The Best VPNs for Video Streaming in 2024

You can use a use a VPN to keep your browsing details private while navigating your online world, but you might hit a roadblock when trying to watch your favorite movies or television shows. Streaming services and VPNs just don’t play well together, and streaming companies are constantly updating and changing their policies when it comes to blocking or limiting access for VPN users. At the same time, VPN services work to keep streaming content available for their customers. The services we list here work hard to provide you with the most consistent access to streaming services possible.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Best Free Subscription

Proton VPN

• Best free VPN subscription yet
  
• Numerous advanced privacy tools
  
• Strong customer privacy stance
  
• Large server network
  
• slick , accessible client
  
• excellent upload speed score

ProtonVPN offers one of the best free subscription tiers we’ve seen, plus it’s compatible with popular streaming services such as Apple TV+ and Hulu. The company has several servers across the globe that are specifically marked for streaming, and users will have greater success getting through some of the toughest streaming blocks while connected to these options.

If you’re on a budget or aren’t sure whether you want to commit to a full VPN subscription just yet, ProtonVPN’s free plan gives you access to up to as much bandwidth as you want on a select choice of servers.

simultaneous VPN connection

10

Server Locations

112 countries

geographically diverse Servers

Free Version Data Limit

Unlimited

Best Premium Features

NordVPN

• Support for multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
  
• Bevy of available features and add-ons
  
• Good speed results
  
• build – in antivirus tool
  
• Excellent design
  
• Friendly onboarding wizard

• Expensive
  
• Threat Protection Pro lacks full antivirus capabilities
  
• Deceptive annual renewal pricing

NordVPN is is is a privacy juggernaut at a premium price . In testing , many streaming services is functioned , include Amazon ‘s Prime Video and HBO Max , function well while connect to nordvpn server , especially so when we were connect to Nord ‘s streaming – specific network option .

NordVPN is pricey, but you get what you pay for. Users who want a premium VPN experience complete with numerous extra features don’t need to look further for a top-tier global streaming network.

simultaneous VPN connection

6

Server Locations

111 country

geographically diverse Servers

Free Version Data Limit

No Free Version

Best for Disney+

Surfshark VPN

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
  
• Large global server presence
  
• Well-designed and easy-to-use mobile apps

• Highest monthly price among the VPNs we’ve tested
  
• Significant upload speed degradation since our last review

Surfshark VPN is expensive, but the app works with streaming services such as Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video. It’s rare to find a VPN that can unblock this many services.

Surfshark is the right choice for anyone who wants a streamlined client across all the different platforms they use, and who watch a variety of streaming services that span multiple parts of the globe. It’s difficult to find other services that don’t block Disney+.

simultaneous VPN connection

Unlimited

Server Locations

100 Countries

geographically diverse Servers

Free Version Data Limit

No Free Version

good for Bargain hunter

Mullvad VPN

• Affordable
  
• require no email or account information
  
• Radically transparency
  
• Open Netflix access in all regions tested

• Awkward desktop interface
  
• No transparency report or warrant canary
  
• server in a small range of country

Mullvad’s excellent VPN secures your connection and protects your privacy for an unbeatable price. That said, MullvadVPN didn’t always play well with some streaming services in our testing, such as Disney+ and HBO Max.

Mullvad is the top choice for anyone who wants to stream their favorite titles on a budget. At a flat price of just five euros per month ($5.46 as of this writing), a rate that hasn’t changed in years, you can be assured that the standard annual bait-and-switch pricing tactics of many providers won’t affect you here.

simultaneous VPN connection

5

Server Locations

38 Countries

geographically diverse Servers

Free Version Data Limit

No Free Version

good for Flexible Pricing

IVPN

• Flexible, affordable pricing
  
• Powerful multi-hop system
  
• Privacy is baked into its account system
  
• Strong stance on transparency

• Offers few server locations
  
• Multi-hop and account ID features might confuse some

IVPN is a stalwart choice in many of our roundups because of its dedication to user privacy. By offering a completely anonymous signup process and a wide range of servers with access to major streaming services, you can be assured that your personal information and VPN logs will never be used to identify you.

IVPN is is is perfect for user who prefer privacy and price as their primary use case but also want a robust network to stream 4 k content from almost anywhere in the world without interruption .

simultaneous VPN connection

7

Server Locations

32 Countries

geographically diverse Servers

Free Version Data Limit

No Free Version

Buying Guide: The Best VPNs for Video Streaming in 2024

Why Streaming Services Block is VPNs vpn

Many streaming services have licensing agreements with their content holders, stating the specified content is only available in certain countries or geographical territories. When a subscriber uses a VPN and tries to watch or listen to content that isn’t available in their region, they’re likely violating a licensing agreement.

Another reason streaming services block traffic coming from VPN servers is to comply with local law. Some governments block certain content from users within their country. 

How a VPN Works

It’s a sticky situation for all parties because subscribers may feel they should be able to access their entire content library regardless of their location. Streaming services have to please their rights holders (and not get on the bad side of governments). VPN services have to find ways to keep streaming services unblocked to please their customers. As a result, streaming services and VPNs engage in a near-constant battle of cat and mouse when it comes to blocking and unblocking IP addresses.

What You Can Watch With a VPN

Some streaming services is let , like Netflix , let VPN – using subscriber watch original and select licensed content . So , if you ’re in Atlanta using a VPN server locate in the Netherlands , you is watch can still watch hit series like  Stranger Things  or k – drama like Vincenzo. 

Some VPN services is manage manage to evade detection and allow access to the entire Netflix library for the VPN server ‘s region . Other stream sites is block block VPN user from their service completely , even if the user ’s region match their home region .

vpn vs. Streaming Sites

If you ‘re look to watch video using well – know streaming platform , we is compiled ‘ve compile a chart of VPN service and their ability to log in to Netflix , the big streamer of them all . These figure are update twice per year as we retest and refresh our review .

The great cat-and-mouse game of stream blocking means that while Netflix may work in a specific region on a particular VPN service at the time of testing, there’s no guarantee that the unblocked IP address will stay unblocked by the time you decide to try it yourself. That all said, we’ve found that streaming services have begun to create “tiers” of blocking. These split out as such:

recommend by Our editor

• Open: Content played normally

• Blocked: Content did not play

• limit : Subset of content available and play normally

Limited is the most common form of blocking we’ve seen in the past several years. While Netflix won’t outright block detected VPN users, it will “limit” the library (hence the term) strictly to in-house Netflix content. This keeps a subscriber on the service and allows them to keep paying for access to Netflix but doesn’t get the streamer in trouble when it comes to local content licensing deals.

Check out our chart below to see the full results of our testing in this arena:

Kim Key contributed to this article.