Best VPNs for Streaming

We’ve been hard at work testing to find the best VPNs for streaming. With much of the world locked down or restricted, the ability to stream content has become much more important than ever before.

And when you find yourself streaming content for hours every day, what once seemed like an unlimited supply of local content, suddenly seems, well, limited.

If you aren’t locked down somewhere, congratulations! In this case, you are probably reading this because you need to stream restricted content that you are being blocked from.

Whatever your situation, you are here because you need a VPN (Virtual Private Network ) to view streaming content. And you know that not just any VPN will do.

The requirements for streaming blocked content from multiple sources around the world are pretty stringent. Most VPNs can’t make the grade.

To save you the time and headaches of finding VPNs that do make the grade, we did the work for you. We’ve already updated you on the best VPNs for Netflix. That makes sense since Netflix is the service most desired by people around the world. But there are lots of other quality streaming media services you might want to connect to.

So we expanded our testing a bit to give you this review of the best VPNs for media streaming, internationally, nationally, whatever it takes, wherever the content is that you need.

The result is this guide. We found four VPNs that will give you the best results for media streaming using the vast amount of blocked content from around the world.

The criteria for making our Best VPNs for streaming list

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

1. The ability to unblock US Netflix and other restricted content.
2. A fast-enough, reliable-enough server network that you can enjoy streaming HD content without interruptions.
3. Responsive technical support that can help you with general issues as well as problems connecting with a specific streaming service.
4. Quality apps for a range of streaming devices, not just your PC or smartphone.
5. Good performance across the range of supported devices and VPN servers.
6. The ability to serve as a great general-purpose VPN, not just a streaming media tool.

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

Here are the best VPNs for streaming:

1. NordVPN – Best VPN for streaming media

NordVPN is an excellent all-around VPN service and has earned the title as the best VPN for streaming in 2020. It effectively unblocks streaming media and smoothly delivers it to your device, wherever you happen to be located in the world. This VPN service is built on 5,400 fast VPN servers spread across 59 countries, giving you great access to the best streaming media services around the world.

The large server network provides access to all the major Netflix libraries around the world, along with other top-notch streaming services like Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, HBO, and Hulu. Don’t worry if you prefer some of the lesser-known streaming hangouts like Crackle. NordVPN will probably work with them too (yes, we tested it, and Crackle streams like a charm with NordVPN servers).

NordVPN helps you stream to the devices you want to use: computers, smartphones, and tablets of course. But also Android TV boxes, Smart TVs even FireSticks and Fire TVs. It even has a dedicated app in the Amazon store if you want to use a VPN for Firestick and Fire TV.

NordVPN is no slouch when it comes to classic VPN characteristics. It is based in Panama, keeps no logs of your online activities, and every one of its 5,000+ servers runs on dedicated hardware in RAM-disk mode, the latest in VPN server security. An audit by VerSprite confirmed their network security, while another audit by PWC AG verified that they really do keep no-logs of your IP address or anything else.

Even beyond its ability to unblock streaming content, NordVPN also delivers on privacy features:

• CyberSec – This blocks ads, stops trackers, and prevents malware domains from doing you harm.
• Double-VPN servers – These encrypt and route traffic through two VPN servers, making tracking your activities even more difficult for online snoops.
• Tor-over-VPN servers – These combine the anonymity of the Tor network with the security and privacy of NordVPN’s VPN server network.
• Obfuscated servers – These make your VPN traffic look like HTTPS encrypted traffic, allowing you to get around blocks and restrictions (important if you need a VPN for China).

We already alluded to NordVPN’s raw speed, but it also came out on top as the fastest VPN we have tested. Here is one of our speed test results with a NordVPN server in Seattle, giving us 445 Mbps!

NordVPN has more than enough speed and reliability for full HD streaming and any other high-bandwidth activity. Then there is NordLynx, which is NordVPN’s implementation of the WireGuard VPN protocol. This offers the latest cutting-edge security with the best performance.

