Best VPN UK: ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN and 3 More!

If you are looking for the best VPN for the United Kingdom to combat the recent proposals for regulation and censorship in the UK like the Online Harms White Paper and the Snoopers’ Charter that may put free speech under the thumb of the government, then you have arrived at the right place.

The UK government has an extensive history of steering unlawful mass surveillance operations against its citizens. The most effective way to counter censorship, surveillance and protect your privacy while gaining access to various geo-blocked content is to use a VPN in UK.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) would spoof your location and let you unblock streaming like Netflix US, Hulu, Amazon  US, Disney+ US, and more from the UK without getting you blocked.

So, stick around till the end as we reveal to you the six best VPNs for the UK in this article that we shortlisted after testing 150+ VPNs.

2021’s Best VPN UK [In-Depth Analysis]

We tested 150+ Virtual Private Networks (VPN) against elements like servers, protocols, simultaneous connections, zero-logging, internet kill switch, and servers on Android, iOS, PC, and other mainstream operating systems.

The test disclosed ExpressVPN as the best UK VPN. The following UK VPNs are some of the best VPN services that are highly competent in maintaining user privacy and can unblocking geo-restrictions in seconds:

1. The best VPN for UK – ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best Virtual Private Network for the UK that offers 3000+ number of servers in 94 countries. Among these servers, four are present in the UK, located in Docklands, East London, Wembley, and London. With its average speed of 86 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection, you easily access anything you like within the UK.

If you’re vacationing outside the UK and miss your favourite streaming channels and shows, then you can always use these VPN server to access UK services outside the country like  UKTV Play, Channel 4, Sky Go, BT Sport, etc.

Speaking of which, ExpressVPN offers some great speeds on its United kingdom servers. We conducted speed tests for all its servers to check out its speeds:

And it’s not just the UK. ExpressVPN also offers a speedy VPN server globally. Our ExpressVPN speed tests can confirm this. You can use its 3000+no servers worldwide and enjoy any streaming service you like, including Netflix US, Disney Plus, Amazon etc., in HD from the UK.

While you’re accessing some geo-restricted content, ExpressVPN protects you over the internet by offering 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN protocols, among other protocols. It also offers some top-notch security characteristics like a kill switch that disconnects you from the internet once your VPN connection drops and a strict no-logs policy ensuring that it won’t collect any user’s logs.

An added advantage is ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer feature that can unblock almost all streaming sites without encrypting your online internet traffic and without burdening your connection with encryption.

ExpressVPN’s fantastic service comes at a price of $6.67/mo only. If you’re into testing its service first, then you can get its 30-day money-back guarantee.

It’s also the only VPN service where a single subscription works on unlimited devices, making this a truly outstanding deal. You can always cancel your ExpressVPN subscription if you believe the service isn’t for you, which won’t be the case as it’s undoubtedly the best.

Overall, ExpressVPN is the best VPN you can get in the UK. It is worth the money if you’re serious about strengthening your privacy and attain better internet accessibility, as noted in our ExpressVPN review.

2. Fastest VPN for UK – Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the fastest VPNs for the UK, with 3200+ number of servers globally, including 3 in the UK. These servers are located in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Overall, the server network is strong enough to unblock websites both within and outside the UK.

Using Surfshark, you can unblock some popular UK streaming platforms like  Channel 4, BT Sport, Sky Go, etc., and enjoy some exclusive movies and TV shows on them.

While ExpressVPN’s speeds cannot be matched, Surfshark still offers some great speeds. You can check out its speeds on the servers below:

If you live within the UK, then you can use Surfshark to access any geo-restricted service you like across the world. These include Amazon, Hulu, NBC, YouTube TV, and Peacock TV in HD.

You can enjoy these services on any device you like, as Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections to users along with compatibility with all major devices, including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Fire Stick, and more.

While using Surfshark, you won’t have to worry about your browsing activity being monitored at all as this VPN comes with tons of characteristics like  MultiHop, AES-256 encryption, and CleanWeb to keep you safe and sound.

Not only that, Surfshark is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands and doesn’t keep any logs. Surfshark’s cheapest plan only costs $2.49/mo along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Surfshark’s cheap prices and unlimited multi-logins make it one of the reliable VPN service in the UK. In addition, you can share your Surfshark account with your friends and family so they can enjoy its services too. You can learn more about this service in our detailed Surfshark review.

