The city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a total of 305k people in the city limits. However, the metropolitan area is home to 2.3 million residents. Pittsburgh has two different nicknames, is known for quite a few things, and there are many reasons to visit the Rust Belt City. If you are going to take a trip to Steel Town and plan to use public WiFi, be sure to connect to a VPN first. You can also use a VPN to unblock geo-restrictions to enjoy your favorite sports teams. Here’s a look at some of the best VPNs for Pittsburgh.
| Rank | VPN Service | Price | Visit | Server Locations | No Logs | Browser Extensions | Smart DNS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | $6.67 |  | 160 |  | | |
| 2 |  | $3.49 | | 87 | | | |
| 3 |  | $2.19 | | 95 | | | |
| 4 |  | $3.99 | | 73 | | ||
| 5 |  | $1.99 | | 58 | |
Pittsburgh only has three of the five top-tier types of sports teams. These include the Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB), Steelers (NFL), and the Penguins (NHL). Throughout the years, the teams have enjoyed popularity. Whether it was because of Mean Joe Green with the Steelers, Mario Lemieux with the Penguins, or Willie Stargell with the Pirates, the Pittsburgh teams have a big following worldwide. Luckily, you can enjoy all the games online as long as you are not in the city. For those that are fans and in Pittsburgh, licensing rights will stop you from watching online. By connecting to a VPN server in a different region, you can appear to be “out-of-market.” That way, you can enjoy the games you want to see, even if you are in the Burgh.
Pittsburgh has its share of indoor gatherings, at least during regular times. These include Momento Con, World of Wheels, Steel City Con, the Tekko Japanese Pop Culture Convention, and more. No matter what your flavor is, the city has something for everyone. If you are attending one of the many conventions there, you know that WiFi is everywhere. From local restaurants to the floor of the convention hall, connecting to a free network is standard. The problem is, some take advantage of all the traffic. You can keep yourself safe, though, by connecting to a VPN. Because of the encryption, you can enjoy your favorites and not have to worry about everything.
Steel City has terrific festivals. Some of the biggest ones are the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, the International Jazz Festival, Barrel and Flow Fest, and more. These events draw in people from all over, providing an excellent boost to the local economy. Since most do not carry on through the night, though, these multi-day events will provide you with some downtime at night. If you are like most, streaming is a common way to unwind from the day’s activities. Whether you are an international traveler or want to check out content from other areas, using a VPN will help you explore shows and movies you would not be able to see without one. Connect to a VPN in the desired region, and you are all set.
What is the best VPN for Pittsburgh?
Our list of the best VPNs for Pittsburgh is based on the following criteria:
- Fast VPN servers in New York City that perform well in Pittsburgh.
- Reliability of each VPN network for streaming HD content
- Strong encryption for those focused on privacy protection
- We give preference to providers who do not keep usage logs
- The ability to unblock restrictions for channels and live sporting events
- Mobile apps and streaming support for Amazon Firestick users
Without further delay, here is a list of the best VPN services for Pittsburgh:
1. ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN in the region
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ExpressVPN offers browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers in addition to its list of VPN apps. The custom apps support Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. They also offer a MediaStreamer feature. That is relatively rare in the community, but it can be beneficial, depending on your online activities. Coupled with their split tunneling feature, you can easily choose the apps or browsers you want to filter through your VPN connection. Split tunneling is a feature that many providers do not offer, but it can really be helpful.
If you play games online, you may have heard about Distributive Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Those are attacks that can put a stop to your gaming experience in a hurry. However, the way around that is to connect to a VPN server. By doing so, you can get around those types of attacks because it changes your IP address. Whether you play competitively or casually, you have better things to concentrate on than not being able to compete in your favorite game.
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.
Want to learn more? Read our full ExpressVPN review.
2. NordVPN – hosts servers near Pittsburgh in NYC
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.
With over 5100 servers located in 59 countries, NordVPN has a massive network. That is an excellent thing if you are trying to make sure you get high speeds. Of course, encryption overhead can quickly slow down your connection. They have you covered no matter what you plan on doing while using it. NordVPN does well to offer you the best possible speeds so you can enjoy the positive benefits of connecting to a VPN.
Want to learn more? Read our full NordVPN review.
3. Private Internet Access – US-based VPN with a large network
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.
If you are a gamer and you play match-based games, connecting to a VPN with Private Internet Access is a good idea. That is because most of the time, the gaming companies assign you to a server in a specific area. The way to change your area is to connect to a VPN in a different and less busy area. By doing so, you do not have to contend with many of the elements that would cause you to lag. That can be a significant benefit whether you are playing casually or competitively.
Want to learn more? Read our full Private Internet Access review.
4. IPVanish – custom VPN app for Firestick devices
If you are worried about protecting your online activities, IPVanish has you covered. Despite being located in the United States, the company has a no-logs policy. That means they do not keep logs or records of activity history. By not doing so, they do not have data to share when requests for that information come in. If you, too, believe that the internet should be open and free of censorship or prying eyes of governments, you can’t go wrong by choosing IPVanish as your VPN provider.
If you are like most gamers, you are aware that lag can cause big problems. Sometimes, that can be a result of a busy game server or a congested network. By connecting to a VPN like IPVanish, you can help stop that from happening. What that will do is re-route your gaming traffic to a less populated server. Doing so may help you get a better experience so that you can enjoy your favorite games. That could make the difference between winning the match, or losing it.
Want to learn more? Read our full IPVanish review.
5. PrivadoVPN – Socks5 proxy feature and P2P support
PrivadoVPN offers end-to-end encryption. When they send the data through their network, it is encrypted at the point of origin. It then continues encrypted through a tunnel and not decrypted until it reaches the destination computer. That prevents IP leaking, sniffing, and other ways of spying on communications in transit. In addition, their network uses the most trusted VPN protocols so you can be sure your communications are secure.
One of the great things you can do with PrivadoVPN is gain access to blocked content from other countries. Whether you are traveling abroad or want to discover content from other areas, PrivadoVPN makes it easy. If you are familiar with the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), you know that they offer great programming. Unfortunately, it is only available in the UK. To resolve those issues, you need to connect to a VPN in the UK. By doing so, you can gain access to your favorite shows and movies, discover new ones, or look for other options.
Want to learn more? Read our full PrivadoVPN review.
