5 Best VPNs for YouTube in 2024

YouTube isn't available in countries like China, Iran, Eritrea, North Korea, and Turkmenistan due to regional regulations and censorship. Moreover, the platform doesn't offer the same features in all countries, like free movies and movie rentals, for example. Those who travel a lot are aware of this, as they often encounter geo-blocks when trying to watch certain videos.

Luckily, all those issues can be bypassed with a VPN for YouTube. A VPN will bypass any geo-block and other restrictions so you can watch YouTube and YouTube Premium freely. This will also allow you to change YouTube location settings to your home country while traveling so you can access local videos. Aside from that, a VPN even helps you avoid ISP-induced throttled. 

In this article, we’ll cover the 5 best VPNs for YouTube and show you how to use a VPN to unblock YouTube in countries where it’s banned. In addition, we’ll explain why you need a VPN, how to pick the best one, help you troubleshoot technical issues when YouTube doesn't work with a VPN, answer some frequently asked questions, and more. 

Best YouTube VPNs - Our Shortlist 

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for YouTube in 2024
2. Surfshark – Best YouTube VPN for Inexperienced Users
3. ExpressVPN – High-End VPN to Unblock YouTube Every Time
4. CyberGhost – VPN for Any Device with Streaming-Optimized Servers
5. Private Internet Access – Powerful VPN with Servers in All 50 US States

How to Use a VPN to Unblock YouTube

To use a VPN to unblock YouTube, you must find a provider that has strong content-unblocking capabilities and get a subscription. Here’s everything you’ll need to do:

1. Sign up for a VPN that works with YouTube (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Download and install the VPN app on the device(s) you’ll use for streaming.
3. Open the VPN app and sign in to your VPN account to activate the service.
4. Connect to a VPN server in a country where YouTube is available.
5. And you’re done! Now, you can watch videos from anywhere.

The Best VPNs for YouTube in 2024

To find the best VPN for YouTube, you can use the criteria we established in our article on the best VPNs for streaming as a guide. With that said, one of the most important criteria you should focus on is finding a VPN provider with the ability to unblock YouTube, as well as other streaming sites. 

Next, you must find a VPN that has servers in countries where YouTube is available, such as the US, the UK, Japan, and Australia. Make sure that your VPN has a wide server network overall. Furthermore, find a provider that offers fast speeds and reliable performance, along with obfuscated servers and a kill switch mechanism.

The VPN that you choose should also come with robust privacy and security features, such as a no-logs policy, strong encryption, and secure VPN protocols. Plus, it should allow multiple simultaneous connections and support a wide range of devices. What’s more, your VPN must offer a fair price, a money-back guarantee, as well as dedicated 24/7 customer support. 

According to the criteria mentioned above, these are the 5 best YouTube VPNs in 2024:

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for YouTube in 2024

NordVPN is the best VPN for YouTube in 2024, making it easy to handily unblock YouTube along with many other streaming platforms. It does so by providing you with a wide server network of over 6,300+ servers in 111 countries, including 1,970+ servers in 16 locations in the US, 440+ servers in the UK, 190+ servers in 5 Australian locations, and 130+ servers in Japan.

With NordVPN, you’ll enjoy 4K streaming thanks to its ultra-fast speeds and stable performance. This VPN also offers superb privacy and security with features like obfuscated servers (which hide your VPN traffic), a kill switch (which prevents accidental data leaks), an independently audited no-logs policy, and secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, NordLynx, and more).

You also get AES 256-bit encryption, data leak protection, an ad-blocker, a 'Double VPN' feature that routes your traffic through 2 VPN servers, and more. You’re allowed up to 10 simultaneous connections, which you can use on devices like computers, tablets, phones, smart TVs, routers, and more.

NordVPN is priced at $3.39/month (2-year plan) and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscription plans. Lastly, let's not forget that NordVPN also offers superb 24/7 customer support, which you can reach via the live chat feature on the provider’s official website.

2. Surfshark – Best YouTube VPN for Inexperienced Users

Surfshark is a beginner-friendly YouTube VPN that makes it extra-easy to unblock YouTube and other streaming sites. It offers over 3,200 servers in 100 countries, including 212 servers in 4 UK locations, 600+ servers in 25 US locations, 40 servers in 5 Australian locations, and 62 servers in Japan.

Surfshark is one of the fastest VPNs, offering super-fast connection speeds and stable performance. In terms of data privacy, you can count on obfuscation (called 'NoBorders' mode in this case), and there's also a powerful kill switch that keeps accidental data leaks at bay.

This provider comes with top-notch security and privacy, including an audited no-logs policy, secure protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN), military-grade encryption (AES-256, ChaCha20), data leak protection, dedicated IPs, and more. It allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, and you can use it on phones, laptops, tablets, routers, smart TVs, and more.

Surfshark is available for only $2.29/month (2-year plan), and all its subscription plans are eligible for a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you the chance to try out the service risk-free. Finally, you’ll get dedicated 24/7 customer support via its live chat feature.

