Best VPN for UK – Tried and Tested

Are you leaving the UK and worried about missing your favorite British TV shows on BBC iPlayer or Netflix UK? Or do you value online privacy and want to shield your internet browsing from your provider and others? The best VPN for UK is the solution for you.

A UK VPN is a valuable tool to safeguard your online privacy. It alters your internet address, granting access to content blocked in other countries by providing you with a UK IP address. Additionally, it ensures your data remains unreadable to entities like your internet provider, hackers, or government agencies. This is crucial, given the UK’s affiliation with the Five Eyes Alliance, known for surveillance.

Remember, not all VPNs are equal. If you are wondering “Which is a trustworthy VPN?”, which unblocks restricted content and provides top-notch security in the UK, explore our tested list of the best VPN for UK. We highly recommend ExpressVPN as the best UK VPN. It is one of the safest VPN providers, offering the highest-standard encryption, malware protection, and robust tunneling protocols, ensuring 100% online protection.

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

Quick Comparison Table: Best VPN for UK 2023

Here’s a quick comparison table of the best VPNs UK in 2023:

VPNs
Ranking for UK	1	2	3	4	5
No. of servers	3000+ servers in 94 countries	3200+ servers in 100 countries	5500+ servers in 60 countries	9700+ servers in 91 countries	35000+ servers in 84 countries
UK servers	5 server locations	4 server locations	4 server locations	781 servers	3 server locations
Security	Passed	Passed	Passed	Passed	Passed
Average Speeds for UK	89 Mbps	85 Mbps	83 Mbps	75 Mbps	65 Mbps
Multi-Logins	5	Unlimited	6	7	Unlimited
Streaming	Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV and More	Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV and More	Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV and More	Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV and More	Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV and More
Compatibility	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers
Price	GB£5.5/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan)	GB£1.9/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan)	GB£3.29/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan)	GB£1.74/mo (US$ 2.11/mo)	GB£1.74/mo (US$ 2.11/mo)

Best VPN for UK in 2023 [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 VPN for UK. The following UK VPNs are some of the best VPN services that are highly competent in maintaining user privacy and can unblock geo-restrictions in seconds:

1. ExpressVPN — The Best VPN for UK

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for UK that offers impeccable services with top-notch security and utmost privacy. It also offers a decent server count, fast speeds, easy-to-use apps, 24/7 live chat support and more.

ExpressVPN boasts a network of 3000+ a number of servers in 94 countries. Among them, various servers are spread across 5 UK locations in Docklands, Midlands, East London, Wembley, and London, making it the best VPN for UK.

ExpressVPN offers fast servers in the UK.

If you’re vacationing and missing your favorite streaming channels and shows, then you can always use this VPN UK server to access UK services outside the country, like TVPlayer, ITV outside UK, Sky Go, BBC iPlayer outside UK, and BT Sport. You can easily watch UKTV Play outside UK using the best UK TV VPN outside UK. You can also enjoy flawless streaming of Netflix in UK using ExpressVPN’s speedy servers.

And it’s not just the UK. ExpressVPN also offers a speedy VPN server globally. You can use any of its servers worldwide and enjoy any streaming service you like, including Netflix US, Disney Plus, Amazon, etc, in HD from the UK, making it the best VPN for UK streaming. For Cricketing fan they can also watch ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Sky Sports.

We connected ExpressVPN to its UK- Docklands server to check its unblocking skills. We could easily unblock Sky Sports and enjoy live streams of various matches without any buffering:

Unblocking Sky Sports outside the UK was a piece of cake using ExpressVPN servers.

We conducted ExpressVPN speed tests in UK for all its servers to check out its speeds. It offers some great speeds on its United Kingdom servers. We recorded an exceptional downloading speed of 89.42 Mbps and an upload speed of 84.64 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. With this speed, you can watch Heartland Season 17 in UK on CBC.

ExpressVPN London server offers the fastest speeds for streaming UK services.

Apart from accessing some geo-restricted content, ExpressVPN also protects you over the internet by offering best-in-class AES-256-bit encryption, IP address masking, OpenVPN protocols, and Private DNS to browse more anonymously, avoiding government surveillance and ISP throttling.

ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager in UK ensures you are protected from malware attacks and fake app pop-ups. The VPN’s 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 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.

You can connect 8 devices simultaneously on its single account. In terms of device compatibility, ExpressVPN works on iOS, Android, FireOS, and most operating systems. You can also set up ExpressVPN on Roku in UK, Kodi, PS4 and multiple other devices with ease.

