Choosing a Virtual Private Network or VPN for BT Broadband can be a minefield.
There are literally thousands of VPN providers available now and if you’re finding it hard to make a choice then you’re not alone.
Over the past few months, I’ve been testing a selection of the most well-known VPN software providers to find out which offers the best VPN service for BT Broadband users.
There are many that are suitable for use with BT Broadband and the list below is certainly not a comprehensive comparison of all BT Broadband VPN options.
These are just the ones that I found to be the most reliable, fastest, and which offer good value for money for BT Broadband users.
Pushed for time?
In our tests we found ExpressVPN to be the best overall provider for use with BT internet.
If you’re ready to shore up your privacy and unblock more streaming content than you can shake a stick at, let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
The 7 Best BT Broadband VPNs
1. ExpressVPN
- Great for BT Broadband
- Proven no-log policy
- Fast download speeds
- Monthly package expensive
ExpressVPN offers the ideal VPN service for use on BT Broadband.
Their top-end VPN encryption will help you stay private while browsing the internet and they have an independently-verified no-user logs guarantee you can depend on. This is boosted by ExpressVPN being headquartered offshore in the British Virgin Islands.
They offer up to 5 simultaneous connections which is not as many as some other VPNs but more than enough for most BT Broadband customers.
Apps are available for all major devices so no matter if you want to protect a computer, tablet, or phone then ExpressVPN has you covered.
Connection speeds are super-fast making ExpressVPN perfect for unblocking streaming services like BT Sport, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, Amazon Prime Video, and the rest.
Accessing geo-blocked content is easy thanks to their huge VPN server network covering 94 countries around the world.
ExpressVPN is a little more expensive than others but the larger VPN server selection more than makes up for this and if you take their yearly package that price is seriously reduced and includes three months free. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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2. IPVanish
- Lots of UK locations
- Use on unlimited devices
- Strong security
- Not good for streaming
IPVanish was without a doubt one of my favourite providers when using with BT Broadband and comes a close second to ExpressVPN.
They won our Editor’s Choice award for 3 years running and while they’re not our top choice these days, they do offer some of the fastest speeds in the industry so it’s no surprise that they work so well for BT users.
There are more than 120 servers available in the UK in 4 different locations with a total of 75 countries across the world and more than 2,000 servers.
Torrent and P2P use are allowed on the service and with no logs stored it means what you download on your BT Broadband connection remains private, despite this being a US-based VPN.
IPVanish isn’t the best at unblocking streaming services like Amazon Prime Video but this VPN works with some of them.
It’s also possible to tunnel out of UK requirements and access websites and services that are usually blocked on BT Broadband.
If you’re worried about your privacy, not least because this is a US-based VPN, don’t be. The encryption from IPVanish will keep you secure and it all comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. NordVPN
- Proven no-log policy
- Located off-shore
- Double-hop VPN servers
- Not the fastest
If protecting your privacy while connected to BT Broadband is one of your biggest concerns then NordVPN makes a good choice.
They are registered in Panama which has no data log requirements and their privacy policy has been independently verified meaning what you do while connected to the internet remains private.
It’s one of few VPN providers that are located in an off-shore location and can help you avoid the requirements of things like the UK Investigatory Powers Bill that forces local ISPs like BT Broadband to store details about your internet usage.
It also offers a robust 256-bit AES encrypted tunnel and a whole host of advanced features including DNS leak protection, and port forwarding to help protect user IP Addresses from hackers and government snoops.
NordVPN is perfect for streaming thanks to its fast servers and wide range of server connections. It also works well with even tricky streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max.
The Nord VPN app is excellent and available for all major platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS allowing you to protect your desktop, tablet, phone, and many other devices in your home.
You get up to six simultaneous connections with every VPN subscription, there are low prices, and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee too.
4. VyprVPN
- Strong encryption
- Great apps
- Not the fastest
VyprVPN did use to let you try their service for 3 days completely free, however, that has now changed. Instead, they’ll let you test their VPN for 30 days and if you’re unhappy you can get a full refund.
If you’re a beginner it’s one of the easiest services I’ve used and in just one or two clicks you’ll be connected and secure on their impressive VPN app.
VyprVPN will help you to mask your real IP Address and access online services security and privately. They have an enormous selection of VPN server locations with 700+ servers in 70+ countries worldwide.
Plus, like all the best VPNs, they have fast servers that offer consistent and reliable connections to the internet.
If you want to use your BT Broadband VPN to access streaming sites like BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video, VyprVPN can help and they also have a range of advanced features including split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch.
With competitive prices and a 30-day money-back guarantee, VyprVPN is another good choice for use on BT Broadband.
5. StrongVPN
- Easy-to-use apps
- 12 concurrent connections
- Not many servers
StrongVPN is a great choice if you don’t want to spend too much on a VPN service.
