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The best VPN for an iPhone depends on which trade-off you will accept. In Gizmodo’s iPhone VPN test, published October 5, 2026, NordVPN lost the least download speed (13.6% average), ExpressVPN added the least battery drain (1%), and Proton VPN was the review’s privacy pick. Surfshark offered unlimited device connections, and Private Internet Access (PIA) had the lowest listed entry price at the time of that comparison. These are one publication’s findings under the conditions described below, not a universal ranking.
The five services at a glance
The table lists the measured results from Gizmodo’s iPhone 17 Pro test, in the order the review presented them, with the strength the review assigned to each service.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Apple iPhone 14, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed) | $300.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Apple iPhone 16, 128GB, Pink - Unlocked (Renewed) | $587.52 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed) | $408.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Apple iPhone 13, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed) | Unlocked | $262.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Apple iPhone 16e, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed) | $387.73 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Service | Average speed loss (Gizmodo test) | Extra battery drain over the 20-minute session | Gizmodo’s stated strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 13.6% | 2% | Overall first place; smallest speed loss in the test |
| Proton VPN | 17.5% | 2% | Privacy pick |
| ExpressVPN | 16.2% | 1% | Lowest battery impact; simplicity |
| Surfshark | 21.4% | 3% | Unlimited device connections |
| Private Internet Access | 24.2% | 3% | Lowest listed entry price at the time of comparison |
These figures are averages from that single test. Read them as a comparison under specific conditions, not as the speed or battery life you will get.
How the iPhone test was run
- Device: iPhone 17 Pro. The results do not cover other iPhone models or iPads.
- Servers: UK, US and Japanese server locations.
- Load: a 20-minute 1440p YouTube video session, with speed loss and battery drain measured across it.
- Baseline: home Wi-Fi at 54.7 Mbps download and a 37 ms ping.
- Network changes: Wi-Fi-to-cellular handoffs were observed during the test.
What this establishes is limited. The figures describe these five services on these conditions, as measured by Gizmodo on October 5, 2026. They say nothing about your carrier, your home network or a different phone, and they are not population statistics. A service that performs well on a laptop can behave differently on an iPhone, which is why the speed and battery numbers above come only from the phone test. The Macworld and TechRadar guides cited below add product context and feature detail, but they do not supply comparable speed or battery measurements.
#1 Best Overall
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
The five services, one by one
NordVPN
Gizmodo ranks NordVPN first overall and reports that its connection held through every Wi-Fi-to-cellular switch the reviewer tried. Its 13.6% average speed loss was the smallest of the five. Gizmodo also lists Siri Shortcuts support and the NordLynx protocol among its strengths. The caveats are a dense interface and the absence of an iOS free trial.
Macworld also names NordVPN for overall use. NordVPN’s official iOS download page lists support for iOS 16.0 or later and says some features depend on the protocol you select. Confirm your protocol before assuming a feature is available.
Proton VPN
Gizmodo picks Proton VPN for privacy, citing its open-source iOS client. Its average speed loss in the test was 17.5%, with 2% extra battery drain. The review notes limitations in Proton’s streaming tests and the absence of quantum-safe encryption. If streaming is your main use, weigh those streaming limitations heavily. TechRadar’s iPhone guide describes Proton’s Secure Core routing and iOS options including Stealth and Always-on VPN. Macworld also names Proton VPN for privacy.
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- 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000nits (typ), 2000nits (HBM), 2556x1179px at 460ppi, 3561mAh Battery
- 128GB 8GB RAM, Apple A18 (3nm), Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz), Apple GPU 5-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide + 12MP, f/2.2, ultrawide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 18.5
- 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/32/34/38/39/40/41/42/48/53/66/71, 5G: n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/53/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79 - Dual eSIM
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint., Etc.
ExpressVPN
Gizmodo ranks ExpressVPN for battery use and simplicity. It recorded the lowest extra battery drain of the five (1%), alongside a 16.2% average speed loss. The trade-off is fewer settings and no double-hop option. The US App Store listing for ExpressVPN describes auto-reconnect, supported protocol choices and a Threat Manager feature. Those are the provider’s own listing claims, and they can change, so check the listing before you subscribe. Macworld names ExpressVPN for ease of use.
