To keep you busy during the lockdown, you’ve probably spent a lot of your free time binge-watching TV shows and movies on streaming platforms like Netflix, caught up with all the good stuff in HBO Max and Peacock, or surrendered to the world of life Tv with FuboTV or YouTube TV. While modern streaming sites have thousands of TV shows and movies in their catalogs, there is always something you really want to watch that isn’t available in your area.
What you may not realize is that there is a quick and easy solution to this annoying problem: downloading a VPN (virtual private network) app. One of these services allows you to bypass geographic restrictions and watch streaming content that is typically out of range due to location.
VPN apps can also transform the streaming experience by protecting against issues that affect overall performance, with bandwidth throttling and denial-of-service attacks notable examples. However, which VPN service is best for streaming? There are certainly a ton of them on the market, and ahead of the Super Bowl this Sunday, we’ve ranked our favorites in this article.
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Best Overall VPN for Streaming: ExpressVPN
The British Virgin Islands company is not only the best overall VPN service of 2021, it is also the best provider for unblocking TV streaming services and content around the world.
Since ExpressVPN offers more than 3,000 high-speed servers in 94 countries, it is very easy to access geo-restricted streaming platforms and content through this service. It is able to unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, YouTube and many other streaming sites.
With apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and other operating systems, ExpressVPN lets you stream TV shows and movies on any device in your house. You will also find that the apps are incredibly easy to use, especially as you can quickly connect to the fastest server with a simple tap. Unfortunately, ExpressVPN only works on five devices at the same time.
With unlimited bandwidth, you should never experience slow streaming speeds while connected to one of ExpressVPN’s global servers. It also features IP address masking, network kill switch, private DNS, AES-256 encryption, strict no-logging policy, built-in speed test, VPN split tunneling, TrustedServer technology, guides, 24/7 customer support and more.
ExpressVPN is the best streaming service thanks to its super fast servers, compatibility with the best streaming websites, multi-platform apps and great features.
Best Value VPN for Streaming VPN for Value: Surfshark
Looking for a great streaming VPN that also offers great value for money? The provider for you is Surfshark, which charges less than $ 3 per month for a premium plan.
Surfshark includes over 3,200 high-speed servers in 65 countries, which means you can easily access streaming services around the world. It works with a range of popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and many more.
But probably Surfshark’s main draw is its unlimited device policy. This allows you to use a VPN on all your connected devices. It supports a range of operating systems including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac and Linux. Overall, the Surfshark app looks great and is very easy to use.
While Surfshark is one of the best streaming VPNs, it’s great for other usage scenarios too. With malware, phishing, web tracking and ad blocking capabilities, Surfshark adds extra protection to your devices. There’s also a no-logging policy, a kill switch, private DNS and leak protection, a camouflage mode, AES-256 encryption, a variety of secure protocols, a whitelisting feature, 24/7 support, and more.
Surfshark is an excellent streaming VPN as it offers thousands of super fast servers and unlimited device policies, but it is also the most affordable provider.
Most VPN for Streaming Features: NordVPN
Nord is another big name in the VPN space, and if you want to unblock streaming sites around the world, you’re definitely in luck as it offers over 5,500 VPN servers in over 59 countries.
In addition to an extensive server network, NordVPN also offers access to a large list of streaming services. These include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, DAZN, and others. What’s also helpful is that NordVPN has created insightful guides on how to use its platform for secure access to streaming services.
Like any other premium VPN provider, Nord works on a wide variety of operating systems and devices. You can download the easy-to-use VPN client on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux and other platforms. One of the best things about the app is that there is a quick connect button to automatically select the best available server for speed. While NordVPN’s six-device policy isn’t the smallest, it still limits users.
NordVPN may have some excellent streaming options up its sleeve, but it’s also one of the best VPN services based on its security and privacy features. We’re big fans of Double VPN, which uses two VPN servers to route web traffic, and its built-in malware and ad blocker. Other useful features include a kill switch, obfuscated servers, split VPN tunneling, Onion Over VPN, support for P2P, a DNS leak test, browser extensions, strong encryption, and much more.
If you want a streaming VPN with many other unique features, NordVPN is the best provider. It has developed one of the largest VPN server networks, offers impressive speeds, works with various streaming services and offers great security measures.
Largest choice of servers: Cyberghost
Cyberghost offers one of the largest server networks on a VPN service, with a total of no fewer than 6800 servers in 89 countries. This of course makes it a real contender for all your streaming needs.
It provides worldwide access to several popular streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Hulu, NBC, ESPN, and many more. Thanks to the fast server speeds and unlimited bandwidth offered by Cyberghost, you should enjoy a flawless streaming experience.
Another great thing about Cyberghost is the extensive range of VPN apps, which are available not only on all major mobile and computer operating systems, but also on smart TVs, game consoles and routers. In addition, Cyberghost allows you to use its VPN service on up to seven devices at the same time.
Overall, CyberGhost is a versatile VPN service. Key features include AES-256 encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, a kill switch, a choice of OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard protocols, strict no-logging policy, unlimited bandwidth and traffic, 24 / 7 support and a 45 day refund period.
Cyberghost is a great choice for streaming because it offers such an extensive server network, along with features such as a kill switch, strong encryption, various protocols, multi-platform apps, and more.
Fastest VPN for Streaming: Hotspot Shield
If you’re going to be using a VPN for streaming, incredible speeds are absolutely essential. And what makes Hotspot Shield one of the best streaming VPNs is the impressive performance delivered by the international servers.
To provide the best possible speeds, Hotspot has developed its own proprietary VPN protocol called Hydra. Designed explicitly for streaming and other bandwidth-intensive activities, it can provide speeds twice the speed of other VPN protocols.
Hotspot Shield also operates a global network of more than 3,200 servers, spread across more than 80 countries. They provide access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, Twitch and many other notable streaming platforms.
You can download Hotspot Shield on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, smart TVs and routers. The number of devices on which you can use this VPN varies by plan. While the Premium plan supports 5 devices, the Premium Family plan goes up to 25 devices. But with prices starting at $ 7.99 per month, Hotspot Shield isn’t the cheapest VPN service on the market.
Since Hotspot Shield offers some of the fastest speeds on a VPN service, it is an excellent choice for streaming. It also offers military-grade encryption, unlimited bandwidth, multi-platform apps, and a lot more.
Best VPN for Many People: IPVanish
For anyone looking for a great streaming VPN, IPvanish is also worth considering as it offers 1,600 servers in over 75 global locations, 40,000 shared IP addresses, and an unlimited device policy.
In terms of streaming capabilities, IPVanish will unblock Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube, Kodi, Spotify, and a host of other platforms. However, access to BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video has been impossible for IPVanish users in the past.
IPVanish has developed VPN apps for almost all operating systems, such as Android, iOS, Windows, Mac and Linux. It’s also really easy to install and use all of these apps thanks to a series of installation guides.
Overall, IPVanish has everything you need (and a lot more) in a premium VPN service. That includes a no-logging policy, advanced encryption, a proxy server, the ability to switch between different connection protocols, easy-to-use VPN apps and 24/7 customer support.
IPVanish offers everything you could want in a high-quality streaming VPN, including 1,600 servers, access to many of the largest streaming sites, unlimited device policies, and more.
If you want to get the most out of streaming services, you should definitely download a VPN service. They are great at getting around geographic restrictions and improving streaming performance. After reading this article, you can now see that there are many excellent streaming VPNs available. Overall, however, ExpressVPN is our preferred streaming service due to its super-fast servers, compatibility with the best streaming services, easy-to-use apps, and more.