StrongVPN has 950+ VPN servers in 30 countries worldwide including 5 different UK cities so getting a UK IP address is easy. This means when using this VPN with BT Broadband, you can protect your privacy, hide your data from UK ISPs and get the best possible speeds.
The software and apps are easy enough to use if you’re a beginner with enough VPN features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection if you’re an expert to tinker around with.
You’re able to use the service on up to 12 devices at the same time which is more than most so you’ll be able to cover your entire household with just one account. There is a great 30-day money-back guarantee too.
6. Surfshark VPN
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Fast speeds
- Collects too much data
Surfshark is the new kid on the block but is already a great VPN option for BT Broadband customers.
This VPN offers 256-AES encryption as standard meaning you can be sure of a secure VPN connection and internet traffic.
It has a dependable no user logs guarantee too, although this isn’t independently verified yet and the privacy policy does involve the collection of more data than we would like. Like ExpressVPN, Surfshark is also headquartered offshore in the British Virgin Islands.
There is a huge network of servers too, which is more than comparable to more established VPN services and in our tests, connection speeds were both fast and reliable.
The Surfshark VPN apps are good too, available on most devices, and ideal for BT internet users. Surfshark is a great option for streaming services like BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video.
With a 30-day money-back guarantee and unlimited simultaneous connections, Surfshark has everything you need from a VPN to keep your online activity safe when using UK ISPs like BT Internet.
7. CyberGhost VPN
- Great user-friendly apps
- Ideal for beginners
- Device limit monitoring awkward
If you are new to this VPN lark and want a user-friendly VPN ideal for beginners, CyberGhost VPN is the one for you.
It has a terrific range of apps with a whole host of single-click options tailored to all the most popular VPN uses.
That’s not to say this VPN doesn’t have all the bells and whistles you’d expect of one of the best VPNs too. It has robust 256-bit AES encryption and various security features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection.
There is a huge network of servers with plenty in the UK, and fast connection speeds making it ideal for streaming on the BBC iPlayer and various other services.
In addition, you get up to 7 simultaneous connections and a whopping 45-day money-back guarantee on top of low prices. That’s the biggest money-back guarantee of any VPN we know of and caps off another terrific BT Broadband VPN option.
How to choose a VPN for BT Broadband
Thankfully choosing a VPN for BT Broadband isn’t too hard in itself.
The hardest part about choosing a service is trawling through the sea of VPN providers to find ones that offer a good service.
The seven above definitely make the best choices when searching for a VPN for BT Broadband but let’s consider some of the features of VPN services that BT Users will want to look out for:
BT Broadband is not alone when it comes to blocking websites and apps but when using a VPN service you’ll be able to bypass these blocks and access any site or service you wish.
Simply by tunneling out of your local network in the UK and selecting a VPN server in a different country you’ll have access to services that were previously blocked on your BT Broadband service.
If you’ve ever tried to watch a movie or video on a website from another country while connected to your BT Broadband service then you may have found yourself geo-blocked.
Geo-blocking is when a service is intended for one country only and so blocked in another.
A VPN service allows you to bypass these blocks and watch content from around the world all while connected to BT Broadband from the comfort of your home.
BT claim they don’t slow down any service such as P2P networks like other ISPs such as Virgin Media.
This is great news but the unfortunate fact is you can still suffer slowness when accessing any service.
Due to the way the internet works sometimes certain routes can be congested or have issues causing slow connection speeds.
The problem might not even be BT themselves but an outside source. A VPN can, in some cases, allow you to avoid that bottleneck by routing your internet traffic in another direction.
Like all British ISPs, BT is required to collect and store all of your online records and make them available to the UK Government upon request. This is thanks to a piece of government legislation known as the Investigatory Powers Act.
It was described by Edward Snowden as the most invasive piece of legislation in the free world and he’s not far wrong.
It collects everything you do online and if that wasn’t bad enough, there are a frightening number of UK Government departments and agencies that can access it too.
The best VPNs, such as the ones we have recommended above, can stop ISPs like BT Broadband from doing this. When you connect to one of the best VPNs, you will encrypt all your data and hide the websites you are visiting too.
Without access to this information, BT is very limited in what it can collect and store for the government.
Online security experts all agree that a VPN is an essential online security tool that everyone should use.
A VPN will encrypt everything you do online which stops not only Government snoops but also hackers from being able to see what you are doing and steal your information.
A VPN lets you use public Wi-Fi without having to worry about your data being hacked and can protect all your devices at home and abroad too.
If you like to check prices in the mall when you go shopping and maybe even buy a few things online too, a VPN can help to keep your financial details private and secure.
