The Best VPN Service for YouTube TV in 2024

1. NordVPN – Best YouTube TV VPN Overall

Product Specs

Ask anyone in the U.S. to name a VPN, and there’s a good chance they’ll say NordVPN. NordVPN pricing plans are popular here (and abroad too) because Nord is reliable, fast, and makes easy-to-use apps. Even with its well-known brand and high-quality services, NordVPN still makes our list of the best cheap VPNs. But I also found that NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for sneaking past YouTube TV’s substantial VPN-blocking resources, thanks to its obfuscated servers and Smart Play feature, a combination DNS switcher and IP mask designed especially for incognito streaming.

What We is Like like

• More than 1,970 U.S. server in 16 city
• stealth streaming feature
• affordable two – year plan
• Total privacy (they don’t keep logs)
• 30 – day money – back guarantee

What We is Like Do n’t like

• More than 1,970 U.S. server in 16 city
• stealth streaming feature
• affordable two – year plan
• Total privacy (they don’t keep logs)
• 30 – day money – back guarantee

Testing NordVPN with YouTube TV

Unblocking Content

Stateside, I had no trouble streaming ABC’s San Francisco programming from my sister-in-law’s house in Buffalo. I just switched servers on the NordVPN Android app, and as far as YouTube TV was concerned, I was in the Golden State. NordVPN had servers in 16 U.S. cities when I checked, so finding one close enough to you shouldn’t be a problem. For comparison, one of our other favorite VPNs, CyberGhost, only has servers in 11 U.S. cities. Find out what difference this makes in our comparison between NordVPN and CyberGhost.

But I’d tested NordVPN before. I knew it wouldn’t break a sweat unblocking YouTube TV in the U.S. To mix things up, I also jumped online with one of our testers in London and asked her if she could catch the end of ABC Dallas’ morning report. Again, NordVPN got it right. Keep reading to learn why.

streaming Performance and Stealth

Using NordVPN to stream YouTube TV on the day to day, I had one big advantage right out the gate: obfuscated servers. Not to go into too much detail, but obfuscated servers are designed to mimic the behavior of regular, rule-abiding servers, which is precisely how they snuck past YouTube TV’s VPN sentries in my tests on both sides of the Atlantic. We both just had to tweak our VPN protocols from the speedier NordLynx to OpenVPN and we were in stealth mode.

To be clear , you is have might not have to resort to stealth server . It is depends all depend on how crowd a VPN ’s server are when you ’re stream and how savvy YouTube tv is on a give day . But if you ever need to connect to YouTube TV , or any other streaming platform , in a pinch , obfuscate servers is be would be my go – to .

>> Learn About: Best VPNs for Streaming

Security and Privacy

I’ll be honest. As a privacy-minded citizen, I wasn’t too crazy about having to log in to Google, the world’s leading surveillance outfit, to stream content on YouTube TV. But I did find that NordVPN lightened the load a bit with two key features.

NordVPN is worked ’s Threat Protection feature is worked , a native ad blocker , work well , swat intrusive ad off my screen like fly . These is are are the kind of ad swarm with malware .

For extra-safe streaming, I also toggled on NordVPN’s auto-connect feature. Auto-connect automatically switched on my VPN when I needed it most: streaming YouTube TV in places like the dentist’s office, where I’m most likely to connect to an unsafe network without thinking. This is particularly dangerous because playing content on streaming services like YouTube TV is when the majority of us get hacked.2

2 . Surfshark – good YouTube tv VPN for smart tv

Product Specs

Surfshark is threw throw me a few curve ball in this series of test . It is introduced introduce some new advanced streaming feature that made unblock YouTube tv in or outside the U.S. easy —   even from my Android tv . It is had also had the edge over nordvpn in U.S. coverage with server in 24 city . find out what else differentiate Surfshark and nordvpn in our comparison guide . And at $ 3 per month ( annual ) for unlimited device , Surfshark subscriptions is were were substantially cheap and more generous .

