VPN providers for streaming in 2026: 7 compared on scores, TV apps, refunds and owners

As of 7 October 2026, ExpressVPN leads our general ranking of VPN providers for streaming, which looks at six services together. NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, IPVanish, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost follow, and rankings for single uses, such as Netflix or Fire TV, order them differently. Below, each of the seven providers gets its scores, TV apps, devices at once, refund terms and owner, as part of our VPN guides for streaming and TV.

What matters in a VPN provider for streaming: your services, your TV and the refund terms

For streaming, a VPN provider has to work with the services you watch, run on the TV you watch them on, and refund you if it does not. The seven providers we cover differ on each point, so the table pairs each situation with what to compare. If you will use the VPN abroad, our internet censorship index shows where VPN websites are blocked, which matters if you have not installed the VPN yet.

Research scores on this page each cover one VPN with one service, on any device. A score of 100% means all the recent evidence we gathered says the VPN works. Below 100%, some of the evidence says the VPN was blocked or worked only on some servers, and "Not enough data" means too little recent evidence for a number. For Netflix, "all libraries" also counts other countries and evidence that named no country, so it can be lower than one country's score.

Source: whatworks.tech research, October 2026; provider help, pricing and app store pages. Checked October 2026.

How we compare the providers: one score per use, so no VPN leads every ranking

We give each VPN one score for each use, such as general, Netflix, Fire TV or Hulu (US), and each ranking page prints its own. The score combines how well each VPN works in practice in our research, device compatibility, features, and price and refunds. How we rank explains how rankings work on this site.

Each use counts its own research. The research part of the Netflix score uses only Netflix across all libraries, where the general score uses six services. The Fire TV score gives device compatibility more weight. For now, our general score is the streaming score, so IPVanish is first in our Netflix ranking but fifth overall, and ExpressVPN leads our Fire TV ranking.

The first table gives each VPN's position in our general, Fire TV and across-devices rankings, and the second its position in each service's ranking.

Source: whatworks.tech scores, 7 October 2026. Each cell is the VPN's position in that use's ranking. "Not ranked" means too little research data for that use. "All devices" is our ranking across devices on the devices hub. Checked October 2026.

Source: whatworks.tech scores, 7 October 2026. Each cell is the VPN's position in that service's ranking. "Not ranked" means too little research data for that service. Checked October 2026.

Four VPNs lead at least one ranking:

• Surfshark leads BBC iPlayer (UK), Prime Video and Hulu (US).
• IPVanish leads Netflix and Disney+.
• Private Internet Access leads HBO Max.
• ExpressVPN leads Fire TV and our ranking across devices.
• NordVPN, Proton VPN and CyberGhost lead none.

The General column is not an average of the columns beside it, because the score counts more than the service research. ExpressVPN, never lower than second in a service ranking, is first overall. NordVPN is second overall because the general score weighs all six services together, and in our research (October 2026) its scores are 94% or higher on five of them. Surfshark leads three service rankings but is fifth for Netflix and HBO Max, and third overall.

The providers differ most on TV apps, devices at once and refunds

The gaps that matter on a TV are in apps, devices at once and refund terms. ExpressVPN has the highest general score and CyberGhost the lowest of the seven.

The general ranking: ExpressVPN leads and CyberGhost is last

ExpressVPN scores 8.9/10 in our general ranking and CyberGhost 5.8/10. The same order appears on the best VPN for streaming, which adds the service-by-service research.

