# VPN vs Lantern

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VPN at 90% against Lantern's 23%. VPN also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). Lantern's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VPN sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days 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.

VPN holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VPN has 2.1M ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of VPN's written reviews are positive against 23% of Lantern's.

VPN ships an update weekly, Lantern every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VPN | Lantern |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vpn-super-unlimited-proxy/id1370293473/reviews)** | [4.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1M** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **90.4% of reviews** | 22.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#11** | #156 |
| Size | 162 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobile Jump Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484585154) | [Brave New Software Project, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769431553) |

## What reviewers say

### VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vpn-super-unlimited-proxy/id1370293473)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Productivity, #14 Top Free · Productivity, #83 Top Free, #177 Top Grossing (US App Store)

This app provides a free, unlimited VPN service with no activity logs and military-grade encryption. It offers access to content from over 40 server locations and supports multiple VPN protocols. Premium plans are available for enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Unlimited speed, bandwidth, and time, Access content from 40+ server locations, 5,000+ servers for free users, No activity logs, Military-grade encryption, No registration needed

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Week Plan Discount | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| 1-Week Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| 1-Month Plan Discount | $12.99 | per month |
| 1-Month Plan | $12.99 | per month |
| 3-Month Plan | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| 3-Month Plan Discount | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| 3-Month Plan SG-2 | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| 6-Month Plan | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| 12-Month Plan Discount | $79.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Plan | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 💡 Wide selection of server locations
- 👍 Effective for bypassing geo-restrictions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection drops
- 🔋 Can drain battery quickly
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🔍 Ambiguous privacy policy

**Reported bugs**

- Freezes and crashes on older devices
- Fails to connect to certain servers

**Requested features**

- More Netflix-compatible servers
- Automatic reconnect option
- Ability to favorite/bookmark servers


### Lantern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

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:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| One Year Plan | $48.00 | per year |
| Lantern Pro: One Month Plan | $12.00 | one-time |
| Lantern Pro: One Year Plan | $55.99 | one-time |
| Lantern Pro: Two Year Plan | $100.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VPN free?

VPN 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, VPN or Lantern?

VPN is rated higher. VPN averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1M ratings, while Lantern averages 4.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do VPN or Lantern have ads?

VPN shows ads; Lantern does not.

### Which is updated more often, VPN or Lantern?

VPN ships an update weekly, and Lantern every 6 weeks. Most recently, VPN was updated on October 31, 2026 and Lantern on October 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, VPN or Lantern?

VPN currently peaks at #11 in the App Store charts, and Lantern at #156. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*