YouTube has steadily become the internet's biggest and most popular archive of online videos. If you have encountered a message saying that a video is not available in your country, you need a VPN for YouTube. By using a VPN, you can securely access videos even if they are geo-restricted.
What are the best VPNs for YouTube?
If you're after a quick answer, we have listed the best VPNs for YouTube below. However, if you require more information on any of the services listed, keep scrolling for a more in-depth analysis.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for YouTube. It's lightning-fast, unblocks youtube from anywhere, and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - The best buy YouTube VPN. Unblocks major streaming services with ease, it's super fast, and offers plenty of features.
- Surfshark - A great all-around VPN for YouTube. It offers top-notch privacy features to stream YouTube videos, with unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Private Internet Access - A secure VPN for streaming YouTube. It has a proven no-logs policy and is stocked with excellent privacy features.
- CyberGhost VPN - A beginner-friendly VPN for YouTube on your mobile. It offers slick apps for all popular platforms and a great 24/7 customer support.
How we test the VPNs for Youtube – Methodology
We have written over 150+ VPN reviews so we know a thing or two about VPN services. Although our reviewing processes are very extensive and thorough, the criteria for a VPN to work well with YouTube is pretty simple. It must:
- Have a large server network
- Provide speeds fast enough for HD and 4K streaming
- Work with YouTube in key countries
- Have great apps that work on every popular device
- They must be a good value for money
Each of the services we recommend has a global network of fast servers that can unblock YouTube all over the world. They also provide users with fantastic privacy and security features, so you can feel reassured when browsing the web.
So, let's take a closer look at our YouTube VPN recommendations.
5 Best VPNs for YouTube | In-depth analysis
We have included a bit more information about the VPNs we recommend for YouTube. If you still want more information about any of the services in the list below, please see our detailed VPN reviews.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for YouTube. It offers an extremely fast server network, with servers located all over the world, and it also unblocks almost every streaming service. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a provider based in the British Virgin Islands; a fantastic location for data privacy. The VPN is available for all platforms and provides advanced privacy features such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, port forwarding, split tunneling, and obfuscation. This makes ExpressVPN ideal for getting privacy both on public WiFi and at home. Plus, you can easily bypass any local censorship, restrictions at work, or international geo-restrictions without fear of being monitored by your ISP or the government. ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries
around the world, many of which are designed to unblock popular streaming services like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer, or for torrenting. You can use it on any platform thanks to its apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. You can pay for ExpressVPN using 23 different payment options (including Bitcoin). ExpressVPN's superb customer support team is always ready to provide assistance thanks to the company's 24/7 live chat service. And you can test ExpressVPN completely risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Best of all? ExpressVPN is known to be in the top 5 fastest VPNs in the world, so it will have no problems streaming high-quality YouTube videos. It's an excellent no-logs VPN that packs a real punch. NordVPN is a fantastic VPN for YouTube. It offers super fast servers, lots of features, and the ability to access YouTube and other services with ease. Nord Demo NordVPN is one of the biggest brands in the VPN industry, in fact, it's likely you will have seen it advertised on Youtube. Thankfully I though that their product lives up to the reputation that they have built over the years. Although Nord isn't as fast as ExpressVPN, they still offer reliable speeds that are good enough for unblocking Youtube videos. NordVPN has servers in 111 countries
, including 1,800 in the USA, so you will get reliable speeds. NordVPN also unblocks streaming services from around the world including Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and more. NordVPN also offer some great features like dedicated IPs and special torrenting servers. NordVPN also has a built-in adblocker called CyberSec, however, I found that this wasn't the best at blocking YouTube ads although it did do a good job blocking intrusive popups and other ads away from the platform. As well as allowing you to unblock lots of content, Nord has some fantastic security features. They keep zero logs, offer users very strong encryption, and Obfuscation (perfect for anyone in countries with oppressive internet restrictions). Surfshark is a great VPN for streaming YouTube videos. This is one of the best value VPNs on the market because it's blazing fast, jam-packed with great features, and offers unlimited simultaneous connections. Surfshark Demo Surfshark has quickly become a consumer favorite because it's jam-packed with features and it's really cheap. Considering what you get, this VPN is truly quite astounding. Its three-year plan comes in at a little over $2 a month, and for that price, you can install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices at once. Where streaming on YouTube is concerned, Surfshark has you covered. Servers are located in over 100 countries
and let you bypass any geo-restrictions. Plus, the servers are lightning-fast to let you watch HD streams without buffering. Surfshark VPN is also strong on privacy. The service implements a strong no-logs policy, and the VPN has obfuscation, strong OpenVPN encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill-switch – the latter of which permits torrenting. Besides accessing YouTube, this VPN unblocks more Netflix catalogs than just about any other service. It's a truly excellent VPN that will not break the bank. You can compare it to our other recommendations yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Private Internet Access is great for streaming YouTube and will keep your data private. PIA keeps zero logs, a claim it has proven in court. PIA Demo Private Internet Access VPN is a US-based provider that keeps no logs; a claim it has proven in court. The VPN is ideal for accessing restricted YouTube videos because it has fast servers in 84 countries
