Best VPN for the UK

If you live or travel in the United Kingdom the need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is ever-increasing and in 2026 you should definitely be using a VPN most, if not all of the time.

In this guide, we’ll be showing you 7 of the leading secure VPN service providers for the job and pointing out some of the features that make them the best VPN for the UK.

The services listed in this guide are also suitable for accessing UK services if you’re overseas.

But with so many VPN services out there, which should you choose?

Answering that can end up costing you a lot in wasted sign-up fees and time. In this busy world of ours, the time you could better spend elsewhere.

We’ve tested a wide range of services for you and broken them down into just seven choices.

If you’re searching for the best British VPN that has been properly tested for UK conditions, you’re in the right place. Our favourite Virtual Private Network for the UK currently is ExpressVPN, but as a savvy shopper, you’ll probably want to compare some other VPN provider options yourself. Although they are our favourites, you’re free to choose.

However, rather than wading through over 500 options, you’ll only need to compare these seven. So let’s delve in.

Top 7 UK VPNs

You can discover some of the features you should be considering when choosing a VPN further below in this guide. First, below are our top choices:

1. ExpressVPN

Through our extensive expert testing, we have concluded that ExpressVPN is the standout winner as the number one VPN for the UK.

They’ve got VPN server locations in 105 countries which includes lots of UK servers and also many other server location options in surrounding countries.

ExpressVPN’s VPN connection speeds are excellent. In our extensive VPN testing, their upload speeds and download speed far surpassed the speeds of almost all other providers.

We like how well ExpressVPN works with the UK’s video streaming services, and you’ll have no issues watching BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, ITV X or other services from across the UK. I’ve found it ideal for streaming in Asia where I live.

Plus they work well to access streaming services like Netflix (such as UK Netflix), Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and other overseas services.

Privacy and Security

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. Being based in the British Virgin Islands means that there are no data retention laws in place, which is great news for your privacy and guarantees that they will not store user data.

Countries such as the UK or the US have no jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, so they can’t request any user data from ExpressVPN.

Even if they did, ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any logs of their users. An independent audit has confirmed that ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy is robust and reliable.

They have a built-in kill switch and DNS leak protection (against DNS requests), cutting your internet instantly if you lose connection to your VPN server. These worked well in our tests.

ExpressVPN also has unlimited bandwidth, which is ideal for streaming 4K US Netflix content. Depending on the plan you choose, you can connect between 10 and 14 devices simultaneously — the Basic plan covers 10 devices, the Advanced plan 12, and the Pro plan 14.

It works well with any UK Internet Service Provider including Virgin, BT, TalkTalk and others. In our speed tests, we found them to be one of the fastest VPN services with top download speeds.

They also offer one of the largest ranges of user-friendly apps available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and more. Plus there is even free cloud backup included.

ExpressVPN is the best UK VPN service if you are looking for a UK VPN, suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Our #1 Recommended UK VPN

30-day money back guarantee

2. NordVPN

NordVPN offers one of the best UK VPNs we’ve seen with some of the best-designed apps on the market that work on every operating system and device type.

Multiple UK server locations are provided, and at the current count, they have a massive 440+ of them available. That’s a lot of UK servers on one VPN service.

There’s also an extensive range across Europe and further afield, so you’ve got plenty of options. In fact, there are over 8,000 servers available in total.

There’s a whole range of easy-to-use apps available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. They’re some of the easiest to use we’ve tested so if you’re a beginner or don’t want to delve into the technical side too much they’ll be right up your street.

British streaming services work well on NordVPN, and I can vouch for that personally. In fact, in our tests streaming video, they work more than most other providers for all the leading services such as BBC iPlayer, BT Sport, iFollow, Sky and others.

Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN works well with Netflix (including US Netflix), Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and other online streaming services. If you want more information, their great customer service team will be able to help you.

Privacy and Security

NordVPN offers a terrific range of security features including a multihop VPN server option that allows you to change your IP address twice giving you double the privacy while connected to these servers.

This is something that I love about their VPN and which makes it one of the best VPN options for UK users.

NordVPN also has a built-in kill switch that will cut your internet connection instantaneously if you lose connection to your VPN server. This kill switch prevents your internet traffic from being leaked.

You can test the service risk-free with their 30-day money-back guarantee, and if you get stuck they provide top-notch customer support.

You also get up to ten simultaneous connections and unlimited data. Even better, they have a great range of desktop and mobile apps meaning you can download NordVPN onto any device.

NordVPN is one of the best VPN providers for the UK, with a broad range of security features and bonus tools like anti-virus and cloud storage also available. For anyone looking for the best value VPN for UK use, NordVPN regularly offers some of the best VPN deals available, with discounts that can cut the monthly cost significantly when you opt for a longer plan.

3. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN has been vastly improving their service in recent years, making them a great choice for use in the UK and one of the best VPNs full stop.

With their new and user-friendly apps, you can connect to a UK server and protect your online activities across your range of devices. We like that their mobile apps help you find the correct server for your needs which saves time and doesn’t leave you frustrated like some alternative services.

There are over 11,500 servers dotted across the world with some 781 in the UK in London, Manchester and Berkshire making it simple to get a UK IP address.

We had no trouble with the leading UK streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, and when using the range of apps they even show you which server to join to unblock which specific British streaming services.

Unlike most VPN services, they can also unlock many Netflix libraries (such as the Netflix US), Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon allowing streaming video from most streaming sites.

There’s a huge 45-day money-back guarantee which is more than most. Plus you can use the service on up to 7 devices with simultaneous connections, although you’ll need to de-register some if you hit the limit which is a little uncommon and a bit unnecessary.

CyberGhost VPN also offers a wide range of bonus security features including a great kill switch, split tunneling, and even the option of a dedicated IP address.

An exceptional VPN for beginners (as my young daughter can vouch for) and experts with a great no logging policy and perfect for lag free streaming and even protecting cloud storage.

4. IPVanish

IPVanish is one of the most popular UK VPN services, and for use in Great Britain, they have a decent offering.

Currently, UK-based servers are available across 4 UK server locations which are more than most and include London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow. This means its easy to get a UK IP Address by connecting to one of these UK servers. Overall there are servers in 75+ countries.

The standout feature is the ability to have unlimited simultaneous connections. This means that you can set up a VPN connection on as many devices as you like and even let your friends and family use the service too. I got my whole family connected and they all loved it.

Speeds on the service are favourable, and we didn’t experience any issues with download speed or upload speeds when watching video, browsing websites or streaming other media to a range of devices. There is also unlimited bandwidth available too.

This coupled with their easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and a decent Amazon Fire TV Stick app makes IPVanish an all-around good service with just a few weaknesses, great for protecting your mobile device.

They also have excellent customer support which is a must-have for any VPN provider. But if you are looking for a best UK VPN solely for streaming, there are better options as IPVanish can unblock BBC iPlayer but is not perfect with many other premium streaming sites even when you are hooked up to a UK server.

But if you want to use a Virtual Private Network to protect your web traffic, then IPVanish is a great UK VPN choice. With an expanding number of servers, a secure encrypted connection is guaranteed. and a no logs privacy policy this VPN company is only going to get better.

5. VyprVPN

VyprVPN has been one of the most highly regarded VPN services for many years, and their commitment to offering a no-log policy has been proven by an audit has won them many fans – ourselves included.

For UK users, this makes them a great choice because you can use their VPN service without fear what you’re doing is being recorded. This allows you to browse the web privately.

Servers are available in the UK, and while they’re not quite the fastest, they are incredibly reliable. I used it for weeks and it never once dropped out.

There are also more than 100 VPN server locations available around the world which allows you to unblock multiple streaming sites. This includes multiple UK server options.

Watching content from the streaming service BBC iPlayer, and ITV won’t be a problem either with this fast and reliable VPN service.

A 30-day money-back guarantee is available which matches the competition and gives you an entire month to test it for a variety of purposes. They also allow you to establish 10 simultaneous connections which is more than all but the most avid internet user will need.

Their dedicated customer support is extremely useful and even have the addition of live chat customer support if you need to speak to a real person. This is a nice touch which we loved as not all VPNs have customer support capable of live chat.

Apps are available for all the most popular devices. The iOS app was particularly good in our tests. But sadly there’s no dedicated Amazon Fire TV app so if you’re a big streamer you’ll need to look elsewhere.

With an outstanding no logs policy, Vypr VPN is one of the best UK VPN services around.

6. Surfshark VPN

Surfshark VPN is relatively young when compared to most others on this list. However, that does not make it any less worthy UK VPN option. In fact, it is one of the best VPN services tested by us this year.

This service has excellent connection speeds, as well as plenty of server locations around the world to let you unblock anything.

It offers a reasonable number of servers, over 3,200 servers in 100 countries. The UK is, of course, one of them, and so are many in the surrounding regions.

Surfshark VPN also offers easy-to-use dedicated apps for many of the most popular devices, mobile devices, and systems, such as iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and even browser extensions.

It claims it has a no-logs policy and stores no user data or user activity, but while parts of the service have been audited, this doesn’t extend to the no-log policy. We are confident from our tests that Surfshark does provide strong privacy online though, as our tests found.

