Best free VPNs for iPhone in 2024

Best free VPNs for iPhone in 2024
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The iPhone is generally safe to use because of Apple’s commitment to its users’ privacy, but if you want to take your security to the next level, then you’ve probably thought about using a VPN. Fortunately, there are free VPNs for the iPhone that you can try before you decide to spend all your money on a premium one.

With a free VPN on your iPhone, you can protect your online traffic and prevent your data from being stolen or hacked. It’ll also allow you to watch geo-restricted content on sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime by spoofing your IP address at no cost at all.

We’ve rounded up the best free VPNs for iPhone and you can find the list below.

Top 5 Free VPNs for iPhone

  1. Proton VPN – Our top choice for the best free VPN on the iPhone
  2. Windscribe – Best free VPN that focuses on privacy
  3. AtlasVPN – Top free VPN with the simplest UI
  4. PrivadoVPN – Best free iPhone VPN with advanced security features
  5. Hide.me – Best free VPN with minimalistic design and RAM-based servers

There are many free VPNs for the iPhone but the above 5 are the top ones. Here are some of the things we took into consideration while creating the list:

  • Number of servers – The more servers you have, the more chances you have of unblocking geo-restricted content.
  • Data limit – The amount of data you get in a month with the free VPNs.
  • Privacy – How private the free VPN is.
  • Reputation – Whether or not the free VPN has received positive reviews.
  • Security features – Whether the free VPNs have security features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection.

What you can do with a free VPN for iPhone

A free VPN for your iPhone will allow you to browse the web safely without worrying about having your data stolen. Here are some of the things it can do for you:

  • Boost your privacy – A free VPN for iPhone will encrypt your data and spoof your location to keep your online identity safe and private.
  • Stream geo-restricted content – By changing your IP address, you can stream region-locked content with a free VPN for iPhone.
  • Give you extra security – Some free VPNs have additional security features that equip you with different ways to make your connection more secure.
  • Bypass ISP throttling – A free VPN will hide your online traffic from your ISP, preventing it from throttling your bandwidth or speed.
  • Circumvent streaming blackouts – Sports streaming sites often black out their live games in different regions, but with a free VPN for iPhone, you can avoid them easily.

The best free VPNs for iPhone 2024

A free VPN for iPhone will encrypt your online traffic and will make it almost impossible for anyone to steal your data. Once you’ve found a VPN that works for you, you can purchase the premium version to get even more security features that boost your privacy.

Here are the best 5 free VPNs for iPhone:

1. Proton VPN – Best free VPN with unlimited data

Proton VPN
1

9.0

/10

ProtonVPN
Pros & cons
  • Unlimited data on iPhone
  • Servers in Japan
  • No ads on iPhone
  • Based in Switzerland
  • Extremely limited server network

Proton VPN was created by the same group of people who made Proton Mail, an end-to-end encrypted email app. After running some tests that lasted several days, we found Proton VPN to be the best free VPN for iPhone. Since it has unlimited data, you can use it for as long as you want and it’s based in the privacy-friendly country of Switzerland so your iPhone will always be safe.

Number of servers 3 server locations
Location Switzerland
Simultaneous connections 1

ProtonVPN on iPhone

Proton VPN’s app on an iPhone.

It’s also one of the few free VPNs on the iPhone that has servers in Japan, which is great news for anime fans as you can use one of its free servers to unblock Japanese content. The other two server locations are the Netherlands and the United States.

Keep in mind that you may not always be able to unblock streaming sites because most of them regularly block VPN servers. We managed to find a few that let us watch content on Amazon Prime, but you’d have to spend some time looking for the right server.

The VPN comes with military-grade encryption and some security features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection. The kill switch will disconnect your iPhone from the Internet if the VPN connection goes down, ensuring no data is accidentally leaked.

The premium version, available for $5 per month, will give you more features like an ad blocker and Tor over VPN.

2. Windscribe – Best free VPN for maximum security

Windscribe
1

8.0

/10

Windscribe
Pros & cons
  • Large server network on the iPhone
  • RAM-based servers
  • Has a kill switch
  • Doesn’t have as many features as the Android app
  • 2 GB monthly data limit

If you’re too excited to start using a free VPN on your iPhone and don’t want to go through the hassle of signing up, then we recommend using Windscribe. To start using it, all you have to do is pick a username and enter a password. It has more server locations than Proton VPN, but it comes with a monthly data limit of 2 GB.

