Best VPN for iOS
Updated 21 September 2026 · How we research
iOS runs VPNs through the Network Extension framework, which is secure and well integrated but noticeably more restrictive than Android. Two limitations in particular surprise people.
Protocol choice on this platform
Protocol selection for iOS.
| Situation | Protocol | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday use on cellular | IKEv2/IPsec | Natively implemented and handles network changes cleanly |
| Maximum speed on Wi-Fi | WireGuard | Lowest overhead |
| Restrictive network | OpenVPN TCP on 443 | Passes UDP filters |
| Battery preservation | WireGuard or IKEv2 | Both are efficient; OpenVPN costs more power |
Platform-specific behaviour
- No consumer split tunneling. iOS supports per-app VPN only on devices under mobile device management, so a normal App Store VPN cannot offer it. Any provider advertising it for consumer iPhones is describing something else.
- Some system traffic may bypass the tunnel. iOS reserves certain services, so a kill switch is less absolute here than on Windows or Android.
- Configuration profiles installed by a VPN app appear under Settings → General → VPN & Device Management. Remove old ones when switching providers.
Kill switch on this platform
First-run setup
The order matters. Most people install a client, connect once, and never check whether the parts that protect them when something goes wrong are actually switched on.
- Install the app from the App Store and sign in.
- Allow the configuration profile when prompted — iOS requires one for any VPN.
- Choose IKEv2/IPsec for everyday cellular use, or WireGuard for maximum throughput on Wi-Fi.
- Enable the kill switch or always-on option if the client exposes one.
- Confirm your address changed, then run a DNS leak test in Safari.
- Repeat the WebRTC check in every browser you use — results differ between them, and no VPN can fully close this.
- Check Settings → General → VPN & Device Management and remove stale profiles from providers you no longer use.
Troubleshooting
Most VPN problems are protocol or routing problems rather than encryption problems.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| VPN disconnects in the background | iOS suspending the extension to save power | Enable the client's always-on option; expect brief gaps regardless |
| Some traffic appears to bypass the tunnel | iOS reserves certain system services | Expected platform behaviour; a kill switch is less absolute here than on Windows or Android |
| No split-tunneling setting | Per-app VPN is restricted to managed devices | Not a provider limitation; it cannot be offered by a consumer App Store app |
| Old provider still appears in Settings | Stale configuration profile | Remove it under VPN & Device Management |
| Slow on cellular | Distant server or protocol overhead | Try the nearest server first, then compare IKEv2 against WireGuard |
How we assess providers for this page
The ordering on every comparison page on this site follows the same four criteria, and none of them is a speed measurement. We have not run a controlled throughput programme, so publishing figures or scores derived from one would be inventing evidence.
- Protocol breadth — how many genuinely different network conditions the provider can handle, not how many names appear on a page.
- Documented security features — kill switch and leak protection as published by the vendor, labelled as vendor statements.
- Platform coverage — which devices get native support, and which protocols are actually available on each.
- Commercial terms — price, device limit and refund window exactly as published on VPN Sherlock.
The reasoning behind each is set out in our methodology.
Providers compared
Commercial terms exactly as published on VPN Sherlock.
| # | VPN | Best for | Key features | Protocols | Devices | Price | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Best overall | Six published protocols — the widest range among the five compared here | 6 (incl. Shadow, ZoogTLS) | Unlimited | $2.49/month | Get dealRead review |
| 2 |  Proton VPN | Clearest obfuscation | The only provider here that publishes how its obfuscation protocol is built | 3 (incl. Stealth) | 10 | $4.99/month | Get dealRead review |
| 3 |  PureVPN | Most devices covered | Native Apple TV and Fire Stick apps, which removes the usual reason to configure a router | 3 (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2) | 10 | $3.24/month | Get dealRead review |
| 4 |  | Most obfuscation options | Two proprietary transports, one of them available at router level. No IKEv2 | 4 (incl. OpenWeb, StealthVPN) | 5 | $5.00/month | Get dealRead review |
| 5 |  Windscribe | Most flexible | Manual config generation for all three protocols, plus a free tier you can evaluate first | 3 (OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard) | Unlimited | $3.00/month | Get dealRead review |
Notes for this platform
- ZoogVPN lists the widest protocol range of the five compared here, including a TCP fallback on every platform.
- Proton VPN is the only one publishing the architecture of its obfuscation protocol.
- PureVPN has the broadest native app list but no obfuscated transport.
- Astrill VPN carries two proprietary obfuscation protocols but no IKEv2.
- Windscribe generates manual configuration files, so it works beyond its own apps.
- None of the five can offer split tunneling on iOS, because Apple restricts per-app VPN to managed devices. Treat any claim otherwise with suspicion.
Save 82%ZoogVPN is our primary recommendation across platforms because of its six-protocol line-up — the widest published range among the five providers compared here.
2-year plans
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure. Pricing shown as published on VPN Sherlock; confirm current terms at checkout.
Verify it is working
Whatever you choose, confirm it behaves correctly rather than assuming. Leaks are far more common than broken encryption, and they cluster around reconnects, sleep and network changes rather than steady-state browsing. The full routine is in how to test a VPN; the short version is to confirm your public address changed, that every DNS resolver shown belongs to the VPN, that no IPv6 address from your ISP is visible, and that ending the client process stops traffic immediately.