Best VPNs for geo-blocking in 2025

After testing 20+ VPN services NordVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN stood out as the best VPNs for geo-blocking. Each of these providers offers robust security tools like IP leak protection, powerful AES-256 encryption, and obfuscation to keep your true location hidden. They also offer the best speeds available from a VPN.

Geo-blocking is a big problem for internet freedom, limiting your access to streaming services, games, and websites depending on your location. If you travel abroad, you can even lose access to your favorite services back at home due to licensing agreements.

Fortunately, you can get around geo-blocking problems by using a reliable VPN. Connecting to a VPN server will change your digital location to match the server’s location, unblocking websites, games servers, and streaming platforms. Keep reading to see which VPN services performed best during my in-house tests.

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Top 5 best VPNs for geo-blocking

1. NordVPN

   best VPN for geo-blocking in 2025
   9.8
2. Surfshark VPN

   bypass geo-restrictions on unlimited devices
   9.5
3. Proton VPN

   secure geo-blocking VPN with free version
   8.6
4. TotalVPN

   cheapest VPN for region-locked content
   8.2
5. IPVanish

   privacy-focused geo-blocking VPN for any device
   8.4

What is geo-blocking?

Geo-blocking is a way to limit or prevent access to specific online content based on the user’s geographical content – also known as geo-restriction. Companies, governments, and organizations can use a person’s digital IP address to work out where they’re located. From here, the IP is compared against a blacklist or whitelist to determine whether you can access the content you’ve requested. If you’re using a mobile device, this method can extend to include your GPS, latitude and longitude, and device identifier or network latency.

Geo-blocking helps companies comply with local legislation and regulations, as well as broadcasting agreements in the case of streaming platforms. It can also be used for other means, like preventing fraud or determining how much to charge a user for a service. Whatever the reasoning, it’s why you might have seen an error message saying that content is not available if you’ve tried to access Hulu or YouTube TV outside the US, or if you’ve attempted to watch sports on BBC iPlayer without being in the UK.

Your best tool for overcoming these geo-restrictions is a reliable VPN like NordVPN. With a VPN connection, you can bypass geo-blocking wherever you are. Your VPN connection will disguise your IP address to make it look like it’s coming from another country or region.

Best VPNs to access geo-blocked content: detailed list

I put 20 VPN services through rigorous in-house tests to determine which were best at circumventing geo-blocking restrictions. My tests focused on crucial security features like powerful encryption, obfuscation, a kill switch, and leak protection, as well as how many servers each VPN has to help you overcome geo-restrictions in a range of locations.

Top 1. NordVPN - best VPN for geo-blocking in 2025

NordVPN is the best VPN for bypassing geo-blocking thanks to its enormous fleet of 7400+ servers in 118 countries and powerful security features. IP leak protection, obfuscated servers, a kill switch, and AES-256 encryption work hard to ensure your true location won't be revealed. This ensures you're not blocked from any platform, no matter where you are.

Security features: NordVPN leads on security, with a powerful array of features that include AES-256 encryption and IP cloaking that hide your activity and online data from third parties. A kill switch ensures that if your connection drops, your internet is cut off – this prevents any accidental leakage of your true location that could lead to an account ban on strict platforms. You can choose from obfuscated servers for additional unblocking power, and dedicated IP addresses can help if you keep hitting a wall due to shared, public server IP addresses being blacklisted. I tested NordVPN for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, and my true IP was never disclosed even once.

Servers and speed: NordVPN has a respectable spread of servers across the world, totaling 7400+ servers in 118 countries. This includes 1,970+ servers in the US for unblocking Hulu and other US streaming services. There are also 600+ servers in the UK to access BBC iPlayer or ITVX. Of course, the rest of the fleet means you can unblock sports platforms in Australia and so on. In my in-house tests, I averaged 468 Mbps, a speed retention rate of around 94%. While all VPNs impact your speed, this is a negligible difference that you won’t even notice.