Through ExpressVPN you also watch other popular content such as ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and it overall matches with the help of ExpressVPN.

Amongst the best VPN deals, ExpressVPN costs in UK just GB£5.5/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan) only. If you’re into testing its service first, try ExpressVPN free trial in UK, which offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

You can always cancel your ExpressVPN subscription in UK if you believe the service isn’t for you, which won’t be the case as its ratings on VPN Reviews UK can attest. For more information, check out our ExpressVPN review UK.

2. Surfshark — Best-Budget VPN for the UK

Surfshark is one of the best-budget UK VPN services. Based on our research, it is one of the cheapest VPNs costing just GB£1.9/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan) along with a 30-day money-back guarantee, proving itself to be quite the value for money.

Surfshark offers 3200+ servers in 100 countries globally, including servers in 4 cities of the UK. These servers are located in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Overall, the server network is strong enough to unblock global websites in the US.

Surfshark offers budget-friendly plans for UK servers, making it one of the best VPN for UK.

Using Surfshark can unblock some popular UK streaming platforms like Channel 4, BT Sport, Sky Go, etc. It is one of the best VPN for 4Music outside UK to enjoy some exclusive music. It is also the best VPN for STV Player outside UK. As we wanted to access the popular British shows on the aforementioned streaming service, we connected to Surfshark’s Edinburgh server, and we enjoyed hours of HD streaming without buffering.

Surfshark’s Glasgow server works amazingly well with STV Players in the US.

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 Prime, Hulu, NBC, YouTube TV, and Peacock TV in HD. Let’s suppose you are tight on a budget and want to binge-watch. Using it as the best VPN in UK, you can access Netflix with Surfshark in UK at low prices.

While streaming, we took a Surfshark speed test in UK to check how fast its UK servers are. We recorded a download speed of 85.42 Mbps and an upload speed of 48.64 Mbps on 100 Mbps connections.

Surfshark delivered decent speeds to quickly access STV.

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

Not only that, Surfshark is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, and this VPN doesn’t keep any logs. Its Camouflage Mode feature hides your internet traffic and enhances your security.

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, and more. It is, in fact, you can even install Surfshark on firestick in UK. Most of its apps share a similar interface making it easy for use.

Surfshark’s prices in UK are quite affordable thanks to its cheapest VPN UK subscription plans and unlimited multi-logins, make it one of the best-value VPN services 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 also try Surfshark’s free trial in UK on iOS and Android smartphones. If you run into any issues, feel free to contact the VPN’s 24/7 available live chat customer support for help.

For more information, check out our Surfshark review UK.

3. NordVPN – Secure UK VPN with a large server network

NordVPN is the most secure VPN with a large server network for the UK. Its offers next-generation encryption, DNS leak protection, and a strict no-log policy to its users. NordVPN server list For UK Users consists of 5500+ servers across 60 countries globally, with 440+ in the UK. However, all these servers are located in London and offer streaming support.

NordVPN has a huge server network within the UK.

With NordVPN’s servers you can also enjoy Sky Sports, BT Sport, Sky Go, and Channel 4 outside the UK. You can see we had no issues unblocking Quest TV using NordVPN’s Docklands servers:

Among the servers we’ve used, NordVPN offered the widest variety in the number of servers for Quest TV.

NordVPN’s global servers are great for accessing worldwide geo-restricted streaming platforms because it has a built-in SmartPlay feature to securely access and enjoys Hulu, NBC, Vudu, and Disney Plus in the UK. You can also watch Netflix with NordVPN in UK moreover NordVPN Netflix UK is the best combination.

We connect to NordVPN UK servers, and it delivered an average download speed of 83.82 Mbps and an upload speed of 44.64 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. NordVPN speed test in UK results may be less than the VPNs above but are still good enough to stream content in HD quality in the UK. However, the Glasgow server speed was not much impressive.

NordVPN UK servers performed incredibly well while unblocking the Netflix UK library.

NordVPN offers six simultaneous connections and some compatible apps for Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, and more. So you can set up NordVPN on multiple devices without any bandwidth constrictions. We were successful in setting up NordVPN on FireStick in UK, Roku, PS4, and other devices.

It also offers great privacy features like a NordLynx for lightning speed, Double VPN, and an Onion Over VPN combined with a super easy-to-use interface and an Automatic Kill Switch.

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 in UK without worrying about your activities being logged. It has a threat protection feature that can scan files & apps before downloading.

Other than that, NordVPN costs in UK just GB£3.29/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan). You can also avail NordVPN free trial in UK, which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee before subscribing to any of its actual plans.

