Best VPN for Ireland 2020: Sleeveen Security

Ireland is a beautiful place with so much to see and do. You can take in the outstanding natural beauty at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare or raise a glass of the black stuff on a night out in Dublin. Even if you’re just visiting to go on the tear, you’re bound to go online, so we’ve compiled a list of the best VPNs for Ireland to keep you safe.

Please note that this article is aimed at the Republic. For Northern Ireland, check out our best VPN for the UK piece.

There are many reasons to use a virtual private network, no matter where you are. For the most part, it will protect you from online dangers, but it will also get you access to restricted content and services.

Many countries practice censorship, and it can be very strict (just take a peek at China), but the Irish government doesn’t impose harsh restrictions, which is great.

It’s not so great if you like to torrent copyrighted material, though. After a court ruling in early 2018, internet service providers have to block websites that involve illegal sharing of copyrighted material.

If you find one that isn’t blocked and deliberately infringe on a copyright, it could result in you being suspended or permanently disconnected from the broadband service. Our best VPN for Germany article shows another example of strict copyright laws.

In 2010, it was revealed that the Irish government considered introducing internet filtering, arguing that it would remove offensive and illegal material and make it more difficult for those involved to operate. In 2013, the ISP Association of Ireland said ISPs should not be made censors of internet content. While there isn’t any filtering now, who knows what the future holds.

There are other ways you can be prevented from viewing content besides censorship. Geoblocks can be a real pain. They block you from accessing content unless you are in a permitted country. Take RTE Player, for instance, due to license restrictions, you’ll only be able to access its full library if you connect to an Irish server.

The same can be said if you want to watch U.S. Netflix. You need to connect to a server there. With a suitable VPN, you should have no problem doing either. Read our best VPN for Netflix piece for more suggestions.

Surveillance in Ireland

Surveillance in Ireland is governed by the 1993 Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Act and the 2009 Criminal Justice Act. With those, authorities can intercept your emails and other communications to combat serious crime and protect the security of the state.

Still, little is known about how they are used and authorization of a judge is only needed when surveillance devices, such as cameras, are used.

The lack of judicial oversight means authorities can survey almost anybody without repercussions. In 2010, a member of the Gardai was caught spying on her former partner through data retention. Even after an internal disciplinary process, she faced no prosecution and retained her job.

In 2015, leaked emails showed Irish Defence Forces had been talking to a controversial surveillance company called Hacking Team, which sells spy software to authorities around the world. The emails showed communications from 2012 until mid-2015. The military said it didn’t buy anything, but that isn’t necessarily true.

Even with all that, it’s not as pervasive as its distant neighbors, as you can read in our best VPN for the U.S. piece.

Best VPN for Ireland 2020

What Makes a VPN the Best for Ireland

Many of our best VPN providers offer a good service, but some have features that make them more suitable for Ireland.

First, you want to make sure the provider has servers in as many places as possible. That will make it easier to circumvent restrictions. You may also want servers in Ireland, especially if you aren’t in the country, as that will allow you to access content limited to there, such as certain programs on RTE Player.

Its speed is an important factor if you plan on streaming or torrenting, as is unlimited bandwidth.

You should choose one with good security, as well. That will keep you hidden from government surveillance and protect you from cybercrime. Many dangers can be lurking on public WiFi and that’s a good reason to install a decent antivirus, too.

In addition, you want a strong no-logs policy in place, which means the company doesn’t keep records of your activity.

Other factors to keep in mind are ease of use, what devices are supported, customer service and how much you are willing to budget for the service.

1. Best VPN for Ireland: NordVPN

NordVPN is the best service for Ireland because it offers a great service with many features to suit your needs. It has thousands of servers covering 60 countries, meaning you should have no problem finding one that works. A whopping 43 of them are in Ireland, which is more than any other provider we checked.

Its speeds are good, but it can slow down when connecting to a server that’s far away. They’re still decent, though, and you can switch servers quickly. NordVPN gets into most streaming services and has unlimited bandwidth, so you can spend as much time on it as you like. as you like.

Plus, it’s a good choice if you want to torrent, as it came in first in our best VPN for torrenting piece.

Its security is among the best and has the option to use double-hop encryption. That adds more protection to the VPN tunnel. The company also honors your privacy with a strict no-logs policy, so there’s no record of your online activities.

Read our NordVPN review for a better look at the service.

Other Reasons We Like NordVPN

It has clients for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. They’re user-friendly and have a good layout, so selecting servers is easy. You can connect six devices simultaneously.

Support is available if you need it. There’s a good knowledgebase, so you can try to fix the issue yourself. If you still need assistance after that, you can contact a member of staff through live chat or email. Live chat will get you the fastest response and the staff is helpful.

NordVPN’s monthly price offers good value for the money, but you would be better off opting for a longer subscription as you’ll save money doing so. If you’re weary of that, there is a 30-day refund, so you can make sure the service is right for you before diving in.

NordVPN Review

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2. ExpressVPN

Like NordVPN, ExpressVPN offers a great service. Check out our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN piece to see how they compare. It has many servers spread over 94 countries, including Ireland, so you can access content from there.

Speed is not a problem as it is one of the fastest VPNs around and the best VPN for streaming. With its unlimited bandwidth, it’s a great choice for torrenting, too.