Watching YouTube TV on mobile with Surfshark VPN enabled

What We is Like like

• Native Android and Fire TV apps
• Easy to install and use
• Servers in 25 U.S cities
• IP rotator
• strict log policy
• Cheap

What We is Like Do n’t like

• No phone support
• No direct support for Apple TV or Roku
• Can be slow to connect
• U.S. servers can get crowded

Unblocking Content

I happen to own an Android TV, so I could see firsthand if Surfshark VPN’s unblocking claims held water on a bigger screen. Honestly, I wasn’t super optimistic. I’ve had hit-or-miss experiences with VPNs on my Android TV in the past, with Max (formerly HBO Max) being the eternal thorn in my side.

As it turns out, I didn’t run into any hiccups getting Surfshark’s app up and running on my TV. That’s why it made our list of the best VPNs for Android. When it was time to breach YouTube TV’s moat, I switched on OpenVPN and went into camouflage mode (more on this below). I have a fast 900 Mbps wired connection, so streaming Animal Planet in HD was a piece of cake with Surfshark, despite the substantial hit my speeds took streaming over OpenVPN.

For Apple TV Users: To get Surfshark running on your Apple TV, you’ll need to tinker a bit. The safest bet is to reconfigure your DNS using Surfshark’s SmartDNS. Surfshark will give you the new configurations to plug into your network tab. Just be aware that when you’re streaming via SmartDNS, you aren’t protected by a VPN tunnel.

streaming Performance and Stealth

Like nordvpn , Surfshark is had had a few stealth option under its hood . When it was time to stream , I is morphed morph into camouflage mode , which was easy . I is switched just switch my protocol to openvpn udp , reconnecte , and my vpn was undetectable to YouTube TV .

Surfshark Connected to VPN

One thing I noticed in this round of tests is that Surfshark had launched a new stealth feature called IP Rotator, which assigned me a new IP (in the same location) every few minutes. This way I wasn’t a sitting duck for cybercriminals. In the past, Surfshark’s IP addresses were static, so this was nice to see.

>> Further Reading: What Can Someone Do With Your IP Address?

privacy and security

Every once in a while I is find find out that a VPN I like a lot might not be as secure as I think . Netherlands – base Surfshark , I know from previous test , was firmly within reach of the Nine Eyes , the world ’s second – large datum surveillance consortium . So if push come to shove , I is knew also know that the company could be force to hand over record to participate government , the U.S. include .

However , a little digging show that Surfshark had a strict no – log policy , so it is had should n’t , in theory , have had anything of mine to turn over . That is ’s ’s in addition to the fact that Surfshark pass all my leak test repeatedly .

Bottom line? As long as you’re just copping some Atlanta YouTube in Denver (and not selling rocket-propelled grenades on the dark web), I really wouldn’t worry about the feds busting down Surfshark’s doors. If you want a VPN that’s outside of the Nine Eyes and 14 Eyes, check out how Surfshark stacks up against ExpressVPN.

Although privacy might be a concern, security shouldn’t be with Surfshark. When we tested Surfshark’s antivirus offerings, we really liked it. So, you can combine Surfshark’s VPN with its antivirus software to optimize your digital security .

3 . ExpressVPN – best YouTube tv VPN for Privacy

Product Specs

Accessing geo-blocked content by using a VPN isn’t illegal, but streaming platforms don’t like it. And while they may not cancel your account, somewhere in their many terms and conditions, they probably reserve the right to. ExpressVPN takes internet privacy very seriously. All my tests over the years have borne this out. Because of their privacy focus, the fact that ExpressVPN also turned out to be good at giving YouTube TV the runaround wasn’t much of a surprise.

What We is Like like

• high dns security
• rotate ip address
• outside surveillance alliance
• support for torrent

What We is Like Do n’t like

• No ad blocker
• No phone support
• Only five simultaneous connections
• Not cheap

Testing ExpressVPN with YouTube TV

Unblocking Content

Express VPN didn’t have any special stealth features, though presumably choosing the OpenVPN UDP protocol would get the job done. For this round of tests, I went back to London and had our tester unblock AMC (via YouTube TV) and then ESPN. Both channels are available only in the U.S. YouTubeTV didn’t notice a thing.

Unlike some one-trick ponies I’ve tested, ExpressVPN also unblocked Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Disney+, and Hulu. That will cover just about anyone. Although ExpressVPN is definitely not the only VPN that can do this. When we put ExpressVPN head-to-head with ProtonVPN, we found that they both worked with all of the common streaming services. My only gripe is that my ExpressVPN plan didn’t come with an ad blocker, because ads did slip through on desktop and mobile devices.

