Free VPNs are a double-edged sword. You save money, but you sacrifice performance. And often, many free VPNs are impractical at best and insecure at worst.
You should be wary of any free VPN service where it is not obvious how the company makes money. Running a VPN is expensive, and if you’re not paying cash, you’re paying some other way. A free VPN could bombard you with ads, throttle your speed, or severely restrict your data. Unscrupulous VPN providers could make money by selling your data or compromising your personal information with inferior security measures.
In general, you should avoid free VPNs, but there are exceptions. Some reputable VPN providers offer a limited version of their service for free, with the option to pay for full functionality. With this freemium model, you can access a secure VPN for testing, but a free VPN is usually not enough when you need the performance required for gaming, streaming, or torrenting.
Proton free VPN iOS features: Concurrent connections: 1 | Killswitch: Yes | Logging: None | Customer Service: FAQ, Email | Data Limit: None | Countries: 3 | Free servers: 94
When it comes to free VPN services for iPhone, Proton VPN stands above the rest.
A free Proton VPN account has no artificial limitations on data or performance. Even though you can only connect to servers in three countries, you have over 90 servers to choose from in those locations.
The iOS app has six encryption protocols, more than any other free iPhone VPN we’ve included in this list. It even includes Proton VPN’s recently released stealth protocol, which hides your VPN connection and is a must-have tool for anyone wanting to avoid censorship or restrictions imposed by authoritarian governments.
Proton VPN offers the same customer support (email and FAQ page) for both the paid and free versions. However, you need the paid version to unlock certain features like malware blocker, tracker, and ads.
Free Windscribe VPN features for iOS: Simultaneous Connections: Unlimited | Killswitch: Yes | Logging: None | Customer Service: FAQ, Email, Bot Chat | Data limit: Up to 15 GB per month | Countries: 11 | Free server locations: 30
The Windscribe VPN iOS app has a good number of features compared to other free iPhone VPNs. You can customize the visual layout and choose from 17 languages. There are also options to customize the server display to show each site’s load and latency.
Windscribe VPN also has a built-in blocker for ads, trackers, and malware. You can even customize lists of websites or IP addresses you want to block using Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. Tool.
Where the free Windscribe service really shines is in its server network, which has servers in more countries than any of the other free iPhone VPNs we’ve highlighted. It has locations with free servers that you can connect to directly in these countries:
When you sign up for the free Windscribe VPN, you start with 2GB per month, but it’s easy to increase that limit. You can add up to 10GB per month if you verify your email, and get a permanent boost to 15GB per month if you tweet about the service (and have at least three followers).
You can access support via email, or you may have questions answered with the FAQ guides. There is no live chat option but I found the chatbot (Garry) extremely helpful. It provided specific answers to my questions instead of just giving me a list of links to FAQ guides that may or may not answer the question.
The free Windscribe VPN also works with a number of streaming services. We were told by a Windscribe rep that it will unlock 50+ services, and I’ve successfully tested Amazon Prime, HBOMax, Disney+, and Netflix. I had to try a few different places to get Amazon Prime working, but the streaming was simple and clear. I was even able to unblock US Netflix, which Windscribe only guarantees will work with its paid subscription.
Privado Free VPN iOS Features: Simultaneous Connections: 1 | Killswitch: Yes | Logging: None | Customer Service: Email, FAQs | Data limit: 10 GB monthly | Countries: 10 | Server locations: 13
The free version of PrivadoVPN is another service with a healthy number of server locations, including servers in Argentina and Brazil. It’s the only VPN on this list with free servers in South America.
Besides Argentina and Brazil, PrivadoVPN also has free servers in:
I was able to stream Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime while connected to PrivadoVPN’s free servers, which is a plus. But the data limits on the free service make this service a non-starter for all but the most basic uses. You are limited to 10GB per month and a single connection.
PrivadoVPN’s iOS app is straightforward and easy to set up and use, but it’s extremely basic. There are no features other than the option to choose your protocol (three options) or enable auto-connect when the app is launched. Even the kill switch needs to be activated via your iPhone’s settings and cannot be enabled/disabled in the app like many other free services.
If you have problems you can email support or search the FAQ page (no chat option). I found the search function for the FAQs subpar and often returned no or irrelevant results.
Atlas Free VPN iOS Features: Concurrent Connections: Unlimited | Killswitch: Yes | Logging: None | Customer Service: Email Support, FAQs | Data limit: 5 GB monthly | Countries: 2 | Server locations: 3
Overall, Atlas VPN is a solid service with the security and performance to rival the best VPNs. However, the free version of Atlas VPN suffers from many of the same issues that plague other free VPNs – data and server caps.
A free Atlas VPN plan comes with unlimited connections but only gives you 5GB of data per month to use. It’s impractical for file sharing or streaming given the strict data limit. And while you can connect all your devices, how long does the data last?
The iOS app has a simple and intuitive interface. It includes a data breach scanner, an in-app kill switch, and two protocols (WireGuard and IPSec/IKEv2). But you have to pay for a number of basic features like tracker blocker or live chat support.
Proton VPN is the best free VPN for iPhone, and it doesn’t even come close. It’s the only viable option if you want more than a limited free trial, and you can’t beat the unlimited data and top-notch security.
With any free VPN service, some features are severely limited. So don’t expect to be able to do any significant streaming or P2P file sharing. And the server network for free VPNs is just a fraction of the options you would have with a fully paid plan. Even the most basic budget VPN services are more robust.
The best free iPhone VPN for you is one that suits your specific needs. Start by asking yourself why you want a VPN and work backwards from there.
If you want a service that secures the connections for your iPhone, iPad, and laptop on your once-a-month drive through the airport, then a free VPN could work, as long as it allows multiple simultaneous connections. The good thing is that these VPNs are free, so you can do hands-on testing with no upfront commitment.