My experience unblocking geo-restricted content: As a UK resident, I’m fortunate enough to have native access to BBC iPlayer and ITVX, but I’m blocked by all US streaming services. My first tests involved attempting to unblock Hulu, Peacock, Sling TV, YouTube TV, MAX, and Fubo. NordVPN succeeded in every test and I never saw a geo-block once while I was connected to a US VPN server. My average US connection speed was around 424 Mbps, making it more than fast enough to stream in HD without lag.

Price: NordVPN isn’t the cheapest service, but it’s highly affordable. With the current 77% discount on NordVPN, you can start from $3.09/month, with a 7-day free trial available if you’re using an Android mobile device. Otherwise, all new users get a 30-day money-back guarantee to enjoy testing the service risk free.

For more information, read our comprehensive NordVPN review.

Top 2. Surfshark - fastest VPN to access geo-restricted content on any device

Surfshark is the best VPN for geo-blocking thanks to no limit on the number of devices you can’t connect, plus lightning-fast streaming and gaming speeds. It also covers all the security must-haves, including robust encryption and IP leak protection.

Security features: Surfshark uses powerful military-grade AES-256 encryption with its IP cloaking technology, which makes it easy to bypass geo-restrictions. That connection is guarded by a kill switch that passed all my in-house tests and never disclosed my true IP when I forced connection dropouts. Surfshark’s Camouflage Mode is an obfuscation feature that disguises your connection as a regular connection. With this enabled, I could bypass any geo-blocks I served up during my tests. I also noted that dedicated IP addresses are available, though they incur a separate charge.

Servers and speed: Surfshark has a broad server fleet, comprising 3200+ servers in 100 countries. You can access 200+ servers in the UK and 600+ servers in the US to unblock the most common and popular streaming platforms, like Hulu, Sling TV, and BBC iPlayer. Throughout my in-house tests with Surfshark, my download speed never dropped below 415 Mbps on the 10 different server locations I tried. I averaged 462 Mbps, with around 93% speed retention, giving me uninterrupted, lag-free streams.

My experience unblocking geo-restricted content: Before even starting my tests, I knew that Surfshark was capable of bypassing geo-blocks. I used Surfshark last year to watch the NFL playoffs on Peacock without ever leaving England. During my in-house tests, I also managed to unblock Hulu, Peacock, MAX, Sling TV, and Fubo. I took it a step further and unblocked Optus Sport in Australia – good news for fans of the Australian Open this year.

Price: Surfshark is one of the cheaper premium VPNs capable of bypassing all geo-blocks, starting at $1.99/month. This includes a 7-day free trial that’s available to all Android, iOS, and macOS users. Dedicated IP addresses cost an additional $3.75/month if you choose to take an extra precaution in guarding your true IP.

You’ll find more information on this VPN in our full Surfshark VPN review.

Top 3. ProtonVPN - secure VPN to bypass

ProtonVPN is the best VPN for geo-blocking as a result of being a freemium VPN that offers a turbocharged and highly-secure premium service. Free users get access to a handful of throttled servers for basic bypassing of geo-restrictions, though they’re not fast enough for most activities. Fortunately, that’s where the ProtonVPN premium tier comes in.

Security features: ProtonVPN combines powerful encryption with secure protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec to cloak your IP address and data. It has a functional kill switch that passed all my tests with IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. What's more, ProtonVPN has Secure Core servers – these route your traffic through multiple countries before it reaches the destination server, adding an extra layer of anonymity to trick geo-blocking websites.

Servers and speed: ProtonVPN has a wide server network, with over 9900 servers in 117 countries. You’ll find 35+ UK servers and 400+ US servers among this roster, allowing you to unblock regional streaming platforms and access your accounts if you’re away from home. During my in-house tests, ProtonVPN maintained an average of 428.9 Mbps across 10 different server locations; my speed never dipped below 400 Mbps, making for lag-free streaming in HD and 4K. That’s an average speed retention rate of around 85%.

