The word ‘Virtual Private Network (VPN)’ sounds very technical. And by all means, whatever happens under the hood is indeed pure geeky stuff. Simply put, a VPN masks your internet protocol (IP) address with its own. In addition, they act as your DNS server. Finally, they shield your internet data with bank-grade encryption. And obviously, VPNs are different than proxies, which only work at the application level and aren’t that privacy-oriented.
Best VPN for Streaming
Originally, VPN technology was aimed at evading firewalls, spoofing snoopers, or simply avoiding mass surveillance. Regardless, the majority of users ended up using a VPN for entirely different reasons: entertainment, social media, and news. But there are genuine reasons too. Users have reported ISP speed throttling whenever they streamed a bit too much. You can also experience reduced speeds on a specific streaming platform if your internet service provider has special corporate relations (😉) with a competitive streaming service. Or sometimes, you are subjected to throttling in the hope that you’ll migrate to a higher bandwidth plan. Conclusively, ISP speed control is a real issue and the primary cause of us talking about the best VPN for Netflix and all. Let’s get started.
PureVPN
Every subscription features unlimited bandwidth and simultaneous coverage for ten devices. Besides, PureVPN has a Netflix extension useful to avoid proxy errors while surfing international libraries. In addition, you can contact the ever-present support to access any streaming service of your choice. Don’t take our word for it. Try PureVPN with a seven-day trial for $0.99 and an additional 31-day money-back guarantee. Want a detailed assessment? Check out our PureVPN review.
CometVPN
CometVPN offers servers worldwide to help you bypass geographical restrictions and enjoy more online content. It’s a new player in town, which is beneficial for unlocking Netflix streaming libraries.
ExpressVPN
Finding ExpressVPN on the top of any VPN list is not that hard. They are good at what they do and are a top VPN for streaming. This makes them a perfect choice to stream your favorite shows on whichever device you own. You can use ExpressVPN simultaneously on five devices with the best subscription valued at $8.32 a month for a 12-month contract. Finally, you’re covered with a 30-day money-back guarantee to try ExpressVPN risk-free.
SurfShark
With 3200+ servers across 116 cities in 65 countries, SurfShark is the only top-rated choice with unlimited device use. That essentially means a single subscription to cover your entire family, no matter how big that is. In addition, SurfShark has an in-built ad blocker that should boost network speeds while blocking annoying adverts. SurfShark has a multi-platform availability with no restrictions on bandwidth usage, making it ideal for streaming. Their most pocket-friendly plan is a two-year one, pegged at $2.49 per month. In addition, there is a seven-day free trial on top of a 30-day money-back guarantee.
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN’s forever-free plan makes it the most generous VPN provider on this list. And that’s even strange if you count on the advanced features this VPN ships with. It has 1600+ servers in 63 countries. ProtonVPN comes equipped with Netshield, which you can configure to block malware, ads, and trackers. Similar to the services we’ve discussed yet, ProtonVPN too has multi-platform support with apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks, Android, iOS, routers, etc. However, there is much more to it than we have discussed in our ProtonVPN review.
NordVPN
NordVPN is another big name in the VPN industry which is excellent for streaming. It’s fast, has advanced features, and makes your streaming experience pleasant. Talk about servers, and they have over 5,000 servers in 79 locations spread across 60 countries. In addition, you can have NordVPN on just about every device and platform. NordVPN is one of the few that have developed a homegrown version (NordLynx) of the fastest and latest VPN protocol, WireGuard. Another nifty feature of NordVPN is server obfuscation. While turned on, this hides the fact that you’re using a VPN at all. With the ability to connect six devices, NordVPN’s two-year subscription is the most economical, which sets you back by $3.99 per month. And just for the peace of mind, NordVPN covers you with the 30-day money-back as well.
Private Internet Access
Across all VPNs, Private Internet Access (PIA) has the biggest server count, 35500+ servers in 108 locations sprawled in 84 countries. Not just a long list of servers, you also get user-friendly native applications for the majority of platforms. Besides, they have many next-generation features like the latest VPN protocols, ad blockers, etc., which makes them a value proposition. PIA permits connecting six devices and has the best value plan for three years (+three months free) at $2.03 a month.
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN comes with a long list of 7900+ VPN servers in 113 cities located in 91 countries. It prides itself on calling itself the top VPN for Netflix and other streaming platforms, with its website hosting an exhaustive list of platforms it supports. With a multi-platform availability, CyberGhost can work on seven devices with a single subscription. They have a 24 hours free trial which you can avail of without giving any credit card information. Alternatively, you can straightaway signup for their three years (+three months free) plan, which costs a monthly $2.29 and has a 45-day money-back guarantee. So now we’ve seen these VPNs separately, let’s take the bird’s-eye view with this summary: *** Despite the low rankings on TrustPilot, we found ProtonVPN very capable and an advanced VPN to use. It readily unblocked major streaming platforms without any issues or excessive speed throttling.
Conclusion
This was our roundup of the best VPN for Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and other major streaming platforms. Notably, I would advise not to get swayed by the server count. A large number of servers don’t always indicate a quality user experience. What matters is the type of server and its maintenance standards. But there is nothing to worry about, as all the VPNs come with some sort of money back, giving you a choice to try without paying. On a side note, we have a curated list of VPN solutions for Android and can tell which online activities warrants a VPN subscription.