It has great security and you don’t have to mess with the default settings to get it. Plus, you can easily increase it if you want. ExpressVPN also protects you with a solid no-logs policy. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information.

Other Reasons We Like ExpressVPN

It has desktop clients for Windows and macOS and mobile apps for Android and iOS, all of which are easy to use. It’s a good choice for those who don’t have experience using a VPN as it does almost everything for you out of the box. You just need to make sure you’re connected to a suitable server.

If you run into problems, you can ask for help through live chat and email. Both are available 24/7 and the staff is helpful and friendly. If you have a more complicated problem, email support is the best option as the help will be more thorough.

A downside to ExpressVPN is that it is expensive compared to its rivals. It offers an excellent service, though, so it is worth the money. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can make sure you like it.

ExpressVPN Review

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3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is another good service. It has over 3,000 servers in 59 countries, giving you plenty to choose from, including 20 in Ireland.

There are no bandwidth caps and its speeds are good, but, like NordVPN, it can slow down over long distances. Still, it’s a decent choice for streaming and torrenting.

You’ll be protected with great security, but it isn’t as customizable as some services. CyberGhost doesn’t overlook privacy, either, as it carries a good no-logs policy. Read our full CyberGhost review for more details.

Other Reasons We Like CyberGhost

You can use it on Windows and macOS, Android and iOS. Its interface can take some getting used to, even after it was updated. Still, it’s not difficult to use. CyberGhost allows for seven simultaneous connections, too, which is why it’s one of our best VPN for multiple devices choices. It’s a good pick if you are gadget-happy.

Customer support includes a useful knowledgebase that should help you solve common issues. If you need further help, you can reach a member of staff through live chat. Email is available, too, and it is better for more technical problems.

Its monthly plan isn’t great, so you’d be much better off opting for a longer one. Android and iOS users can try it before committing by taking advantage of the seven-day trial. There’s also a money-back guarantee, so you can’t go wrong. The monthly plan gets 14-days and longer subscriptions get 45.

Cyberghost Review

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4. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access has servers in 33 countries, which isn’t as many as our other selections. There are 10 in Ireland, though, so you can still get content restricted to the Republic.

Its speeds are good, but that is mainly due to it using a lighter encryption level by default. Security is set at 128-bit, but you can switch to the more preferable 256-bit easily. Doing so will slow it down, but it will still be okay.

Your activities will remain secret, too, as PIA doesn’t keep logs.

You should have no problem streaming your favorite shows with Netflix. That’s especially true for the U.S. version, as most of PIA’s servers are in the same country. It’s not great at getting into other streaming services, though. Its unlimited bandwidth allows you to watch as much as you like and makes it another good choice for torrenting. Our PIA review goes into more detail.

Other Reasons We Like PIA

Installation is easy and you can get connected quickly using one of its clients for Windows, macOS, Android or iOS.

Customer support is good, but lacks live chat. There’s a knowledgebase and email support 24/7, though, and the help is thorough and friendly.

The monthly rate is decent, but it used to be cheaper. You can save money by signing up for a longer period, though. There’s a seven-day money-back guarantee, in case you decide it’s not for you.

Private Internet Access Review

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5. Windscribe

Windscribe’s server coverage isn’t as good as some, though it has over 600 servers in 55 countries, including some in Dublin. That should be enough for you to get to what you want. Some locations, including Ireland, require you to be a Pro member to get access, though.

It also has Windflix servers in the UK, the U.S., Canada and Japan. They are built for streaming and work well. The service is a good choice for torrenting, too. You can read more about that in our Windscribe review.

The speed isn’t bad and should be able to handle most activities, including streaming, but it isn’t as fast as our other choices. With the free plan, your bandwidth is limited to 2GB, but there are ways to increase it. If you opt for a paid plan, though, Windscribe gives you unlimited bandwidth.

Its security is good and can be adjusted to suit your needs. There are a lot of privacy settings, which is good, but it does say that it keeps logs. The data held has no real value, though, and is kept to a minimum. There’s no chance of it being traced back to you, either.

Other Reasons We Like Windscribe

Windscribe has a simple interface, which is great for those who don’t have much experience. There are settings you can tinker with, though, if that’s something you like. It’s available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. 

If you have problems, you can look at the general knowledgebase, FAQ and guides for help. You can also contact customer support through live chat 24/7, but that will connect you to an AI representative named Garry. To be fair, though, its responses are good and, if you prefer, you can submit a ticket to speak to a real human instead.

It is quite expensive, which is a shame, but you can save money by opting for a longer plan. There is a free plan that isn’t bad compared to others, but you will be limited on bandwidth. Windscribe doesn’t have a refund policy, but you can request a refund within the first three days you have it if you don’t like it.

Windscribe Review

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Final Thoughts

We hope we have made choosing a suitable provider for Ireland easier. Using a VPN will help you access content that’s restricted, as well as keep you safe from government surveillance and other threats. You should pick one with a large server network and good security.

NordVPN is our winner for Ireland. It has thousands of servers in many countries, including 32 in Ireland, so it’s great for those who want to access Irish content. Plus, its security is excellent so it will keep you safe online.

If you have suggestions for, or experience with, using a VPN in Ireland, let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to check out our VPN archive for related articles. Thank you for reading.

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