The Best VPN for Spotify: Unblock & Access Spotify Anywhere in 2022
Trying to access your Spotify library only to get a message along the lines of "Spotify is not available in your location" is extremely frustrating. Read on to discover the finest VPN providers to get around geoblocks and enjoy a hassle-free Spotify session.
With over 82 million tracks, Spotify is a music lover’s utopia. You can stream your favorite songs and podcasts from all genres — whether to fend off depression, to give you a boost for work or for your listening pleasure. Unfortunately, Spotify doesn’t work everywhere, and that’s when a VPN for Spotify comes in handy.
Key Takeaways:
- Spotify uses geoblocks to restrict access to its content. In some cases, your music library will change based on your location.
- A virtual private network (VPN) is an excellent workaround because it can spoof your location and unlock Spotify regardless of your location.
- ExpressVPN is the best Spotify VPN thanks to its blazing speeds and large server network. However, if you want a slightly cheaper option that’s still as reliable, go for NordVPN.
- Surfshark, CyberGhost and PIA are much cheaper yet deliver great value. If you’re on the hunt for a free Spotify VPN, consider Windscribe and ProtonVPN.
Although Spotify recently expanded into over 80 countries, the audio-streaming platform doesn’t work in places like Ethiopia and Cuba. Plus, some schools and workplaces don’t allow access to Spotify on their network. Even more worrying, some songs may be greyed out depending on your location because of licensing, distribution and copyright laws.
VPNs, short for virtual private networks, spoof your location by changing your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic, allowing you to enjoy all the features of Spotify everywhere. Not all VPNs are created equal, though. We put several through the wringer to see how well they unblocked Spotify, and we’ll share our top seven picks with you in this post. Let’s dig in, but if you’re just looking for a quick and easy recommendation; go with ExpressVPN.
You can use a VPN to bypass Spotify geoblocks and access your favorite songs and podcasts. The key is to choose a fast VPN with robust encryption features. ExpressVPN is our top pick, but if money is a real concern, opt for NordVPN, Surfshark or Windscribe.
Windscribe is the best free VPN to unblock Spotify, thanks to its great lineup of features and all-around performance. ProtonVPN is a decent alternative offering unlimited data, although it comes with a speed cap.
Top VPNs for FFXIV
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What Makes the Best VPN for Spotify
For the best Spotify listening experience, you’ll need a VPN that is blazing fast, especially one with high download speeds. Further, it should come with unlimited data, a vast server network and strong encryption and obfuscation features. From our experience and testing, the following are the top seven VPN providers for streaming Spotify.
- ExpressVPN — Overall best VPN for unblocking Spotify
- NordVPN — Most secure VPN for Spotify
- Surfshark — Budget-friendly VPN for using Spotify
- CyberGhost — Excellent value VPN for streaming songsPrivate Internet Access — Most customizable streaming option
- Windscribe — Best free VPN for Spotify
- ProtonVPN — Cheap VPN with a useful free plan
For streaming services like Spotify, a fast VPN is a no-brainer because a slow one can cause lags and buffering. Most VPNs claim to offer unrivaled speeds, so you’ll have to stack them against each other to confirm. Fortunately, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you in our fastest VPNs guide. Most of the VPNs on this list posted impressive download speeds and low latency.
Another key consideration in choosing VPNs for accessing your Spotify account is the server count and distribution. VPNs with a considerable server network are often better at sneaking past geoblocks, which is crucial if you’re traveling to a region where Spotify is not supported or your music library might change.
Finally, it’s important to pick a VPN service that doesn’t cap your data. At Spotify’s maximum streaming speed (320 Kbbs), you’ll likely burn through around 144MB per hour. While that figure isn’t as high as video streaming services like Netflix, it can quickly rack up if you’re using Spotify for hours.
The Best VPN to Unblock Spotify
Here, we’ll walk through each of our top seven picks to show you why they made the cut. We’ll start with our winner: ExpressVPN. If you need to know how to set up a VPN, check out our guide on how to use a VPN for Spotify.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.67 per month for 12 months (plus three free months)
- Provider website: www.expressvpn.com
Pros:
- Lightning fast
- Wide server network
- Unlimited data
Cons:
- Expensive
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Spotify, period. For starters, it is incredibly fast, posting impressive download speeds and low latency, as you can see in our fastest VPN guide. As a result, you can expect seamless Spotify streaming without lags or buffering.
In addition, ExpressVPN boasts an extensive server network (3,000 servers in 160 countries), which is vital for sneaking past Spotify geoblocks. This VPN service also offers unlimited data, allowing you to listen to your songs and podcasts for hours on end, without worrying about annoying interruptions. Learn more in our exhaustive ExpressVPN review.
