I’ve tested 20+ streaming VPNs, but NordVPN is the only one I trust on my own TV

Cozy Sunday nights are non-negotiable. Whether I'm locked in to the latest HBO drama or half-watching a trashy Australian reality show no one has heard of yet, my living room is my happy place. As a big reader, I'm always excited for the next book adaptation – and I’ll readily admit I get genuinely grumpy if I have to wait to watch a show that's been available in another country for six months.

For me, a VPN isn’t just a piece of software to test – it’s the only reason I’ve seen every season of "The Traitors" without having the ending spoiled on X. It’s also what lets me keep up with my favorite series when I’m traveling for work, ensuring I’m not stuck watching TV shows in a language I don't even speak.

I’ve spent years fine-tuning my streaming game so that when I finally sit down with my cat on my lap, everything just works. I’ve done the hands-on testing so you don’t have to.

For my money, NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming overall, and it's the one I find myself using the most. That said, when I’m setting up a VPN for my less tech-savvy friends (or my parents), I always point them toward ExpressVPN – it's almost as comprehensive as NordVPN, but much simpler to use.

My top recommendations

1. NordVPN: a streaming VPN all-rounder
NordVPN ticks all of the boxes, and its my #1 streaming VPN choice. It has great, easy to use clients, speeds that won't leave you pulling your hair out at a buffering screen, and the ability to unblock all the major streaming services without a hitch. It also has great security features should you need some added reassurance while streaming.

It's not the most affordable VPN on the list, but it's also not the priciest. The best rate you can currently get is $3.39 per month ($81 upfront plus tax for a two year subscription). Go for higher tiers (with more features) and it'll throw in up to $50 in Amazon gift cards. All this is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free.

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2. ExpressVPN: an easy, speedy streaming VPN
It almost comes down to splitting hairs when deciding between ExpressVPN and NordVPN, because ExpressVPN is a great streaming VPN too. It's connections are super reliable, and I've never had it cut out on me. It also unblocks most streaming services, and has very intuitive apps across a ton of devices.

It's also got a lot more affordable. Prices start from $2.44 per month ($68.40 paid upfront, for 28 months' coverage), with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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3. Surfshark: the most affordable streaming VPN
Surfshark proves cheaper products can keep up with their pricier counterparts. It has smart, nicely designed clients, and it's great for unblocking. With unlimited connections, it's a great app to have in your back pocket (or on every single device you own). As mentioned, it's also ridiculously affordable.

Prices start at $1.99 per month ($53 plus tax up front for 27 months' service), and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free.

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What to look for

When deciding which VPN to put your money behind and subscribe to, these are the four different factors I would suggest keeping in mind.

Ability to stream: It sounds obvious, but when looking for a streaming VPN, you want one that is actually consistently able to unblock all the streaming services you wish to watch. Not every VPN service is up to the task, but if the provider you're looking at can consistently unblock trickier services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime, you're onto a winner.

Great speeds: Nobody enjoys the dreaded buffering experience. You'd be pretty frustrated if you got it from your internet provider in this day and age of superfast broadband, so keep your expectations high from your VPN. Routing your traffic through a different country is bound to slow things down a little with physical distance being a hindrance, but we've put them through their paces (and speed tests) to see which come out on top.

Ease of use: Virtual Private Networks may sound a little complicated to the non-tech savvy, but where streaming is concerned, it should be fairly straightforward. Still, some VPNs are clunkier than others, so it's important to find one you feel confident you can use effectively.

Customer support: If you do happen to find yourself in deep water, stuck on how to set up or use your VPN, you'll definitely want the reassurance that one you choose offers excellent customer support. This means everything from how readily available it is, different means of contacting the support team, and, of course, how helpful it proves to be.

Meet the testing team:

Tested and written by:

Tested and written by:

Alice Marshall

I installed and tested all the VPNs in this guide – and a lot more that didn't make the cut – to see how they performed under real-life conditions. The bulk of my testing was using my whole Apple ecosystem of a 2024 MacBook Pro, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and an Apple TV 4K. I also used a Windows laptop to check some more techy features, and even borrowed a friend's Amazon Fire TV Stick to get a good range of results. I won't lie, I loved doing it – I've got a lot of experience writing about both VPNs and streaming from my work at Cinemablend and TechRadar, so it was great fun to sit down and get stuck into unblocking shows I've never seen before!

