iPhone Favorite VPN and why?

[kingston73]

I was just wondering what everybody uses for a VPN and why you like it? I'm not going to be a "power user" so most likely will go with a free service. Right now I'm trying Atlas, seems to work pretty well but wondering if there are any better? Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Abmvk]

I use ExpressVPN. It does what it has to do, never any problems, and AFAIK it is safe.

 

[BigMcGuire]

SwizzVPN has been very good. I also have a subscription to NordVPN but now that I don't travel as much for work I'm not using VPNs as much as I used to.

Why? Cost and simplicity for SwizzVPN - no need to register yet another account. NordVPN for cost and number of servers.

 

[polemarxos]

Windscribe has got a free trier that includes 20GB per month. So, if you don't need much data, it's one of the good options.

 

[Big Bad D]

Cactus VPN. Used it for many years without problem and good support when occasionally needed, has reliable performance and price is reasonable.

 

[msackey]

I use ProtonVPN which has a free level. I don't use it most of the time, but when I'm conducting sensitive communication when using a public network (e.g., bank transaction while using hotel wifi) I turn on ProtonVPN.

I mostly don't have this VPN turned on all the time because a) I'm using the free level, and b) I don't want to send so much traffic to it such that at some point it could cause Proton, the company, to eliminate the free level for everyone.

I'm really grateful that Proton offers a free-level VPN as it is suitable for many users like me who don't conduct a lot of sensitive information via public networks most of the time.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I host my own IPSec VPN on my https://pfsense.org enterprise class open source firewall.

1. Allows secure remote access to my entire home network.
2. Tunnels all traffic through VPN connection, including DNSSEC, DNS over TLS, and any other content filtering and firewall rules.
3. Requires no third party VPN app to be installed on any client, since Apple bakes in support for IPSec.
4. Price is exactly right.
5. Not handing my data over to another, potentially offshore, provider who can mine/sell my data and be subjected to subpoenas.

 

[pvalerio]

SwizzVPN has been very good. I also have a subscription to NordVPN but now that I don't travel as much for work I'm not using VPNs as much as I used to.

Why? Cost and simplicity for SwizzVPN - no need to register yet another account. NordVPN for cost and number of servers.

Don't forget the 3 unlimited free servers, one in the US.

 

[Aves]

for what it's worth if you download Speedtest on your iPhone you get a VPN tab up to 2GB traffic per month.

No signup or account required.

I keep it there as a backup if needed, at the moment I'm not using a VPN but I might consider it soon to bypass geolocation and watch european stuff

 

[dukebound85]

Windscribe has got a free trier that includes 20GB per month. So, if you don't need much data, it's one of the good options.

free is never free

 

[Astrohunter]

Mullvad because they don’t keep logs, and you don’t even have to provide your email.

 

[ovbacon]

I use Bitdefender vpn on all devices and mac simply because I use BD for other stuff. It works great

 

[max2]

free is never free

Exactly.

 

[maflynn]

Here's my thoughts. You need to trust your VPN provider. They make various statements regarding logging, how much information they keep of you, and how protected you are.

The VPN landscape has gone through a bit of consolidation
Who owns your VPN? 105 VPNs run by just 24 companies

Kape Technologies who now owns many VPN providers is a company that distributed malware. Do I really wany to put my trust in a company such as that? They now own ExpressVPN - a VPN provider that I was using.

Speaking of ExpressVPN
You Should Probably Stop Using ExpressVPN

However, all of this has been called into question following the revelation that ExpressVPN Chief Information Officer Daniel Gericke previously worked as a hacker-for-hire at DarkMatter—a cybersecurity firm based in the United Arab Emirates. Between 2016 and 2019, Gericke helped to hack systems and devices all over the world as part of “Project Raven,” a secretive operation designed to help the UAE monarchy track and surveil critics of its regime, including activists, journalists, and some individuals based in the U.S.

Gericke and two other former U.S. intelligence operatives recently faced federal charges for their involvement in “Raven” but managed to reach deferred prosecution agreements with the government, allowing them to pay fines to avoid jail-time, while also agreeing to certain terms.

If the idea of an ex-spy helping a Middle Eastern government hack U.S. computers is disturbing to you, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The news of Gericke’s employment with the company has rightfully startled customers of ExpressVPN

With all that said, I'm currently using ProtonVPN.

 

[SalisburySam]

Using TorGuard (over 3000 servers in 50+ countries) on my iMac, and Norton360’s VPN on my iOS and Windows devices. Seems to work without too much of a slowdown and no disconnects so far.

I moved from PureVPN to TorGuard after trying the latter and finding it much faster.

I also use a VPN on my iPhone13mini and iPadPro4thGen all the time, not just when doing something at a questionable hotspot like a hotel or coffee shop. I do this only because then I don’t have to think about it. Similarly, the VPN is always active on my iMac and Windows machines for the same reason.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Using TorGuard (over 3000 servers in 50+ countries) on my iMac, and Norton360’s VPN on my iOS and Windows devices. Seems to work without too much of a slowdown and no disconnects so far.

I moved from PureVPN to TorGuard after trying the latter and finding it much faster.

I also use a VPN on my iPhone13mini and iPadPro4thGen all the time, not just when doing something at a questionable hotspot like a hotel or coffee shop. I do this only because then I don’t have to think about it. Similarly, the VPN is always active on my iMac and Windows machines for the same reason.

Do you see much of an effect on battery life on your iPad / iPhone running VPN all the time?

 

[BoxsterRS]

HotspotShield has worked flawlessly for the past 6 years. The company has been bought several times but has continued to provide reliable uninterrupted VPN service for me. I use the paid version.

 

[SalisburySam]

Do you see much of an effect on battery life on your iPad / iPhone running VPN all the time?

Not really, but hard to tell. Coming from an iPhoneSE 1st Gen and an iPhone7 the battery life of our newer iPhone13minis is so much better we can’t tell what effect the VPN is having if any. I suspect the impact is minor at best.

 

[LeeW]

At the moment I am using VPN Unlimited. It works, my needs are simple. I got it simply as they were offering a lifetime deal at just $40.

 

[it wasnt me]

I use Mullvad VPN. The reason for that is its approach to privacy: Your "account" is an arbitrary number and all they store with it is the amount of money remaining. Not that I would ever do something illegal, but it still makes sense to not leak more data than you'd ever need.

And the prices are affordable too!

 

[Ubele]

I've been using NordVPN for several years. I got it because it was one of the top-rated VPNs at the time, and I've stuck with it because it's easy to use, it's fast, and they offer me another discount when my subscription is about to expire.

 

[iMarkypad]

I've been using NordVPN for several years. I got it because it was one of the top-rated VPNs at the time, and I've stuck with it because it's easy to use, it's fast, and they offer me another discount when my subscription is about to expire.

So you would recommend it