Best VPN for Streaming: Here’s Our Top 5 in 2024

While the main purpose of a VPN is to secure your connection and anonymize your online activities, people are also aware of its streaming capabilities. In fact, this is perhaps the most revered characteristic of a Virtual Private Network.

By changing your IP to another country, the best VPN for streaming will let you unblock geo-restricted online content. Thus, you can access foreign Netflix catalogs, TV channels in another country, or platforms like Hulu and Disney+ outside of the US.

Every VPN can change your IP but unfortunately, not every provider is the best VPN for streaming in 2024. What’s more, not many VPNs reliably work with Netflix, making it increasingly hard to find a really good choice for this purpose.

With that in mind, we did all the heavy lifting for you throughout these years. We tested hundreds of providers with dozens of streaming platforms to make sure we cherry-pick the best choices.

And you know what? We actually did – 5 of them! So keep reading to find out what are our favorite VPNs for streaming in 2024.

Best VPN for Streaming – Our Detailed List

If you want to use a VPN for streaming, you must aim for top-grade choices. As said, unblocking streaming platforms has become increasingly difficult due to their anti-VPN measures that many services fail to bypass.

Therefore, we’re going to talk strictly about premium VPNs that are, in all honesty, the only choices for streaming effortlessly. Also, not all premium VPNs are great for streaming, so don’t just go ahead and give out your hard-earned money.

Instead, take a look at the list below, as we’ve complied 5 verified and tested choices for the best streaming experience:

1. NordVPN – The Best VPN for Streaming in 2024

The first, award-winning place on our list is taken by NordVPN, let’s talk about it. This is one of the best VPN providers for streaming for many reasons, one of which lies in its server fleet. You get around 6,300 of them in 11 countries. Some of the locations include the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, and almost the entirety of Europe.

This already lays the groundwork for NordVPN’s exceptional streaming capabilities. Despite not having dedicated streaming servers, it’s surprising what NordVPN can actually do. This is thanks to its so-called SmartPlay feature that’s built into the app and works seamlessly.

All you have to do is connect to a server and NordVPN will do the job. In our testing, NordVPN worked with Netflix and unblocked the libraries from the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Turkey, India, Germany, and 20 more.

This makes NordVPN among the best VPNs for Netflix and experiencing all that this amazing platform has to offer.

By changing your IP to their respective countries, you can use NordVPN to access their content no matter your location. While streaming, NordVPN provides exceptional performance, so even if you’re using a long-distance server, you can expect great speeds for buffer-free streaming.

I also like its obfuscated servers that let you use the VPN in China. Even in this censored country, you can use NordVPN to unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms and enjoy them despite the strong censorship.

Needless to say, the application can be installed on a variety of platforms and devices. As a result, it’s a great choice of VPN for streaming on iOS, Windows, Android, macOS, Linux, and even Android TV. It also supports platforms like Apple TV, Chromecast, and Firestick TV, where it has a native app.

This allows you to unblock geo-restricted streaming services anywhere, no matter your device. With 10 simultaneous connections, we think it’s enough to satisfy the streaming needs of every family member with one subscription.

Having in mind its cheap price and a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can test it out risk-free below!

Try NordVPN Today

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2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is another amazing VPN for streaming in 2024. It offers great performance but also a huge server network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries. Offering more countries than CyberGhost and Surfshark, its server coverage is better overall.

This VPN is fairly simple to use but its simple app hides its complexity pretty well. What this means is that the service is extremely powerful without the need to use dedicated streaming servers or anything similar.

Instead, it requires you to choose a server location, visit the streaming site, and enjoy the content. As such, ExpressVPN is extremely effective at unblocking Netflix. It works with around 15 or so libraries, including the ones from the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Australia, and Spain.

This will let you watch a variety of shows and movies on Netflix and also anime, which many people enjoy. Many people also enjoy BBC iPlayer, HBO, Sling TV, Showtime, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video. All of which ExpressVPN can unblock effortlessly. To tell you the truth, you can even use it to watch the Formula 1 season on a free channel.