Customer support: Users have access to 24/7 live chat support directly through the website, a major benefit if you run into a technical glitch or need to know which server works best for streaming. Finally, NordVPN also offers a 30 day money-back guarantee that will give you plenty of time to test-drive the VPN with any streaming service.

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

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2. ExpressVPN – A user-friendly VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is another fast, reliable VPN service that is great for unblocking Netflix and other streaming services. In comparison to NordVPN, ExpressVPN has more server locations, spanning 94 different countries. This may give it an edge with the most comprehensive coverage for streaming media from remote regions.

With an ExpressVPN subscription you gain the ability to unblock all major Netflix libraries around the world. Additionally, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Amazon Prime Video and Hulu, as well as an unknown number of smaller, less popular streaming services.

ExpressVPN has apps for most any device or operating system you might want to use for streaming, including support for Smart TVs through their MediaStreamer smart DNS service.

ExpressVPN also excels at the traditional VPN features. It may not be as far out on the cutting edge of VPN tech as NordVPN is, but what ExpressVPN does, it does extremely well. Based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands, this is a fast, secure, private, VPN with a strong no logs policy. It has passed independent audits for security and to verify that it is a no-logs VPN that remains true to its policies.

Customer Support is top-notch. We contacted their 24/7 live chat support with a problem connecting to one of the streaming services. It took just a few minutes for a Support tech to diagnose the problem and get me streaming the content I was looking for.

You can feel safe giving ExpressVPN a good, thorough trial since they offer you a 30 day money-back guarantee.

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

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

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

Surfshark is a relative newcomer (launched in 2018) to the VPN world that is quickly gaining a first-class reputation. They have a large network of 1,700+ servers spread across 63 countries. More importantly for this review, their network is almost as fast as our #1 and #2 picks, and they do a great job of unblocking streaming services around the world.

They have the ability to unlock at least 10 Netflix regional libraries, and are hard at work expanding the list. Of course to make this list they have to work with more than just Netflix, and they do, checking the boxes for all the major services.

When it comes to the regular VPN stuff like securing you privacy against all the snoops and creeps out there, Surfshark ranks at or near the top in almost every category. It earned good marks from Cure53 in a security audit of their mobile device browser extensions, which boosts our confidence in the overall security of the service.

On the advanced VPN tech front, Surfshark offers some of the same tools as NordVPN:

• CleanWeb to block ads, trackers, and malware domains
• Double-VPN servers that encrypt traffic over two hops
• Obfuscation features to conceal VPN traffic as regular HTTPS encryption

In addition to the above, Surfshark has two areas where it really stands out. First, they support an unlimited number of simultaneous connections in a single account. This is particularly important if streaming is a big part of your family life.

Most VPN services support 5 or 6 simultaneous users. If you add consuming streaming content to the normal use of computers and smartphones, it is easy to see how you could need more than 6 simultaneous connections in a typical household. Surfshark eliminates that concern completely.

The other standout feature of Surfshark is its price. Using the discount offer below, you can have that unlimited number of connections for a crazy price of only $2.49 per month! With unlimited connections and a super-low price (best cheap VPN), you might think that Surfshark has to be cutting corners somewhere. But if they are, we can’t find it.

They still offer quality apps for a large range of devices, 24/7 live chat support, and a 30 day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is definitely worth considering, especially if you have a bunch of people in the house who spend time streaming online.

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

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4. VyprVPN – Reliability and affordability in a solid VPN for streaming

VyprVPN clocks in at #4 on our list of the best VPNs for streaming media of all sorts. While they have fewer servers than the other VPNs on this list (700+), those servers are distributed across 60+ countries, giving VyprVPN an excellent footprint for access to the world’s best streaming media sources.

With VyprVPN, you gain access to three of the most important Netflix regional libraries and the rest of the streaming services listed above.

Their network isn’t quite as fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, but they are good enough to get the job done. This may change as VyprVPN is working to integrate WireGuard into their system.

