The best iPad VPNs are a handy way to keep your iPad browsing secure. While Apple prides itself on keeping its iPads safe and secure, and you are generally much less vulnerable to online threats than you would be if you were on an Android tablet, iPad VPNs can still have all sorts of uses.
A VPN, for those who don’t know, is a “virtual private network”. Essentially it allows you to keep your privacy while browsing public networks, creating your own private network that masks your IP address, encrypting your internet traffic and disguising your identity.
This isn’t just for subterfuge – VPNs have loads of legitimate uses. They can protect your device if you frequently connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots, which can be hotbeds for hackers. A VPN can also mask your location, which not only stops bad actors from tracking you, but also means you can access region-locked content. If a particular site only lets residents of a certain country stream certain content, a VPN provides you with a way around it. Also, if you visit a country where specific social media sites or news sites are blocked as government policy, a VPN is a good workaround.
VPNs do tend to come with a nominal cost, normally a subscription plan, but if you care about your privacy, it’s well worth it. Here, we’ve picked out what we reckon are the five best iPad VPNs you can get right now, all of which represent solid value for money.
Anyone who uses an iPad can make use of an iPad VPN. If you’re looking to upgrade your iPad, also check out our iPad generations article where we detail all the different models you can get right now. For more on VPNs in general, see our best VPNs roundup.
The best iPad VPNs available now
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One of the most popular VPN services around, ExpressVPN works really well on iPad, and is therefore our top pick for most users. It has more than 160 server locations across 94 countries, and iOS users also get access to its new VPN protocol, Lightway, which reliably delivers one of the fastest VPN connections around. It’ll reconnect near-instantly if the connection is interrupted for any reason.
ExpressVPN is comparatively expensive – the cheapest option works out to $8.32 per month if you sign up to a 12-month commitment. While there are cheaper alternatives, the excellent performance of ExpressVPN makes it worth the price tag in our book – plus, there’s very responsive customer support if you run into any issues.
Our ExpressVPN review goes into more detail.
If you’ve got a lot of devices you want to use with a VPN, then IPVanish is a great choice. It supports virtually unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can hook up your Macbook and iPhone as well as your iPad. With more than 1,300 servers in 75 locations, IPVanish is well covered, and it has a lot of coverage in the US, making it a particularly good choice if you want to stream content that’s geo-locked in the US.
It’s got one of the lowest latencies in the business, with basically no perceptible lag. However, if you’re massively privacy-conscious, it’s worth bearing in mind that IPVanish hasn’t undergone an independent audit for its claims not to log user data the way other similar services have, and there have been accusations of data-logging in the past.
Our IPVanish review explores the service in more detail.
The team behind NordVPN walk the walk when it comes to user privacy, as well as talking the talk. The service has been independently audited multiple times for its commitment to not logging any user information or data, and it also has conducted regular penetration-testing audits, concluding that there were no severe vulnerabilities detected. If you need to keep your browsing secure and safe, this is a great choice.
With more than 5,100 servers across more than 60 countries, NordVPN offers comprehensive coverage. The only real point against it is the pricing – getting the best deal requires a multi-year commitment, and if you read the fine print you’ll notice that the price can shoot up once your initial commitment is over. There’s also no free trial, which is a shame.
Read our NordVPN review for more.
StrongVPN is another great choice if you want to connect lots of devices to a VPN as well as your iPad, as it can support up to 12 simultaneous connections. It’s well priced too, though it’s disappointing that they’re aren’t many subscription options – you’ve got either the monthly option at $10.99 per month, or the annual option that works out to $3.66 per month for the first year, and then about $6.66 per month thereafter.
With more than 650 servers across 46 cities, StrongVPN is pretty well covered. Its connection is strong and stable, and it also implements a kill switch that will immediately disconnect your device if the VPN is interrupted. Also, a handy extra is the fact that customer support offers an actual phone line, which isn’t too common with services like these.
Read our StrongVPN review to find out more.
Switzerland-based VyprVPN is an entirely self-owned network. While most VPN providers will rent server space from data centers around the world, VyprVPN owns all of their servers outright. This means it is able to deliver a more reliable and stable connection than many competitors, with less risk of sudden outages.
VyprVPN has also been independently audited for privacy and no-logging, meaning that you can be thoroughly confident that the company won’t misuse or even keep your data. It is comparatively more expensive than other services, and the company got rid of their already-stingy 3-day free trial in favour of no free trial at all. At least the company does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you do encounter any problems.
Read our VyprVPN review to learn more.
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