Why iPad and iOS Tablets Need a VPN
iPads feel safer than many laptops because Apple controls the hardware, the operating system and the App Store. But once traffic leaves your device, it still crosses the same hotel Wi-Fi, shared café networks and airport hotspots as any other computer. A VPN on iOS adds an extra layer between your tablet and the wider internet, encrypting the connection and giving you more control over how your online activity appears from the outside.
For most people, an iPad or other iOS tablet lives in several roles at once: reading device, travel companion, streaming screen and sometimes a lightweight work machine with a keyboard attached. The best iOS VPNs respect that mix. They reconnect quickly after sleep, handle network changes without nagging you, and keep streaming apps, browsers and work tools running smoothly in the background.
How We Picked the 5 Best iOS Tablet VPNs
This list focuses on real tablet use instead of desktop-style benchmarks. The five VPNs below were chosen using a few simple questions:
- Is the iOS app easy to use on an iPad, not just on a phone-sized screen?
- Does it reconnect reliably when you open the cover after sleep or move between Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots?
- Can it handle streaming and travel without turning every session into troubleshooting?
- Is the privacy story clear enough that you could explain it to a friend in plain language?
- Does one account comfortably cover your other devices like iPhone, Mac or Windows laptop?
With those criteria, the goal is not to crown a single winner for everyone, but to show where each service fits so you can match it to how you actually use your iPad or iOS tablet day to day.
#1 NordVPN — Most Balanced Pick for iPad Users
NordVPN is the easiest recommendation for iPad owners who want one provider that simply works. The iOS app
keeps the layout clean: quick connect, a clear server list and extra options tucked away rather than in your
face. On a tablet screen the interface breathes a little more, so it still feels tidy even when you open the
map or scroll through locations.
On iOS, background behaviour matters. Apps are suspended aggressively when you close them, and the operating system will happily reclaim resources if it needs them. NordVPN handles this reality reasonably well: you can set it to connect automatically on untrusted networks and to keep a VPN profile available so that the tunnel comes back without constant manual steps. That way, you can open your iPad in a café, start browsing and know that the connection is already encrypted.
NordVPN also makes sense if you use your iPad for a mix of work and personal tasks. Whether you are joining a video call, checking a company dashboard in Safari or streaming a show before bed, having a large server network and a reputation for stability reduces the number of times you need to think about the VPN at all.
Surfshark — Best When You Own a Lot of Apple Gear
Surfshark is a strong fit if your iPad is just one piece of an Apple-heavy setup. Many people run a personal
iPhone, a work phone, an iPad and a MacBook, plus maybe a shared Apple TV at home. Surfshark works across all
of those at once without forcing you to count device slots, which removes a common source of friction.
The iOS app follows a simple pattern: choose a location, tap connect and let it run. On an iPad, the layout scales neatly, and the “recent locations” row makes it quick to reconnect to places that worked well for streaming or a particular game server. Features such as the ability to bypass the VPN for certain apps or sites can be handy if one banking app behaves better on a direct connection while everything else stays protected behind the tunnel.
Surfshark shines in households and small teams where several people share one account. You might keep the VPN always on for iPhone and iPad, occasionally turning it off for Apple TV during local streaming sessions. The flexibility of Surfshark's account model makes those experiments less stressful because you are not constantly thinking about whether you have used up your connection allowance.
Mullvad — Minimal Interface, Clear Privacy Story
Mullvad keeps both its apps and its business model as small as possible. You do not create a traditional
email-based account at all; instead, you receive a random number that acts as your subscription ID. On iOS,
the app mirrors that attitude: the interface is quiet, with only the controls you actually need to connect,
pick a location and view your status.
This minimalism works well on iPads used for reading, note taking or writing. You can drop into a focus mode in your favourite app while Mullvad quietly keeps the connection encrypted in the background. There are no animated banners or sales prompts competing for attention. If your main goal is a VPN that does its job while you forget about it, Mullvad is worth considering.
Mullvad's clear privacy stance also makes it easier to explain to friends or family when you are the person who gets asked for tech advice. Being able to summarise how it handles data in a few sentences helps them feel more confident about installing a VPN profile on their own iPads or iPhones.
Private Internet Access — Extra Controls for Power Users
Private Internet Access (PIA) has long appealed to people who like to see and tweak what their VPN is doing. On iOS and iPadOS, PIA exposes more options than many competitors: protocol choices, encryption preferences and connection rules that decide when the VPN should start automatically.
If you primarily use your iPad as a casual reading and streaming device, you may never touch those settings. But if it doubles as a light admin console or remote desktop client, having more levers can be useful. You can tune how PIA behaves on specific networks, decide whether to allow local traffic and experiment with different protocol combinations to find what feels most reliable.
PIA is best if you do not mind a slightly busier settings screen in exchange for that control. It is a good match for users who already understand the basics of VPNs and want their iPad to be part of a more customised privacy setup rather than a “set it and forget it” experience.
CyberGhost — Straightforward Streaming and Travel Companion
CyberGhost leans into presets and guidance. Its iOS app highlights scenarios like streaming, browsing or torrenting (where supported) and suggests locations that usually work well for them. On an iPad, this helps you jump straight to a sensible server instead of scrolling through a long, undifferentiated list.
If you mainly reach for your iPad to watch shows, follow sports or keep up with content while travelling, CyberGhost's approach is appealing. You pick a “for streaming” location that has a good track record with a particular platform and let the app do the rest. When you are back home, you can return to a nearby server for general browsing without needing a separate configuration.
CyberGhost suits people who want a VPN that feels like a normal consumer app: clear labels, helpful defaults and no requirement to learn network jargon. It is a gentle introduction to VPN use on iOS tablets for anyone who finds the idea of tunnelling and protocols overwhelming.
What to Look For in an iOS Tablet VPN
Once you have narrowed down your choices, it helps to compare them against a short checklist tailored to iPad and iOS behaviour. Consider questions like:
- Does the VPN profile install cleanly through the official App Store without side steps?
- Can you enable options like auto-connect on unsecured Wi-Fi so the VPN takes care of itself?
- Does the app feel comfortable to use with touch and keyboard in both portrait and landscape?
- Is there a clear way to contact support if something behaves strangely on iOS?
- Do you understand how to disable the VPN quickly if an app refuses to work with it active?
A good iOS VPN should feel like part of the system rather than a bolt-on. If you can set it up once and then mostly forget about it, you have probably found the right match.
iOS Tablet VPN FAQ
Do I really need a VPN on my iPad?
If your iPad ever connects to hotel, café or airport Wi-Fi, a VPN is strongly worth considering. It adds encryption between your tablet and the VPN server, which makes it harder for people on the same network to see what you are doing. If you only ever use a trusted home connection, the benefit is smaller but still useful if you value an extra layer of privacy.
Will a VPN slow down my streaming on iOS?
Any VPN adds some overhead, but with a decent provider you should still be able to stream smoothly for most services. In many cases the main advantage is not higher speed, but more reliable access to your usual platforms when you travel or when your home provider routes traffic strangely.
Can I use the same VPN on my iPhone, iPad and laptop?
Yes. All five services covered here allow multiple devices per account. In practice it makes sense to protect your whole personal setup with the same provider so that you only have one subscription to manage and one interface to learn.