How to beat the UK porn ban with a VPN

Plans for a UK porn ban were officially dropped in 2019; however, in 2025, the discussion is once again on the table. The British government is currently talking about banning certain types of pornography and requiring users to provide identification before accessing other forms. If that legislation goes through, millions of consenting adults would be forced to share personal details with adult sites. With data breaches all too common these days, it’s not unreasonable for users to be wary of sharing their personal, sensitive details online. Luckily, you can bypass both blocks and any ID requirements by using a VPN.

When you connect to a VPN, your data is encrypted and routed through one of the VPN provider’s servers in a location of your choosing. Connecting to a server in another country will provide you with a different IP address. This makes it appear as if you’re browsing outside the UK, bypassing any future UK porn blocks and ID requirements entirely. Furthermore, a VPN protects your online privacy by preventing your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the UK government from snooping on your internet activity.

In this article, we’ll talk you through the best VPN to use to beat the UK porn ban, how to use them, and also answer some common VPN questions, but if you’re short on time? Don’t worry! Here’s a quick summary.

The best VPNs to bypass UK porn restrictions:

1. NordVPN: Our top VPN pick to beat UK porn restrictions. Unblock porn sites and stream securely. Over 7,000 superfast servers worldwide. Features live chat support and specialty servers, including Double VPN. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for porn ban.
2. Surfshark: Top budget choice for bypassing UK porn ID restrictions. Excellent unblocking abilities and provides apps for all the most popular platforms. Keeps no logs and packs plenty of security features.
3. IPVanish: Reliable VPN for browsing and streaming. Use on all of your devices simultaneously. Quick and easy to use and protects your privacy with a no-logs policy.
4. ExpressVPN: Fast and reliable servers in 105+ countries. Bypass the UK porn block and access most geo-restricted content. Excellent apps, 24/7 customer support, and strong security with encryption.
5. Private Internet Access: Military-grade encryption, servers in over 80 locations, includes a kill switch, and allows you to connect unlimited devices simultaneously.
6. PrivateVPN: Fast servers in dozens of countries for streaming adult content. Apps are easy to use for beginners. Strong security, including encryption and a kill switch.
7. CyberGhost: Beat the UK porn ban with CyberGhost. Over 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. Offers fast streaming with unlimited bandwidth. Connect up to 7 devices. User-friendly and secure with a strict no-logs policy.

How to beat the UK porn ban with a VPN

Beating any future UK porn blocks or ID requirements is surprisingly quick and easy. Just follow the step-by-step guide below, and you’ll have access to your favorite sites in no time.

Here’s how to beat UK porn restrictions with a VPN: 

1. Choose a VPN service with servers outside the UK – we particularly recommend NordVPN.
2. Select and download the appropriate software for your operating system. The best VPNs offer apps for desktops and mobile, some also offer browser extensions, so be sure to pick the correct format for your device.
3. Clear the cookies and cache in your browser. This ensures that the site you’re trying to access forgets your UK IP address.
4. Open the VPN app or browser extension and connect to a server outside the UK, i.e. connecting to a server in the US will give you a US IP address and bypass the UK porn ban restrictions.
5. You will now be able to access adult content without restriction!

How we found the best VPNs to beat the UK porn ban

While many VPNs will be able to beat the UK porn ban, not all are fast and secure. In order to find the best VPNs for avoiding porn restrictions we tested providers in all the following areas:

• Speed: If you want to stream porn in the highest resolution possible, then you’re going to need a fast VPN. We carried out multiple speed tests while connected to each provider’s servers in France.
• Streaming capabilities: The best VPNs for streaming porn have large server networks and are reliably able to overcome blocks. They also offer handy features such as an ad-blocker and traffic obfuscation.
• Security and privacy: To keep users’ online activities safe while streaming porn, VPNs need a suite of privacy and security features. We evaluate providers against 16 different criteria to make sure we don’t miss anything.
• Ease of use: If you want to access porn quickly and effortlessly, you’ll want a VPN that’s easy to use. To measure this aspect of each service, we use 10 different metrics, including the onboarding and cancellation process, customer support, and usability.
• Value for money: If you don’t currently pay for porn, you’re unlikely to want to pay over the odds for a VPN service in order to watch it. We use eight criteria to work out which providers offer the best overall value.

The above is just a summary. You can see the full details — and the results — of our tests later in the article. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the ones that made our list.

Best VPNs to beat UK porn restrictions: at a glance

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 beating the UK porn ban.

