The best VPNs for securely watching sport online

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By Mashable Team

Aug. 10, 2022

The best VPNs for securely watching sport online

NordVPN

Best For Security

One of the most popular services for securing your online activities.

Pros & Cons

PureVPN

Best For Globetrotters

PureVPN is a strong option with a diverse selection of servers that should appeal to those that travel far and wide.

Pros & Cons

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Newbies

CyberGhost combines usability with unique tools and powerful features.

Pros & Cons

ExpressVPN

Best For Streaming

Strong distribution of servers and a slick interface make up for higher price.

Pros & Cons

Surfshark

Best For Multiple Devices

Surfshark offers an unlimited number of simultaneous connections to you can securely stream on all your devices.

Pros & Cons

Sport dominates the lives of millions of people around the world, and fortunately most of it is available to watch on one platform or another. That is unless you are abroad.

If you are travelling, you might find yourself blocked by your favourite streaming platforms. If you want to keep up to speed with all the action when abroad, you need to invest in a VPN. A VPN relocates your IP address back home and bypasses those pesky geographical restrictions. This means that you don't need to put your security at risk with some sketchy stream that regularly cuts out and fills your screen with risqué adverts.

What is a VPN?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide protection for your data and identity when you're online by creating a private network that hides your real IP address. This means that all of your activity is untraceable and secure. Try thinking about VPNs as encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware.

Are there free VPNs?

Yes, there are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs out there, plus free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. Alternatively, you can pay for a VPN. So which option is best for you and your lifestyle?

You get what you pay for with VPNs. There tends to always be a catch with free versions, and it's normally in the form of limited data usage. If you're just an occasional user, these plans will work fine. But if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials are a little bit different: they come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.

How do you watch sport with a VPN?

All you need to do is open your VPN of choice, connect to a secure server located back home, and enjoy undisturbed coverage of your preferred sport platform. It's that easy. The only difficult aspect is actually selecting a VPN service to use. That's because there are so many great services out there, offering different sets of features that will suit some users more than others.

What is the best VPN for sport?

A VPN could provide access to games that would usually be out of reach. We have made choosing a service as easy as possible. We have tracked down the best VPNs for speed, security, simplicity, and much more, so you can make an informed decision.

These are the best VPNs for watching sport in 2022.

NordVPN

Best For Security

The good

Money-back guarantee Number of servers No ads

The Bad

On the pricier side

The Bottomline

One of the most popular services on the market, due to large number of servers and high degree of privacy.

Specs

1 year plan: £5.35/month
1-year plan: £3.64/month
2 year plan: £3.05/month
2-year plan: £2.91/month
3 year plan: £2.29/month
Annual plan: $4.99/month (billed $59.88 for your first two years, then $99.48/year thereafter)
Monthly: £10.39/month
Monthly (Complete plan): $14.19/month
Monthly (Plus plan): $12.89/month
Monthly (Standard plan): $11.99/month
Monthly plan: $11.99/month
One year: £5.66/month
One-year plan: £3.99/month
Three-year plan: £2.82/month
Two years: £4.04/month
Two-year plan: £3.19/month

NordVPN is one of the most popular services for securing your online activities. NordVPN now has almost 5000 servers around the world, making it one of the largest services in the world, too.

Privacy is a major issue when it comes to VPNs, and NordVPN makes all the right noises about keeping your information private. NordVPN states that the company does not insert ads into your web traffic, and doesn’t profit from the sale of user data. On top of that, NordVPN only collects aggregated app-crash statistics and voluntary diagnostic data, meaning that the service doesn’t collect any personally identifiable information. Good news.

NordVPN is consistent across every platform on which it's offered, and includes ad blocking as an added bonus. You can also connect up to six devices at the same time.

Even if NordVPN doesn’t work out for you, they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you are completely covered either way. You can either be impressed with the service, and continue with your plan, or — if you don’t like what NordVPN offers — you can get out for free.

PureVPN

Best For Globetrotters

The good

Strong network of servers Dedicated IP

The Bad

Not the absolute fastest

The Bottomline

Not the fastest service but a solid all-around option for those that want a VPN without any major weaknesses that would get in the way of your movie marathon

Specs

1-year plan: £4.25/month
2-year plan: 2.46/month
Monthly: £8.37/month
Monthly plan: £8.30/month
One-year: £2/month
One-year plan: £2.86/month
Two-year plan: £1.75/month

When looking for a VPN that will keep you connected to all the content that the Fire Stick potentially provides, Pure VPN ticks an awful lot of boxes.

PureVPN has a strong network of geographically diverse servers, a dedicated IP, and a strong privacy policy. So the key message is that this VPN boasts an outstanding network of international servers so you can keep watching your favourite series wherever you may be. Ideal for those that get around the globe.

It isn't all perfect. PureVPN is not the fastest VPN out there, but it is faster than most, and is definitely fast enough for most users to stay connected and enjoy the Fire Stick content buffer-free.

Overall, PureVPN is a serious option for anyone wanting to enjoy all of Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and Netflix, without being blocked. It's one of the best VPNs thanks to its mix of competitive performance, polished design, and diverse server locations.

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Newbies

The good

Easy to use Good value No restrictions on browsing Generous money-back guarantee

The Bad

No free version Not as many servers as NordVPN

The Bottomline

CyberGhost could be the best option if you're new to the VPN game, and want an easy to use service with a strong set of features.