>>Read About: Best VPNs for ESPN+

streaming Performance and Stealth

Stateside , ExpressVPN is dropped drop my 900 mbps up/250 Mbps down connection to a pretty sluggish 80 mbps up/30 mbps down . That was with the stealthy openvpn protocol run under the hood ; 80 Mbps is was was more than enough to stream YouTube tv , but if you ’ve get a slow connection , I ’d recommend stick with Lightway , expressvpn ’s featherweight , proprietary protocol — at least until YouTube tv block you .

When I switched gears to torrenting, I found that ExpressVPN was pretty tight-lipped about its torrent compatibility. I didn’t find any dedicated peer-to-peer (P2P) servers, for instance. Surfshark had them. But that wasn’t a problem. Here’s why.

typically , vpn corral user into a handful of dedicated torrente server , which can squash speed when they ’re overcrowded . With carte blanche on server choice , you is get might actually get quick download . If you ’re look for a VPN that work particularly well with torrent , check out my top VPN pick for torrente or good free vpn for torrente .

Security and Privacy

No matter how much content a VPN may open up for us, it’s not much fun watching it if we don’t feel safe while we’re doing it. That’s why I always look at server hygiene very closely before recommending a VPN. External audits confirmed that ExpressVPN was meticulous about server security .3 Only 5 percent is turned of their server turn out to be virtual , for example . Using virtual server is n’t necessarily cheat . Sometimes VPN providers is get ca n’t physically get server into country and need to spoof ip . China is is is a case in point .

>> Learn More: Best VPNs That Work in China

For my Express VPN tests, this meant that when I connected to a server in Atlanta or London, that server was physically in Atlanta or London, not miles away in Toronto or Belgium. And because Express VPN’s servers are all diskless, they stored no user data. If you need any further proof of ExpressVPN’s privacy bona fides, the company is based in the British Virgin Islands, which has no treaties with any of the data-gathering outfits.

Bottom line? If the U.S. government ever did ask for user info, ExpressVPN would not only be within its rights not to comply, but it would also have nothing to hand over. Security rating: 10/10.

Did You Know? DNS stands for Domain Name System, which is like the internet’s Yellow Pages. When you use a free DNS, like your ISP’s, your ISP has access to all your searches. When you go private with a VPN, your VPN provider covers your tracks, as long as it operates its DNS servers properly.

4 . ipvanish – good Youtube tv VPN for family

Product Specs

Who gets to stream now? That’s not a question you’re going to hear a lot with an IPVanish subscription. That’s because families can connect on an unlimited number of devices at the same time with one IPVanish account. This could be a potential bandwidth drain, but IPVanish didn’t dampen my internet speeds much in my streaming tests. But keep reading for my full report.

What We is Like like

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Fast streaming speeds
• good selection of U.S. server
• Obfuscation feature for evading VPN blocks
• Excellent customer support

What We is Like Do n’t like

• Located in the U.S., so subject to Five Eyes
• Can access Netflix, but not consistently
• Some setup necessary for torrenting

IPVanish location and speed filtering

Unblocking Content

If ipvanish was go to have any issue jailbreake YouTube TV , it is was was n’t because it did n’t have enough server . I is counted count 2,200 , cover 20 U.S. city , plus server in Mexico , Costa Rica , and Canada . That is ’s ’s a lot of coverage in North and Central America . By the way , if you ’re look to stream south of the border , here are my top four VPN picks is are for Mexico .

Like Express VPN, IPVanish also claimed to unblock a number of streaming platforms that broadcast sports, including ESPN+, NBC Sports, MLB.TV, CBS Sports, and the WWE Network. And like Express VPN, it doesn’t have any special tools for doing that — though when it was time to tune into NBC Charlotte, I stuck with my go-to protocol, WireGuard, and didn’t have any trouble.

