5 Best Free VPN for iPhone and iOS: Tested and Updated in 2022
Contrary to popular perception, Apple devices need to be secured as much as other devices. Most iPhone users make the mistake of not protecting their cybersecurity online and pay the price when their devices get intruded into.
Modern-day cyber hackers are deploying extremely cunning ways to do that, which include MITM attacks, spear phishing, malicious links, etc. The best option to secure your iPhone against such threats is to get a VPN.
In this article, we’ll tell about the best free VPN for iPhone, iPad, and other iOS devices to help you stay protected online.
The reason for using a VPN is to encrypt all our traffic and reroute it through a secure tunnel. This will make it impossible for hackers to snoop on your online activities or steal your data.
And a good VPN on your iPhone or iPad will not only protect your online identity but will also help you unblock streaming platforms, enhance your internet speed, and provide you with lots of handy features.
However, not all free VPNs for iPhone are secure enough to be trusted as most free iPhone VPN can steal your data and sell it to third parties to earn a commission.
Most free VPN iOS come with restrictions like daily data caps, a limited number of server locations, and slow speeds.
Therefore, we will recommend you the best free VPN for iPhone .
So without any further ado, let’s get started!
The Best Free VPN for iPhone in 2022: Quick Summary
- Proton VPN: No Data Limits | VPN app available for iOS Devices.
- Windscribe: Free VPN with 10GB Data/Month | Download app from Apple Store.
- Hide.me VPN: 10 GB Data Per Month | Download VPN app from Apple Store.
- TunnelBear: 500 MB Data with Free Plan | Native app available for iOS devices.
- Hotspot Shield: 500 MB Data/Day for Free Users | Simple app available for iPhone.
How to Setup a Free VPN on iPhone in 2022: Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s how to setup VPN on iPhone for free:
Step 1: Go to the Apple Store.
Step 2: Enter the VPN in the Search Panel. (For example: Hide.Me)
Step 3: Download and install Hide.me VPN on your iPhone.
Step 4: Launch the VPN app.
Step 5: Tap on “Start Free“.
Step 6: Tap on “Enable VPN” to connect and start browsing anonymously.
The Best Free VPN for iPhone in 2022: In-Depth Analysis
Since most free VPNs come with slow speeds, poor server infrastructure, and restrictive data limits, there aren’t many you can rely on. So, I conducted an extensive research to bring you the 5 best free VPNs for iPhones and iPads, from a list of 180+ providers!
1. ProtonVPN: No Data Limits
Proton VPN tops as our best free VPN app for iPhone. The provider offers a freemium plan that has no data limits so you can use the VPN app as much as you want without worrying about the data cap.
It offers 3 server locations with the free plan including servers in the US, Netherlands, and Japan.
ProtonVPN has a dedicated app for iOS devices and it also offers apps for other platforms including Android, Windows, and Mac. However, you can only use Proton VPN on one device with the free plan.
The features that you can have with the free plan of Proton VPN are DNS leak protection and split tunneling.
ProtonVPN encrypts your traffic with the AES 256-bit system and the service is covered with a strict no-logs policy so you don’t have to worry about your traffic being logged or tracked.
ProtonVPN can have speed issues. If the provider detects that your activities are using too much data then it can throttle your speed. Also, at peak times, paid users are given more priority as compared to free users.
Moreover, it cannot unblock streaming platforms including Netflix and other services.
Overall, it’s a decent free VPN if you want to carry out your everyday browsing activities. However, it’s not streaming compatible.
But it can be if you go for the Premium Plans. Currently, Proton VPN offers 3 plans. A monthly plan that costs $10.63/mo., a 1-year plan that costs $6.38/mo., and a 2-year plan that costs $5.32/mo.
The paid plan offers 1700+ servers in 60+ countries with 10 simultaneous connections. You can have P2P support, Tor over VPN, and the servers are optimized for streaming services.
