The UK has fast become one of the most snooped-on places in the world due to the Investigatory Power Act (A.K.A. the Snoopers Charter). Thankfully, with a VPN, UK citizens can protect their online privacy when surfing the web and stop the snoopers in their tracks.
What’s more, a VPN can also unblock content that isn’t available in the United Kingdom, such as Hulu or DAZN. VPNs can also provide you with a UK IP address so that if you’re located outside of the UK, or you just go on holiday to another country, you can watch BBC iPlayer abroad, as well as other British TV channels.
If this has piqued your interest, read on to find out what the best UK VPN services are.
What are the best VPNs for the UK in 2021?
Our testing found these to be the best VPNs for the UK in 2021:
-
ExpressVPN
– The best VPN for the UK. ExpressVPN is fast and secure making it perfect for torrenting, streaming & gaming. -
NordVPN
– A great VPN pick for the UK regardless of what device you use. NordVPN works great on all platforms, including iOS and Android. -
CyberGhost VPN
– A UK VPN that is packed with value. You get 7 simultaneous connections and slick mobile apps for Android & iOS. -
Private Internet Access
– One of the most secure ways to get a UK IP. It has a proven no-logs policy and offers fantastic privacy features. -
Surfshark
– A cheap VPN for the UK on our list. From $2.49 a month, you can unblock US Netflix and BBC iPlayer on all devices, including smart TVs.
Try our #1 VPN pick ExpressVPN Today!
See the full list and analysis
When putting together our list of the best VPNs to use in the UK, we ask the following questions:
- How secure is the VPN?
- Does it protect your privacy?
- What speeds does the VPN offer?
- How many servers does it have?
- What can it unblock?
- Is it good value for money?
Now you know what to look for, let’s check out which services made our list of the best VPNs for the UK.
The best VPNs to use in the UK in 2021
Here’s a full list of the VPNs we recommend for the UK today:
Best VPN for the UK: ExpressVPN is our #1 pick. A premium service, with a premium price tag. It has been the leading VPN option in terms of speed, privacy and unblocking for years.
-
Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
ExpressVPN is a veteran in the VPN industry and it has a massive user base located around the world. The software is top-of-the-range, and it is available for all popular platforms. Admittedly, ExpressVPN is a touch on the pricey side, though you really get what you pay for here and you can run the VPN software on up to 5 devices simultaneously. If you want a premium VPN service, ExpressVPN is an exceptional option that’s hard to beat. With a zero-logs policy and implementation of strong OpenVPN encryption, your ISP and government won’t be able to track you. You’ll also be protected from hackers on public WiFi.
ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries, and all those servers are lightning-fast. This makes ExpressVPN perfect for gaming, HD streaming, and other data-intensive tasks like video conferencing or torrenting. On top of that, ExpressVPN offers excellent security features, including a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscated servers. That means it has all the most premium VPN features you are likely to need. ExpressVPN also reliably unblocks tons of popular streaming services like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. Worth testing with its 30-day money-back guarantee if you have money to spend on something extra-special.
NordVPN is a versatile UK VPN. It offers great apps for all devices, including smartphones, and it works great when streaming, unblocking, torrenting and gaming.
-
Pricing
From
$3.71 –
$11.95 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
NordVPN is a well-established VPN service that has a lot of advanced privacy features. It is ideal for anybody living in the UK thanks to its choice of fast British servers. This makes it great for accessing BBC iPlayer, All4, NowTV, British internet banking, or virtually any other geo-restricted UK content you can think of. It also has servers in the USA that unblock Netflix US, Hulu, YouTube TV, HBO Max, and much more great content. This makes NordVPN an excellent all-rounder.
NordVPN is a no logs service based in Panama, which makes it great for gaining online privacy. And this VPN has the features you need to torrent safely – or to access government censored services without being tracked by your ISP or the British government.
You can trial the service using its 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can install it on up to 6 devices simultaneously. A lightning-fast VPN that is well worth taking for a test run.
CyberGhost offers great value if you want a VPN for the UK. It’s super easy to use on Windows, Mac, Android, & iOS and it’s packed full of features to make your life easier.
-
Pricing
From
$2.25 –
$12.99 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
CyberGhost VPN is a provider based in Romania that delivers an excellent service at an affordable rate. The VPN keeps zero-logs, and it implements OpenVPN encryption, which means that your ISP will never be able to track what you do online on behalf of the government. CyberGhost has servers in over 90 countries, and it provides access to sought-after streaming services such as Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. However, compared to others on this list, it can be a little temperamental at times. Despite this, it is a terrific service that many UK residents subscribe to.
