How to watch Italian TV online abroad (Outside Italy) with a VPN

Are you struggling to watch your favorite Italian TV shows while on vacation? You’re not alone. Geo-restrictions often ruin the entertainment experience for travelers longing for a taste of home. But don’t worry, we have the solution! A VPN helps you seamlessly watch Italian TV from the USA, UK, or anywhere else in the world.

Our comprehensive article will introduce you to how VPNs work to mask your location and gain access to Italian TV platforms without a hitch. VPNs also encrypt your web connection for added privacy. This allows you to watch your favorite Italian channels, like Canale 5, La5, Italia 1, TV8, and even Netflix Italia, from anywhere without the fear of prying eyes.

However, not all VPNs are created equal. Some fall short when unblocking geo-restricted channels, and others may not provide the speed you need for buffer-free streaming. Below, you’ll find detailed summaries of the best VPNs for watching Italian TV abroad, tested and vetted for optimal performance. But we’ll start with a quick rundown of our top picks for those on a tight schedule.

Best VPNs for live-streaming Italian TV from the US or anywhere:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice for watching Italian TV abroad. Comes packed with security features, offers solid speeds, a no-logs policy, and exceptional unblocking ability. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Italian TV.
2. Surfshark: The best budget VPN for streaming outside of Italy. A speedy, security-first provider that’s as comfortable unblocking Italian TV abroad as it is bypassing country-wide internet censorship. Permits an unlimited number of connections.
3. IPVanish: A zero-logs VPN with fast, reliable connections and a strong track record on security. Unblocks several major streaming platforms and allows any number of simultaneous connections.
4. ExpressVPN: A fast, security-conscious service that’s capable of unblocking a wide range of Italian streaming platforms. Knowledgeable 24/7 customer service available.
5. CyberGhost: A simple yet highly versatile service. It provides high speeds, streaming-optimized servers, and plenty of pre-configured security and privacy features.
6. ProtonVPN: Provides dozens of high-speed Italian servers and lots of control over your connection. Doesn’t keep logs and works with a ton of popular streaming platforms.
7. PureVPN: This no-logs provider outpaces many of its rivals and can help you stream all of your favorite Italian channels. Has a good set of security tools built in but remains novice-friendly.
8. PrivateVPN: With higher speeds than most and excellent unblocking capabilities, this VPN is ideal for streaming Italian TV abroad. It offers a no-logs policy and strong security features.

How to stream Italian TV from anywhere with a VPN

Never used a VPN before? There’s no need to panic; they’re actually very simple. Follow this step-by-step guide, and you’ll be watching your favorite Italian TV shows from the UK, US, or anywhere in minutes.

Here’s how to unblock and watch Italian TV abroad in 5 simple steps:

1. Start by signing up for one of the VPNs below (we particularly recommend NordVPN).
2. Install the app on your device and log in. Note: most providers let you connect around five devices at once, so feel free to install the software on any device you use to stream.
3. Connect to any of your VPN’s Italian servers. This will get you an Italian IP address and allow you to access region-locked Italian services from abroad.
4. Visit your favorite streaming service. You should now be able to use it as though you were actually in Italy.
5. If not, we recommend clearing your browser’s cookies and reloading the page. If this still doesn’t work, try another Italian server or contact customer support for further assistance.

How we found the top Italian TV VPNs

There are many VPNs on the market, but they don’t all offer the same level of service. They aren’t all as safe or secure and won’t all have the ability to access the services you want. We’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you by only recommending VPNs that meet the following criteria:

• Proven ability to access Italian TV channels and other geo-restricted media streams
• Offers servers in Italy – the more, the better – for gaining you an Italian IP address
• High speeds for HD streaming without any noticeable lag
• Resolute security, privacy, and encryption features
• Friendly and knowledgeable customer support should you need it
• Offers excellent value for money

You can read more about how we test the VPNs on these metrics – and the results of these tests – in our methodology section below. But first, let’s take a closer look at the VPNs that impressed us. 

