If you’re an iPhone user, you may be looking into getting a VPN for your iPhone. Most top VPNs like ExpressVPN have apps for both iPhones and Android smartphones. But are VPNs good to have on your iPhone? Are they safe to use? And what are the benefits and use cases of having a VPN on your iPhone, iPad, or other iOS device?
You’ve got questions, and we’ve got answers. Read on, and Flixed will give you an overview of how VPNs work, why they're a great addition to your iPhone, and our top VPN recommendation (spoiler alert: it’s ExpressVPN). Let’s get into it.
Having a VPN on your iPhone is a great idea (and here’s why!)
Are VPNs good to have on your iPhone? The short answer is “yes.” And to understand why, it’s important to understand what a VPN is, and how it works. Let’s break down the details.
VPN is short for “Virtual Private Network.” When you use a VPN, you create a special encrypted connection between your device – such as an iPhone – and a VPN server. Once this connection has been made, it looks like all of your iPhone activity is coming from that VPN server.
Let’s say you’re watching TikTok with an iPhone VPN active. Your internet connection is sent through a highly secure “tunnel” to your VPN. Then, your VPN passes your connection to TikTok. TikTok sends the connection back to your VPN, which sends it back to you!
Okay… but why does this matter? Here are a few benefits that you’ll enjoy when you have a VPN on your iPhone.
Enhanced security – When you connect to a VPN, your web traffic is fully encrypted. What this means is that it’s nearly impossible for any individual, government, or agency to tell what you’re doing online. If you’re looking to keep your web activity private, this is a huge benefit.
You can change your location – VPNs are usually physically located in another city or country. For example, if you’re located in Chicago, you can connect to a VPN in Baltimore. Or, if you’re located in the United States, you can connect to a VPN server in the UK. This makes it seem like you’re actually physically located in the United Kingdom. And that means you can do things like watch British Netflix, as well as watch exclusive UK streaming services.
Reduced activity tracking – Today, there’s less privacy on the internet than ever before. If you’re not using a VPN, it’s very easy for your internet provider to track what you’re doing online. But with a VPN, this is impossible. And most great VPNs have “No Logs” policies. This means that they do not save any records of your activity. Your browsing activities are completely safe from prying eyes.
Paid VPNs are extremely safe, and help protect your privacy
So, we think that VPNs are good to have on your iPhone. But you may have heard that VPNs aren’t safe, and can actually distribute malware, unwanted ads, or track your activity. This isn’t true – at least, not if you’re paying for a VPN. Pretty much every paid VPN is completely safe to use.
So, why do VPNs have a bad reputation among some people? Well, it’s because of “free VPNs.” We put “free” in quotes because these VPNs aren’t really “free.” You’re paying by sharing your data, personal information, or even having your devices infected by unwanted adware.
Simply put, VPNs cost money to operate. So if you’re not paying for a VPN, it’s because the VPN service is getting value from you in some other way – and these ways are often underhanded, unethical, or even downright criminal. Because of this, we absolutely do not recommend using most “free” VPNs.
A paid VPN is quite affordable, and the peace of mind you’ll get by subscribing is well worth the money. For more information on this subject, you can check out our full breakdown of whether or not VPNs are safe to use.
How can I use a VPN on my iPhone? 3 simple examples!
Okay, now you know the basics about why a VPN is good to have on your iPhone. But how will you actually use it? Here are a few examples.
Browse internet safely on unsecured public networks – Using unsecured WiFI networks can pose big security risks, and result in having your personal information stolen.But with a VPN, you can connect to WiFi at a hotel, coffee shop, or the airport without any fear. Your VPN connection encrypts your data, which means that any WiFi snoops will not be able to access your information.
Watch your sports or streaming content abroad – If you subscribe to fuboTV and you want to watch the NFL, but you’re traveling outside of the US, you would normally be out of luck. fuboTV is only available in the United States.But with a VPN, you can connect to a US-based server. Then, you can connect to fuboTV, and stream normally. This gives you more flexibility over your streaming experience if you travel a lot.
Avoid ISP (Internet Service Provider) throttling – Some ISPs “throttle” (slow down) certain types of internet traffic, especially during peak usage hours in the evening. A VPN obscures your internet connection, and makes it impossible for an ISP to recognize what you’re doing on your iPhone – streaming, browsing Facebook, online shopping – it will all look the same.That means that you can usually get around throttling restrictions, and actually enjoy a faster, more responsive browsing experience on your iPhone.
Looking for an iPhone VPN? We recommend ExpressVPN
If you’re sold on the idea of getting an iPhone VPN, you may be wondering which one to choose. There are lots of VPNs out there, and most of them offer iPhone apps. Which one is the best? Our recommendation is ExpressVPN. Not only is it the best VPN for iPhone, but it’s also our top pick as the best VPN for Android.
ExpressVPN is highly secure, reasonably priced, and works well on iPhones and iPads. It also has thousands of servers in 94+ countries, and many of them are optimized to provide an excellent video streaming experience. You can even try ExpressVPN for 30 days, and get your money back if you don’t like it. Click here to sign up and try it out now.
Our takeaway: iPhone VPNs keep you safe on-the-go
If you’re security-conscious, having an iPhone VPN will give you peace of mind, and allow you to keep your internet connection safe, secure, and away from prying eyes while you’re on the go. So give ExpressVPN a try today and see if it’s right for you. Or, you can check out our list of the best VPNs here, and see what we think of some other top iPhone VPN providers.
Eric Liston
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.