Best VPNs for YouTube That Work Everywhere in 2025

YouTube is the world’s largest repository for user-generated video. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to access YouTube everywhere. In some countries, like China, YouTube is completely censored. Some content on YouTube is restricted to certain countries due to content licensing agreements, or simply due to the uploader’s preference. Try playing these abroad and you’ll see one of the following errors:

• “The uploader has not made this video available in your country”
• “This video is not available in your country”

The solution is actually quite simple. All you have to do is connected to a Virtual Private Network (VPN). These tools encrypt your online activities, preventing them from being read and sidestepping web-filtering systems like those used by most offices, schools, and colleges. Further, VPNs send data through servers in a location of your choosing, which makes it trivial to access region-locked content anywhere.

We’ll cover our top VPNs in more detail shortly, but if you’re in a rush, don’t worry. You’ll find a summary of the best VPNs for YouTube in the list below:

The best YouTube VPNs:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice for YouTube. Has a large network of servers able to unblock most popular streaming sites. Apps are easy to use and secure. 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Youtube.
2. Surfshark: The best budget YouTube VPN. Delivers high speeds, powerful security features, and strong streaming ability. No connection limit.
3. IPVanish: This no-logs VPN is quick, versatile, and able to secure every device you own. A great choice for anyone trying to watch YouTube abroad.
4. ExpressVPN: Boasts speedy servers in 100+ countries and works well with YouTube, even when watching 4K content. 24/7 support via live chat.
5. CyberGhost: Value provider with over 11,000 servers worldwide. Fast speeds and a strong set of security features. 45-day money-back guarantee.
6. PureVPN: A fantastic option for more advanced users. Includes a built-in ad-blocker and excels at accessing stubborn streaming platforms.
7. ProtonVPN: Fast and security-conscious provider that can help you stream YouTube from just about anywhere in the world.
8. PrivateVPN: A highly reliable VPN with fast servers in 63 countries. Puts your privacy first and works with a huge range of streaming platforms.

Testing criteria for YouTube VPNs

Our team set up a strict baseline to ensure we only recommend VPNs capable of giving you the best possible viewing experience. To even be eligible for a spot in our list, VPNs must offer all of the following:

• Speed: We carry out multiple speed tests throughout 24 hours to get a clear indication of performance. Although every VPN will have some impact on speed, we identify the ones that cause the least disruption.
• Functionality: We determine our functionality score by examining device compatibility, streaming service access (YouTube and beyond), server network, and more.
• Security and privacy: We formulate our security and privacy scores by examining encryption levels, available protocols, logging policies, and other factors.
• Ease of use: We want to see user-friendly apps, reliable customer support, and feature parity across platforms. We assess this and more to calculate our ease of use scores.
• Value for money: Our value for money score is more than subscription costs. We consider what you get for your money, including device limits, money-back guarantees, and more.

VPNs for YouTube compared

We’ve tested and compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for YouTube.

Best VPNs for YouTube

Here’s a detailed look at our top VPN recommendations:

1. NordVPN

Apr 2025 Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

NordVPN operates more than 7,200 servers in 110+ countries. In our professional opinion, this is one of the most reliable services for streaming as it works with stubborn platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, and BBC iPlayer. In other words, YouTube (and YouTube TV) won’t be a problem.

It’s exceptionally secure, too, with unbreakable encryption, lots of advanced functionality, and a strict, independently-verified no-logs policy. To find out how quick NordVPN is, we tested its US servers at three times of day. Here are the results:

NordVPN delivered an average speed of 211.57 Mbps and was the only provider to reach 200 Mbps in more than one of its tests. It’s fast enough for any task, even 4K streaming or torrenting, so no matter how many videos you have queued up, you should be fine.

Apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android let you easily choose a location from a map or a list of countries. NordVPN is one of the best values on offer, allowing up to 10 simultaneous connections on a single basic subscription.

BEST VPN FOR YOUTUBE:NordVPN is our #1 choice. Works well for streaming and torrenting. Allows up to 10 simultaneous devices. Strong on security and keeps no logs. Includdes a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

unblocks youtubeTested Apr 2025

Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting a high-speed, low-latency connection. In addition to unblocking YouTube, this service lets you use platforms like Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video from abroad.

Your traffic is protected using a host of advanced security features including 256-bit encryption and a no-logging policy. More recent additions to its security toolkit include automatic ad and tracker-blocking, as well as a NoBorders mode that can help you beat country-wide censorship. Users can pay in Bitcoin, Ripple, or Ethereum.

You might be surprised to hear that a low-cost VPN regularly beats pricier providers on speed, but somehow Surfshark manages. We tested its American servers over the course of a day to see just how fast it was. Here are our findings:

Surfshark actually delivered the single highest result of any VPN in this list (212.92 Mbps) but its average speed was 194.63 Mbps due to lower results in the morning and afternoon. Still, that’s exceptional performance and significantly faster than most other VPNs can hope to achieve.

