US App Store, NordVPN's in-app purchases include a 1-month plan from $11.99 and a 12-month plan at $83.99. Check the price and the renewal price at checkout before you commit.

Mullvad asks for no email address. You create an account with one click and get an account number, which is your login. The price is the same whatever term you choose: €5 a month on Mullvad's website, which it shows as about $5.62, with 10% off if you pay in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash or Monero. On an iPhone you can also top up by in-app purchase, and the US App Store lists 30 days from $5.69.

The app rotates its WireGuard keys automatically and lets you change server location quickly. If you'd rather use the official WireGuard app, Mullvad offers configuration files for it.

One account works on five devices, and the app needs iOS 17 or later. The refund window is 14 days, shorter than most here, and it doesn't cover cash payments. Mullvad suits you if privacy matters more than extras: its iPhone page doesn't mention a kill switch or split tunneling, and it makes no streaming claims.

Private Internet Access is the one to pick if you want the VPN to run itself. You can set rules for Wi-Fi networks and for cellular data so it connects when it should, use Siri Shortcuts, and check or change the connection from a home screen widget. The automatic kill switch blocks traffic while the VPN reconnects, and you can choose WireGuard or OpenVPN or leave the setting on Automatic.

The app runs on iOS 15 or later (PIA's own page says 15.5 in one place), and every plan covers unlimited devices.

PIA has the lowest long-term price we found: $2.03 a month on the three-year plan with four extra months, billed at $81.20, and it renews at $81.20 every three years. The one-year plan is $47.88 and the monthly plan is $11.95. New subscribers who buy direct get a 30-day money-back guarantee, while App Store purchases follow Apple's refund terms. PIA offers no free trial on its website.

Windscribe's free plan gives you 10GB a month once you confirm an email address, or 2GB if you skip that step. You can pick from 10 of its 69 countries yourself, which makes it the better free choice when you need a particular location. Proton VPN's free plan has no data cap but assigns the country for you.

The iPhone app supports WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN, plus Stealth and WSTunnel for networks that block VPNs. It can turn itself on whenever you join an untrusted Wi-Fi network, and R.O.B.E.R.T. blocks ads, trackers and malware at the DNS level on Windscribe's servers, so it covers every app on the phone. A widget and Siri Shortcuts let you connect without opening the app. It needs iOS 15 or later.

Pro costs $9 a month or $69 a year ($5.75 a month). Build A Plan lets you pay $1 a month per location, with a $3 minimum, and each location adds 10GB to your monthly data. If you change plans, Windscribe refunds the unused days on the old one.

CyberGhost's 7-day iPhone trial starts in the App Store, so you can try it without visiting its website first. You need a payment method on file, and you aren't charged if you cancel during the trial. Its Android trial is 3 days and its desktop trial 24 hours.

The app turns itself on when you join a new Wi-Fi network in a café or hotel, has an automatic kill switch and uses WireGuard. CyberGhost lists support for iOS 15 through iOS 26, so it fits phones that other apps here have left behind. One subscription covers seven devices.

On the website, the 28-month plan was $2.19 a month ($61.32 up front) in CyberGhost's early Black Friday sale on November 4, 2026, and its pricing table says it renews at $61.32 a year. The six-month plan is $41.94 and renews at the same amount, and the monthly plan is $12.99. Plans longer than a month have a 45-day money-back guarantee, and the monthly plan has 14 days.