5 Best VPNs for Streaming (TV, Movies, Twitch, Fire Stick) in 2024

Let’s be honest – there is no one best VPN for streaming because the answer will vary if you want to stream US Netflix, DAZN in Italy, ARD in Germany, the BBC iPlayer in the UK, and the list goes on in every country.

While I can’t test every streaming site with each VPN, I ran multiple tests in different countries to come up with 5 VPNs that did a good job with streaming. I also chatted with customer support for the VPNs, and they were very honest about which sites the VPN can unblock and which it can’t.

As a US ex-pat with a US cable account, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Paramount Plus, HBO Max, Disney Plus, ESPN +, Peacock, and some other apps, finding the best VPN for Streaming was important to me. I do most of my streaming on a Fire Stick or my phone, with the occasional show or movie on my laptop. One of my kids is a big gamer, and enjoy streaming live Twitch feeds, so I wanted to make sure that he could enjoy that as well.

Without a doubt, Amazon Prime Video was the most challenging streaming site, and only a few VPNs were able to bypass its VPN block.

My top choice is CyberGhost. I couldn’t find anything that matched it when it came to streaming. It has optimized servers for streaming channels in more than a dozen countries.

You can try it risk-free for 45 days to ensure that it will also work with the streaming sites you need.

CyberGhost has all the important features for a successful streaming VPN and then some. When you connect to a server, you can choose if you want a server optimized for streaming, and it even gives you the option for servers designed to access specific streaming sites and devices.

For example, I can connect to a server built for Fire Stick or Android TV or servers for specific streaming sites in the US, UK, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Finland, Romania, Austria, Brazil, and Canada.

Now, just because CyberGhost claims that a server will unblock Netflix, the BBC iPlayer, or TV4Play in Sweden doesn’t mean that it actually works. However, after testing many of the servers I found that they did work. One exception was the CyberGhost for Android, which didn’t bypass the Prime Video app. However, when I connected to the server on my computer, I was able to watch a movie on Amazon Prime Video.

Streamed Amazon Prime Video with CyberGhost

CyberGhost recently upgraded its servers to the WireGuard protocol. It allows for faster speeds than OpenVPN, which means you won’t have to deal with low-quality streams, buffering, or slow-loading websites.

In addition to streaming, CyberGhost has powerful online security tools that will keep you anonymous and safe online. The anonymity is perfect if you want to torrent or stream on sites like Popcorn Time or PutLocker.

You can try CyberGhost risk-free with thanks to a 45-day money-back guarantee. I tested this policy and had issues getting a full refund.

NordVPN is fast. This is one of the most important things needed for a streaming VPN. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for something that will unblock geo-blocked sites like Netflix, Hulu, the BBC iPlayer, or streaming sports or movies on pirate sites.

NordVPN upgraded their servers’ bandwidth to accommodate for speeds up to 10 Gbps. This way, you can stream in HD/4K with no buffering or lagging.

I tested NordVPN with my streaming accounts and had no trouble quickly connecting and streaming without limits. For Smart TVs, NordVPN has a feature called SmartWatch that makes it easy to install the VPN on your router and adjust your DNS setting.

Streaming the BBC iPlayer with NordVPN

While NordVPN doesn’t have specialty servers dedicated to streaming, with over 5,500 servers in 60 countries, you’re sure to find a server that will bypass VPN blocks for you. I didn’t have to search too hard; 95% of the time, I connected to the Fastest server in an area, I was able to connect on my first try.

NordVPN is also one of the best VPNs for online security and privacy. Its CyberSec feature does a great job blocking ads, trackers, and malware that are commonly found on some streaming websites.

You can try NordVPN risk-free for 30 days, and connect up to six devices at once, so the whole family can stream without fighting over who gets the computer or TV.

IPVanish was one of the first VPNs that was compatible with Kodi and has continued to look after the best interest of streamers everywhere.

IPVanish has a collection of more than 40,000 IP addresses, many of which you can use to avoid detection from VPN blocks and access your favorite streaming sites. It’s the main VPN I use on my Amazon Fire Stick, and it does a great job of accessing all my apps.

It had excellent speeds during my tests, which is so important when talking about a VPN for streaming, and can also prevent ISP speed throttling – so it actually improves my speed sometimes. It also uses the WireGuard protocol, which allows for faster speeds.

IPVanish doesn’t have dedicated streaming servers, so I did have to try connecting to a few different servers before finding one that didn’t get blocked by Hulu. However, once I found a good server, I added it as a favorite so I could quickly connect with it next time.

Streaming Disney Plus with IPVanish

IPVanish is one of the best low-budget VPNs, even though it doesn‘t put limits on the number of connected devices. However, you do miss out on some of the extra features like malware and tracker blockers. That being said, it has very powerful security tools and will hide your IP address and keep you anonymous whether you are streaming from a site like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus, or Popcorn Time and PutLocker.

While the PureVPN website claims that there are dedicated streaming servers for streaming, I haven’t seen any when choosing a server. When it works with a streaming service, PureVPN is very good. The speeds are fast, and it connects without a problem.

The problem is that I find it’s not very consistent. Sometimes it will work with Netflix, and sometimes I’ll get a VPN error. Same with Hulu and Disney Play. Even when I save a server a favorite, I still find it’s hit or miss.

It did really well while I was testing free streaming and torrenting sites. I connected to a nearby server while torrenting and then streamed the content on the uTorrent app, and it was perfect. I got the same results when streaming on Popcorn Time.

Anonymous connection to Popcorn Time with PureVPN

I ran an IP Leak test to make sure that I was anonymous and was happy to see that the IP address displayed was from a different country than where I was located.

PureVPN allows for as many as 10 devices to be connected at once and has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and more. If you want to test it for a specific website, you can download it and take advantage of the 31-day money-back guarantee.

With fast speeds and servers in over 60 countries, Surfshark can unblock a wide range of streaming sites. It works with Netflix in 14 countries, Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and more.

The app has an easy to use interface, just choose a country, and it will connect in seconds. While there are no specialty streaming servers, Surfshark allows users to stream with any server. They don’t all work with every site, but there is no limit to the number of server or IP address changes.

Streaming HBO Max with Surfshark

Surfshark has apps for all major platforms and doesn’t limit the number of connected devices. It also has router compatibility, which allows you to bypass geo-restrictions of your Smart TV, Chromecast, XBOX, PlayStation, and more.

You can try Surfshark with your favorite streaming sites risk-free thanks to a no questions asked 30 day money back guarantee.

There are all types of free and premium sites on the internet, and the best way to enjoy them is with a VPN. Think about it – a premium VPN gives you access to hundreds of shows and movies that aren’t available to you, even if you pay for it, based on your location. It also provides online protection and privacy should you choose to go with the free streaming sites.

My top choice, based on hundreds of hours of testing and streaming, is CyberGhost. It has dedicated streaming servers, fast speeds, and extra security tools to block ads and trackers.

Still not convinced. Test it for yourself risk-free for 45-days. If you’re not happy or decide that you just don’t want it – you can cancel the account and get a full refund.