Best VPNs for Hulu

Today we are going to take a look at the best VPNs for Hulu. So why would you want to stream Hulu with a VPN service and how do you find the best one for the task? This Hulu VPN guide will answer all these questions and more.

Hulu has some excellent content, and with all the events of the past few years, more people are streaming content online than ever before. Unfortunately, Hulu is only available to users in the United States and Japan. If you are physically outside of those areas, you will need a VPN to access Hulu — otherwise you’ll be blocked.

This geo-blocking takes place, even if you are a paying subscriber and a resident of the USA or Japan. If you are not physically located in the geographic region covered by your Hulu description, accessing the service can be challenging.

To stream Hulu from anywhere in the world, you’ll need a good VPN (virtual private network). VPNs have the ability to make it appear that you are connecting from a different geographic location than where you are physically located.

WARNING: Hulu can detect and block most VPN services. Only a few VPNs are capable of consistently defeating the Hulu geo-blocking technology to give you access to the content you pay for. To save you lots of time and effort, we’ve done the testing and narrowed the field down to the four best VPNs that work with Hulu streaming.

Let’s dive right in by looking at the criteria we used to select these Hulu VPNs.

Hulu VPN ranking criteria

Here are the criteria we used when deciding which VPNs make the grade:

1. The ability to defeat Hulu’s geo-blocking technology.
2. A global server network that can deliver streaming content in HD without interruptions worldwide.
3. Easy-to-use apps that work across the range of devices where you might want to stream Hulu content.
4. The ability to serve as a great general-purpose VPN, not simply stream Hulu content.
5. A strong technical support team that can help you get connected to Hulu if you have issues and also help with any general problems you might have.

Now that we’ve covered the ranking criteria, let’s examine the top performers.

Here are the best VPNs for Hulu:

1. NordVPN – Top VPN for Hulu

NordVPN is a well-known VPN service that consistently ranks as one of the best in the world. In our testing, NordVPN also ranks as the best VPN for Hulu users. With over 5,200 fast VPN servers spread across 59 countries, this Panama-based service can definitely deliver the goods when it comes to streaming Hulu (and virtually any other service as well).

While testing out NordVPN with Hulu, we were impressed with the service’s ability to deliver movies without any problems, blocks, or buffering, despite the fact that we were connecting from over 2,000 miles away.

NordVPN is consistently one of the fastest VPNs with the NordLynx VPN protocol. NordLynx is a custom implementation of the new, super-fast WireGuard VPN protocol. This delivers the fastest speeds possible, instant connections, and cutting edge encryption.

We found WireGuard with NordLynx to give NordVPN a huge performance advantage over other VPNs. You can see this in recent tests for the NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison. Below is the result we got on a recent speed test using a NordVPN server in Seattle (USA). At 445 Mbps, this makes NordVPN the fastest VPN for Hulu we tested:

NordVPN supports a wide range of devices beyond computers and smartphones. If you want to watch Hulu on some particular device, NordVPN probably has an app for it. And if your particular interest is watching Hulu or do other unblocking activities on Amazon devices, then you’ll want to check out our guide on the best VPNs for Firestick and Fire TV.

NordVPN ticks all the boxes for a general-purpose VPN too. They are a no-logs VPN, a fact which has been verified by PWC AG. Their VPN servers all run on dedicated hardware in RAM-disk mode. This type of diskless operation is a major privacy boost as it secures your data against the threat of someone physically removing a VPN server or disk drives. An audit by VerSprite confirmed that their network and apps really are secure.

NordVPN really excels in the area of advanced privacy and security features. Here are some of the highlights that we covered in the NordVPN review:

• CyberSec, a feature to block trackers, ads, malware, and phishing domains
• Double-VPN servers that encrypt traffic over two hops
• Tor-over-VPN servers that add an additional layer of encryption with the Tor network
• Obfuscated servers that conceal VPN traffic to look like regular HTTPS encryption (an important feature if you need a VPN for China)

NordVPN also offers top-notch customer service with 24/7 live chat support through their website. They also back all subscriptions up with a  30 day money-back guarantee. This gives you plenty of time to test-drive the VPN with any streaming service.

Non-Hulu streaming services unblocked: Netflix (US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Australia, India, Italy, and possibly other regions), BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, HBO, DAZN, SkyGo, Hotstar, and many more.

Want to learn more? Check out our full NordVPN review.

---

2. Surfshark – A strong streaming VPN with a low price tag

Surfshark holds the second spot on our list of the best VPNs for Hulu. As a relative newcomer in the VPN world, Surfshark is something of a prodigy. That’s because it has quickly vaulted to near the top of the pack among VPNs across a wide range of use cases. Defeating Hulu’s geo-blocking is just one of this VPN’s skills.