Number of servers 11 server locations
Location Ontario, Canada
Simultaneous connections Unlimited

Windscribe iPhone app

Windscribe running on an iPhone.

You can get 8 GB more data by adding an email address and verifying it, but that’s completely unnecessary if you don’t plan to use the VPN too often.

Canada is a member of the 5 Eyes alliance so it’s not exactly the best place for VPN companies, but Windscribe has a no-log policy and it’s one of the only two VPNs on this list that has RAM-based servers. RAM-based servers completely erase everything once you disconnect from the VPN, so they’re more secure than disk-based ones.

One thing we like about Windscribe is the haptic feedback you get when you scroll through the server list. The iOS version lacks many of the features that are present in the Android app. For example, there’s no split tunneling or GPS spoofing on the iOS app.

You do get all the basic security features, though. Military-grade encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch are all included in the app.

The premium version of Windscribe starts at $5.75 per month.

3. AtlasVPN – Best free VPN that’s easiest to use

AtlasVPN

7.9/10

AtlasVPN
Pros & cons
  • WireGuard tunneling protocol on iOS
  • Clean and minimalistic iPhone app
  • Independently audited
  • Located in the USA

AtlasVPN has a simple and minimalistic UI that makes it easy to use. Released in 2019, AtlasVPN for iPhone has quickly made a name for itself in the VPN industry. The two server locations it has are based in the Netherlands and the USA.

Number of servers 2 server locations
Location Delaware, United States
Simultaneous connections Unlimited

Atlas VPN on iPhone

AtlasVPN on iOS.

You get a monthly data limit of 10 GB and you can use it simultaneously on as many devices as you want. The iOS app doesn’t have split tunneling, but it does come with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and WireGuard.

If you want security along with good speeds, then we recommend using AtlasVPN because there aren’t a lot of other free VPNs on iPhone that use WireGuard.

Since the server network is so limited, you might not always be able to unblock geo-restricted sites, but AtlasVPN does a pretty good job of protecting your online traffic. Unlike the Android version, the iOS app has a much cleaner look.

AtlasVPN is based in the US, a 5 Eyes country, but the good news is that the iPhone app has been independently audited and it doesn’t keep any logs.

AtlasVPN has a 3-year subscription plan that costs $1.83 per month.

4. PrivadoVPN – Best free VPN with advanced security features

PrivadoVPN
1

8.0

/10

PrivadoVPN
Pros & cons
  • Located in Switzerland
  • Various security features on iOS
  • 10 GB monthly data limit on iPhone
  • No-log policy hasn’t been audited

PrivadoVPN is the second free VPN for iPhone on this list that’s based in Switzerland. On the iOS version, you get 10 GB per month and connection speeds that are fast enough to download torrents. Unfortunately, once you run out of the monthly data limit, you’ll only be able to use one server based in the Netherlands at 1 Mbps.

Number of servers 9 server locations
Location Switzerland
Simultaneous connections 1

10 GB per month may not seem a lot to more advanced VPN users, but to beginners, it should suffice. Being based in Switzerland means it won’t be forced to share any data with the government. Additionally, it has a strict no-log policy, but it hasn’t been audited yet so we don’t know whether it adheres to it or not.

Nevertheless, it’s a great free VPN for new users because it has some neat security features – 9 server locations, an ad blocker, a kill switch, military-grade protection, and DNS leak protection.

You can switch between OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, both of which are considered fairly secure on the iPhone. Most of the servers are located in Europe and the US. Unfortunately, the free version doesn’t have a single server in Asia.

If you want the premium version, you can get it for $4.99 per month.

5. Hide.me – Best free VPN for ease of use and security

Hide.me
1

7.8

/10

Hide.me
Pros & cons
  • The iPhone version has WireGuard
  • No account creation required
  • RAM-based servers
  • Limited server network
  • Can’t change servers manually

Hide.me is one of the oldest free VPNs for iPhone. Launched in 2012, it has 4 server locations, all of which are based in the USA and Europe. Hide.me for iPhone has a monthly data limit of 10 GB and the best thing about it is that you don’t have to create an account to use it. Just download it and it’ll immediately take you to the server connection screen.