The best VPNs for Italian TV: 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 Italian TV.

Best VPNs for watching Italian TV abroad

At Comparitech, we never recommend a VPN that we haven’t used and rigorously tested ourselves. The following reviews are based on our personal real-world experiences. Let’s take a closer look at the ones that impressed us. 

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for live-streaming Italian TV from anywhere:

1. NordVPN

Jan 2025

NordVPN is our top choice VPN for watching Italian TV. It has 60+ servers in Italy and over 6,000 others in a further 100+ countries. As if that wasn’t enough, it also boasts exceptional streaming abilities, so whether you’re looking to watch Netflix Italia, Canale 5, or RaiPlay, you’re covered. Speeds are more than fast enough for HD live streaming, and with up to 10 simultaneous connections allowed, you’re free to stream on the go.

NordVPN is known for providing high speeds and consistent connections. We’re pleased to say that it still lives up to its reputation; we tested the Italian servers three times and recorded an average speed of 208.34 Mbps. So what does that mean? Well, it’s about 14 times quicker than needed to stream 4K video and will download a 100 GB file in about an hour. In other words, you have nothing to worry about where performance is concerned. Let’s take a closer look at its results across a full day:

This VPN’s security offering is one of the strongest around. It uses 256-bit encryption, a customizable kill switch, and protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks to ensure your traffic stays hidden at all times. Users can choose to connect to the VPN automatically when using a public wifi network. There are special obfuscated servers for bypassing internet firewalls as well as VPN blocks in countries like China. NordVPN follows a strict zero-logs policy, so your activities can’t be traced back to you. Support is available via 24/7 live chat or email.

NordVPN comes with Windows, iOS, MacOS, Linux, and Android apps. If you’d like, you can manually configure the VPN for use with select home routers.

BEST VPN FOR ITALIAN TV:NordVPN is our #1 choice for unblocking Italian TV channels from the USA, UK or anywhere. Also works with major platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. This VPN offers a no-logs policy, high speeds, a wide range of security protections, and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our complete NordVPN review, or check out the video review below to find out more.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers spread across over 100 countries, including Italy. It’s more than fast enough for lag-free streaming and, as a bonus, works seamlessly with popular platforms like Netflix US, RaiPlay, and Cielo. One of the biggest things that sets Surfshark apart from the competition is that it lets users connect as many devices as they like.

Don’t be fooled by its low price point – Surfshark actually managed to outperform every other VPN we tested, including some that are quite a bit more expensive. Following three tests at different times of day, it averaged 223.09 Mbps. More impressive still, there was only around seven Mbps of difference between its lowest and highest results. This means you can count on getting a fast connection no matter when you use the service or how many other people are on the same Italian server. Here are the full test results:

This VPN puts major emphasis on the user’s security. There’s 256-bit encryption, for starters, as well as DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, and a built-in malware scanner. Surfshark even has a NoBorders mode that lets you access the internet freely in countries like China. This service doesn’t keep any identifiable data and can’t reveal details of your activities even if asked to. If you need help, you can contact support 24/7 over live chat and email.

Surfshark has apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, and Linux. Select wireless routers are supported via manual installation.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is a low-cost VPN that doesn’t limit the number of connections you can have, so it’s perfect for families. It also comes with a suite of security and privacy features, strong speeds, real streaming potential, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review, or check out our video review below.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish has over 2,000 servers across 60+ countries, including Italy. It’s an excellent way to watch Italian TV since it offers very high speeds and the ability to safely stream popular services like La 5 and RaiPlay from outside of Italy. Better still, IPVanish lets users connect all of their devices at once, which is far more generous than many of its rivals.