Reviewed, tested, and edited by:

Reviewed, tested, and edited by:

Mo Harber-Lamond

My day job is reviewing and writing about VPNs. I wrote Tom's Guide's NordVPN and Surfshark reviews – the process of which involved a lot of streaming testing. Doing the streaming tests for VPN reviews is one of the most exciting parts of the process. Not only do I get logins for almost every streaming service under the sun, but I get to provide my readers with truly useful, unbiased information that helps them pick the right VPN. I don't just trust a VPN when they say they can unblock Japanese Netflix – I test it out for myself. During the editing process of this page, I also added some more under-the-hood knowhow that I've gained from over five years working with VPNs.

Reviewed by:

Reviewed by:

Michael Simon

As a Contributor who handles VPN reviews for the core team, I penned Tom's Guide's ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access reviews – and I've used dozens of others in my time as a tech journalist. My focus is on the technical detail, and I love getting to know the ins and outs of every VPN I get my hands on. Just like everyone who has a part in creating Tom's Guide's VPN coverage, I also undertake streaming tests. After all, the more results we have, the better a picture of each VPN's reliability we can build.

Reviewed by:

Reviewed by:

Olivia Powell

I've worked closely with the Tom's Guide VPN team for a few years now, and I'm also the author of Tom's Guide's Proton VPN review. Fittingly for this guide, I did a lot of the legwork for our previous round of VPN streaming testing, and recorded most of the results you'll see quoted on this page. Beyond streaming, I've spent a lot of time analyzing the design and interfaces of all the VPNs we consider featuring on pages like this one. I specialize in finding small details that that could improve – and a number of VPNs have updated their designs with my published suggestions in mind!

The best streaming VPN overall

NordVPN is my most reliable sidekick when it comes to streaming. It never fails to unlock my go-to favorite TV show from around the world. I love the way it slots into my Apple ecosystem but, don’t worry, if you’re an Android user — NordVPN’s got you covered too.

NordVPN unblocked Netflix libraries around the world (including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan), as well as Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ in my testing. It even unblocked BBC iPlayer, and other geo-restricted, free platforms like Australia’s 9Now and Ireland’s RTÉ Player.

This means I feed even my most embarrassing TV additions. I’ve watched “Married at First Sight Australia” months before for it to hit the UK airwaves, and enjoyed shows on Netflix like Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” which is available in Argentina but not where I live.

To put that into perspective, some very high-quality VPNs like IPVanish, CyberGhost, and Norton VPN all had minor issues in my testing that kept them off this list. Nord's clean sweep is remarkable, and unique in my experience.

It may not be the very fastest VPN we’ve recorded but NordVPN causes the least buffering of any of the VPNs I’ve tried and disconnections are incredibly rare. I never need to get into the weeds of the more complicated settings like some other products.

NordVPN used to get criticised for its map interface but the company has upped its UI game, particularly on its smartphone apps, and I think it’s super easy to find the country you’re looking to connect to.

I have to confess, I’m slightly obsessed with NordVPN’s native Apple TV VPN app. There was a time where it felt like every VPN provider had a Fire Stick client, but not one for Apple – but times have changed. NordVPN’s is simple but really effective. It was just perfect for hopping on to Japanese Netflix when I wanted to enjoy "Boiling Point."

Probably the one drawback to NordVPN is that you are limited to 10 devices. It sounds like a lot but once I added my phone, my TV, my tablet and media streamer to my other household devices, I quickly got through them. That’s fine for me but if you’re sharing the account with family members, you might want to try something like Surfshark which has unlimited simultaneous connections.

NORDVPN IN ACTION

The best streaming VPN for beginners

ExpressVPN used to be my go-to VPN across the board, and that included for streaming. And it’s still great, hence its #2 spot on this list. It's the simplest VPN I've used, and it's also not as expensive as it used to be, with Proton VPN overtaking it as the most expensive VPN I've included here. However, as with almost any VPN, watch out for renewal price hikes.

On my Mac, the main feature is a big "On" button and a Smart Location. Clicking the current server showed all my options, and clicking on the star icon let me "favorite" the most reliable. Simple server selection is a must – if you're globetrotting for fresh TV shows, you don't want to be glued to your VPN's settings.

The apps are similarly simple on other devices, and I found the Chrome extension perfect for streaming on my laptop. Again, it’s very straightforward to use and allows me to hop from one location to another without having to flit between multiple windows. Sure, it’s only about two clicks fewer than usual, but every bit of streamlining helps.

This simplicity is ExpressVPN's biggest strength. Compared to the likes of IPVanish and Hide.me – two powerful but somewhat unpolished VPNs I tried out – using ExpressVPN is child's play.

