Tech Talk

If you've been working from home during the current global pandemic, then chances are you've been subjected to the awful realities of daytime television. From cheesy game shows to ancient reruns, lunch break viewing can fast become a rather painful experience. This is where the best YouTube VPN comes into play. It can help save the day and unblock YouTube for you quickly and easily.

Best YouTube VPN apps

• ExpressVPN: Best option for most people
• IPVanish: Balance of speed and performance
• NordVPN: Best for the security-conscious
• Speedify: Best for beginners
• VyprVPN: Best for superfast speeds

Thankfully, we've got the likes of YouTube to keep us company, with its infinite supply of videos ranging across any topic imaginable. From cat videos to in-depth scientific discussions surrounding the mysteries of the universe, there's something for everyone.

Unfortunately, YouTube's content isn't always accessible to everyone. Quite often, certain content may be blocked in different regions. If you're trying to catch up on some classic dry wit from a UK panel show in the US, for example, then you might find your path blocked by an annoying error message. This is where using one of the best VPN services can really help you out.

A VPN essentially allows you to pretend to be in another country or location, allowing you to watch videos on YouTube that would otherwise be blocked. While the legality is a gray area (and one which we aren't condoning ourselves), a lot of people do find them useful.

How does a VPN help unblock YouTube?

A VPN works by diverting your signal through a different server, which is often in another country. This gives you a different IP address, allowing you to appear as if you're on the other side of the world as an anonymous user. The end result is not only more privacy, but also unlocking access to streaming content in that country.

Ultimately, a VPN lets you access content on sites like YouTube that would otherwise be unavailable in your country. We've tested a bunch of VPN services and have rounded up five of the best below, and have a list of all the best VPN deals to help you save some cash on the service of your choice.

1. ExpressVPN

Best overall YouTube VPN for most people

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 3,000+ | Server locations: 160 | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox

Pros

• Lots of global servers
• Fast speeds

Cons

• More expensive than rivals

As VPNs work by diverting connections through different servers around the globe, they can occasionally slow things down, but some providers are far better than others. With 3,000 servers spread across 160 locations in 94 countries, ExpressVPN is one of the fastest options around, providing above-average speeds.

If security is a concern, then you're covered there too. As it's based in the British Virgin Islands, the service offers an offshore privacy connection, which means no logs of your activity. You also get DNS/IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, and split tunneling.

The main downsides are that only five simultaneous connections are supported per account, and unlike others, there's no free trial if you want to take things for a spin before forking out the cash.

Still, it's easy to set up on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and even Linux, ensuring that up to five of your main devices are covered. The annual plan offers the best bang for your buck, especially if you'll be using the service every day. Yes, it's a little more expensive than most of its rivals, but as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for.

2. IPVanish

A great balance between speed and performance

Fast connections: Yes | Number of servers: 1,900+ | Server locations: 75+ | Maximum devices supported: 10 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

Pros

• Fast speeds
• Wide range of supported devices

Cons

• No free trial

It might not have as many global server locations as ExpressVPN, but IPVanish's roster of 75+ countries is by no means shabby, and it shows - it provides consistently fast speeds, especially if you're using a server that's close by.

The usual devices and operating systems are all supported, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and even Amazon Fire TV and Fire Sticks. IPVanish also has the bonus of providing instructions for setting up its service on Chromebooks, Linux and even routers - the latter being particularly handy if you want a blanket coverage of VPN benefits for every device in your house.

Strong encryption, a lack of logs and other security devices are all present and accounted for, and while there's no free trial, you do get a 7-day, quibble-free refund if you change your mind. Once again, the yearly plan is the most affordable option, especially if you're a heavy user.

3. NordVPN

Best YouTube VPN for the security-conscious

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 5,200+ | Server locations: 60+ | Maximum devices supported: 6 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

Pros

• Great privacy features
• Money-back guarantee

Cons

• Mobile app could be better

If you're reading a feature about the best options for YouTube then you've probably already seen a multitude of ads for NordVPN already, as the company has thrown a ton of money into online ads for its service - especially on YouTube itself.

It can back up its claims too, offering fast, stable speeds, with extra security thrown in to boot. It's one of the most privacy-focused services available, doubling its encryption with a 2,048-bit setup, alongside two kill switches in addition to DNS leak protection.

It's one of the best choices if you're hunting for privacy and anonymity above all else, backed up by the fact that you can even opt to pay for its service anonymously using Bitcoin, for even more anonymous street cred.

With excellent speeds, live chat support, and support across multiple devices (with a 30-day money-back guarantee thrown in for good measure), NordVPN is easily one of the top picks around.

4. Speedify

Best for beginners

Fast connections: Yes | Number of servers: 200 | Server locations: 50+ | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

Pros

• Ability to boost speeds

Cons

• Not many subscription options

As its name suggests, Speedify is a VPN provider that focuses on delivering a solid, speedy experience for its users.

It achieves this with its 'channel-bonding' feature, which is able to create a faster, more reliable connection by combining multiple connections together — an ideal choice if you've got more than one method to get online.

Fancy speed-boosting features aside, the connections themselves are solid too, thanks to offering over 150 servers across more than 50 locations around the world. As with other VPN services on this list, Speedify is available across all of the major platforms and devices you'd expect, and its app is nicely polished too, which is a bonus.

On the privacy front, it offers ChaCha encryption and multiple VPN protocol support to help keep your data private, and won't keep any logs of your activity, for further peace of mind.

There are only two price plans available at the time of writing, but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee, alongside a free plan that offers 1GB of data use per month.

5. VyprVPN

Best for superfast speeds

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 700+ | Server locations: 70+ | Maximum devices supported: 30 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

Pros

• Extremely fast speeds
• Up to 30 simultaneous connections
• Over 300,000 available IP addresses

Cons

• No refunds

It might have bastardized the spelling of a snake's name, but don't let grammatical nitpicking put you off — this is one of the fastest VPNs money can buy, making it an ideal choice for YouTube channel surfers.

Its nippy speeds are all thanks to optimized hardware, and it'll run across all of your devices, including smart TVs and routers too. The crown jewel for privacy aficionados is the aptly-named Chameleon protocol, which aims to prevent both blocking and speed throttling. Bear in mind, however, that some logging information such as connection times does take place.

There aren't any refund options available here, although it is one of the most affordable options out there. Note that the Chameleon protocol and support for up to five devices is only available in the slightly pricier Premium plan.

Can you use a free VPN to unblock YouTube?

We've covered some of the best free VPN options before, and there are a lot of great ones, but the limitations of the apps can definitely hinder your ability to unblock YouTube. Oftentimes, one of the things that free VPN providers limit is the number of server options that you can connect to, which means that you may not be able to find a server in a location that would allow you to access the service. There's also generally a pretty low data cap, so you'd only be able to watch part of a video before needing to disconnect from the VPN.

While a free VPN is good for many things, if you plan to use it for unblocking YouTube you should be considering a paid option mentioned above instead.