However, it’s not all about unblocking here. Our tests showed that this is THE fastest VPN on the market, which immediately grants a superior streaming experience. Indeed, you’ll be able to watch native 4K footage with no lags, slowdowns, or constant buffering.

And before you ask – this applies to long-distance servers as well! Moreover, we like its ability to work in China. It’s great at bypassing censorship, so even in countries like the UAE, Russia, or Iran, you can stream at your heart’s contempt.

Another important thing is device support. ExpressVPN supports all the major platforms and gives you 8 simultaneous connections on a single subscription (it is for us an excellent VPN compatible with Android TV). This can further be expanded via its router support which lets you protect multiple devices connected to a router.

While not the cheapest option, it’s not expensive either. Besides, it gives you a 48% discount and 3 months free for the annual plan which drops the price significantly. Oh, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so testing it out is all but risky!

Get ExpressVPN for Streaming

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3. CyberGhost

A cheap service like CyberGhost couldn’t be the best VPN for streaming, right? Well… wrong. This VPN comes with a humongous server park of 12,000+ servers in more than 100 countries. Not only that, but it also has dedicated servers for streaming to aid its streaming capabilities.

Its app is maybe not the most user-friendly. However, once you get used to it, it’ll be easy to connect to any of them and enjoy geo-restricted content no matter your location. CyberGhost will also work with the majority of foreign TV channels, which is a huge plus.

But let’s talk about Netflix. Here, CyberGhost isn’t the best VPN for streaming as it can’t unblock the same number of catalogs as NordVPN. It does work with Netflix US and occasionally, you can unblock Netflix Canada.

Unfortunately, watching Netflix Japan won’t be possible and the same could be said about a dozen of European libraries. On the good side, its dedicated servers can unblock Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hotstar, ITV, and other popular streaming portals.

To that, we should mention its solid performance across the entire server network. It’s surely not faster than NordVPN but it’s no slouch when it comes to Full HD and 4K streaming on Netflix. I also like the addition of an ad-blocker which is great for ad-riddled streaming sites.

This allows you to get rid of annoying pop-ups and shorten the page-loading times. Beware that CyberGhost won’t work in China, so it’s not the best option for bypassing censorship. As such, it could limit your streaming capabilities a bit compared to the previous two VPNs.

On the other hand, it offers applications for all devices, along with 7 simultaneous connections on a single subscription. The highlight is definitely its pricing and a huge 45-day money-back guarantee for all long-term plans.

CyberGhost will cost you way less than three bucks a month in its cheapest plan, which is double the less than ExpressVPN, for instance. If you asked for a cheap streaming VPN, there you go!

Visit CyberGhost

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4. Surfshark

Surfing the web safely is easy with Surfshark. And so is unblocking geo-restricted content, due to its great streaming capabilities. Surfshark is priced similarly to CyberGhost and is very similar. Although, next to CyberGhost, its 3,200 servers in 100 countries aren’t as impressive.

Nevertheless, Surfshark’s application is very easy to use and offers tons of features to look forward to. We’re interested only in streaming here, so let’s shift our focus to it. Despite its affordable pricing, Surfshark is, might I say, better than CyberGhost in this regard!

Our testing showed that it works with Netflix, with US, UK, Canadian, Japanese, Indian, Australian, Turkish, and many other libraries with no hassle. If you’re unphased by Netflix’s recent price increase, this is great news for you!

What’s also great is its ability to unblock other platforms. I mean, it works with BBC iPlayer but also Hulu, HBO Max, and Hotstar, where you can watch thrilling Bollywood movies and shows. The problem, however, is that Surfshark isn’t as fast as the best VPNs for streaming we mentioned.

Sure, it’s fast enough, but long-distance servers tend to decrease your speeds significantly. Thus, 4K streaming might not be the smoothest if you push it too far. However, I can’t complain too much because it offers a reliable ad-blocker as well as unlimited simultaneous connections.