• App available
• App with documented limits
• No app
• Not documented

VPNs ranked for General, best score first

Rank	VPN	General score	Best for	Highlights	Refund	Profile
1	ExpressVPN	Highest research scores across the services we checked	8.9/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 100% on BBC iPlayer (UK) and 2 moreWeakest in our research: 78% on Netflix (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV Features10 devices at onceSplit tunneling on TV apps	30-day money-back	See profile of ExpressVPN
2	NordVPN		8.7/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 100% on BBC iPlayer (UK) and 1 moreWeakest in our research: 69% on Netflix (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV Features10 devices at onceSmart DNS for some services	30-day money-back	See profile of NordVPN
3	Surfshark	Unlimited devices	8.4/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 100% on BBC iPlayer (UK) and 1 moreWeakest in our research: 64% on Netflix (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV FeaturesSplit tunneling on TV appsWorks on routers	30-day money-back	See profile of Surfshark
4	Proton VPN	Vega OS app with no missing features	8.3/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 100% on BBC iPlayer (UK)Weakest in our research: 73% on Disney+ (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV Features10 devices at onceSplit tunneling on TV apps	30-day money-back	See profile of Proton VPN
5	IPVanish	Unlimited devices	8.2/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 99% on Disney+ (all libraries)Weakest in our research: 62% on BBC iPlayer (UK)Not enough data: HBO Max (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV FeaturesSplit tunneling on TV appsWorks on routers	30-day money-back	See profile of IPVanish
6	Private Internet Access	Unlimited devices	7.8/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 100% on HBO Max (all libraries)Weakest in our research: 39% on Disney+ (all libraries)Not enough data: BBC iPlayer (UK), Prime Video (all libraries), Hulu (US) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV FeaturesSmart DNS by countrySplit tunneling on TV apps	30-day money-back	See profile of Private Internet Access
7	CyberGhost	Longest money-back guarantee, 45 days	5.8/10General score	Works withBest in our research: 88% on Hulu (US)Weakest in our research: 33% on BBC iPlayer (UK)Not enough data: Prime Video (all libraries), HBO Max (all libraries) AppsFire OSVega OSAndroid TVApple TV Features7 devices at onceSplit tunneling on TV apps	45-day money-back	See profile of CyberGhost

Source: whatworks.tech scores, 19 October 2026. The score combines how well each VPN works in practice in our research, device compatibility, features, and price and refunds. How we rank.

Surfshark sits just above Proton VPN on a lower starting price and unlimited devices, even though Proton VPN's Vega OS app lists no missing features.

This table holds the research scores behind each provider's highest and lowest scores below. A VPN with too little recent evidence for a service shows "Not enough data".

VPN	Netflix (all libraries)	BBC iPlayer (UK)	Prime Video (all libraries)	Disney+ (all libraries)	HBO Max (all libraries)	Hulu (US)
ExpressVPN	78%	100%	95%	99%	100%	100%
NordVPN	69%	100%	94%	99%	100%	98%
Surfshark	64%	100%	94%	88%	75%	100%
Proton VPN	77%	100%	85%	73%	95%	96%
IPVanish	83%	62%	67%	99%	Not enough data	91%
Private Internet Access	70%	Not enough data	Not enough data	39%	100%	Not enough data
CyberGhost	64%	33%	Not enough data	35%	Not enough data	88%

Source: whatworks.tech research, October 2026. VPNs in the order of our general ranking. "Not enough data" means too little recent evidence for a score. Checked October 2026.

The providers side by side: owner, devices at once, refund and TV apps

The first table gives each provider's owner, devices at once and money-back terms, and the second its TV apps.

Source: provider help and pricing pages. Checked October 2026.

All seven providers have Fire OS and Android TV apps, six have an Apple TV app, and five have a Vega OS app.

• App available (a minimum system version may apply)
• App with features the provider lists as missing
• No app, or none found
• Nothing we read from the provider says

Source: provider help and app store pages. Checked October 2026.

All seven also have iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac apps, while Linux apps, Chromebook support and browser extensions differ, as each section lists. For Roku, Samsung and LG TVs, the providers point to a streaming device with their app, a VPN router, a Windows PC sharing its connection, or Smart DNS. VPN options on TV devices compares those routes and has the full platform matrix.

Which provider to start with for each use

Start with the provider that leads your use, then check its TV app and refund terms in the sections below.

Source: whatworks.tech scores, 7 October 2026, and research, October 2026; provider help and app store pages. Checked October 2026.

NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN: where the lower-ranked VPN leads

The lower-ranked VPN in each pair is still ahead of the other somewhere, as the table shows.

Source: whatworks.tech scores, 7 October 2026, and research, October 2026; provider help pages. Checked October 2026.

The top three providers differ on Netflix, TV apps and devices

ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark take the top three places overall, but NordVPN leads none of the single-use rankings.

ExpressVPN leads overall and is weakest on Netflix

ExpressVPN has a general score of 8.9/10, first of the seven. It is first in our Fire TV ranking and second in our Netflix ranking, behind IPVanish. In our research (October 2026), its highest scores are 100% with BBC iPlayer (UK), HBO Max and Hulu (US), and its lowest is 78% with Netflix across all libraries. It suits viewers who want second place or better in every service ranking.