As we mentioned earlier, the world of free VPNs can be shady. Most free VPNs should be avoided. The only exception is reputable VPN providers with a free service or a freemium model where you can try a limited version of the paid service.
Narrowing down the list of the best free VPNs for iPhone started by considering only VPNs with paid plans that we would recommend in other contexts, like the best Chrome VPNs or the best VPNs for torrenting. This means that every free VPN we’ve included in this list is safe, doesn’t sell you data, and doesn’t contain ads.
Beyond those basics, we looked at the features (or lack thereof) of free VPN services. Some free VPNs have such restrictive data or performance caps that they’re practically useless.
It is not uncommon for using a free VPN service to involve significant risks.
There are the annoyances like ads or bandwidth or data restrictions. But at worst, you could compromise your security or data. A free VPN service could make money by selling your data. Even well-intentioned free services may not have the resources to create and maintain a fully secure service.
For these reasons, it’s best to avoid the vast majority of free VPNs. The only exception is the free VPN plans offered by companies as a marketing tool. These companies make their money from paid subscriptions and offer limited free versions of their VPNs to generate interest in their products.
Setting up a VPN for your iOS device is straightforward and should only take a few minutes. Just follow these steps:
Find and download the VPN you want from the Apple App Store. In some cases, you may need to download the VPN’s iOS app directly from that company’s website.
Open the app and create an account if you haven’t already set one up.
When you connect to the VPN for the first time, you will get a pop-up informing you that the VPN wants to add VPN configurations. Select “Allow” to complete the setup.
Connect to a VPN server and browse the web safely.
Check out our guide to setting up a VPN for detailed instructions on setting up a VPN for other devices and operating systems.
We ranked NordVPN as the best premium VPN for iPhone.
NordVPN has thousands of server locations in dozens of countries and is easy to install and use. It supports six simultaneous connections, streaming and P2P file sharing. NordVPN also has additional security features like Double VPN and a dark web monitor that alerts you if your email address is affected by a privacy breach.
Right now, NordVPN is running a Black Friday promotion, and you can get the service for an average of $2.99/month with a two-year plan. Additional security features are also available, including a password manager, cloud storage, and a dedicated IP address.
If you’ve tried the free iPhone VPNs on our list and they haven’t lived up to your expectations, there are plenty of other options to consider.
Services like Surfshark VPN and IPVanish VPN both made our list of the best VPNs of 2022 and are worth trying. Private Internet Access is a great deal at only $2.19/month with up to 10 simultaneous connections.
Yes, there are some free VPNs that offer unlimited data on Windows. There are several unlimited VPNs to choose from in this list. Proton VPN is the best 100% free VPN with no data cap.
Are there 100% free VPNs?
ProtonVPN: Best Free VPN with Unlimited Data. Hide.me: Best Free VPN in terms of customer support. Tunnelbear: The best free VPN if you’re looking for lots of server locations. Atlas VPN: Best Free VPN for Android and iOS.
What is the #1 Free VPN? However, compared to the competition, Proton VPN Free is by far the most comprehensive free VPN download we have ever tested, especially in terms of privacy and security. If you really can’t justify signing up with a paid provider, this is the service we recommend the most.
Which VPN has all countries for free?
Windscribe Free Most free plans limit you to just one connection, but Windscribe has no limits: you can install and use it on as many devices at the same time as you need. The network is another highlight, as Windscribe Free VPN users can choose from 14 locations in 11 countries.
Is there a 100% free VPN ProtonVPN?
We believe privacy and security are basic human rights, that’s why we also make a free version of Proton VPN available to the public. Unlike other free VPNs, there are no catches.
How do I enable VPN on my iPhone?
Apple iPhone – Turn on/off virtual private network
- From a home screen on your Apple® iPhone® navigate to: Settings. General. . If not available, swipe left to access the App Library.
- Beat. VPN & device management. . If not available, tap. …
- Beat. VPN. .
- In the VPN Configurations section, tap the . status switch. turn on or off.
Does the iPhone have a built-in VPN? iOS devices natively support the L2TP, IPSec and IKEv2 protocols. To configure a VPN on your iPhone or iPad go to: Settings > General > VPN > Add VPN Configuration > Type. Here you can select IKEv2, IPSec (per se) or L2TP (which includes IPSec encryption, although it’s not advertised as such).
Should I have my VPN activated on my iPhone?
Should I use a VPN on my iPhone? yes you should We hear a lot of discussion about VPNs and their benefits for individuals and businesses. Increasingly concerned about their privacy and data security, people have already installed a VPN app on their desktops or Android phones.
What is the VPN button on iPhone?
The VPN button on your iPhone and iPad turns on a system called a virtual private network. It hides your location while traveling and prevents social media hackers from finding out where you are. It also unblocks regional media content and allows you to access websites that are only available in certain geographic regions.
Can you trust a free VPN?
Not really. Security researchers recently found serious vulnerabilities in ten of the most popular free VPN solutions on the Google Play Store. There are also free VPN apps that simply serve as a front for a malware distribution system.
Is Free VPN safe to use? Free VPNs Can Be Useful, But They’re Not Without Risks Many free VPN companies can mishandle or disclose your information behind closed doors, so it’s always important to do a little research to determine how a particular provider really works before you log in to his services.
Which Free VPN Can You Trust?
Atlas VPN is our current top pick for the best free VPN provider. With the free plan, you get 5 GB of monthly data allowance. And if you want to remove all restrictions, the paid version of Atlas VPN is only $1.64/month. Security and Privacy: Both the paid and free versions of Atlas VPN offer a reasonable level of security.
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