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Internet security and privacy issues are valid concerns for most casual users and even more so for businesses or others needing extra security layers.

To protect themselves against data breaches and maintain internet privacy, many people use a virtual private network to connect their network or devices to the internet. We review CyberGhost and six other of the best VPN providers for mobile phones while guiding you on how to choose the right for you.

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Top Providers for Best VPN for Mobile Phones

Although people routinely use other devices to go online, phone usage is the most common. In the U.S., cell phones account for almost half of website visits and the majority of search engine traffic. Nearly 300 million Americans use smartphones, including 85% of all adults.

Your internet search and browsing history lacking privacy is concerning, but other potential security issues can create more serious problems. Because more people complete financial transactions online daily, the risk of hackers stealing private information increases.

Here are seven of the best VPN providers.

1. CyberGhost VPN - Best Overall

Pros:

  • Largest server network.
  • Has a variety of add-ons available.
  • Very high speeds.
  • Allows seven connections simultaneously.
  • Money-back guarantee for all plans.

Cons:

  • No free version.
  • Pricey.
  • Privacy policies are confusing.

CyberGhost allows seven devices to connect simultaneously, more than most other VPN providers. Since many families have multiple devices, that makes it one of the best VPNs for mobile phones.

In addition, CyberGhost offers other security tools to make mobile phone usage more secure. Users can choose servers optimized for specific online activities or use the server location that CyberGhost recommends for you.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4.8/5

CyberGhost VPN offers four term lengths:

  • Monthly - $12.99
  • Yearly - $4.29 per month, billed at $51.48 annually
  • Two years - $3.25 per month, billed at $78 every two years
  • Three years + three free months - $2.29 per month, billed at $89.31 every three years

The monthly plan offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, which extends to 45 days for all other term lengths.

Online Protection Protocols: 4.9/5

CyberGhost uses military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, multiple options for leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and other security features. You can choose from over 100 locations in 91 countries as your set location.

Zero Logs Policy: 5/5

The CyberGhost No-Logs policy states that the company won’t share your data with governments or third parties. CyberGhost states that they don’t record customers’:

  • Accessed websites
  • Bandwidth usage
  • Browsing history
  • IP address
  • Session durations
  • VPN server connections

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 4.6/5

Among VPN providers that limit simultaneous connections, CyberGhost’s seven-device allowance is one of the highest available. One adult might use a mobile phone, tablet, and computer daily. In households with two or more family members, CyberGhost is a good choice because of its generous simultaneous connection allowance.

Servers: 4.9/5

CyberGhost has approximately 7,500 servers located in 91 countries.

Overall Score: 4.8/5

>> Browse securely with CyberGhost VPN

2. NordVPN - Best Encryption

Pros:

  • Fast support via live chat.
  • Advanced Threat Protection system.
  • Uses WireGuard and OpenVPN.
  • No-logging policy.
  • Money-back guarantee.

Cons:

  • Renewal pricing isn’t straightforward.
  • More expensive than other similar options.
  • Speeds are somewhat slow.

NordVPN gives users flexibility when choosing how to route their internet traffic by offering split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and using the Tor browser. The company recently announced an upcoming merger with Surfshark, another highly rated VPN provider. You can connect with NordVPN customer service 24/7.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4.3/5

If you select NordVPN, you can choose from three payment options:

  • Monthly - $11.99
  • One year - $4.99 per month, billed annually
  • Two years - $3.99 per month, billed at $95.76 for the first two years and $99.48 per year afterward

NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Online Protection Protocols: 5/5

NordVPN uses multi-hop connections, which means utilizing two VPN servers to route your internet connection rather than one. All servers are diskless. NordVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption.

Clients benefit from CyberSec, which blocks malicious ads, sites, and control by bots. The Threat Protection system protects against intrusive ads, malware, and trackers even if your VPN connection isn’t active.

A Kill Switch feature automatically blocks internet access if your VPN server connection drops.

Zero Logs Policy: 4.7/5

NordVPN third-party audits confirm that the company doesn’t log or sell the following:

  • Bandwidth usage
  • Browsing data
  • Connection time stamps
  • IP addresses
  • Session information
  • Traffic logs

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 4.7/5

With NordVPN, clients can use up to six different devices simultaneously. Other providers allow more simultaneous connections, but six may suffice for many users.

Servers: 4.5/5

NordVPN has 5,600 servers across 59 countries.

Overall Score: 4.6/5

>> Get the best prices for NordVPN

3. ExpressVPN - Best for Country Selection

Pros:

  • 30-day satisfaction guarantee or your money back.
  • Offers monthly, six-month, and annual plans.
  • Servers are located in 94 countries.
  • 24/7 expert technical support via live chat.
  • Advanced features.

