The Best VPN for iPad in 2020: Portable Protectors

With a phone, you can browse the internet and find what you’re looking for in seconds, but the screen size can be lacking, which is where tablets come in. Apple declared that iPads were magical and revolutionary, but assuming they’re secure is a bad idea. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our best VPN for iPad picks.

iPads are great. They’re simple to use and good for browsing, reading, playing games and more. Plus, with them running the iPadOS, they’re generally thought of as secure and less vulnerable to malware and viruses than other operating systems. 

As secure as they seem, it’s a good idea to install a virtual private network. Nothing is unhackable and the VPN will keep you safe from nasties, such as cybercrime, especially if you’re using public WiFi. Bundle that with a good antivirus and you’ll be well on your way. 

Most VPN apps are designed for the iPhone, but there are some that have dedicated apps for the tablet. If you need one for your Apple phone, though, check out our best VPN for iPhone piece.

Keep in mind that third parties can still access your information through the apps you install on your iPad. Your data can be collected by ad companies, search engines and internet service providers. That’s not to mention the amount of surveillance there is. Plus, social media is one of the worst culprits when it comes to privacy violations.

There are other perks to using a VPN besides security. They can lift restrictions for you, such as geoblocks. If you love bingeing on Netflix, you can check out different countries’ libraries by changing your location. For a dedicated VPN, read our best VPN for Netflix piece.

Thankfully, many VPN providers have clients for iOS and include the iPad, but it’s best to pick one that works well with the iPad. With them, you can install and set up a VPN in a few taps.

Best VPN for iPad 2020

What Makes a VPN the Best for iPad

Though many VPNs support iOS devices, it’s a good idea to choose one that’s user-friendly and works well with the iPad. Some get you connected quickly by choosing what they think is the best server for your location. Having a large server network is good, too, because t that’ll enable you to unlock more content. It should be easy to manually choose a server, too. 

Security should be at the top of your list, as well, because it’ll keep you safe from prying eyes and other dangers. Privacy is just as important, so make sure it has a strict no-logs policy.

Its speed is something else you should consider. Having a fast VPN means your user experience will be more streamlined. It’s not fun to watch a loading screen, especially if you want to use your iPad for streaming. If that’s what you want to do, you should make sure it has unlimited bandwidth, too.

A couple of other factors to keep in mind are how good the customer service is and if the price is within your budget.

1. Best VPN for iPad: ExpressVPN

We’ve chosen ExpressVPN as the best VPN for iPad because of its simplicity and fantastic security. It’s one of the most user-friendly VPNs on the market, and its dedicated iPad app doesn’t disappoint. Its streamlined, uncomplicated interface pairs with Apple well.

To get connected quickly, all you need to do is click the large “on” button that’s staring straight at you. After that, the VPN will connect to one of its smart servers in your location. One gripe we have, though, is that it doesn’t always pick the best one for speed. Thankfully, it’s simple to swap servers by clicking the “choose location” button.

Security isn’t overlooked, either. In fact, it’s the most secure VPN. You can choose from many different protocols, such as OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and IKEv2. ExpressVPN doesn’t keep a log of your online activities.

The iOS app has an auto-connect feature that automatically connects you if you join or rejoin an untrusted WiFi network or the connection is interrupted. There’s also a widget that allows you to check on the connection status, connect or disconnect.

ExpressVPN has a huge network of servers, which means you should have no problem finding one to suit your needs. It’s also the fastest VPN we’ve tested. That, along with it having unlimited bandwidth and being able to get into most streaming platforms, helped it come in first in our best VPN for streaming piece. 

Other Reasons We Like ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN’s customer service is good. There’s a handy knowledgebase online for self-help. Plus, you can contact a member of support through live chat or email, which are available 24/7. Live chat is the fastest option, but it’s best to contact support via email if you have a more technical problem. Read our ExpressVPN review for more information.

A downside to ExpressVPN is its high price. That said, it’s an excellent service that’s well worth the money. Plus, iOS users get a free seven-day trial, which you can use to make sure you like it. After that, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. Keep in mind, though, that if you subscribe through iTunes, your Apple ID account will be charged on the last day of the free trial.

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2. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is another good choice for the iPad. Its interface was recently updated and the iOS version was a beneficiary of that. Simply sign up, download and swipe the “on” switch. When you do that, CyberGhost will automatically match you with the best connection based on your location. Like ExpressVPN, though, it doesn’t always get it right. 

Still, its interface makes it easy to choose a different server. All you have to do is tap the arrow next to the location icon near the bottom of the screen. CyberGhost will show you a list of available countries. Once you tap on one, it’ll connect you to a server in that country. With more than 4,000 servers in 58 countries, we’re sure you’ll find one.

CyberGhost has good security and doesn’t keep a record of your activities. Though it’s not as speedy as ExpressVPN, it’s still fast, and there are no bandwidth caps. It also has servers that are optimized for streaming from different platforms. Read our CyberGhost review for a better look at the service.

Other Reasons We Like CyberGhost

CyberGhost has one of the best knowledgebases we’ve seen, so you can use it to fix some problems. Failing that, you can contact the support team through live chat or email. Live chat will get you the fastest response and is great for simple questions. Email is better for more complicated issues, and it’s quick, too.

CyberGhost is inexpensive if you subscribe to a long-term plan. The monthly rate isn’t good, though. You can test it with its money-back guarantee. You get 14 days with the monthly plan or 45 days for longer plans to change your mind. 