ExpressVPN’s Lightway Protocol for Fast Spotify Streaming
ExpressVPN’s main draw is that it’s built to be fast. We recommend using ExpressVPN’s Lightway UDP protocol over other options like OpenVPN or IKEv2, primarily because it gives better download speeds – an important feature for smooth Spotify streaming — without compromising on security. You also get a minimal drain on your battery alongside great privacy and obfuscation features.
ExpressVPN is not cheap, although you can save money by opting for long-term plans, especially the 12-month plan. Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.99 per month on the two-year plan
- Provider website: nordvpn.com
Pros:
- Excellent security features
- Fast NordLynx protocol
- Affordable long term plan
Cons:
- Inconsistent speeds with OpenVPN
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to ExpressVPN, NordVPN is your best bet. Although it’s not as fast, it matches up to ExpressVPN in many respects, including its feature set, security and privacy, as you can see in our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN review.
With over 5,400 servers in 60 countries, NordVPN has the server distribution to skirt past geoblocks and blockouts. Besides the standard AES-256 encryption, there’s a kill switch that drops your internet connection as soon as your VPN goes off. Also, you can add an extra layer of protection by using the double VPN feature.
Fast & Secure NordLynx Protocol for Streaming Spotify
NordVPN has a collection of security and privacy features that make it a premium Spotify VPN, including its NordLynx protocol. As we mentioned earlier, NordVPN is not as fast as ExpressVPN, but its NordLynx protocol is optimized for fast streaming. It’s based on the tried and tested WireGuard protocol, with an extra security layer added.
NordVPN’s monthly plans are a bit pricey, but the two-year plan is a real money-saver. You’ll get a 30-day money-back guarantee with each plan as well as a seven-day free trial on mobile. Find out more about the service in our NordVPN review.
3. Surfshark
More details about Surfshark:
- Pricing: $2.49 per month on the two-year plan
- Provider website: surfshark.com
Pros:
- Affordable
- Feature-rich
- Unlimited data, bandwidth & devices
Cons:
- Still a relatively new service
Surfshark has all the markings of a solid VPN at cutthroat prices. Although it’s new on the VPN landscape, it already has over 3,200 servers in over 65 countries, making it another good choice for using Spotify if you’re a globetrotter.
Although Surfshark is relatively cheap, it doesn’t skimp on features. Its ByPasser lets you select which apps go through the encrypted tunnel. CleanWeb fends off ads, trackers, malware and phishing attempts. Then there’s Camouflage mode, which masks your VPN use, ensuring your ISP or network administrator can’t detect it.
Stream Spotify With Unlimited Devices, Connections and Bandwidth
Surfshark’s standout feature is there are no limitations. You get unlimited data and bandwidth, which are critical in ensuring your Spotify stream isn’t slow and doesn’t stop abruptly. Even more exciting, you can use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices at once, making it a great choice for families and earning it a spot in our best VPN for multiple devices review.
Surfshark’s best deal is the two-year plan, which comes at a steep discount. You get a 30-day money-back guarantee with all plans, and there’s a seven-day free trial on Android, iOS and macOS platforms.
- : Unlimited GB bandwidth,Unlimited devices
- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
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4. CyberGhost
More details about CyberGhost:
- Pricing: $2.29 per month, plus three free months on the three-year plan
- Provider website: cyberghostvpn.com
Pros:
- Excellent long-term value
- 45-day money-back guarantee
- Large server collection
Cons:
- Struggles to unblock some streaming services
Our fourth pick is CyberGhost, one of our overall best VPN providers. It boasts an impressive server collection (7,700 servers in 91 countries), which makes it handy for outsmarting geoblocks. CyberGhost’s server spread is impressive too. You’ll get 1,230 servers in the U.S. alone, as well as servers in less common locations like Kenya and South Korea.
Further, if you want to rock Spotify on different devices, CyberGhost has apps for a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, smart TVs and game consoles. You can even automate your VPN experience with the “smart rules” feature, which allows you to set your VPN to connect to a specific server and launch Spotify each time you open it.
Enjoy Spotify With Streaming-Optimized Servers
CyberGhost has streaming servers that are optimized for download and streaming speeds. Although these servers struggle to unblock BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video sometimes, they unblocked Spotify with ease, giving us an uninterrupted listening experience at 320 Kbps. Learn more about this VPN in our CyberGhost review.
CyberGhost’s best plan is the three-year deal, which comes with three free months. Plus, you get a 14-day money-back guarantee for the monthly plan and a 45-day money-back guarantee if you sign up for at least a year. If you want to take it for a test run, there’s a seven-day free trial on mobile and one day on desktop.
