Whether you line in the United States or want to use a US IP address to gain access to services like Netflix and Hulu from abroad, a VPN can help. Even those inside the US can benefit from connecting to a VPN server in the states. You can protect your privacy and unblock geo-restrictions with a VPN. This is especially useful for sports fans since MLB and NFL games are often plagued by blackout restrictions.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
We considered over 50 VPN services to determine the best choice for the US. They are all quite different and will fit the needs of a diverse range of users. Those who want the fastest VPN to access streaming services and live sports in the US should consider ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
We prefer ExpressVPN since they offer a MediaStreamer feature for faster access to US content. They all do a great job of protecting user privacy on public WiFi networks and are popular among torrent fans. PIA and IPVanish are based in the United States. This is good for streaming but if privacy is your primary goal then you might want to use a VPN located offshore. Here are some of the best VPNs for the US.
Protect your online privacy
Until the Snowden revelations, most people were more familiar with using VPNs in an office setting. Over the last few years, more light has been shed on the surveillance being done by governments around the world. This is certainly true in the United States with government surveillance from agencies like the CIA.
These agencies gather information from millions of foreigners and Americans. This has led to a new age of privacy awareness. Companies like Apple have taken a stand on encryption and you can do the same by using a VPN to protect yourself from prying eyes. Encrypting your connection will protect your data.
Most people still don’t think about the risks of using public WiFi networks without a VPN. It is very easy to intercept communications on open networks and you are at risk unless you protect yourself. Connecting to a VPN server in the United States will encrypt your traffic. We suggest connecting to the closest server location to minimize any performance loss. Your traffic will pass through an encrypted tunnel which will stop your ISP and other prying eyes from snooping on your activities.
High-speed internet is available in most of the country, and many establishments and national chains offer free WiFi to their customers. If you will be using the internet for whatever reason, you will want to protect your privacy with a VPN. As with any large area, cybercrime is a growing issue in large cities across the United States.
In fact, the mayor of New York City has announced that they plan to roll out public cybersecurity tools to help keep residents from getting hacked. When you use a VPN, you create a secure and encrypted connection to the server of your choice. That makes it much more difficult for criminals to steal your vulnerable data.
Watch your favorite streaming service
The use of virtual private networks (VPN) grew significantly when users realized it could help them gain access to streaming services in other regions. For example, those outside the United States can connect to a US VPN server to access services like Netflix and Hulu. The list goes on and on. Once you have an American IP address you can freely browse the web as if you were sitting in a coffee shop in NYC or whichever city you chose.
The same is true for Americans traveling outside the country. If you have ever traveled internationally then you know the frustration of losing access to your favorite content. The first time you realize you don’t have access to the same Netflix content or can’t watch shows on Hulu the reality sets in.
A lot of media companies place restrictions on the content you can watch based on your location. Most of the time they look at your IP address. By connecting to a US VPN server you can enjoy you’re favorite shows and movies from anywhere in the world.
Unblock live sporting events
Sports fans are often amazed by how much a VPN can help them keep up with their favorite teams. For starters, you can watch coverage of events in other countries. Connect to a server in the US for ESPN, CBS, NBC, and other American channels.
Switch to a VPN server in the UK for BBC coverage of F1. Slide on over to India and watch the English Premier League on Hotstar. You get the idea. A VPN will let you change geographic regions. It will also assist you in streaming local sporting events.
Sports fans are hampered by geo-restrictions no matter where they live. This is even true when you’re favorite team is in the same town or region. Media agreements lead to blackout restrictions for local games. This means that if you live in Atlanta and subscribe to MLB.tv you can still expect to be blocked from watching the Braves play home games.
This can be quite frustrating. Fortunately connecting to a VPN server in another region of the US can help you avoid blackout restrictions. The same is true for NFL Game Pass, where connecting to Canada or Mexico can help you get around blackouts.
What makes a VPN good to use in the USA?
Our list of the best VPNs for the United States is based on the following criteria:
- Speed tests performed in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago
- Tested the reliability of each VPN network for streaming HD content
- Success unblocking restrictions for channels and live sporting events
- Strong encryption and DNS leak protection, and kill switch for privacy
- We give preference to providers who do not keep usage logs
- Responsive customer support with live chat to answer any questions
Without further delay, here is a list of the best VPN services to use in the USA:
1. Best VPN for USA: ExpressVPN
Get 3 months free with 12 months of our #1 rated VPN
Since ExpressVPN offers browser extensions for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, they have also included several privacy features to help protect you. That includes re-routing you to a more secure version of the website you entered, location spoofing so that your browser will match the IP address of the area you select, and WebRTC blocking. If you connect to a VPN without this feature, websites can still see where you are. Of course, you could always get another extension to resolve the issue, but having it inclusive is better.