A standout feature of Surfshark VPN is the fact that you can have unlimited simultaneous connections with your VPN subscription. It is one of the few VPN companies to offer this and makes it perfect for families, businesses, and people with plenty of different devices with an internet connection.

They have a built-in Whitelister feature that allows you to give certain apps or sites permission to bypass your VPN via split tunnelling. They also have a built-in kill switch to prevent any of your web traffic personal data from leaking and offer double VPN encryption.

Surfshark VPN is well known for being very compatible with streaming services (one of the best VPNs for video streaming in my opinion) such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.

There aren’t many streaming sites it cannot unblock and its consistent download speeds makes it ideal for streaming. I have used it for exactly this purpose many times and our tests backed up my personal experience.

You can use Surfshark VPN to connect to a US server to access the US Netflix library. It’s packed full of great shows that are only available on Netflix US.

Surfshark VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, just in case you change your mind about using it, so you can try the VPN risk-free. If you have any questions while using their VPN client, their stellar customer support will be able to help you.

If you need a VPN that’s easy to use, has great connection speeds, works well with streaming services such as Netflix, and has great customer support, then Surfshark is one of the best UK VPN services around.

7. VPN.ac

Up next is VPN.ac, a service that offers fewer servers but still a highly effective server network.

It has around 150 servers in 21 countries, which might sound small when compared to the giants of the VPN industry mentioned earlier, but it is more than enough for most people.

Its UK VPN servers are placed in some of the most popular locations for users to unblock all kinds of content. There are over 150 servers in total, which are reliable, some of the fastest we’ve tested and suitable for a variety of reasons.

Further, VPN.ac offers apps for Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS. You can use it on 12 devices with simultaneous connections, which is also pretty good for securing your devices.

It offers a robust 256-bit AES encrypted tunnel to keep all your data secure, and its VPN protocols include the new WireGuard protocol which is excellent.

From a privacy standpoint, VPN.ac is also useful, as it has a reliable no logging policy. It does retain some minor customer connection logs for troubleshooting but for just 24 hours.

Last but not least, it offers a 7-day money-back promise, which is a bit short considering CyberGhost VPN’s offering of a 45-day money-back guarantee; however, the service is one of our favourites, and you probably won’t need to utilise it.

VPN.ac is one of the best UK VPNs and offers one of the most secure services available in the UK right now.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is a service that you can use to keep yourself safe on the internet. This is usually offered in app form.

Once you have a VPN installed on your device, your VPN software will hide your traffic with security protocols (VPN Protocol). A VPN encrypts all your internet traffic making it unreadable. Using their server locations to protect your location and identity.

As such, they also allow you to bypass geo-restrictions and internet censorship, keep your data private from prying eyes and internet providers, and unblock all the content you could ever want.

When you sign up for a VPN, you will usually be able to protect up to five devices at a minimum (often more) which means you can keep all of your devices secure and private with a single subscription.

If you’re interested in learning more, we have a detailed guide on what VPNs are.

How to choose a VPN for Britain

Choosing a VPN for the UK has a few unique requirements because of regulations, monitoring, censorship and a whole host of other reasons.

Knowing the standout features specifically for the UK will help you better choose a VPN service so below we’ve listed four that you should be considering based on our own test results:

Which UK VPN is right for you?

With more than 500 VPN services available to choose from, it’s hard to select just one UK VPN. If you want to choose one of the best VPNs it can feel even harder.

That’s why we’ve slimmed this list down to the top seven options based on our extensive testing. However, even with seven, you may still be a little undecided.

While all seven are excellent for use in the UK there may be one that is most suitable for your personal needs which is why we’ve broken it down into typical usage scenarios.

If you’re still confused, take a look at the usage scenarios below to pick the one that closest matches your needs. If you want a direct VPN comparison for UK users, here’s a quick summary of which provider suits which purpose:

Why do UK users need a VPN?

Using a VPN regardless of which country you’re in is essential these days for a range of reasons. The most obvious is the slow erosion of online privacy, but there are plenty of other pressing reasons having a VPN is good practice.

The UK has some very good causes why you should be making use of a UK VPN to protect your connection which include:

Is using a VPN illegal in the UK?

No, using a VPN is entirely legal in the UK.

There are no laws against protecting the privacy of your internet usage. Nor against using encryption which is how a VPN protects you.

Encryption is also how websites such as your bank manage to secure your connection.

VPN systems are used by hundreds of thousands of businesses daily and millions of individuals as a way of staying safe online.

So using any of the 7 VPNs mentioned above is perfectly legal and will help you stay protected.

Is there a free VPN to use?

We don’t recommend free Virtual Private Networks like Hotspot Shield for several reasons.

