Best VPNs to watch Disney Plus from abroad in 2024

Stepping into Disney Plus’s vast universe is an adventure, especially with its treasure trove of Marvel, Star Wars, and iconic Disney exclusives. Unfortunately, not all viewers have unrestricted access to this content. The Netherlands, for example, has less content available than the US.

If you’re traveling abroad and want to access content visible in your home account, the best solution is to use a VPN for Disney Plus — but not just any old VPN. Disney Plus is adept at identifying and blocking VPN access, so you need to choose carefully. This is where we come in. We’ve tested a range of providers to find those that work smoothly with Disney Plus while also providing a range of other features to keep you safe and secure online.

If you’re pressed for time, we’ve summarized our findings here, but read on for in-depth reviews of each provider and instructions on how to use them.

We found these to be the best VPNs for Disney Plus:

1. NordVPN: Our #1 choice for using Disney+ abroad. This VPN works with Disney and other major streaming platforms. Great connection speeds for streaming in HD. Has strong encryption plus a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Disney+.
2. Surfshark: The best low-cost option for streaming Disney+. Access the whole content library with no issues. Has plenty of advanced security features and unlimited simultaneous device connections.
3. IPVanish: With consistently high speeds, a strict no-logs policy, and powerful security features, ideal for watching Disney+ abroad. Offers cheapest month-by-by-month price on this list.
4. ExpressVPN: This service’s high speeds, reliable connections, and strong security credentials make it ideal for watching Disney+ abroad.
5. CyberGhost: A solid choice for streaming Disney+. Easy to use and fast enough for streaming in HD. It is also highly secure with 256-bit AES encryption.
6. PureVPN: This no-logs provider excels at accessing region-locked platforms and has ultra-fast servers in 65 countries. Protect up to 10 devices at a time, and browse safely wherever you go.
7. ProtonVPN: A reliable service with first-class speed and streaming potential. Includes a wide range of advanced functionality and 24/7 assistance over live chat.
8. PrivateVPN: A high-speed, no-logs service capable of unblocking major platforms like Disney+ and streaming content from anywhere in the world.

How to access Disney+ abroad in five easy steps

Accessing region-locked services like Disney+ is simple with the right VPN. All you have to do is change your region. Just follow these proven steps below to watch Disney+ from anywhere worldwide.

From our real-world experience, here’s how to watch Disney Plus abroad with a VPN:

1. First, sign up for one of the VPNs below (we particularly recommend NordVPN).
2. Install the appropriate app for your device and log in.
3. Connect to a server in a supported country (such as the US, Canada, or the Netherlands).
4. Visit the Disney+ website and sign up. You’ll need a payment method linked to an address in a country where this service is already available.
5. Finally, try playing a video on Disney+. It should start immediately, but if you see the following error: “Something went wrong. Please try again. If the problem persists, visit the Disney+ Help Center (Error Code 83).“, clear your browser’s cookies, then refresh the page.

Note: if you didn’t get a subscription to Disney+ before you went abroad, you will need to subscribe from a country where it is available or use a payment method from one such country. We’ve provided more details on this here.

Our criteria for choosing the top Disney Plus VPNs

We provide an in-depth guide to our testing methodology later in this article. For now, here’s a quick summary of how we evaluated each Disney Plus VPN.

• Speed: We tested each VPN’s servers in the four regions where Disney Plus is available. We used a home broadband connection to get an idea of the speeds an average user might expect. Providers were then scored based on these results.
• Streaming ability: Once we’d confirmed that a particular VPN worked with Disney Plus, we checked whether it also worked with other big-name platforms. After all, most people use more than one streaming service. We also checked whether providers had streaming-optimized servers available and whether they worked with routers.
• Security & Privacy: We scored providers against 15 different metrics to evaluate how secure and private they are. These included their kill switch capabilities, levels of encryption, and any logging policies.
• Ease of use: We used 10 metrics to gauge how easy-to-use each provider is. These included the number of native applications, the quality of the interface, and how easy it was to sign up to or cancel a subscription.
• Value for money: The eight criteria we used to gauge a provider’s relative value for money included the availability of discounts and free trials, and the lowest monthly and annual prices.