Cons:

  • More expensive than many competitors.
  • Only five simultaneous connections.
  • Doesn’t include multi-hop connections.

ExpressVPN has some unique features in addition to the security protections you can expect from a VPN, including its Lightway and MediaStreamer technologies. You can always reach a knowledgeable tech support agent, which is something that other companies don’t provide.

This company also releases regular updates to keep its apps up to date with the latest features and fixes.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4/5

ExpressVPN customers have three plan lengths to choose from:

  • Monthly - $12.95
  • Six months - $9.99 per month, billed at $59.95 every six months
  • One year + three free months - $6.67 per month, initially billed for 15 months, with renewals every 12 months

All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Online Protection Protocols: 4.6/5

You’ll get a kill switch feature and split tunneling if you choose ExpressVPN. This provider uses AES 256-bit encryption; no customer data is recorded on hard drives.

Zero Logs Policy: 4.7/5

ExpressVPN states that it will not record any information that could identify you, including domain name system queries and traffic data.

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 4.2/5

ExpressVPN users can connect up to five devices simultaneously, which is at the lower end of device allowances. However, you can choose to connect your router to secure your home’s network. Devices (including game consoles, IoT devices, and smart TVs) connecting to the internet using your home’s or business’s Wi-Fi router are protected with that option.

Servers: 4.6/5

ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers which are spread throughout 94 countries.

Overall Score: 4.4/5

>> See prices for ExpressVPN

4. Surfshark - Best Privacy Tools

Pros:

  • Unlimited number of devices can connect simultaneously.
  • Uses WireGuard.
  • 24/7 customer support is available.
  • Excellent live chat support.
  • Powerful privacy tools.

Cons:

  • Speeds are mediocre.
  • High cost with a monthly subscription.
  • Kill switch isn’t reliable in all cases.

Surfshark offers its customers many features, including browser extensions, multiple apps, and unblocking features for game consoles and smart TVs. One popular draw is that the service doesn’t limit the number of devices that clients can use simultaneously.

Unfortunately, Surfshark speeds are slower than many competitors. The company is merging with NordVPN, another of our best VPNs for mobile phones.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4/5

Surfshark offers three term lengths:

  • Monthly - $12.95
  • One year - $3.99 per month, billed at $47.88 yearly
  • Two years - $2.49 per month, billed at $59.76 for the first term and renewing at that price annually after 24 months

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Online Protection Protocols: 5/5

Surfshark uses OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols. Customers benefit from a unique split tunneling tool and multi-hop capabilities, a kill switch, and AES-256-GCM encryption.

Surfshark also has a GPS spoofing feature and malicious URL and ad blocking. Its new Nexus technology will offer new features in the next two years, starting with the IP Rotator that is already active. This tool changes the IP address automatically every few minutes, providing above-average privacy.

Zero Logs Policy: 4.8/5

Surfshark’s privacy policy states that it does not log customer bandwidth usage, browsing history, connection timestamps, IP addresses, or network traffic. This policy is noticeably easy to read and understand.

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 5/5

Surfshark customers can use an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, substantially benefiting larger households or businesses.

Servers: 4.1/5

Surfshark has over 3,200 servers that cover 65 countries.

Overall Score: 4.6/5

>> Get started with Surfshark

5. ProtonVPN - Best for Free VPN Service

Pros:

  • No data limit for the free version.
  • Has advanced privacy features.
  • Excellent speeds.
  • Uses WireGuard or OpenVPN.
  • Inexpensive, flexible plan options.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t integrate well with Chrome.
  • No ad blocking.
  • Only five simultaneous connections in the basic plan.

ProtonVPN has three service tiers, including a free plan with no data limits—something most providers don’t offer. In addition, it boasts advanced privacy tools and is easy to use.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4.3/5

ProtonVPN is one of the few providers offering a free version, and that option doesn’t limit data usage. Apart from the free version, ProtonVPN offers three plans:

  • Basic - $4 per month, billed at $48 yearly
  • Plus - $8 per month, billed at $96 yearly
  • Visionary (includes a ProtonMail Visionary account) - $24 per month, billed at $288 yearly

Online Protection Protocols: 4.7/5

ProtonVPN protects users with OpenVPN and WireGuard. It uses ChaCha20 or AES 256-bit encryptions. You’ll also benefit from a kill switch, DNS leak prevention, and blocked content. Depending on your plan, ad blockers, Tor access, streaming services, file sharing support, and Secure Core access are included.

Zero Logs Policy: 4.8/5

All ProtonVPN plans come with a strict policy of no logging.

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 4.1/5

The pricing tier determines the number of devices customers can use simultaneously.

