Private VPN Proxy vs Lantern
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- 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)
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Private VPN Proxy | Lantern |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (35K ratings) — better | 4.0 (13 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews — better | 22.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 35K — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #84 — better | #204 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 182 MB | 194 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Windscribe Limited | Brave New Software Project, Inc |
Customer experience
Private VPN Proxy
Lantern
User reviews
Private VPN Proxy
From 35K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Private VPN Proxy
- Monthly Subscription2 variants$3.991 Month
- Pro Monthly$8.991 Month
- Yearly Pro Subscription$29.991 Year
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- 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
Lantern
- Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
- One Year Plan$48.001 Year
- 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?
Is Lantern free?
Which has better reviews, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
Do Private VPN Proxy or Lantern have ads?
Which is updated more often, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
Which is more popular, Private VPN Proxy or Lantern?
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