3. Secure VPN for UK– NordVPN

NordVPN is the most secure VPN for UK. This VPN offers 5200+ number of servers globally, with 645+ in the UK. However, all these servers are located in London.

NordVPN offers an average speed of 62 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection that may be less than the VPNs above but are still good enough to stream content in HD quality in the UK.

With NordVPN’s servers, you can enjoy Sky Sports, BT Sport, and Sky Go, and Channel 4 outside the country.

Let’s give you an overview of the NordVPN speed tests unblocking a geo-blocked service.

You can also check out the speeds of its worldwide servers in our NordVPN speed tests guide.

NordVPN’s global servers are great for accessing worldwide geo-restricted streaming platforms like Hulu, NBC, DAZN, Vudu, and Disney Plus and enjoy it in the UK.

NordVPN offers six simultaneous connections along with some effective security features to stay protected while bypassing geo-restrictions.

It also offers great privacy features like a Nordlynx, Double VPN, and IP leak protection combined with a super easy-to-use interface.

NordVPN also doesn’t log customer data, and since they operate from Panama, they’re free from most data retention laws. Therefore, you can also torrent with NordVPN without worrying about your activities being logged.

Other than that, NordVPN is super affordable as well, costing $3.30/mo (VPN Awareness Month - 2 year plan at 72% off + 3 months FREE).

You can also avail of its 30-day money-back guarantee before subscribing to any of its actual plans. You can check out the pros and cons of this VPN in our NordVPN review.

4. Best VPN for Streaming in UK – IPVanish

IPVanish is a reliable VPN for streaming in the UK with 1600+ number of servers in the world. This VPN offers 108 servers in the UK, to be exact, located in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, London, and Maidenhead.

With these UK servers, you can enjoy unblocking Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, and BT Sport outside the UK using IPVanish.

Similarly, its worldwide servers offer great VPN services in unblocking streaming platforms like Disney Plus, Netflix US, Amazon, Hulu, and more in HD within the UK.

IPVanish’s servers are specifically optimized for streaming purposes, making it the best one if focused solely on streaming. Let’s check out IPVanish’s speeds on its  servers:

IPVanish offers features like a kill switch, split tunnelling, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, full P2P support, and a whole slew of other privacy-oriented features. Coupled with its no-logging policy, IPVanish is a good choice to bypass geo-restrictions in the UK.

IPVanish is available at a price of $3.75/mo which is a super-reasonable price with the features it offers. You can learn more about this service in our detailed IPVanish review.

5. Optimized VPN for UK – CyberGhost

Cyberghost is a highly optimized VPN for the UK and offers 641 Berkshire, London, and Manchester servers.

On the whole, CyberGhost has a network of 7,000+ server locations in 90 countries. Suffice it to say, getting over restrictions in British cyberspace is no problem with this VPN.

Using CyberGhost’s servers, you can access the UK streaming services you like, including Channel 4, BT Sports, Sky Sports, and more.

You’ll receive the following speeds while streaming any of the services above:

Using CyberGhost’s global server locations, you can access all services worldwide like Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, in HD.

In terms of security features, CyberGhost comes packed with features like OpenVPN, DNS leak protection, location spoofing, and a kill switch, with all subscription plans.

The VPN provider also doesn’t log data as they operate from the data retention-free jurisdiction of Romania. This makes it beneficial for British users that want to evade the spying antics of their government.

CyberGhost is currently available for $2.25/mo . Users get a 45-day money-back guarantee with this plan in addition to 7 simultaneous connections. Learn more about this VPN in our CyberGhost review.

6. Best Torrenting VPN for UK – PIA

Private internet access VPN is the best torrenting VPN for the UK. This VPN provider offers a torrent-friendly server network of 35,500+ server locations. Out of these, 1878 server locations in the UK are located in London, Manchester, and Southampton.

Expatriates can easily gain access to geo-restricted UK streaming services using these servers. These include BT Sport, Channel 4,  BBC iPlayer, Sky Sports, and many more.

Private internet access is known to offer reasonable speeds on its servers. Below are the test results:

With its extensive global server network, you can access any geo-restricted service worldwide like American Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and NBC in HD within the UK. Many of the servers offered by Private internet access are torrent-friendly and are optimized for streaming.

