Best Free VPN for iPhone: 6 Reliable Services

A quick online search is insufficient for finding a good free VPN for iPhone. Most aren’t worth your time due to numerous shortcomings. Generally speaking, free services aren’t the epitome of quality. They’re quite the opposite. If we factor in security and privacy issues, we get a recipe for disaster.

However, we don’t want to be defeatists and say that the best free VPNs for iPhones don’t exist. To prove that we think that, we prepared six great free iPhone VPN services. To be clear, the premium VPN services for iPhone we presented recently are better. But if you’re all out of money, these six are worth checking out.

Best Free VPN for iPhone: Our 6 Favorites in 2026

This list includes not only free providers but also some premium options accessible via a free trial. After testing dozens of 100% free VPNs for iPhones, we discovered that the majority of them are underwhelming for daily use. That’s why we added three free trial options with more servers, stronger security, and better features.

1. NordVPN (30-Day Free Trial)

If you accept no less than near-perfection, get NordVPN as the best free VPN for iPhones in 2026. It’s a paid provider, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to get a refund and enjoy the VPN for 30 days. You’ll need to purchase the VPN beforehand, as its 7-day free trial is available only for Android users.

NordVPN puts no restrictions and includes unlimited bandwidth, 10 Gbps server speeds, and 8,900+ servers. Moreover, this service is the fastest free VPN usable on an iPhone. This makes it great for streaming on Netflix and gaming online without lag. Similarly, you can bypass network filtering with the NordWhisper protocol.

The iOS app includes Double VPN servers and Onion Over VPN servers, safe for going on the dark web. NordVPN’s app contains NordLynx, an in-house protocol for superb security and privacy. When it comes to basics, NordVPN uses post-quantum encryption, a kill switch to prevent leaks, and RAM servers in all locations.

In our experience, NordVPN is easily the safest free VPN compatible with iPhones. The Panamanian provider keeps no logs either, so everything you do online is shrouded in a super-secure network. Unlike other non-paid options, it allows for ten simultaneous connections and has round-the-clock 24/7 support.

The only downside is that it’s free for a limited period, but on the other hand, it’s way better than really free VPN apps for iPhone. If you value quality above everything, you won’t mind its cheap $3/mo price tag.

Try NordVPN Risk-Free for 30 days

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2. ExpressVPN (30-Day Free Trial)

ExpressVPN is simple to use, offers 3,000+ servers, and has incredible support for iOS phones and tablets. It’s free for 30 days thanks to a money-back guarantee. Unlike NordVPN, it offers a 7-day free trial if you sign up using your iPhone. Your credit card is required, but that’s not an issue if you cancel your trial.

ExpressVPN’s iOS app offers a kill switch and Threat Manager to shield you from ads, trackers, and malicious sites. Parental Control can block porn sites. ExpressVPN is secure thanks to a no-logging policy. It was audited by PwC, KPMG, and other auditors. By the way, ExpressVPN has over twenty audits so far.

It uses 256-bit encryption with the Lightway Turbo protocol for ultimate security and fast connection speeds even on distant servers. Being an amazing free VPN for iPhones, ExpressVPN works with streaming services, and all servers are optimized for P2P file-sharing in complete privacy.

ExpressVPN even has the Keys password manager built into its free VPN app for iPhones. Plus, there’s the App Split Tunneling to exclude certain apps from using a VPN. On the other hand, ExpressVPN lacks a few advanced features we’d like to see in the future. It’s still way better than 100% free picks.

Besides, it allows up to 14 simultaneous connections, while truly free VPNs that work on iPhones offer only one. ExpressVPN is a phenomenal option overall, with minor setbacks that could easily be overlooked.

Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free for 30 days

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3. Private Internet Access (30-Day Free Trial)

This is another paid provider with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day trial through mobile devices. However, its price is so low, and at only around $2.19 monthly, it’s nearly free. Private Internet Access offers unlimited simultaneous connections, beating all other services on this list.

While not faster than ExpressVPN and NordVPN, it’s way quicker than the best really free iPhone VPNs. It’s also ultra-secure, with bank-grade encryption and RAM servers. PIA includes the MACE ad blocker and WireGuard for stable performance and rock-solid security. It also uses Shadowsocks obfuscation.

This allows PIA VPN to work in censored regions. iPhone users love its dedicated streaming servers. This service works with BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and other platforms. Plus, it’s properly optimized for torrenting, which can be performed without costing you a cent. We picked this provider because of its strong privacy.

Its no-log policy has been proven in court and audited by Deloitte. Being one of our favorite complimentary VPNs for iPhone, Private Internet Access is simple to install and use. If you need security for more devices, it even offers a cheap antivirus app for Windows. The only minor issue is the lack of a Fire TV Stick app.

However, Private Internet Access has a tvOS app for Apple TV users. We’d say it’s one of the best VPNs for Apple TV in 2026. Check it out and test it risk-free below.

