To determine the best mobile VPN, Forbes Advisor compared and ranked more than a dozen different VPN services available. Find out what contributed to our final scores.
Mobile Apps
First, we omitted any VPN provider that won’t support mobile devices and, to follow that up, we narrowed the list to only those that work for both Android and iOS operating systems. This accounted for 3% of our total score.
Features
Since you’re getting a VPN because you want a secure data exchange between your mobile device and the internet, we examined the primary functions and details of selected VPNs. We looked at whether or not they provide general VPN security and privacy features, such as anonymous browsing and DNS protection measures, and nice-to-have features, including split tunneling, kill switch and multifactor authentications. Additional features contributing to our weighted scoring of 35% include VPN stance on no-logs policy, and, of course, whether or not they offer browser extensions.
We also looked at how many devices you can use per subscription—some services limit you to five or six, while others don’t limit you by device. Then, we considered the number of servers and server locations for more options overall.
Pricing
We gave more stars in our 5-star rating system to mobile VPN services with affordable annual plans and cheaper rates for long-term commitment. VPNs providing users with free trials, free versions or longer days to explore their features, with their risk-free money-back guarantees, also got our attention. We weighted pricing at 15% of the total score.
Speed
Since we don’t expect users to sacrifice speed for security, we tested VPNs to determine whether or not they’re the best mobile VPNs. We looked out for the average download speed and upload speed of each VPN. We also connected to different servers to check for consistency. Thanks to their protocols and proprietary speed enhancers, these VPNs turned out well. We weighted speed at 20%.
Service and Support
To ensure you can reach your VPN’s support team whenever necessary, we examined each VPN to determine its performance. We sent queries, asked to speak with support agents, recorded their response time and the quality of their help. We also considered how many support channels they have and the types of support (resources, phone, live chat, email, tickets, etc.) they offer. This one accounts for 7% of the weighted final score.
Customer Reviews
Most mobile VPN users leave reviews in app stores or review sites, so we sifted through these to see the issues users have with mobile VPNs. We also considered the average star rating from users and number of reviews. This aspect accounts for 10% of our total weighted score.
Experts Score
Our panel of experts also looked at additional criteria, including popularity, standout details, ease of use and value for money, to determine the best mobile VPNs for individuals and businesses. Our expert analysis forms 10% of the total score.
Learn more about how we test, rate and review VPNs.
Forbes Advisor B2B expert Christiana Jolaoso contributed to this article.