Best VPNs for streaming Disney+ abroad: A snapshot of features

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Disney+.

Best VPNs for streaming Disney Plus abroad

Let’s look at the best VPNs for streaming Disney+ abroad in more detail:

1. NordVPN

Dec 2024

NordVPN has an impressive 6,200+ in 111 countries, with a strong presence in Disney Plus regions. Its servers are all RAM-only, which means they can’t store any data long-term. This, together with NordVPN’s audited no-logs policy, allows users to stream in peace, knowing that no records of what they’re watching (and when) are being squirreled away for third-party analysis.

NordVPN worked seamlessly with Disney Plus when we tried it. It works similarly well with a large number of other popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Paramount+ and BBC iPlayer. In fact, we’ve yet to find a platform it doesn’t work with.

We tested out NordVPN’s speed to see what the average home user might expect from the provider. We carried out tests in four Disney Plus regions using a home broadband connection with an average speed of 58.32 Mbps.

NordVPN performed the fastest in the UK and US, which wasn’t altogether surprising given that we were connecting from the UK. In all four locations it was fast enough to stream Disney content in 4K — though you’ll need a device capable of the higher resolution and a base connection speed that is also fast enough.

NordVPN’s apps are easy to use, with a range of powerful functions easily accessible for casual investigation. For example, specialty servers are available from the dashboard and allow users to try out the Tor network with a single click.

Users can also connect to two VPNs (‘Double VPN’) for additional security or connect to the provider’s obfuscated servers. These are available in 16 countries and enable user’s traffic to bypass detection even in heavily restrictive countries such as China.

A tool called MeshNet is also available via the dashboard. This allows users to set up their own private networks of connected devices which can be accessed remotely — which is great if you’re traveling abroad. Note that MeshNet is available without a NordVPN subscription — just visit the NordVPN website if you’d like to try it out.

Other NordVPN features include automatic wi-fi protection, a kill switch, and access to a Nord-built connection protocol called NordLynx. This is built on the speedy WireGuard protocol, though it’s not open-source. Users can opt for OpenVPN instead if they prefer to use a community-tested protocol.

Split tunneling is available, which allows you to use the Disney Plus app within the VPN tunnel and everything else outside it (or vice-versa). There’s also a Dark Web Monitor which, once activated, will check the dark web for leaks involving users’ data.

The provider uses strong 256-bit AES encryption to protect user-generated traffic and its apps come with built-in WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS leak protection — which we verified ourselves while connected to a server in Brazil.

NordVPN supports Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. It has an easy-to-use — though command-line only — Linux app, and it works with a round of routers. If you have any questions, the customer service team are available 24/7 via live chat.

BEST VPN FOR DISNEY+:NordVPN is our top choice for Disney+. With powerful security features, fast speeds, exceptional streaming ability and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s well worth your time.

Read the full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a reliable provider that has more than 3,200 RAM-only servers in 100+ countries. These are easy to find and switch between — just scroll through the dashboard Locations list and click on your country of choice.

Unusually among providers, Surfshark has servers with a static IP address available. These are useful if you need the same IP address for each session — if you’re running a gaming server, for example.

Those who want to reduce the likelihood of their IP address being traced can set up a multi-hop connection. Surfshark makes it easy to choose your own entry and exit servers. As an alternative, you can enable the Rotating IP feature to automatically change your IP address without switching location.

In terms of streaming, Surfshark is one of the very best providers. It works with Disney Plus as well as with numerous Netflix and Amazon Prime content libraries. It’s also great with BBC iPlayer and other country-specific platforms such as Hulu.

Surfshark certainly felt fast while we were testing the various streaming platforms. However, we wanted some numbers, so we tested its performance while connected to servers in four different Disney Plus regions.

