YouTube has been blocked many times, in way more places than an average person knows. The list is so long that it’s best to check out the complete YouTube censorship history on Wikipedia and not mention it here itself. Anyways, here’s a fact to show the significance of YouTube for millennials: And here’s another one to emphasize YouTube: Conclusively, it’s nothing less than a crime to take-away YouTube from people. But not just whole, sometimes you may be partially censored based on your geographical location, like this: Fret not. We’ve got you covered with YouTube VPNs in case such misfortunes fall upon you. But first, you should know:
What is a VPN?
VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. It protects your IP address and lets you stay safe on Public WiFi. And for the entertainment-deprived countries, it’s a gateway to unlock restricted websites like YouTube and access streaming platforms like Netflix. Watch this for a more detailed explanation:
While streaming sites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, etc., go all guns blazing to protect their location-specific content, YouTube is cool about that. So, it’s easier to unblock YouTube if you’re using the right VPN. So take note of these VPNs to stay tuned with YouTube irrespective of the place you live or visit. Notably, almost all VPNs come with some standard features like:
AES 256-bit encryption No-logs policy Streaming optimized servers
So, I won’t be repeating these things with every VPN. Instead, I’ll flag you right away if any product misses these industry-standard attributes. Please note, this list is not in any particular order. Let’s fire up.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is based out of Switzerland and has over 1500 servers in over 60 countries worldwide. This VPN provider’s apps are open-source and available for public scrutiny & audit. Its worldwide network of servers ensures global content availability. Proton VPN has subscription plans based on the server location, network speed, and the number of VPN connections. Its paid plans start from USD 4 per month and come preloaded with Netshield (Adblock and malware protection). But you have to pay USD 5.99 a month if you want streaming speeds up to 1 Gbps. And you can also try this service with its free-forever subscription. Proton VPN is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, Android TV, and iOS/iPad. Did I forget to tell you that Proton VPN also accepts payment in Bitcoin?
CometVPN
CometVPN successfully unlocks blocked YouTube content while maintaining a great connection speed for even the highest video quality and framerates. Because the VPN has just been released for public use, it still lacks advanced features such as split tunneling and various available protocols. At the same time, new CometVPN IPs have excellent trust scores, which is beneficial for bypassing geo-blocks. The minimal server load ensures high connection speed and undetectability. The affordable pricing model and a genuine no-logs policy separate CometVPN from other newcomers promising more things to come. It has all the working basics and is ideal for region-free YouTube streaming.
Hotspot Shield
Similar to the previous one, Hotspot Shield comes with a large array of 1800+ servers in over 80 countries worldwide. Hotspot Shield boasts itself as the world’s fastest VPN, but I wouldn’t take that claim all too seriously; because VPN speeds depend on many factors such as server load, server distance, user location, content type. One server performing well for a given content website (say Netflix) for a specific user can perform worse for another user located elsewhere streaming another site (say YouTube). That being said, this VPN can be the fastest for you. But even if it does, it’ll depend on your experience and not some agency’s testing results. Anyways, you can try them out with their (restricted) free tier. Besides, Hotspot Shield has a multi-platform presence: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TV, Routers, Chrome, etc. In addition to the free plan, their paid ones start from USD 7.99 a month if paid yearly. Moreover, you can try Hotspot Shield with a risk-free 45-day money-back guarantee.
Hide Me
In our hunt for a decent YouTube VPN, this one comes with a perfect name– Hide Me. These guys have 2000 servers at 75 locations all over the world. Hide Me also has multi-platform availability: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS. You can also use this service as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Hide Me has a free plan with 10 Gb of data per month with a single connection from five server locations. And even this free tier comes with an adblocker. Its most economical paid plan comes with a 2-years billing cycle that’ll cost you USD 2.96 per month. And yes, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee on each. However, the cherry on the cake is for the cryptocurrency people, as Hide Me lets you pay not just in Bitcoin but in Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, Horizen, and ZCash as well.
Avast SecureLine VPN
This antivirus behemoth has now jumped into an already competitive VPN industry. Avast Secureline VPN is trying to make a statement with its 700 servers in 34 countries. The server count may be on the lower side, but that shouldn’t bother any informed VPN user. Practically, you just need a single well-maintained VPN server in the location of your choice. Avast Secureline works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. It doesn’t have a free plan or even a monthly plan. But you can try this VPN on YouTube for seven days without needing your credit card. Their one-year plan will set you back by USD 4.60 per month. All plans cover a 30-day cash-back guarantee.
