Privacy and geo-restrictions are big topics around the world and Spain is no exception.

If you’re Spanish or just living in Spain then using a VPN service is almost essential. As many European governments secretly snoop on their citizens and other nefarious types attempt to gain access to your details, it means protecting your internet connection is critical.

If you’re less interested in your online privacy but more interested in accessing websites from around the world that aren’t available in Spain, then a VPN is an essential tool to broaden your entertainment horizons.

Finding a good VPN for Spain can be time consuming and almost impossible due to the wealth of options.

So, I’ve been putting VPN providers through their paces to find out which makes the best option for use in Spain. Below are my findings.

Top 5 VPN services for Spain

1. ExpressVPN

If you’re looking for the top choice, ExpressVPN is certainly where I recommend you start.

They provide servers in Spain itself, which is excellent news and will give the best local surfing experience. Having a local Spanish server is best for speeds, especially if you find yourself connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot that can often be slow.

ExpressVPN is a little bit more expensive, which is one of the things I dislike most about their service but you can make some significant savings if you take their 12-month package.

Software and apps for all major devices and systems including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. They have the bonus of having a Linux client too, which most other VPN providers don’t.

If you want to bypass geo-restrictions, then ExpressVPN is possibly one of the best choices as they have one of the biggest worldwide VPN server networks. With servers in over 94 different countries, it’s hard to find an entertainment website that you can’t access.

There is also a massive 30-day money back guarantee that lets you test the service in plenty of different circumstances to see if it’s suitable for your needs. If not, just get your money back.

Our #1 Recommended VPN for Spain

30-day money back guarantee

2. IPVanish

IPVanish makes an excellent choice for Spain because of their local and international VPN server selection.

Spain is covered with servers in both Madrid and Valencia. This is great news if you’re a Spanish resident because it’ll give you the best possible speeds while allowing you to protect your privacy both at home or when out in public.

Having local servers is especially important if you make use of public Wi-Fi at locals places such as coffee shops, restaurants, libraries or other locations. The local Spanish servers will allow you fast access and security.

If you want to tunnel out of the country, then there are plenty of servers nearby including locations such as Portugal, France, Italy, Malta and most other major European locations.

The service is a little hit and miss with streaming services. While it does work with some of the most popular, the results vary and I found better success using ExpressVPN.

IPVanish is one of the easiest to use providers and comes with software and apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android meaning they’re suitable for all skill levels from the beginner to the expert.

3. VyprVPN

VyprVPN like the other providers offer servers in Spain, Madrid to be more specific that will be suitable for users all over the country.

They previously offered a handy 3-day trial but this is no more and instead replaced with a 30-day money back guarantee.

As with the others, there is a large range of European servers with all the nearby locations covered. VyprVPN has over 60 countries covered and there are a wide range near Spain and further afield in some distant locations.

The service now works with all the most popular streaming services including the likes of Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, Eurosport Player and a whole host more.

All major systems are supported with software for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and a new command line interface for Linux systems. These will enable you to protect your connection or bypass geo-restrictions at home or on the move.

4. CyberGhost VPN

In 4th position is CyberGhost VPN.

Just like the previous services, CyberGhost VPN offers servers located in Spain, 68 of them to be exact. So locals will have no trouble accessing fast, reliable servers from all over the region.

There are over 6,000 servers located in 82 countries, many of which are located all over Europe covering most major locations. Along with many situated outside of Europe such as the United States, your connection capability will truly be worldwide.

One of my favourite features of CyberGhost VPN is its 45-day money-back guarantee, which is a 15-day extension on the usual 30 day period offered by most other services. This gives you the chance to try the VPN out for a full month and a half before you are committed to your purchase.

However, one drawback I noticed while using CyberGhost VPN is the inability to connect to local devices such as Printers, Scanners, and smart devices on my Home Network. Meaning I need to disconnect from the CyberGhost network to print something.

This isn’t a major issue, but certainly something to take note of.

5. NordVPN

NordVPN is probably the VPN you will have all heard about. They spent several months sponsoring Liverpool Football Club a couple of years back, so you will have seen the adverts all over the stadium if you’re a fan.

With NordVPN, you will have access to over 5,000 servers located worldwide, including 64 located in Spain and many in the surrounding regions.

One stand out feature of NordVPN is the Double Protection feature that allows you to change your IP address twice to cover your web traffic with some additional security. This sends your connection through two locations.

Unfortunately, NordVPN doesn’t accept PayPal as a form of payment so you will have to hand over your bank/card details. This isn’t ideal, especially when you want to keep your data safe and secure.

Whether they have plans to bring this back in future, only time will tell.

How we made our selection

There are some important considerations when selecting a VPN and even more when specifically for use in Spain.

Below are the factors I considered when compiling our list.

1. Servers in or near Spain

For lightning-fast connection speeds, it important to select a server that is as close as possible when you are trying to find a connection.

If you are in Spain, then selecting a server in Japan may prove to be slower than what you expected. So the number of local servers and connection points in nearby regions has come into consideration.

Slow connection speed? Nobody has time for that.

Something else to consider is the censorship in other regions may be different from what you are used to. Meaning certain sites may be inaccessible to you while connected to servers located afar.

