4 Exceptional VPN services for the serious cord cutter
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
If you want to benefit the most from cutting the cord then you need a dedicated VPN service.
You’ve probably already taken the first steps and got yourself subscriptions to the likes of Netflix or Amazon Prime.
You’re probably even using online streaming services such as the BBC iPlayer.
Unfortunately, as a cord cutter here’s what the problem is… geo-restrictions.
You see for the serious cord-cutter simply turning to online services is just the start of things but you’re massively limiting your entertainment content.
The internet is awash with legitimate movies, TV shows and more but geo-restrictions are stopping you from accessing them. To avoid them you need a VPN.
That’s exactly what I’m talking about in this post. I’ll take you through the best VPN options if you’re really serious about maximizing your entertainment content as a cord-cutter and picking the best one for your specific situation.
What to look for in a VPN service as a cord cutter
Looking for a VPN as a cord cutter can be difficult, I know that. There are however some major standout factors that you’ll want to consider when choosing a VPN as a cord cutter.
- Speed – Speed is without question one of the most critical considerations when choosing a VPN for streaming media. Slow speeds will plague your video watching and lead to buffering, choppy playback and other streaming issues.
- Server Locations – If you want the biggest range of movies, TV shows and other entertainment then the amount of and location of a VPN service’s servers is critical. More locations = more content.
- Devices – The types of devices you can watch on makes a massive difference. Ensure you pick a VPN service that allows you to use it on the types of devices you want to watch on, not all support the Amazon Fire TV Stick for example.
- Price – While not a huge factor, as a VPN is a subscription service you’ll want to ensure you get the best price taking advantage of deals and annual subscription rates.
Right, now you know the things you’ll want to be considering let’s take a look at the four best VPN services for cord cutters.
1. ExpressVPN – Power VPN with a ton of countries
ExpressVPN helps you avoid geo-restrictions and access more movies and TV shows in a couple of ways:
- It includes server locations in 94 countries, more than nearly any other VPN services on the market. This will allow you to unblock and access more streaming services than most.
- They’ve got apps for more devices than most. Not only can you unblock content on your tablet, phone, laptop and desktop but also on devices like the Amazon Fire TV.
That’s neat on its own but it’s not what makes ExpressVPN stand out for me.
Speed is one of the best features of the ExpressVPN service. This helps you stream content from across the globe without the worry you’re going to run into buffering.
If there’s something that will ruin watching movies or TV shows as a cord cutter then it’s buffering. You certainly don’t want to be considering going back to an expensive cable subscription because of it.
ExpressVPN lets you use their service on up to 3 devices at the same time and while that’s not the biggest number it’ll be enough to satisfy even the most active viewer.
To round it up, ExpressVPN’s apps are super simple to use and get you connected quickly with little effort. They’ll also allow you to access more entertainment content than most.
Price: ExpressVPN can be a little expensive paying on a monthly basis at $12.95 but take their annual package and get 3-months free which slashes the price down to as little as $6.67 p/m.
2. IPVanish – General good all-round VPN service
IPVanish is one of the biggest names in the VPN industry and has led the way through some big changes.
The service allows you to connect on up to 10 devices at the same time. That’s more than any other VPN service out there right now.
If you’re a heavy streamer or have multiple family members who want to access entertainment content from abroad then the generous limit will cover your needs.
The service works with many big name streaming services but is a little hit and miss with some such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
They do however have a 7-day money back guarantee which gives you ample time to test it with your favourite services first. If it doesn’t work, get yourself a refund no questions asked.
To be able to get the full benefit of their service you’re able to use it on all major devices. This includes your Android and iOS mobile devices and regular computer type devices.
They even support the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick which is essential for all your regular TV viewing.
Price: IPVanish is a little cheaper on a monthly basis at $10 but the real savings come on the annual package which takes it down to $6.49 per month.
3. CyberGhost VPN – Beginner’s favourite
CyberGhost VPN is the beginner’s favourite for cord-cutters.
Their apps are some of the easiest in the industry and they come loaded with features for getting that extra content.
Helpfully there’s a “For streamers” section which tells you the right option to choose depending on the service you want to watch.
It covers all the major streaming services worldwide from US Netflix and Hulu to the UK’s BBC iPlayer. There are options for Germany’s ZDF, Canadian YouTube, various regions of Netflix and a whole host more.
This is a beginner’s dream. If you’re after getting more content but worried about the complicated usage of a VPN then this is definitely the go-to service.
There’s also a huge 45 day money back guarantee which is longer than any I’ve seen. This gives plenty of time to test the service without any risk. If you don’t like it then just get a refund.
Price: A month of CyberGhost VPN at nearly $15 is pretty pricey but take their 18-month package and you can bring that down to a more manageable $4 per month!
4. NordVPN – Sweet apps make connection simple
NordVPN is another huge provider of VPN services that has grown in popularity.
Streamers love the service not only for the 5000+ servers on offer – that’s more than any other provider by the way – but the fact they work with nearly every online streaming service in the world.
US Netflix is accessible from any server so no matter where you are in the world you can unblock and watch in the best quality. Looking for those 4k gems? No problems here and definitely no buffering.
If you’re in the EU then you are going to get stung to pay VAT and while that’s not the fault of NordVPN themselves that can be avoided with all the other providers.
The apps are where they really stand out. They’re so simple to use and look pretty neat too. Just a couple of clicks and you can be accessing your favourite entertainment from anywhere.
If you’re a Kodi streamer then you’ll also enjoy the no-logs policy which will let you watch whatever you want while remaining private.
Which VPN should you choose?
You certainly don’t need 4 different VPN services and with more than 500 out there, you don’t need that confusion either.
Even choosing from 4 can be difficult so I’ve put together a list of the most common usage scenarios to show you why you’ll want to pick one over the other.
If you want to access the most streaming services, you should choose ExpressVPN. With VPN servers in more than 94 countries they work with almost all streaming sites across the world. There’s also the handy 30-day money back guarantee just on the off-chance it doesn’t work with the services you want.
If you want the VPN that’s the easiest to use, you should go with CyberGhost VPN. They’ve made their apps with cord cutters in mind. There’s a handy section telling you exactly where to connect based on the service you want to watch. Apart from doing it for you, they couldn’t have made it easier.
If you want great privacy protection for Kodi streaming, you should opt for NordVPN or ExpressVPN. They’ve both got no-log policies and are registered off-shore which means they give you more protection than most. Unblocking and watch Kodi privately is no problem with either service.
If you want to watch on the most devices, you should pick IPVanish. With a higher connection limit than most on up to 10 devices they’ll cover you even if you’re the most avid streamer with a family full of entertainment hounds. Enough connections to satisfy everyone’s cord cutting needs.
Summary
So there we have it, the best VPN services for cord cutters.
There’s a lot of choices when it comes to VPN services and they’re not all as good as each other.
Often it will depend on your circumstances and what type of content you want to stream. Don’t forget to check the ‘Which VPN should you choose’ section from above that will help you make a decision.
If you’re still confused then check out ExpressVPN, they’re the best all-rounder and they’ve got a 30-day money back guarantee meaning it’s totally risk-free to give them a try.
Which of the four from above did you end up choosing? I would love to know the stand-out features for you so why not pop a comment in the comments section below.
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