Best VPNs to beat UK porn blocks

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for beating the UK porn ban:

1. NordVPN

Mar 2025

NordVPN is our top pick for unblocking porn sites in the UK as well as other restricted content and popular streaming services. It has some of the fastest speeds in our testing and is one of the largest server networks of any VPN (over 7,000 servers in total).

NordVPN offers excellent 24/7 live chat support and securely accesses Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can use NordVPN on up to 10 devices simultaneously.

The provider performed exceptionally well in our speed tests, which we carried out while connected to its servers in France. Over the course of a day, it averaged a download speed of 191.25 Mbps, more than 67 Mbps faster than the combined average of the other providers that we tested.

Needless to say, NordVPN is easily capable of streaming porn in 4K (provided that your base connection speed is up to it).

Having tried out NordVPN’s various apps and browser extensions, we can say they’re easy for anyone to use. In particular, connecting to a server takes a matter of seconds.

NordVPN offers impressive security features. In addition to 256-bit AES encryption and DNS leak protection, it offers specialty servers, including Double VPN and Onion Over VPN.

Headquartered in Panama, NordVPN provides peace of mind with a strict no-logs policy.

You can download NordVPN apps for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android TV. Browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox. Manual setup is required for Linux.

BEST VPN TO BEAT THE UK PORN BAN:NordVPN is our top choice. It has over 6,000 servers and allows you to access most adult content. Use on up to 10 devices. 24/7 live chat support and lots of security features, including specialty servers. A 30-day money-back guarantee makes it risk-free.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a low-cost provider that has been busy building a solid reputation in the VPN industry. This service is adept at unblocking almost any content you want from anywhere in the world. For example, it easily bypasses restrictions imposed by ITV Hub, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.

Surfshark has been expanding its server network (it now operates more than 3,200 in an impressive 100+ countries) and continuously strives to provide faster, more reliable connections.

The provider is notably quick and outperformed all of the other VPNs on this list when tested using its servers in France.

Surfshark’s average of 197.19 Mbps means it’s suitable for streaming porn in the highest resolution available. It’s also well-suited to gaming and torrenting applications.

This provider prioritizes privacy and keeps no logs. It offers a full suite of security features, including 256-bit encryption, perfect forward secrecy, leak protection, and a kill switch.

Extras include split tunneling, obfuscated servers, and multi-hop VPN. Plus, Surfshark sets no limit on the number of devices you can connect to under one account.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.

TOP BUDGET CHOICE:Surfshark is excellent at unblocking restricted sites and has no limit on the number of devices you can connect. Large server network in around 100 countries. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish is a high-quality VPN with a network of servers in key UK locations. At the time of writing, it has around 2,000 servers in 140+ worldwide locations. Aside from adult content, this VPN lets you securely access geo-restricted content, including Netflix, Sky Go, and several other UK TV platforms.

One of the standout features of this US-based service is that it allows any number of simultaneous connections.

When connected to the provider’s servers in France, we measured an average speed of 195.11 Mbps. This was only 2 Mbps slower than the fastest provider, which is fantastic.

IPVanish’s fast speeds mean you’ll have no buffering issues while streaming porn or anything else — particularly if you already have fast internet.

You can use IPVanish on desktop and mobile thanks to the user-friendly apps on offer. There are various ways to search for servers, including via a map and filtering by region and latency.

IPVanish secures your data with 256-bit AES encryption. Other security features include DNS leak protection and a kill switch. The VPN service also offers a no-logs policy, ensuring your personal information and online activity remain private.

IPVanish apps are available for desktop (Windows, Mac) and mobile (Android, iOS) as well as Amazon Fire TV. Manual configuration is required for both Linux and routers.

NO DEVICE LIMIT:IPVanish is a good value VPN that allows you to beat the UK porn ban. Connect all of your devices simultaneously. Safe to use with encryption and a no-logs policy. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 105+ countries, making it ideal for beating governmental snooping. Known for its consistently reliable servers, the provider keeps users safe online.

Speed-wise, the provider averaged 79.68 Mbps in our three tests. Now, while this is a lot slower than the VPNs we’ve mentioned already, it’s still more than fast enough to buffer-free streaming — even when viewing porn videos in 4K.

Aside from porn sites, ExpressVPN is excellent for streaming and works with services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It offers unlimited bandwidth with no throttling, which is evident in its strong performance.

