After a ten-year ascent into the mainstream, Twitch is now the go-to live streaming platform whether you're looking for Hitman speed runs, actual-play Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, Esports leagues, or even graphic design and music production tutorials.
However, as the platform has grown, so too has demand for effective Twitch VPN services. That's thanks to the fact that Twitch is banned in a number of countries including China and Slovakia, and has previously been restricted in Turkey, Russia, and more. By using the best VPN for Twitch to change your location, you can access Twitch anywhere.
What's more, if you discover your account has been banned, you'll need to change your IP address to make a new one. And, if you're a streamer, a VPN can help you avoid ISP network throttling.
If you want to get straight to our recommendations of the best Twitch VPN on the market, they're right below. For more details, just keep scrolling.
Our top Twitch VPN picks
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Why do I need a Twitch VPN?
Every person's reason for getting a Twitch VPN will be different, but in general they can be split in two – viewers and streamers.
Twitch viewers will likely be using a VPN for unblocking Twitch in countries that have banned the service, to access streams that have been blocked in certain countries due to copyright claims (unusual but not unheard of), or possibly circumventing account bans. Account bans can be tricky to evade, but making a new account from a different IP address is reported to be effective.
Twitch streamers, on the other hand, may find that their ISP throttles their internet connection – this can happen to high-bandwidth users at peak times, and broadcasting a stream is one of the worst culprits. High-profile streamers may also want to take extra steps in terms of privacy to avoid potential IP scraping or DDoS attacks.
What makes a great VPN for Twitch?
First and foremost, you want your Twitch VPN to be fast – that goes for both viewers and streamers. Thankfully VPNs are getting faster by the day, and with our choices you won't be left buffering.
Excellent security and privacy features are also good to have to help you avoid any potential DDoS attacks. This is unlikely, but better safe than sorry – and staying safe online is more important than ever. Then, make sure you've got a good spread of servers to choose from worldwide.
Split tunnelling is also a big bonus – by whitelisting the game you're playing you can avoid any potential ping increase while still streaming to Twitch through the VPN to avoid network throttling and staying secure.
Overall, we think ExpressVPN is the best Twitch VPN on the market. It combines everything you need into a powerful, simple-to-use package that you can leave on 24/7. However, there are a few other great options, so below we're listing our top 5 VPN for Twitch.
- More: Use a gaming VPN to increase connection speeds and avoid throttling
- Setup VPN: our comprehensive guide for all devices
- Check out how to set up a virtual router and share VPN
The five best Twitch VPNs today
If you want the full package, your first port of call should be ExpressVPN.
As a Twitch VPN, ExpressVPN really excels. First up, the in-house Lightway protocol delivers both excellent connection speeds (up to 580Mbps on a gigabit line) and incredible reliability. If you've ever had VPN connections drop out on you before, Lightway solves this.
You'll also be covered by industry-standard AES-256 encryption which, combined with ExpressVPN's TrustedServer tech and additional features like a kill switch and split tunneling, means you've got the best protection in the VPN business.
Beyond all the nitty-gritty, though, ExpressVPN is also the best service we've tested for streaming – and not only Twitch. It's able to unblock more Netflix locations than any other VPN, plus Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more. Because there's more to life than watching gamers livestream (apparently).
With apps for a huge range of devices, encompassing all the usual suspects like iPhone, Mac, PC and Android, as well as Smart TVs, Linux, and even routers, no matter what you're streaming on, you'll be able to get up and running with Express.
Overall, ExpressVPN is quite simply the top VPN for Twitch, whether you're streaming or viewing – and, with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try before your commit.
NordVPN is quite possibly the biggest name in VPN, and if you often watch streamers, you may well have seen them plug the provider in return for sponsoring a video. Thankfully, though, NordVPN does provide an excellent service.
Based in Panama with over 5,000 servers worldwide, NordVPN is a security-focused provider, but one of its biggest benefits is the fact that it's great for streaming just about any service. As well as Twitch, it's great for iPlayer, Disney+, and Netflix – although it can only access the US library of the latter.
