Best Mobile VPN of 2026: Enjoy Privacy Protection on the Go

There are hundreds of VPNs available, and since many of them offer mobile apps, it can be difficult to choose the right solution for your iOS or Android phone or tablet. Based on our extensive research and hands-on testing of VPNs over the years, here are the factors to consider when choosing the best mobile VPN for your needs and budget:

Confidentiality

If there’s something you can’t compromise on when choosing a VPN, it’s privacy. Your VPN should use standard 256-bit AES encryption (with OpenVPN and IKEv2). VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 with WireGuard, as well as fundamental privacy protections like a circuit breakerDNS leak protection and checked no-logging policy. Most VPNs offer a selection of VPN protocols, and in general we found WireGuard and its derivatives or equivalents faster than OpenVPN or IKEv2.

If you have increased privacy needs, you will need a VPN provider based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. You should also look for a VPN company that provides obscuration and has a RAM-only server architecture. Additional privacy features to watch out for include Tor over VPN functionality, which uses Tor to make it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source, ad blockers and tracking and multi-hop connections, making it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source using multiple VPN connections. These features can provide increased privacy, but are not absolutely essential for casual users.

It’s also a good idea to choose a VPN that has a proven track record of reliability and transparency. One of the best ways to immediately know if a VPN provider is trusted in its privacy policy is if it regularly publishes the results of audits commissioned by a trustworthy third party. Audits do not paint a complete picture of privacy, but can still be important signals of trust.

Speed

Your mobile VPN connection speeds can have a major influence on the quality of your streaming, downloading, video conferencing, gaming, and general web browsing. To make everything work as smoothly as possible, you’ll need a VPN that will have as little impact on your regular internet speeds as possible, whether you’re using Wi-Fi or mobile data.

User-friendliness

A mobile VPN should have all the features you need, easily accessible with the tap of a finger. Many mobile VPN apps include a help section with easy ways to contact support or access troubleshooting documentation directly from the device, which can be useful if you need help on the go. The VPN should have a large network of servers around the world so you can connect easily and reliably wherever you are, and it should be able to help you access geo-restricted content from various regions if that’s what you want to use it for. You should also think about device support.

IKEv2 or WireGuard should be your choice for mobile devices, as both are generally faster and more power efficient than OpenVPN. Some VPN providers offer proprietary protocols like ExpressVPN’s Lightway, which ExpressVPN says was designed from the ground up for strong mobile connectivity, or NordVPN’s NordLynx.

The chances of you running into a hacker on a public Wi-Fi network are low, but if you’re worried about man-in-the-middle attacks or data interception, you may want public Wi-Fi protection. Public Wi-Fi Protection automatically allows your VPN on certain networks to hide your browsing activity.

Besides running a VPN on Android phones like the GooglePixel 9XL or an iPhone like the 16 Pro Max, you may want to set up a virtual private network on your computer, tablet, and streaming device. Make sure the VPN provider you’re considering supports all the gadgets you need to use a VPN with.

Cost

Consider the cost and overall value of your mobile VPN before making a purchase. VPN prices vary widely between providers, but you can generally expect to spend between $5 and $13 per month for a monthly VPN subscription. If you want to save money in the long run, you can opt for an annual subscription, the prices of which can range from around $30 to $100 per year.

You should be careful with free VPNs because you risk compromising your privacy instead of protecting it when using one. Proton VPN is currently the only Free VPN which CNET enthusiastically recommends. Most premium VPNs offer a money-back guarantee that can range from one week to 45 days. You can also get a seven-day free trial with many VPNs when you sign up through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. So you have the opportunity to try different mobile VPNs risk-free before deciding to fully invest in one.

Streaming

Many people rely on VPN for streaming service content unblocking. For example, you can use a virtual private network to trick apps and websites into thinking you’re in another city, state, or even country. Bypassing geo-restrictions may allow you to unlock NetflixDisney Plus or Amazon Prime Video libraries, watch films and shows on sites like BBC iPlayer or enjoy out-of-market NFL games.

You may even be able to save money on streaming service subscriptions using a VPN. The best mobile VPNs not only do a great job of unblocking geo-protected content, but also give you access to a wide range of server locations. The more countries you can connect to, the more content you have access to from around the world.

Mobile streaming performance often differs from desktop due to application-specific detection methods. Streaming services, like YouTube TV, rely on GPS data for geolocation, so a VPN connection won’t make it appear like you’re in another region. Using VPN apps that use GPS spoofing on Android, like Surfshark, can be helpful. But you may also want to stream through your browser instead of your app for the best results.

Mobile app design

The best mobile VPN apps feature a mobile-specific design that lets you easily find server status indicators and access settings in a way that isn’t cluttered or cramped. Look for apps that are clearly designed and don’t overwhelm you with too many options on a single page or use complicated, undersized widgets to change the server location, as they can be difficult to use on the go.

Battery consumption

VPN battery impact can vary widely across providers, protocols, and devices. This will also depend on the battery health of your device. Overall, we believe that WireGuard and IKEv2 will provide better battery efficiency on your device compared to OpenVPN. We’ve seen plenty of testing numbers from different VPN providers, but there’s no general consensus on exactly how much a VPN will drain your battery. Additionally, the testing was carried out in these cases by the individual VPN companies themselves, so we took their reports with a grain of salt (or two). Using a VPN means you’re running an app on your phone and consuming bandwidth, which will drain your battery faster than if you didn’t have a VPN enabled.

Network switching

Smooth transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular data are essential for mobile VPNs. The best providers offer VPN protocols that maintain your connection during network changes, automatically reconnect between Wi-Fi and cellular data, and maintain your privacy during transitions by preventing IP address leaks.

Impact on data consumption

Since a VPN encrypts your web traffic, using it increases your mobile data or Wi-Fi usage. NordVPN suggests this figure is between 4 and 20 percent for mobile data encryption. Bandwidth consumption varies depending on the VPN protocol and encryption level.

iOS and Android differences

As with all VPN apps, you’ll likely encounter at least minor differences between iOS and Android apps, even when they’re offered by the same provider. The biggest problem from a VPN perspective is that very few clients offer split tunneling on iOS. Apple restricts the ability of apps to manage other network apps on the iOS platform, so most VPN clients offer no implementation of split tunneling, with a few notable exceptions, such as Surfshark’s Bypasser mode. However, Bypasser on iOS – unlike Windows and Android – only works for websites, not websites and apps. If you are unsure, you should first check if there is feature parity between the two apps.