• TV apps: Fire OS 6 or later, Vega OS (with no missing features listed), Apple TV (tvOS 17 or later) and Android TV. For Roku it points to a VPN router, and for Samsung and LG to MediaStreamer, a DNS service that, ExpressVPN says, cannot change your location.
• Streaming features: split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Android TV and iOS, where iOS excludes only single addresses. Its own Aircove and Fortify routers.
• Other platforms: a Linux GUI app on named distributions, Chromebooks through the Android app on models that support Android apps, and extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Brave.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, with app-store purchases refunded by Apple or Google. Nothing we read documents a free plan or trial.
• Owner: Kape, a London company, which lists it among its brands.

The ExpressVPN profile, with its scores by service, goes further.

NordVPN ranks high overall but low for Netflix

NordVPN has a general score of 8.7/10, second overall, and is fourth in our Fire TV ranking and sixth in our Netflix ranking. In our research (October 2026) it scores 100% with BBC iPlayer (UK) and HBO Max and 69% with Netflix across all libraries. Its 87% for Netflix US is the highest of the VPNs with a score. It suits Netflix US, BBC iPlayer (UK) and HBO Max viewers more than Netflix across all libraries.

• TV apps: Fire OS, except first- and second-generation sticks and the Basic Edition. Vega OS, with some features temporarily missing and no Dedicated IP. Apple TV (tvOS 17 or later) and Android TV. For some TVs without an app it offers SmartDNS, which lists eight services, mostly US.
• Streaming features: split tunneling on Windows, Android, Android TV and Fire OS. Manual router setup and preconfigured FlashRouters routers.
• Other platforms: Linux apps with a GUI and a command line, and extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox that cover browser traffic only. Chromebooks work through the Android app, though some older models may not support it.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day guarantee on first purchases, and a 7-day free trial that needs a card or PayPal.
• Owner: Nord Security, whose product it is.

The NordVPN profile, with its scores by service, shows the rest.

Surfshark has unlimited devices and leads several service rankings

Surfshark has a general score of 8.4/10, third overall and third in our Fire TV ranking, and it is fifth in our Netflix ranking. It leads our BBC iPlayer (UK), Prime Video and Hulu (US) rankings. In our research (October 2026) its highest scores are 100% with BBC iPlayer (UK) and Hulu (US), and its lowest is 64% with Netflix across all libraries. It suits BBC iPlayer (UK), Prime Video and Hulu (US) viewers, and homes with many devices.

• TV apps: Fire OS 7.0 or later, per its Fire TV guide. Vega OS (core VPN functions only, with no kill switch), Apple TV (tvOS 17 or later) and Android TV. Its Smart DNS ended on 2 February 2026.
• Streaming features: split tunneling, called Bypasser, on Windows, macOS, Android, Android TV and iOS, but not on Vega OS. Manual router setup, which loses most app features.
• Other platforms: a Linux GUI app, Chromebooks through Google Play, and extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox that secure browser traffic only.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day guarantee, and a 7-day free trial that covers 3 devices, both for website purchases.
• Owner: Surfshark says it merged with Nord Security, which makes NordVPN, in 2022, and that it is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The Surfshark profile, with its scores by service, has the detail.

Proton VPN and IPVanish do better on Fire TV and Netflix than overall

Proton VPN ranks fourth overall and IPVanish fifth, yet Proton VPN is second for Fire TV and IPVanish first for Netflix.

Proton VPN ranks higher for Fire TV than overall

Proton VPN has a general score of 8.3/10, fourth overall, second in our Fire TV ranking and third in our Netflix ranking. In our research (October 2026) its highest score is 100% with BBC iPlayer (UK) and its lowest is 73% with Disney+. Its 91% for Netflix UK is the highest of the VPNs with a score. It suits Netflix UK viewers and Fire TV Sticks on Vega OS.

• TV apps: Fire OS 7 or later, and Vega OS, where version 1.0 launched on 16 September 2026 with no missing features listed. Android TV and Google TV. Apple TV needs tvOS 17 and a paid plan.
• Streaming features: split tunneling on paid plans, on Windows, Linux, macOS (experimental), Android, Android TV and in the browser extension. Manual router guides.
• Other platforms: Linux apps with a GUI and a command line on Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora, and Chromebooks that run Android apps. Its free Chrome and Firefox extensions protect browser traffic only.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day guarantee on paid plans, and a free plan. Proton's Netflix page says to use a paid plan and a Plus server.
• Owner: Proton AG, a Swiss company.