Surfshark has a network of 3,200+ servers spread across 63 countries. This gives you a huge selection of servers for unblocking Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, or nearly any other streaming service. Surfshark runs as a no-logs VPN service with all servers operating in RAM-disk mode for more data security.

Surfshark offers quality apps for all the popular devices and operating systems, including computers, tablets, phones, gaming systems, and more. They also have browser extensions that have been audited by Cure53 and are ranked as the best Chrome VPN extension.

As you would expect for any service that made this list, Surfshark handles regular VPN tasks with ease. They use industry-standard encryption to ensure that your activities are secure. Like ExpressVPN, they are based in the British Virgin Islands, a safe and privacy-friendly jurisdiction. And like NordVPN, Surfshark also offers some great privacy and security features:

• CleanWeb, a feature that blocks ads, trackers, and malware domains
• Double-VPN servers, which provide additional security by encrypting your traffic through two of their servers
• Obfuscation, a tech that makes your VPN traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic, so no one knows you are using a VPN
• Full support for WireGuard, a fast, secure, and lightweight VPN protocol
• Split tunneling that allows you to router certain apps or websites outside of the encrypted VPN tunnel

If you have a lot of devices to connect to Hulu (or the internet in general), you’ll be interested to know that each Surfshark account supports an unlimited number of simultaneous internet connections in a single account. No need to fight over who gets to use the last connection when you have Surfshark.

Surfshark support staff also performed well in our tests and interactions. They have 24/7 live chat support and a 30 day money-back guarantee if for some reason the service doesn’t meet your needs.

Non-Hulu streaming services unblocked: Netflix (US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Italy, South Korea, Germany, Japan, Norway and working on more), Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, HBO, SlingTV, and more.

Want more information about Surfshark? Read our full Surfshark review.

---

2. ExpressVPN – A user-friendly VPN for Hulu

ExpressVPN is the third service on our list of the best VPNs for Hulu. Like our other top recommendations, ExpressVPN has a large network of fast global servers. This includes over 3,000 servers in 94 countries. This provides access to all major regions for unblock Hulu, as well as Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney Plus, and more.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Island and is an audited no-logs VPN service. They run all servers in RAM-disk mode and utilize strong encryption standards with all apps. Unlike NordVPN and Surfshark, however, ExpressVPN offers the Lightway protocol, which promises better speeds and security than OpenVPN.

ExpressVPN also supports a large number of operating systems and devices with secure and reliable VPN apps. This is a great VPN for gaming systems, TV Boxes, and even has a dedicated app for Firestick. It is one of the best VPNs for Amazon Prime Video and unblocks numerous services with ease.

Below is the ExpressVPN Windows VPN app we tested out for the review. You can see that the VPN app is simple and user-friendly, with a clean and minimal design.

And like Surfshark and NordVPN, ExpressVPN also offers 24/7 live chat support. Additionally, they have lots of guides and videos on their website to help you get the VPN set up correctly for Hulu. You can feel safe giving ExpressVPN a good, thorough trial since they offer you a 30 day money-back guarantee.

Non-Hulu streaming services unblocked: Netflix (US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany, along with other non-English-speaking regions), Amazon Prime, ESPN, HBO, SlingTV, and many more.

Want to learn more? Check out our full ExpressVPN review.

---

4. VyprVPN – Reliable and affordable VPN for Hulu

VyprVPN is another great VPN for Hulu that offers excellent privacy features and supports many streaming services. In the past year, they’ve made a big push to support all types of streaming services, from Hulu to Netflix.

VyprVPN doesn’t have thousands of servers like the other members of this list, but with 700+ servers in 64 countries, you’ll be able to access all your favorite content. And like NordVPN and Surfshark, VyprVPN supports the WireGuard VPN protocol and delivers excellent speeds. You can see these great speed test results in our VyprVPN vs NordVPN comparison (NordVPN came out on top, however).

Being an audited, no-logs VPN based in Switzerland, VyprVPN scores high marks for privacy. They operate their own secure DNS servers and also offer the Chameleon protocol for disguising your internet traffic and getting around VPN blocks. This is a useful feature if you need a VPN for UAE, China, or work and school networks that block VPNs.

Like our recommendations, VyprVPN provides users with 24/7 customer support and a 30 day money-back guarantee.

Non-Hulu streaming services unblocked: Netflix (US, UK, and Germany), Amazon Prime Video, and HBO.

Website: https://VyprVPN.com

Want to learn more? Check out our full VyprVPN review.

---

Hulu VPN FAQs

We’ve just talked a lot about the best VPN services for Hulu. But people often have more general questions. Here are the most common questions we’ve heard and the answers to them.

