Best VPNs for travelling abroad: Options to watch BBC iPlayer and Netflix

GB News Reporter
Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:29:51 +0000

If you’re heading away on holiday, a VPN can be a highly useful tool to access all your favourite streaming services like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix, and more — almost as if you were watching them from home.

Connecting to unfamiliar internet networks — especially public Wi-Fi — can be a risky move. Without proper protection, your activity may be exposed to snooping governments, internet service providers (ISPs), or even malicious third parties intercepting your data.

And while the UK generally supports open internet access, that’s not the case everywhere. Many countries enforce strict online restrictions, limiting what users can see or do online.

Even closer to home, changes like the Online Safety have sparked growing concerns around privacy and data sharing. As a result, using a VPN is becoming less of a niche tool and more of a practical safeguard, particularly if you want greater control over your online activity without constantly handing over personal information.

GBN Tech has put together a list of the best VPN deals to keep your privacy secure and access the websites you want while travelling abroad.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that protects and anonymises everything you do online. VPNs can conceal your online activities by routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel that connects to secure servers worldwide.

The most reliable VPNs use the same encryption standards as governments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ensuring that even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) on Wi-Fi cannot record the websites you visit, the duration of your sessions on each site, or your current location. This protection extends to advertisers, trackers, and hackers, preventing them from monitoring your online behaviour.

Furthermore, personal information entered into online forms and sensitive data transmitted to and from your device will be safeguarded from hackers using strong encryption provided by a VPN.

Which countries ban VPNs?

Not every country allows VPNs to be freely used, with many governments blocking them completely or implementing heavy restrictions on them.

Here’s a quick list of all the countries where VPNs are banned:

North Korea

Turkmenistan

Belarus

Iraq

Myanmar

Oman

That’s not all, because there are also other countries that have very heavy restrictions on VPNs. Some block VPNs outright or require people to use ‘government-approved’ VPNs to access, or force VPN providers to hand over any data they may have on individuals. They include:

China

Russia

Iran

UAE

Turkey

India

If you’re planning to head to any of these countries, it’s worth checking local laws and restrictions on VPN usage before travelling. Some of the countries we have mentioned, for example, China, block many VPN providers.

Should I use a free VPN while abroad?

While a free VPN sounds like the ultimate bargain, the reality is rarely that simple. Although some providers offer free tiers, these versions are typically designed with significant limitations to encourage users to upgrade to a paid plan.

Using a free service often means dealing with a variety of roadblocks that make a seamless online experience difficult. Common restrictions include speeds being throttled or slowed, and data caps.

These limitations can turn simple tasks like gaming, video conferencing, or streaming Netflix into a frustrating or even impossible chore.

If you need full functionality without the upfront cost, many premium VPNs offer 30-day money-back guarantees. This allows you to enjoy unrestricted, high-speed service for a full month with the option to get a total refund if you aren't satisfied.

Ultimately, if a provider isn't charging you a subscription fee, they are likely profiting by selling your browsing habits or imposing strict data caps and speed limits to push you toward a paid tier.

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The best VPNs to use while abroad

It’s important to use a reliable premium VPN that won’t slow your internet speeds, has solid privacy and encryption and ultimately, provides the best VPN deals out there.

The best way to get a greater deal is to subscribe with a two-year subscription. Most of the providers we suggested below do have rolling monthly contracts but at a higher pricepoint.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN: Get 80% off + 4 months free

Protect your personal information and encrypt everything you do online for just £1.99 with the latest ExpressVPN deal. This blockbuster sale trounces NordVPN, its biggest competitor.

ExpressVPN adds military-grade encryption across up to 10x devices, including iPhone, Android, Linux, Windows, Mac, Fire TV, and dozens more, to secure your internet traffic from prying eyes, advertisers, and governments. You'll benefit from an extra 4 months free with a two-year plan

When it comes to unrestricted global browsing, ExpressVPN is our top pick. Frequently decorated with awards from outlets like TechRadar and Tom’s Guide, it is highly regarded for its specialised servers that guarantee fast, consistent streaming from any corner of the globe. After putting it through its paces in our ExpressVPN review, we can confirm the service is just as good as we give it.

Plans start at just £1.99 monthly and allow for 14 devices and connections. Once you’re set up, you can choose from over 3,000 servers in 105 different countries. To ensure your streaming remains lag-free, ExpressVPN utilises its own Lightway protocol for superior speed.

The app works on everything from Mac and Windows to Android and iOS. For gadgets that don't natively support VPNs, such as Xbox or PlayStation, the MediaStreamer feature has you covered.

Built on a 10-Gbps network, it is ideal for high-bandwidth tasks like gaming. Privacy is handled via military-grade encryption and a no-logs policy. Furthermore, being headquartered in the British Virgin Islands means they are legally exempt from data-sharing requests from UK or US law enforcement. While it's a premium-priced service, the 30-day money-back guarantee allows you to subscribe with total peace of mind.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN: Get 73% off

All NordVPN subscribers will enjoy automatic malware scans to save you from dodgy downloads and alerts about leaked credentials on the Dark Web. NordVPN also offers access to 6,400 server locations across the globe with fast connection speeds.

NordVPN masks your IP and blocks intrusive ads to provide a truly open browsing experience.

You can often find deep discounts on their multi-year plans, with Basic packages starting at £2.29 per month. Like its rivals, it offers a 30-day trial period for a full refund if you aren't satisfied.

You can now protect up to 10 devices on a single subscription. Operating out of Panama, Nord manages a massive fleet of 5,000+ servers in 60 countries. It is packed with high-end security tools like Double VPN (which encrypts data twice) and Threat Protection. These constant technical advancements even earned the company a Best Invention nod from TIME Magazine.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark: Get 80% off + 3 months free

If you're looking for some of the lowest monthly bills around, look no further than the award-winning Surfshark VPN. It's cut monthly subscription prices by 80%. Not only that, but Surfshark will also bundle an extra three months at the end of a two-year plan, dropping the effective cost to just £1.48 per month. Surfshark lets you use your subscription across unlimited devices.

Surfshark is the go-to option for the budget-conscious. At just £1.48 per month for its two-year "Starter" plan, it is arguably the best value in the industry. Based in the Netherlands, this provider has expanded rapidly since 2018 and now maintains a global footprint of 3,200 servers across more than 100 countries.

The toolkit includes essential security features like a kill switch, MultiHop, and DNS leak prevention. Its balance of low cost and high quality has earned it Best Value titles from CNET and Trusted Reviews. For those who want comprehensive digital protection, the Surfshark One+ tier includes Incogni, a tool that automatically requests the removal of your personal data from corporate databases and search engines.

4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost: Get 84% off + 4 months free

CyberGhost has cut its monthly subscription by 84%. If you sign up for a 24-month plan, you'll be gifted with 4 months of access to the award-winning VPN service for free. CyberGhost has one of the longest money-back guarantee periods, with a generous 45 days to decide whether you want to stick with your new VPN subscription

CyberGhost combines great performance with affordable pricing while travelling. Founded in Romania in 2011, it has built a reputation as one of the most reliable names in European cybersecurity.

Its network is one of the largest available, boasting over 11,000 servers in 100+ nations. Pricing is competitive at £1.78 per month for two-year contracts, but they also offer rare short-term options like six-month or monthly plans for those who prefer flexibility.

Beyond standard VPN features, you get a built-in malware blocker and access to NoSpy servers — hardware owned and operated solely by CyberGhost to ensure no third-party data risks. They offer a 45-day money-back guarantee, the most generous window on this list, proving how confident they are in their platform.