Specs

1 year plan: £4.59/month
1-year plan: £3.45/month
2 year plan: £3.09/month
2-year plan: £2.98/month
3 year plan: £2.10/month
3-year plan: £1.59/month
Free trial on Android: Three days
Free trial on iOS: Seven days
Free trial on Mac: 24 hours
Free trial on Windows: 24 hours
Jurisdiction: Romania
Kill switch: Yes
Money-back guarantee: Yes (14 days with monthly plans, 45 days with long-term plans, ); free 24-hour trial
Monthly: £10.89/month
Monthly plan: $12.99/month
Most recent external audit: 2022
Network size: Over 9,100 servers in 91 countries
One-year plan: $4.29/month (billed $51.48 every year)
Pricing: $2.11-$12.99/month
Simultaneous connections: 7
Six-month plan: £6.19/month
Split tunneling: Yes, but only for Android
Support options: Live chat, online support center
Three-year plan: £2.10/month
Three-year plan 3 months: $2.29/month (billed $89.31 every three years)
Three-year plan three months for free: £1.59 per month
Two-year plan: £1.92/month

CyberGhost is a VPN that combines a lot of the essentials that you want from a service. It’s available in loads of locations, it’s not restrictive, and it’s discreet. CyberGhost hosts over 4500 servers in 90 locations across over 60 different countries. This makes CyberGhost a preferred VPN for those that travel the world for business or pleasure. It doesn't place restrictions on browsing habits, so users benefit from unlimited traffic and bandwidth. CyberGhost utilises 256-AES bit encryption to protect your payment info from cyber-criminals and hide your browsing data from ISPs. So you can rest assured that your sensitive data is secure. CyberGhost is one of the leading VPNs because it is able to combine usability with unique tools and powerful features, as well as a privacy policy that protects customers. In a nutshell, it does what a VPN should, without the unnecessary frills that sometimes populate other services. There is not a free service, but CyberGhost can usually be picked up for just £2.10 a month, depending on what deal is being offered. If the price is currently too high for you, then chances are CyberGhost will offer a special discounted price soon enough. If you do take the plunge on CyberGhost, then rest assured that, just like NordVPN, you do get a 45-day money back guarantee.

ExpressVPN

Best For Streaming

The good

Servers in China, Russia, and Turkey Lots of servers Multi-device support Money-back guarantee

The Bad

Relatively expensive Only three simultaneous connections

The Bottomline

It might be on the pricey side, but ExpressVPN offers a selection of high-end features to keep you protected.

Specs

15 month plan: £5.24/month
15-month plan: £5.25/month
6 month plan: £7.85/month
6-month plan: £7.44/month
Annual plan: $8.32/month (billed $99.95 every 12 months)
Free trial on Android: Seven days
Free trial on iOS: Seven days
Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
Kill switch: Yes ("Network Lock")
Money-back guarantee: Yes (30 days)
Monthly: £10.19/month
Monthly plan: $12.95/month
Most recent external audit: 2022
Network size: 94 countries
One-year plan: £5.05/month
One-year plan three months for free: £5.13 per month
Pricing: $6.67-$12.95/month
Simultaneous connections: 5
Six-month plan: £7.86/month
Split tunneling: Yes
Support options: 24/7 live chat, email, online support center

ExpressVPN is relatively expensive compared to its competitors, so is it worth the extra cost? Well it has a really strong distribution of servers and a slick interface, plus it allows BitTorrent and other P2P services — so maybe, yes. ExpressVPN has over 1,000 servers in 145 locations, covering 94 countries. This list includes China, Russia, and Turkey, three countries that have notably repressive control over the internet. So that’s a pretty impressive feather in their hat. It’s not all good news, though; ExpressVPN does limit you to three simultaneous connections from different devices. Other services generally offer slightly more than this. However, three connections is probably plenty for one user. If you are using a VPN for a household, though, then another service may be better suited. ExpressVPN has all the essentials covered. This service includes multi-device support, a lot of servers, good geographic distribution, BitTorrent support, and a nice interface. It is however a little more expensive than some, at around £10 a month (or around £5 if you commit to 15 months), and it doesn't offer nearly as many simultaneous connections as cheaper alternatives. It’s a strong VPN, so the extra cost may be worthwhile. There is no free trial available, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee. So once again, you are protected against disappointment.

Surfshark

Best For Multiple Devices

The good

Unlimited number of connections User-friendly interface Cheap if you commit

The Bad

Pricey if you can't commit to a two-year deal

The Bottomline

User-friendly VPN that lets you stream on all your devices at the same time.

Specs

Monthly: £9.90/month
One month: $12.95
One year: $3.99/month
One-year plan: £3.05/month
Six-month plan: £4.75/month
Two years: $2.30/month
Two-year plan: £1.76/month
Two-year plan three months for free: £1.64 per month

Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for streaming and large households, as you can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously with the same plan. Surfshark also offers a wide range of impressive features including split tunnelling and enterprise-grade infrastructure, with a 30-day money-back guarantee meaning you can access everything for free. Just don't forget to cancel your subscription if you're using this method. If you choose to commit to Surfshark, the best rates are reserved for the longest contracts. If you're willing to commit to a longer contract, the monthly rate comes down sharply.

Topics: Animals, VPN (Virtual Private Networks), ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, NordVPN, PureVPN, Surfshark