around the world. While that is, admittedly, fewer locations than some of our other recommendations, the reality is that those VPN servers are strategically located and spaced exceptionally well. And PIA has many servers in each country to ensure you never suffer congestion. PIA's privacy features are outstanding, meaning you can browse the web without being tracked or worrying about your data being compromised. It implements a solid no-logs policy and has apps for all platforms with advanced VPN features such as OpenVPN encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, port forwarding, and split tunneling. This makes the VPN perfect for gaining privacy both at home and on the fly. Plus, PIA can unblock sought after services such as Netflix US and is a great option for torrenting. PIA VPN is one of the most recommended services by Reddit users, and it is easy to see why. The VPN has live chat support, fast speeds, and highly customizable apps perfect for techy people looking for more granular control over the encryption standards. Well worth comparing to our other recommendations yourself, using its 30-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost works great with YouTube. It is really easy to use, great for VPN beginners, and is fast enough to stream YouTube videos in 4K. CyberGhost Demo CyberGhost VPN is based in Romania, one of the best locations in the EU for a privacy service to be based. It is a fast VPN that has everything you need to unblock geo-restricted YouTube videos. CyberGhost VPN has servers in over 100 countries
, and it is one of the few services that can access Netflix US, Prime Video, Hulu, Daily Motion, and YouTube. In addition, this VPN permits torrenting - which makes it a superb all-rounder. CyberGhost VPN comes with apps for all platforms that are fully featured, highly intuitive, and incredibly easy to use. Your privacy is assured thanks to its no-logs policy, OpenVPN encryption, and kill switch, all of which ensure you can do sensitive tasks such as torrenting. Plus, CyberGhost is a no-logs VPN, which means it will never store any records about what you have done online on its network. We love that CyberGhost lets you run the VPN on up to 7 devices simultaneously, which makes it great for families or people who own a lot of devices. And this VPN provides excellent value for your money when purchased for a longer period of time. Well worth testing using its super-generous 45-day money-back guarantee. 1. ExpressVPN
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How to use a VPN for YouTube?
Using a VPN for YouTube is easy. All you have to do is follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Choose one of the best VPNs for YouTube or sign straight up for our top recommendation, ExpressVPN..
- Download and install the VPN software on your internet-connected device (check with the VPN provider first to make sure it supports your device).
- Connect to a VPN server in a country or city fitting your YouTube streaming requirements. US servers are probably the safest bet for those looking to watch the most YouTube content.
- Those looking to stream YouTube TV will need to connect to a VPN server in a city where YouTube TV is available. Check out the full list of cities where YouTube TV is available on Google's support page.
- Once you’re connected to the VPN server, open YouTube and you're all set to start streaming!
- Avoid playback and buffering issues by staying connected to the VPN while streaming YouTube.
With a YouTube VPN, you can conceal your real IP address by connecting to a VPN server in a different location. This allows you to pretend to be in a different country, bypassing video restrictions to unblock more YouTube videos than ever before. If a video is blocked, you can try a different location as the VPNs we recommend have servers all over the world! And if YouTube is blocked altogether by a local WiFi network, simply connect to the VPN to regain access.
Using a Proxy vs. a VPN for YouTube
If you are wondering what the difference is between using a proxy or a VPN to unblock YouTube, this section is designed to help. Read on to find out which is a better option for you.
Proxies
A proxy lets you spoof your location so that you can access content that is blocked where you live. However, many proxies are dodgy services that may actually put your privacy and your devices at risk. A proxy server sits between your computer and the websites you visit to provide you with an altered IP address.
Unfortunately, many proxies do not encrypt your data, which means that they are not fit for protecting your privacy. In addition, you must trust the proxy provider not to monitor what you are doing online because they could collect that data and sell it to third parties. Most free proxy sites make revenue from what you do online by harvesting this data.
If you are unblocking YouTube with a proxy at work or in school, it is important to remember that you are not getting any privacy. The proxy will unblock the content, but the network admin will be able to see that you are bypassing the local restrictions, which means that you could get in trouble.
VPNs
VPNs, on the other hand, reroute all of your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, meaning that your data is kept private and secure.
In essence, this means that anyone - the government, your ISP or a network administrator - won't be able to see that you are accessing YouTube, because the VPN will encrypt any traffic going to, or coming from your device.
VPN technology also helps improve the success rate you have at unblocking YouTube. This is due to the larger number of IP addresses that you have access to and other useful tools that a premium VPN can provide.
To find out more about VPNs, check out our what is a VPN guide.
Watch YouTube without ads!
We've all clicked n a YouTube video only to be met with irritating adverts, but there is a way to avoid them. Check out our guide on how to watch YouTube without ads for more information about watching your favorite channels ad free.
Conclusion
Now that we have covered the differences between proxies and VPNs for YouTube, let's review our top picks:
From $6.67/month
The best VPN for YouTube. It's lightning-fast, unblocks youtube from anywhere, and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 10 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 8
- Server locations
- 160
- Free trial
- No
From $3.69/month
The best buy YouTube VPN. Unblocks major streaming services with ease, it's super fast, and offers plenty of features.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.9 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Free trial
- No
- Server locations
- 135
From $1.99/month
A great all-around VPN for YouTube. It offers top-notch privacy features to stream YouTube videos, with unlimited simultaneous connections.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.8 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 140
- Free trial
- Yes
From $2.19/month
A secure VPN for streaming YouTube. It has a proven no-logs policy and is stocked with excellent privacy features.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.7 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 84
- Free trial
- No
From $2.11/month
A beginner-friendly VPN for YouTube on your mobile. It offers slick apps for all popular platforms and a great 24/7 customer support.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.6 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 7
- Free trial
- Yes
- Server locations
- 126
The Best VPNs for YouTube 2024 – FAQs