2. No-log policy

This one might seem pretty obvious, but it is an essential point to consider.

Even though the whole purpose of a VPN is to keep your data secure and web traffic secure during your time connected to the web, some VPN services actually keep records.

This is far from the ideal situation.

Luckily for you, any VPN that I recommend will have a ‘no-log’ policy. So you can rest assured that your information is safe in their hands.

In fact, some of the VPNs in the list have been taken to court and have proven that they categorically do not keep track of users, certainly no logs.

3. Download speeds

Remember those awful download speeds from the 90s?

Yeah, nobody liked those, thank god for fast broadband connections.

Download speed is one of the factors that I look out for when selecting the best VPN services. Nobody wants to get 5 minutes into a Netflix series only to find they have to wait 10 minutes for it to buffer.

Also waiting 30 seconds or more for Facebook to load is not an experience I ever want you to face. Each provider has been tested for speed.

4. Reputable

Last but not least is how reputable a VPN service is.

You see, more and more VPNs are coming to the market each day, and like all things in life, there are good ones, not so good, and some damn right awful ones.

Even some of the good more recent VPNs are still unproven. That is why you will only find some of the older VPNs on my list.

Services such as ExpressVPN have been around for 11 years and have stood the test of time. Proving to be resilient against censorship and if history is anything to go by, they will continue to do the same moving forward.

Why you need a VPN for Spain

Now you know how we chose the selection above, here are the top reasons why you should be using a VPN in Spain.

1. Government data retention

Spain is part of a group named the 14 eyes, the group is a surveillance organisation that collects data from its citizens and shares it amongst other members.

In Spain and the other countries who are part of this group, the law states that all internet service providers must keep logs of your activity for up to 1 year, after which your data should be deleted.

However, since the information is shared amongst other countries, your data may still be being stored elsewhere.

Frightening thought really.

2. High rate of cybercrimes

In Spain, cybercrime is rife. Ranging from sexual crimes, fraud, scams, threats, and even the interception of peoples personal emails/messages.

Cybercrime is faceless and leaves its victims feeling helpless, especially when personal data such as messages have been stolen.

I’m a firm believer that the messages you send to and from your loved ones should be kept private, and I’m sure you feel the same way.

By using a VPN, you will help prevent yourself from being a victim of such crimes. Now it’s not 100% foolproof, but will do the job in most cases.

It’s like leaving your bike outside a shop unlocked, the chances are somebody will steal it. However, if you chain your bike up you are less likely to be a victim of a crime.

3. Freedom of speech

Due to Spain’s history of dictatorship and ETA terrorism, the government has extreme draconian laws that deeply affect freedom of speech. The courts have been known to send people to jail over their “support” for terrorism over the years.

The courts seem hell-bent on pursuing anybody who speaks ill of the government or against the countries political and national interests.

A VPN will help prevent the government from logging your information, helping to keep you safe from persecution.

4. Censorship

Spain is well known for keeping certain information out of the public eye by censoring certain topics. Particularly those that show the government in a negative light.

While the government may think this is the right thing to do, It doesn’t sit well with me and I’m sure that you feel the same.

By using a VPN, you will be able to bypass the censorship and see the whole picture of what is really happening in the world.

Can I get a Spanish IP address using a VPN?

You sure can.

By using a VPN, you will be replacing your IP address by one provided by connecting to a server using your VPN. To get a Spanish IP address you just need to connect to a server located in Spain, and then you are good to go.

It is as simple as that.

Is a VPN suitable for ex-pats in Spain?

Are you an ex-pat living in Spain?

Then using a VPN is absolutely perfect for you. You’ll be able to access all of the TV shows from your homelands on-demand services.

For example, if your homeland is the United Kingdom, you will be able to access all of your favourite British TV shows from apps such as BBC iPlayer, ITV and Sky.

By using the VPN, you can bypass any regional restrictions in place on content.

You will also find that using a VPN will be useful when trying to access home services such as internet banking, and even gambling sites.

Is there a free VPN in Spain?

Yes, there are free VPNs available in Spain. But, there are several reasons why you should avoid them like the plague.

One of which is that they often install unwanted malware and other damaging apps to your device that will keep logs of your activity and send them off to 3rd parties.

If that wasn’t enough, you also run the risk of the VPN using your internet connection to power the service for other users.

This could undoubtedly land you in a spot of trouble if someone did something illegal using your internet connection, leading authorities straight to your door placing the blame on you. Good luck explaining that one.

Along with painfully slow connection speeds and the fact that when it comes to your data, they can be leakier than a dripping pipe, I would steer clear.

Summary

Above I’ve given five good examples of VPN providers best suited for use in Spain. They all offer Spanish servers which are great for local connections and further afield there are servers to access content from other countries.

Based on prices, speed and overall features ExpressVPN are the best choice for Spain but the other four all have their positives and negatives so feel free to take a look at the five provider’s websites as one may be more suitable for your needs than the others.

If you would like to look further afield, then our full VPN Comparison Guide has other options that may be suitable for Spain.

What VPN have you been using in Spain? I would love to know so, please drop me a comment below.