Do You Need a VPN Service for Your iPhone?
While Apple is good at protecting its mobile platform from the worst malware, a VPN service, or virtual private network, goes beyond malware protection by making it harder for advertisers, internet service providers, and spies to monitor your online activities.
How to Use VPN Services for iPhone to Encrypt Data and Change Location
When your VPN is active, all your network data – whether from browsers, apps, or the iOS system itself – is encrypted before it leaves your phone. This encrypted data travels to a server owned by the VPN provider, where it is decrypted and sent on its way.
The encryption of web traffic is not the only reason you need a VPN service. When connecting directly to a website without using a VPN, your IP address is recognized not only by that site but also by your geographic location. However, when using a VPN, others see the IP address of the server you are connected to, not your own IP address.
In addition to protecting your traffic, VPN services can also change your geographic location and bypass local internet restrictions. Journalists and political activists working against oppressive regimes have long relied on VPN services to communicate securely with the outside world. But you should be aware that in some countries, simply using a VPN service may violate local laws. For example, Russia has banned VPN services, claiming the need to prevent terrorist activities. China has also banned most VPN services, although some still manage to connect.
Changing your geographic location can also be used to overcome other restrictions. It’s not uncommon for online streaming services to offer content in one region and not another. Offers from Netflix and Hulu vary by country. Brits can watch BBC programs for free, while the same shows require a subscription in the U.S. You can access programs that are often unavailable to you by changing your geographic location using a VPN service. But beware: changing your geographic location may violate your terms of service. Additionally, companies like Netflix combat the use of VPN services. Streaming often isn’t an option when your VPN is active.
What a VPN Can’t Do for Your iPhone
The prevalence of HTTPS means that most of your traffic is already encrypted. This makes it much harder for anyone spying on your activity to see more than just the sites you visit. However, your internet service provider still has a remarkable view of your online activities, and there is a benefit to hiding your IP address, which VPN services can do but HTTPS cannot.
Remember that using a VPN does not make you impervious to online threats. We strongly recommend enabling multi-factor authentication wherever possible, creating unique logins using a password manager, and generating passkeys where possible.
While a VPN makes it hard to track you online, advertisers have many tricks to collect data about your activities. You can also adjust privacy settings in your mobile browser to keep advertising operations blind to your activities. For desktop users, we highly recommend using a tracker blocker like Privacy Badger from EFF.
On
Although the data going to and from your VPN server is encrypted, using a VPN does not provide you with the same level of personal communication as connecting through the TOR network, nor the accompanying ability to delve into the depths of the dark web. On the positive side, some VPN services include dedicated servers for the TOR network.
Does using a VPN affect your iPhone’s internet connection?
The short answer is yes; a VPN service will definitely impact your internet connection latency and make download and upload speeds slower. Personally, it seems that already limited mobile device speeds are negatively affected by VPN services. We also noticed—though we have not confirmed through testing—that VPN services appear to disconnect and reconnect more frequently with mobile devices compared to desktop devices.
To get an idea of the impact of a VPN service on your internet connection, we compare results from a series of Ookla speed tests with and without VPN activation. Network speeds can vary significantly depending on the time of day, network conditions, and your location, so we consider our results a temporary comparison rather than a definitive judgment on service performance.
We rely on a desktop computer and a direct network connection for our tests because we have found them to be more reliable than testing on individual mobile devices. However, as mentioned above, there seem to be some unique issues with VPN services on mobile devices. Additionally, not all VPN providers use the same protocol across all platforms, which can affect performance.
Can you trust a VPN service for your iPhone?
If you are using a service to route all your internet traffic through its servers, you should be able to trust the service provider. We are not encryption experts, so we cannot verify all the claims about the encryption that service providers offer. Instead, we pay special attention to the privacy practices of VPN companies, not just the technology they provide. In our tests, we read privacy policies and discuss the company’s practices with VPN service representatives. We look for a commitment to protecting user information and handling user data responsibly.
As part of our research, we also make sure to know where the company is headquartered and the legal framework it operates under. Some countries do not have data retention laws, making it easy to pledge “we do not keep any logs.” It is also helpful to know what personal information the VPN collects and under what circumstances the VPN service provider would hand that information over to the police.
The best VPN services have a privacy policy that outlines what the service does, what information it collects, and what it does to protect that information. Some companies explain that they collect certain information but do not tell you how they intend to use it. There are other companies that are more transparent.
We also like to see a policy backed by some verifiable efforts. Transparency reports and audits are imperfect tools, but we prefer services that have at least attempted to prove their worth to the public.
The best free VPN service for your iPhone
Finally, there’s the value-for-money factor. While it is possible to get a free VPN service, even the best free services come with some limitations, such as harsh bandwidth caps. The average price for a paid subscription among the reviewed services is about $10 per month. These services typically offer five simultaneous connections, which can cover most individuals and some families. If the service you are considering costs much more or offers much less, it’s important to ensure it justifies its value in another way.
Proton
VPN is the only service that has no data limits, making it the only truly free service on our list. However, the free version limits your server location to the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States, and you can use the free VPN service on only one device at a time.
What is the best VPN service for your iPhone?
Using a VPN is not just about protecting your device, but about protecting your privacy and network connections. This means that any type of device that connects to the internet can benefit from a VPN service, making it an immensely versatile tool for your privacy arsenal. Read our reviews, check our ratings, and choose the best VPN service for you. Once you select a service, read our guide on how to set up and use a VPN.
(Editor’s Note: Although it may not be mentioned in this story, IPVanish and StrongVPN are owned by Ziff Davis, the parent company of PCMag.)
Source: https://me.pcmag.com/en/vpn/17124/the-best-iphone-vpns-for-2023
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