My experience unblocking geo-restricted content: ProtonVPN’s servers allowed me to unblock the most popular streaming platforms, including Hulu, MAX, Peacock, Sling TV, BBC iPlayer, and Optus Sport across the US, UK, and Australia. As a huge fan of Studio Ghibli movies, I also managed to access Netflix Japan for free anime thanks to ProtonVPN's anonymous connections.

Price: ProtonVPN tends to be a little pricier than competitors, starting at $3.59/month, but in my opinion it’s worth the price thanks to its broad server fleet and powerful Secure Core servers. The historical and generous 30-day free trial is no longer available since you can use ProtonVPN’s free tier to test the service. However, you still get a 30-day money-back guarantee on any new subscriptions.

Read our full investigation of this provider in our ProtonVPN review.

Top 4. TotalVPN - cheapest geo-blocking VPN

TotalVPN is the best VPN for geo-blocking in 2025 due to its inexpensive subscriptions that don’t sacrifice on security or speed. Starting from $1.59/month, you can securely unblock popular streaming services and other websites without paying a fortune.

Security features: TotalVPN protects your data with robust AES-256 encryption, which includes obfuscated server options in case you need an extra layer of protection. This provider also has crucial IP-masking features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection to ensure that your true location won't be leaked and risk getting you blocked.

Servers and speed: TotalVPN offers a total of 50+ servers in 35 – smaller than competitors, but it covers the most popular locations like the UK, US, Australia, France, and Germany. When I tested TotalVPN’s speeds, I never saw lower than 347 Mbps, with an average download speed of around 417 Mbps across each of the 10 locations I tested. That's an average download speed retention rate of around 83.4%, making TotalVPN more than fast enough for streaming and gaming.

My experience unblocking geo-restricted content: While a small fleet, TotalVPN's servers let me stream on Netflix in the US and Japan, as well as streaming BBC iPlayer from the UK, confirmed by a colleague. I could also unblock YouTube TV, Hulu, and Sling TV, so it seems TotalVPN's security features are more than enough for unblocking content at a discount price.

Price: TotalVPN is the cheapest of the best VPNs for geo-blocking, at just $1.59/month for new users. Unfortunately, this provider doesn’t offer any free trials on desktop or mobile. However, you can get started with a 30-day money-back guarantee and effectively use the service for a month risk free.

Our full TotalVPN review has a more in-depth breakdown of features and performance.

Top 5. IPVanish - privacy-focused VPN to bypass geoblocking

IPVanish is the best VPN for geo-blocking due to airtight security and privacy features, and excellent speeds for entertainment. It has a smaller server fleet than some of the competitors on this list, but it still manages to smash through geo-blocks and deliver blazing-fast speeds.

Security features: Your data is protected by AES-256 encryption and a kill switch while connected to IPVanish servers, and the WireGuard protocol is among the most secure available. When testing for DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks, all my in-house tests, so this VPN won't leak your true location. You also have the option of connecting to obfuscated servers.

Servers and speed: IPVanish has a modest-sized server fleet, with 2400+ servers in 109. This includes servers in the most popular streaming and gaming hotspots like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and other locations in Europe. Using IPVanish's WireGuard protocol, I saw average download speeds of around 460 Mbps, with speed retention of around 92%. It’s a great result that meant I could stream without lag and enjoy low latency while playing Path of Exile 2 via my VPN connection.

My experience unblocking geo-restricted content: IPVanish managed to unblock numerous streaming platforms during my in-house tests, including US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube TV, and Optus Sport. I also managed to log into Netflix in France and Germany, accessing European shows not available in the UK.

Price: IPVanish starts from $3.33/month, and there’s a 7-day free trial if you’re using the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. On top of that, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users.

You can find more information in our full IPVanish review.

