There are apparently a gazillion smartphone users on Earth. Everyone has got them now and phones that are not smart are becoming a rarity. Every smartphone is connected to the internet, there are similar apps that interconnect everything.

In simpler words, you cannot possibly ‘not-use’ smartphone these days or to put it more simply, not leave behind a digital footprint every day. Anything and almost everything you do is connected to social media and communication platforms. They are all connected. They are using your data. That is how they send you such precisely targeted ads. You might think that you are secure, but you are not. You are being played.

You might think that if you protect your device with a password or fingerprint, then it’s all good. However the information your phone transmits puts your data in a vulnerable position. While social networking helps you connect with people otherwise you wouldn’t know even existed but this gives opportunity to people who steal your data and sell it to big companies.

This is a vicious cycle and you like a sitting duck. If you think I am being dramatic, here is a thought for you:

Have you ever wondered that if you are browsing a website for online shopping and you open your Facebook and see the similar ads there? – Even when the shopping site and Facebook are not connected in any way. How do you think that is happening? – Answer: big companies and private scrappers track your data and sell it to companies.

But all is not lost; you can still protect yourself. You can make use of something called VPN – Virtual Private Network that hides your IP and your identity. You can safely browser without a care in this world.

Here are five apps that we think are most suited for iPhone users. Let us know what you think:

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a great VPN app for both Android and iOS users. It is particularly handy if you are a torrent user. It has specially designed components for allowing great torrent speeds and similar peer to peer activity. ExpressVPN covers more than 100 locations in the world with more than 2,000 servers.

ExpressVPN has no free trial which is a little bit of a letdown. But you do get a 30 day no questions asked money back guarantee which is essentially the same thing. So even if you try and don’t like it, you are covered. Upon request of refusal to continue, you will get 100% refund.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN is an app that ensures security – I know all VPN apps are supposed to do that but some have greater security measures in place. NordVPN uses two layers of encryption on your data. This process is normally called double encryption. It is inspired by the TOR (The Onion Routing) technique.

One subscription of NordVPN works on six different iOS devices at a time. Some critics say that NordVPN is not as speedy as some of the other apps but it still works. NordVPN is highly recommended from us. I personally have been using this app for some time now, without a glitch.

3. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access or PIA is a decent VPN app that is a mixture of everything. It is secure, it is fast and it is well priced between $3.33 and $6.95 per month. They have a 0-log policy and do not store any of your information on their servers – coming in or going out.

PIA also features a very solid tool called MACE. MACE specializes in malware and ad blocking and it further protects your device from harmful features. You can swiftly set it up and start using it. MACE allows you to download files and videos from unknown sources as well. This is a great plus point for torrent users and frequent downloaders.

4. IPVanish

IPVanish uses advanced encryption standard called AES. This is the latest and most effective form of data encryption and with it torrent downloading becomes completely protected. IPVanish is a high-end app. It is not for beginners, it is an app suitable for pros.

Some people say that user-friendliness could’ve been cranked up a notch, but our reviewers found it very easy to use. You also get a free trial period for 7 days, which might be a little bit less than you’d like but enough to weigh out all the features.

5. PureVPN

PureVPN is a HongKong based privacy company and it is known in the world as one of the biggest companies. They have around 800 servers in more than 150 countries.

PureVPN is a good service that balances out well between speed and security. You also get 7-day money back guarantee. If you don’t like PureVPN like vpn беларусь, you will get a full refund straight away.

Author bio: Nuur Hasan is a software developer, web developer and a technical writer with more than seven years of experience. He believes that sharing knowledge can do wonders and that is why he likes to blog. His other interests include politics and sports.