Number of servers 4 server locations
Location Malaysia
Simultaneous connections 1

Hideme VPN on iPhone

Hide.me’s server connection screen.

All 4 server locations are P2P-optimized. Hide.me is the second VPN on this list that has RAM-based servers, making it almost just as private and secure as Windscribe. The iOS version even has WireGuard tunneling protocol, unlike the Android version.

There’s no split tunneling on the iPhone version, but there are a few other features that make Hide.me worth using. For example, you can enable kill switch (or “Persistent Connection” as Hide.me calls it) and use the Auto Connect feature to always have the VPN on when you’re on data or Wi-Fi.

There doesn’t seem to be any way to change the server location manually, so it’ll always connect you to the nearest server.

Hide.me’s no-log policy has been externally audited and because it uses RAM-based servers, it’s one of the safest free VPNs for iPhone. You can get the premium version for $3 per month.

Methodology: how we tested iPhone VPNs

We know how difficult it can be for casual users to test all the popular free VPNs on the iPhone for themselves, which is why we spent so many days testing them. You’ve read the results, now take a look at some of the things that helped us get those results:

  1. Data cap – Most free VPNs have a monthly data limit. In our list, we’ve only included those that either allow you to use unlimited data or have enough to last at least a month.
  2. Number of servers – You won’t get thousands of servers with a free VPN, but our list contains services that have multiple server locations.
  3. Privacy – We care about your privacy, which is why we included VPNs that are serious about protecting your online identity. Two of them even have RAM-based servers.
  4. Brand popularity – All of the free VPNs for iPhone on our list are popular and receive positive reviews from people.
  5. Security features – The free VPNs on our list have various security features that enhance your privacy. Some even have WireGuard tunneling protocol and all of them have a kill switch.

How to use a free VPN on iPhone

Downloading and using a free VPN on your iPhone shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Choose a VPN from our list.
  2. We recommend Proton VPN because it provides unlimited data usage and it has a no-log policy.
    Using ProtonVPN on iPhone
  3. Download the VPN client from the Apple App store.
  4. Launch the VPN and pick a server location. Tap the power button to connect to a server.
  5. Start browsing the Internet on a free VPN connection!

Are free VPNs better than paid ones?

No, free VPNs aren’t a good substitute for paid ones. You should only use a free VPN if you want to see what it’s like to use one. Once you’ve fully tested it and are satisfied, we recommend buying a premium VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Most free VPNs show ads to their users which collect their data so they can sell it to advertisers. That’s how they make money. The free VPNs for iPhone you see on our list are an exception and they’re safe to use because they have a no-log policy (a proven one in most cases) and they don’t show ads.

You’ll also be very limited in terms of security features if you stick to free VPNs. Yes, you’ll be able to use a kill switch, but the free VPNs on our list have many more features that are only unlocked once you buy the full version.

Features like Multi-Hop routing and Tor over VPN provide that extra security which might be necessary for activists or journalists who reside in regions where freedom of speech is stifled. Moreover, premium VPNs will never cap your data or speed and you can use them for P2P file sharing and streaming movies for as long as you want.

Check out our comparison of NordVPN and ExpressVPN, the two best VPNs for iPhone, so you can decide which premium VPN to use.

Bottom line

In conclusion, you should use a free VPN to keep your online traffic safe and secure. Proton VPN is the best free VPN for iPhone because it has unlimited data and has tons of servers in three countries.

Most free VPNs make money by selling their users’ data to advertisers, but the ones you see on our list have a strict no-log policy and two of them even have RAM-based servers, so they don’t retain any information.

They don’t have a lot of advanced security features, but you do get basic things such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and military-grade encryption. Some even have WireGuard, the fastest and most secure VPN protocol. Unblocking geo-restricted streaming content might take some time as you’ll have to find the right server for it.

If you want more features and servers, then we recommend getting a premium VPN like ExpressVPN. A premium VPN will have over thousands of RAM-based servers along with an independently audited no-log policy. You’ll also get more security features like Multi-Hop routing, Tor over VPN connectivity, and P2P-optimized servers.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if you don’t want to spend any money on premium VPNs, then it’s a good idea to use a free one on your iPhone. Most free VPNs have a kill switch and they allow you to use WireGuard tunneling protocol. Just remember that many of them come with a monthly data limit so you might not be able to use it all the time.