# Lantern vs HaloVPN

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HaloVPN at 74% against Lantern's 23%. HaloVPN also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). Lantern's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#204 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lantern sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and HaloVPN sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HaloVPN holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HaloVPN has 16K ratings behind it against 13, 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 74% of HaloVPN's.

Lantern ships an update every 6 weeks, HaloVPN every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lantern | HaloVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372/reviews) | **[4.7 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halovpn-fast-secure-vpn-proxy/id1495112322/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **16K** |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | **74.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#204** | — |
| Size | 194 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brave New Software Project, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769431553) | [Halo Online Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1495112321) |

## What reviewers say

### Lantern

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

**Currently charting:** #204 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


### HaloVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halovpn-fast-secure-vpn-proxy/id1495112322)

This app provides a fast and secure VPN connection to protect your online privacy and ensure safe browsing, especially on public Wi-Fi. It offers a simple one-tap connection and allows you to hide your IP address for a more private internet experience.

**Highlights:** Fast VPN connection, Secure browsing on public Wi-Fi, Private internet access, One-tap connect, Smart Connect, Server location selection, Kill Switch (Premium)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Week Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Month Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| 6 Months Plan | $27.99 | per 6 months |
| 12 Months Plan | $47.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription | $47.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable connection
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 💰 Free and affordable
- 🌍 Wide range of server locations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of advanced features
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🔌 Disconnection issues
- 🇨🇳 Doesn't work in certain regions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or fails to launch
- Connectivity problems
- Incorrect location detection

**Requested features**

- More server locations
- Ability to bypass content restrictions
- Improved stability and reliability
- Better customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lantern free?

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

### Is HaloVPN free?

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

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

HaloVPN is rated higher. Lantern averages 4.0 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while HaloVPN averages 4.7 from 16K ratings.

### Do Lantern or HaloVPN have ads?

HaloVPN shows ads; Lantern does not.

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

Lantern ships an update every 6 weeks, and HaloVPN every 4 days. Most recently, Lantern was updated on October 26, 2026 and HaloVPN on October 30, 2026.

---

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