Etsy is an American online retailer of handmade goods, vintage items, and supplies. Some of the categories you can expect to find there include jewelry, clothing, furniture, art, toys, and more. Robert Kalin founded the site with his childhood friend Chris Maguire in 2005. It is now one of America’s largest e-commerce websites. If you are going to use Etsy, we suggest you connect to a VPN to protect your privacy and unblock restrictions. We’ll tell you more about why in a moment. First, let’s look at our list of the best VPNs for Etsy.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 118 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 145 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 125 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 140 | |
According to the company’s records, it has more than 40 million members in over 150 countries. It provides a platform for small businesses across the United States to sell their products online; its headquarters are located in Brooklyn, New York. The company generates revenue through listing fees (initially $0.20 per item) and transaction fees (initially 3%, later changed to 5%). A portion of these fees goes towards supporting entrepreneurship programs worldwide through their charitable organization. You can either buy or craft handmade items or craft them from independent retailers on the site. Some stores are run by Etsy as well, which include a pre-selected and changing assortment of items (such as cards and wrap).
Why Use a VPN for Etsy?
With more than 40 million buyers on the site, you should use a VPN with Etsy because it is effortless to get hacked. That could happen through a man in the middle attack when using public WiFi networks. Also watch out for phishing attacks, where the hacker sends you an email containing malware or some other sort of virus. These can do things like capturing your usernames and passwords. A good way to protect yourself from hackers while using Etsy is by using a virtual private network (VPN). By running your VPN software while browsing the website, it will encrypt and hide your important data away from any potential hackers.
As we mentioned, Etsy is available in more than 150 countries. That means, however, that it is not available everywhere. One of the major countries that ban is Russia. That means if you are visiting the country or are in one of the other countries that ban it, you need to connect to a VPN. Doing so will help you get around those kinds of blocks that you are sure to run into.
Things to Look for When Choosing a VPN
There are several questions you need to ask to help you choose the best option.
- Does the VPN have a large network? Though most countries allow Etsy, not all of them do. If the provider has a large network, you can connect to a VPN server in a close country. That will help improve the speed of the site.
- Does the provider have solid encryption protocols? – It is not hard to get hacked with Etsy, and as we stated above, hackers can steal your information. You want to look for protocols like IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard (or variations of them).
- Will the VPN help you get around censorship? – Even though it may seem strange that any country would block a shopping site, it does happen. If the VPN can’t get you past those restrictions, it does not matter how fast or secure the provider is. You’ll get stopped cold if it does not work for that purpose.
Now let’s take a closer look at some of the best VPNs to use with Etsy:
1. Best VPN for Etsy: ExpressVPN
Get 3 months free with 12 months of our #1 rated VPN
One of the advantages of using ExpressVPN while gaming has to do with lag. Of course, that deals specifically with games that are competitive or busy. If you are playing a game like Fortnite or any of the others, you know that this style of games are massive and have large numbers of people playing. Using a VPN will create a different path to the gaming server you log which can help. That way, you can focus on the actual game instead of death by lag.
No matter what type of device you prefer, ExpressVPN has you covered with apps or setup instructions for your favorite ones. That includes easy to use apps for Windows, Mac OSX, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Linux. If you are one of the people that want to protect their other devices, there are convenient setup guides to protect your router, smart TV, or even your favorite gaming console. Be sure to check the website so you can configure all of your devices to work with the right VPN server address.
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 Etsy: NordVPN
While NordVPN isn’t the oldest player in the VPN community, they have certainly made a splash in the space. They are very popular, and the company took its name from the Nordic ideals of trust, confidence, and innovation. Since their founding in 2012, you can not visit any type of media without seeing an advertisement of some sort. They mention that they have 12 million users worldwide. Given that, you are in great hands if you choose NordVPN. They manage a large network to help meet your goals for using a VPN.
If you play one of the many games that are available through an internet browser, we suggest that you connect to a VPN server by using NordVPN. While browser games are fun, you may have noticed that they can sometimes take a while to load. Often, that is because of the processes or ads that are trying to load on the page. Some companies even create free games to spread their malware. By turning on the NordVPN CyberSec feature, however, you can block annoying ads and potentially avoid malware that could cause harm.
3. Best VPN for Etsy: PIA
As far as privacy goes, Private Internet Access supports five different encryption protocols. Those include OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPSEC/L2TP, PPTP, and the SOCKS5 (proxy). While there are arguments to be made for using each type of encryption, the best option is to use OpenVPN. That is because it provides the best mix of privacy and speed. WireGuard is a relative newcomer, and some people are afraid to try the protocol. Of course, there are set up guides for each type of connection on their website.
Setting up your Private Internet Access account is easy to do. The company is a well-established brand and has been in the VPN community for a long time. Gone are the days when setting up a VPN was involved, and only a computer person could handle it easily. These days, if you need help setting up your connections or have questions, there are a few different options you have. Those include their knowledgebase, extensive guides, and even a 24/7 customer service team to help you in your time of need.
4. Best VPN for Etsy: CyberGhost
Some countries have streaming services that are specific to that country. For example, if you want to watch HBO Now outside the US, Hulu outside the US, Stan outside Australia, or others, you need to connect to a VPN server in that region. Of course, there are excellent streaming services all over the world. We do not feel that you should have to miss out on them, simply because of where you are. Fortunately, the way around that is to connect to a CyberGhost VPN server located in the area you want to see. Then, you should be able to enjoy your favorite streaming services no matter where they are.
For gamers, one of the best ways to help you avoid lag is to connect to a VPN like CyberGhost. Unfortunately, lag can quickly become a big deal. When you connect to a VPN, you will create an alternative path to the game server. By doing so, you lessen the distance between your connection and the game server. That way, you will be able to reduce lag. No matter whether you play casually or more competitively, it is hard to deny the benefits of CyberGhost.
5. Best VPN for Etsy: IPVanish
If you like to travel abroad, you may quickly notice that your favorite streaming service is not available. For those that want to watch international services like Netflix, you may see that you are not able to access some of your favorite content. Of course, that is why you would want to connect to IPVanish. When you do, you can connect to a server in your home region or find another one to watch in. No matter what you choose, you can’t go wrong with IPVanish.
IPVanish operates more than 1400 servers located in 75+ different places. While that may not be as many as some, you can bet that they have them where it counts. If you are not aware, encryption overhead can slow down your internet connection. However, we can tell you the service is fast and performs very well in the United States. That means that no matter what you choose to do while on the network, you won’t have to worry about issues with performance.