The software is no-frills and incredibly easy to use, making it an ideal option for beginners who do not need a lot of techy features. You can use CyberGhost VPN on any device, and the VPN is extremely generous; permitting users to install and use it on up to 7 devices simultaneously. What’s more, you can test this VPN risk-free thanks to its whopping 45-day money-back guarantee. It’s well worth a free test run!
PIA is one of the most secure VPNs to use in the UK. It is serious about privacy, from a no-logs policy to excellent levels of encryption & great privacy features.
-
Pricing
From
$2.69 –
$9.95 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based VPN company that runs UK VPN servers London, Manchester, and Southampton, making it a great option for anyone needing a UK IP address. These servers should now all give users the ability to unblock BBC iPlayer.
Brits wishing to avoid government surveillance, on the other hand, will appreciate the fact that this privacy-friendly company runs servers in 75 countries around the world and has the almost unique distinction of having its no logs claims proven in front of a court of law – not just once, but twice!
PIA also offers lots of bells-and-whistles for its asking price, including port forwarding (great for torrenting – allowed on all servers), split-tunneling, and DNS-based ad and malware blocking. Give it a try with its 30-day money-back guarantee!
Surfshark is a cheap VPN for getting a UK IP address. This is a new service, but it has quickly made a name for itself thanks to its solid speeds and unblocking capabilities.
-
Pricing
From
$2.49 –
$12.95 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
Considering its low monthly cost, Surfshark offers a wealth of premium features that are sure to be useful to a wide range of VPN users. These include a full Smart DNS service, static IP addresses, DNS ad-blocking, MultiHop VPN, and much more.
Surfshark offers 3 handy servers in the UK, providing non-Brits with a UK IP address that’ll successfully unblock the world-famous BBC iPlayer. Native Brits can make use of more than 1,700 other servers across 63 countries – and the ability to unblock the full US Netflix catalog. All of Surfshark’s servers are super quick, with unlimited bandwidth that’ll ensure you don’t get stuck waiting for your boxsets to buffer. You can even put it on every device you own with unlimited simultaneous connections.
Streamers will also appreciate the included smart DNS service, which allows you to unblock a range of services on devices such as games consoles and smart TVs that don’t allow you to install a VPN client. Don’t just take our word for it, hop into the service with the assurance of a 30-day money-back guarantee.
VyprVPN is a great all-round UK-friendly VPN. You get a balance of privacy and speed thanks to its excellent privacy features & proprietary network of servers.
-
Pricing
From
$2.50 –
$12.95 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
VyprVPN is a world-renowned VPN provider that has servers located in over 70 countries worldwide. This makes the service ideal for unblocking any content from the UK, as well as for bypassing geo-blocks to access foreign content from within the UK itself. VyprVPN is known to reliably unblock important UK services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 OD, and UK Netflix – as a result, this service is perfect for anybody who wants to access British content and services.
Where privacy is concerned, this VPN is strong. Not only does VyprVPN provide military-grade OpenVPN encryption, but it also has market-leading VPN features such as DNS leak protection, obfuscated servers (Chameleon), and a kill-switch. What’s more, this VPN recently underwent a third-party audit of both its software and infrastructure, meaning that you can trust it to work as advertised. We think this VPN is easy to use, and it has excellent apps for all platforms. In fact, it recently updated to VyprVPN 3.0 which adds even more control to an already exceptional platform.
And, for anybody who is new to VPNs or is having setup or connection problems, VyprVPN has fantastic 24/7 live chat support to help you out. We also like this VPN’s 5 simultaneous connection allowance, which means you can use it across all your devices at the same time. Finally, you can test this VPN risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
IPVanish is a great VPN for the UK that’s easy to use. It’s also fast, reliable and works well with US Netflix thanks to its fast server network that spans the globe.
-
Pricing
From
$2.62 –
$9.99 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
IPVanish is a reliable VPN that is great for anybody living in the UK. It has apps for all platforms that are easy to use, and come fully-featured with a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, OpenVPN encryption, and obfuscation. This makes it ideal for gaining digital privacy from your ISP and the government. It also means it is good for watching streams in privacy, or for unblocking content at work or on public WiFI.
IPVanish permits torrenting throughout its entire network of server locations, and it does have the advanced features you need to download without being tracked down by copyright holders. IPVanish VPN has servers in over 75 countries worldwide, and it works to unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and other popular streaming services from around the globe.
We enjoy using this VPN on all platforms and are always happy with the connection speeds we get. Well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Ivacy is the cheapest VPN for the UK on our list. From $1.50 per month you get a secure service with decent speeds & solid unblocking capabilities across more than 100 countries.