Privacy fans will be pleased to see that NordVPN offers a number of unique features. Onion over VPN routes your traffic through the Tor network, and Double Hop routes it through two separate serves for maximum obfuscation. However, we wouldn't advise trying to stream when using these features, as they can noticeably slow your connection.
In standard mode, though, NordVPN is one of the fastest VPN on the market, and in our testing it delivered speeds of up to 880Mbps. That's lightning fast, and no matter what connection you're running at home, you can be confident that Nord won't be slowing you down.
Sign up now on the NordVPN website
Need a Twitch VPN but don't want to break the bank? Surfshark could be your best option. Despite its budget pricing, it's a thoroughly premium service, and has all the features you need from a Twitch VPN.
In terms of its apps, Surfshark is super simple to use, but doesn't sacrifice features in the process. You'll be able to choose from over 3,200 servers, use split tunneling and a kill switch, and WireGuard support comes as standard.
Surfshark's party piece, though, is its unlimited simultaneous connections policy. In short, that means you can install and use the VPN on as many devices as you want while paying for just one plan – and you can even share these with friends or family members living in your household.
It's also one of the best streaming VPN services too, with support for US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and more.
While Surfshark's speeds are a little down compared to ExpressVPN and NordVPN, in our testing it still delivered peaks of around 470Mbps. If your regular connection tops out at anything below that, it's unlikely you'll notice any slowdown at all.
So, as a low-cost alternative to the very best Twitch VPN services, Surfshark is a very tempting proposition.
Sign up now on the Surfshark website
Long the favorite of torrenters and privacy obsessives, Private Internet Access is also a very capable Twitch VPN, delivering a huge number of servers and a bunch of features rarely offered by other providers.
Have a look on forums and Reddit, and you'll notice that PIA is widely recommended thanks to its combination of very low price and a history of security. While in our reviews it didn't quite stack up to the biggest providers, we've seen it make huge improvements and is now well worth considering.
With a huge VPN server count of over 10,000 (some sources claim a ridiculous 30,000+), you'll never be short of choice. Plus, many of these locations are in the US, which means it's super simple to access US content wherever you are.
PIA isn't the very fastest provider on this list, but even at 430Mbps in our testing it's more than fast enough to stream and browse without any noticeable slowdown. Plus, features like port forwarding and split tunneling mean that there's plenty on offer for experts.
Overall, it's well worth checking out, and at its current price it's incredible value.
Sign up now on the PIA website
In our most recent round of testing, ProtonVPN came on leaps and bounds, and subsequently ended up fourth in our overall roundup – a seriously good showing.
One of ProtonVPN's most impressive performances came in our streaming and Netflix VPN tests. It was able to unblock more Netflix locations than any other provider except ExpressVPN, and was super reliable for every other service it faced. That makes it a great contender as a Twitch VPN.
For those interested in staying private and secure, ProtonVPN has a trick up its sleeve. While the feature can reduce peak speeds and isn't ideal for streaming, the Secure Core function is rock solid. When activated, your connection routes through a bulletproof server in a security-friendly country like Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before heading to your chosen destination, negating the effect of any breach (which is incredibly unlikely to begin with).
The only downside is the fact that ProtonVPN is just a little more expensive than some of its rivals, but for the quality of the product, we reckon it's worth it.
Sign up now on the ProtonVPN website
Best Twitch VPN FAQ
Why do I need a Twitch VPN?
Twitch very rarely geo-blocks content, so accessing your favorite streams isn't a problem in general. However, for those in China, Slovakia, and other countries, Twitch itself is banned – so a Twitch VPN is essential for getting access.
If you're a streamer on Twitch, you might find that your connection lags or slows down at peak times. This could be a result of network throttling, which essentially means you're being slowed down by your ISP for using too much bandwidth. A VPN disguises your activity, and can stop this.
Finally, Twitch VPNs have been found to enable banned users to make another account, by changing IP address.
Will using a VPN with Twitch slow down my stream?
If you pick the right VPN, then no. All the providers recommended on this page can reach over 400Mbps, with the fastest hitting nearly 880Mbps. If your home connection is less than that, then you'll have no problems at all.
- Find out about all the best VPN uses
- Need to access in China? See the best China VPNs
- If you share P2P you need the best torrenting VPN
