Twitch users looking to get around geo-blocks and ISP throttling shouldn’t have to break the bank. Are you in need of a free way to gain secure private internet access to the streaming website? Try one of our top picks for the best free VPN for Twitch:
- ProtonVPN: Unlimited monthly data
- PrivadoVPN: Offers more servers
- Hide.me: Free split-tunneling feature
This article will shed some much-needed light on the best free Twitch VPNs you have immediate access to. But free VPNs and Twitch don’t always go together, and users can face common issues such as data and speed limits, overcrowded servers, as well as a limited server network.
With no data caps, reliable speeds, and a sprawling global network of servers, we can recommend NordVPN for Twitch.
You’ll find more comprehensive information in our full article below.
Twitch is the premier streaming platform for gamers across the globe. Over the course of its existence, it has amassed a monumental user base with viewers ranging in the hundreds of thousands. Like any other streaming platform, Twitch institutes content blocks and restrictions based on location that can prevent users from viewing content. Luckily, with the right VPN, you can easily get around these restrictions.
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a practical tool that helps its users avoid geo-blocks while also providing them with a higher level of online privacy and security. Premium VPNs will offer the greatest protection and perks, but a free service can also do the job, even despite the limitations it might impose.
You shouldn’t need a premium VPN service in order to access Twitch and enjoy your favorite streamers. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and done the hard work for you. Below, you’ll discover the best free VPN services to unblock Twitch.
3 Best Free VPN Services for Twitch: Our Recommendations
When it comes to the best free VPN for Twitch, what matters most is server availability, the speed of those servers, and the monthly data cap provided. If you want to completely rid yourself of these concerns, we can always recommend a premium service like NordVPN. You won’t find any limitations on speeds, data, and servers with a subscription to this provider. NordVPN also has a built-in adblocker that helps get rid of ads on Twitch.
But if you’re looking for the best free VPNs, we’ve tested many in order to determine our top three recommendations for the best VPNs for streaming Twitch that won’t cost you anything.
1. ProtonVPN: Unlimited data for the active Twitch user
ProtonVPN is the first and best free VPN for Twitch on the list. The free version of this service imposes no data limits, no speed restrictions, and works on all major operating systems.
Unfortunately, the free version of ProtonVPN isn’t as great when it comes to its server network. It has limited server locations and doesn’t support torrent downloads or work with Netflix. Servers can only be found in the United States, Japan, or the Netherlands, which might not be ideal if you’re looking to unblock content from other countries.
So long as you keep your VPN connection activated, you can watch your favorite streamers while enjoying ProtonVPN’s protection. Though its speeds come without restrictions, the limited number of servers can cause traffic congestion, slowing things down drastically depending on the current activity. This might cause some delays in your streams.
For Twitch users not currently on a budget, ProtonVPN’s premium VPN service offers additional servers in 63 countries and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can check out both the premium and free version by clicking the button below.
- Free servers in the Netherlands, Japan and the US
- No data limit
- Servers often slow and crowded
2. PrivadoVPN: Many server locations for Twitch users worldwide
When looking at the best VPNs for Twitch that come with zero costs, PrivadoVPN is another solid choice. PrivadoVPN’s free version provides servers spread across twelve locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. This makes it a great choice for Twitch users in need of accessing specific locations, whether for connection speed or the need to bypass restrictions.
One of the best VPNs for Twitch out there, PrivadoVPN works with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. As a nice extra, it’s also one of the few VPNs that work with Netflix. On top of that, connection speeds are unlimited and the protection comes with a strict “no logs” policy, meaning the VPN provider ensures your Twitch access remains private.
The downsides of PrivadoVPN Free are that it can only be used on a single device at any time and it has a 10GB monthly data cap. Although 10GB is quite a lot compared to competitors, it is still a small amount to spend on viewing and streaming Twitch. Regardless, data usage will enable users to gain access to Twitch streams for a few hours of enjoyment a month.
If you’d like access to a bigger network or want to use PrivadoVPN beyond their 10GB data limit, you can have a look at their premium subscription by going to their website.