The provider offers fast and stable connections that are particularly important to enable seamless streaming.

In addition, advanced features such as DNS secure, automatic kill switch, and IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection keep your identity hidden from UK government agencies.

You can get Private internet access for $2.08/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 10 simultaneous connections.

There are a few VPNs as valuable as Private internet access. This is one of the reasons that makes PIA highly rated among reviewers. Learn more about this VPN in our PIA review.

Testing Methodology: How we tested the best VPN for UK

Before listing the 6 VPNs above as the best VPNs for the UK, we tested them on the following criteria:

1. Protocols:

VPN protocols are the most important aspect of any VPN service. After all, they are responsible for keeping your privacy intact. Some of the must-have VPN protocols are WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, and a few others.

VPNs above offer highly secure and reliable OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols to keep user privacy intact.

2. Servers:

We tested most UK and global servers of the VPNs above to check out their speeds.

Our focus was also on the number of servers these best VPN services offers, thereby listing down the services that offer over a thousand effective servers in the world and the UK.

3. Simultaneous connections:

Simultaneous connections are an absolute favourite feature of users when it comes to a VPN. Therefore,  VPNs above offer multiple simultaneous connections to users.

For example, ExpressVPN offers five multi-logins to users on a single account. Part of the reason why it is the best VPN for multiple devices.

Usually, the best VPN services allow you to connect up to five devices with a single account. Any service that offers fewer connections is outside the mainstream.

Remember that you’ll need to connect every device you wish to protect to the VPN services.

4. Zero logging:

All premium VPNs offer a strict no-logs policy that ensures that the VPN service would not store any user data or activity in the UK.

In addition, we thoroughly the privacy policies of all the VPNs above, ensuring that they do not collect any user logs.

5. Payment modes:

Payment modes are just as crucial as protocols or logging policies. All VPNs above offer multiple payment methods to users.

In addition, VPNs like ExpressVPN also support anonymous payments like cryptocurrencies. After all, the less information you give out about yourself, the safer you are.

6. Kill switch:

Yet another significant feature is a kill switch. As mentioned above, it syncs great with torrenting as it disconnects you off the internet connection if there is a drop in the VPN connection.

So, if you’re torrenting any file using a VPN in the UK and your VPN connection drops, then you don’t need to worry at all.

Free VPN that are not safe to use in the UK

While free VPNs are known to offer unreliable VPN services overall, a few  VPNs for the UK are not safe to use in the UK at all. These are:

1. HolaVPN:

This Israel VPN lets users connect and use each other’s bandwidth connection as a part of a large P2P network.

Unfortunately, this enables unethical activities to take place using each other’s bandwidth. HolaVPN is also known to collect all data and internet traffic and sell it to third parties, which is scary to think about.

2. Betternet:

Yet another VPN known for collecting users’ data, collecting their cookies, and selling all of it to third parties is Betternet. It also targets you with personalized advertisements after collecting your data while you enjoy its VPN service.

Five reasons why you need a VPN in the UK

The UK government has been giving several reasons for British citizens to gravitate towards the best VPN services. VPN is a great tool to prevent your internet service provider, government agencies, and websites from tracking your online activities. Here are five reasons why you need a VPN in the UK:

1. Privacy and Anonymity

As I said earlier, the UK is now no longer a safe place for internet users. However, it is far from anything but safe.

Ever since the United Kingdom passed the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, the Snoopers Charter, investigative agencies have been pounding down on unsuspecting internet users.

How?

Well, unlike a routine investigation that requires a warrant, Snooper’s charter allows unprecedented access to all sorts of confidential data, all without the need for a warrant.

If you’re wondering about what information can the government track, then buckle up. I’m going to give you a rundown of just a few:

• Online Chats
• Emails
• Browsing history
• Social media
• Online transactions

I don’t know about you guys, but this seriously freaks me out every time I’m in the UK. And that’s not all. I have barely scratched the surface.

This is the biggest reason why we never travel without a VPN. Because who knows, who might be watching you right now?

2. Safe Torrenting

The UK has strict anti-piracy laws, and many of these websites remain banned in the country. VPNs can help you gain access to multiple torrent websites.