Most importantly, free VPNs are a security risk. There have been numerous reports about free VPN services selling access to your data or usage.

They sometimes give other users access to your IP address which can land you in trouble. Hotspot Shield is just one of the providers to have been embroiled in such controversy.

Free VPNs also have questionable ownership which can be in countries like China that have very few laws to protect the privacy of your data. This puts free users at risk as your identifiable user data can be shared with third parties.

There have even been reports of free VPNs that aren’t actually VPNs at all and are instead malware.

If you managed to find a reliable free VPN (which is incredibly tricky) then you would discover they’ve got slow internet speeds, poor connections, and don’t tend to work as you would expect. A free VPN will usually not offer a service anything like on the level of a premium service.

To add insult to injury, most free VPNs won’t work with major streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or any other streaming services. We have tested multiple free VPNs on this and the results were universally negative.

Essentially, there is no such thing as a “best free VPN”.

Avoid the likes of Hotspot Shield, and if your budget cannot stretch to a couple of pounds a month needed to subscribe to one of the premium VPNs above, we recommend you take a look at the limited but reliable free version of Proton VPN.

If you absolutely need a free UK VPN, that’s the one to choose.

What is the best VPN for UK TV streaming?

To stay secure while watching TV services or accessing UK TV from abroad picking the correct VPN can be difficult.

Not all work with UK TV services and while some work with specific services, they often don’t work with them all.

Through our extensive testing, we’ve found both ExpressVPN and NordVPN to be the best options. They’ve been the most reliable for UK TV, have the best number of servers in the UK, and they unlock the greatest number of services such as BBC iPlayer.

They also work well with the streaming service Netflix and many other streaming platforms.

Either of them make good choices for watching UK TV.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best VPN to use in the UK?

Based on our testing, ExpressVPN is the best VPN to use in the UK right now. It delivers on every front including privacy, speed, and streaming. NordVPN is the best alternative if you want strong performance at a lower price point, making it the best value British VPN option for most users.

Which VPN is best for UK streaming?

For the best VPN for UK streaming, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the two providers we consistently recommend. Both unblock BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Sky Go, and BT Sport reliably. If you’re after the best VPN for UK TV specifically, these two have the strongest track record in our tests with all major British services.

What is the safest VPN for UK users?

ExpressVPN and VyprVPN are the safest choices for UK users. Both carry independently audited no-log policies. ExpressVPN’s offshore registration in the British Virgin Islands also places it outside the reach of UK surveillance legislation, which is an important consideration given the Investigatory Powers Act.

How do I compare VPN prices in the UK?

All seven providers above offer much better value when paid annually rather than monthly. For the best VPN deals in the UK, NordVPN and Surfshark are consistently the most competitively priced. CyberGhost VPN’s 45-day money-back guarantee gives you the longest window to run your own VPN comparison before committing.

In Summary: A quick round-up

Recap of Top 7 VPNs for the UK

In this guide, we have outlined seven excellent VPNs that offer everything that VPN users in the UK need. That list in full is:

1. ExpressVPN
2. NordVPN
3. CyberGhost VPN
4. IPVanish
5. VyprVPN
6. Surfshark
7. VPN.ac

Whichever of the VPNs you end up choosing you can’t go wrong because they’re seven of the most reliable VPN services for the UK this year.

All offer a great price and can deliver the security, privacy, and unblocking that you need. But there is one clear service that is the best of all these VPN providers for UK users.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a VPN

Choosing the best VPN in the UK for you will depend on exactly what you are going to use it for but some of the factors you should consider when making your choice include:

• Security provisions
• Privacy and the no logs policy
• Apps – are they available for the devices you use?
• Servers – are they located where you need them?
• Speeds – Can your VPN deliver what you need?
• Features – Does your VPN do everything you need of it?
• Price – Is your VPN available at price you can afford?

Our Top Pick for the Best VPN for the UK

The best VPN for the UK right now is ExpressVPN.

Why ExpressVPN? Frankly, because they are able to offer everything that a VPN user in the UK needs including:

• The perfect balance of privacy protections
• TV unblocking (think BBC iPlayer)
• An excellent range of apps that are easy to use
• An extensive range of server locations across the UK and plenty of nearby locations; and
• You can try them risk-free using their 30-day money-back guarantee.

We recommend signing up for their 1-year package because it’s almost 50% cheaper than paying every month and they’re giving you 3 months free right now which isn’t to be missed.

For most people, ExpressVPN will tick all the boxes. It certainly did for us.

References

1. The Telegraph | The best VPNs to protect your data, browser, iPhone, Android and more
2. NCA | Cyber crime
3. Metropolitan Police | Little Book of Cyber Scams

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