sNova VPNVPN for iPhone: what it does and how to turn it on
A VPN on your iPhone sends your internet traffic through a server before it reaches the website or app you are using. The network you are on sees only an encrypted stream to that server. Here is what that changes in practice, and how to switch it on in one tap.
What changes when the VPN is on
Two things. First, the Wi‑Fi or mobile network you are connected to cannot read your traffic or see which sites and apps you use. It sees one encrypted connection to a VPN server, nothing more. Second, the sites you visit see the address of that server instead of your own, so they know the country of the server, not your location on the map.
What a VPN does not do: it does not make you invisible, it does not stop a site from recognising you once you log in, and it does not replace the lock on your phone. It protects the path between your phone and the internet, and that is exactly the part that is exposed on a network you do not control.
When it is worth turning on
On public Wi‑Fi in a cafe, airport or hotel, where anyone on the same network can watch unencrypted traffic. On a network that blocks or slows down the apps you rely on. When you are abroad and want your usual apps and sites to behave as they do at home.
The rest of the time you can leave it off. sNova counts only the bytes you send through it, so nothing is used while it is off.
Setting it up on iPhone
Install sNova VPN from the App Store and open it. The first time, iOS asks for permission to add a VPN configuration; tap Allow. That is the whole setup. There is no account to create, no email to confirm and no card to enter: free traffic is already on your device.
To connect, swipe the control at the bottom of the screen. The ring shows how much of your allowance is left and how long the session has run. Leave the country on Optimal and sNova picks the fastest server, or tap the country field and choose a country yourself.
To turn it off, tap the connected control. You can also see and remove the configuration in Settings › General › VPN & Device Management at any time.
What the free allowance covers
Hours of music, a good stretch of video in standard quality, or a great many hours of messaging, maps and reading. sNova shows what you have used today and over the last 30 days, so there are no surprises. When the free allowance runs out you can invite a friend, which gives you both extra traffic, or switch to Unlimited.
Questions
Does a VPN drain the iPhone battery?
Slightly, because traffic is encrypted on the phone. In everyday use the difference is small; the screen and the radio use far more.
Can I use sNova on iPad as well?
Yes. The app runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later. The free allowance belongs to each device; an Unlimited subscription follows your Apple Account.
Does sNova see which sites I visit?
No. The servers do not log visited sites or inspect content. What we keep, and why, is listed in the Privacy Policy.
Updated: 2026-09-08