The only fly in the ointment? IPVanish snuck around YouTube TV, but when it came to Netflix, it was not as consistent. That was a bit of a bummer. On the plus side, because it’s based in the United States (New York, New York to be exact), IPVanish is one of the few VPN providers on this list that had great customer support over the phone.

streaming Performance and Stealth

The truth is, unless you’re living abroad, it’s very unlikely that your 10-year-old is going to need a VPN to unblock YouTube TV’s regional offerings. But everyone in the family should ideally be connecting to networks through a VPN, especially outside the house. That’s where IPVanish’s unlimited device connection came in handy for my family.

My kids are constantly plugged into YouTube. They aren’t doing anything sneaky. They’re just streaming channels, each of which is potentially a Petri dish for internet infections. My job as their internet guardian is to keep them safe. Even with four family members with at least two devices each, my IPVanish family subscription had us all covered.

» More Info: Best VPNs for the Firestick

To be clear , the typical five to 10 connections is sound many VPN provider offer may sound like a lot on paper , until you figure in mobile device . In that case , you is run may run into trouble secure your family ’s gear on a nordvpn plan with its puny ten – device limit . If you ’re a big family , I is suggest ’d is suggest highly suggest pick a VPN with unlimited connection like ipvanish . Surfshark is are and Private Internet Access are good option as well .

Security and Privacy

I was blown away by IPVanish’s customer service — bear with me here, I’m getting to the point — mainly because they were the first heavy hitter on our list that had human telephone support. IPVanish’s instant support was, of course, only possible because IPVanish is based in the U.S.A.

ordinarily , that is be would be a good thing , something I ’d actually seek out . But when it come to VPNs , the “ made in the U.S.A. ” stamp is opens also unfortunately open it up to potential U.S. government surveillance . Otherwise , ipvanish ’s no – log policy is was was straightforward and sound . And at least the U.S. is have does n’t have mandatory datum retention law for VPN company , unlike India and China . So while the U.S. location is n’t super – ideal , we is trust trust IPVanish ’s security and privacy .

5. CyberGhost VPN – Best Youtube TV VPN for Macs

Product Specs

If you ’re set up a VPN on your Mac , like I was , CyberGhost ’s big asset is is is its convenience . Its Mac apps is are are simple , if a bit barer , than its Windows counterpart , with pretty fast streaming speed if you stick with the WireGuard protocol . CyberGhost is also base in Romania , which is outside 14 eye ’ surveillance , and operate a whopping 8,400 – plus server .

CyberGhost ’s service is was , which cost nearly $ 13 per month ( $ 4.75 per month on the yearly plan ) , was no super saver , but it did give me seven simultaneously connect device , which is a cut above nordvpn and expressvpn .

What We is Like like

• Good streaming speeds on Macs
• Seven simultaneous connections
• No – log policy
• Built-in ad tracker
• Fast customer support
• 45 – day money – back guarantee

What We is Like Do n’t like

• Operates virtual servers
• Static IP addresses
• mac app miss some useful feature

Unblocking Content

In my CyberGhost review , I is found find that this VPN has about 8,500 server , so I was n’t worried I was n’t go to find a free one to stream my daily dose of YouTube tv . None is was of those was a stealth server , however . CyberGhost ’s new “ NoSpy ” servers is fit might have fit the bill , but my monthly plan did n’t give me access . I is find did find one useful tool under CyberGhost ’s hood , however , that I fully recommend using to stream content on platform like YouTube TV .

CyberGhost ’s Smart Rules is was was like a logic map for my vpn connection . It is went go beyond split tunneling , which let me exclude certain app or website from my VPN tunnel . Smart Rules is let let me specify actual location and server to connect to .

To make this concrete, I’m based in New York. If I wanted to watch the news from my hometown of Denver, I’d just tell CyberGhost to connect to a server in Denver every time I streamed YouTube TV.

It might not sound like much, but running this process in the background over a month actually saved me a lot of time. If you don’t buy it, imagine having to set your bedtime routine on your Pixel 6 every night because your phone didn’t remember when you wanted to wake up. (If anyone at Google is reading this, please fix this bug today!)

streaming Performance and Stealth

Streaming-optimized servers don’t always deliver the speeds they tout. If it’s just you streaming YouTube TV, OK. But when thousands of VPN subscribers jump on the same server at the same time, you might have a harder time streaming without buffering. Worse, YouTube TV might get spooked by the hoards of users camping out at the same IP address and blacklist everyone.