VyprVPN easily handles all the basic VPN chores. They’ve passed a third-party audit of their system, and offer useful additional features like their own DNS servers, additional security for accessing cloud servers, and their Chameleon protocol for bypassing internet censorship.

Like the rest of our recommendations VyprVPN offers 24/7 customer support and a 30 day money-back guarantee.

Streaming services unblocked: Netflix (US, UK, and Germany), Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO.

Website: https://VyprVPN.com

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

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Best VPNs for Streaming FAQs

We’ve looked at the best VPNs for streaming media. But when it comes to streaming content, many people have questions beyond which VPN to use.

In this section we’ll cover the most common questions related to VPNs and streaming content.

Here are the questions we’ll answer:

• Do you need a VPN for streaming
• Which VPN is best for streaming
• How to unblock Netflix
• How to access streaming services from another country
• Why streaming services block VPN users
• How much speed you need with a VPN to stream video

Do you need a VPN for streaming?

If you don’t care about privacy or security and just want to access local media, you may not need a VPN for streaming. For example, if you just want to stream Netflix USA from somewhere within the USA, in most cases all you will need is internet access.

However there are many cases where using a VPN can offer big improvements for media streaming. Some Internet Service Providers still throttle streaming content. That is, they reduce the speed of your connection if they detect that you are streaming video, or using “too much” of their network’s capacity. A VPN encrypts your connection, making it impossible for your ISP to see what you are doing online.

One big reason to use a VPN is to protect your privacy. After all, it is no one else’s business what streaming content you consume. Streaming while using a VPN prevents various parties from spying on what you are doing online. This is especially important if you are using a VPN for torrenting to avoid copyright issues.

The biggest reason you might need a VPN for streaming is to access geo-restricted content. Many services check your physical location (represented by your IP address) and see if you are located within their service area. A VPN lets you change your IP address and apparent physical location to the location of the VPN server you are connected to.

By choosing the right VPN server with a good VPN for streaming, you can convince the streaming service that you are located in their region so they will let you view the content.

Which VPN is best for streaming?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question depends on your definition of “best.” If you consider the best to be the fastest connection, the answer is NordVPN with its NordLynx protocol.

If you consider the best to be the VPN with the best overall ratings, the answer is ExpressVPN.

If you consider the best to be the VPN service that works on the most different devices, you are looking at Surfshark or ExpressVPN.

How to access streaming services from a different country

There are many reasons that you might want or need to get access to streaming services in another country. Since most streaming services place geo-restrictions on where their content can be viewed, a VPN is the vital to getting access when it would otherwise be blocked.

But as we’ve seen in this post, most VPN services aren’t up to the job. What you need is one of the best VPNs for streaming content, and a reliable internet connection. Here’s how you get the job done, step-by-step:

Step 1: Get a VPN that works well with streaming services

You saw our recommendations for the best VPNs for streaming content. Here they are again:

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

Sign up for one of these services, then come back here.

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

Leading VPN services often have apps for devices beyond just computers and smartphones. ExpressVPN and Surfshark are leaders here, with support for many streaming-capable devices such as smart TVs and consoles like Xbox and Playstation.

You can find the software for any supported device on the VPN service’s website.

Step 3: Connect to a VPN server

Launch the VPN app on your streaming device. Select a server in the country you want to stream content from, not the country you are currently in. Wherever possible, connect to the server in the target country that is the closest to your present location. This should give you the best performance.

For example, say you want to stream US Netflix and you are sitting in Mexico right now. You should choose a US server located in someplace nearby, like Texas, rather than someplace far away, like New Jersey.

Note: The above advice is a general rule. In some cases, you may need to stream through a specific server in the target country, regardless of its physical location. Check with your VPN service if you are not sure which servers to use.

Step 4: Enjoy streaming content from anywhere in the world

Once you are connected to the right server in the target country, just log in to 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.

Why streaming services block VPN users

Several major streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and the BBC make an effort to block VPN users from accessing their services. You shouldn’t need to use a VPN for accessing BBC iPlayer, which is free anyway.

