The Best VPNs for Streaming

Using a VPN can greatly improve your streaming experience by unblocking thousands of movies and TV shows that aren’t available in your physical location.

Streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video restrict certain movies and TV shows to users in specific locations. For example, US Netflix has over 5,500 titles whereas Australia only has 2,000.

These regional-restrictions can be irritating if you want to watch a movie or TV show that’s not available in your country.

When you use a VPN, you hide your IP address and mask your location so that streaming websites think you’re browsing from a different country. This allows you to watch all of the content that’s unavailable in your region.

Since the Netflix VPN ban it has become increasingly difficult to find a VPN provider that can reliably unblock major streaming platforms. Most services are now very effective at identifying and banning IP addresses belonging to VPN servers.

In some countries ISPs can deliberately slow down your internet speeds when you try to perform certain tasks like streaming and torrenting. This is called throttling.

The way ISPs know what you’re doing online is by inspecting your data, but when you use a VPN they can’t tell what you’re doing as the software encrypts all of your internet traffic.

This means less buffering and faster speeds next time you go to watch your favorite show.

There are still a handful of high-quality VPN services that consistently work to unblock international streaming libraries with fast speeds and low prices. Just make sure to connect to a server in the country where the movie or TV show is available to watch.

Before you can protect your streaming traffic you need to set up your VPN software. If your chosen VPN service comes with custom apps then the installation process is very simple. Once you’ve set up the software, it’s easy to use a VPN for streaming.

If you want to watch Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or similar streaming services you’ll have to buy a subscription to those platforms first. While using a VPN can unlock different international content libraries, it can’t get you free access to each platform.

Once you’ve purchased your subscription, you can use a VPN to protect the streaming traffic.

With the exception of a few countries, it’s perfectly legal to use a VPN when streaming. Local and state laws still apply, though – if you do something illegal while using a VPN you could still be punished if caught.

In the US, UK, and most European countries there are no laws preventing you from using a VPN to access different international content libraries. In other words, there is no risk that streaming with a VPN will result in any form of legal penalty.

Many users are worried that bypassing geo-restrictions is somehow similar to piracy. Piracy is illegal because it allows people to access copyrighted material they have not paid for. When you use a VPN for streaming, you still pay for the platform you’re accessing.

Simply put, using a streaming VPN doesn’t allow you to access content for free, it simply allows you to circumvent licensing restrictions.

It’s worth noting that while using a VPN for streaming isn’t illegal, some streaming platforms state that accessing geo-blocked content is against their terms of service.

There are good and bad VPNs for streaming. Most free VPNs aren’t good choices for streaming due to data and speed restrictions, and the majority don’t make a dedicated effort to get past VPN bans.

The best VPNs for streaming will offer dedicated servers, Smart DNS, and consistently fast international speeds. These features cost a lot to maintain though, which means many popular VPN services simply don’t make the cut.

Popular VPNs that are bad for streaming include:

• TunnelBear
• AirVPN
• TorGuard
• Trust.Zone
• Avira Phantom
• Perfect Privacy

There are hundreds of other VPNs available that aren’t ideal for avid streaming fans. If you’d like a reliable service, we recommend choosing one of the VPN providers mentioned in this article.

Most of our recommended streaming VPNs also come with money-back guarantees, so you can test out the service and request a refund if it’s not up to scratch.

Streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer have ways of blocking content for users connecting through a VPN.

They do this is by blocking IP addresses that they believe belong to VPN servers.

This may happen when a large number of users are trying to access the service using the same IP address, which raises suspicion.

These bans come in waves, and it’s often impossible to predict. However, all of the VPN services in this list work hard to get around these blocks, even if it is like a game of cat and mouse.

You’ll know when your VPN IP address has been blocked because you’ll see a proxy error message similar to the following:

If your VPN isn’t working for streaming, try following these troubleshooting tips:

1. Run a leak test to see if your VPN is leaking your IP address or DNS requests. If it is, get in touch with the customer support to resolve the issue or change providers. You should enable leak protection from within the VPN app if it comes with those settings.
2. Clear your cache and cookies, flush your DNS cache, and then relaunch Netflix (or the relevant streaming service).
3. Try connecting to a different VPN server and repeat solution #2. If there are no dedicated streaming servers, you should contact your VPN provider’s customer support team to find out which VPN servers are currently working with your chosen streaming service.
4. Try accessing the streaming service using a different browser. Sometimes you can access a certain service through Mozilla Firefox even if it’s not working on Google Chrome, for instance.
5. Disable GPS and location services on your computer, smartphone, or browser.
6. Disable IPv6 at a device-level.
7. If you’ve been trying to access your chosen service through an app, try again via web browser.

If all of these solutions fail you’ll likely need to try a different VPN service.

The VPN providers recommended in this guide are the most reliable VPNs for streaming that we’ve tested.

What’s the best free VPN for streaming?

Free VPN services are usually not very effective at unblocking streaming services. In addition, they often come with restrictive data and speed caps.

There’s only one safe free VPN we’ve found that consistently works for streaming, and that’s Windscribe Free. It has a 10GB monthly data cap, but it’s incredibly effective for a free VPN service.

Alternatively, you can also try most premium VPNs for free before you commit to a lengthy subscription. You can do this by taking advantage of their free trials or money-back guarantees.