I also found ExpressVPN to have some of the most reliable connections. While NordVPN, Surfshark, and PIA's speeds dropped when connecting to far-flung servers, ExpressVPN maintained consistently good speeds. This was most noticeable when I wanted to unblock Australian streaming service 9Now – I experienced buffering with NordVPN, CyberGhost and Surfshark (and iProVPN wouldn’t play content at all), but ExpressVPN played back without issue.

It's not all roses, though. On non-Windows devices, the Lightway Turbo setting isn't available, and subsequently peak speeds aren't quite as impressive. However, unless you really rely on gigabit Wi-Fi, you won't notice a difference – my 150 Mbps connection felt as speedy as ever, no matter what device I was using.

Really, it’s a close call between ExpressVPN and NordVPN. However, the clincher was the fact that ExpressVPN recorded one failure in my tests – it was unable to access Amazon Prime Video. But, unless that's something you pay for, ExpressVPN is a reliable, simple alternative to NordVPN.

EXPRESSVPN IN ACTION

The best cheap streaming VPN

Surfshark’s trademark is that it’s one of the best cheap VPNs that doesn’t compromise on quality. For under $2 a month you’re getting a handsome VPN that keeps things intuitive, helpfully signposting exactly what you need without having to seek it out. It also has a great track record for unblocking streaming services, and it doesn’t limit how many devices you can install and use it on. That means you can get up and streaming whatever you want, on as many devices as you like. Perfect.

While not integral, it’s no bad thing that Surfshark has definitely always felt like one of the better-looking VPNs. Its brand identity is fun, positioning itself as a provider that is accessible for all. There's rarely any need to get stuck into the settings if you're just interested in using your VPN for streaming, and just like ExpressVPN, Surfshark makes it easy to get going.

One such instance of this is when launching its Mac client, you're presented with an alphabetic list of servers on the left, and a clear gauge on the right of whether you’re connected or not. What's even more handy, though, is the "Recently Used" section above the list of servers. This is great if you frequently connect to a particular country to unblock a specific show, and saves you a scroll or a search. Compared to more basic VPNs I tested, like Mullvad, this is very welcome.

On other devices, I found Surfshark to be equally intuitive. On iPhone, the app is super simple and easy to navigate, while the Apple TV is one of the simplest I've tried. On Fire Stick, I found that Surfshark's app was a lot less cluttered than NordVPN's – but predictably, as with all streaming devices, there's very little to "do" in the app besides connect and exit.

While Surfshark was one of the fastest in testing (1,615Mbps on WireGuard, 978Mbps on OpenVPN when connecting to the fastest server), I did find it slower to connect compared to other services. While NordVPN is almost instant, Surfshark took a good 2-3 seconds to connect. Still, that's nothing in the grand scheme, and it certainly makes up for speed elsewhere when connecting to nearby servers. It’s worth noting its performance significantly dropped for longer-distance connections, though, which I definitely experienced when streaming through Australian services like 9Now.

SURFSHARK IN ACTION

The most secure streaming VPN

While streaming is the focus here, Proton VPN could be a reliable choice for anyone particularly privacy conscious. It’s packed full of privacy features and has the biggest network of servers on this list, with 17,000 across 161 locations and 126 countries. In simple terms, this means it’s highly likely you’ll find a server in a country you wish to connect to and you’ve got options in the unlikely event one fails to unblock.

In testing, I found that Proton VPN was able to unblock every streaming site I tried. This is very impressive for a privacy-focused VPN, and other VPNs I tried out that target a similar kind of user – Mullvad and NymVPN, for example – can struggle with streaming.

I think Proton VPN has the balance perfectly down where its apps are concerned. It was once a bit cluttered, but a lot of the kinks have been streamlined, and it marries together in a smart interface that doesn’t hide away from the fact privacy is this provider’s primary focus.

With the option to collapse its map design to just a list of countries, Proton has some of its main features, Secure Core, NetShield, and its Kill Switch sitting just above the list ready for you to activate. As I mentioned before with NordVPN, although privacy might not be your top concern, if you happen to be streaming from a non-legitimate source, you may appreciate the extra layer of security with these tools.

There’s also the very handy tab called "Profiles." This is essentially a "favorite" system, allowing you to save a server/protocol etc. combination that you like and want to use in the future. This could be particularly handy if you find out only a particular combination works for a certain site. Set up your Profile, and there's no need to hop around – you can go straight to the one that works for you.