Best VPNs to bypass geo block compared

How I tested and selected best VPN for region locked content

I tested 20 VPNs against specific criteria to help determine the best VPNs for region-locked content. My in-house tests focused on:

• Server fleet: It’s important to have a broad range of servers, ensuring you can unblock sites in the most common destinations. It also allows for server switching if you land on a blacklisted server. I focused on making sure that each provider offered servers in essential locations for geo-restrictions, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany. These locations are crucial if you want to unblock Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and regional sports in general.
• Ability to unblock many different services: I tested each VPN with the most popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. However, I also checked whether each VPN could unblock major gambling brands, sports streaming sites, and gaming services. When you sign up for a VPN for geo-blocking, it’s important to make sure it can do as much as possible to get your money’s worth.
• Speed tests: I tested each VPN’s connections with speedtest.net, focusing on 10 key locations that included the US, UK, and numerous European destinations. Having a VPN that can stream lag-free in HD and 4K is essential for uninterrupted access to video content and low-ping gaming servers.
• Privacy/security tests: I evaluated each VPN’s encryption standards, no-logs policies, and security features, including DNS and IP leak protection and kill switches. Security and privacy are an important consideration to ensure that your data remains secure while bypassing geo-blocks.

How to remove geo-blocking from different websites

Geo-blocking differs from one website or service to another, with each requiring a different approach to bypass restrictions.

• Streaming services: Streaming sites tend to impose national restrictions. For example, you’ll typically see the same content library on Netflix wherever you are in the US. If you’re in the UK, logging into BBC iPlayer will give you the same content library whether you’re in England or Wales. Using one of the best VPNs for streaming to connect to a VPN server in the relevant country will typically be enough to unblock the website.
• Gambling services: Here, there’s more of a gray area – gambling websites can be restricted at a state level due to restricted gambling licenses or even statewide bans on gambling. Other sites limit content based on location – for example, Stake.com allows real-money gambling in the UK but not in the US. Choosing one of the best VPNs for gambling and researching the correct VPN servers to choose is essential if you want to bypass restrictions.
• Gaming services: You can bypass geo-blocks to access newly-released games early, and you can even use a VPN to bypass skill-based matchmaking. The best gaming VPNs will ensure your ping remains low so that you don’t suffer lag. However, since consoles can’t support native VPN apps, PS5 and Xbox players will have to install the VPN on their router.

Get NordVPN to easily bypass geo-blocking

Bypass geo restrictions on streaming sites

Licensing agreements and other local regulations mean that streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and the BBC have to restrict access to certain content in specific regions. If you’re not in the UK, you won’t be able to access ITVX or BBC iPlayer. If you’re not in the US, Hulu will block you. Netflix and other services also use regional content libraries to determine what you see, and some countries may have more stringent restrictions. Netflix US for example, offers a larger library than you’ll see in other locations, while Disney+ may limit content based on licensing agreements.

Using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions solves all of these problems, allowing you access locked-down and extended content libraries in other countries. I used this method to watch Supernatural on US Netflix despite having no access to the show in the UK.

Get around sports blackouts

Sports blackouts prevent certain regions from watching their favorite teams play for no other reason than encouraging greater ticket sale volumes. In other cases, broadcasting rights could mean that a game isn’t shown in your area. Premium VPNs like NordVPN help to bypass this problem by offering 1,970+ US VPN servers, allowing you to pinpoint a specific city or state-level VPN server. This helps you with a way to watch blackout games when you’d ordinarily be blocked.

Get around geo-blocking on gambling sites

Using a VPN connection can get you past geo-blocking on gambling sites. This is a huge plus for people who like to follow and bet on their favorite teams, particularly at a time when the United States is slowly rolling out sweeping blocks on gambling sites in most states. However, this isn’t only a problem in US jurisdictions – online gambling is heavily regulated and restricted in many countries. The best VPNs for gambling can ensure you don’t lose access to your hobby simply because you’ve traveled into or live within an area where the law has changed or imposes harsh restrictions.

