Best VPN for Streaming in 2026: Unblock International Movies and TV Shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer

If you’re on a budget or you’re a Netflix user seeking to get the most out of your subscription, Surfshark is a good choice. It supports almost every device you can think of, including the Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV streaming boxes. We found that Surfshark is more than capable of streaming content on various streaming services, like Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. However, we did run into a few issues when attempting to stream content on Hulu, including the Fire TV Stick app detecting the VPN.

Why we like it for streaming

Surfshark really excelled when we tested its ability to stream Netflix. Surfshark says it can unblock 22 different countries’ Netflix libraries, but it unblocked even more during our testing, including libraries from countries like Denmark, Bulgaria, Belgium and Hungary. Other VPNs can unblock multiple Netflix libraries, but a VPN can rarely do it to the degree that Surfshark can.

We’re impressed with Surfshark’s consistently fast speeds over the past few years, with an average speed loss hovering in the high-teens. We measured an average speed loss of 21% in our 2025 speed tests — which is technically slower than previous years, but shouldn’t result in a noticeable difference in practice.

As well as being an excellent VPN for streaming, Surfshark packs a ton of useful privacy features. You can boost your privacy by routing your connection through two servers of your choice using Surfshark’s Dynamic Multihop feature or shuffling your IP address using the VPN’s IP Rotator feature. Its GPS spoofer — only available on Android — may even let you unblock certain streaming services, like YouTube TV, that rely on GPS for geo-location. Surfshark also offers unlimited simultaneous connections, which goes beyond what most others allow. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS and streaming devices, including Apple TV, Fire TV Stick and Android TV dongles or boxes. You can also set Surfshark up on a VPN-compatible router for whole-network coverage and to stream on smart TVs that don’t natively support VPN apps.

Surfshark’s monthly plan costs $15.45 per month, but its longer-term plans are more reasonably priced. The introductory price for its yearly plan is $48 for the first year, or if you opt for the two-year plan, you’ll pay $54 upfront for the initial two years combined, which is a tremendous bargain. However, be aware that the annual and two-year subscription price more than doubles to $99 per year upon renewal — something Surfshark doesn’t make adequately clear at checkout. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available with all subscription plans.

If you want a VPN that’s free and still able to stream the US Netflix library, then Proton VPN is the ideal choice. Proton VPN is currently the only free VPN that CNET recommends — it’s secure, safe to use and doesn’t put any limits on speed or use. Technically, Proton VPN’s free servers across 10 countries aren’t optimized for streaming, but we still achieved sufficient speeds and were able to smoothly stream Netflix content through the VPN’s free US servers. With Proton VPN’s premium tier, you get access to 15,000-plus servers in 129 countries and excellent streaming performance across platforms.

Why we like it for streaming

While Proton VPN caters primarily to the privacy-focused crowd, it’s a well-rounded VPN service that has broad appeal for casual users, thanks in large part to its first-rate streaming capabilities. During our tests, we used the paid plan to access content from several regional Netflix libraries as well as content on Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and Hulu. Its ability to unblock international Netflix libraries, including the Egyptian Netflix library (which rivals NordVPN and Surfshark struggled to unblock), makes Proton VPN’s paid tier a worthy VPN for streaming.

The only hiccup we ran into was that we couldn’t stream Disney Plus on MacOS through Proton VPN’s US servers, although it worked fine on other platforms. We didn’t experience any buffering or video quality issues, and streaming content in 4K went smoothly with Proton VPN across all platforms during our tests — which wasn’t surprising considering the VPN cut our speeds by only 16%.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS, as well as for various streaming devices like AppleTV, Fire TV Stick and Android TV. You can also set Proton VPN up on a router for whole-network coverage and to stream content on smart TVs and other devices like Roku that don’t natively support VPN apps. You can connect up to 10 devices at once with Proton VPN, which is the same as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. A few other VPNs, including Surfshark and PIA allow for unlimited simultaneous connections, but Proton VPN’s allowance of 10 should be enough for most users.

Proton VPN’s free plan is limited to five server locations (US, Japan, Netherlands, Poland and Romania). Proton VPN’s paid subscriptions cost $10 per month, $48 for the first year or $72 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $84 a year). A 30-day money-back guarantee is available on all subscription plans in case Proton VPN doesn’t fit your streaming needs.

ExpressVPN has cutting-edge privacy and security features and is a recipient of a CNET Editors’ Choice award. It’s extremely simple to use, fast and excellent for streaming. Right now, you can get 61% off when you sign up for a two-year subscription, plus four free months on any of ExpressVPN’s three subscription tiers.