Do you need a VPN? This quick guide will give you the 5 best VPN for streaming.
A VPN has many uses. Primarily, it hides your IP address and protects your personal data. VPNs are also widely used for streaming, however. Many VPN providers allow you to choose different geographical server locations.
This enables you to appear as if you were browsing from a different country and thus can bypass geolocation blocked content on streaming platforms.
Here’s the 5 best VPN for streaming…
1. ExpressVPN
Our top pick for the best VPN for streaming UK is ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has one of the largest selections of servers available. This includes servers in 160 different locations spread across 94 countries. As a result, you can easily access geo-blocked content.
It also has great VPN performance and speeds. Therefore, providing you have a decent internet connection, you should be able to enjoy a smooth and lag-free streaming experience. ExpressVPN can also unblock streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
Aside from streaming, ExpressVPN also has some great security features and utilities. It uses 256-bit AES encryption for all traffic. Also, it has a strict no-collection policy for data. This includes your IP address and browsing history.
In terms of pricing, ExpressVPN is not one of the cheapest providers. For a month-by-month plan, the cost is £9.84 per month. The 6-month plan still doesn’t drop that much and costs £7.59 per month.
The cheapest option is the 12-month plan which costs £6.32 per month. This is double the cost of some other VPN providers, but the service and features are excellent.
Features
- Available for multiple platforms including Android, Windows, iOS, and Linux
- 160 VPN servers spread across 94 different countries
- Dedicated kill switch to stop network traffic
- ExpressVPN does not collect user data such as IP addresses and browsing history
- Uses 256-bit AES encryption for maximum security
Pros
- Huge range of servers and locations
- Has a split tunneling feature
- Offers large discounts for a 12-month subscription plan
- Great VPN performance and speeds
Cons
- No phoneline support
- Not the cheapest VPN provider available
2. Surfshark
If you want an effective VPN without spending a fortune, Surfshark is one of the cheapest options available. If you commit to a 24-month plan, you pay just £1.70 per month. This includes the sharkstart coupon which gives 2 months free.
Despite the cheap prices, Surfshark still provides an excellent VPN service. One of the best aspects is that one subscription allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices. Therefore, if you have a large household or family with multiple smartphones, computers, and tablets, Surfshark VPN could be the top choice.
Surfshark also facilitates streaming via its extensive network of 3200 servers spread across 65 countries. Each server has at least a single 1 GBPS port available too. This means that you can expect excellent streaming speeds without interruptions, whether you’re using broadband, 4G or 5G on mobile. It also offers excellent content unblocking including Netflix.
For mobile streaming, the SurfShark VPN app is also easy to use. It has a streamlined interface and you can quickly find a suitable server and establish a connection. If you stream via a web browser, SurfShark also has the CleanWeb tool. This is an ad blocker that also prevents malicious content like phishing and malware.
Features
- One subscription can be used for unlimited devices
- Has a kill switch in case your VPN connection fails
- Optional camouflage mode to prevent ISPs from gathering data
- Ad-blocked for secure web browsing
Pros
- Great value with unlimited connected devices
- The app is well-designed and easy to use
- Has both multi-hop and split-tunneling tools
- Has 3200+ servers in 65 countries
Cons
- The VPN speed can be variable and not always amazing
- Doesn’t cover as many countries as ExpressVPN
3. NordVPN
To complement the streaming performance, NordVPN also has a great array of servers. They currently have 5200+ servers spread across 60 countries. This includes the UK, the USA, France, Germany, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia.
NordVPN is one of the best VPN for streaming, especially for UK customers. It excels at unblocking streaming platforms. You can use NordVPN to unblock services including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.
Not only that, but NordVPN also provides secure streaming with excellent connection speeds. You can expect no lag or throttling from ISP providers. This means you can watch your favorite shows and films without any degradation of quality.
For pricing, NordVPN has three different tiers based on the length of your subscription. The monthly subscription is the most expensive and we would not recommend this. Instead, the 1-year and 2-year plans are far cheaper at £3.64 and £2.74 per month respectively. For this, you can connect up to 6 devices simultaneously to the VPN.