3. ExpressVPN – High-End VPN to Unblock YouTube Every Time

ExpressVPN is a powerful VPN provider that can easily unblock YouTube and offers reliable servers in 24 US locations, the home country of YouTube. Furthermore, this VPN has a wide server network of thousands of servers in 105 countries, including servers in 5 UK locations, 6 in Australia, and 3 in Japan - all countries where YouTube is freely available.

It’s also one of the fastest VPN providers available on the market, offering blazing-fast speeds and reliable performance, making it excellent for 4K streaming. Moreover, it comes with many powerful security and privacy features, like obfuscated servers to hide that you are trying to watch YouTube with a VPN and a kill switch mechanism that prevents data leaks.

In addition, you’ll get an audited no-logs policy, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, Lightway), military-grade encryption, data leak protection, a Threat Manager, and more. You can use this VPN service on up to 8 devices simultaneously, including phones, computers, tablets, smart TVs, media streaming devices, routers, and more.

To get started, you'll need to pay $6.67/month (1-year plan). All ExpressVPN plans have a 30-day refund policy, which means that you can try it out risk-free before making a commitment. Furthermore, you’ll get excellent 24/7 customer support via live chat.

4. CyberGhost – VPN for Any Device with Streaming-Optimized Servers

CyberGhost is a reliable and streaming-friendly VPN that can unblock YouTube and more. This provider offers special streaming servers, effectively enhancing your experience. It also has a large network of thousands of servers in 100 countries, including 2,100+ US servers, 1,100+ in the UK, 200+ in Australia, and 230+ in Japan.

CyberGhost delivers medium-fast performance, so it would help to have a fast baseline connection. We must also add that obfuscation is not on offer, so you'd want a different option if you're in a country with heavy Internet restrictions. On the bright side, you do get a kill switch that always works in the background, so you won't have to worry about data leaks.

With CyberGhost, you’ll also get a wide range of powerful privacy and security features that’ll ensure your safety online. Some of those features include a no-logs policy, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN and WireGuard), military-grade encryption, data leak protection, and more. Also, you’ll be able to use it on up to 7 devices simultaneously through apps available on any platform imaginable.

You can become a CyberGhost user for only $2.19/month (2-year plan). Its longer-term plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee, while its monthly plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. And no matter which plan you go for, you’ll get 24/7 customer support via live chat.

5. Private Internet Access – Powerful VPN with Servers in All 50 US States

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an advanced privacy-first VPN that can unblock YouTube with ease. It offers a large server fleet, sporting thousands of servers in 90+ countries. Also, it has servers in all 50 US states, as well as tons of servers in 3 UK locations, 5 locations in Australia, and multiple servers in Japan.

Out of the box, you get medium-fast speeds, which you can further improve by optimizing the VPN. In fact, this is one of the most customization-friendly VPNs, so we recommend it to more advanced users. You also get obfuscation and several types of kill switches, allowing you to choose what happens with individual apps if your VPN connection drops.

Moreover, you’ll get excellent security and privacy with this provider, including measures like a no-logs policy, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard), military-grade encryption (AES-256, ChaCha20), and more. Furthermore, one PIA subscription allows you to get VPN coverage for an unlimited number of devices, including laptops, phones, tablets, routers, smart TVs, and more.

PIA's 2-year plan costs $2.19/month and is backed by the VPN's generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Of course, 24/7 live chat support is also available, along with other handy resources like installation guides, explainers, FAQs, and more.

Best VPNs for YouTube - Compared

Why Do You Need a VPN for YouTube?

You need a VPN for YouTube to access content that isn’t available in your country. Without a VPN, you’ll receive the following message: “The uploader has not made this video available in your country.”

Other reasons why you need a YouTube VPN include the following:

• Unblock YouTube from Anywhere – With a VPN, you’ll be able to bypass any geo-restrictions preventing you from enjoying YouTube and other streaming services.
• Reach New YouTube Regional Libraries – Different countries have different content on the streaming service. With a VPN, you can unlock whichever library you want by connecting to a VPN server in the appropriate region.
• Watch Your Favorite Content While Traveling – Since different content is available depending on your location, you might not be able to watch your favorite videos when traveling abroad. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in your country and watch as if you were at home.
• Connect Safely from Public Wi-Fi – Public Wi-FI networks aren’t secure. However, a VPN can encrypt these networks, enabling you to use them safely.
• Bypass ISP-Induced Bandwidth Throttling – ISPs slow down your Internet when you use a lot of data at once, which happens when streaming. You can avoid this issue with a VPN, as it will hide your activity and usage.
• Hide Your Browsing History – VPNs encrypt your data and hide your browsing activity from third parties, including hackers, your ISP, and the government.
• Hide Your IP Address – By connecting to a VPN server, you’ll get a brand-new IP address, which will hide your real one, along with your location.
• Block Ads and Trackers While Streaming YouTube – Most VPN providers offer robust ad and tracking blockers that will enable you to stream with no interruptions.