As you can see from the above, Surfshark performed admirably considering our average base connection speed without a VPN was 58.32 Mbps. The provider was the second-fastest overall, thanks to speedy connections to the more distant server locations.

Surfshark apps all have a well-designed GUI — even the Linux app, which is something of a rarity. Subscriptions come with unlimited simultaneous device connections — which is also something of a rarity.

Features are easy to toggle on and off so there’s no reason not to try them out.

There’s an ad, tracker, and malware blocker, and a limited choice of connection protocols (OpenVPN and WireGuard). The Bypasser is essentially split tunneling, and allows users to specify apps and domains they want to use inside or outside the VPN tunnel. The NoBorders mode is intended for anyone trying to access the free internet but subject to VPN blocks. It works in China, which means it’ll pretty much work anywhere.

One of Surfshark’s most interesting features is its Alternative ID tool. This allows you to conjure up a new persona, complete with name, address, and date of birth. Addresses are available in six countries, including the US. The tool is useful when signing up for online accounts that you may not trust with your personal information.

This service keeps you safe using 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. We tested its leak protection while connected to a server in the US, and it worked as expected.

Surfshark doesn’t log any data that could identify its users. This has been verified via independent audit. Those who really want to protect their privacy can pay for Surfshark subscriptions in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple.

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark offers high speeds and a strong focus on your security. It also lets you connect as many devices as you like so that you can stream Disney+ anywhere. Best of all, this service is highly affordable and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Take a look at our comprehensive Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is a versatile VPN with a solid presence in all Disney Plus regions. Users can choose between servers in each location, which most VPNs don’t allow. IPVanish shows each server’s load and ping time, making it easy to find the fastest available.

We had no problems accessing Disney Plus while connected. IPVanish also works with numerous Netflix and Amazon Prime Video regions, as well as with country-specific platforms such as Hulu and BBC iPlayer.

Unlike most VPN providers, IPVanish doesn’t impose a connection limit. This means you can secure all of your streaming devices at once (or share an account with friends and family).

Apps are easy to use, with a map showing you the available server options. Once connected, a graph shows the real-time transfer of data. There’s also information about your connection — such as your current public IP address.

We carried out speed tests to find out how fast the provider was when connected to servers in Disney Plus regions.

The provider was fastest in the US and UK, and slower when connected to more distant servers (tests were carried out in the UK). It was fast enough to stream 4K Disney Plus content in all four regions.

Available protocols include WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN. Opting for OpenVPN allows users to obfuscate their traffic using the Scramble function. This is good for navigating some VPN blocks, though it’s not able to evade detection in countries such as China.

IPVanish has split tunneling for apps and domains, so you can ensure that you only ever stream Disney Plus within a VPN tunnel — even when using other apps or sites with a regular internet connection.

Subscribers travelling abroad can enable automatic wi-fi protection to ensure they don’t unwittingly connect to a rogue hotspot. There’s also an ad, tracker and malware blocker that’s enabled by default.

Torrenters will appreciate that IPVanish subscriptions come with free access to a SOCKS5 proxy. Unfortunately, port forwarding isn’t available.

Other features include a kill switch, LAN traffic blocking, and optional leak protection. We confirmed that IPVanish didn’t leak our true IP address while connected to a server in Japan. We also performed DNS and WebRTC leak tests.

IPVanish doesn’t keep any logs and has had this claim verified though third-party audits of its apps and network infrastructure.

Those looking for a VPN that offers mind-blowing value for money should check out the Advanced plan, which starts at just $3.29 per month. The Advanced plan is ideal for those serious about online security. It comes packed with unlimited VPN access, a hefty terabyte of secure cloud storage, and a unique, cloud-based browser that operates within a secure sandbox environment.

IPVanish is also the choice for those looking for the cheapest monthly subscription with no long-term commitment.

The cloud-based browser isolates your internet activities from your device, which prevents any popups, trackers, cookies, or malware from being delivered to your machine. This helps protect you when surfing but can provide an added layer of privacy when visiting banned websites in highly censored regions.