Features
- Connect up to 6 devices with one subscription
- Gives access to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more
- 5200+ servers spread across 60 countries
- Strong multi-factor authentication and encryption
- A dedicated static IP address is available
Pros
- Great custom privacy policy
- The app and web dashboard are both easy to use
- Has multi-hop, split-tunneling, and Tor features
- Uses the fast WireGuard VPN technology
- Great selection of server locations worldwide
Cons
- The app interface can sometimes feel cramped
- Renewal prices are much higher than the introductory rates
4. ProtonVPN
For maximum privacy and security, ProtonVPN also has a no-logs policy. This means that no data is collected via your VPN usage. To protect your internet traffic, ProtonVPN also uses AES-256 encryption. There is also a basic free plan available. This provides access to 24 servers in 3 countries and has unlimited bandwidth usage.
ProtonVPN is one of the few open-source VPN providers. This gives it far greater transparency as customers can freely view the underlying code and source material.
However, this is only one of the great features of ProtonVPN. Their VPN service is packed full of useful tools including a kill switch, and an always-on VPN feature. If you lose connection with the VPN, the always-on feature automatically reconnects as soon as possible.
For streaming, ProtonVPN has a decent range of servers in worldwide locations. Currently, it has 1500+ servers in 63 countries. While this may not be as much as providers like CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, the country choice is excellent. This includes Australia, the USA, Canada, the UK, Russia, Spain, and Germany, for example.
The Plus package provides streaming service support too. This goes one step further than basic streaming unblocking and provides assistance to make sure you can access streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. This secures its place in our list of the 5 best VPN for streaming.
Features
- Includes the NetShield ad blocker
- Uses AES-256 encryption for all traffic
- Has both a kill switch and a useful always-on VPN feature
- 1500+ servers available in 63 countries
- The company operates a strict no-logs policy
Pros
- Unblocks Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and iPlayer
- Excellent VPN speeds via WireGuard or OpenVPN
- There is a limited free plan available
- Is open-source for full transparency
Cons
- Customer support is not as accessible
- Limited servers in the first two price plans
5. CyberGhost
Our last pick is CyberGhost. This is a company based in Romania and Germany and has a fantastic reputation for the VPN services it provides.
CyberGhost is one of the best choices for sheer volume and variety of servers. It far exceeds the offering of most other VPN providers (Except ExpressVPN) and has 7600+ servers. These are spread across 91 countries. This is perfect for accessing a large range of popular streaming platforms from different locations.
In regards to streaming, CyberGhost also performs well. It is often rated as one of the top VPN providers for unblocking streaming content. This is because it should grant access to streaming platforms including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. Due to the large range of countries and servers, this would make a great VPN for frequent international travelers.
CyberGhost is one for the best VPN for streaming as it is one of the most affordable VPN providers. If you are willing to commit to a 3-year subscription, you pay just £1.59 per month. We appreciate that not everyone wants to commit to such a lengthy plan. However, the 1-year subscription is still only £2.95 per month which is reasonable.
This VPN is also available on multiple systems including Android, iOS, Mac OS, Fire TV, Linux, and Windows.
Features
- Available on a huge range of devices and systems
- 7600+ servers available in 91 countries
- Can unblock most major streaming platforms
- 24/7 customer support available
- Can connect 7 devices simultaneously from one subscription
Pros
- Fast VPN speeds via WireGuard connection
- One of the largest server offerings available
- Works fantastically for streaming unblocking
- Live chat support has excellent response times
- Incredibly cheap prices
Cons
- Not the most transparent in terms of third-party audits
- The Windows app can be buggy
Using any of the above VPNs will give you access to a huge range of geo-blocked streaming content. You can safely connect to platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and watch shows and films that would previously be unavailable!
For alternative options to help you find the best VPN for streaming, compare VPNs below, or checkout these providers:
If this guide to the best VPN for streaming helped you, please recommend DigitalSupermarket.
