NordVPN is the only other provider to perform on par with ExpressVPN. It, too, unblocks pretty much everything but requires knowing which servers to connect to. We recommend heading to the NordVPN knowledge base and simply searching for the streaming video service you want to unblock. In the appropriate page, NordVPN maintains a list of working servers. You can toggle those servers as favorites in the app to make them easier to find later.
Free DNS codes found on the internet often don’t work, and they might send your traffic to a server that could log your data and expose you to attacks. Proxy servers, meanwhile, are slow, unsecure and prone to interrupted connections.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish speed
We won’t post them here because they occasionally change and we don’t want to draw undue attention to them. Instead, users will have to contact customer service to ask which servers to connect to for which streaming service. I like that the IPVanish app has lots of customization and advanced features—and that it keeps them hidden unless you need them.
Furthermore, users who run Kodi on their Amazon Fire TVs and Fire TV Sticks can hide the contents and destination of their internet traffic from snooping internet service providers. ExpressVPN is a long-running champion of unblocking video streaming services online, although it doesn’t openly advertise its capabilities. Because of that, it’s not very obvious which servers users should connect to.
When it comes to Netflix, you’re much better off with ExpressVPN, which works reliably for streaming. We’ve curated the above list of VPNs based on how well they unblock some of the most popular streaming services according to our own tests. They also meet certain performance, security, and privacy standards that ensure fast enough connections to stream HD video, a no-logs privacy policy, and strong encryption. Only a few VPNs have what it takes to unblock streaming video on sites like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO, BBC, YouTube and others. These sites and apps block most VPNs, but we’ll show you the best VPNs for streaming that still work in 2020.
Is IPVanish a good VPN?
Now to recap, ExpressVPN offers faster download speeds and a better jurisdiction for torrenting, while both VPNs have good leak protection settings. Therefore ExpressVPN is the winner in the torrenting category when pitted against IPVanish. It is currently the best VPN for torrenting for these reasons.
A VPN also makes it possible to bypass blackout restrictions on live sporting events. Every ExpressVPN subscription comes with MediaStreamer, a smart DNS proxy service that unblocks a lot of the same streaming channels as the VPN. You can replace your device’s default DNS servers in the wifi settings. This also works for other devices that don’t support VPNs, such as Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. Since your online activities are being monitored, when you are streaming using apps such as Kodi, Cinema APK, Mobdro, CyberFlix, Titanium TV or many others, your ISP knows it.
In fact, Amazon Firestick and Fire TV are the holy grail of modern streaming. With a variety of streaming apps to choose from, you can stream live TV, live sports, movies and tv shows, and any channel that possibly exists. Nearly all VPNs allow the use of BitTorrent and P2P file sharing on their networks, although some do restrict the activity to specific servers. If you’re a heavy downloader, you’re sure to appreciate the freedom and flexibility of IPVanish, which doesn’t restrict BitTorrent at all. In comparison to ExpressVPN, IPVanish is somewhat limited on features.
After comparing these VPNs, we have a winner!
If you’ve not already purchased a VPN for Firestick, you’re going to want to make sure you choose one that is up to the job or you may find yourself frustrated. If you don’t want your streaming to be interrupted by buffering (and who does?), you need a fast VPN service. All VPNs will slow your internet connection down, but some more so than others. This makes it possible to unblock geo-locked content on streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO, and many more.
The range of servers that can unblock Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Now–even in a web browser–is very limited. For example, we recommend you contact ExpressVPN’s live customer support to ask which servers currently work with the streaming site you wish to access. NordVPN users can consult the knowledge base on the company website.
If the laptop is connected to a VPN, then all of the internet traffic from the devices connected to that hotspot is also tunneled through the VPN server. We’ll show you how to set up a virtual wifi router on Windows and Mac, which you can then connect your Fire TV to. This method works even with the 1st-generation Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. ExpressVPN’s servers have fast, throttle-free access to Netflix streaming. If you’re seeing an error, chat with ExpressVPN Support to get back online.
If you use a good VPN, you’ll be able to bypass content-specific censorship or throttling and enjoy streaming content at proper speeds befitting your Internet connection. Additionally, if your ISP is outright censoring this content, a VPN will also allow you to bypass that censorship and enjoy sites and services that you otherwise couldn’t. A VPN may increase your streaming speeds because many Internet providers impose throttling methods for various apps such as Kodi, Cinema APK, Popcorn Time,Showbox, IPTV, etc.