In our performance tests, the browser proved reliable for private browsing tasks, though it faced some challenges with HD and 4K streaming quality, and captchas appeared more frequently. These small caveats aside, the bundle remains almost unbeatable if you want a VPN, remote browsing, and cloud storage at the same cost you would usually play for the cloud storage alone.

Apps are available for Android, Windows, iOS, and MacOS. IPVanish can be manually configured for use with Linux systems and select network routers. If you need any help, customer support is available 24/7 via live chat.

FAST AND SECURE:IPVanish is a fast, lightweight VPN with a strong focus on your privacy and security. It allows unlimited connections, offers excellent unblocking ability, and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, check out our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN operates privacy-friendly RAM-only servers in 100+ countries. Connections are established seemingly instantaneously — and certainly faster than the other providers in this list. Apps are lightweight and simple to use, even for those with no VPN experience.

The provider works great with all major streaming platforms and can access multiple content libraries from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus. We also successfully used it with BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Max, and Paramount+.

ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer service enables you to spoof your location when using devices that don’t natively support VPN software — such as smart TVs or games consoles. MediaStreamer doesn’t encrypt your traffic and you’ll only be able to watch the US version of Disney Plus. Still, it’s worth knowing about.

An alternative option for VPN-incompatible devices is to use ExpressVPN’s router app. This makes it easy to use ExpressVPN on a home router and spoof any connected device’s location — while also encrypting the resulting traffic.

Speed-wise, ExpressVPN performed excellently in three of the regions we tested — most notably in the US.

Speeds were noticeably slower while connected to the server in Japan, but still fast enough for high definition streaming.

Away from the app’s dashboard, ExpressVPN reverts to a simple tick-box driven interface. In the General Settings, users can disable the kill switch (which is enabled by default), and specify which apps should use the VPN tunnel when connected.

Users can choose whether to block ads, trackers, malware, and access to adult sites. They can also choose between connection protocols, one of which is ExpressVPN’s homegrown Lightway protocol.

ExpressVPN uses strong 256-bit encryption and has a no-logs policy that’s been verified through multiple independent audits. Leak protection is built into its apps, which we checked by carrying out IP, DNS and WebRTC leak tests. ExpressVPN passed all three, which means you don’t need to worry about it leaking your true location while accessing Disney Plus from abroad.

Apps are available for MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices. There’s a Linux app, too, but it’s command-line only. ExpressVPN allows up to eight simultaneous device connections, which is relatively low compared to some providers.

Users have the option of paying in Bitcoin when they sign up, and the provider has a dedicated Onion site available for those who want to subscribe via Tor. If you need any help with anything, live chat is available 24/7.

GREAT ALL-ROUNDER:ExpressVPN is fast and secure, which makes it a strong choice for watching Disney+ and other platforms abroad. It even comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Take a look at our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost currently boasts over 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. That’s a lot of servers, which could make choosing between them a little overwhelming. Luckily CyberGhost has removed the need for guesswork by optimizing some for streaming. These are listed together with the platforms they’re most suitable for.

CyberGhost has servers optimized for Disney Plus in India, Italy, and the US. For other regions, you can try using one of CyberGhost’s other streaming servers. In our experience, the streaming-optimized servers aren’t limited solely to the platforms listed next to them.

To make life easier still, CyberGhost allows users to link particular servers with their favorite apps so that when said app is opened, it automatically connects to the specified server. Linking the Disney Plus app with its associated streaming-optimized server will mean you don’t even have to touch CyberGhost to access content from abroad.

Other customization options include setting up automatic wi-fi protection, specifying which websites should stay outside the VPN tunnel, and choosing an app — such as a preferred browser — to launch once CyberGhost has established a connection.

There’s an ad, tracker and malware blocker available, as well as a kill switch, though this needs to be toggled on if you want to use it. Users can choose between three connection protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. If you don’t want to get involved with connection protocols, you can just leave the default ‘automatic selection’ option selected.

To find out how fast CyberGhost was, we tested its speeds while connected to servers in four Disney Plus regions.

