Comparison

Private VPN Proxy vs Lantern

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Private VPN Proxy

This app offers a secure and private internet connection with advanced encryption and a strict no-logs policy. It allows users to bypass geo-restrictions for streaming and access content globally, while also blocking trackers and malicious sites for a safer browsing experience.

Highlights
  • Post-quantum encryption
  • High-speed 10 Gbps servers
  • Streaming access to global content
  • Tracker & threat blocking
  • AES-256 encryption
  • Firewall kill switch
  • Anti-censorship mode
Features
Read full description

Your Wi-Fi, your internet provider and a crowd of ad trackers can all see what you do online. Windscribe, the private VPN for iPhone and iPad, closes the curtains. One tap hides your IP address, encrypts your connection and blocks ads and trackers. 110 million+ registered users since 2016, and we've been acquired by exactly nobody. WHAT YOU GET • Hide your IP. Websites see one of our servers, not you. It works like a proxy, except everything is encrypted. • Be anywhere. Pick from 135+ cities in 69+ countries, tap, done. • Safe public Wi-Fi. Airport, hotel, coffee shop: your traffic is encrypted before it leaves your phone. Mark a network as Secured and Windscribe turns on automatically every time you join it. • Fewer ads, less tracking. R.O.B.E.R.T., our blocker (yes, he has a name), stops ads, trackers, malware and phishing sites in every app, not just your browser. • Get past blocked networks. Stealth and WStunnel make your connection look like ordinary web traffic at school, at work or in a hotel. • Stay connected. Always On VPN reconnects you when the signal drops or you switch networks. WHERE PEOPLE CONNECT Iceland and Switzerland for the privacy-minded. Germany and France on match day. Japan for anime nights. The US, the UK, Canada and Australia to feel at home anywhere. WHY YOU CAN TRUST US • No identifying logs. We don't keep your IP address, browsing history or DNS queries. We can't share what we don't have. • Our servers run on RAM, so nothing identifying is ever written to disk. • Open-source apps, independent security audits and a public transparency report. • Self-funded. No investors asking us to cash in on your data. PROTOCOLS WireGuard with post-quantum encryption, IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Stealth with AES-256 encryption, plus WStunnel. Let the app pick for you or choose your own. Connect from a widget or with Siri. STARTER AND PRO Starter: 10 GB a month on servers in 10 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Germany and France. No credit card. No ads. Pro: no data limit, every location in 69+ countries and port forwarding. No hidden fees. No shady re-billing. ONE ACCOUNT FOR ALL YOUR APPLE DEVICES Use it on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, on as many devices as you like. Download Windscribe and tap connect. One tap. You're in. WireGuard is a registered trademark of Jason A. Donenfeld.

About

Lantern

This app provides a secure and fast VPN connection to keep your internet activity private. It offers both a free plan and a Pro subscription with advanced features, all from a nonprofit dedicated to an open internet.

Highlights
  • Secure and private internet connection
  • Host your own VPN server
  • Global network access
  • Open source code
  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Built-in ad blocking (Pro)
  • Unlimited data (Pro)
Features
Read full description

A nonprofit building tools for an open internet We're a nonprofit with one mission: keeping the internet open for everyone, everywhere. We've spent 12 years developing connection technologies in the world's most demanding network environments. Every Pro subscription directly funds access for people who need it most. Most "free" VPNs want your email before you've even tried them. We don't. No account. No credit card. Just download and connect. Your server, your rules Want zero middlemen? Host your own VPN server on infrastructure you control. Your traffic, your hardware, your rules. Setup takes minutes. Or connect through Lantern's global network. Either way, you're in control. Engineered for reliability We've spent 12 years building connection tools for the hardest network conditions on the planet. That work shows up everywhere: more protocols than typical VPNs, smarter routing, fewer dropped connections. When standard approaches don't work, Lantern has alternatives ready. Privacy you can verify • Open source code, publicly available • Strict no-logs policy • Strong encryption on all connections • Nonprofit structure with transparent funding Honest about what VPNs do We don't sell fear. VPNs protect your privacy and help you access the internet freely. No hype. Just protection that works. Pro features • Unlimited data • Connect up to 5 devices • Built-in ad blocking • Premium server access • Private Server hosting at no extra cost Why a nonprofit VPN? We're funded by subscriptions, not by selling data or running ads. We're accountable to our mission, not shareholders. • 12+ years of proven reliability • Tested in demanding environments worldwide • Research-driven development • Community-supported and mission-focused Free plan available Try Lantern without creating an account or entering payment info. Just download and connect. Pro subscriptions unlock unlimited data and directly support accessible internet worldwide. Try the VPN built by a nonprofit that believes in an open, accessible internet for everyone. Terms of Use: https://lantern.io/terms Privacy Policy: https://lantern.io/privacy Service availability may vary by region due to local regulations.