-
Pricing
From
$1.00 –
$9.95 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
Ivacy VPN is a service based in Singapore that is consistently rated by consumers as offering excellent value for money. The VPN is low-cost considering that it is a no-logs service with apps for all platforms, and it has everything you need to gain digital privacy in the UK. Ivacy comes with vital security and privacy features like a kill-switch and DNS leak protection, which means it is suitable for torrenting. And it has servers in over 100 countries worldwide that are ideal for unblocking streams, game servers, and anything else you can think of from all over the globe.
We enjoy using this VPN to access Netflix US and many other popular streaming services. Admittedly, this VPN isn’t quite as fast as some of our other recommendations. But it does cope well with HD and downloading without any real issues. For those who require port forwarding, this is available as a bolt-on feature but not included in the standard subscription.
An excellent VPN for people in the UK that want to avoid government snooping. Well worth comparing to our other options using its money-back guarantee.
ProtonVPN is a trusted VPN for the UK from the makers of ProtonMail. It’s reliable and secure, but it also packs a punch for any streaming fans as well. A solid all round choice.
-
Free option
Yes
Pricing
From
$3.29 –
$5.00 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
ProtonVPN is a provider that has only been around a handful of years. In that short time, it has become a consumer favorite service thanks to its free plan and its advanced privacy settings. This VPN is based in Switzerland; a location that is known to be great for digital privacy. It is also a no-logs service, which means you can trust it to always provide privacy for everything you do online.
This VPN has apps for all platforms, which means that UK residents can use it both on their home computers, at work, or when using mobile devices on public WiFi. ProtonVPN has servers in 54 countries, ideal for bypassing all manner of geo-restrictions. And it does permit torrenting if you need privacy for downloading content. Admittedly, ProtonVPN isn’t as fast as some of the other services we have recommended. However, it always lets us stream Netflix US without buffering.
Well worth taking for a test-run using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
PrivateVPN is a great streaming VPN for the UK. This reliable VPN from Sweden can unblock more Netflix catalogs than just about anyone else and can stream in HD.
-
Pricing
From
$1.89 –
$7.12 -
Servers in UK
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
-
Available for
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
This lesser-known VPN is perfect for people living in the UK that want something for streaming. PrivateVPN provides excellent speeds and it is constantly being praised by its user-base due to its ease of use and unblocking capabilities. PrivateVPN can unblock, not only US Netflix, but a large range of other Netflix catalogs – including BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV, and many other streaming services around the world. PrivateVPN has a zero-logs policy and it is based in Sweden which is a good place for a VPN to be based. This VPN will protect your data privacy from your ISP and the British government.
Private VPN has servers in 60 countries worldwide, and because it has software for all platforms you can use it both at home and to protect your devices on public WiFi. Like the other VPNs in this guide, you can test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Perhaps the only drawback of this VPN is that it is not as fast as the other VPNs we have recommended. However, it always streams Netflix without issues – which is as fast as most people need anyway!
What are the fastest VPNs to use in the UK?
To do data intensive tasks like gaming, streaming, and torrenting, you will need a super-fast VPN. Not all VPNs provide the speeds you require, which is why it is a good idea to stick to our recommendations. The table below provides the results of our daily speed tests, so that you can see how VPNs are performing in real time. As a result, you can choose to subscribe to the fastest VPN for the UK if you want to.
| Place | Provider | Average Speed | Max Speed | Visit Site |
|---|
Will a VPN improve my speeds?
A VPN will not improve internet speeds most of the time. This is because your connection speed revolves around your contract with your ISP. Even the fastest VPNs must encrypt your traffic and route it further (via the VPN server) which will usually incus some latency.
That said, a VPN can prevent your ISP from engaging in bandwidth throttling when you perform data intensive tasks such as gaming or downloading torrents. If you believe your ISP is throttling you, it is definitely worth trying a VPN to see if it improves your speeds.
However, if you have naturally slow broadband speeds, using a VPN will not help improve those speeds.
Can I get a UK VPN for mobile?
Yes! You can use a VPN on a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. All the VPNs for the UK recommended in this article have apps that are available for all platforms, this includes VPN apps for Android and VPNs for iOS devices.
Whether you need a VPN for an Android smartphone or tablet, or an iPhone or iPad, the VPNs in this guide have what you need. Best of all, the apps are available in the regular Google Play and Apple app stores, which makes getting them extremely easy.
Once you have installed the VPN on your mobile device, you can use it to bypass annoying restrictions and to gain privacy. The VPN will work on your mobile both at home and on public Wi-Fi. And it will secure your data when you connect using your mobile data too.