The provider was exceedingly fast in the UK and Brazil — it was the fastest we tested in these regions. It also performed well in the US but had slower speeds in Japan. Provided you choose the right server and have a base connection speed that is fast enough, CyberGhost will let you stream at whatever resolution you want.

If you find yourself struggling to establish a fast enough connection, CyberGhost allows users to change the maximum transmission unit (MTU) size to ‘small’ or ‘auto’. This can help improve VPN performance.

CyberGhost uses strong 256-bit encryption and provides protection against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks. We confirmed this by running our own tests — one of which you can see below.

CyberGhost doesn’t log any personally identifiable information, and it has undergone several third-party audits to prove it. The company is based in Romania and issues quarterly transparency reports listing external requests for user data and other company information.

Apps are available for Android, iOS, MacOS, and Windows. CyberGhost works with Linux systems and wireless routers via manual installation. Long-term subscriptions are good value, though they only allow up to seven simultaneous device connections.

PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS:CyberGhost is very user-friendly and provides comprehensive security features, high speeds, and excellent unblocking ability. It even comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our complete CyberGhost review.

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6. PureVPN

PureVPN has more than 6,000 servers spread over 65+ countries, with plenty of connection options in Disney Plus regions. Better yet, PureVPN has pre-existing shortcuts available that provide you with the best server option for particular Disney Plus content libraries. Clicking one establishes a connection and automatically opens up the Disney Plus site, too.

There are eight Disney Plus shortcuts available, but you can make more by selecting the ‘Add Shortcut’ button. We tried the Disney Plus JP server, and it worked great.

PureVPN also works with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Paramount Plus, BBC iPlayer, and more.

We tested its speeds by connecting to servers in four different regions where Disney Plus is available. We used a home broadband connection to simulate the average user’s experience.

Speeds were excellent throughout. In fact, PureVPN was the fastest provider we tested. This coincides with our recent lab-based speed test results. If you want to preserve your base connection speed to the greatest extent possible, PureVPN is the best option.

PureVPN comes with an optional kill switch and app-based split tunneling. Available protocols include WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. PureVPN says that it automatically obfuscates traffic for those using the OpenVPN protocol. Having tried it out, we can confirm that it’s suitable for bypassing blocks in countries such as China and the UAE.

PureVPN doesn’t have an ad, tracker or malware blocker as yet, neither does it have multi-hop servers or port forwarding. What it does have is an independently verified no-logs policy and leak protection. We carried out IP, DNS and WebRTC leak tests and it kept our UK location hidden when connected to a server in Japan.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. The provider also has instructions for configuring a router connection. Any issues can be raised with the customer support team, which is available 24/7 via live chat.

PureVPN subscriptions are great value — primarily because the company offers a five-year plan. Choosing this means you pay just over $2 a month for five years. Most VPNs have introductory deals that end after two years.

REAL STREAMING ABILITY:PureVPN works great with Disney+ and most similar services. Provides some of the highest speeds around and has been audited multiple times. Customer support is available around the clock. Includes a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Take a look at our complete PureVPN review.

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7. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is another great option for anyone looking to watch Disney+. It operates several thousand servers in a whopping 110+ countries. Users can choose between individual servers in each location, all of which are suitable for streaming.

We chose a server in Brazil to stream Disney Plus. We used other servers to access Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and a host of other platforms. Some streaming platforms- such as BBC iPlayer- required several servers to be tried before we found one that worked. This isn’t unusual among VPN providers.

We tested ProtonVPN’s speeds while connected to servers in four regions where Disney Plus is available. We used a home broadband connection with an average download speed of 58.32 Mbps.

Overall, ProtonVPN performed great. It was particularly fast in Brazil, but speeds were solid in the UK and US, too. It slowed down noticeably when we connected to Japan, but even then it was fast enough for streaming in 4K.