5. Private Internet Access
More details about Private Internet Access:
- Pricing: $2.03 per month for three years plus three free months
- Provider website: privateinternetaccess.com
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Built-in ad & malware blocker
- Customizable
Cons:
- Struggles with BBC iPlayer & Hulu
Although it’s not as fast and feature-rich as our top picks, PIA is a bargain choice for enjoying Spotify. The VPN provider is not upfront about its server count, as you can see in our PIA review, but it has servers in 84 countries. A large portion of those servers are lodged in the U.S., so if you want to access Spotify in the States, it’s up to snuff.
PIA offers nifty security features that conceal your traffic. There’s a kill switch, split tunneling and a multi-hop feature. If you don’t want to trigger security warnings and CAPTCHAs each time you log in, you’ll love the dedicated IP address feature. No wonder it’s one of our best VPNs with dedicated IP addresses.
Get Rid of Pop-Ups, Tracking and Ads with MACE
There’s nothing as annoying as unwanted pop-ups while listening to your favorite songs. With PIA MACE, you can nip pop-ups, ads, trackers and malware in the bud. MACE is faster and more battery-efficient than normal ad blockers because it doesn’t refer to a blocklist before denying the request from an ad or tracking server. You can read our DNS records guide to see how it works.
PIA has the best three-year plan of the VPNs on this list. Plus, you’re covered with a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.
6. Windscribe
More details about Windscribe:
- Pricing: 10GB free, $1 per month per VPN server location
- Provider website: windscribe.com
Pros:
- Generous free plan
- Build-a-plan option
Cons:
- Relatively slow
- Three-day money-back guarantee
If you’re on a budget but need a VPN for Spotify, you can’t ignore Windscribe. Although we rarely wholeheartedly recommend free VPN services, it is an exception. You’ll get 10GB of data for free as soon as you hand over your email address. However, this data may not be enough for continuous Spotify streaming. Incredibly, for just a dollar, you’ll get unlimited data.
Though Windscribe struggles to block some streaming platforms, such as Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer, it unblocked Spotify with ease during our testing. What’s more, while Windscribe used to have servers optimized for streaming called Windflix, it did away with them because all its servers can now achieve similar streaming performance.
Build-Your-Own Spotify VPN Plan
With Windscribe, you can customize your plan by hand-picking and only paying for the VPN server locations and features you want. With $1, you’ll get access to all server locations within a specific region (say, the U.S.) and 10GB of data. Learn more about Windscribe’s flexible upgrades in our Windscribe review.
Windscribe’s free account gives you 10GB and limited server locations, but if you want access to all its servers, opt for any of its paid plans. Alternatively, you can get specific server locations and 10GB for $1. However, you only get a three-day money-back guarantee.
- : Per “Pro” server location
- : 10 GB
- : Unlimited
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- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
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7. ProtonVPN
More details about ProtonVPN:
- Pricing: $8 per month on the one-year plan
- Provider website: protonvpn.com
Pros:
- Excellent free plan
- Affordable
- No-logs policy
Cons:
- Relatively slow
Last on our list is ProtonVPN, a cheap and easy-to-use Switzerland-based VPN. Although it’s not quite as fast as the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN, ProtonVPN offers a striking set of security and privacy features. You get standard features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection and less common ones like split tunneling.
You also get the military-grade AES-256 encryption and perfect forward secrecy. All these features work together to give you a plain-sailing Spotify listening experience. ProtonVPN is often hailed for its free plan, but the VPN only guarantees good streaming performance on its Plus and Visionary subscriptions. Check out our ProtonVPN review for a detailed breakdown.
Enjoy Unlimited Data Free
ProtonVPN is the only free VPN to offer unlimited data, as you can see in our best free VPN guide. For those who love streaming Spotify for hours on end, this is a tempting offer, but there’s a caveat. ProtonVPN throttles free users’ internet connection speed to what it calls “medium speed.” That’s one of the reasons it comes last in this review, but all things considered, it’s worth a try.
There is an interesting tiered pricing scheme, but ProtonVPN doesn’t offer the steep discounts that the likes of NordVPN and PIA offer. Nonetheless, you can take advantage of the free plan to get a feel for it. Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- : Unlimited GB
- : 1
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- : Unlimited GB
- : 2
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- : 5
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- : Unlimited GB
- : 10
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Final Thoughts
Although Spotify is one of the world’s most popular audio streaming platforms, it’s not available in every country. Even worse, your Spotify music library, including your curated playlists, can disappear temporarily based on your location. However, with a solid VPN, you can access your music and podcasts regardless of your whereabouts.
ExpressVPN is our first choice to access Spotify by virtue of its fast speeds and vast server network. Right on its heels is NordVPN, which is a reliable performer and cheaper. For decent VPNs that offer bargain prices, go for Surfshark or CyberGhost. If you want a free VPN, we recommend Windscribe or ProtonVPN.
Have you tried to access Spotify with a VPN? Which VPN services did the trick? Did you experience lags or buffering while streaming? Share your experience with us in the comments section below, and as always, thanks for reading.