With servers on every continent except Antarctica, ExpressVPN operates 160 server locations in 94 countries. That means they have one of the largest VPN networks, and they have a presence in almost half the counties in the world. While the service may be more expensive than some of its competitors, you get a premium VPN dedicated to privacy (ExpressVPN keeps no activity logs, so your browsing is kept private) with some of the fastest speeds, apps for every device, and 24/7 customer support to help troubleshoot any issues.
ExpressVPN is the #1 rated VPN on our site. We have had the opportunity to compare hundreds of VPN services over the years and ExpressvPN is our favorite. Whether you want to protect your privacy on WiFi networks or unblock streaming services in other countries, ExpressVPN is a good choice. Best of all, you can sign up for 12 months of unlimited VPN access and get 3 months free during our current promotion. The ExpressVPN 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to test the service.
2. Best VPN for USA: NordVPN
One of the more uncommon features that NordVPN offers is what they refer to as a double VPN. Many experts in the community refer to this type of connection as “multi-hop.” Even though it will slow your connection, it adds a second layer of encryption to your traffic. In other words, it will encrypt your data a second time using a different location. If you are concerned that a single layer of encryption is not enough and you want extra security, NordVPN has you covered.
If you are a gamer, there are some advantages to connecting to a NordVPN server. One of the biggest ones will help you avoid lag. If you connect to one of the busier game servers, increased latency can be an issue. With NordVPN, though, you could be assigned to a less active server or make the distance shorter between you and the game server. Either one of those things could make a difference, whether you are a competitive player or one that plays more casually.
3. Best VPN for USA: PIA
If you are not aware, one of the big reasons to connect to a VPN server from Private Internet Access is to help you gain access to content from other regions. Whether you want to watch one of the great shows from the BBC, CBC, or some of the other excellent networks around the world, all you have to do is connect to a VPN. Then, simply pick a server in the area you wish to see. That will make the blocking software assume that you are in the correct region.
If you are a fan of mixed martial arts (MMA), you may have noticed that Private Internet Access sponsors some of the fighters. Of course, they sponsor other things as well. They have long been popular in the sports market, giving users the ability to watch sports in various parts of the world. Whether you want to watch new events or are traveling overseas, connecting to a VPN is a good idea. That will help you get around any potential viewing issues you may have.
4. Best VPN for USA: CyberGhost
For everyone that lives in larger cities and has cut the cord, watching your favorite team sports online can cause a problem unless you connect to a VPN server via CyberGhost. If your favorite team is in the city you live in, licensing rights may stop you from seeing it online. The trick is to connect to a VPN server in another region. By doing so, the blocking software will let you view your favorite sports online no matter what city you visit or call home.
You will need to connect to one of CyberGhost’s optimized servers in order to unblock content. Here is a full list of streaming services CyberGhost will help you unblock in the United States: Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, YouTube TV, Crunchyroll, HBO Now, Sling TV, YouTube Red, ESPN+, Spotify, CBS, Comedy Central, Pandora, NBC, ESPN, Fox, Disney+.
While VPNs are great, there are times when you may need to protect yourself more accurately with a dedicated IP address. Of course, CyberGhost gives you the option to use one. There are several benefits to doing so. That includes avoiding blacklisting (because reckless people can get the service’s IP address banned), avoiding Captchas (because sites will notice multiple logins from the same IP address), allowing banking transactions, and more. Unlike other companies that offer a dedicated IP, CyberGhost seems to provide it for all seven devices.
5. Best VPN for USA: IPVanish
IPVanish includes a nice addon called SugarSync cloud storage with their VPN service. While they are not the only ones to offer that type of benefit for their users, they were one of the first. It provides you with 250 GB of free cloud storage space. No matter what items you choose to store, it will help you make sure that you do not lose any non-replaceable documents, images, or files that you want to keep safe. That way, when something happens to your phone or computer, you don’t have to worry.
No matter where you are in the world, sports leagues like the English Premier League are well known. If you are a fan of any of the teams in the league like Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or others, you know that trying to watch them outside the UK can be difficult. The way to be able to view your favorite team is to connect to a VPN server located in the UK from IPVanish. After you connect, log on to your viewing app with your credentials, and you will be all set.
