Many sites and apps restrict access to their services because of geo-blocking. There are various reasons why they choose to do this. Mostly, it’s because they don’t have the license to operate or distribute their services in certain countries.
Luckily, you can use a VPN for geo-blocking and use any site or service no matter where you are in the world. By changing your IP address, a VPN can make it look as if you’re browsing the Internet from a different location.
There are many VPNs that are capable of bypassing geo-restrictions, but finding the most effective one can be challenging. That’s why we personally tested many of these services and compiled a list of the top 5 ones.
Top 5 best VPNs for region locked content
- ExpressVPN – Best VPN for accessing region-locked content in 2024
- NordVPN – Fast and secure VPN for bypassing geo-restrictions
- Private Internet Access – Cheap VPN for geo-blocking with over 30,000 servers
- Surfshark – Lightweight VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections for geo-blocking
- CyberGhost VPN – User-friendly VPN with streaming-optimized servers
While selecting the top-tier VPNs, we took into consideration many factors during our research and testing. Here are some of those factors: number of servers, speed, features, simultaneous connections, price and more.
How to get around geoblocking with a VPN
To bypass geo-restrictions with a VPN, all you have to do is connect to a server in a location where the app or site you want to use is available. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do that:
- First, choose a VPN from our list. We recommend ExpressVPN.
- Download the VPN on your smartphone or desktop.
- Open the VPN and connect to a server where the service you want to use isn’t blocked. (For Channel 4, connect to a server in the UK)
- Open the geo-restricted site or app you want to use.
- It should now work without any problem!
The best VPNs to bypass geo-blocking in 2024
We tested over 20 VPNs in order to find the ones that are most effective at unblocking geo-restricted sites and apps. Here are our top 5 recommendations:
1. ExpressVPN – Best overall VPN for unblocking geo-restricted platforms in 2024
- Gives you access to services and apps in 94 countries
- Has over 3,000 RAM-based servers
- Lightway lets you stream geo-restricted content at fast speeds
- More expensive than other top VPNs for geo-blocking
ExpressVPN is the best VPN at removing geo-restrictions because it has over 3,000 good-quality servers in 105 countries. It uses Lightway protocol to provide fast speeds and protects your online traffic with military-grade encryption.
Use ExpressVPN to get access to any geo-restricted site.
Whether you want to unblock Netflix or watch TSN in the USA, ExpressVPN has got you covered. The servers are updated regularly and they work with plenty of geo-restricted sites and apps, including Channel 4, Disney+, Hulu, and Spotify.
You can get ExpressVPN from $4.99/month. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
| Location | The British Virgin Islands |
| Number of simultaneous devices | 8 |
| Number of servers | 3000+ servers in 105 countries |
| Price starting from | from $4.99/month |
2. NordVPN – Secure VPN for geo-blocking with fast speeds
- Unblocks geo-restricted services in 113 countries
- Has many advanced security features to obscure your online activities
- Offers a 7-day trial version for Android devices
- Doesn’t have a trial version for iOS or desktop
NordVPN is another great choice for geo-blocking. It’s fast, secure, and reliable. Capable of unblocking geo-restricted content from 113 countries, NordVPN is undoubtedly one of the best services for users seeking global access and strong security.
NordVPN has many servers that can help you bypass geo-blocking.
With military-grade encryption, a very useful kill switch, and split tunneling, NordVPN takes care of all your cybersecurity needs.
NordVPN can easily unblock streaming platforms, gambling sites, and other web services. It has a free 7-day trial version for Android, and users on other platforms get a 30-day money-back guarantee with their purchase. It’s available from $3.46/month.
| Location | Panama |
| Number of simultaneous devices | 10 |
| Number of servers | 7,000+ servers in 113 countries |
| Price starting from | from $3.46/month |
3. Private Internet Access – Most affordable VPN for bypassing geo-restrictions
- Cheapest VPN for bypassing geo-restrictions
- Has over 30,000 servers
- Recently upgraded to unlimited simultaneous connections
- Based in a 5 Eyes country
For those who are on a tight budget, Private Internet Access is a cost-effective VPN that offers a similar experience as ExpressVPN and NordVPN. It has 30,000+ servers in 91 countries, which makes it great for people who want to circumvent geo-restrictions. Plus, it recently increased its simultaneous connections from 10 to unlimited!