Surfshark
Surfshark’s distinguishing point in Gizmodo’s comparison is unlimited device connections, which suits households or anyone running many devices. Its 21.4% speed loss and 3% extra battery drain were both higher than those of NordVPN, Proton VPN and ExpressVPN in the same test. The review also reports weaker performance on Asia-Pacific servers, so weigh that heavily if you connect mainly to servers in that region. TechRadar describes Surfshark’s MultiHop and ad and tracker blocking on iOS; TechRadar’s blocking results come from its own tests and are not reproduced here. Macworld names Surfshark for multiple devices.
Private Internet Access
PIA had the highest average speed loss in Gizmodo’s test (24.2%) and tied with Surfshark for the highest extra battery drain (3%). Its appeal in the review is price: it had the lowest listed entry price of the five at the time of comparison. It is also the only one of the five that offers a domain-based routing workaround, which is not the same as per-app exclusion (see the split-tunneling section below). Macworld includes PIA in its comparison table, alongside Mullvad, hide.me and CyberGhost.
Rank #3
- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
Where other roundups agree and differ
Macworld’s 2026 iPhone and iPad roundup lists NordVPN for overall use, Surfshark for multiple devices, ExpressVPN for ease, Proton VPN for privacy and FastestVPN for value. Its picks overlap with Gizmodo’s on NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN, but the two publications weigh criteria differently, so no single ranking settles the question. Use Macworld’s picks to understand the role each service plays, not as a second performance ranking.
Handoffs and split tunneling
Handoff stability is the test most likely to expose a weak tunnel. Gizmodo’s author, Florian Gray, puts the risk this way:
“An iPhone switches between WiFi and cellular all day, and a VPN that drops the tunnel during a switch exposes your IP address.”
Rank #4
Apple iPhone 13, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed) | Unlocked
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
- Product may come in generic Box.
Gizmodo reports that NordVPN kept its connection across every network switch the reviewer tried. The coverage available here does not give per-service handoff results for the other four, so do not treat handoff stability as confirmed for them until you have checked the full review.
Split tunneling is the other limit to plan around. Gray writes:
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“None of them can exclude a single app from the tunnel, though, because iOS blocks per-app split tunneling, and only PIA offers a domain-based workaround.”
Best Value
Apple iPhone 16e, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed)
- 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 2532x1170px at 460ppi, 4005mAh Battery
- 8GB RAM, Apple A18 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores), Apple GPU 4-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18.3.1, upgradable to iOS 18.5
- Connectivity: Global 4G LTE, Sub-6 GHz 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C, Wireless Charging (7.5W). (does not have mmWave 5G or MagSafe or physical SIM card) - Dual eSIM Only
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Straight Talk., Etc.
If you need a banking app to bypass the VPN while a browser uses it, none of the five offers per-app exclusion on iPhone, according to that review. PIA’s domain-based routing sends traffic by destination rather than by app, so treat it as a workaround rather than the per-app control many users expect.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a VPN does not do
- It does not make you anonymous. A VPN changes the network path your traffic takes and the IP address that sites see. It does not by itself make you anonymous or stop tracking.
- It is not iCloud Private Relay. Macworld says Private Relay is limited to Safari, hides your IP address there, and does not encrypt all internet traffic on the device.
- It does not guarantee streaming access. None of the sources cited here promises that any service will unlock a particular streaming library.
Before you subscribe
- Check the iOS version. NordVPN’s iOS page lists iOS 16.0 or later. Confirm the requirement on each provider’s current page before you install.
- Check protocol-dependent features. Some features, such as those tied to NordLynx, depend on the protocol you choose. Confirm that the feature you need works with that protocol in the current app.
- Compare renewal prices, not headline prices. Introductory prices can differ from renewal rates. Gizmodo’s price comparison should not be reused without rechecking current checkout and renewal terms.
- Count your devices. Surfshark’s unlimited device connections are the review’s distinguishing point. The sources cited here do not state device limits for the other four services, so check their current plan pages.
- Test handoffs on your own route. Connect on home Wi-Fi with the VPN on, then move out of Wi-Fi range or turn Wi-Fi off, and confirm the tunnel stays active on cellular. Repeat the check after switching back to Wi-Fi.
Gizmodo’s figures and Macworld’s picks are a starting point. Your own route, your protocol and the renewal price will decide whether the service fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the iPhone have a built-in VPN?
Yes, according to TechRadar’s iPhone guide, the iPhone includes a VPN client that you can set up manually. Using a provider’s own app is the simpler way to manage a commercial VPN subscription, and that is the route most readers will take.
Quick Recap
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