How will you feel when you find out that all you’ve been doing privately is actually in the eyes of someone you don’t know? Without a VPN your privacy on the internet is not assured and access to some websites remains restricted.
With this in mind, the safest way to surf online privately is by using any of the best VPN for Android or VPN for iPhone for iOS users.
This post will help you make the right selection of the best VPNs for Android and iPhone.
Using a VPN to connect to the internet allows you to surf websites privately and securely as well as gain access to restricted websites and overcome censorship blocks.
What is VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a personal network from a public internet connection. It is an online tunnel between your device and the internet that protects you from online snooping, interference, and censorship.
VPNs mask your internet protocol (IP) address so your online actions are virtually untraceable. Most important, VPN services establish secure and encrypted connections to provide greater privacy than even a secured Wi-Fi hotspot.
Why Do You Need VPN?
The use of VPN is an effective way to protect internet traffic and keep your activities and identity online private. As you connect to any of the best VPN for Android or iPhone users, your traffic internet goes through an encrypted tunnel that nobody can monitor.
Surfing the web or transacting on an unsecured Wi-Fi network means you could be exposing your private information and browsing activities. But, with a VPN, your online activities are secured and private.
The encryption and anonymity that a VPN provides helps protect your online activities: sending emails, shopping online, or paying bills. VPNs also help keep your web browsing anonymous.
VPNs essentially create a data tunnel between your local network and an exit node in another location, which could be thousands of miles away, making it seem as if you’re in another place. This benefit allows online freedom, or the ability to access your favorite apps and websites while on the go.
There’s another side to privacy. Without a VPN, your internet service provider can know your entire browsing history. With a VPN, your search history is hidden.
That’s because your web activity will be associated with the VPN server’s IP address, not yours. A VPN service provider may have servers all over the world.
That means your search activity could appear to originate at any one of them. Keep in mind, search engines also track your search history, but they’ll associate that information with an IP address that’s not yours.
Again, your VPN will keep your online activity private.
Benefits of Using VPN
The four major benefits or advantages of VPN are:
#1 Change your location – With a VPN, you can change your IP address from whatever it is to what you want it to be. Let’s take for instance, if you’re in Germany and you want to browse as if you are in the UK, all you need to do is switch your VPN to that of the UK.
#2 Protect your privacy – Changing your IP address shields your identity from websites, apps, and services that want to know your location and track you. Through the use of VPN your activities are shielded by strong encryption.
#3 Increase your security – Using a VPN protects your device from any form of a security breach such as; packet sniffing, rogue Wi-Fi networks, and man-in-the-middle attacks. With your VPN turned on, you can do whatever you want to do even when you’re connected to public Wi-Fi.
#4 Unblock websites
Have you ever encountered a restricted page or website as a result of your location? If yes, I’m sure you know how painful it can be. With a VPN, you can gain access to any locked website simply by bypassing the firewalls.
How Does A VPN Work?
When you establish an internet connection with a VPN, the VPN app on your device (also called a VPN client) creates a secure connection with a VPN server.
While your traffic still passes through your ISP, your ISP can no longer read and monitor the activities.
In addition, the websites you visit will no longer see your original IP address, but the IP address of the VPN server, which is shared by many other users and changes regularly.
13 Best VPN For Android and iPhone Users
This list of best VPNs for mobile devices will be broken into two segments; best VPN for Android and best VPN for iPhone users.
Our ranking of the best Android and iPhone VPNs will be done based on speed, security, streaming, customer support, and ease of use. These key features are the highlights that determine the strength of a VPN.
Please note, this list was not arranged in any particular order.
SEE ALSO: Avast vs Norton: Best Antivirus in 2022 for PCs, Mac, and Other Devices
Best VPN for Android Users
Although most VPNs serve Android and iOS devices, selecting the perfect VPN for Android can be challenging. Therefore, this section looks to highlight the best Android VPNs, what they look like, and how they operate.
#1 ExpressVPN
- 12 month – US$6.67/mth
- 6 month – US$9.99/mth
- 1 month – US$12.95/mth
ExpressVPN comes first on our list of best VPN for Android users. With over 160 server locations in more than 90 countries, ExpressVPN has managed to remain brilliant on every platform and browser.
It is easy to set up and understand as users connect seamlessly. Its Privacy and Security Tools menu adds some useful features to help you check your connection, with options to display your current IP address and location, check for DNS and WebRTC leaks and generate secure passwords – so lots of functionality common to ExpressVPN’s awesome desktop clients.
To get on, the first thing to do is to download the ExpressVPN Android app. Afterward, you have to connect the VPN by tapping the On button and choosing a VPN server location.
With the ExpressVPN Android app, you can have access to; more VPN locations, auto-connect on untrusted Wi-Fi, the fastest speed possible, split tunneling, multilingual interface, in-app troubleshooting, and a host of others.