Private Internet Access has a customizable app. You can change what you see on the main dashboard, allowing you to focus on information that’s most important to you.
It has all of the essential security features you need – a kill switch, split tunneling, military-grade encryption, and DNS leak protection.
Currently, Private Internet Access is available from $2.03 per month, making it the cheapest VPN on this list.
| Location | Colorado, USA |
| Number of simultaneous devices | Unlimited |
| Number of servers | 30,000+ servers in 91 countries |
| Price starting from | from $2.03 per month |
4. Surfshark – VPN for geo-blocking that provides unlimited simultaneous connections
- Has unlimited simultaneous connections
- Lets you bypass geo-restrictions with its 3,200 servers
- Uses WireGuard protocol to give great speeds
- Based in a 14 Eyes country
Surfshark is an excellent choice for getting rid of geo-restrictions because it’s cheap, has a similar user interface as NordVPN, and offers a large number of servers to connect to. It has unlimited simultaneous connections and uses WireGuard protocol to keep your data safe and secure.
Surfshark is another great VPN that can unblock geo-restrictions.
You can unblock content libraries from all around the world, get discounts on flights and hotels, and watch your favorite blacked out sports games with Surfshark. It’s equipped with various security features, including an ad-blocker, military-grade encryption, and a kill switch.
Surfshark is currently available from $1.99/month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
| Location | The Netherlands |
| Number of simultaneous devices | Unlimited devices |
| Number of servers | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries |
| Price starting from | from $1.99/month |
5. CyberGhost VPN – Easy-to-use VPN that comes with servers dedicated to streaming sites
- Has servers dedicated to bypassing geo-blocking
- Has 11,500+ servers in 100 countries
- Also has P2P-optimized servers
- Great option for beginners or people who are new to VPNs
- Doesn’t have many advanced security features
CyberGhost isn’t as popular as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, but it packs some very neat features. One of the things that makes it stand out is its streaming-optimized servers. These servers are updated regularly and they’re designed to unblock specific streaming sites.
Use CyberGhost’s streaming-optimized servers to unblock specific streaming sites.
It has 11,500+ servers in 100 countries, so even without the streaming-optimized servers, you have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to bypassing geo-restrictions. This user-friendly VPN comes with a kill switch, military-grade encryption, and DNS leak protection.
You can buy a CyberGhost subscription from $2.03/month.
| Location | Romania |
| Number of simultaneous devices | unlimited |
| Number of servers | 11,500+ servers in 100 countries |
| Price starting from | from $2.03/month |
Methodology: how we tested VPNs
As mentioned above, while conducting hands-on testing, we evaluated each VPN based on several factors. Here’s a more detailed explanation of some of them:
- Number of servers – We looked at the number of servers each VPN has. The more servers you can connect to, the more services you can unblock. Every VPN in our list has thousands of servers and they’re all updated regularly.
- Speed – We tested the speed of the VPNs to see how well they perform, especially when streaming HD content. They all gave excellent results and we noticed very little reduction in the connection speeds.
- Features – We used many of the security features that are provided by the options in our list. Their main job is to mask your real IP, and they do this perfectly.
- Simultaneous connections – We tested the VPNs on a number of devices as most of them can be used on 5+ simultaneously. PIA and Surfshark have unlimited simultaneous connections so you can use a single subscription on as many devices as you want.
- Price – After evaluating everything, we looked at the prices of the VPNs. All of them come with a money-back guarantee and have trial versions.
How does geo-blocking work?