This allows you to stream on multiple devices simultaneously, with no additional costs. Furthermore, it supports even Firestick TV and Android TV, and with native clients for them, using Surfshark on a big screen is a piece of cake.

As said, its pricing is similar to CyberGhost – almost identical. Here, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, though, which is really good as well. This lets you test out Surfshark without the risk of losing money and enjoy streaming limitlessly.

Does that mean that you should do it? YES – absolutely!

Get an Affordable Streaming VPN – SurfShark

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5. Proton VPN

The last best VPN for streaming is Proton VPN. This provider is known for its extensive free plan but the premium plan is so much better. Here, you’ll get more than 8,200 servers in 112+ countries, which trumps pretty much all VPNs on this list.

Proton VPN’s streaming ability remains untouched. It’s very easy to use on all platforms and even offers dedicated streaming servers in almost all locations. This makes it extremely useful for unblocking Netflix and other streaming portals.

Speaking of which, you’ll be surprised at how good Proton VPN is for Netflix. Our tests showed that it works with Netflix US, UK, Australia, Canada, and even Japan. As such, Proton VPN is excellent for watching anime or enjoying blockbusters on Netflix CA & US.

Moreover, Proton VPN’s unblocking capabilities don’t end there. It works well with BBC iPlayer and you can use it to watch Disney+, Hulu, and HBO outside of their respective countries. On its premium plan, the performance is satisfactory.

However, compared to NordVPN or ExpressVPN, it’s not going to set any records. Still, we were able to stream in 4K using our Netflix account, but only on servers close to us. Thanks to its NetShield, an ad-blocker, we also blocked annoying ads on certain streaming sites.

Proton VPN also has certain downsides. For example, it won’t work in censored countries and its device support is a bit limited. It doesn’t offer the best support for routers, but at least it has a native Android TV and Fire TV Stick VPN app.

If you don’t mind its slightly expensive price and poor customer support in the free plan, this is a great VPN for streaming. After all, a 30-day money-back guarantee is in place, making testing it out absolutely risk-free. Sounds good? I’d say so!

Visit Proton VPN

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What We Looked for in the Best VPN for Streaming

When choosing the best VPN for streaming in 2024, we had to take a few things into consideration. Not all providers are great for streaming, as they need to fulfill several criteria which include:

Great Unblocking Capabilities

First and foremost, a Virtual Private Network must be able to unblock geo-restricted websites. This is the whole point of using a VPN for streaming. Just imagine having access to every website, show, or movie online, no matter your location.

Would you use a VPN? Most likely not.

But, since we don’t live in a utopia, geo-restrictions online are a reality and the only way to bypass them is to change your online location. By doing so, a VPN must let you unblock geo-restricted streaming portals and access their content.

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the best examples of this, although CyberGhost and Surfshark are also great choices. Since we’re talking about streaming, we made sure that ALL VPNs on the list work with at least one Netflix library.

This means that all of them work with Netflix US, but some VPNs go beyond and are capable of unblocking Japanese, UK, Canadian, and other catalogs. Furthermore, the best VPN for streaming must work with the majority of popular streaming sites.

Excellent Performance

Streaming often requires a lot of bandwidth and a fast internet connection. With so much data transferred during this activity, you must have a stable connection and reliable performance. This is among the most important things for an enjoyable streaming experience.

Our tests involved testing how fast the VPNs are. Thus, we placed NordVPN and ExpressVPN as the two fastest providers capable of Full HD and 4K streaming even on distant servers. While Surfshark is a bit slower, it’s still fast enough for an immersive streaming session.

Needless to say, we also tested connection stability. All VPNs on the list showed great results, with barely any connectivity issues, regardless of the server locations we used. Therefore, you can be sure that your streaming performance will stay consistent all the time.

Unlimited Bandwidth

This one’s very important. Limited bandwidth is the #1 problem with free VPNs for streaming. We’re going to talk about them later. For now, though, you should know that the majority of free VPNs will limit your monthly bandwidth.