Unlock games earlier

As an avid gamer, I know that most AAA video games are released on a staggered schedule, with certain regions gaining access before others. For example, North Americans can usually play the biggest titles several hours before I have access to them in the United Kingdom. That’s why I’ll use a VPN to change my virtual location to the US and play games that I’ve preordered before they’re technically available to me in my location. Simply connect to a VPN server in a country where the game is available earlier, such as the US, New Zealand, or Australia, so that you can download and play them before the official release in your country.

Note that it’s also possible to use VPN connections to get better lobbies in Modern Warfare 3 and other skill-based matchmaking games. Connecting to a VPN server changes your IP address and thus puts you in lobbies with players from other countries.

Is it illegal to bypass geoblocking?

It is not typically illegal to bypass geo-blocking, though in countries like China, Russia, and the UAE, using a VPN to access blocked services could land you in legal trouble. In most other cases, legal VPN usage for geo-blocking is the norm, but it may violate the terms of service of the website or platform you’re trying to unblock. For example, Netflix and YouTube both explicitly forbid VPN usage in their Terms of Service. It means that if you’re discovered to be using a VPN connection to access blocked content, your account could be closed. Otherwise, in most other countries VPN geo-blocking legality is more clear cut – the authorities won’t care as long as you aren’t breaking the law.

Can a free VPN get around geo blocking?

While it’s possible to get around geo-blocking with a free VPN, there are many drawbacks. Firstly, the best free VPN services are actually freemium VPNs, which means that they are offered by premium VPN providers who have far better service in their paid plans. In practice, this means that the free services have very few server options, usually throttle your connection speeds, and provide far fewer security features. Most of them, with the exception of ProtonVPN, also cap your data usage so you’ll barely get anything done before being cut off.

There are other free VPN services that claim to come without such limitations, but in reality they collect and sell your data to offset maintenance costs – your connection is not safe using such services. Some free VPNs are malicious and infect your device with malware.

In summary, it’s best to avoid taking risks and instead try a free trial and money-back guarantee from a trusted, premium VPN service. This gives you over a month to effectively try out a reliable service without limitations, risk free.

• NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial for users on Android mobile devices. Beyond that, all new users get a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can get a full refund if you choose not to continue using the service.
• Surfshark has a slightly more accessible 7-day free trial for Android, iOS, and macOS users. Additionally, you can get a 30-day money-back guarantee once your free trial has ended or if you’re on Windows.

VPN doesn't unblock geo-restricted content: 5 easy fixes

On rare occasions, you might find that your VPN doesn’t unblock geo-restricted content. There are some common causes for this problem, such as cached location data, server blacklisting, and VPN detection by streaming platforms and other websites. If your VPN doesn’t unblock geo-restricted content, try these fixes:

1. Switch VPN servers. Services like Netflix who are battling the use of VPNs will add known VPN server IP addresses to a blacklist. This stops the server from being able to bypass geo-restrictions, but switching servers should help.
2. Clear cache and cookies. Your browser caches data to help websites load more quickly. In some cases, this means it remembers your location, so cloning your cache and cookies can help.
3. Enable VPN obfuscation. Obfuscated servers disguise your VPN traffic to look like regular web traffic. If a website’s anti-VPN measures can detect your chosen VPN, using obfuscation can help avoid this problem.
4. Use a different VPN protocol. This includes using stealth protocols like obfuscation above, but also trying other protocols like NordLynx, OpenVPN, and WireGuard. Some anti-VPN measures look for specific signatures associated with certain protocols.
5. Update your VPN software. If you’re running out-of-date VPN software, you could be using old IP addresses that have already been blacklisted. Make sure you update your software any time an update becomes available.

Unblock websites easily with NordVPN

Other methods of bypassing geo-restrictions

There’s no need to limit yourself to VPNs when circumventing geographical restrictions. However, keep in mind that virtual private networks are the most effective way to do so. Therefore, you should consider these as secondary options if for any reason you’ve chosen not to go with a VPN.

