I enjoy streaming entertainment from online more than watching cable. My family watches an insane amount of Netflix. We haven’t cut the cord because of a few kids shows but we watch content from online services far more than satellite. The problem comes when we travel. The kids are always watching movies on their iPads while the wife and I plug in a Roku for streaming. If you want to unblock streaming services in other regions, we suggest a VPN.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
There are two scenarios that lead us to use a VPN while traveling. First and foremost is privacy. When on the road we’re on a lot of wifi networks that aren’t secure. Starting with the airport and then on to the hotel and closest Starbucks. That’s one reason we use online privacy services. The other reason would be access to services like Netflix depending on where you’re traveling.
We don’t normally hit access issues while traveling but there are lots of countries that block access to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO GO. In that case a VPN provider can help you access content as if you were sitting in the United States. The same is true for BBC content as if you were located in the United Kingdom. That’s another big advantage of VPN.
Since most of the streaming sites are located in the United States you’ll want a privacy provider with U. S. server locations. That’s not hard to find. The same is true if you want to access BBC or a content provider in a different area. You’ll want a VPN provider with servers in that country. For this post we’ll focus on companies with servers throughout the US and UK.
Just because you can connect to a server in the U. S. doesn’t mean you can stream movies and TV shows without any issues. We’ve tested a lot of VPN and streaming DNS services and some are just too slow to stream content. Especially when you try to watch something in HD. For that reason speed is very important. Performance is key when you want to watch without lag.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at the best VPNs to use for streaming.
1. Best VPN for Streaming: ExpressVPN
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One of the high-security features of ExpressVPN is the VPN kill switch. While it is not unique to the provider, it is certainly important. What that does is literally “kill” your internet connection while you are disconnected. While some people may not care for that feature, others realize that if their VPN connection drops, they are vulnerable to being identified online. ExpressVPN will make sure you are protected by shutting down your internet connection until you reconnect. Doing so will help you stay safe.
Founded in 2009, ExpressVPN has a long track record of being one of the top VPN providers in the industry. Experts often tout them for the size, consistent speed, and quality of their network. With the addition of several features that the service offers, it is not hard to see why they are regularly one of the top choices in the community. Even though their service may be at a higher cost than some others, we feel the value, speed, and features more than make up for the difference.
ExpressVPN is the #1 rated VPN on our site. We have had the opportunity to compare hundreds of VPN services over the years and ExpressvPN is our favorite. Whether you want to protect your privacy on WiFi networks or unblock streaming services in other countries, ExpressVPN is a good choice. Best of all, you can sign up for 12 months of unlimited VPN access and get 3 months free during our current promotion. The ExpressVPN 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to test the service.
2. Best VPN for Streaming: NordVPN
With over 5100 servers located in 59 countries, NordVPN has a massive network. That is an excellent thing if you are trying to make sure you get high speeds. Of course, encryption overhead can quickly slow down your connection. They have you covered no matter what you plan on doing while using it. NordVPN does well to offer you the best possible speeds so you can enjoy the positive benefits of connecting to a VPN.
No matter what you like to stream online, NordVPN can help stop some of the interruptions you will face. If you are not aware, some internet service providers (ISPs) monitor customer’s traffic to look for streaming patterns. While some say they do not, it is not uncommon for companies to throttle speeds, especially during peak times. Connecting to a VPN, however, will mask the traffic so that episode 12 of your binge fest doesn’t include the spinning wheel of death. No one wants to deal with buffering issues.
3. Best VPN for Streaming: PIA
If you are looking to protect your entire family with a VPN, you can’t go wrong with Private Internet Access. Unlike some of its competitors, it offers its users the ability to connect on an unlimited number of devices. That is excellent news for families that want to protect everything. If that sounds like a high number, just remember that the figure takes into account all of the mobile devices, laptops, and possibly routers no matter where they are. As you can see, Private Internet Access has you covered.
If you are a fan of mixed martial arts (MMA), you may have noticed that Private Internet Access sponsors some of the fighters. Of course, they sponsor other things as well. They have long been popular in the sports market, giving users the ability to watch sports in various parts of the world. Whether you want to watch new events or are traveling overseas, connecting to a VPN is a good idea. That will help you get around any potential viewing issues you may have.
4. Best VPN for Streaming: CyberGhost
For gamers, one of the best ways to help you avoid lag is to connect to a VPN like CyberGhost. Unfortunately, lag can quickly become a big deal. When you connect to a VPN, you will create an alternative path to the game server. By doing so, you lessen the distance between your connection and the game server. That way, you will be able to reduce lag. No matter whether you play casually or more competitively, it is hard to deny the benefits of CyberGhost.
CyberGhost has a list of streaming optimized servers. Here are the specific services the VPN will unblock:
- United States – Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, YouTube TV, Crunchyroll, HBO Now, Sling TV, YouTube Red, ESPN+, Spotify, CBS, Comedy Central, Pandora, NBC, ESPN, Fox, Disney+
- Canada – CBC, YouTube
- United Kingdom – Netflix UK, Eurosport, BBC iPlayer
- Germany – Netflix DE, YouTube, ZDF, 7TV, Comedy Central, Zattoo DE, ARD
- Italy – Netflix IT, Rai Play, Disney+ IT
- France – Netflix FR, Radio France, Europe1, RTL, France TV, Canal+
- Austria – ORF
- Brazil – Fox Sport, Globo, Globo Sportv
- India – Disney+ Hotstar
While getting set up with CyberGhost is easy to do, there are several ways that they can help you if needed. Those include in-depth guides to help you with getting everything set up and an email system. They also offer 24/7 live chat support if you would like quicker service or would rather speak to a customer service representative right away. The team states that they can handle requests in English, German, French, and Romanian. As you can see, CyberGhost has you covered with whatever help you may need.
5. Best VPN for Streaming: IPVanish
If you are like most gamers, you are aware that lag can cause big problems. Sometimes, that can be a result of a busy game server or a congested network. By connecting to a VPN like IPVanish, you can help stop that from happening. What that will do is re-route your gaming traffic to a less populated server. Doing so may help you get a better experience so that you can enjoy your favorite games. That could make the difference between winning the match, or losing it.
One of the great things you can do when you connect to a VPN server from IPVanish is stream content from different regions. IPVanish spreads its more than 1400 servers over 75+ locations. That makes them an ideal candidate to stream. Their fast speeds also help when watching content from other areas because it means you will not usually have to deal with lag. If your goal is to stream movies and shows from different parts of the world, you can’t go wrong with IPVanish.