Here are the questions we’ll answer:

• Do I need a VPN for Hulu?
• Which VPN is best for Hulu?
• How do I access Hulu from another country?
• Why does Hulu block VPN users?

Do you need a VPN for Hulu?

If you are in the USA or Japan and want to access Hulu, you may not need to use a VPN. Online snoops will be able to see what you are watching, but if you don’t mind that, you should be fine.

That said, you may still want to use a VPN even in this situation. Believe it or not, some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) throttle streaming content. When they detect that you are streaming Hulu (or other streaming services) they automatically slow down your connection. Why? Because it is cheaper for them to slow down everyone who is streaming content than it is to upgrade their system to support the demand on it. If you use a VPN with such an ISP, they can’t tell that you are watching Hulu so won’t know that they “need to” cripple your connection.

Another reason to use a VPN with Hulu is to protect your privacy. No one else (except I guess Hulu) has a right to know what you are watching. Using a VPN prevents anyone from spying on your connection to see what you are watching. This would be especially important if you are using your VPN for torrenting as well as for watching Hulu content.

The most common reason people use a VPN with Hulu is because they are physically located in a region that Hulu doesn’t support. Hulu checks your physical location (represented by your IP address) and other characteristics to see if you are located within their service area. If not, they block you from accessing their content, even though you might be a paid customer.

The four VPNs we cover in this guide let you change your IP address and apparent physical location by connecting to a VPN server located in Hulu territory (the United State or Japan). Because Hulu sees the IP address and other data for the VPN server instead of your device, Hulu thinks you are physically at the location provided by the VPN server, and lets you connect normally.

Which VPN is best for Hulu?

Based on our tests, the best VPN for Hulu is NordVPN with its NordLynx protocol.

However, all four of the VPNs profiled in this article are good choices for viewing Hulu. We suggest you take advantage of the 30 day money-back guarantees offered by these services. Try the VPN that looks best to you. Don’t like it or having problems, try one of the other three. Any one of these VPNs is a good choice, so you can’t really lose.

How do I stream Hulu from another country?

If you need to access Hulu from another country, you will need to invest in one of the VPN services profiled in this article. Here are the steps you need to follow.

Step 1: Get a VPN that works with Hulu

Sign up for one of the four quality Hulu VPNs profiled in this article:

1. NordVPN
2. Surfshark
3. ExpressVPN
4. VyprVPN

Step 2: Install the VPN on the device(s) you will stream to

Unless you are doing something very exotic, you should be able to find a VPN app that works with whichever device you plan to use to view Hulu.

Step 3: Connect to one of the VPN’s servers

Launch the VPN app device. Select a server in the USA or Japan (whichever country you have your Hulu account). If you are using the USA version of Hulu, try to use the VPN server that is closest to you, while still being in the United States. This should give you the best performance.

Step 4: Enjoy streaming Hulu content regardless of where you are physically located

Once you are connected to the right server in the target country, just log in to the streaming service normally. Assuming the VPN you are using knows how to unblock the service you want to stream, that service will think you are just another local user.

Does Hulu block VPNs?

Hulu and other major streaming services (Netflix in particular) make a major effort to block VPN users from accessing their services.

This doesn’t seem to make any sense, since you have to be a paying customer to log into Hulu anyway. But what makes sense to us doesn’t matter to the people who own the rights to the content on Hulu.

By dividing the world into regions and licensing content to each region based on its value in that region, the copyright holders can maximize profits from their content. While Hulu only has the two regions to worry about, our guess is that the content owners license their stuff to different streaming services in the regions that Hulu doesn’t handle.

Many people find these kinds of restrictions to be, well, unnecessarily restrictive, and make the small investment in a VPN necessary to circumvent the geo-blocking.

Conclusion: Using VPNs with Hulu

If you love your Hulu shows, finding the best VPN for Hulu is extra important today. Not only will a VPN help you stream content, it also offers an added layer of security and privacy. This is important when using public WiFi or for protecting your privacy and online browsing from third parties.

By subscribing to one of the best VPNs for Hulu in this guide, you will be able to:

• Stream Hulu content no matter where in the world you happen to be located in the world
• Stream great content from other services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer, and who knows how many of the little services that are popping up everywhere
• Protect your online privacy in a world where nearly everything you do online is tracked by various third parties, including your internet service provider

And remember, while we confirmed that each of your recommended VPNs can unblock Hulu today, this is an ongoing battle. The particular VPN servers we tested with today all worked. But they may not work tomorrow.

However, each of the VPNs we recommend has major incentives to maintain their reputations as the best VPNs for unblocking Hulu. If you can’t connect to Hulu, contact customer support immediately. They are available 24/7 and will be able to help you quickly get connected again.

---

---

---

---

Last updated on July 5, 2021 with new information.