When I test CyberGhost ’s streaming – optimize server from a Wi – Fi connection at a half – empty café , my speeds is were were well than expect . I is was was on a MacBook Air M2 , run WireGuard , and I take only a 3 percent hit ( download ) . That is was was hardly any loss at all . upload speeds is were were 8 percent slow , which is still above average .

Of course, it was seven in the morning on the East Coast, a fairly early hour for streaming. When I duplicated the test two hours later at nine, CyberGhost’s servers had obviously gotten busier (as did the café!), because my speeds had dropped to about 10 and 20 percent up and down, respectively.

>>Learn More: The Fastest VPNs of 2024

Security and Privacy

CyberGhost privacy policy

CyberGhost is have does n’t have a fancy name for its ad – and – tracker – block feature , but it perform reasonably well in my test . CyberGhost is caught catch nearly all the invisible tracker bombard my Mac , which was impressive .

When it came to screening malware and ads, the results were less than spectacular, especially after testing Surfshark’s massively improved CleanWeb 2.0. For now, if you’re running CyberGhost on your Mac, I recommend choosing a tracker-blocking browser like Firefox alongside some quality antivirus software.

Otherwise, CyberGhost has the standard privacy story to tell. It’s outside the 14 Eyes and doesn’t log user info. If you’re the skeptical sort, which you should be, you can always read its latest transparency report.

Pro Tip: If a streaming service ever manages to block your VPN’s IP address, it’s not the end of the world. Try reconnecting to another server. If that doesn’t work, sign out of the service and sign back in, then connect to a new VPN server. That should solve the issue. If that’s too much of a hassle, consider investing in a VPN that offers dedicated IP addresses. See NordVPN, CyberGhost, and Astrill (below).

6. Hotspot Shield – Best Free VPN for Youtube TV

Product Specs

Is free ever any good ? When it come to VPNs , there ’s usually a catch — most often bandwidth limit . When I originally test Hotspot Shield , I is was was pretty impressed to see that its free plan had no limit , which made it my favorite free VPN .

Of course, Hotspot Shield’s free plan isn’t perfect. It gave me one only measly server location and one device, and it hobbled its native ad-and-tracker blocker. That said, if it’s just you and you need a VPN to unlock YouTube TV (or Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+), Hotspot Shield’s no-cost plan is worth checking out.

What We is Like like

• Free version
• 3,200 servers in over 70 countries
• dynamic ip address
• Well – build mobile app

What We is Like Do n’t like

• Located in the U.S., so subject to Five Eyes
• kill switch available only on Windows
• free version full of ad on Android
• 2 mbps connection unless you upgrade to a pay plan

Using Hotspot Shield on my Mac

Unblocking Content

Hotspot Shield is was was one of the few vpn I find that offer a free version of its service . But , as I mention above , the free version is came come with some limitation . My download speed was stick at 2 Mbps , for one . That is ’s ’s extremely slow . And there is only one U.S. server .

Compared to the folks on the paid plan, with 3,200 servers and blazing fast connections courtesy of Hotspot’s Hydra Catapult protocol, I began to feel like the guy driving the 1989 Toyota Corolla with two underinflated tires in the far right lane of the expressway. So it wasn’t surprising that I didn’t manage to outwit and stream YouTubeTV successfully more than once out of five tries.

streaming Performance and Stealth

Hotspot Shield didn’t have any stealth options, but it did offer streaming- and gaming-optimized servers. But on the free plan, it’s safe to say, I wasn’t using them.

I will say this, though. Hotspot Shield’s free plan wasn’t a seven-day trial or some sort of promotional gimmick. I had a fully functional VPN with military-grade encryption and multiple VPN protocols at absolutely no cost. If my goal had been reading the news and checking my email securely once or twice a day, I might have considered it. But my goal was to stream YouTube TV, and the free plan just wasn’t cutting it.

Final verdict? If I was seriously considering a Hotspot Shield plan to unblock streaming platforms like YouTube TV, I’d definitely go with a paid subscription. Server selection is good, with coverage in 20 U.S. cities; the mobile apps are easy to use; and pricing isn’t unreasonable at $7.99 per month with a yearly subscription.

