# Lantern vs nthLink

The clearest difference is rating: nthLink at 4.3 against Lantern's 3.0. nthLink also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (55% vs 23%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lantern sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. nthLink asks for nothing beyond the download.

nthLink holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: nthLink has 1.6K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Lantern's written reviews are positive against 55% of nthLink's.

Lantern ships an update every 2 months, nthLink monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lantern | nthLink |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372/reviews) | **[4.3 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nthlink/id1467297604/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 22.7% of reviews | **55.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 187 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brave New Software Project, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769431553) | [nthLink](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467297603) |

## What reviewers say

### Lantern

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

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


### nthLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nthlink/id1467297604)

This application offers secure and private VPN connectivity with strong encryption. It prioritizes user privacy by minimizing data collection and never storing or transmitting sensitive information. Enjoy a stable and reliable internet connection with a simple, one-tap setup.

**Highlights:** Secure and stable VPN connection, Strong encryption for data protection, Minimal data collection and no logging, One-tap setup and automatic connection recovery, Enhanced user privacy and security

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable connection
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💰 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable connection
- ⚠️ Stopped working after updates
- 🔌 High battery consumption
- 🕰️ Slow speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch
- Stuck at 10% connection
- Incompatible with latest iOS/Android versions

**Requested features**

- More server locations
- Manual server selection
- Kill switch
- Improved compatibility with mobile data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lantern free?

Lantern is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is nthLink free?

nthLink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lantern or nthLink?

nthLink is rated higher. Lantern averages 3.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while nthLink averages 4.3 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Lantern or nthLink have ads?

Neither Lantern nor nthLink shows ads.

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

Lantern ships an update every 2 months, and nthLink monthly. Most recently, Lantern was updated on September 22, 2026 and nthLink on September 23, 2026.

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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.*