Express VPN
Express VPN gets talked about a lot. This VPN service has a broader footprint–160 servers in 94 countries. This is a fully-featured VPN service except for a built-in ad blocker and anti-malware tool. Still, Express VPN has some nifty features like DNS leak protection, split tunneling, network kill-switch, etc. The point where things start going wrong is their pricing model. This is one of the costliest VPN services, with an introductory plan asking USD 8.32 per month if paid annually. However, you can go on board with a 30-day money-back scheme to check how they fare against their bill. Finally, ExpressVPN has applications for just about every platform: Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android. In addition, you can use this on WiFi routers and as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
TunnelBear VPN
TunnelBear VPN is loved by many for its user-friendly interface. It’s one of the most straightforward and privacy-focused VPN providers. TunnelBear goes through third-party security audits every year and publishes results open for all. They have a TunnelBear blocker that you can use with their VPN to block ads and malicious trackers. This VPN service also comes powered with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, split tunneling, and more. TunnelBear can be chosen by experts and first-timers alike. It’s a splendid service and has a free plan for you to test the waters. Paid plans start from USD 4.99 a month for yearly payments. This price tag reduces to USD 3.33 per month if you pay for three years upfront. In addition to conventional methods, TunnelBear also accepts payment in Bitcoin.
NordVPN
NordVPN is among the front-runners for anyone looking for an excellent YouTube VPN. It has 5255 servers in 60 countries. In short, it’s tough to find a desirable VPN feature absent on NordVPN. They are packed with a long list of features like split tunneling, kill switch, obfuscated servers, DNS leak protection, ad blocker, etc. NordVPN has developed its own version of WireGuard VPN protocol–NordLynx. This is the fastest and most secure VPN protocol at present. They have excellent support for multiple devices and operating systems. It has native applications for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, etc. You can also use this with your router and on your Android TV. This service comes most economically with a two-year plan valued at USD 3.71 per month. And they do have a 30-day money-back guarantee as well. However, there is no free tier. Finally, you can pay them in Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple as well.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN has an excellent reputation for protecting users’ privacy. They have over 700 VPN servers in excess of 70 worldwide locations. They have perfect features if you frequently venture in-and-out of public WiFi networks. And they don’t disappoint people asking for a kill switch, DNS protection, and split tunneling. The one thing you might miss on VyprVPN is an adblocker. However, you can always install 3rd-party applications for the same. VyprVPN has native applications for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Besides, you can configure this on a WiFi router and install it as a browser extension for chrome as well. VyprVPN is a close cousin of Express VPN in terms of pricing. You’ll be paying around USD 8.33 a month if paid annually. But yes, a 30-day money-back guarantee is there to protect you in case you get second thoughts.
SurfShark
Just so that you know, I could’ve started this list with SurfShark. It’s an equally robust choice as any other VPN in this article. Notably, SurfShark gives you unlimited connections–a luxury you can’t have with any other VPN mentioned in this list. Additionally, you can count in for features like kill switch, DNS protection, obfuscated servers. Surfshark also prevents annoying adverts with its CleanWeb AdBlock. And you’ll also have Whitelister (aka split tunneling or Bypass VPN) to let some apps go without VPN encryption at normal speeds. You can save maximum with SurfShark by paying upfront for a 2-year term which will amount to just USD 2.21 per month. SurfShark also lets you pay in crypto via CoinGate and CoinPayments. And finally, there is a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Here is a summarized list of features as of this writing:
Conclusion 👩💻
You’re not wrong if you feel confused right now. There are many good choices, and it’s really tough to pick the right one. I would suggest paying the companies with a free tier (Proton VPN, Hotspot Shield, Hide Me, & TunnelBear). This would indirectly help the underprivileged continue enjoying online privacy and freedom without paying for it. And if you have something else on your mind, I would tell you to go for SurfShark and NordVPN. But hey, you can try anyone with a risk-free, cash-back guarantee, can’t you! You may also be interested in the best VPN for Android devices.