More importantly, VPNs can enhance your security and ensure that your identity remains hidden from authorities that might be snooping in on your online activities.

Using VPNs has become even more important considering the increasing penalties for piracy in the UK, as those found guilty may be jailed in the worst-case scenario.

Therefore, British citizens should use VPNs as an insurance policy against the possibility of running into legal troubles.

Disclaimer: We do not encourage nor condone the use of VPNs for illegal activities, including copyright infringement.

3. Unblocking websites and services

Even though the UK doesn’t block websites as aggressively as some middle eastern countries, quite a few websites and services are blocked in the United Kingdom.

All major ISPs like BT Group, EE, Sky Broadband, Talk Talk, and Virgin Media constantly block websites, especially those associated with torrenting.

With a UK VPN, you can easily unblock multiple geo-restricted streaming services worldwide, including Netflix US, Hulu, YouTube TV, and more in the UK.

Speaking of which, using any of the servers of the VPNs above, you can unblock local streaming channels of the UK like BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, Bt Sport, etc., from abroad.

4. Usage of public Wi-Fi

Using public Wi-Fi poses multiple threats to users who use them without a VPN. First, this Wi-Fi is a vulnerable connection that can hack or snoop into devices to steal clients’ data.

Therefore, a VPN is much needed on these networks. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel between a user and a website so no one can snoop in and track your data.

5. Preventing cyberattacks

Cyberattacks have become extremely common in the UK. According to IT Governance UK, during the year 2020, 1120 data breach attacks were reported in the United Kingdom. While these cyberattacks don’t look too alarming, they leaked over 20.1 billion records of organizations.

That’s not it. Even though the number of leaked records looks quite petrifying, they doubled in the 2nd half of the year with a 50% rise in cyberattacks.

Therefore, you need to protect yourself from all data breaches in the UK, and a VPN is one effective way to do so.

Internet Freedom in the UK

The British have a bad history with privacy and internet freedom. In November 2016, the British parliament introduced the Investigatory Power Act, known as the “Snooper Charter.” It grants the British intelligence agencies access to all user data and is “unmatched by any other country in western Europe or even the US,” says The Guardian. 

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden also tweeted: “The UK has just legalized the most extreme surveillance in the history of western democracy. It goes further than many autocracies.” This act forces local Internet Service Providers and telecom firms to store user data, including online activities and browsing histories, and then hand over the data to the government agencies via a search engine called the request filter.

Intelligence agencies have complete access to this data without any judicial oversight – meaning that the government can target any particular group and it will not be subjected to scrutiny. But that’s not it. The British intelligence agencies have been collecting user data unlawfully before this bill. Moreover, the Snooper Charter in 2016 just legalized the process and granted far more access to agencies than before.

Therefore, to protect themselves against this Snooper Charter, users in the UK need to use a VPN. In light of this charter, you can say that there is no internet freedom in the UK, and with time we will see it dwindle in the years to come if this charter continues.

Although no service can guarantee complete anonymity, VPNs are still the most effective to protect users’ online activity in the UK.

Is using a UK VPN a good option in the UK?

You must be wondering, “Are UK VPNs safe to use inside the UK?” Well, the answer to that question is no. If you value your privacy, using a UK-based VPN like VPNUK or WorldVPN is not a good option.

The United Kingdom is an active member of the 5 Eyes Alliance that dedicates ISPs and VPN services to log user’s online activity and store it for 12-months or more. This data is then handed over to the British intelligence agencies when requested. Therefore, UK VPNs store users’ online activity, which goes against the user’s right to privacy.

For this reason, you should avoid using UK VPNs at all costs. However, we have mentioned some great VPNs based in a safe jurisdiction which makes it a great VPN for the UK.

Providers like ExpressVPN and Surfshark have an excellent privacy policy and are tested by experts. You can go for any of them as they have thousands of servers across various locations and the best encryption.

FAQs – Best VPN For UK

Best VPN for the UK: Wrapping Up!

If you want to avoid the UK’s rather authoritarian and intrusive online policies, then a reliable VPN is an absolute must. ExpressVPN is the best VPN for the UK as it protects users from spying agencies with its no-logging policy and strong encryption protocols.

It’s also great for bypassing geo-restrictions without being monitored over the internet. In short, well-equipped to deal with increasing surveillance in the UK.