Surfshark provides apps for iOS, MacOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. Manual installation is required for use with home routers. Since there’s no connection limit, users can secure every device they own simultaneously.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is an affordable way to stream safely. Boasts cutting-edge security features and a no-logs policy. It also offers decent speeds, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and the ability to protect all of your devices at once.

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3. IPVanish

Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

IPVanish owns and operates all 2,000+ of its servers, plus it recently expanded its coverage and now has a presence in over 100 countries. This provider has overhauled its service over the last couple of years and now stands as one of the most reliable options for unblocking YouTube from anywhere. The fact that it lets you connect unlimited devices doesn’t hurt, either.

When it comes to security, IPVanish boasts unbreakable encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, automatic ad-blocking, and traffic scrambling (on the OpenVPN protocol). Equally important, it follows a strict zero-logs policy. Let’s see if it’s fast enough to meet your needs:

With an average speed of 187.82 Mbps, IPVanish is extremely competitive. In fact, unless you’re used to extraordinarily high speeds already, you shouldn’t notice much difference when connected. You can stream, play online games, or torrent without any performance issues.

IPVanish has its own iOS, Android, MacOS, and Windows apps. Linux systems and routers require manual setup. Additionally, it just launched its Advanced plan, which bundles the VPN with cloud storage and a secure browser.

GREAT CHOICE FOR YOUTUBE:IPVanish is ideal for families that need simultaneous connections. Works well with YouTube. Generally solid for torrenters, Kodi users, but look elsewhere if you live in China or want to unblock Netflix. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

ExpressVPN has servers in around 105 different countries and can unblock YouTube without breaking a sweat. It even works with more stubborn platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+. Obfuscation kicks in as needed without any user input, so you can browse securely in China or the UAE without having to tweak any settings.

This provider takes your privacy seriously. It ensures your data is hidden at all times using 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, a no-logs policy, and automatic tracker-blocking. It’s also quite quick, which means the odds of random disconnection are virtually nonexistent. Let’s see the full speed test results:

After three tests on its US servers, ExpressVPN averaged 133.59 Mbps. For context, this means you can download about 1GB of data in roughly 45 seconds. In practical terms, users will be able to watch multiple live YouTube broadcasts in 4K without any noticeable hit to performance.

The apps, available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux are easy enough even for children to use. ExpressVPN also offers its own router firmware, allowing you to unblock YouTube across your entire home network.

GOOD ALL-ROUNDER:ExpressVPN is a strong all-rounder. It has a vast server network that is optimized for high-speed connections. It is Hard to beat on privacy and security. All plans come with a 30-day no-quibbles money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. CyberGhost

unblocks youtubeTested Apr 2025

CyberGhost has over 11,000 servers in 100+ countries and can reliably access major platforms like Netflix and HBO Max, so YouTube doesn’t pose much of a problem. There’s a seven-connection limit, and support staff are available around the clock over live chat.

CyberGhost doesn’t keep logs of your activities and comes with strong security features, including 256-bit encryption, a built-in ad-blocker (for ad-free YouTube), a malware scanner, and a kill switch. To measure its performance, we tested its US servers three times on a 250 Mbps connection; you’ll find the results in the chart below:

Once we’d finished all three tests, CyberGhost had an average speed of 134.43 Mbps. That’s a tiny bit faster than ExpressVPN and all but ensures you’ll have a smooth streaming experience, even when other people are using the internet at the same time.

Apps are available for iOS, Android, MacOS, Linux, and Windows.

GOOD VALUE OPTION:CyberGhost is an affordable, privacy-conscious VPN that’s ideal for unblocking YouTube, thanks to its high speeds, advanced security features, and strong unblocking ability. There’s even a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our comprehensive CyberGhost review for more details.

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6. PureVPN

Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

PureVPN takes the stress out of watching YouTube at work or in places like China. It can also unblock geo-restricted videos on YouTube. Better still, it works with plenty of other popular apps too including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+. There are more than 6,000 servers to choose from across 65 countries, so users can get a high-speed, low-latency connection from just about anywhere. Each subscription comes with a 10 device limit and access to a 24/7 live chat help desk.

After testing its US servers at various times of day, PureVPN delivered an average speed of 160.09 Mbps. That’s well above what you’ll need to watch live 4K video on YouTube. In fact, you can even do so while torrenting or gaming at the same time. Let’s see how quick PureVPN was throughout the day:

The biggest question is always “can this VPN keep you safe?”. You have nothing to worry about with PureVPN, though: it boasts uncrackable encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch that stops sending data anytime your connection drops. There’s also a tracker blocker, but unfortunately, this isn’t included with the standard plan. This provider takes your privacy seriously, evidenced by its no-logging policy and extensive audit history. That said, ideally, it would add support for anonymous payment methods in the future.