- Secure VPN with strong encryption
- Doesn't keep logs
- Limited server network
3. Hide.me: For Twitch users in need of split-tunneling
Another decent free choice for Twitch is Hide.me. Similar to PrivadoVPN, Hide.me offers 10GB of free, unthrottled monthly data, which is good enough for a few hours of streaming. Hide.me’s free tier offers five server locations: three in North America and two in Europe.
One of the more interesting features of the Hide.me free tier is its kill switch. Usually reserved for premium subscriptions, it provides additional privacy protection should you lose connection to the VPN server. This ensures that any sensitive information you may have been working with while the VPN was active, is kept safe from potential cybercriminals.
If you choose to eventually forego the free route and opt for a Hide.me payment plan, Hide.me offers a few interesting features. One of those features is split tunneling. This allows users to select specific apps they wish to route through the VPN, while the rest runs via your normal, unprotected connection. This way, you can avoid slowing down other online activities.
- 5 Free serverlocations
- 10GB free data per month
- Torrenting possible
Why You Need a VPN for Twitch
So, why would you need one of these best VPNs for Twitch in the first place? You might already know that a VPN can help you unblock content on Twitch. Apart from that, though, it will also increase your online security. We listed the most popular reasons to use a Twitch VPN for you below.
Geo-blocks
It’s not uncommon for Twitch to impose geo-blocks on videos based on licensing issues. In other words, some videos and streams might not be available to you because you’re in a certain location. If you encounter this problem, you’ll get an error saying “the premium content is not available in your region (error #1).”
This is the main reason why people use a VPN with Twitch. To get around geographical content blocks, you can simply connect to a VPN server in a different country. Your best bet would be to pick a server in the US or the UK, where Twitch is freely available to all.
Network blocks
Network blocks are mainly imposed by businesses, workplaces, and schools to limit the number of sites users of those networks can visit. You might come across this when you try to access Twitch from your school’s Wi-Fi, for example. Usually, this is done to make sure you can focus on your work instead of being distracted by your favorite Twitch personalities. Even so, there might be many cases in which you want to access those blocked websites anyway.
Like with geographical blocks, a VPN is the solution here. By encrypting your online traffic and redirecting it through a remote server where it won’t be detected or blocked. In other words, VPN tunneling will allow you to access Twitch streams even in places where the website is banned.
IP bans
When Twitch finds that a user is violating their terms of service, they might ban that user’s IP address. This means that anyone using that IP address to watch Twitch will find themselves unable to access the platform. This can be inconvenient, especially when the ban wasn’t placed on the right IP or the right person.
Those with a Twitch-imposed IP ban can get around this with the use of a VPN. VPNs provide private internet access via a new IP address when connecting to a server. The VPN’s IP won’t have been banned, so you can use it to access Twitch. This way, users who’ve been wrongfully banned on the platform can still enjoy their favorite streams.
ISP throttling
Video streaming takes up a considerable amount of bandwidth. This can put a great deal of stress on an ISP’s servers. In order to ease the stress caused by the data-intensive website, ISPs may introduce throttling, meaning they allocate the Twitch site to a slower connection. This could mean more lag during streaming and longer waiting times.
If your Twitch experience gets notably worse, it could be due to ISP throttling. You can use a VPN to find out whether this is actually the case. With a VPN, your Twitch visits are essentially hidden from your ISP’s prying eyes. Now you can access Twitch as either a streamer or viewer without your ISP diminishing the quality.
Increased security measures
Aside from helping you unblock content, a VPN also provides essential online security by keeping you safer and more anonymous. It is a great and unmissable addition to your device’s antivirus.
Some good antivirus programs even have top-quality VPNs built into their software. Norton 360, for example, offers amazing protection against malware while providing excellent security and privacy features, including a VPN.
A handful of VPNs also come with password managers that can help you store your passwords and create strong login details. Using a combination of security software like this will ensure that your Twitch personal data remains secure, preventing hackers from cracking your passwords or infecting your device with a virus.