ProtonVPN has lots of features, with a particularly strong emphasis on security and privacy. Its Secure Core servers, for example, are available on the app’s dashboard. These are ProtonVPN-owned servers that are housed in high-security ProtonVPN-owned data centers in privacy-friendly countries. Toggling Secure Core to ‘on’ will route your traffic through one of these secure servers before reaching your server of choice.

There’s also a kill switch, port forwarding, and an ad, tracker, and malware blocker — all represented by easily accessible icons on the app’s dashboard. Other features are available via the app’s Settings menu.

The Connection settings tab is where users can choose between connection protocols. Options include WireGuard, OpenVPN and Stealth. WireGuard will provide the fastest connection speeds, though Stealth could be useful if you need to bypass firewalls and VPN-blocking technology. We say ‘could’ because it doesn’t always work. You won’t, for example, be able to use it to connect from China.

Split tunneling is available within the Advanced tab. Users can choose apps and IP addresses to exclude from (or include in) the VPN tunnel. Leak protection is enabled by default. We confirmed this worked by carrying out a series of IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests while connected to a server in Brazil.

The company doesn’t log any data that could identify you, and has undergone three independent audits of its infrastructure to verify this.

Apps are available for iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, and Linux; with a maximum of 10 simultaneous device connections allowed. If that’s not enough, you can configure a ProtonVPN connection on home routers that support OpenVPN or WireGuard as a client. This will protect every device on your home network while also allowing you to stream Disney Plus on otherwise VPN-incompatible devices.

ProtonVPN subscriptions aren’t the cheapest, but the software is excellent — particularly if you’re concerned about your privacy and/ or security. The company’s support staff are on-hand, day and night, if have any issues. In our experience, they’re knowledgeable, quick to respond, and very helpful.

WATCH WITHOUT ADS:ProtonVPN stops ads in their tracks, comes packed with security tools, and has servers all over the world. Paid plans even come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no harm in trying it out.

Find out more in our comprehensive ProtonVPN review.

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8. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has servers in 63+ countries, with all the Disney regions covered. Each server is listed with its respective ping time, so you can find the fastest at any given moment.

It’s worth noting that PrivateVPN doesn’t have many servers in each location — often just one. This can mean various countries become temporarily unavailable in the event of their servers going down.

However, the good news is that what servers are available work great with a whole range of streaming platforms — including Disney Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

If we had trouble streaming a particular site, we found that enabling PrivateVPN’s  Stealth VPN feature could aid in navigating blocks. This feature works in China, so it must be doing something right.

Other PrivateVPN features include port forwarding and the ability to adjust the level of encryption used on user-generated traffic. Dropping from 256-bit AES to 128-bit AES can help improve connection speeds while still providing adequate security for most users. You can switch between options easily from the PrivateVPN dashboard.

PrivateVPN has a global kill switch that cuts the internet connection if the VPN drops out. Alternatively, users can also choose specific apps that they want to automatically disconnect when the VPN is exited. This can help ensure you don’t unwittingly use the Disney Plus app without a VPN.

We tested PrivateVPN’s speeds while connected to servers in four Disney Plus regions. We used a home broadband connection to simulate the average user’s experience of using the software.

PrivateVPN performed solidly in the UK, Japan, and the US. Its Brazilian server appeared to be having a slow day. There was no second Brazilian server to try, which would make for a frustrating experience if we wanted to stream from Brazil.

We connected to a UK server in order to perform a series of IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks. As expected, our true IP address was hidden.

PrivateVPN does not keep any logs whatsoever, and you can pay anonymously with Bitcoin if you’d like. Live, chat-based support is available 22 hours per day, and remote assistance is available should you require it — an unusual and much-appreciated feature.

PrivateVPN has apps for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS. With a little manual configuration, this service can also be used on Linux systems and internet routers.

VERY HIGH SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is fast enough to stream Disney+ without any interruptions. It boasts a zero-logs policy, powerful security features, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our in-depth review of PrivateVPN.