Refer to our NordVPN review UK for more information.

4. CyberGhost – Beginner-friendly UK VPN with streaming-optimized servers

CyberGhost is the most easy-to-use UK VPN with attractive UI apps. It offers optimized servers to UK users for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and compatible apps for Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, Firestick, and more. We were able to successfully set up CyberGhost on FireStick in UK without any issues.

On the whole, CyberGhost has a network of 9700+ server locations in 91 countries, including 781+ servers in Berkshire, London, and Manchester, making it one of the best UK based VPNs. Suffice it to say getting over restrictions in British cyberspace is no problem with this VPN.

CyberGhost offers 781+ UK servers across 3 server locations.

Using CyberGhost’s servers you can access all the UK streaming services you like, including Channel 4, BT Sport, Sky Sports, and more. Hence, it is the best VPN to watch UK TV in USA. We wanted to watch BBC iPlayer, so we connected to its BBC iPlayer server and enjoyed streaming some latest shows and movies. This proved that it is the best BBC iPlayer VPN.

Watching Superman & Lois in Ultra HD was great with the CyberGhost BBC iPlayer server.

Using CyberGhost’s global server locations, you can access all services worldwide, like Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar, and Netflix using CyberGhost in UK in HD quality. With CyberGhost, you can also stream Hulu in UK.

If we talk about CyberGhost speeds in UK, it offers a download speed of 75.47 Mbps and an upload speed of 69.34 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. With such speeds, you’ll be able to watch your favorite UK streaming content in HD quality.

Enjoy decent streaming speed using CyberGhost’s UK servers

In terms of features, CyberGhost comes packed with Iron-clad security features like OpenVPN, DNS leak protection, location spoofing, and a Kill Switch with all subscription plans. It offers 7 simultaneous connections. Moreover, you can protect any device by installing CyberGhost on your router.

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 GB£1.74/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) . Users get a 45-day money-back guarantee with this plan. Try CyberGhost’s free trial in UK and continue to use its services if you like.

Learn more about this VPN in our CyberGhost review UK.

5. Private Internet Access — Fastest UK VPN for Torrenting

Private Internet Access is the best torrenting VPN for the UK, boasting a torrent-friendly server network of 35000+ server across 84 countries. Out of these, 3 server locations are spread across the UK in London, Manchester, and Southampton.

Private Internet Access offers 3 server locations in the UK.

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. If you want to watch classic British TV shows, get this best VPN for UK TV outside UK and enjoy streaming comfortably. We were able to unblock Netflix UK using PIA’s UK London servers:

We were able to unblock Netflix UK using PIA’s UK servers.

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. We tried to access Netflix with PIA in UK servers.

Private internet access is known to offer reasonable speeds on its servers. We took a PIA speed test in UK during streaming; it delivered a download speed of 65.47 Mbps and an upload speed of 67.25 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

PIA offers decent speed, suitable for browsing the internet.

Not only that, PIA comes packed with unlimited bandwidth, advanced encryption settings, Ad & malware blocking, and strong AES-256-bit encryption to help you stay under the radar. Not to mention other features like Advanced split tunneling, WireGuard protocol, kill switch, no-logs, and many more. Also, IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection keep your identity hidden from UK government agencies.

In terms of device compatibility, PIA works on major operating systems like iOS, Android, macOS, and others. We were able to set up PIA on routers in UK, Kodi, FireStick, and other devices without running into any errors.

You can get Private Internet Access for GB£1.74/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) with a 30-day money-back guarantee and unlimited simultaneous connections. Moreover, you can get PIA free trial in UK to check its services before investing your money.

There are a few VPNs as valuable as Private internet access. This is one of the reasons that makes PIA highly rated among reviewers. So, instead of opting for the best free VPN UK for torrenting, you should go for PIA.

Learn more about this VPN in our PIA review UK.

How to Choose the Best UK VPN

There are thousands of VPNs available in the industry trying to gain your attention, more so being introduced every other day. However, keep in mind not all of them are suitable as a UK VPN service. We’ve taken multiple factors into consideration to determine after going through the best VPN UK for Reddit.