PureVPN has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and MacOS. It also works with a wide range of routers, but you’ll have to follow manual setup instructions for these.

ACCESS YOUTUBE ANYWHERE:PureVPN is very easy to use, faster than many of its rivals, and highly secure. Ideal for streaming YouTube in the office or abroad.

Read our full PureVPN review.

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7. ProtonVPN

Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

ProtonVPN can technically help you stream YouTube securely for free, but we recommend upgrading to a paid plan sooner rather than later. Doing so grants access to over 8,000 servers in 115+ countries and removes the speed limit, instantly improving your viewing experience. You’ll also be able to access other popular platforms like Netflix, which isn’t possible on the free plan. With a generous 10-connection limit and 24/7 customer support over live chat, ProtonVPN is a great way to watch your favorite content wherever you go.

This VPN is known for its speedy, consistent connections but it’s important to retest regularly so we can see how its speed has changed over time. In our most recent round of testing, ProtonVPN averaged 144.59 Mbps. That’s a competitive result, and means you’re unlikely to notice any performance issues, even when queuing up lots of 4K videos at the same time.

Ever feel like you spend more time skipping ads than watching videos? That won’t be a problem anymore since ProtonVPN automatically blocks common annoyances like ads and trackers. It also supports split tunneling so you can simultaneously access content from multiple regions. Naturally, it uses unbeatable encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch to keep your activities hidden from snoopers, plus there’s a proven no-logs policy in place for extra peace of mind.

ProtonVPN offers apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Its website also provides detailed setup guides in case you’d prefer to install it on your router.

IDEAL FOR STREAMING:ProtonVPN has the speed, security, and reliability you’ll need to stream safely. Works flawlessly with YouTube, Hulu, and more.

Read our complete ProtonVPN review.

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8. PrivateVPN

Unblocks YouTubeTested Apr 2025

PrivateVPN is a highly popular provider based in Sweden. True to its branding, PrivateVPN provides super-secure connections in 63 countries, allowing you to torrent and surf the web without being tracked. There’s a 10-connection limit and support staff are available over live chat during European business hours.

This service has never been the quickest on the market but generally provides consistent performance. Our team tested its American servers three times to see just how reliable PrivateVPN’s speeds were:

As you can see, there’s room for improvement. Still, an average speed of 50.66 Mbps should be plenty for virtually any situation including gaming and streaming. On that note, this VPN works to access multiple Netflix regions, Hulu, Max, Disney+, and just about anything else you can think of.

PrivateVPN boasts powerful encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. There’s also a stealth VPN mode capable of bypassing the world’s strictest online censorship so that you can watch YouTube anywhere. Crucially, this VPN follows a no-logs policy and can’t reveal details of your activities under any circumstances.

PrivateVPN has apps for iOS, MacOS, Android, and Windows. Linux systems and rotuers are supported but must be manually configured.

STRONG ON PRIVACY:PrivateVPN is quick for doing data-intensive tasks like gaming or streaming on YouTube.  Watertight no logs policy. Servers in 63+ countries. Allows torrenting throughout its network. Kill-switch and obfuscation. Perfect for streaming Netflix. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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Finding the best VPNs for YouTube: Our methodology

There are many factors to consider when choosing a VPN for streaming YouTube. For instance, you’ll need one that’s fast, yet secure enough to let you watch without wondering if your activities are being monitored. Our experts put each candidate through a gauntlet of testing, primarily focused on the five areas below:

Speed

Speed is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a VPN. After all, a service that’s too slow will result in all kinds of playback issues on YouTube, like stuttering playback or videos that just buffer endlessly. We perform rigorous testing to determine beyond all doubt which are the fastest VPNs on the market.

This involves testing each VPN’s American servers three times (once in the morning, at noon, and in the evening). These tests are performed on a 250 Mbps connect since that’s the average US household broadband speed and should therefore reflect the speeds you can actually expect. From there, we normalize each VPN’s average speed, giving us a final score out of 10. Let’s see how our top picks compared:

NordVPN was quite a bit faster than the rest of the competition, so it earned a perfect score in this category. Surfshark and IPVanish took second and third place, but it’s worth noting that every VPN we saw was capable of playing 4K video without any issues.

Functionality

Next, we tried to get a view of each VPN’s overall versatility. To begin with, we checked to see if they offered a Smart DNS service that’ll let you access YouTube on devices without full VPN support (smart TVs and games consoles, for instance). Then, our team looked into how many countries the provider supported and how many streaming services it could reliably access. Just like before, the scores were normalized, allowing us to compare our top YouTube VPNs side by side:

NordVPN’s large network and exceptional unblocking ability helped it secure the top spot here. ExpressVPN also did very well, thanks to its strong presence in the Middle East and Asia. On the other hand, PrivateVPN’s smaller network and lack of Smart DNS saw it take the lowest score overall.

