If you're using a VPN only to block ads, consider https://blokada.org (Android) or DnsCloak (iOS) [0]. Both these open-source apps run a local-only (no servers) split-VPNs (tunnel port 53 traffic to remote DNS resolvers). Whilst Blokada NXDOMAINs ads and trackers using on-device blacklists, DnsCloak can forward queries to any DnsCrypt or DoH resolver (for ad-blocking purposes, one could use AdGuard [1]).
If you want to point Android/iOS to a custom DoH/DoT resolver, https://getintra.org (Android) does DoH whilst Nebulo (iOS and Android) [2] does DoT. Setting up DoH/DoT resolvers (say, using NLNet's Unbound) might be cheaper than a full fledged VPN?
If you want to point Android/iOS to a custom DoH/DoT resolver, https://getintra.org (Android) does DoH whilst Nebulo (iOS and Android) [2] does DoT. Setting up DoH/DoT resolvers (say, using NLNet's Unbound) might be cheaper than a full fledged VPN?
[0] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dnscloak-secure-dns-client/id1...
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18788410
[2] https://git.frostnerd.com/PublicAndroidApps/smokescreen