Based on years of experience testing VPNs for a variety of use cases, these are the factors I consider most important when choosing a VPN for Amazon Prime Video.
Ability to unblock Amazon Prime content
Not every VPN can give you access to Amazon Prime Video content. If you want to use a VPN for Prime Video, you’ll first need to determine whether the VPN you’re considering can unblock Prime Video content. In my tests, Surfshark and Proton VPN were the best at accessing content from multiple regions, while ExpressVPN and NordVPN were able to access content from the US. Most VPNs offer some kind of money-back guarantee, so you can try a few to see which one works best for you.
Speed
Many VPNs can throttle your base internet speed by 50% or more, which can make for a rough streaming experience filled with buffering, poor picture quality, or both. As long as you have a fast enough internet connection, a VPN that throttles your speed by 25% or less should be able to deliver a smooth streaming experience.
Server network
The overall reach of a server network can help ensure that you can enjoy fast speeds and stable connections from anywhere in the world. This can be great for streaming a wide range of international content and for when you’re traveling. But an even more important consideration than the size of a VPN’s server network is that it has servers in the countries where you want to access streaming content. If you want to access content from Germany but your VPN doesn’t have any German servers, you’re out of luck. Most VPNs will have a list of the countries where they have servers on their websites. Make sure the VPN you’re considering has the server locations you need before you make a purchase.
Privacy
Privacy is a top priority for any VPN, whether you need a VPN for critical online privacy needs or you simply want to stream geo-restricted content. Your VPN should secure your online traffic with industry-standard encryption like AES 256-bit or ChaCha20 and include features like a kill switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, and an audited no-logs policy. With these privacy protections in place, your ISP will have no visibility into your streaming activity or anything else you do online while connected to the VPN, and it shouldn’t have any useful information to pass on to authorities if asked.
Price
VPNs can cost anywhere from $5 to $15 per month or $40 to $100 per year. With such a wide range of prices, there’s a VPN for every budget. Luckily for the budget-conscious, the best VPN for Amazon Prime Video is one of the most wallet-friendly options available for long-term subscribers.