READ ALSO: How to find hidden apps on Android and iPhone devices
#2 Surfshark
- 1-month – USD 12.95
- 24-months – USD 2.49/month
- 6-months – USD 6.49/month
Surfshark is an industry-leading VPN with over 3200 servers in 65 countries. It encrypts all the internet traffic sent to and from your device. Also, the Android VPN hides your IP address to make sure nobody can see what you do online.
Surfshark VPN features
Get Surfshark VPN to protect your online activities in your Android device.
#3 Proton VPN
See full details on Proton VPN pricing.
ProtonVPN is a virtual private network service provider operated by the Swiss company Proton Technologies AG, the company behind the email service ProtonMail.
Proton VPN secures and protects your data and internet activities. The company exclusively uses ciphers with Perfect Forward Secrecy which assures that your encrypted traffic data cannot be decrypted later.
For optimal performance, Proton VPN is designed to be easy to use and high-speed servers are used to ensure fast connection. All ProtonVPN servers have at minimum 1 Gbps bandwidth and connections up to 10 Gbps.
Here are a few features to note:
- Secure core
- Adblocker (NetShield)
- Strong encryption
- Forward Secrecy
- DNS leak prevention
MUST READ: 10 Best VPN For Torrenting In 2022
#4 IPVanish VPN
- $3.49 per month
- $31.49 per year
With 1600 VPN servers across 75 locations, IPVanish VPN is committed to giving subscribers the quality care they deserve.
To get started using IPVanish for Android, you will need to visit the Google Play Store on your mobile device and do a search for IPvanish to download and install the IPVanish app.
After you have successfully installed IPVanish for Android on your mobile device, you will be ready to open the app and connect to our VPN servers for the first time.
The IPVanish Android app is super intuitive to use which is important since we often find ourselves on public Wi-Fi networks walking the streets of New York or stopping to work at our favorite coffee shop.
The app also boasts a 4.5-star rating on the app store from over 45,000 ratings, so we’re not the only ones who are satisfied.
Features
- Scramble and Split Tunneling
- Auto reconnect feature
#5 VyprVPN
- $5.00 per month – See full pricing packages here.
With IP address protection, 24/7 customer support, more than 70 worldwide server locations, and strong encryption, you’ll have everything you need to ensure safe browsing and access to content from anywhere in the world using VyprVPN.
VyprVPN for Android offers all the security features you need from a VPN, packed into a user-friendly app. It has 256-bit encryption, no logs, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch.
Proprietary Chameleon technology scrambles OpenVPN metadata to make it look like regular traffic under deep packet inspection. This allows users in restrictive countries like China and Russia to use VyprVPN without detection.
Features
- Public Wi-Fi Protection
- Kill Switch
- Connection Per App
#6 SaferVPN
- $12.95 per month
- $5.49 per month – 1 year
- $3.29 per month – 2 years
- $2.50 per month – 3 years
Also on our list of best Android VPNs is SaferVPN. With Safervpn, Android users can browse the internet without boundaries and fear of data leaks. It secures the internet and allows the user to surf privately.
Amazingly safer VPN ensures fast connection speed, bank-level encryption, automatic public Wi-Fi security, and over 1300 global server access.
You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain with our intuitive Android VPN app and 30-day money-back guarantee.
Features
- Bank-level security
- VPN Kill Switch
- 256-Bit Strong Encryption
- Automatic Wi-Fi security
- 24/7 customer support
- Automatic server selection
- Browser proxy extensions
SaferVPN offers a user-friendly, easy-to-install app and has a 4.7-star rating on Play Store. It operates 1,300+ servers across 50 countries.
#7 Nord VPN
- 2 Year – US$3.71/mth
- 1 Year – US$4.92/mth
- 1 Month – US$11.95/mth
Next on our list of best VPNs for Android is NordVPN. NordVPN is an excellent choice for iPhone users.
The app includes an auto-connect feature to automatically connect the VPN when it detects you’re using an untrusted network or Wi-Fi.
And all the in-depth features you’d demand from even the best desktop clients: a fully-featured protocols menu, specialty server lists, the list goes on.
NordVPN supports the industry-standard 256-bit encryption and offers an auto kill switch, along with double data encryption, which passes your data through two separate VPN servers.
NordVPN boasts of excellent performance – especially now that speeds are cranked up via its WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol – and the network boasts a plentiful amount of servers of more than 5,000 in all.
Best VPN for iPhone Users
Using an iPhone VPN ensures you remain unseen whilst browsing. This allows you to retain your digital privacy, while also allowing for other neat features like accessing geo-restricted content and circumventing censorship.
Here’s a list of the best VPN for iPhone users.