Security and privacy

Having a VPN that works with YouTube doesn’t mean much if it can’t keep your activities private. In fact, these qualities go hand-in-hand — the more secure a service is, the higher the chance it will be able to evade digital censorship in countries like China. We carefully considered the following 16 criteria when assigning scores in this category:

Providers started testing with a full 10 points, then lost points for each area where their privacy offering could be improved. Once finished, we normalized the results and created a table showing the overall rankings of our recommended VPNs:

NordVPN and Surfshark both achieved an impressive 9.5 points. The former could shore up its authentication slightly, and the latter would rank higher if it wasn’t based in a Nine Eyes country, but neither of these is a deal-breaker given how strong they are in other security-related areas.

Ease of use

The simpler a service is to use, the better. We know from experience that having to troubleshoot problems is extremely frustrating, which is why we prioritize VPNs with live chat-based support and extensive documentation. Providers all gain points for offering task-specific servers, generous connection limits, and anything else in the table below:

Once again, NordVPN took first place. We particularly appreciated how newcomer friendly it is; a huge achievement given the sheer number of advanced features it offers. ExpressVPN came in second, largely due to it handling obfuscation automatically and being able to bypass VPN-detection systems on virtually every server.

Value for money

We’ve seen plenty of VPNs try to charge more than they’re really worth and that simply won’t fly. Here at Comparitech, we first check that what they offer is justified for the price, then look for ways to drive the cost even lower. This might be by taking advantage of student discounts, signing up for longer, or simply waiting for the VPN to go on sale. Here are our judging criteria:

Surfshark earned first place in this category, scoring an impressive 9.7 points out of 10. IPVanish came in second, with 9.6. That’s understandable: these services share several key features including affordable long-term subscriptions and a total lack of connection limits.

Want to know more about how we test VPNs? Take a look at our post regarding our VPN testing methodology which goes into even further depth on this.

Avoid “free” VPNs

A quick search on Google or your device’s app store will likely turn up a litany of so called “free” VPN services. While these may seem enticing, we strongly discourage using them without a thorough examination of their privacy policies and terms and conditions.

Many of these VPNs log your traffic, sell the data to advertisers, and in some cases even inject advertisements into your browser. Some carry malware payloads that can infect your device.

Most free VPNs have a much more limited selection of servers, cap your downloads, and limit bandwidth. You may have to wait in a queue to connect.

For these reasons, we strongly recommend one of the paid options above, all of which offer a money-back guarantee, free trial, or both.

How to use a VPN for YouTube

VPNs sound very complicated, but they’re actually easy to set-up. Never used a VPN before? We’ll walk you through the simple steps below.

Here’s how to use a VPN for YouTube:

1. Decide which VPN you’d like to use. We recommend NordVPN.
2. Download the VPN software, making sure to get the right version for your device’s operating system.
3. Connect to a server in the country the content you want to watch is available in.
4. Open YouTube and find the video you want to watch.
5. Try playing a video. Any error messages should disappear and the content should load almost immediately. If not, try clearing your cookies and reloading the page.

Watch paid videos on YouTube with a VPN

YouTube is even more limited when it comes to paid content, such as YouTube Premium, paid videos, and paid channels. You will need a US credit card or a Paypal account to subscribe to YouTube Premium. If you’re a subscriber, connect your VPN to one of those countries to access Premium.

Paid videos include rentals and purchases of movies and TV shows directly from YouTube and from individual uploaders. Uploaders can usually set their own terms, so the geographic restrictions vary widely.

Not only can you get access to content not available in the country you’re visiting with a VPN, but you might also find that other countries offer a better deal. For example, Star Trek: Beyond costs $14.99 in the US, but only 11.99 Euros ($13.42) in Europe. If you buy or rent enough movies and TV shows, a VPN can easily pay for itself.

Related: How to get a YouTube premium discount with a VPN

How to update the current playback area on YouTube

To update the current playback area on YouTube TV, follow these straightforward steps –

First, open the YouTube TV app on your smart TV or any compatible device. Click on your profile picture, usually in the screen’s top-right corner, to access your account settings. From there, select “Settings” and then choose the “Area” option. You should see an option labeled “Current Playback Area”; click “Update” next to it.

Next, you must verify your location to ensure the settings update correctly. On your mobile device, open a web browser and go to tv.youtube.com/verify. This page will ask for permission to use your device’s location status. Grant this permission to proceed. The site will verify your location based on your device’s GPS or IP address. If YouTube TV detects that you are outside your home area, make sure that location permissions are enabled on your device and follow any on-screen prompts to complete the verification process.

VPN for YouTube FAQ