Download: Official Proton VPN iOS App
2. Windscribe: 10 GB Data Cap Per Month with Free Plan
Another secure free VPN, Windscribe has been stellar on the performance front with inherent stability. It allows its users to experience 2 GB of free bandwidth each month, but you can increase that limit to 10 GB if you provide your email address.
11 server locations are included in the free plan, but the speeds won’t be optimized or as fast as you can get in the premium version of the service.
The servers are located in the US, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Canada, and Turkey.
And the most amazing thing? It is one of the best free VPN for Netflix that unblock the platform with the free version!
Windscribe offers a tool called R.O.B.E.R.T that can block ads, trackers, and malware. You can also use the split tunneling tool and the kill switch feature with the free plan.
If you’re looking to get the paid plans to unlock more features then Windscribe currently offers 2 plans. A monthly plan that costs $9 and a 1-year plan that costs $49/year (around $4/month).
It also offers a Build Plan, which offers 1 server location for $1.
Download: Windsribe Free iOS App
3. Hide.me VPN: 10 GB Data Cap Per Month with Free Plan
Offering a 10 GB data cap per month with its freemium plan, Hide.me is a VPN service based in Malaysia, a country that falls out of the jurisdiction of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
The provider offers a free plan for iOS users and other platforms including Windows, Mac, and Android.
You can connect to 5 server locations in Canada and USA. The limit for simultaneous connection is 1 but you can upgrade it to 10 simultaneous connections if you buy the premium plan.
The protocols available with the free plan include SoftEther, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and SSTP. WireGuard is only available for paid users.
Hide.me available features include split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and stealth guard (lets you choose which apps should work with VPN when it’s active).
The free plan of Hide.me VPN doesn’t work with Netflix but you can make it work by subscribing for a paid plan. There are 3 plans available, a monthly plan that costs $9.95, a 1-year plan that costs $6.66/mo., and a 2-year plan that costs $3.84/mo.
Download: Hide.me Free iOS App
4. TunnelBear: 500 MB Data Cap Per Day with Free Plan
TunnelBear users are allowed only 500 MB of bandwidth per day which can be low but it’s enough if you are a casual VPN user.
It is probably the most secure free service out there with a decent user interface. It is the one to go for first if you are looking for a non-paid VPN for your iPhone.
The service doesn’t log your data and the provider has a strict no-logs policy which has been audited by an independent third party. The only data that TunnelBear collects is your first name when you register.
TunnelBear uses the AES 256-bit method to encrypt your traffic and you can connect to 41 countries including servers in Europe, Canada, North America, Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, etc.,), Asia, and South America(Brazil, Argentina etc,.).
Torrenting is allowed with the free plan but the data cap of 500 MB per day is not enough for torrenting activities.
TunnelBear offers 3 plans. A monthly plan that costs $9.99/mo., a 1-year plan that costs $4.99/mo., and a 3-year plan that costs $3.33/mo.
The paid plan works on Netflix and you can have 5 simultaneous connections with dedicated apps on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Download: TunnelBear Free iOS App
5. Hotspot Shield: 500 Mb Data Cap Per Day for Free Users
Offering a 500 MB data cap per day, Hotspot shield is an old name in the VPN industry, gaining user trust and credibility over the years.
It offers 160+ fast VPN servers in 1 virtual location. There is a free version for iOS users along with apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and a Chrome extension for the Google Chrome browser.
The 500 MB of bandwidth each day makes up around a 15 GB data limit on the free service each month. However, you won’t have access to many other features like multi-logins or chat support unless you plan to go premium.
The free version cannot unblock streaming platforms. However, if you sign up for a premium plan, you’ll be able to unblock streaming platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube TV, and more.
There are 2 plans for Hotspot Shield VPN. A Premium plan that costs $8.49/mo. (allows 5 simultaneous connections), and a Premium Family plan that costs $12.77/mo. (allows 25 simultaneous connections).
Download: Hotspot Shield Free iOS App
What a Free iPhone VPN Can’t Do?
Free VPNs won’t be the same as the premium ones, that’s a given, but do you have any idea on how glaring this difference can be?
