6 products tested & ranked

We Tested 6 VPNs for Streaming Abroad — Here's What's Actually Worth It

Watch your favorite shows from anywhere. We test which VPNs actually unblock Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more while you travel.

Featuring:

NordVPN·

ExpressVPN·

Surfshark·

CyberGhost VPN·

Proton VPN+1 more

Helping 12,000+ professionals choose the right tools

Quick Answer

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

See all reviews

Best Overall

9.1

NordVPN

From $2.99/mo (Basic 2-year). Plus from $3.89/mo. Complete from $5.39/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Feature-packed VPN with 7,000+ servers in 118 countries, NordLynx protocol for top speeds, and advanced security tools including Threat Protection.

Try NordVPN

Best for Small Teams

9.0

ExpressVPN

From $2.44/mo (Basic 2-year). Advanced from $4.49/mo. Pro from $7.49/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Premium VPN with blazing-fast Lightway protocol, 105 country coverage, and a proven track record of working in China and other restricted regions.

Try ExpressVPN

Best Value

8.7

Surfshark

From $1.99/mo (Starter 2-year). One plan from $2.49/mo. Unlimited devices. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Budget-friendly VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections, 100+ country coverage, and unique privacy features like IP Rotator and NoBorders mode.

Try Surfshark

The Streaming Challenge for Travelers

Streaming services use geo-restrictions to limit content by region. When you travel abroad, you lose access to your home library on Netflix, Hulu, and other platforms. A good VPN routes your connection through a server in your home country, making it appear as if you never left.

How We Test Streaming Performance

We test each VPN against 10+ major streaming platforms from multiple international locations. We check whether the VPN consistently unblocks content, maintains HD-quality streams without buffering, and works across devices including smart TVs and mobile.

Key Factors for Streaming VPNs

The best streaming VPN needs dedicated streaming-optimized servers, consistently fast speeds for HD and 4K content, and regular updates to stay ahead of VPN detection. Smart DNS features and browser extensions are valuable bonuses for travelers who want streaming on all their devices.

0Products Tested

0+Hours of Testing

0+Years Experience

0Expert Reviewers

Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn affiliate commissions when you purchase through links on this site. This never influences our ratings or recommendations. Our reviews are based on independent, hands-on testing. We believe in full transparency about how we make money. Read our full disclosure →

Our Top Picks

#1 Top Pick

NordVPN

Best for Streaming

9.1

Excellent

Try NordVPN

#2 Runner Up

ExpressVPN

Fastest Streaming

9.0

Excellent

Try ExpressVPN

#3 Also Great

Surfshark

Best Value for Streaming

8.7

Very Good

Try Surfshark

#1 Our Top PickFrom $2.99/mo (Basic 2-year). Plus from $3.89/mo. Complete from $5.39/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN

Power users who want a feature-rich VPN with the largest server network

Read Full Review →

Excellent

Speed9.0

Reliability9.2

Device Support8.8

Server Coverage9.5

Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	NordVPN9.1/10	ExpressVPN9.0/10	Surfshark8.7/10	CyberGhost VPN8.5/10	Proton VPN8.5/10	Hotspot Shield8.0/10
Starting Price	From $2.99/mo (Basic 2-year). Plus from $3.89/mo. Complete from $5.39/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.	From $2.44/mo (Basic 2-year). Advanced from $4.49/mo. Pro from $7.49/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.	From $1.99/mo (Starter 2-year). One plan from $2.49/mo. Unlimited devices. 30-day money-back guarantee.	From $2.03/mo (2-year plan). Monthly $12.99. 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans.	Free plan available with unlimited data. Paid from $3.59/mo (2-year). Proton Unlimited $7.99/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.	Free: 500MB/day with ads. Premium from $2.99/mo (3-year). 10 devices. 45-day money-back guarantee.
Netflix Unblock
Disney+ Access
BBC iPlayer
Streaming Speed	9.0	9.5	8.5	8.0	8.8	9.0
Smart DNS
Simultaneous Devices	10	10	Unlimited	7	10	10
Monthly Price	$2.99/mo	$2.44/mo	$1.99/mo	$2.03/mo	$3.59/mo	$2.99/mo
	Try NordVPN	Try ExpressVPN	Try Surfshark	Try CyberGhost	Try Proton VPN	Try Hotspot Shield

Detailed Reviews

Excellent

ExpressVPN

Editor's Choice

Fastest StreamingTravelers who want premium reliability and performance, especially in censored countries

Speed9.5

Reliability9.0

Device Support8.5

Server Coverage9.0

Pros

Lightway protocol delivers industry-leading speeds with minimal battery drain
Reliably works in China and other censored countries
Servers in 105 countries ensure fast connections worldwide
Intuitive apps make VPN setup effortless for beginners
Aircove Go portable router provides whole-network VPN for travel