VPN deals and discounts
Save 49% & get 3 extra months of ExpressVPN free
ExpressVPN
Discount Coupon
when signing up for 1-year
An overall saving of 49%
Why do I need a VPN in the UK?
A VPN is a privacy tool designed to prevent local networks, ISPs, government agencies, and websites from tracking you online. By connecting to a VPN you can use the internet anywhere without concern that someone is monitoring your activities.
In addition, a VPN conceals your real IP address from the services you visit, which permits you to pretend to be in a different location. This lets you access geo-restricted content and gives you the freedom to access any websites that have been blocked by ISPs.
In the UK, ISPs must harvest web history data and metadata about UK citizens, which is then shared with the Government, HMRC, and numerous other government organizations and authorities.
In addition, ISPs are ordered to restrict access to certain websites by the government. With a UK VPN, you can prevent surveillance and bypass that annoying censorship.
Furthermore, in the UK many employers and universities block websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other useful services. Again, by using a VPN you can regain access to these sites.
To help summarize, we have listed the many benefits for UK citizens to own and use VPNs below:
If you’re new to VPNs, we recommend getting up to speed with our helpful guides:
CyberGhost VPN
Discount Coupon
Off Today
Exclusive Offer – 45-day money-back guarantee
UK VPNs to combat surveillance
The UK is one of the most surveillance-heavy nations in the world. GCHQ is the government’s intelligence agency and it constantly monitors and snoops on everybody.
In addition, the government uses the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to capture everybody’s data and web browsing histories from ISPs. In the UK, surveillance has become thoroughly widespread and completely pervasive, and the only way to stop your entire online presence from being tracked is with a VPN.
If you value your privacy and the privacy of your loved ones, a VPN for the UK is highly recommended. If you do not use a VPN your ISP will collect the following data about you and store if for 12 months:
- Your IP address
- Your personal details (address, payment details, etc.)
- A log of every website and the time you visited it
- Your communications metadata (emails, messages, etc)
Surveillance in the UK is intense – and Brexit will likely only exacerbate matters. So be sure to prepare by investing in a secure VPN.
Internet privacy in the UK post-Brexit
Most experts agree that Brexit is going to give the government the power it needs to begin using the Snoopers Charter to its full extent. As a result, it is likely that Brexit will cause higher levels of internet surveillance.
Until now, the Snoopers Charter was barely enforced because it was found to contradict European regulations. With the EU no longer standing in its way, many experts fear things will go downhill rapidly.
With the chances of GCHQ snooping on your data higher than ever, and ISPs collecting all your metadata and web browsing history records for 12 months, there has never been a better time to protect your digital footprint.
A VPN will encrypt your traffic, making it harder for the government to track everything you do, which is your right as a citizen who voted them in to protect you –not snoop on you.
ISP blocking in the UK
If at any point you have tried to access sites such as Popcorn Time, 123movies or The Pirate Bay, you may not be able to find them. This is because ISPs block these websites on their networks within the UK.
Of course, these types of sites are hivebeds for copyright infringement, which is why many of them have undergone such scrutiny in recent years, leading to efforts to have them taken down.
We would always recommend using a VPN before accessing any P2P sites regardless, but in the UK VPNs for torrenting are becoming more of a necessity than a recommendation in order to simply access the website in the first place.
If you are interested in torrenting, we would strongly recommend taking a look at the following guides for useful information on remaining safe:
As well as sites used for pirating copyrighted material, UK ISPs also block many websites that have been decided to contain inappropriate content.
ISPs currently enforcing government blocks are as follows:
- BT Group
- Virgin Media
- EE
- Sky Broadband
- Talk Talk
A UK VPN will allow you to circumvent these restrictions entirely and access all of the content the UK government has decided to block.
Cost of VPNs in the UK
The average cost of a decent VPN in the UK is around $5 USD (around £3-4 per month). However, this can vary a lot depending on the provider, if you want any additional features like a static IP and how long you are willing to commit for.
VPN subscriptions are usually offered over one month, a year, or multiple years, and the longer that you sign up for the less you will pay per month for the service. For example, the cost of a one month subscription can be as high as $12 per month, but if you are willing to sign up for 2-years you can see this monthly cost reducded by as much as 80%.
Monthly VPN subscriptions in the UK
If you are looking for a monthly VPN subscription, it is still possible to get a good deal. Just be aware that the real savings are in the longer subscription packages.
Cheapest monthly VPN: ProtonVPN
Based on our recommend list above, the cheapest monthly VPN is Proton at $5 per month (around £3-4). This is a very attractive price, if you are looking to keep costs down. For this you get access to the “basic package” which is suitable for everyday browsing and keeping you secure online. However, if you want the extra perks, like unblocking US Netflix in the UK, you may want to consider spending a little more.