Try PIA VPN Risk-Free for 30 days

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4. Proton VPN – Best Totally Free and Unlimited VPN for iPhone

This is a 100% free VPN for iPhones that you can use without cost or a credit card. Go to its site, sign up without paying, and download the app. We tested Proton VPN and loved its unlimited data and snappiness. Proton VPN is famous for its security and won’t store logs of your online footprints, vital for a free service.

We discovered a kill switch, split tunneling, and even WireGuard. After testing the provider for IP and DNS leaks, the results were phenomenal. The provider offers ten locations only, and there’s no option to pick one; instead, you’re connected to the fastest location. This makes Proton VPN bad for avoiding geo-blocks.

The service isn’t optimized for streaming, so you’re doomed from the start. P2P traffic was blocked in our tests, so torrenting is another no-go. Proton’s premium features are lacking, making Secure Core (multi-hop) and NetShield (ad-blocking) absent. With a smaller server fleet, don’t always expect fast speeds.

Overcrowding is typical, resulting in connection instabilities and slowdowns. Proton is a free provider worth trying if your demands aren’t too high. However, if you’re into streaming, torrenting, and bandwidth-heavy internet usage, NordVPN, our #1 rated free VPN provider for iPhone, is multiple times better.

Try Proton VPN for Free

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5. Hide.me – Secure and Free VPN Usable on iPhone

Hide.me is an almost ideal, really free service, with AES encryption, a kill switch, RAM servers, and Private DNS. Being from Malaysia, Hide.me doesn’t store logs and has several audits under its belt. We love Hide.me’s unlimited data, which makes this provider so much more valuable and useful.

While it offers eight VPN locations, you can at least pick the one you want. Hide.me’s apps are also intuitive and work on all devices, including iOS phones and tablets. Being a 100% VPN app for iPhones, it lacks streaming and P2P support. However, it supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, but it isn’t very fast.

Hide.me’s performance is far from ideal. After testing it, we noticed how slow it can be when watching YouTube and downloading. Hide.me also doesn’t endorse simultaneous connections. On the brighter side, we love its 24/7 live chat support, but we hate the lack of some of its premium security features.

MultiHop is one of many. That said, you’ll be limited to basics that should still be enough for day-to-day use. This provider offers a premium plan, and it’s significantly better. We ranked Hide.me high on the list of the top 10 VPNs for 2026, but NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access remain better choices, even then.

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6. PrivadoVPN – Best Server Coverage

This provider offers great speeds for a free service, with full P2P and streaming support. It’s the only 100% free VPN on this list that works with Netflix, so it’s a welcome change. PrivadoVPN includes 12 countries—more than Proton VPN and Hide.me. Simultaneously, it’s secure, as it’s based in Switzerland like Proton VPN.

The service has WireGuard but also offers IPv6 leak protection for security. In this app, you’ll find split tunneling and a kill switch to preserve privacy even if the VPN connection breaks. PrivadoVPN’s logging is fairly minimal, as well. The provider is by no means perfect and has a glaring issue: a 10 GB data cap.

Yes, it works for torrenting and streaming, but limited data makes them unenjoyable. We noticed that PrivadoVPN is the only provider without audits here. As a free iPhone VPN, it’s logical to expect the lack of simultaneous connections and more advanced security features. PrivadoVPN delivers on these expectations.

Its Control Tower DNS, which blocks ads and malicious sites, is missing. Despite offering more locations than Proton VPN and Hide.me, its 12 countries are underwhelming compared to NordVPN’s 130. For a free service, it’s fairly good.

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Free Trial vs Free VPNs for iPhone Differences

You may wonder how different complimentary and free trial VPNs are. As you’ve noticed, the top three providers are better than the latter three options, usable without a credit card or cost. If you failed to see their differences, here they are.

🏃 Bandwidth, Data & Performance

The most noticeable difference is in performance. Free VPNs for iPhone for 30 days are better because they offer unlimited bandwidth and data, and excellent performance thanks to 10 Gbps servers. The latter three can be used for nothing and without cost. However, free providers offer slower, frequently overcrowded servers.

Proton VPN is slow, for example, while PrivadoVPN is fast and offers only 10 GB of monthly data, so there’s always a compromise. For your information, we tested Proton VPN’s free version using the Dutch server:

Here are NordVPN’s speed test results on one of its servers in the Netherlands—the difference is night and day, and NordVPN is significantly faster:

Since we mentioned server overcrowding, notice their server parks. Free providers for iPhone offer 5-12 countries and usually no more than 250 servers. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and PIA have 8,900+, 3,000+, and 30,000+ servers, respectively. They also have from 100 to 130 countries, making it easier to find a fast server.

💽 Torrenting & Streaming

Except for PrivadoVPN, no other free VPN for iPhone has P2P and streaming support. That’s a red flag, especially for those with a VPN to watch Netflix. In comparison, the first three free providers allow both. They work with streaming portals and have P2P-friendly servers for limitless, safe, and anonymous torrenting.