Why Free VPNs Don’t Always Work for Twitch
“Free” doesn’t necessarily mean “good.” In fact, when dealing with VPNs, free options are more likely to be limited in scope and features. Here are a few reasons why you might wish to use a premium VPN for Twitch instead.
Data limits
Many free VPNs work with data limits, meaning you can only use the VPN for a certain amount of MBs before it stops working. This is one of the more limiting factors when choosing a free VPN for Twitch. Streaming services often take a lot of bandwidth to perform properly without compromising quality. Twitch is no exception. If you use a VPN with a data limit, you might find it runs out in no time.
For those who only need to use Twitch for an hour or two a month, data limitations aren’t so debilitating. However, if you frequently use Twitch for viewing streams, and especially if you want to stream yourself, having uncapped data is crucial.
Overcrowded servers and speed limits
When a product is “free,” it tends to attract more users. Free VPNs usually have a small available server network with only a handful of servers. If all those users have to be divided over those few servers, that quickly causes a lot of stress on the network.
Crowded servers can lead to complications with connections, connection speed, and stability. All of these issues lead to a terrible Twitch viewing experience. Since Twitch often shows live streams, this is an even bigger problem. Your stream might lag or take a long time to load, meaning you won’t be able to enjoy Twitch to its full extent.
Some free VPNs even work with speed limits, meaning you won’t be able to stream very well no matter how busy the servers are.
Small server network
Most free VPN service providers limit the number of server locations to which a user can connect. This can be a serious problem if the location of the server you need is not available. You might not be able to unblock the content you want or reach the speeds you desire. Paid VPNs, even those with limited server networks like OVPN, perform better than their free counterparts.
ProtonVPN, for example, only offers servers in the US, the Netherlands, and Japan. If you live in South Africa and need a server in, let’s say, Germany to watch a specific stream, or you just want a server close to your location to watch with the best possible speeds, you’re out of luck.
Final Thoughts
A free VPN service will help you get around geo-blocking restrictions, circumvent IP bans and network blocks, and avoid ISP throttling. Due to limitations and a lack of features, choices are limited. Thankfully, there are a few good free VPNs available:
- ProtonVPN: best choice for frequent Twitch users from the US or Europe. It’s one of the best free VPNs for playing Fortnite.
- PrivadoVPN: tremendous choice with 10 GB data and more servers outside the US
- Hide.me: good free VPN with 10GB data and a working kill switch for extra security.
If you get serious about your Twitch streaming and viewing, you’re likely much better off choosing a paid VPN service with an unlimited data cap. For that, we’d suggest a premium service like NordVPN. The connection speeds are lightning quick, with thousands of different server locations, and best of all, no data caps.
Have questions about the best free VPNs for Twitch? Check out our FAQ section below. Just click a question to view the answer.
Yes. First of all, a VPN can allow you to unblock pages and streams on Twitch that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit from your location. On top of that, regardless of your current location, a VPN will not only hide your Twitch viewing from prying eyes, but also provide a potentially faster streaming experience, if you’re dealing with ISP throttling.
Typically, a streamer will use a VPN specifically to connect to a game server found outside of their local region. A good example of this is the game Lost Ark. Before it was released in the US and Europe, the game servers were only located in Russia, Japan, and South Korea. With the use of a VPN, many players and streamers were able to connect and play locally with minimal ping complications.
To stream on Twitch with a VPN, you’ll first need to select the VPN service. Once this step is complete, all you need to do is connect to the VPN server closest to the server location you’re looking to access. This is often the server that is closest to you. Following this, you can use whichever streaming software (OBS, Xsplit, etc.) you prefer to access and stream to Twitch.
No. A VPN cannot prevent a person from being swatted. However, it’s a great tool to have in the overall plan you need to prevent it. Since swatting requires the swatter to know your physical address, using a VPN can help you remain anonymous. It will still require more effort on your end to keep your identity secret from the public: make sure you don’t share too much personal information online and keep your streaming location secret.