The limit usually goes up to 10 GB a month but it’s way less sometimes. With TunnelBear, you’ll get 2 GB a month, which isn’t enough even for a single episode of a show. When you go for a premium VPN, getting limited bandwidth isn’t something you’ll experience.

This means that all VPNs for streaming we presented are unlimited. And with unlimited bandwidth, you can basically stream day and night without worrying about crossing any limits. That’s how you can watch Netflix or BBC iPlayer carelessly!

Lots of Server Locations

Bypassing geo-restrictions is done by changing your online location. That’s why having lots of server locations is crucial. The more you have, the more content you’ll be able to unblock online. Albeit, you most likely won’t use VPN servers from African countries for this purpose.

Even in this case, all VPNs have a lot of servers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In these countries, you’ll find the majority of popular streaming platforms that you’ll be able to access anywhere thanks to servers in these locations.

Some VPNs like CyberGhost and Proton VPN even offer dedicated streaming servers. That’s an optional extra but still, these servers are very useful for accessing geo-restricted streaming sites.

Broad Device Support

Finally, the best VPN for streaming in 2024 must have great device support. Most likely, you’re not using just your Windows PC for streaming. I, for example, use my Android TV a lot, but also my smartphone, and even PS5.

In other words, a VPN must support a wide variety of devices and platforms to cater to each user. When you’re on the go, you want to be able to watch Netflix on your phone but also on your big Smart TV while you’re lying after a hard day at work.

Conversely, while working on your PC, you can use a VPN to catch up on the latest episode of your current favorite show. With the providers we presented, that is entirely possible given their device compatibility that goes far beyond desktop platforms.

With them, you can enjoy streaming on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and other notable streaming-capable devices.

Should I Use a Free VPN for Streaming?

Before we wrap everything up, let’s quickly discuss the best free VPN for streaming. Actually, the best free VPN for streaming doesn’t exist and if you’ve read carefully, you already caught a glimpse of why it is like that.

Simply put, free VPNs have a lot of compromises and shortcomings that aren’t very streaming-friendly.

In case you decide to go this route, here’s why you should NOT use a free streaming VPN in 2024:

No Streaming Support

First of all, free VPNs have no streaming support. This means that they can’t unblock any streaming platform, which applies to Netflix as well. In fact, you can test out Hide.me or even Proton VPN’s free version and you’ll see that this is indeed the case.

Free VPNs aren’t designed for streaming because in that case, they’ll be almost on the same level as their premium counterparts. That, you’ll agree, wouldn’t make much sense. In the same fashion, they also won’t be able to unblock foreign TV channels and other streaming services.

Despite many of them having servers in the US, for example, none of them work with Netflix US (see our test of free VPN on Netflix), Hulu, or HBO Max. And that’s only a part of the sad reality of free VPNs.

Limited Bandwidth and Slow Speeds

Another part lies in unlimited bandwidth and slow speeds. To incentivize free users into going for a premium plan, free VPNs often intentionally limit your bandwidth and speed to free up the resources for premium users.

As a result, you get about 10 GB of monthly bandwidth and speeds that aren’t enough for high-quality streaming. Just imagine having to wait for minutes for a movie or show to load, only to experience buffering every 15 or 20 seconds.

Does that sound great? If you answered with NO, you should consider the best VPN for streaming from our list and avoid free providers altogether. They simply won’t make streaming even remotely enjoyable.

Small Server Network

We should also mention the small server networks that all free VPNs have. If you take a look at Proton VPN’s free plan or Hide.me, you’ll see the same trend. They all have 5 to 8 server locations compared to 100+ locations in premium VPNs.

Maintaining a huge server network takes a lot of money and effort, and free VPNs don’t have that kind of luxury. Also, they want to “force” you into buying their premium plans where you usually get more servers and locations as a premium user.

What’s more, these server locations aren’t very strategic, so to say. Free VPNs usually don’t offer servers in the UK, for example, so you can’t access UK TV channels abroad (to watch Tour de France live, for example). Not to mention the absence of streaming servers that make streaming impossible.