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Disney Plus VPN: Our testing methodology

It is not easy to find a VPN that works with popular streaming platforms and has the privacy and security features you need to stay safe online. Unfortunately, because many VPNs use aggressive marketing techniques and are deceptive about the level of service they provide, it’s quite easy to end up with a slow VPN that doesn’t provide robust security and fails miserably with your favorite streaming platforms.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, we test market-leading VPNs on a huge number of fronts and score them for ease of comparison. Let’s take a look at how we do this.

Speed

If you’re paying for a decent broadband connection, the last thing you want is for a VPN to drag your speeds down. To find out which VPNs are worth your while speed-wise, we tested their performance in regions where Disney Plus is available. To simulate a regular user’s experience, we carried out the tests using a home broadband connection with an average overall speed of 58.32 Mbps. Speeds were tested using the desktop version of the Ookla app.

CyberGhost was the fastest provider in the UK and Brazil, though it was the slowest in Japan. NordVPN was the fastest in the US. To directly compare providers we converted these speeds to scores out of 10, which you can see in the chart below.

PureVPN was the fastest provider overall, which agrees with our most recent round of lab-based tests. Surfshark and NordVPN were also notably quick. All three are excellent choices if you want to squeeze every last Mb out of your home broadband connection.

Streaming ability

We tested providers to check that they worked with Disney Plus, but also that they worked with other popular platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Paramount+. We issued a score out of 10 for how they performed.

We then scored providers on whether they had streaming-optimized servers available and whether they supported routers. Finally, we asked one of our resident experts to score each provider based on their experience of streaming with them.

These four scores were weighted according to their relative importance for the average user, and then added together to give an overall score. You can see how this works using the table below.

We can use the overall scores to compare each provider’s relative streaming ability.

Overall, NordVPN is the best option for streaming, closely followed by Surfshark. If you use a variety of streaming services in your day-to-day life, these are the providers to go for.

Security & privacy

A VPN should primarily be designed to provide you with a private and secure connection. Some do this better than others. We evaluate each provider by scoring them on 15 different security and privacy criteria. You can see these in the table below.

We assign a score to each of these criteria to create an overall score out of 10. This makes it more convenient to compare providers directly.

As you can see from the above, NordVPN and Surfshark offer the most in terms of security and privacy. ProtonVPN is also an excellent choice.

Ease of use

For many people, a VPN is just another tool for streaming. If this sounds like you, it’s worth seeking out providers that get you connected with the minimum of fuss. We find out which these are by scoring each VPN according to 10 different metrics. See the table below for all the details.

We combine these scores to generate an overall ease of use score for comparison.

For the smoothest VPN subscription experience, the top providers are NordVPN, IPVanish and ExpressVPN. All three make users’ lives as easy as possible, which can only be a good thing.

Value for money

Opting for a particular VPN solely based on its subscription costs isn’t a recommended strategy. Cheap VPNs can provide a shoddy service, though it must be said that expensive VPNs can too. To properly gauge which of them actually offer good value, we score them against eight different criteria. You can see how they perform in each area below.

We combine these scores to give us an overview of each providers’ relative value for money.

Surfshark offers the best value for money overall, closely followed by IPVanish and NordVPN.

How else can a VPN help you?

VPNs have plenty of other uses aside from accessing Disney+ from anywhere. For instance, they also allow you to:

• Bypass country-wide internet blocking and access region-locked services like Netflix or Hulu abroad
• Browse the web privately thanks to their powerful encryption
• Prevent your activities from being traced back to you (assuming you have a no-logs VPN)
• Reduce the likelihood that your Internet Service Provider will throttle your speeds

How to set up parental controls on Disney+

To set up parental controls on Disney+, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Disney+ account.
2. Navigate to your profiles and select “Edit Profiles”.
3. Select the profile you’d like to edit.
4. Under “Parental Controls”, select “Content Rating”.
5. Enter your password to confirm the changes.
6. Select the content rating you’d like to set for your child and then click “Save”.
7. To restrict profile switching, set a 4-digit PIN code. To do this, under “Parental Controls”, click “Profile PIN”. Enter your password and click “Continue”.
8. Enter your new PIN and click “Save”.