Like ExpressVPN, your Apple ID account will be charged within 24 hours of the end of the trial period, so make sure you cancel in time.

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3. NordVPN

Next up is NordVPN, which is a great service with an easy-to-use interface. It’s different from our first picks, though. Instead of a big toggle button for quickly connecting, it has a large map where you can choose the server you want to connect to. There’s a “quick connect” button that’ll connect you to a recommended server, but it’s smaller.

The map is good for picking a location easily. When you do, you’ll get to choose which server to connect to. That said, there’s also a “countries” tab that lists the countries available and gives you a connect button next to each one. Clicking the button will connect you to a server in that country. NordVPN has over 5,000 servers, giving you plenty of options.

That said, the iOS app doesn’t let you play with the settings you get on the main client. You can change general usage settings and access some features, such as support, but you can’t tweak it to your preferences. 

NordVPN’s security is among the best on the market and its iOS app is powered by the IKEv2/IPSec protocol. Plus, it has a solid no-logs policy. It’s a speedy service, but you may find it slows down over long distances. There are no limits to bandwidth and it’s great for getting into streaming services. Read our NordVPN review for more details.

Other Reasons We Like NordVPN

If you run into problems, you can turn to NordVPN’s useful knowledgebase. There’s also live chat and email 24/7. Live chat is the quickest option, but either way is helpful.

NordVPN’s service is good value for the money. The monthly plan isn’t bad, but it isn’t great, either. You’d be better off choosing a longer plan because you’d save money in the end. You can make sure you like it with its 30-day refund window, too.

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4. Windscribe

Windscribe is another good choice for the iPad. That’s not only because it offers the best free VPN plan on the market, but also because it includes many features. With the free plan, you get 2GB, which you can increase to 10GB by providing your email address. Go with the paid plan and you’ll get unlimited bandwidth.

Windscribe has an easy to use app that lets you get connected with a single tap. It’ll connect to the best server available, but you’ll also be able to see the server list and choose which one you want. It’s a simple app, but as with NordVPN, there are no real settings options within it.

Security is good and there’s a no-logs policy. That said, it keeps some logs, such as how much bandwidth you’ve used and time stamps for activity. They’re minimal, though, and there’s no way they can be traced back to you. Read more in our Windscribe review.

Windscribe’s server network is lacking compared to our other selections, but it still covers 55 countries. Keep in mind that some of the countries are only available with the paid plan, though. Pro users also get specialized Windflix servers, which are built to bypass the Netflix proxy error. While not as fast as some VPNs, Windscribe is still good.

Other Reasons We Like Windscribe

Windflix has a troubleshooting guide, FAQ and setup guides, as well as a subreddit, to help you with minor problems. Live chat is available, but you’ll be speaking to Garry, Windscribe’s AI representative. To be fair, though, it was good when we tested it. There’s also email if you want to speak to a human. Both are available 24/7.

The monthly price is expensive, but the longer plans will save you money. There’s no free trial, but you can use the free plan as one. There’s also no refund policy, but if you ask for one within three days of purchase Windscribe will oblige.

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5. VyprVPN

Our last selection is VyprVPN. It’s a decent service and its interface is easy to use. Simply download it and click the blue “connect” button to connect to the fastest server available. You can also click the “servers” tab to bring up a list of the available countries for you to swipe through. Click a country and VyprVPN will connect you to a server there.

After doing that, we realized VyprVPN claims on its website that it has an interactive map that’s designed for the iPad. We weren’t able to access it on the iPad 4 we used for testing, though. Even after updating to the latest version of iOS and redownloading the app, no interactive map was available. Perhaps you’ll have better luck with a newer device.

Still, the VyprVPN iOS app is simple to use. That said, it’s so simple, in fact, it’s lacking. There’s a “customize” tab, but when you click it, you only get options for toggling the auto-connect settings. Other than that, the app lets you contact support and log out. That’s it. As with NordVPN and Windscribe, you can’t tweak any other settings.

We know VyprVPN has a no-logs policy and excellent security, which is why it made our list, but there’s no way to choose what you want. That goes for its proprietary Chameleon protocol, too, which adds more protection. VyprVPN says it isn’t available on all devices, and unfortunately, the iPad is one that doesn’t have it. 

There are servers covering 64 countries, which isn’t as many locations as some providers offer but should be enough. VyprVPN’s speeds aren’t great, but they should be fine for most activities, and it has unlimited bandwidth. It can also get into most streaming platforms.

Other Reasons We Like VyprVPN

VyprVPN’s support could use improvement. It has a knowledgebase, but it’s not great. There’s also live chat and email, which are available 24/7, but with either of those, the help is brief. Read our VyprVPN review for more on that.

VyprVPN has different price tiers, so the price will depend on what you want. For example, if you want to use it on other devices, too, you can connect three devices simultaneously with the Standard package or five with the Premium package. It’s inexpensive either way. 

You can use the 30-day money-back guarantee to decide if you like it. 

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Final Thoughts

There are a lot of VPN services that provide dedicated iOS apps, and many are designed with the iPad in mind. That said, only a few have crammed all the features of a full client into the app. Our selections are easy to use, but which you choose will depend on what you want included.

We’ve chosen ExpressVPN as the best VPN for iPad. Along with its fantastic security and privacy, its iPad app has enough features included to customize it for your needs while also being simple enough for a quick connection. There’s no reason not to take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee and try it.

Do you have recommendations for a VPN that works well on the iPad? Let us know in the comments section. Be sure to check out our best VPN for Mac piece, and our VPN archive, too. Thank you for reading.

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