One of the main reasons ExpressVPN makes our list is that its apps and browser extensions are very accessible and easy to navigate—even for people with no previous VPN experience.

We’re also impressed with the fast and efficient live chat support offered, available 24/7. ExpressVPN is as secure as it is fast, with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. This VPN service is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands and states it doesn’t keep any identifying logs of its users.

ExpressVPN apps are available for the following: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, and routers. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions are also offered.

FAST AND RELIABLE VPN:ExpressVPN unblocks most restricted content including porn sites in the UK. It’s fast and offers a variety of apps as well as 24/7 support. Strong security with encryption and a kill switch. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is an excellent VPN for getting around the UK porn ban. It offers almost 12,000 servers in over 91 countries across the globe. These are capable of evading geo-restrictions that prevent access to porn sites in the United Kingdom and streaming platforms more generally.

PIA has apps for desktop and mobile, and you can use it on unlimited devices at the same time, allowing you to share the account with others.

PIA keeps your privacy watertight with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. To ensure you enjoy the best online experience, it also offers an ad blocker and malware blocker.

WireGuard support helps you experience solid speeds while streaming, and customizable encryption settings can improve speeds even further.

In our tests, PIA was fast enough for streaming porn in high resolution, though it’s nice to know that there are options for a speed bump if needed.

When you need support, PIA is contactable 24/7, and if you’re on the fence about PIA, you can try it risk-free for 30 days.

SOLID SECURITY OFFERING:Private Internet Access protects your privacy with 256-bit encryption, lets you tweak your encryption for faster streaming, and has apps for all major platforms. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Private Internet Access review.

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6. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is another VPN service that is great for private browsing. What makes this a particularly attractive option is that it has very fast servers and owns all of them outright.

Speeds are decent — and certainly good enough for streaming porn without interruption on Porn Hub, XVideos, and others. In our tests, PrivateVPN achieved a respectable average download speed of 93.84 Mbps.

While the provider only has a network of around 200 servers, these are spread across 63+ countries, allowing you to securely access geo-restricted services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer from anywhere. What’s more, PrivateVPN allows up to 10 simultaneous connections.

You can connect to PrivateVPN via one of the service’s easy-to-use apps. The app interface couldn’t be simpler to navigate, although there is an advanced menu should customization be desired.

PrivateVPN is a very secure service, keeping your activities private with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy. For greater security, you can choose to sign up anonymously with a throwaway email address and cryptocurrency payments.

PrivateVPN apps are available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Manual setup is required in the case of Linux and routers.

UNINTERRUPTED STREAMING:PrivateVPN has fast servers for buffer-free streaming. Unblock porn in the UK or anywhere else. Beginner-friendly with the option of anonymous signup and payment. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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7. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a fast and secure VPN service that has more than 10,000 servers in 100+ countries allowing you to bypass the porn restriction in the UK with no problems.

Offering unlimited bandwidth and traffic, CyberGhost allows for stress-free streaming in high definition. What’s more, you can secure up to 7 devices simultaneously via a single CyberGhost account.

In our tests, the provider averaged 88.56 Mbps while we were connected to its French servers.

While this isn’t as speedy as some providers in this list, it’s very quick compared with the VPN market as a whole. Most importantly, it’s fast enough for HD, and even 4K, streaming.

CyberGhost is perfect for new VPN users. It features user-friendly apps and browser extensions that are quick and easy to use.

Selecting a server is simple, and you also have the option of activating various features, including an ad blocker. On the off-chance that you encounter an issue with CyberGhost, you can contact customer support via live chat 24/7.

Aside from being able to beat the UK porn block, CyberGhost can also keep you safe online. It secures your data with 256-bit AES encryption and protects you from DNS and IP leaks.

There’s also a kill switch, ensuring your internet traffic is cut should the VPN connection drop. Finally, this Romania-based VPN service has a strict no-logs policy, so you’re protected from ISP and government monitoring.

CyberGhost offers apps for Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick, and Android TV. Browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox. Linux and routers require manual setup.

VAST NETWORK OF SERVERS:CyberGhost is another solid choice. It’s highly secure, privacy-focused, and fast enough for high quality streaming, plus it allows up to seven simultaneous connections. Plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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How was the UK porn ban supposed to work and what are the new proposals?

As part of the implementation of the Online Safety Act (OSA), the government regulator, Ofcom, has said that porn sites “must have highly effective age assurance processes in place by July 2025 at the latest”. Ofcom’s list of age-checking techniques includes photo ID matching, facial age estimation, mobile network operator age checks, and credit card checks.

