# Lantern vs V.B.C

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: V.B.C at none against Lantern's 5. V.B.C also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). Lantern's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Lantern ships an update every 6 weeks, V.B.C every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lantern | V.B.C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 22.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 194 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brave New Software Project, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769431553) | [Kenneth Lim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826250554) |

## 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


### V.B.C

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vbc/id6748551759)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lantern free?

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

### Is V.B.C free?

V.B.C is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Lantern or V.B.C have ads?

Neither Lantern nor V.B.C shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lantern or V.B.C?

Lantern ships an update every 6 weeks, and V.B.C every 4 days. Most recently, Lantern was updated on September 25, 2026 and V.B.C on September 24, 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.*