Having a virtual private network on your Mobile device, phone or tablet gives you additional protection, whether you’re casually browsing social media at home or taking advantage of public Wi-Fi connections. A Mobile Vpn works by encrypting your online use by routing your activity to a server in a different location altogether. Your browsing goes into stealth mode, meaning your internet service provider and mobile carrier won’t be able to see the sites or services you’re using while on your mobile device. As an added bonus, a mobile VPN can also put a stop to location-based ads from interrupting your browsing sessions.

If a TV show or movie is blocked from viewing in your location, a mobile VPN can also help. These apps disguise your true IP address and replace it with that of the server you’re being redirected to. One simple click can unlock geographically restricted content that may have been unavailable for streaming, previously.  

A VPN for mobile devices is particularly useful for anyone who travels a lot or anyone whose work, location or online activities require heightened privacy. If you’re a journalist, doctor, attorney, dissident, activist or whistleblower, for example, you’d benefit from a mobile VPN to protect your online privacy while you’re on the go. If you’re in a location where the government censors the internet or engages in online surveillance, you can use a mobile VPN to circumvent the censorship efforts while keeping your online activity private. And a mobile VPN is a handy tool if you’re simply looking for a way to watch your Netflix shows while traveling abroad.   

The best VPN providers all offer excellent mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices. And mobile VPN apps continue getting better and more useful as online services overall continue becoming increasingly mobile-first. It’s more important than ever to use a VPN on your mobile device, but if you’re an iOS user, you need to be aware of a vulnerability that can compromise your privacy while using a VPN on your iOS device.