Here is a rundown on the things that your Free VPN won’t be able to do:
- Free VPNs don’t offer fast speeds.
- Free VPNs don’t often offer unlimited bandwidth.
- Free VPNs don’t have enough servers.
- Free VPNs don’t support OpenVPN protocol.
- Free VPNs most often don’t have military-grade encryption.
- Free VPNs cant unblock geo-restricted streaming sites like Netflix US etc.
- Free VPNs don’t work well in China.
- Free VPNs can have DNS or WebRTC leaks.
- Free VPNs cannot often support Torrenting.
Why Do You Need a Free VPN for iPhone?
Despite its main purpose being encrypting your traffic and masking your IP location, a VPN helps you in many ways.
Firstly you can select any country’s server and it will seem like you are there. For example, if you’re in Germany but you need to connect to a website that’s only accessible in Oman, connecting to Oman’s server will allow you to access it.
A VPN also helps you to get rid of ISP speed throttling along with many security features such as a kill switch, double hop, and a high level of encryption.
Methodology to Select the Best Free VPN for iPhone in 2022:
When it comes to choosing the best free VPN for iPhone, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind.
Look for these qualities in your free VPN provider before downloading it.
- Completely Free: The VPN should be completely free and it wouldn’t ask you to sign up for subscription plan right away. We have tried all the VPNs in the above-mentioned list of free VPNs and all of them are trustworthy.
- No Data Logging Policy: The VPN must have a strict no-logs policy in place so that your data remains confidential. Also, a third-party independent audit would give the VPN more credibility.
- User-Friendly App for iOS: The app should be easy to use and it should have all the features that a good free VPN for iPhone must have.
- Fast Speeds: Check if your VPN offers good speeds so that you can browse and stream without any lags or buffering.
- Data Limit: The data limit is an important thing to consider as most free VPN offer only 500MB to 1GB. If you are a heavy internet user then this might not be enough for you. For that, you need to consider for a paid subscription plan.
- Number of Server Locations: The number of server locations offered by the VPN also matters as it decides how many geo-restricted websites you can unblock. Go for a VPN provider that has a large number of servers in various locations.
FAQs: Free VPN for iPhone in 2022
What is the safest free VPN for iPhone?
The best free iPhone VPNs:
- Proton VPN – Unlimited data.
- Windscribe – 10 GB data per month.
- Hide.me VPN – 10 GB data per month.
- TunnelBear VPN – 500 MB data per day.
- Hotspot Shield – 500 MB data per day.
Which free VPN is best for streaming on iPhone?
The best free iPhone VPN for streaming is Windscribe which can unblock US Netflix easily.
What free VPN works with Netflix on iPhone?
Best free VPNs for Netflix:
- ExpressVPN – Huge Server Network that can unblock 20+ Netflix libraries (Use the 7-day free trial or 30-day money-back guarantee offer).
- CyberGhost – Specialty Servers for Netflix (Use the 1-day free trial or 45-day money-back guarantee offer).
- Windscribe – Freemium VPN to unblock Netflix easily (Offers 10 GB free data per month).
Do free iPhone VPNs keep logs?
Unfortunately, most free VPN providers make money by logging and tracking your online activities and then selling them to concerned parties like advertisers. So it is difficult to find a completely free VPN that is anonymous.
Is free iPhone VPN safe?
Yes, but only a few number of free VPNs are safe to use on your iOS device. All the above-mentioned VPN providers are safe to use. They all offer decent security features like AES 256-bit encryption system, split tunneling, kill switch, DNS leak protection, and more.
Wrapping Things Up
A good VPN is a must-have tool for all Apple device users. It will not only protect you from online threats but will also give you access to geo-restricted websites and content.
A free VPN for iPhone will help you surf anonymously on the web and hide your online activities from your ISP or other third parties. However, if you are a heavy VPN user then consider signing up for a premium iPhone VPN.
We hope that this article helped you in choosing the best free VPN for iPhone. If you have any comments or suggestions for us, feel free to include them in our comments section below. I will personally respond to all your queries and provide as much assistance as possible!