Geo-blocking works by restricting access based on a person’s location. They restrict access by determining your IP address, which any site or app can see if you’re not connected to a VPN server.
They can see your approximate location. If they notice that you’re not in an area where they’re legally allowed to run their business, they’ll block you from accessing their services.
Sites and apps do this to prevent people from using their services because they don’t have the permission or license to operate in their countries.
On your smartphones, apps can read your GPS data or location services, in which case hiding your real IP address won’t make much of a difference.
In most cases, if you’re in a geo-restricted area and you try to open a site, it’ll show you a message telling you the content isn’t available in your region.
An example of a geo-restriction error.
To bypass this error, you have to connect to a VPN server that’s based in the relevant location. This will change your IP address and you’ll be able to open the site.
When could I encounter geo-blocking?
Geo-blocking is a common practice and you usually encounter it on platforms like Netflix, Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, sports broadcasting sites, gambling platforms, and more.
Streaming platforms mostly restrict access based on location because they don’t have the license to distribute certain content in some countries. For example, to watch Disney+ Hotstar in the USA, you need a VPN because it’s not available outside of India.
You might also encounter geo-blocking if a site isn’t available in your region because it’s been banned by the government. For example, Binance isn’t currently available in the US.
Sports games are often blacked out in the USA due to contractual agreements between sports teams and regional sports networks.
Online shopping, hotel booking, and airline ticket sites tend to show different prices based on a user’s region. Most premium services offered by streaming platforms also display different prices.
For example, YouTube Premium in the US costs $13.99 per month, but the same plan in Turkey is available for $1.11 per month. This practice is called “price discrimination.”
Using a VPN like ExpressVPN, you can get these streaming services at a discounted price. All you have to do is connect to a country where they’re cheaper.
Is geo-blocking legal?
Yes, geo-blocking is perfectly legal. In most cases, sites that block access based on a user’s location don’t have much of a choice. They’re simply complying with licensing and copyright agreements.
If they decide to show content in a region where they don’t have the right to show it, they could easily get into legal trouble.
Gambling platforms don’t have a choice, either, because they’re not legally allowed to operate in most countries.
In some cases, businesses use geo-blocking for commercial reasons. They have to take into consideration various factors including purchasing power, cost of living, and local competition.
Using a VPN to bypass these geo-restrictions is legal as well, but most sites and apps don’t condone it. If you use a premium VPN like ExpressVPN, you won’t get caught. But if you do, the site will simply tell you to turn off the VPN connection and refresh the page.
How to bypass region lock without a VPN?
A VPN isn’t the only way you can bypass geo-restrictions. Here are some other things you can do:
- Proxy servers – These are similar to VPNs. They change your real IP address and make it look like you’re in a different location. You can use proxy servers to get access to geo-restricted sites, but keep in mind that they won’t encrypt your online traffic.
- Smart DNS – This is a feature that’s included in many VPNs, including ExpressVPN and NordVPN. You can use it to change the DNS settings of your smart TV or streaming device, thus changing your location.
- Tor – The Tor network covers your online traffic in several layers and hides your actual location. The only problem with using Tor to access geo-restricted sites is that it’s much slower than VPNs.
- Change your location – Some apps, such as the App Store on iOS, allow you to change your location in their settings. But this may not always work as your real IP address isn’t hidden.
Frequently asked questions
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the best VPNs for geo-blocking. They both have a large number of good quality servers that are regularly updated. We’ve personally tested many of their servers and they’re capable of unblocking sites like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and fuboTV.
To get rid of geo-blocking, you need a VPN. A good VPN like ExpressVPN will hide your real IP address and replace it with another one, making it look as if you’re based in a different location.
Yes, VPNs are capable of getting around geo-blocking. They do this by masking your IP address and routing your online traffic through a server based in another region. Note that not every VPN will give the same results. That’s why we recommend sticking to a premium service like ExpressVPN.