  • Free – one
  • Basic – two
  • Plus – 10
  • Visionary – 10

Servers: 4/5

ProtonVPN has 1,529 servers in 61 countries.

Overall Score: 4.4/5

>> See prices for ProtonVPN

6. Windscribe - Best Plan Options

Pros:

  • Advanced features.
  • Good value for your money.
  • Easy to use.
  • Strong DNS blocking.
  • Unlimited simultaneous device usage.

Cons:

  • No live chat, although it does offer a chatbot.
  • No 24/7 support.
  • Below-average speeds.
  • No security audits.

Windscribe blocks more types of malicious content than most VPN providers. Customers can choose from multiple plan options, more than most other companies offer.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4.8/5

Windscribe offers both free service and a “Build a Plan” option.

  • Monthly - $9
  • One year - $4.08 per month, billed at $49 yearly
  • Build a Plan - $1 per location, billed monthly

You can also utilize the ScribeForce option, allowing five or more users to share one account. You’ll pay $3 for each user, which is billed monthly. You can also buy a static IP address, costing $8 per month for a residential IP address.

The money-back-guarantee is only valid for three days and isn’t available if you’ve used more than 10GB of traffic.

Online Protection Protocols: 4.8/5

Windscribe uses strong AES-256 bit encryption and OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols.

Zero Logs Policy: 4.5/5

Windscribe states that it doesn’t log your activity, IP address, or VPN session records. It does store your bandwidth data usage within 30 days and the timestamp of your most recent login.

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 5/5

Windscribe users can use an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.

Servers: 3.5/5

Windscribe has more than 500 servers found in over 60 countries.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

>> See prices for Windscribe

7. TunnelBear - Best for Independent Security Audits

Pros:

  • Thorough privacy policy.
  • Easy to use.
  • Detailed independent yearly security audits.
  • Good speeds.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t unblock several streaming services that competitors do.
  • Not as many features as other providers.
  • Free version has an extremely low data limit.

TunnelBear provides excellent security at a reasonable price, offering a free version and student discounts.

Plan Term Lengths and Discounts: 4.7/5

TunnelBear offers three plans, including a free option.

The Unlimited plan offers three term lengths:

  • Monthly - $9.99
  • One year - $4.99 per month, billed at $59.88 yearly
  • Three years - $3.33 per month, billed once at $120

TunnelBear’s Teams plan for businesses requires a minimum of two users. The cost is $5.75 per user per month. Verified students can claim a 70% discount on a two-year subscription.

Online Protection Protocols: 4.1/5

TunnelBear utilizes AES 256-bit encryption. Although it does use OpenVPN protocols, it doesn’t use WireGuard. Less than 20% of TunnelBear servers are virtual and are only used for unexpected demand.

Zero Logs Policy: 5/5

Tunnelbear’s privacy policy is very thorough. It states that TunnelBear doesn’t collect DNS queries, IP addresses, timestamps, or web activity. However, it does log free subscribers’ data usage due to the bandwidth limit for this plan.

Number of Simultaneous Connections Available: 4/5

You can use up to five devices with your TunnelBear account, which is on the lower end compared to other providers.

Servers: 4/5

TunnelBear has approximately 3,000 servers located in 49 countries.

Overall Score: 4.4/5

>> Get the best prices for TunnelBear

Ranking Methodology

We considered several factors when compiling this list of best VPNs for mobile phones, including:

  • Speeds
  • Encryption protocols
  • Features
  • Pricing
  • The number of allowed simultaneous connections
  • Zero log policies

Top performers in key areas that met our criteria made their way onto the list of our top picks.

Best VPN for Mobile Phones Buying Guide

Let’s answer some common questions about VPNs.

What Is a VPN?

A VPN creates a secure pathway between a device and the internet. This pathway, called a tunnel, provides an encrypted connection, making your internet browsing private. It can also bypass firewalls and show a different geographic location, giving you more access to sites with geo-restrictions.

Every internet access point has a unique internet protocol address. An IP address identifies each device and its browsing history, connecting it with a physical location. With so many security issues posed by hackers and third-party data miners, your safety and privacy are at risk if you allow your devices to show their actual location.

Your IP address is hidden when you connect to the internet through a VPN. Instead, the VPN’s IP address shows. A secure VPN connection can help prevent cyberattacks and data breaches, divert advertisers, hide your online purchase and browsing histories, protect financial transactions, and make your personal or business communications more secure.

While a VPN provides valuable security for your mobile phone and other devices, it doesn’t make you anonymous or hack-proof. You should still practice caution; for instance, don’t download unknown email attachments or click on links you’re not sure of.

Should You Use a VPN Constantly?