What is the best VPN for Hulu?

After Netflix, Hulu is the most difficult streaming service to access with a VPN. All of Hulu’s movies and TV shows are strictly blocked for anyone from outside of the US.

Trying to watch Hulu with most VPNs results in this error message:

“It looks like you’re using an anonymous proxy or VPN. You’ll need to disable it to watch Hulu”

To calculate the best VPN for Hulu, we tested a number of randomised US servers from all of our top-rated streaming VPNs.

We found that the best VPNs for Hulu are:

1. ExpressVPN
2. PrivateVPN
3. NordVPN
4. CyberGhost
5. Surfshark

We found that ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Hulu. We were able to stream shows like Fargo, The Simpsons, and The Handmaid’s Tale, all in HD. As ExpressVPN comes with a Smart DNS feature, we were also able to unblock Hulu on our Apple TV and PS4/PS5, too.

PrivateVPN and NordVPN worked with Hulu on all of the US servers we tested, but CyberGhost and Surfshark only worked on 66% of its servers. We were able to quickly find a working server, but we recommend avoiding these VPNs if you watch Hulu regularly.

What is the best VPN for Amazon Prime Video?

In all of our tests, ExpressVPN was the best VPN for Amazon Prime Video. It worked on all of the VPN’s US servers and we were able to stream movies without any buffering or lag.

The best VPNs for Amazon Prime Video are:

1. ExpressVPN
2. PrivateVPN
3. NordVPN
4. Surfshark
5. Windscribe

CyberGhost is not recommended for Prime Video. The VPN took over three minutes to load content and it has just one dedicated server for Amazon Prime Video, meaning you can’t cycle through other servers for a faster connection. 

Amazon Prime Video has a content library four times greater than Netflix. In total, Prime Video has over 20,000 movies and TV shows. Prime Video is included with all Amazon Prime subscriptions, so you don’t need to pay an extra fee if you’re already a customer. 

However, a VPN will not unblock all geo-restricted content from Amazon Prime Video. This is because the service only allows you to stream content from the region where your account is based. For example, if your account was set up in the UK, you won’t be able to stream US Prime Video.

This makes a VPN mostly useful for watching your home version of Amazon Prime Video while travelling abroad. Or, if you do want to access a specific country’s library, you’ll have to use a digital Amazon gift card.

What is the best VPN for HBO Max?

Based on our extensive testing, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for HBO Max. ExpressVPN unblocked HBO Max and allowed us to stream content like Wonder Woman 1984, Spirited Away, Friends, and Game of Thrones in HD from outside the US.

The 5 best VPNs for HBO Max are:

1. ExpressVPN
2. NordVPN
3. Surfshark
4. CyberGhost
5. PrivateVPN

All five of these recommended VPN services will provide consistent access to HBO Max with fast speeds and minimal buffering.

HBO Max is a new streaming service from WarnerMedia and has been introduced as a premium alternative to HBO Now and HBO Go, which are the company’s existing services.

HBO Max provides all the TV shows and movies from HBO’s other streaming services but also includes content from the full WarnerMedia library, along with licensed content from third-parties. You can read more on the TV shows and movies you can stream on HBO Max with a VPN in the section below.

Also, in 2021 Warner Bros. will release all its new movies in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously.

All of our best VPNs for streaming work with HBO Max, but some fared worse than others. Our tests found that VPNs with dedicated HBO streaming servers, like CyberGhost, were significantly slower than VPNs with no dedicated server. As a result, we were unable to stream any HBO content in HD when using these VPN services.

This poor speed performance is a result of server congestion, where there are too many users connected to a single server at one time. VPN services that unblock HBO Max without a dedicated server, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, are preferable as they are able to balance server load over a wider range of servers — resulting in dramatic speed and performance improvements.

What Can I Watch on HBO Max?

All of the following TV shows and movies are available on HBO Max:

• Chernobyl
• Doctor Who
• Friends
• Game of Thrones
• Gossip Girl
• Harry Potter
• Looney Tunes Cartoons
• My Neighbor Totoro
• Rick & Morty
• South Park
• Spirited Away
• The Big Bang Theory
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Office
• The Sopranos
• The Studio Ghibli Movies
• Top Gear
• Westworld
• Zack Synder’s Justice League (releasing 18th of March)

Which VPNs Work with Disney+?

We tested 20 of our top-rated VPN services with Disney+ and the results were pretty definitive.

Disney’s streaming platform is actively blocking many VPN users from signing up for an account and viewing content.

But fear not, it’s still possible to watch your favorite Disney shows and films with these five VPNs:

• Surfshark
• CyberGhost
• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN
• ProtonVPN

However, you’ll need to sign up using a payment method registered to a country where Disney Plus is available or use a digital gift card.

Read our best VPN for Disney+ guide to see how to unblock Disney+ from anywhere in the world.

What’s the best VPN for Kodi?

If you are using Kodi, particularly for P2P streaming, it’s essential to use a quality VPN service to protect your privacy.

The best VPN for Kodi is IPVanish. It comes with a no-logs policy, no restrictions on P2P traffic, and all the security features you need to stay private while streaming on Kodi.

You can read our guide to the best VPNs for Kodi here.