The peace of mind that the protection a VPN gives you while browsing online is all well and good (and important!). Having written about some of the best VPNs for half a decade, though, I have to say my primary reason for using a VPN is to unblock streaming services.
Able to connect to servers based in all corners of the world, making my device appear elsewhere means I can get more from my subscriptions and access them no matter where I am in the world. From catching buzzy TV shows as they go out, to tapping into foreign news streams or accessing different Netflix libraries.
Netflix Australia
Ahead of the release of Wicked: For Good, it was essential I took myself back down the yellow brick road and watched the first movie, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Frustratingly, however, I discovered that while Wicked was available for Netflix in some countries, it wasn't available globally.
That's where a Netflix VPN comes in handy.
By connecting to a VPN server in Australia, I could make it seem as if my device was based there and access the Aussie Netflix library where – you guessed it – the first Wicked movie from 2024 is available to stream as a part of your subscription.
Memory successfully refreshed and ready to absolutely lose it when Elphaba and Fiyero sing As Long As You're Mine.
(Note: Scroll to the 'Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming?' section at the bottom of this article for important information about using a VPN for Netflix.)
Amazon Prime Video
Jacob Elordi is really having a moment.
Sure, he's been around the block a little while now, having starred in Euphoria (which is finally getting its third season), before Emerald Fennell's Saltburn got everyone a little hot under the collar – and now he's been nominated for two Golden Globes for his roles in Frankenstein and last year's revered drama The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Of course, I had to see it for myself. At the time, though, I was in the UK and not prepared to wait for the delay in it reaching BBC iPlayer.
Luckily, I could connect to a VPN and access my Amazon Prime Video subscription outside the UK to watch The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Crave
I'm nothing if not the kind of person eager to jump on the bandwagon. Earlier in the year it was The Summer I Turned Pretty, and now it's all about Heated Rivalry.
Think two burly ice hockey players on opposing teams, filled with determination to win – and another kind of tension lingering between them. Based on Rachel Reid's romance novels, everyone is going nuts for it on social media, and yet it's not made its way everywhere yet.
Thankfully, I could make use of my Canadian friend's Crave subscription. All I needed to do was connect to a server located in Canada with my VPN to watch Heated Rivalries, and relish in this steamy sports romance.
Channel 4
The window to fill your boots with festive everything is truly a small one, so I'm endeavoring to consume as much Christmas spirit as I can, be it music, mince pies, or films.
Every single streaming service has its fill of Christmas movies, of course. Short of subscribing to every platform under the sun, though, I wanted to check out what was on offer on Channel 4, which is a free-to-use service if you're in the UK.
At the time of writing, Channel 4 has both Home Alone 1 and 2 (obviously the only ones that matter), so you bet I made sure I had a strong connection to a UK server so I could watch for the hundredth time as Kevin McCallister wreaked havoc on those two crooks, Harry and Marv.
9Now
Nothing says "Happy New Year!" like another dose of trashy (but entertaining) reality TV. And no one does it better than the Australians.
There's just something extra unhinged and dramatic about Australian iterations of reality TV shows, none more so than Married at First Sight Australia.
The thing is, though, I don't want to have to wait 2-3 months for it to find its way to my local broadcaster. I therefore used a VPN to access 9Now – a streaming service that's only available Down Under – and watch the latest season as new episodes dropped.
Given Married at First Sight Australia usually starts around January time, while not yet confirmed, another season is surely around the corner, with another set of stags and hens entering the experiment and hoping to find holy matrimony.
ABC News
It's not all trending TikTok dramas, reality TV, and movies about good witches and bad witches where my watching habits are concerned.
Sometimes I like to check in with the real world, particularly when big political events happen like last year's presidential election. And, because I can't possibly do things by halves, I wanted to get the true American experience and tune into an ABC stream.
The ABC News website offered a live stream of the Trump vs Kamala Harris debate, which I was able to access from outside the US thanks to a VPN.
While it certainly felt, at times, like I was watching a scripted comedy, it turns out this is real life, and I was equally horrified and glad to get front row seats with access to ABC's coverage.
Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming?
Except in a few specific places (e.g. Iraq, Belarus, North Korea) VPN services are legal to use – including for streaming. Of course, that's no defense for using them to carry out illegal activity, however.
Although streaming with a VPN is generally legal, various platforms and broadcasters may have conditions in their Ts&Cs that specifically prohibits their use. Netflix is a good example. It means by using a VPN to access different global Netflix catalogs, you will violate its terms.
That said, there is very little evidence that Netflix has sought action or cancelled subscriptions of any users it suspects of using a VPN while watching the service.
So although it appears to be low risk, you should be aware of the dangers.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
