Comparison

PairVPN vs Helium Mobile

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

Head to head
About

PairVPN

Easily transform any device into your personal VPN server. Connect securely from anywhere, protecting your internet usage on public Wi-Fi and enabling remote access to your home or office network. Enjoy privacy and security without complex setup.

Highlights
  • Personal VPN server on any device
  • Patented connection technology
  • Remote access to home/office networks
  • Secure public Wi-Fi usage
  • Peer-to-peer device tunneling
  • No personal data collection
Read full description

- Your own VPN server, on any device! As easy as installing a mobile app, PairVPN can turn any phone, tablet, or computer into your personal VPN Server. The technology is so innovative that it was actually patented! Just run the PairVPN app on your connecting device and your server device, pair them once and connect from anywhere. No setup or configuration needed. - Many uses of PairVPN: Remote Access to Home/Office Networks Allow full Internet connections anywhere you go Protect from snooping on untrustworthy public Internet Secure your network usage over public WiFi Establish a peer-to-peer tunnel between any two devices on the Internet - Privacy is a certainty: PairVPN is designed in a way that no personal information, password, or security keys are collected or stored remotely. The pairing process ensures your connections stay secure and anonymous even from us. Also unlike normal VPN services, we have no access to your network activities by design. - Security with ease For remote access, large corporations can afford to hire network specialists to set up dedicated VPN servers and firewalls. This will not be realistic for many home or small office networks, which may not even have a fixed public IP. The PairVPN app offers simplified security configuration and does not require changing firewall or setting up accounts. By allowing only paired clients to connect it also greatly hardens security.

About

Helium Mobile

Experience wireless service powered by a vast 5G network and a unique community-driven infrastructure. This app offers a new approach to staying connected, potentially with reward opportunities.

Highlights
  • Nation's largest 5G network
  • Groundbreaking people-built network
  • New way to connect
  • Potential reward opportunities
Features
Read full description

Powered by the nation’s largest 5G network and a groundbreaking people-built network, Helium Mobile is a bold new way to connect. Disclaimer: By downloading the app, you are agreeing to the Helium Mobile App Terms & Conditions: https://hellohelium.com/terms-and-conditions * Rewards are a function of network governance and depend on multiple factors, including but not limited to, individual activities, network usage, technical and/or operational issues, and network governance. Nova Labs does not provide, guarantee, or refund any rewards and makes no promises, guarantees, or warranties as to their value. See Terms and Conditions for details (https://hellohelium.com/terms-and-conditions). * Taxes and fees apply

Screenshots

PairVPN3 screens
Helium Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PairVPN at none against Helium Mobile's shown. PairVPN also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (68% vs 51%). Helium Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 539) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Helium Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Helium Mobile has 15K ratings behind it against 539, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of PairVPN's written reviews are positive against 51% of Helium Mobile's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PairVPN ships an update every 10 days, Helium Mobile every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
PairVPN versus Helium Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPairVPNHelium Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (539 ratings)4.8 (15K ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.2% of reviews — better51.0% of reviews
Number of ratings53915K — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB177 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMobile CompanyNoble Mobile

Customer experience

PairVPN

All ratings432 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral2.5%
Negative8.6%
Written reviews107 reviews
Positive68.2%
Neutral7.5%
Negative24.3%

Helium Mobile

All ratings15,006 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews602 reviews
Positive51.0%
Neutral6.1%
Negative42.9%

User reviews

PairVPN

From 539 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Bypasses hotspot limits
  • 👍 Easy to set up and use
  • 🚀 Provides fast internet speeds
  • 🚀 Works on multiple devices
  • 👍 Useful for remote work and gaming

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
  • 🔋 Requires keeping device unlocked and app open
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • 🔒 Concerns about security and privacy

Helium Mobile

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent value
  • 👍 Great phone plan
  • 👍 Simple, reliable, and refreshingly honest
  • 👍 Best phone plan on the planet
  • 👍 True GEM

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Horrible, non-existent customer support
  • 🐛 Not fully transparent or honest
  • 🐛 Stupid app
  • 🐛 No service
  • 🐛 can't enable location sharing

Bugs and requests

PairVPN

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Relay server needed but not running
  • DHCP wait issue
  • Fail to connect cloud server errors
  • Local connection errors

Requested features

5 requests
  • Background mode support
  • Automatic reconnect option
  • Dark mode
  • Multi-device support
  • Detailed error reporting

Helium Mobile

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Discovery mapping feed isn't working after latest update
  • Unable to claim rewards after recent update

Requested features

3 requests
  • Unlimited data option
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard

In-app purchases

None

PairVPN

No in-app purchases

None

Helium Mobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PairVPN free?
PairVPN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Helium Mobile free?
Helium Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PairVPN or Helium Mobile?
Helium Mobile is rated higher. PairVPN averages 4.6 out of 5 from 539 ratings, while Helium Mobile averages 4.8 from 15K ratings.
Do PairVPN or Helium Mobile have ads?
Helium Mobile shows ads; PairVPN does not.
Which is updated more often, PairVPN or Helium Mobile?
PairVPN ships an update every 10 days, and Helium Mobile every 9 days. Most recently, PairVPN was updated on September 23, 2026 and Helium Mobile on September 27, 2026.

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