Best VPNs for Streaming

Are you interested in catching up on Netflix shows when you’re overseas? Do you want to see what’s available on non-US streaming services? (Spoiler alert: there’s so much more stuff.)

Virtual private network (VPN) providers let you access streaming services outside of your country, but not all VPN providers are built for streaming. Here’s what you need to know about the best VPNs for streaming.

Jump to:

• Best VPNs for streaming
• Compare VPNs for streaming head to head
• What to look for

Best VPNs for streaming

• ProtonVPN – Best for streaming
• CyberGhost – Best for affordability

Compare VPNs for streaming head to head

When it comes to streaming, the best VPNs offer large server networks and reliable streaming access. ProtonVPN maintains multiple servers per country that will connect to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. CyberGhost’s interface is slightly less elegant than ProtonVPN, but it’s also one of the cheapest VPNs around.

Best VPNs for streaming in depth

If you’re looking for a VPN to stream your favorite sports games or anime, our top picks are ProtonVPN and CyberGhost. Let’s break down the best features and pricing for each VPN provider.

Editor’s choice award—ProtonVPN

• Dedicated streaming service support
• An excellent interface

• Higher standard pricing

It’s shockingly easy to access streaming services through ProtonVPN. On the service’s paid Plus tier, you’ll select from VPN servers in more than 60 countries.

When you click on each server, ProtonVPN will list the streaming services (like Netflix or BBC iPlayer) that are accessible when you’re connected. During our testing, we had no problem accessing multiple streaming services on servers inside and outside of the US.

ProtonVPN currently offers great promotional pricing on its one-year ($71.88) and two-year ($119.76 total) plans. But once ProtonVPN’s promotional period ends, your monthly rate will go back up to $9.99 per month, which is slightly higher than competitors like ExpressVPN and Surfshark.

CyberGhost

• Low prices
• Dedicated servers for streaming

• A clunky layout for streaming access

At just over $50 yearly, CyberGhost is one of the cheapest VPN services we’ve seen. With your subscription, you’ll get a respectable seven-device limit and access to servers in more than 88 countries.

We had no problems accessing streaming services with CyberGhost during our testing, although CyberGhost’s approach for streaming is a little wonky. To watch a streaming service, you’ll have to connect to separate servers that are optimized for specific providers like Netflix or Disney+.

With ProtonVPN, its Plus servers have baked-in streaming service support, so you won’t have to disconnect and reconnect to servers every time you want to watch something. But if price is your biggest concern, it’s hard to beat CyberGhost’s excellent prices.

What to look for

Streaming access

Services like Netflix typically have contracts that cover which countries they can show specific TV shows or movies in. As a result, they regularly try to block VPN access while VPN providers create new workarounds for these blocks.

We found that ProtonVPN and CyberGhost were the most reliable VPNs for streaming thanks to their dedicated streaming servers. It’s possible to watch streaming services on other VPNs, but their availability will vary widely depending on the VPN provider and services you’re trying to watch.

Cost

Subscription VPNs offer the best VPN performance compared to free VPNs, but no one likes adding another subscription to your monthly bill. However, numerous VPN providers offer better monthly rates if you lock in a year or multi-year agreement.

If you’re looking for a VPN on a one-time basis, going with a month-by-month plan gives you maximum flexibility. But if you’re looking for a longer-term VPN solution, get maximum savings with a multi-year agreement.

Best free VPNs for streaming

We generally recommend being cautious about free VPNs since they can come from untrustworthy providers that’ll skim your data or sell it to advertisers.

Windscribe is one of the better free VPNs for streaming—in our hands-on testing, we could access services like Prime Video and Netflix from multiple countries. But with Windscribe’s free plan—as with all free VPN plans—you’ll have to deal with limitations like data caps and smaller server networks.

Final take

A VPN is the best way to access your favorite streaming services from anywhere in the world. With ProtonVPN or CyberGhost, you’ll be able to watch your favorite Netflix or international shows and won’t miss a second.

Methodology

As part of our main best VPN guide, we spent more than a week analyzing and testing out the top subscription VPN services on the market. We evaluated each VPN provider’s performance, streaming service reliability, and overall usability.

For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.

Best VPNs for streaming FAQ