Screenshots

Private VPN Proxy4 screens
Lantern4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Private VPN Proxy at 65% against Lantern's 23%. Private VPN Proxy also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (35K vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Private VPN Proxy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Lantern sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Private VPN Proxy holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private VPN Proxy has 35K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Private VPN Proxy's written reviews are positive against 23% of Lantern's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private VPN Proxy ships an update every 3 weeks, Lantern every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Private VPN Proxy versus Lantern: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate VPN ProxyLantern
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (35K ratings) — better4.0 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews65.5% of reviews — better22.9% of reviews
Number of ratings35K — better13
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#84 — better#204
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size182 MB194 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWindscribe LimitedBrave New Software Project, Inc

Customer experience

Private VPN Proxy

All ratings35,463 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews1,957 reviews
Positive65.5%
Neutral5.5%
Negative29.1%

Lantern

Written reviews332 reviews
Positive22.9%
Neutral10.5%
Negative66.6%

User reviews

Private VPN Proxy

From 35K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and stable connection
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🌍 Works well in different countries
  • 💡 Customizable plans

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection drops or issues
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🤖 Unhelpful or rude customer support
  • 🚫 Blocks some websites and apps

Lantern

From 13 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast connection
  • 🔒 Secure and encrypted
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 💡 Useful for bypassing censorship

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 👎 Unreliable and unstable
  • 💸 Paid version doesn't work as expected

Bugs and requests

Private VPN Proxy

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Inability to connect to certain servers
  • WiFi disconnection issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more server locations
  • Improve compatibility with older devices
  • Introduce a dark mode option
  • Provide better customer support

Lantern

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • iOS version frequently fails to connect
  • Paid subscription doesn't work on all devices
  • Inconsistent performance across different platforms
  • Confusing or missing in-app settings

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for more devices and platforms
  • Improve customer support and responsiveness
  • Provide better guidance on using the paid version
  • Implement more advanced security and privacy features

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Private VPN Proxy

Subscriptions8
  • Monthly Subscription2 variants$3.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly$8.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro Subscription$29.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Pro yearly$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Pro$34.991 Year
  • Yearly Pro Subscription$39.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly2 variants$48.991 Year
  • Windscribe Pro$69.991 Year
5 purchases

Lantern

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
  • One Year Plan$48.001 Year
One-time3
  • Lantern Pro: One Month Plan$12.00
  • Lantern Pro: One Year Plan$55.99
  • Lantern Pro: Two Year Plan$100.99

Questions

Is Private VPN Proxy free?
Private VPN Proxy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lantern free?
Lantern is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
Private VPN Proxy is rated higher. Private VPN Proxy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while Lantern averages 4.0 from 13 ratings.
Do Private VPN Proxy or Lantern have ads?
Neither Private VPN Proxy nor Lantern shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
Private VPN Proxy ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lantern every 6 weeks. Most recently, Private VPN Proxy was updated on October 28, 2026 and Lantern on October 26, 2026.
Which is more popular, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
Private VPN Proxy currently peaks at #84 in the App Store charts, and Lantern at #204. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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