Best value monthly VPN: PrivateVPN
Coming in at $7.12, PrivateVPN is incredible value-for-money. Not only do you get online privacy and security, but this service is a real demon when it comes to streaming and unblocking. We pitted PrivateVPN against all the major streaming services, are rarely does it fail. What’s more, it has a solid server network capable of handling speeds good enough for streaming in HD (providing your connection can handle it).
Get PrivateVPN Monthly Plan >>
Is it safe to use a free VPN in the UK?
Yes, if you’re careful! There are plenty of free VPNs we’d recommend. However, these are really only suitable for providing privacy on a day-to-day browsing basis. They generally would not be able to handle more data-intensive tasks like streaming, gaming, or torrenting. This is because they’re often intended to just give the customer a flavor of what a VPN is about and what one can do – all in the hopes that the user will enjoy it enough to upgrade to the premium service.
We recommend that you take advantage of VPN free trials or money-back guarantees. All the VPNs listed in this article have them, and they will allow you to try out the full service before committing to a lengthy contract.
What about the unlimited free VPNs I’ve seen?
This is where you need to be careful. We have been reviewing VPNs since 2013 and we can tell you we have never come across an unlimited free VPN that doesn’t steal your bandwidth or data and sell it to third parties. As you can imagine, this is the exact opposite of what a VPN is meant to do.
UK VPNs to unblock streaming services
One of the most useful functions of a VPN is to provide access to geo-restricted content from all over the world. As we’ve already mentioned, a VPN let’s you connect to servers in any country around the world, so the possibilities are endless.
Streaming with VPNs outside the UK
If you are a UK expat currently living abroad, or if you are just living outside the UK and want to access BBC iPlayer, ITVhub or one of the other UK based streaming services, then a UK VPN can help.
To do this, all you need to do is connect to a VPN server in the UK, so any of the VPN recommendations we have made above will do the trick. Once you have connected to a UK server, you can browse to your favorite streaming service and start watching!
Unblocking and streaming inside the UK
If you live in the UK, you can use a VPN to pretend to be in another country to access content that is only available in another country, such as Hulu, HBO GO, ESPN to name a few. Another common use case by UK citizens is to use a UK VPN for US Netflix to unlock the exclusive titles available to US citizens on Netflix.
Can I get a UK VPN for mobile?
Any of the VPNs in this guide will work if you’re after a VPN for a smartphone or tablet. Each provider has iOS and Android VPN apps, too. It is worth bearing in mind that the VPN encryption may differ on iOS VPN apps. You can find out more by checking individual summaries and comparing the services on this page to the best VPNs for iOS.
All of our recommended VPNs for iOS provide privacy and unblocking capabilities for iPhones and iPads.
UK based VPN services
There are a number of VPNs based in the UK. You may be wondering, “are UK based VPNs safe to use?”, given the increasing government involvement in data collection.
To answer this question bluntly: no, not if you value your privacy.
The UK’s heavy-handed surveillance laws dictate that ISPs, as well as VPNs, are required by law to log users’ online activity and store it for 12 months. This means that if you use a UK-based VPN, it will be required to record what you do on its network and potentially hand it all over to authorities upon request.
UK-based VPNs should be avoided at all costs for this very reason. The good news is that a VPN doesn’t have to be actually based in the UK to make it an excellent UK VPN. In the end, your best bet will be to sign on with one of the quality VPN providers we highlight in this guide here. These providers have been thoroughly researched and tested by our experts, and are all excellent at protecting user privacy while being based safely out of the jurisdiction of the overly-intrusive UK regulatory landscape.
Private Internet Access
Discount Coupon
Off With our PIA Discount
With 30-day money-back guarantee
FAQs
Here are a few of the most common questions we get from our readers looking for a UK VPN. If you have additional questions, feel free to drop us a note in the comments section below!
Conclusion
Now that we have covered everything you need to know about choosing and using a VPN in the UK, let’s review our top picks:
-
ExpressVPN
– The best VPN for the UK. ExpressVPN is fast and secure making it perfect for torrenting, streaming & gaming. -
NordVPN
– A great VPN pick for the UK regardless of what device you use. NordVPN works great on all platforms, including iOS and Android. -
CyberGhost VPN
– A UK VPN that is packed with value. You get 7 simultaneous connections and slick mobile apps for Android & iOS. -
Private Internet Access
– One of the most secure ways to get a UK IP. It has a proven no-logs policy and offers fantastic privacy features. -
Surfshark
– A cheap VPN for the UK on our list. From $2.49 a month, you can unblock US Netflix and BBC iPlayer on all devices, including smart TVs.