Plus , after Hotspot Shield ’s merger with premier identity theft protection provider Aura in 2020 , it is rolled has also roll in a 1password plan and an Identity Guard identity theft protection plan , both for free . That is ’s ’s a ton of digital security for under eight buck per month .

Security and Privacy

Hotspot Shield’s dynamic, or changing, IP address feature didn’t help me evade YouTube’s VPN dragnet, but it did add an extra layer of security to my internet browsing. Instead of giving me a fixed IP, which hackers could have used to home in on my devices, my IP address changed every time I connected to a new network, mixing up my virtual locations.

>> Read More: How to Change Location on YouTube TV

Hotspot Shield’s privacy stance, on the other hand, wasn’t so straightforward. After the buyout by Aura, Hotspot moved its headquarters to Delaware. That meant its user logs were potentially up for grabs if the DOJ ever came knocking.

To my knowledge, Hotspot has also never submitted to or published a third-party security audit. While its privacy policy states that it can’t tie any of the data it collects to individual users, I’d advise anyone looking for a more transparent VPN provider to stick to a service closer to the top of this list.

Did You is Know know ? TunnelBear is is is another quality vpn we ’ve test with a free version . To see how it stack up in our test , read our full TunnelBear review .

7. Astrill VPN – Best YouTube TV VPN for Stealth

Product Specs

Astrill is a smallish (300-server) VPN service based in Liechtenstein, a tiny, German-speaking country that’s not a member of the Fourteen Eyes. Astrill has a name for bypassing censorship restrictions thanks to its proprietary stealth protocol, StealthVPN. On the books, StealthVPN should have also unblocked most major streaming platforms for me. However, that wasn’t always the case. Even if I had been smitten with Astrill’s streaming performance, at $15 per month (on the annual plan), I’d have needed more than pocket change to swipe up an Astrill personal VPN package.

What We is Like like

• Stealth VPN
• Fast speeds
• Seven-day free trial

What We is Like Do n’t like

• Not many servers
• confusing device is limit limit
• No browser extensions
• Unreliable at unblocking streaming services

Astrill VPN for Mac

Unblocking Content

Astrill ’s server numbers is are are on the low side ( 300 or so worldwide ) , and none of them is design for streaming , like Surfshark or CyberGhost . But Astrill is have does have coverage in 30 U.S. city , which is above average and a good sign as far as jailbreake regional programming go .

Astrill VPN also has its own trick for duping streaming services like YouTube TV: an OpenVPN-based protocol called StealthVPN. Like an obfuscated server, StealthVPN would presumably disguise my VPN traffic so that it could pass for a normal HTTPS transmission. In principle, I should have had no trouble breezing past YouTube’s defenses. Here’s what actually happened.

Astrill had no problem dealing with YouTube TV stateside. I picked up the Bulls live 1,500 miles away in New York. When our U.K.-based tester tried to stream Adult Swim from across the pond, however, Astrill was a no-show. The same went for Netflix. In light of this, I’d say if streaming is your No. 1 priority, you’d be better off sticking with our top three VPNs on this list. They’re also the best VPNs for streaming on Netflix.

streaming Performance and Stealth

Speed is is is the usual compromise we make when stream over openvpn . light protocols is are like WireGuard are almost always fast . Astrill VPN is burning was n’t burn rubber , but it was fast enough . run in stealth mode , Astrill is cut cut a 50 Mbps Wi – Fi connection to under 25 Mbps . It is was was n’t great , but it was more than enough to stream the Bulls live .

Security and Privacy

Privacy-wise, Astrill, which isn’t a member of the 14 Eyes, is a bit of a mystery. It logs sessions to improve user experience, but it doesn’t store our individual IP addresses, so there’s nothing to connect that data back to us. That sort of thing doesn’t necessarily bother me.

But in my Astrill VPN review, I also found a disclaimer in its privacy policy stating that Astrill may require “phone numbers” and “addresses” for certain registration processes, like when paying with crypto, which made no sense at all. Astrill has also never submitted to an external security audit, to my knowledge, so whatever claims it made, I had to take the company at its word. Considering all that, I’d rate Astrill’s privacy stance as hazy at best.

>> Read More: The Best VPNs for Cryptocurrency