- If you don’t want your streaming to be interrupted by buffering (and who does?), you need a fast VPN service.
- If you’ve not already purchased a VPN for Firestick, you’re going to want to make sure you choose one that is up to the job or you may find yourself frustrated.
Most good paid VPN services operate their own DNS servers, which assists in location spoofing. In a browser, the Netflix and Hulu websites have no power to change the VPN’s DNS settings. An app, however, can override the VPN’s DNS settings and reveal a mismatch between the IP address location and the DNS location, indicating that the user is connected to a VPN.
Security: ExpressVPN vs IPVanish
Still, I would like to see IPVanish offer specialized servers, as NordVPN does, for activities like using a streaming video service. NordVPN even lets you connect to Tor via VPN connection, for additional anonymity. Do not buy a subscription and simply expect any server to work, however.
ExpressVPN has been a vocal advocate for internet privacy since 2009. We proudly support nonprofit organizations fighting to protect your right to anonymity, online privacy, and free speech. Today ExpressVPN is one of the world’s leading providers of premium VPN services. Most newer laptops come with the ability to create their own wifi hotspots that other devices can connect to.
Internet throttling is a common phenomenon of curtailing the speed of your internet connection when you are streaming videos online. However, if you are a regular streamer, you are very likely to run into buffering issues due to throttling. ISPs employ this technique as the means of load-balancing and its legal on their part. You just missed that fine print in their Terms of Service before signing up. A VPN will also mask your online activity if you connect via your home or work internet provider.
It does not offer any split tunneling feature, browser extensions, live chat support, or MediaStreamer apps. With regard to unblocking streaming sites (like Netflix), IPVanish also does not do well, but we’ll examine this more below.
You can, for instance, have the app change your IP address at a set interval. The Kill Switch feature blocks access to the web unless the VPN is connected, and the app can be configured to connect automatically on startup.
Price and value: IPVanish vs ExpressVPN
Which VPN is better IPVanish or ExpressVPN?
Both ExpressVPN and IPVanish offer torrenting on any of their hundreds of servers, but ExpressVPN provides faster speeds. When it comes to connection speeds for streaming movies and shows, ExpressVPN takes the lead but when it comes to online security, IPVanish surpasses for supporting more security protocols.
NordVPN connection speeds were slow across the board by comparison to ExpressVPN. I concur with the speed tests listed here on restoreprivacy. Other random tests on other country servers yielded similar results where ExpressVPN was faster not by a little, but by a whole lot. Amazon Firestick and Fire TV have made cord cutting easy and home entertainment livelier. Besides popular paid streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and many more others, these devices offer a wide range of entertainment; you can get almost anything you want.
Unblocking sites from abroad like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer is one of the most popular reasons to use a VPN. Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN allows you to bypass the geographic restrictions on sites and apps like these, which only allow you to watch while in a certain country.
Features: ExpressVPN vs IPVanish
Torrenters should see our separate round up of the best VPNs for torrenting. ExpressVPN is one of VERY, VERY FEW iOS apps that supports OpenVPN protocols (UDP/TCP) in its iOS app. Somehow, they got around Apple’s strict “no OpenVPN except through OpenVPN Connect” rule… which is great, because I find it actually works better with streaming services than IKEv2 and IPSec.
This is particularly important in countries such as the US where ISPs can legally sell and share your data with other organizations.This data includes sites you visit and the content you stream. We’ve tested the top VPNs for security and privacy and IPVanish is our #1 choice for Firestick users.
Typically, only a handful of servers will be able to bypass a firewall at any one time. IPVanish seems to be struggling to unblock the most popular streaming services as of late. It failed to unblock Hulu and Netflix altogether in our tests, despite a support ticket we submitted suggesting otherwise. Still, users can still watch Planet Earth and Game of Thrones on HBO Now and BBC iPlayer. IPVanish scores highly for protecting privacy and speed so if you are interested in a VPN for torrenting or a VPN that works well with Kodi it is a very good choice.
Luckily, ExpressVPN has a live chat service on their website that rarely keeps customers waiting for more than five minutes. They might ask you to prove that you are a real customer and not a shill for Netflix by asking for the email address under which you signed up for an account and the last server you connected to. Once you’ve passed the test, you’ll be given a shortlist of servers that should bypass the firewall. Super fast servers dotted around the globe deliver high-quality buffer stream streaming. Fortunately, VPNs are much better at circumventing this form of throttling.