Cons

More expensive than competitors even with new tiered pricing
Basic plan limited to 10 simultaneous device connections
No dedicated ad or tracker blocking on the Basic plan
Split tunneling not available on iOS

Pricing: From $2.44/mo (Basic 2-year). Advanced from $4.49/mo. Pro from $7.49/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Premium VPN with blazing-fast Lightway protocol, 105 country coverage, and a proven track record of working in China and other restricted regions.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Surfshark

Best Value for StreamingBudget travelers and families who need unlimited device connections at a low price

Speed8.5

Reliability8.5

Device Support9.5

Server Coverage8.5

Pros

Unlimited simultaneous device connections on all plans
Among the cheapest premium VPNs at .99/month on 2-year plan
NoBorders mode designed for use in censored countries
CleanWeb effectively blocks ads and trackers
7-day free trial available on all platforms

Cons

Speeds slightly slower than ExpressVPN and NordVPN on distant servers
Renewal price jumps to /year after promotional period
Smaller server network than NordVPN and CyberGhost
Upload speeds can drop significantly on some server locations

Pricing: From $1.99/mo (Starter 2-year). One plan from $2.49/mo. Unlimited devices. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Budget-friendly VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections, 100+ country coverage, and unique privacy features like IP Rotator and NoBorders mode.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

CyberGhost VPN

Best Streaming ServersStreaming-focused travelers and VPN beginners who want a simple, reliable experience

Speed8.0

Reliability8.0

Device Support8.0

Server Coverage9.0

Pros

Dedicated streaming-optimized servers labeled by platform
Massive network of 11,000+ servers across 100 countries
Industry-leading 45-day money-back guarantee
Very affordable 2-year plan at .03/month
NoSpy servers in Romania for enhanced privacy

Cons

Only 7 simultaneous device connections
Does not reliably work in China or heavily censored countries
WireGuard implementation slightly slower than NordLynx
14-day refund only on the monthly plan

Pricing: From $2.03/mo (2-year plan). Monthly $12.99. 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans.

User-friendly VPN with dedicated streaming-optimized servers, massive 11,000+ server network, and an industry-leading 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Proton VPN

Privacy-conscious travelers and those who want a reliable free VPN option

Speed8.8

Reliability8.5

Device Support8.0

Server Coverage9.0

Pros

Best free VPN plan with unlimited data and no ads
Swiss jurisdiction provides strong privacy legal protections
Secure Core routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries
Open-source apps independently audited for transparency
Stealth protocol helps bypass censorship in restricted regions

Cons

Free plan limited to servers in 5 countries with medium speeds
Premium plans slightly more expensive than Surfshark and PIA
Only 10 simultaneous connections on paid plans
Streaming unblock not as consistent as ExpressVPN and NordVPN

Pricing: Free plan available with unlimited data. Paid from $3.59/mo (2-year). Proton Unlimited $7.99/mo. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Swiss-based privacy-focused VPN with a generous free tier, Secure Core servers, and fast speeds across 127 countries. Built by the team behind ProtonMail.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Hotspot Shield

Speed-focused travelers and those who want a usable daily free VPN allowance

Speed9.0

Reliability7.5

Device Support8.0

Server Coverage7.5

Pros

Hydra protocol delivers some of the fastest VPN speeds available
Free plan with 500MB/day is more generous than most
Strong streaming unblock performance
45-day money-back guarantee on Premium plans

Cons

Free plan is ad-supported and limited to US servers
Proprietary Hydra protocol means less open-source transparency
Privacy policy has faced criticism in the past
Fewer server locations than NordVPN or ExpressVPN

Pricing: Free: 500MB/day with ads. Premium from $2.99/mo (3-year). 10 devices. 45-day money-back guarantee.

High-speed VPN powered by the proprietary Hydra protocol, with a free tier, strong streaming unblock capabilities, and 10 simultaneous connections.

Read Full Review →

Our Testing Methodology

We test streaming unblock capability against Netflix (US, UK, Japan), Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max from 15+ countries. Each VPN is tested for connection speed, stream quality, and reliability over multiple sessions.

Written by

Marcus RiveraSaaS Integration Expert

Marcus has spent over a decade in SaaS integration and business automation. He specializes in evaluating API architectures, workflow automation tools, and sales funnel platforms. His reviews focus on implementation details, technical depth, and real-world integration scenarios.

API IntegrationBusiness AutomationSales FunnelsAI Tools

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

The Streaming Challenge for Travelers

How We Test Streaming Performance

Key Factors for Streaming VPNs

Our Top Picks

NordVPN

Head-to-Head Comparison

Detailed Reviews

ExpressVPN

Pros

Cons

Surfshark

Pros

Cons

CyberGhost VPN

Pros

Cons

Proton VPN

Pros

Cons

Hotspot Shield

Pros

Cons

Our Testing Methodology

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