One little finishing touch I like is the way the Proton VPN logo changes from grayscale to its purple brand colours on the Mac app icon when you’re connected to one of its servers. Obviously, this is a minor design element, but it definitely signifies a product that has got it all sussed and now has the time to add a bit of aesthetic flair.

The only real issue I had was accessing 9Now. Initially, while it had no problem loading the site and seemed to think I was in Australia, it struggled to play any content. However, a bit of hopping around fixed that problem quickly.

PROTON VPN IN ACTION

The best streaming VPN for advanced users

If you’re trying to access US streaming services while outside of the US, Private Internet Access (PIA) is a great choice. Of its 10,000 servers, it has servers based in every state, which could be particularly handy if you’re trying to access local network coverage or blackout games. However, PIA did record the slowest speeds on this list, though still well above the 25 Mbps required to stream 4K.

I’ve always quite liked PIA’s apps. They’re definitely a bit more technical and detailed, but it’s sometimes nice to have that extra info at your disposal. Connect to one of its servers and you can see your download and upload speeds. In its list of countries, it also gives latency figures so you can make a more educated choice – provided you have a good handle on what said numbers indicate.

That said, while nice for some, it is definitely one of the more complicated interfaces on this list. I was also a little puzzled initially, once I’d downloaded its Mac client, to discover it doesn’t sit with the rest of my apps in my dock, but instead as a padlock icon in my toolbar at the top of my screen – though for ease, you can add the application to your dock.

Another cool detail is that PIA flags servers it deems optimized for streaming. In other words, the ones you should connect to if you’re looking to connect to a server with the purpose of unlocking content to watch. With such a huge network, this definitely helps focus things, though I did sometimes find there wasn’t much difference between a special ‘streaming server’ and those not labeled as such.

In terms of unblocking, PIA is fairly good, but you just might have to do a little trial and error before you get one that does the job. It managed to unblock some Netflix libraries (the US, Australia, and Canada) and struggled with others on the first attempt (the UK and Japan). It also couldn't unblock Amazon Prime Video, though this definitely seems to be the service putting up the most fight right now, with Surfshark and ExpressVPN also struggling.

On a similar note, it also struggled to unblock regional services, including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All4, 9Now, and 10Play. While switching servers often worked, there were occasions where extra backup was needed. PIA’s support team were prompt and helpful in our troubleshooting, though.

PRIVATE INTERNET ACCESS IN ACTION

Are VPNs legal for streaming?

The short answer to this is yes, although it does come with a couple of caveats. Using a VPN may violate the licensing agreement for whatever streaming platform you're using, and may lead to your account being terminated (although we've never actually heard of this happening).

Some streaming services, like Netflix, will only show you TV shows or movies that it has a global license for if it detects your VPN use. Other streaming services, like 10 Play or Amazon Prime, will simply not play any content if your VPN use is detected.

Additionally, if you're looking to stream live UK TV content using BBC iPlayer, you will need to have a valid TV license. If you don't, you may be subject to a fine or prosecution for doing so.

Back to the best streaming VPNs ^

Do I need a VPN for streaming movies?

The answer to this question depends on a couple of factors – namely, whether or not the movie you want to stream is available in your region.

If it is, then you should be okay – although using a VPN is a good way to keep your data secure while online, so you should consider using one even if you don't need to spoof your location.

If the movie you want to watch is available on our chosen streaming platform, but not in your current region, then you will need a VPN to spoof your location to one where it is available.

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Does VPN make streaming faster?

While a VPN cannot improve your internet connection speed, a VPN with good speeds won't slow you down during streaming sessions. Going for a VPN with high speeds that you won't be subject to lag and buffering when connected to it.

The only way using a VPN can actually speed up your internet connection is if you experience throttling by your ISP. This means that your ISP is purposefully slowing your connection to conserve bandwidth if its decided that you're using too much. By using a VPN, you conceal your internet traffic from your ISP, preventing them from seeing what you're getting up to (whether this is HD streaming, gaming, or torrenting) and throttling your connection.

Based on our speed and real-world test, none of the VPNs on this list should slow you down. However, if you do have super-fast Wi-Fi and do a lot of uploading/downloading, you're probably better off going for NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN or Proton VPN over PIA.

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How does a VPN work for streaming?

Using a VPN for streaming is simple. First, boot up your VPN, then select a server in the country you want to stream content from.

Once you're connected, log in to your chosen streaming service, and select whatever movie or TV show you want to watch. Then you should be good to go!

If your VPN is detected, you may have to switch servers to get it working again. However, with our top rated streaming VPN, Surfshark, my VPN use was not detected at all during streaming tests.

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