This is just another reason why you should AVOID free VPNs for streaming and choose a premium VPN from the list above.

Security/Privacy Issues

While people who use a VPN for watching content won’t care too much about privacy or security, it’s good to know that free services aren’t safe. They usually offer weaker or no encryption and lack features like a kill switch, split tunneling, and IPv6 leak protection.

That’s a big issue but an even bigger one is the fact that they VERY often store logs. By storing logs, they violate your privacy, as your personal information is on their servers, ready to be sold to the highest bidder to earn revenue.

Free VPNs earn no money from subscriptions, and if they do, that isn’t enough to cover the bills of server maintenance. That’s why Hola VPN, Betternet, Urban VPN, and many others resort to selling user data to third-party companies, as this allows them to stay “afloat” on the market.

That said, we’d be crazy to recommend free services when cheap streaming VPNs like NordVPN or CyberGhost exist. For as low as $2.19 a month, you can get a serious provider that can unblock plenty of platforms AND still keep you safe and secure online.

Summary

To summarize, the best VPN for streaming in 2024 must have a plethora of qualities. Apart from blazing-fast speeds, a good streaming VPN must have exceptional unblocking capabilities and lots of server locations.

For that reason, we recommend NordVPN first and foremost, with ExpressVPN being a close second. However, budget users can try out CyberGhost or Surfshark as well, given their cheap prices, yet, more than decent streaming performance.

Free VPNs are surely something you don’t want to use. With their limits in terms of bandwidth and speeds, you won’t get a lot out of them. For as cheap as less than three dollars a month, you can get a pretty good VPN for streaming on a variety of platforms.

Therefore, we think that you don’t need a major investment to enjoy all your favorite movies and shows.

Try NordVPN Today

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FAQ

Even with our comprehensive guide, we still haven’t answered all questions related to the best VPN for streaming. Let’s do that now:

Which streaming services can I unblock with a VPN?

Basically all of them. When using a VPN, there are no limits as to what type of content you can access online, and the same principle applies to streaming services. Here are just some of the services you’ll be able to access when using a VPN.

The list doesn’t end here, as the VPN will let you access many other types of websites. Apart from streaming sites, you can use it to watch foreign TV channels, unblock betting sites abroad, and bypass censorship in China.

Of course, everything will apply if you go for the best VPN for streaming, such as NordVPN. And if you’re using a free service, you can forget about unblocking all these platforms.

Do I really need a VPN for streaming?

Well, it depends on how often you’re streaming.

If you’re watching a movie or two a month and you rarely use your Netflix subscription, a streaming VPN won’t be a necessary addition. However, if streaming is your passion and you’re often gazing at your monitor or TV, a streaming VPN will make your experience even better.

With the ability to unblock any content you want, you’ll enjoy the best moments in cinematography even if we’re talking about geo-restricted ones. All of this from the comfort of your home, with the help of an affordable provider – what a time to be alive!

How to use the best streaming VPN?

The same way you use it for any other purpose. If you want to unblock a streaming service based in the US, you’ll need to connect to the US server, go to the website you wanted to unblock and enjoy watching the content that was previously unavailable.

Using this service is pretty simple and revolves around connecting to a server of your choice. Just make sure the server location is in line with the location of the geo-blocked platform. Otherwise, it won’t work, as you won’t have the required location to access it.

Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming?

One question that is often asked is whether or not VPNs for streaming are legal. The answer is YES. When you use a VPN to unblock Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, or any other platform or TV channel, you won’t get in trouble, or God forbid, receive a fine or jail time.

Still, it’s good to know that some platforms forbid using a VPN, like Netflix, for example. In its terms and conditions, the company says that using this service for unblocking geo-restricted content is forbidden but no user has yet been banned for using a Virtual Private Network.

It’s not about whether or not using the service for this purpose is legal. It is, however, more about respecting the platform’s terms and conditions. We, at 01net, can’t openly encourage you to use a VPN at all costs and trump the rules set by a particular streaming service.

We just provided you with several options in case you want to do that at your responsibility.