So here are a few must-have features of a good VPN service in the UK:

1. UK/British servers: All of these VPNs offer more than 2 or 3 server locations in the UK. So if you’re traveling abroad, you can always catch up on any of your local shows on Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, or ITV, regardless of where you are.
2. Speeds: A VPN needs to offer fast speeds so that you don’t run into any buffering or lagging issues which can be quite a hassle while streaming and a huge buzzkill. Our recommended VPNs are capable of providing the fastest speeds and, thus, a smooth streaming experience.
3. Streaming: We tested the VPNs on various UK streaming services like Channel 4, Sky Sports, and BBC iPlayer. Not just that, we also tried accessing other popular streaming services like other Netflix libraries, Hulu, HBO Max, and more to check if you can access them from the UK and abroad.
4. Torrenting: Most of the VPNs on our list offer P2P-optimized servers to ensure the smooth torrenting of files. Otherwise, many ISP’s throttle bandwidth once they figure out you’re downloading huge files.
5. Security: The VPNs we’ve tested all provide trustworthy security features like kill switch, Threat Manager, DNS/IP leak protection, Double VPN, obfuscation technology, ad-blocker, and many more. Thus, keeping you secure from cyberattacks or so.
6. Privacy: VPN protocols and encryption are the most important aspect of any VPN service. Along with the advanced protocols, we recommend VPNs offering AES 256-bit encryption. This is the same level used by government and military agencies to secure classified data.
7. Third-party audits: All premium VPNs offer a strict no-logs policy that ensures that the VPN service would not store any user data or activities of users. All of these VPNs are independently audited by third parties, so you know they’re safe to use.
8. Ease of use: All the services we have recommended, as the best UK VPNs, offer user-friendly apps. They offer live chat-based customer service, apps for all popular operating systems, and responsive design to make navigation easier for novice users.
9. Money-back guarantee: For your ease, we’ve only listed VPNs that give you the right to opt out of their services and get your money back within a given time period if you don’t like their services. Not many VPNs offer such a unique feature. ExpressVPN is the best value VPN UK.

Why do you need a VPN in the UK?

A VPN is essential in the UK to protect your online privacy and security. By rerouting your internet connection through a private server, it conceals your true identity and prevents attempts to trace your network origins. With stringent surveillance laws like the Investigatory Powers Act, using a UK VPN allows you to evade government surveillance and browse the internet with increased safety and anonymity.

You need to buy a VPN UK for the following reasons:

1. Safeguarding your identity: VPNs use encryption to protect your online activity from ISPs and third parties. They also reroute your connection, preventing websites from tracking your location via your IP address. Many VPNs have a strict no-logs policy to ensure your activities remain private.
2. Streaming geo-blocked content: VPNs allow you to access streaming services’ restricted content by faking your location on the internet. This means you can watch shows from other regions, like accessing US Netflix from the UK.
3. Bypassing internet throttling: A VPN can prevent your ISP from deliberately slowing down certain online activities, like torrenting or streaming, ensuring you get the speeds you pay for.
4. Preventing online tracking: A reliable VPN like ExpressVPN will protect you from ISPs and websites that actively track your online activity for advertising purposes, preserving your online privacy and data security.

How do I get a British VPN?

Can I use a free VPN for the UK?

Yes, You can get a U.K. IP address for free with a VPN that has a free UK based server, but a free UK VPN service doesn’t grant the same performance and security as a paid VPN does.

Free VPNs offer weak encryption, falling short of security and privacy. That is an issue, especially if you are using public Wi-Fi. Aside from security risks, free VPNs lack performance as well. They come with limited data that you will run out of after streaming a video or two. Additionally, most free VPNs offer a few servers only, resulting in traffic congestion and extremely slow speeds.

You should avoid such VPNs, as most apps contain malware and trackers and go for one of the best VPNs UK. Free VPNs monetize by selling your logs and browser history. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You are paying for these VPNs with your privacy.

We advise you to take advantage of free trial VPNs in UK or money-back guarantees from reliable VPN services. All of the best UK VPN providers listed above will let you test out the entire service before signing a binding contract. Better, you can use the best paid VPN UK ExpressVPN, risk-free for 30 days as it offers a ‘no-questions-asked 30-day refund policy.’

FAQs: Best VPN for UK

Wrapping Up!

Using a UK VPN is essential for accessing British TV shows and safeguarding your online privacy. It allows you to access blocked content, avoid the UK’s rather authoritarian and intrusive online policies, and protect your data from surveillance.

Among the VPNs, ExpressVPN stands out as the best UK VPN with its exceptional unblocking capabilities and secure jurisdiction, making it a top choice for UK users. It protects users from spying agencies with its no-logging policy and strong encryption protocols.

The best VPN for UK service is also great for bypassing geo-restrictions without being monitored over the internet. In short, it is well-equipped to deal with increasing surveillance in the UK.