The Proton VPN profile, on why its positions differ, covers the gap.

IPVanish leads for Netflix but ranks lower overall

IPVanish has a general score of 8.2/10, fifth overall and fifth in our Fire TV ranking, but it is first in our Netflix ranking and for Disney+. In our research (October 2026) its highest score is 99% with Disney+ and its lowest is 62% with BBC iPlayer (UK). Prime Video is 67%, and there is not enough data for HBO Max. It suits Netflix and Disney+ viewers more than BBC iPlayer (UK) or Prime Video.

• TV apps: Fire OS, on a second-generation stick or newer. Vega OS, without split tunneling, a choice of VPN protocol or launch at startup. Apple TV, from tvOS 18, higher than the others. Android TV. IPVanish says Roku cannot connect to its VPN by itself, and we found no Samsung or LG app.
• Streaming features: split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Fire OS, but not on Vega OS. Manual router setups and preconfigured FlashRouters routers. IPVanish says it offers no static IP.
• Other platforms: the pages we read name no native Linux app, only manual setups, and no VPN browser extension, only extensions for its Secure Browser product.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day guarantee only on first-time annual or longer subscriptions bought on its website. A 7-day free trial is for yearly plans bought in its iOS or Android app.
• Owner: Ziff Davis, Inc., named on IPVanish's pricing page, which shows US dollars to EU visitors.

The IPVanish profile, on why it ranks fifth, explains the gap.

Private Internet Access and CyberGhost rank lowest

Private Internet Access ranks sixth and CyberGhost seventh of the seven. Neither has a Vega OS app we could confirm: Private Internet Access says its app is not compatible, and no CyberGhost app was found.

Private Internet Access leads for HBO Max but ranks lower overall

Private Internet Access has a general score of 7.8/10, sixth overall, fourth in our Netflix ranking and first for HBO Max. It is not ranked for Fire TV, because our research has too little data on it. In our research (October 2026) its highest score is 100% with HBO Max, its lowest is 39% with Disney+, and Netflix is 70% across all libraries. It suits HBO Max viewers and anyone after the lowest first-term monthly price in euros.

• TV apps: Fire OS 6 or later, also installable with the Downloader app, which installs apps from outside the store. Apple TV, from tvOS 17. Android TV, where it says the app may not work on every box. It says its app is not currently compatible with Vega OS. For Roku, Samsung and LG TVs it lists a router, PC connection sharing or its Smart DNS, which you set up per device and country.
• Streaming features: split tunneling in its desktop apps, and per-app selection on Fire TV. Manual router setups with the OpenVPN protocol, but not WireGuard.
• Other platforms: a Linux app with a full GUI, Chrome and Firefox extensions that protect browser traffic only, and Chromebooks, though the pages we read give no install route.
• Refund, trial and free plan: a 30-day guarantee on website purchases by new subscribers. App-store, gift-card and third-party purchases are excluded. Nothing we read documents a free plan or trial.
• Owner: Kape, which lists it among its brands. The app-store seller is Private Internet Access, Inc.

CyberGhost ranks last overall, with its weakest scores on BBC iPlayer and Disney+

CyberGhost has a general score of 5.8/10, the lowest of the seven. It is seventh, the last, in our Netflix ranking and sixth, the last ranked, in our Fire TV ranking. In our research (October 2026) its highest score is 88% with Hulu (US) and its lowest is 33% with BBC iPlayer (UK). Disney+ is 35% and Netflix 64% across all libraries.

• TV apps: Fire OS 6 (Android 7.0 or later) and Android TV. It has no Apple TV app, and we found no Vega OS app. It lists no Roku, Samsung or LG app, and its own help pages say its Smart DNS "is no longer compatible with streaming services".
• Streaming features: split tunneling on Android and Fire TV or Android TV, and website exclusions on Windows. Manual router setups with the OpenVPN protocol.
• Other platforms: a Linux command-line app with no GUI, Chromebooks through Google Play, and Chrome and Firefox extensions that cover browser traffic only.
• Refund, trial and free plan: the longest window of the seven, 45 days on plans of 6 months or longer and 14 days on monthly plans, for website purchases only. Subscriptions bought in its Fire TV app through the Amazon Appstore are managed by Amazon, at Amazon Appstore Support's discretion.
• Owner: Kape, which lists it among its brands. The app-store seller is Cyberghost SRL.

