How can a VPN help with streaming? A complete guide to securing your favorite shows

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You've probably never considered the best VPNs as integral to your streaming experience, but nowadays that's not the case. Whether you're traveling abroad and want access to your home comforts or simply want to secure your streams, a VPN provides a multitude of benefits to streaming that you might not expect.

The best streaming VPNs can provide not only an unaltered level of smooth, enjoyable streaming with the benefit of added security, but also offer access to your local catchup services while abroad, seamless use of your favorite news and browsing sites, and, in some cases, the added bonus of a secure home for all your streaming passwords.

So, if you've ever wondered how a VPN can help with streaming, wonder no more. I've broken down everything you need to know about the benefits, issues you might face, and questions you have.

NordVPN – from $3.09 per month
The best VPN currently available
Time and time again, NordVPN sets the benchmark for unblocking capabilities and speed and then blows it out of the water during our subsequent tests. It's an awesome pick for streamers and works effortlessly and reliably. With a vast server network and 950+ Mbps download speeds, it'll have your back whether you're tuning into live soccer or catching up on Netflix originals. It's budget-friendly, too, especially if you take advantage of its 2-year subscription discount. Not sure? Test it today, risk-free, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

How does a VPN help with streaming?

Although VPNs typically serve to boost your online security and provide anonymity, they're increasingly becoming a favorite tool for streaming enthusiasts. Here's why you'd be wise to consider doing the same.

Accessing international catalogues

Don't you just hate it when you try to watch a TV show, sports game, or another online event and you get a geo-blocking restriction? It's a bonafide mood killer, and a sure way to ruin your day. Unfortunately, geo-blocking is here to stay, and most streaming services apply them to abide by licensing agreements imposed on a region-by-region basis, and similar reasons.

However, this is where VPNs come in. A VPN can help you spoof your location, meaning that it assigns you a temporary new IP address in the same location as the server you choose.

In the proverbial eyes of the streaming service, this new IP address will read as though you're physically located in the same region as your chosen server. It'll then serve up content based in that same region, allowing you to enjoy content from the other side of the globe.

For instance, if you head to another country for work or on vacation, you may find yourself unable to enjoy the same shows or sports as you would while at home, and this is exactly where a VPN comes in handy.

all you need to do is connect to a VPN server based in your home country, and voila - you get the benefit of VPN encryption while using unsecure free public Wi-Fi to stream your favorite shows, sports games, and other online content from your home country. It's a win-win situation.

Beyond watching your favorite Netflix or other entertainment shows, this method also works for accessing social media, news outlets, and other sources of information that might be blocked in a certain country (kind of like accessing TikTok from the US after the 75-day ban delay imposed by President Trump).

Save money

You can use a VPN to stream your favorite shows from anywhere in the world. That means you won’t get caught out spending money on expensive streaming service subscriptions while traveling away from home.

Whether you're catching up with your favorite shows or watching the big game live, your VPN will circumvent the need to fork out for more subscriptions and allow you to truly get your money's worth from the subscriptions you already have.

Plus, as mentioned earlier, you can also use a VPN to access your favorite news outlets. So, while you don't have to pay for TechRadar, if there are any other outlets you'd use to stay up-to-date with the news that make you pay, you can use your VPN to access them should they be unavailable.

How to use a VPN for streaming

The days of jumping through hoops to set up a VPN and use it to stream content from other regions or countries are long gone. You don't need to be a programmer or know code to do it - all it really needs is common sense and a few minutes (often seconds) of your time. Here's how to use a VPN for streaming in a few, simple steps:

First, you'll need to choose a VPN provider - NordVPN is our favorite streaming VPN at the moment. Simply sign up and pick your preferred subscription;
Download and install the VPN, then sign up when prompted;
Next, make sure you're signed into your streaming services;
Connect to a VPN server in the same place/region/country where the content you're after is available;
Once connected to a server, refresh the streaming service and enjoy a new spread of your favorite content hassle-free.

FAQs

Is it illegal to use a VPN for streaming?

Using a VPN in general isn't illegal, nor is using it for streaming if you're connecting to your home country. However, streaming services must adhere to their regional restrictions/terms of service adamantly, and may prohibit using VPNs to access content. In this case, it all depends on your chosen VPN's ability to geo-spoof your location (NordVPN, for instance, unblocked all streaming services we placed before it in our latest round of testing without breaking a sweat).

Will a streaming VPN slow me down?

In most cases, using a VPN for streaming may slow down your connection/device ever so slightly. The reason is encrypting traffic takes resources, and routing that traffic to another location takes time. Luckily, NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs out there, with over 950 Mbps peak download speeds in our latest testing round.

What if my streaming VPN doesn't work?

There are several reasons why your streaming VPN may not work the first time around. Should you experience issues in this regard, there are several things you can try to connect to your desired content.

Examples include connecting to a different server in the same region, switching to dedicated servers, and using customer service. We encountered no such problems during NordVPN testing, and we tend to put each provider we test through the wringer extensively. Plus, we were also impressed by its customer service.

Can I use a free VPN for streaming?

Generally, yes – you can use a free VPN for streaming. However, we don't recommend doing this due to the amount of limitations free VPNs impose. Examples include data caps, monthly bandwidth limits, a small pool of servers, plus the fact they often can't unblock streaming services in the first place.

If in dire need to stream content, you can consider a free VPN, but this is typically recommended only when you have no other choice. In all other situations, a hassle-free solution like NordVPN's 30-day money-back guarantee is the easiest and simplest way to access your favorite content without any issues.

The (cyber) devil is in the details - a saying that Alex firmly believes in every time he powers up his PC. As a freelance writer, Alex explored a plethora of topics and industries during his 10+ years-long career. Cybersecurity is his current focus, allowing his innate attention to detail (and OCD) to adorn each reader- and value-oriented piece he crafts.