1. Proxy service and Smart DNS

The main difference between a proxy and a VPN is that the latter will secure your entire connection. Meanwhile, a proxy works on specific apps, such as your browser or BitTorrent client. Both will hide your real IP, but proxies will usually not encrypt your data.

In essence, a good VPN is more reliable and universal – it will make all of your online activities confidential. That might not be the biggest concern if you’re only interested in streaming geo-blocked content, but you will find it useful in other situations.

Smart DNS is similar to proxy services (or rather, it is a proxy of a different kind). Essentially it lets you use a different DNS (Domain Name Server) than the one provided by your ISP. The main difference between a regular proxy and Smart DNS is that the latter will have just some of your traffic diverted through it. This makes it faster than using a proxy or VPN, but it is also a lot more limited.

2. Tor (The Onion Router)

The Tor browser is another tool that can hide your location on the web. Due to its decentralized nature, Tor makes your IP address much more difficult to trace whenever you interact with web services.

Simply put, it routes your online traffic via multiple relays that are run by volunteers, which makes your geographical location almost untraceable. The best part? Tor is completely free!

That said, the Tor browser has some downsides as well:

1. Tor use may be illegal in your country
2. Some Tor relays can be blocked by Internet Service Providers
3. Your connection speeds can drop drastically when using Tor

Luckily, the first two points can be nullified using a VPN for Tor Browser. Connectivity will decrease even further, but that’s probably better than no access to the world wide web.

3. Cloud-based servers

You can pay to rent a VPS (Virtual Private Server) if you want to route your web traffic through a specific country and bypass geo-blocking. It means you have full control over the server's setup and configuration, and it can also provide good speeds that compete with premium VPN services. That said, this method is much more complex than simply using a consumer-focused VPN.

Conclusion

Geo-blocking is the practice of restricting access to websites and other services by using your IP address; if you aren’t in a supported country, you encounter a “geo-block” that stops you from gaining access. It’s common to encounter these obstacles when streaming, gaming, or simply trying to watch the latest football tournament. However, in some countries it’s even used to restrict access to unbiased sources of news and other information.

Fortunately, a reliable VPN can smash through geo-blocks in seconds by letting you reassign your IP address to match the country where the service you want to access is located. After thorough in-house testing, NordVPN is the best VPN for geo-blocking in 2025, offering robust IP protection and security features, and speeds fast enough for any activity.

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VPN for geo-blocking FAQ

Can VPN bypass geoblocking?

Yes, a VPN can bypass geo-blocking by cloaking your IP address and replacing it with the IP of the server you're connected to. When you connect to a server in a different location, it'll look like you're accessing the internet from that location so that you can bypass geo-blocks.

What is the best VPN to bypass geo-blocking?

We recommend NordVPN to bypass geo-blocking due to robust features like a kill switch, AES-256 encryption, obfuscated servers, and leak protection that help keep your IP protected. Surfshark and ProtonVPN are also very strong alternatives with fast speeds and many comparable security measures.

Can the police track me if I use NordVPN?

No, it's generally not possible for the police to track you if you're using NordVPN. However, this doesn't mean you can commit crimes – any law enforcement agency with enough motive could make a lawful request to NordVPN, who have stated they will comply with data requests relating to lawful investigations. This doesn’t mean your data is logged; NordVPN is highly secure, but you should still avoid illegal behavior.

How do you fix "access is restricted in your location"?

If you see a message saying that access is restricted in your location, it can be fixed by connecting to a VPN server in the same location as the website or service. This error is due to geo-blocking software, which is used to control who can access services under licensing law. However, it’s easily bypassed by premium VPNs like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN.

How do I bypass geo-blocking for free?

Bypass geo-blocking for free easily using ProtonVPN’s free subscription. Bear in mind that this can help you to quickly change your IP and bypass geo-blocking, but it isn’t the best solution if you want to stream, game, or download files. For these purposes, I recommend choosing a premium VPN with unlimited data and faster connections. ProtonVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and has much better speeds.