Who owns each VPN: Kape, Nord Security, Proton AG and Ziff Davis

Kape lists the most: ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost, which sit first, sixth and seventh in our general ranking. Nord Security makes NordVPN, and Surfshark says it merged with Nord Security in 2022. Shared ownership does not mean shared terms: the three Kape VPNs have refund windows of 30, 30 and 45 days and allow 10 to 14, unlimited and 7 devices.

Source: provider websites, pricing pages and app store listings, as each company states it. Checked October 2026.

IPVanish's pricing page discloses a link to review sites: it says Ziff Davis also owns Mashable and IGN, which that page quotes.

Common problems when choosing a provider: refund scope, renewal prices, free plans and trials

Six problems come up when choosing a provider, and four of them can be avoided before you pay.

Source: provider help, pricing and app store pages; Netflix help pages; whatworks.tech research, October 2026. Checked October 2026.

Private Internet Access starts cheapest in euros, and refund terms differ

Private Internet Access has the lowest first-term monthly price in euros, on its three-year plan, as an EU visitor saw it on 6 October 2026. Refunds run from 14 days on CyberGhost's monthly plans to 45 days on its longer ones, and most other providers give 30. The price table shows each provider's cheapest first-term offer and the renewal prices we recorded.

VPN	Per month	First payment	Then renews at
ExpressVPN	€2.49Basic	€69.72for 2 years + 4 months	€79.95 a year
NordVPN	€3.49Basic	€94.23for 2 years + 3 months	€139.08 a year
Surfshark	€2.49Starter	€67.23for 2 years + 3 months	Not shown
Proton VPN	€3.49VPN Plus	€83.76for 2 years	€83.88 a year
IPVanish	$2.39Essential	$57.36for 2 years	$99.99 a year
Private Internet Access	€1.79	Not shown3 years + 3 months plan	€70.00 every 3 years
CyberGhost	€2.19	€56.94for 2 years + 2 months	€56.94 a year

Introductory prices shown to a visitor in the EU on 11 October 2026, lowest monthly price per provider. VAT may apply. IPVanish shows US dollars.

As an EU visitor saw them on 6 October 2026, six providers were priced in euros. From the lowest first-term monthly price, the order is Private Internet Access, CyberGhost's two-year plan, then ExpressVPN and Surfshark level. NordVPN and Proton VPN Plus cost the most per month, all on multi-year terms. IPVanish shows dollars and is not placed.

Renewals differ more than first terms. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and CyberGhost's two-year plan renew yearly, Private Internet Access's three-year plan renews every three years, and Surfshark's renewal price was not captured.

Free trials and the free plan each come with a catch

NordVPN, Surfshark and IPVanish document a 7-day free trial, and Proton VPN is the only one of the seven VPNs we cover that documents a free plan. Each has a catch. Nothing we read documents a free plan or trial for ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access or CyberGhost, so a refund is the way to try them.

Source: provider help and pricing pages. Checked October 2026.

Provider changes in 2026 that affect the choice

In 2026, Surfshark ended its Smart DNS, Proton VPN launched a Vega OS app, and two providers updated their TV guides, as the table shows. The table lists them oldest first, with the dates the providers' pages carry.

Source: provider help pages, pricing pages and app store listings, with the dates they carry. Checked October 2026.

After you choose: buy on the website, install, and try another server if a stream stops

Once you have a pick, four steps keep the refund and the TV app in view:

1. Check the TV or streaming device against the side-by-side table above, or plan a router.
2. Buy on the provider's website, not in an app store, so its own refund applies.
3. Install the app on the device you watch on. For a Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV install guide covers Fire OS and Vega OS.
4. If a stream stops, switch to another server in the country you chose and restart the streaming app. Fixing Netflix error E106 lists more steps.

Where to go next

• The best VPN for streaming: the same ranking, with research scores across six services and picks by TV.
• VPN on TV devices: which TVs can run a VPN app, and the routes for the rest.
• Netflix with a VPN: which VPNs work in each Netflix library, and Netflix's rules.
• VPN picks for a Fire TV Stick: the Fire TV ranking, with Fire OS and Vega OS apps compared.
• Fix Netflix error E106: what the message means and the fixes, quickest first.