A VPN can’t protect you if it’s not active. Using your VPN constantly provides several benefits:

  • Cybersecurity risks increase when using public Wi-Fi networks. You might unknowingly connect to a “twin” network, a fake one that mimics the one you think you will use. A VPN protects you in these cases.
  • Online financial transactions can expose your accounts to hacking and identity theft. Keeping your VPN active always prevents you from making transactions that you forget to route through your secure tunnel.
  • Unfortunately, your ISP and third parties may sell your information to advertisers that will serve personalized ads based on your internet searches. Keeping your VPN constantly on means that third parties and your internet service provider can’t see your browsing history, reducing these unwanted ads.
  • Not all websites have the same level of security. Some are more dangerous to you than others. Routinely using your VPN reduces safety risks from less-secure sites, especially those without an HTTPS extension.
  • ISPs can limit gaming by reducing speeds or restricting access to geographic areas. A VPN can bypass those limitations, giving gamers a better experience and allowing people to view streaming media in other geo-locations.

Do VPN Providers Sell Your Data?

Although the purpose of using a VPN is to keep your data private, some VPNs sell your browsing data. Choosing a provider with zero logs is essential, meaning they don’t store or keep your usage or connection logs.

VPN usage logs contain information about the websites you visit, your online activity, and the different business or personal identities you use during online sessions. Your connection logs show lots of metadata related to your VPN connection, including how much data you use, what time you connect, the duration, and your connection frequency.

Although a VPN provider might temporarily keep these logs for troubleshooting purposes, you need to know that they won’t sell your information and will delete your logs after a reasonably short time.

What Is VPN Encryption?

Without encryption, any data you transmit—from internet searches to bank account transactions—is plain text that anyone can read. With encryption, hackers might still intercept your data, but they won’t be able to read your information; only authorized users can decode it.

Top-rated VPN providers use some form of AES 256-bit encryption. They also use OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 protocols.

What Are Split Tunneling and Multi-Hop Connections?

You’ll notice these terms when reading up on the best VPN for mobile phones. Split tunneling means you can choose apps that connect to the internet through your VPN and those that connect directly. Multi-hop connections use more than one server to mask your IP address, providing an extra security layer.

What Is a Server?

A server is a high-powered computer that processes, manages, and stores network systems, networks, and devices. A VPN server usually combines VPN software with a standard server platform.

VPN providers often use a combination of physical and virtual servers. Physical servers can support virtual servers, which boast the capabilities of the physical server without needing the actual hardware on-site.

A high number of servers utilized by VPN providers can dramatically affect the company’s overall service. With more servers available, each supports fewer users, making better speeds. It also means that the VPN has more IP addresses, and you’ll likely have a more stable connection.

The number of server locations is as important as the number of servers, giving you more diverse options.

How Can You Choose the Best VPN for Mobile Phones for You?

The best VPN for mobile phones should include several vital things, but these vary somewhat by the user. Businesses and those traveling abroad may have different priorities than people who use a VPN for casual internet browsing. When looking at various VPN providers, find out if they:

  • Work on all of your devices, regardless of the operating system
  • Provide high-speed connections
  • Offer round-the-clock support
  • Allow enough simultaneous connections for your needs
  • Use robust encryption technologies
  • Have free trials or money-back guarantees
  • Offer reliable server coverage in your location
  • Keep zero logs, or if they sell your information

You should also look at each provider’s additional features, such as streaming unblocking, blocking ads, extra security layers, and transparency. Read multiple reviews of each provider to see what customers, tech-savvy community members, and unbiased parties say about the companies.

When you’ve found viable candidates, factor in monthly and annual costs and additional pricing incentives such as free months of service. While most carriers offer significant discounts for yearly subscriptions, it’s smart to sign up for a free trial if available initially or for only one month. That way, you can see if the VPN meets your expectations before committing to a longer-term.

>> See prices for CyberGhost VPN

Are You Ready To Choose the Best VPN for Mobile Phones?

If your online privacy concerns you, you should consider using a VPN to route your internet usage. This can keep your private information much safer than connecting your phone or other devices directly to the internet.

You’ll want to consider reviews and other criteria when choosing the best VPN for mobile phones for your specific needs. Like any other service, some VPN providers and plans are better than others. Selecting a trustworthy provider to keep your information private and secure is vital.

>> Get started with CyberGhost VPN

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Ahad Waseem
Contributor
Ahad is a business, blockchain, and cybersecurity writer for Paradise Media who often takes on art, politics, and economics too. As a linguistic engineer who writes to solve problems, he’s written for various tech and business publications. When he’s not writing, he’s probably on horseback, caring for his houseplants, or training Bonsai trees.