So I know VPN’s encrypt your data… but what exactly does it protect on your phone?
Does it encrypt my text messages/phone calls/photos? Or does it only protect me when I log into my bank app to check my account, or when I am using my mobile web browser?
In short, no it doesn’t encrypt your phone calls, text messages. Yes it does encrypt your mobile web browser, bank app.
It means that when you connect to a random coffee shop’s wifi network, and someone else in the coffee shop is trying to intercept your traffic to figure out your bank account details, passwords, or just the sites you visit, they’ll only be able to see a bunch of unreadable data going to your VPN provider.
It won’t encrypt your text messages, phone calls or photos on your phone. If you send an SMS or take a call, they’re going over a separate network (GSM/3G/etc. - your phone number).
Anything that uses the Internet. So your phone calls and SMS won’t touched by the VPN but still your browsing activity and apps that use the Internet will be.
The “What is a VPN” section of the sub’s wiki might help you here.
But your banking app/website should be using encryption anyway to stop anyone from snooping.
In a perfect world any website that takes information or a username and password should be encrypted.