PrivadoVPN allows both as well, but again, with 10 GB of data a month, you can only do so much. Try it, and you’ll see how fast you run out of data.

📲 Device Compatibility

Here, we mainly refer to simultaneous connections. While all free VPNs are compatible with iPhones, the latter three offer one connection per account. You install and use a VPN on your iPhone, but when you try it elsewhere, it won’t work. Our selection of VPNs with a free trial for iOS supports at least ten devices at a time.

This means you can protect your iPhone, Windows computer, macOS laptop, router, and Fire TV Stick, and still have room for more devices and platforms.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

If you can use a VPN without costing you a cent, security and privacy are always questioned. We picked complimentary services with top-tier privacy and security, but most outside of this list can’t brag about this. Hola VPN, Urban VPN, Turbo VPN, and others store logs and sell your sensitive information to third parties.

They also have weaker security and many times, leak your IP and DNS address because of an unstable or unencrypted connection. Still, there are differences between free trials and free VPNs that work on iPhones. As you saw, Proton VPN is missing its Secure Core and NetShield features in the free version.

Hide.me misses MultiHop, while PrivadoVPN lacks its Control Tower DNS. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access have all of their advanced features at your fingertips. They also have several third-party audits on no-logging policies.

While the difference might be negligible for some, it’s still there. For instance, WireGuard is much better than OpenVPN in security, privacy, and speed, so it influences your experience directly. Some free VPNs lack this protocol entirely.

Some Free VPNs for iPhone to Avoid in 2026

100% free services like Proton VPN, Hide.me, and PrivadoVPN aren’t the most popular in some regions. However, they’re safe and secure, and for a free VPN for iPhone, that’s one of the most important aspects. Unfortunately, most free VPNs on iPhones aren’t great, and they suffer from countless unforgivable issues.

Below are some of the worst providers you can use.

• Hola VPN: Easily the #1 worst option to use on your iPhone. It has a bad reputation, wherever you look, due to heavy logging and selling information to third parties. Even your location, full name, and IP address are stored on Hola’s servers. The most concerning thing is Hola’s exploits by hackers who have likely stolen tons of information and compromised thousands of users.
• Betternet: This is a popular free iPhone VPN, but for no apparent reason. It’s free but far from safe. Again, it keeps logs and is based in the US, one of the worst jurisdictions for privacy. It also limits your data to 500 MB a month, offers no streaming support, and is recognized as malware by many anti-malware tools.
• Turbo VPN: A free VPN for iOS that barely works. It leaks your IP address and fails to provide proper security. It’s also a Singaporean company, and Singapore is suspected of cooperating with the 14 Eyes Alliance in data collection.
• Urban VPN: It offers unlimited data and many locations. The only thing it does properly is change your IP address. The VPN keeps logs of all your data, it’s incredibly slow, and it blocks streaming and torrenting. It also has no features in the app and is prone to leaking your IP address.

Pros & Cons of Really Free VPN Services for iPhone

Using a risk-free VPN or a free trial of VPN services like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Private Internet Access poses no risk. These providers are secure and will protect your online identity. Additionally, they do not store any logs of your personal information, making them ideal choices for everyone.

Unfortunately, 100% free VPNs for iPhone have some advantages and noticeable shortcomings. If you haven’t read our guide carefully, here are the most notable pros and cons of free solutions:

The Bottom Line

Our ranking of the top six free VPNs for iPhone is done. No matter which one you choose, you’ll get the highest level of security and privacy. However, for the best experience, it’s recommended to use the free trials offered by the first three VPNs. They include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access.

Apart from security and privacy, they offer unlimited data, excellent performance, streaming abilities, P2P optimization, and many advanced features. Proton VPN, Hide.me, and PrivadoVPN aren’t bad, but they’re far from impressive.

While their safety is non-negotiable, they lack fast speed, large server networks, torrenting and streaming support, and simultaneous connections of their premium competitors or their own paid versions. On the other side, these VPNs compatible with iPhones are free forever and require no credit card information.

Try NordVPN for 30 days

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are free VPNs safe to use on an iPhone?

Yes, free VPNs are safe to use on an iPhone, at least the ones we presented, but most aren’t. That’s why we suggest sticking to our list and limiting your choices to it. Avoid shady providers that don’t have a clear-cut no-log policy or at least one audit. These are essential features of a safe and secure free iPhone VPN.

Does iPhone have a built-in VPN?

No, it doesn’t have a built-in VPN; you have to install one to use it. iPhones and MacBooks don’t natively offer this service, but rather support manual VPN connections. However, you still must have a VPN subscription or a valid VPN server. You can’t connect to Apple’s VPN servers because it doesn’t have them.

Can I also use a free VPN on my Mac?

Yes, you can. The free VPNs we presented work on macOS and other systems outside Apple, including Windows, Android, and Linux, but with the same shortcomings.