How to Choose the Best YouTube VPN

To choose the best YouTube VPN, you must look for a VPN that can unblock the site, deliver fast streaming speeds, and secure your connection. Other essential features you’ll need to look for in a VPN for YouTube include the following:

• Ability to Unblock YouTube – Look for a provider that can easily unblock the streaming site, as well as different regional libraries and other popular streaming sites.
• Server Network Size and Distribution – Make sure your VPN offers a large server network with servers in countries where YouTube is available, such as the US, the UK, Australia, and Japan. 
• Speed and Performance – Go for a VPN that offers fast speeds and consistent performance so that you can stream in 4K with no interruptions like buffering. 
• Obfuscated Servers – Obfuscation hides the fact that you’re using a VPN to watch YouTube, enabling you to access the site from anywhere.
• Privacy and Security – To ensure your online safety and privacy, look for features like a no-logs policy, secure VPN protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard, and military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. 
• Multiple Simultaneous Connections – Make sure that the VPN offers enough simultaneous connections to cover all your devices.
• Pricing and Value - You'll want a VPN that offers a lot of value for your money. However, if you're after the biggest savings, make sure to invest in a long-term subscription plan.
• Money-Back Policy – A money-back guarantee will allow you to try out a VPN risk-free and see if it suits your needs.
• Customer Support – Reliable 24/7 customer support is a must for any VPN user, as it allows you to contact the provider whenever you need help.

Why Isn't YouTube Working with a VPN?

YouTube might not work with your VPN because you're connected to a faulty/overcrowded server or because you use a less secure protocol, among other things. Here's what you can do:

• Check Your Baseline Web Connection - Your first step is to check if your baseline connection works without any issues. Disconnect from your VPN and try browsing the Web. If pages are slow to load, continue with the steps below or contact your Internet provider.
• Restart Your Devices (Including Your VPN) - You can fix all kinds of connectivity issues by restarting your device, which will restart your VPN as well. Do the same with your router by keeping it unplugged for around 30 seconds.
• Delete Your Browser's Cache and Cookies - Your browser's cache might contain your location data, which is how YouTube can still see it. Remove the cache and cookies, re-connect to a VPN server, and try accessing YouTube again.
• Update Your VPN - VPN providers release updates every couple of weeks, and these often contain performance improvements. So, visit your VPN's settings and check for updates.
• Try Another VPN Server - Perhaps you're trying to connect to a faulty or overcrowded server, so the easiest solution is to use your VPN for YouTube with a different server location.
• Use an Obfuscated Server - Obfuscation is highly useful for bypassing geo-blocks and often needs to be enabled manually. Check if your VPN offers that option by visiting its settings.
• Try Another VPN Protocol - We recommend sticking to OpenVPN or WireGuard when unblocking YouTube, so try to cycle between these two VPN protocols.
• Disable Your Device's Firewall - If you have a Windows machine, try disabling its firewall, at least temporarily. That's because firewalls are known to block VPN connections.
• Disable Your Device's GPS - Your device's GPS is what reveals your location, even if you connect to a VPN server. Disabling your GPS will force YouTube to read your location from your VPN.
• Contact Your VPN - If nothing else helps, you need to turn to your VPN for support. Visit its website, where you'll find all the ways you can ask for help.

Can You Use a Free VPN for YouTube?

Yes, you can use a free VPN for YouTube, but we don’t recommend you do. Free VPN providers aren’t reliable at all and frequently sell their users’ data to third parties in an attempt to make up for the fact that they provide free services.

In addition, free VPNs have poor content-unblocking capabilities. They also usually don’t offer obfuscated servers, so the chances of you unblocking YouTube in places where it’s banned are slim to none. Moreover, free VPNs have small server networks, meaning that they can’t give you access to various regional libraries.

With that said, we recommend you use a premium VPN instead of a free one. Even better, you can go with a free VPN trial to experience how a premium-level VPN works without any risk. More precisely, we recommend NordVPN's free trial, which can be activated on Android and lasts for 7 days (you get a 30-day money-back policy for other platforms).

Once you've gone through a couple of trials, you can learn more about the top VPN providers, which will make it easy to access YouTube and YouTube Premium from anywhere in the world. The bottom line is that nothing can replace a high-end commercial VPN.

Final Thoughts

Millions of people worldwide are deprived of YouTube access because the site is banned in certain countries. Moreover, different regions have different libraries and content, so certain videos are only available in specific places. On top of that, you'll have to deal with ISP-induced throttling when streaming. With a YouTube VPN, you can get rid of these barriers - all at once.

We recommend NordVPN as the best VPN for YouTube because it has strong content-unblocking capabilities and can bypass any geo-restrictions. Thanks to its wide server network that spans 1100+ countries, it can give you access to regional libraries. Furthermore, with NordVPN, your privacy and security will remain protected.

That’s all for our guide on choosing a VPN for YouTube. If you have any more questions or remarks, feel free to share them via the comments section below. Thanks for reading!