#8 ExpressVPN
- 12 month – US$6.67/mth
- 6 month – US$9.99/mth
- 1 month – US$12.95/mth
ExpressVPN comes first on our list of best VPN for iPhone users. With over 160 server locations in more than 90 countries, ExpressVPN has managed to remain brilliant on every platform and browser.
It is easy to set up and understand as users connect seamlessly. Its Privacy and Security Tools menu adds some useful features to help you check your connection, with options to display your current IP address and location, check for DNS and WebRTC leaks and generate secure passwords – so lots of functionality common to ExpressVPN’s awesome desktop clients.
#9 NordVPN
- 2 Year – US$3.71/mth
- 1 Year – US$4.92/mth
- 1 Month – US$11.95/mth
Next on our list of best VPNs for iPhone is NordVPN. NordVPN is an excellent choice for iPhone users.
The app includes an auto-connect feature to automatically connect the VPN when it detects you’re using an untrusted network or Wi-Fi. And all the in-depth features you’d demand from even the best desktop clients: a fully-featured protocols menu, specialty server lists, the list goes on.
NordVPN supports the industry-standard 256-bit encryption and offers an auto kill switch, along with double data encryption, which passes your data through two separate VPN servers.
NordVPN boasts of excellent performance – especially now that speeds are cranked up via its WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol – and the network boasts a plentiful amount of servers of more than 5,000 in all.
#10 Surfshark
- 24 Months – US$2.49/mth
- 6 Months – US$6.49/mth
- 1 Month – US$12.95/mth
Are you surprised to see Surfshark on our list of best VPN for iPhone users? I’m sure you’re not. Surfshark is amazingly safe to use, has a lot of strong security features that the average VPN doesn’t offer, and is very user-friendly. With over 3,200 private servers across 65 locations including their home base in New York, Surfshark seems like a good option to encrypt web traffic.
Surfshark is a very good VPN, with AES-256 bit encryption, a kill switch, split tunneling, Netflix, and torrenting access, plus a headquarters outside of the Five Eyes alliance
It’s iPhone VPN app is more or less the same as what you get from Surfshark’s desktop experience.
There’s the same location list, multihop connections, ad and malware prevention, and split tunneling for apps and websites that let you have your VPN connected only when using selected other apps.
There’s a dedicated kill switch as well, which may sway you this provider’s way if that’s a function you think will be useful on your iPhone.
#11 Windscribe
- $9.00 – Monthly plan
- $4.08 – Yearly plan
Windscribe is a very interesting iPhone VPN with great features that are easy to use. Windscribe encrypts your browsing activity, blocks ads, and unblocks entertainment content
With locations in 110 cities spread across 63 countries, the app supports the shiny new WireGuard protocol, connection speeds here are fantastic.
That means that you can confidently leave Windscribe running in the background when you’re out and about using public Wi-Fi and cellular data, without being concerned by your iPhone being slowed down while you stream or surf.
Windscribe VPN is free to use.
#12 IPVanish
- Monthly plan- US$3.49/monthly
- Yearly plan – US$34.99/yearly
IPVanish enabled us to connect up to ten of our devices at the same time and met our torrenting needs perfectly. With the widespread availability of servers, internet activity is faster and reliable.
Sure, their price was slightly higher than average, but in our opinion, IPVanish is worth it and that’s why it’s n our list of best VPNs for iPhones.
The IPVanish iOS app is super intuitive to use which is important since we often find ourselves on public Wi-Fi networks walking the streets of New York or stopping to work at our favorite coffee shop.
The app also boasts a 4.5-star rating on the app store from over 45,000 ratings, so we’re not the only ones who are satisfied.
#13 Cyberghost
- 1 Month plan – $12.99
- 3 years + 3 Months – $2.25
- 12 Months – $3.99
Founded in 2011 in Bucharest, Romania, CyberGhost is the creator of one of the world’s most reliable privacy and security solutions in the world. The company secures and anonymizes the online presence of over 36 million users across the globe.
With CyberGhost VPN, you can stay untraceable and anonymous online with just one click to connect to one of their VPN servers and enjoy full VPN protection.
That’s because our best-in-class VPN protocols and encryption standards keep you safe from hackers and snoopers even when you’re using unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
With over 6800 VPN servers worldwide, AES 256-bit encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, automatic kill switch, unlimited bandwidth and traffic, and a good number of amazing features, CyberGhost strengthens internet security and upholds digital anonymity.
You can use their Best Server Location feature to automatically find the best server for you, or choose from our list of download and streaming optimized servers.
Conclusion
Using the internet on your Android or iOS phone isn’t as private or secure as you think. Fortunately, the best Android VPN apps and iPhone VPNs listed in this post can help protect your mobile communications. Do well to make the best out of this guide. Cheers!
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