Services that publish their own pornographic content — which includes certain Generative AI tools — must begin introducing robust age validation “immediately”.

Many porn sites will already have age-verification tools that have been gathering dust since the first proposed UK porn ban was introduced under the Digital Economy Act 2017, and then abandoned in 2019.

The original ban was an attempt “to make the internet safer for children”, according to the UK government. It would have required porn sites to adopt a system through which all users had to verify their age and email address.

Porn sites would no longer be able to rely on tick box systems and general disclaimers. Indeed, failure by porn sites to comply with the new law would have resulted in a fine of up to £250,000 or a blanket block by all UK ISPs.

Mindgeek, the company behind the likes of PornHub and YouPorn, had developed an age verification system called AgeID. Once a user verified their age using their passport, driver’s license, or credit card, they would have been able to log into any porn sites that have paid to use the AgeID system.

However, for anyone who wasn’t comfortable with handing over such sensitive information online, there would have also been the option of “porn passes”. The brainchild of Mindgeek and OCL, the passes – known as PortesCards – were slated to cost £4.99 and be available for purchase at PayPoint outlets across the UK. Buyers of the PortesCards would have been required to be visibly over 18 or prove their age using a valid form of ID.

Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for streaming porn safely in the UK

It’s harder than you think to find a VPN that’s suitable for securely watching porn in the UK. At the very least, providers need to be fast, secure, and able to bypass geo-restrictions. To sort the wheat from the chaff, we tested each provider’s service in the following areas:

Speed

The higher the resolution of your chosen porn video, the faster your connection has to be. While all VPNs will slow your connection a little, the best providers ensure that this doesn’t effect your streaming experience.

To find out which VPNs were the fastest, we carried out three-speed tests connected to their servers in France (which doesn’t have a porn ban and is one of the countries closest to the UK). We rate-limited our connection speed to 250 Mbps in order to better simulate the average user’s experience. Tests were carried out on the desktop version of the Ookla speed-testing app.

Once the results were in, we averaged them and converted them to a score out of 10 for comparison. You can see the results below.

Although Surfshark was the fastest provider overall, IPVanish and NordVPN were only a few Mbps slower. All three are superb options if you want the best chance of preserving your connection speed.

Streaming capabilities

We first tested — and scored — providers on their ability to access geo-restricted content. Platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer are notoriously strict, so if a VPN works with them then it’s likely it’ll work with anything. Providers were also scored positively for being able to obfuscate traffic.

We then checked for the existence of an ad-blocker — useful for keeping unwanted intrusions to a minimum. Finally, we scored each VPN on the size of their server network. More servers means less chance of congestion at peak times.

These scores were combined to calculate an overall score out of 10 for each VPN provider.

NordVPN excelled in all areas, resulting in a near-perfect score. That said, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and IPVanish all performed notably well, primarily losing out to NordVPN due to their smaller server networks.

Security and privacy

We require our top VPNs to provide 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. We also insist on a clearly defined no-logs policy. Ideally providers do well on all the metrics we test them for — which are outlined in the table below.

As part of our testing process we assign a score to each of the 16 criteria to create an overall score out of ten. These scores make it easier to directly compare providers.

The first thing to note is that all the providers scored highly — which means you’ll be safe watching porn while using any of them. However, if you want the very best protection, NordVPN and Surfshark are the best options.

Value for money

The last thing we want is for our readers to feel cheated after taking out a VPN subscription. To evaluate which providers offer good overall value, we score them against eight different metrics rather than simply comparing their monthly fees.

These scored are combined to give us an overall score out of 10. This makes a quick comparison easier.

Surfshark was the standout provider this time, thanks to its competitively priced two-year plan and the fact that it lets users connect as many devices as they want simultaneously. IPVanish, NordVPN and CyberGhost are great alternatives.

Ease of use

If you’re eager to watch porn you probably don’t want to spend much — if any — time interacting with VPN software. To find you the easiest to use services, we scored providers on 10 related metrics. You can get an idea of what we were looking for in the table below.

Each metric was scored and the scores combined to help us generate the chart below.

NordVPN and PIA were the easiest-to-use providers overall, with great customer service and cleverly designed apps (among other things). IPVanish and ExpressVPN are also notably user-friendly.

Bypassing the UK’s porn ban with a VPN: FAQs