From the perspective of a user, this doesn’t make any sense. After all, you are paying for your Netflix account, so why should you be blocked from using it just because you are on vacation in a different country?

The answer is that the people who hold the copyrights to streaming content want it that way. 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.

Reportedly, the contracts that streaming services sign with copyright holders require the streaming services to block people from outside the licensed region from seeing the content.

The streaming services have to acquiesce if they want the licenses, resulting in legitimate users being blocked from the content they pay for because they happen to be outside an arbitrary border.

This way of doing business also provides lucrative jobs for middlemen and gatekeepers who produce nothing while blocking regular people from access to content, media, websites, etc.

How fast does my VPN need to be for streaming?

The speed of your VPN is important, but what is really important is to be able to stream content of an acceptable quality.

Getting acceptable quality streaming depends not only on the high-speed connections within your VPN, but also the speed of your internet connection and the exact, real-world locations of yourself, the VPN server, and the streaming media servers.

This being the case, let’s attack the problem by first looking at the speeds you need to attain for various video qualities, then by looking at things you can do to get the best speed out of what you have to work with.

Speed and quality

Here are some benchmarks for streaming speed and quality:

500 Kbps = Minimum quality

1,500 Kbps [1.5 Mbps] = Normal quality (less than 480p)

3,000 Kbps [3 Mbps] = SD quality (480p or better)

5,000 Kbps [5 Mbps] = HD quality (720p or better)

25,000 Kbps [25 Mbps] = Ultra HD quality (1080p or better)

Optimizing the speed of your connection

Let’s assume you can’t change your physical location, or the physical location of the streaming service. That leaves you with a few things you can change: the speed of your VPN, the speed of your internet connection, and the VPN server you connect to.

All else being equal, a faster VPN that can unblock the streaming service you want to use will give you a faster connection. The fastest VPNs we know of that are also capable of unblocking most streaming services are NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Choosing one of those will address this part of the speed equation.

All else being equal, a faster internet connection will give you better streaming results. If you are unhappy with the quality of your streaming content, try upgrading your internet service.

Why the last thing, the location of the VPN server you use, matters isn’t so obvious. The reason is because messages traveling through the internet take longer the farther they need to travel. Connecting to a VPN server instead of directly to the streaming service always make the signal travel farther.

How much farther is the question. Say you are located in Monterrey, Mexico and you want to connect to a streaming service in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

You can reach the streaming service in New Orleans using any VPN server located in the United States. You could, for example, use a VPN server located in San Antonio, Texas (green circle). That server is almost directly between Monterrey and New Orleans, which means connecting to it doesn’t force messages to travel much further than if you had a direct connection to New Orleans.

You can also reach the streaming service in New Orleans using a VPN server located in Miama, Florida (blue circle). But this connection will be much slower since messages between you and the streaming service have to travel thousands of kilometers out of the way to reach the VPN server in Miami.

To get the best speed and reliability, choose the VPN server that is located within the geographic region the streaming service supports (the United States in our example). If there is more than one VPN server available in the region, choose the one that is physically closest to you. Doing this will minimize the latency (delays) in the connection and should give you the best streaming performance possible in your circumstances.

Best VPNs for streaming conclusion

Finding the best VPN for streaming media is more important than ever in this crazy, locked-down world of ours. With a streaming-ready VPN, you’ll be able to:

• Stream content from the US Netflix library and others, no matter which Netflix region you happen to be located in
• Stream great content from major services like Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu as well as hundreds of lesser-known streaming services
• Gain all the privacy and security benefits that a quality VPN can provide

While today each of our recommended VPN services can unblock Netflix and other services, realize that VPN services and streaming media services are engaged in an unending war. The VPN server that gives you access to your favorite content today may fail miserably tomorrow. And the next day your VPN service may have 10 new servers that can make the connection. This is why 24/7 customer support is important. Never hesitate to contact support if you can’t get into a particular streaming service. They will be able to help you quickly unblock access to the content you seek.

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Last updated with new info on August 18, 2020.