These steps will help you set up content restrictions based on ratings and prevent unattended profile switching. Remember, Disney+ cannot control changes made using an adult account, which children and teens can access when left open. Therefore, parents should be cautious when using Disney+ and ensure they’ve set up necessary parental controls before giving access to children.

Disney+ also allows you to create a Kid’s Profile to limit access to mature content. To do this:

1. When logged into your Disney+ account from any device, tap on the current profile name.
2. Select “Edit Profiles”.
3. Choose “Add Profile”.
4. Next, select an image for the new profile.
5. Type in a Profile Name.
6. Toggle “Kids Profile” to On (this disallows PG and PG13 content for the profile).
7. Choose “Save”.

Please note that the built-in Disney+ controls don’t prevent children from switching to a profile that enables all content. Almost any school-aged child can quickly bypass the Disney+ parental controls. Therefore, they should regularly review their profiles’ content ratings and adjust them accordingly to reflect their evolving needs.

See also: Protecting Children’s Privacy Online – A Guide for Parents, Carers and Educators.

How to get Disney+ without a foreign payment method

While you can unblock the Disney+ website abroad using a VPN, you won’t actually be able to watch anything until you sign up. This requires you to have a payment method that’s linked to an address in a country where Disney+ has already launched. If you didn’t sign up before you went traveling, you will need to sign up from back home to gain access.

Here are a couple of the methods we’ve seen people use to access Disney+ abroad:

Method 1: Unblock Disney+ with an Apple ID

Note that this method only works if you have an iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV. You can change your iTunes region on other devices but will not be able to download apps this way.

1. Start by opening the App Store.
2. Next, log out of your account and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the flag icon and select United States.
4. Create a new Apple ID, but don’t bother adding a payment method.
5. Purchase a digital iTunes gift card. Note that it has to be loaded with US dollars, or else this won’t work. You can buy American iTunes gift card codes directly on Amazon.com. Note that the lowest-value card available is $25 USD, so you might want to consider paying for a year of Disney+ access upfront (which costs $69.99).
6. Once your code is emailed to you, head to the Account Settings page to redeem it.
7. Connect to an American VPN server and download the Disney+ app from the Apple app store.
8. Sign up to Disney+ in the app, using your iTunes balance to pay. You should now be able to use Disney+ from abroad without any problems.

Method 2: Unblock Disney+ with a Google account

This method should work with any Android device with access to the Google Play Store.

1. First, connect to one of your VPN’s US servers.
2. Go to the Google Play Store and create a new account (but don’t log in yet).
3. Purchase a Google Play gift code from a reputable seller (these are available on Amazon.com). Remember: the card has to be loaded with US dollars as other currencies will not be accepted.
4. You’ll soon receive the gift code via email. You can then either click the link in the email (if you’re on your phone) or key the code into the Google Play Store manually to redeem it. Note that while you’ll have to enter a valid US ZIP code, Google doesn’t actually verify whether you live there.
5. Now, go into your device’s Settings menu and click on Accounts.
6. Select Add Account, then Google, and add the account you created in step 2.
7. Go back to the Google Play Store and sign in with your new account.
8. Search for and install the Disney+ app, then sign up as normal. If you encounter an error during registration, force stop the app, then reopen it and you should be able to proceed.
9. Finally, choose to pay with your Google account balance. From now on, whenever you connect to a US VPN server, you should be able to watch Disney+ abroad.

Can I use a free VPN with Disney+?

You technically could, but we wouldn’t advise it. Major streaming services often block free VPNs outright, and as they tend to have more users than their networks can support, their speeds are usually sub-par. This means that you’ll likely experience stuttering and laggy playback, assuming you can watch at all. 

You should also be aware of the security risks that free VPNs pose. Recent studies have shown that a high percentage of free VPNs contain malware, and perhaps more troubling, many don’t even bother encrypting the user’s traffic. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee that your free VPN provider isn’t selling details of your activities to advertisers. Using a reputable, privacy-first VPN is the best way to stay safe when streaming.