# CactusVPN vs ForestVPN

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: CactusVPN at 12.0 against ForestVPN's 15.5. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CactusVPN ships an update every 6 months, ForestVPN every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CactusVPN | ForestVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cactusvpn-smart-dns/id6743163048/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 20 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CactusVPN, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801726617) | [Digital Services LLC (Georgia)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501484582) |

## What reviewers say

### CactusVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cactusvpn-smart-dns/id6743163048)

This app provides a secure VPN and Smart DNS service to protect your online privacy and prevent tracking. It offers high-speed servers, end-to-end encryption, and unlimited bandwidth for a seamless browsing experience across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** High-Speed VPN Servers, End-to-End Encryption, 7 VPN Protocols, No Logs Guaranteed, Unlimited Bandwidth, Unlimited Devices, Smart DNS Service

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ForestVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forestvpn-quantum-connect/id6743340701)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CactusVPN free?

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

### Is ForestVPN free?

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

### Do CactusVPN or ForestVPN have ads?

Neither CactusVPN nor ForestVPN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CactusVPN or ForestVPN?

CactusVPN ships an update every 6 months, and ForestVPN every 4 months. Most recently, CactusVPN was updated on October 24, 2026 and ForestVPN on October 25, 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.*