How to set up a VPN for use with BT Broadband
Setting up a VPN for use with BT internet is no different than any other internet provider. There are no specific considerations you have to think about
The easiest method is to make use of the VPN service’s dedicated VPN apps.
For all seven of our recommended providers, you’ll find a range of apps on their website or in your usual app store. We always caution against downloading VPN apps from anywhere else.
Once you have chosen your preferred VPN, all you have to do is download their app onto your devices, log into your account, and then connect to a server. It’s as simple as that and then you can just forget about it.
If you are new to this, don’t worry, below we have compiled a really simple step-by-step that you can follow using our number one recommended VPN for BT internet users, ExpressVPN as an example. Other providers will all broadly follow the same method:
- Visit the ExpressVPN website, choose your preferred subscription package and then follow their onscreen instructions to sign up.
- Then go to the Products section of their site. It should automatically detect your device.
- Download the right VPN app for the device you’re using.
- Click on it and follow the installation process.
- Once it’s installed, open the app and log in to your new ExpressVPN account with your account details from the first step.
- Now select the country you want to connect to, click it, and then click Connect.
Connecting with ExpressVPN is easy.
That’s it. If you have any problems, the best thing to try first is choosing a different server and connecting again. If that still doesn’t work, your next stop should be ExpressVPN’s excellent customer support team.
They offer a 24/7 live chat support service and their helpful and informed staff should have no trouble helping you solve any issue you might be having.
Are there any free VPNs I can use with BT?
Yes, there are dozens of free VPNs that you can use with BT’s broadband service, but we would generally advise against it for a number of very important reasons.
Providing a VPN service costs money and if the provider isn’t charging a fee, they have to make that money in another way. Sadly, that is usually to the detriment of their users.
Free VPNs will often cut corners on the service they offer. There might be limited servers, slow connection speeds, or bandwidth caps that render the free VPN useless for all but the most basic of online tasks.
Most Free VPNs will collect user data in one form or another. This is valuable and can be sold to numerous companies and organisations. As a customer, you get no say in what happens to your data and have no idea what they are collecting.
Some free VPN services also come bundled together with malware and spyware that can actually compromise your online security rather than enhance it. A few don’t even bother to encrypt your online data at all.
The blunt truth is that most free VPNs are just not worth the bother. The best VPNs cost a matter of a few dollars a month at the most.
For that, the best VPNs will give you the security you need, the privacy you want, and the features you expect from a premium subscription service. Its worth remembering that all offer a money-back guarantee too so you have lots of time to see if they are what you want before paying.
You can use a free VPN with BT’s broadband service but why take the risk when the best VPNs all offer such terrific value for money?
Is it legal to use a VPN with BT’s internet service?
Yes, it is absolutely legal to use a VPN with BT’s broadband provision.
VPN use is completely legal in the UK and most other countries around the world. Only a handful of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes like China, Russia, and Iran, have tried to ban VPN use, and even there it has not really worked.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson actually encouraged Russian people to use a VPN to access legitimate reports about the war in Ukraine following the invasion carried out by Vladimir Putin’s regime.
BT will have no issue with you using a VPN if they are able to tell, which in most cases they will not be. The best VPNs hide themselves very well.
There are some services that don’t like you using VPNs. The likes of Netflix try to block VPN use and if you are anything like us you will find this hugely frustrating when trying to watch your favourite show overseas. If you are caught using one, you might be considered in breach of their terms and conditions.
It is conceivable that this could result in your account being suspended or even closed down, but we are not aware of any instances of this happening. Even if it did, you would certainly not be guilty of any criminal offence.
Summary
If you are using BT’s broadband service, you will want a VPN you know you can trust.
In this guide, we have picked out no fewer than 7 of the best VPNs for the job.
ExpressVPN is our number one recommendation for use with BT Broadband. It offers the speeds, the security, the privacy, the wide range of apps, the enormous server network, and the additional security features you need.
All this comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 5 simultaneous connections.
The other six providers we have outlined offer different features. You will find unlimited simultaneous connections and a huge money-back guarantee of 45 days among many other differences.
These are the best VPNs for BT’s broadband customers and to be honest it doesn’t matter which one you choose. You really can’t go wrong.
Just make your choice, follow one of the links on this page to sign up, download their app onto all your devices, log in to your new account, connect to your new VPN service, and then forget about it and get on with your usual online activities.
You can then use your BT service with peace of mind, knowing that your internet connection and your internet data are secure and encrypted, that your ISP is not collecting all your data and making it available to the UK Government, and that hackers cannot gain easy access to everything you get up to online.
Security experts agree that all internet users should use a VPN and in this guide, we have hopefully helped BT Broadband customers remain safe and secure online.
Ready to supercharge your internet? Try our recommended VPN.
- Super fast download speeds
- Fast and easy to set up
- Beginner-friendly