This provider has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years thanks to a renewed focus on improving its streaming ability and overall speed. So how quick is it? Following a full day of testing, our experts recorded an average speed of 207.29 Mbps (just a hair below NordVPN’s average). IPVanish also boasts that its servers can handle 25 Gbps of traffic at once, which might help explain why its results were so stable, regardless of the time we tested. The chart below shows IPVanish’s speeds in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon:

Considering how lightweight this service is, there are a surprising number of security features built-in. It secures your traffic with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch, for instance. There’s also the option to block local connections and scramble your data to help you access networks or services that usually block VPN users outright. IPVanish is a zero-logs provider. If you run into any issues, you can reach support around the clock over live chat.

IPVanish offers apps for MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. It can be manually configured for use with Linux systems and select network routers.

FAST AND RELIABLE:IPVanish allows you to safely watch all of your favorite Italian shows from anywhere, thanks to its high speeds and powerful security features. Additionally, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Take a closer look at this service in our full review of IPVanish here, or check out our video review below.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has a network of over 3,000 servers in 100+ countries, not just Italy. This makes it an extremely strong choice for streaming, especially if you want to access stubborn platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video securely. Additionally, with fast speeds, an eight-connection limit, and unlimited bandwidth, you’ll be able to watch in the highest possible quality wherever you are.

ExpressVPN has plenty to offer, including reliable performance and speedy Italian servers. Our testing revealed an average speed of 178.37 Mbps – impressive, though it’s not the fastest we’ve seen. What is exceptional is the sheer consistency of this service. There was only around 3 Mbps of variance across multiple speed tests. Given our testers were over 1,000 miles away from Italy, that really says a lot. Check out ExpressVPN’s full-speed test results below to see how it fared at different times of day:

This service doesn’t compromise when it comes to security. It keeps your activities hidden using WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and 256-bit AES encryption. Equally important, ExpressVPN doesn’t log any personally identifiable data, which means you’re effectively untraceable once connected. Users can even pay in Bitcoin for an extra layer of anonymity. If you need help, you can reach support staff 24/7 via email.

ExpressVPN provides apps for MacOS, Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux systems. There’s also custom firmware for routers that makes it fairly straightforward to protect all of your devices at once.

STRONG ALL ROUNDER:ExpressVPN has fast, reliable connections, excellent security and privacy credentials, plus the ability to access all kinds of Italian streaming services from abroad securely. Still not convinced? This VPN even includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Looking for more info? Why not read our full ExpressVPN review or check out the video review below?

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost has a huge network, with over 10,000 servers spread across 100+ countries and over 300 Italian servers. With so many servers to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find one that can stream Italian TV from the US, UK, or anywhere. Its fast, reliable connections allow you to stream without any noticeable lag or buffering, and with great unblocking capabilities, you’ll never be short of something to watch. This service allows you to connect up to seven devices at once.

CyberGhost delivers blazing-fast speeds, whether you use its servers in Milan or Rome (though you’ll usually get a quicker connection if you use whichever is closest). In fact, with average speeds hovering just below the 200 Mbps mark (199.16 Mbps), it’s quick enough for streaming 4K videos, torrenting, or hosting games. You shouldn’t even notice any performance issues if multiple people in your household connect at the same time. Here’s how well CyberGhost performed at various times of day:

There’s very little setup required since all of CyberGhost’s security features come pre-configured. As such, as soon as you connect, you’re protected by 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, an ad-blocker, a malware scanner, and a kill switch that stops sending data the moment your connection to the VPN drops. CyberGhost doesn’t store any data that could be used to identify you. While this service is very user-friendly, you can still reach customer support over live chat, 24 hours per day, in case of any problems.

CyberGhost has powerful yet easy-to-use apps for Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and Linux. It supports select internet routers too.

300+ ITALIAN SERVERS:CyberGhost is ideal for anyone who wants to stream with minimal fuss. It’s fast, very user-friendly, and able to access some of the most popular services outside of Italy. Further, a generous 45-day money-back guarantee is included.

Interested? Read the in-depth CyberGhost review for more details.

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6. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN has dozens of fast servers in Italy and works with all manner of platforms, from Rai to Netflix Italia. However, while there is a free plan, only paid users can access the full network, which spans 85 countries. Upgrading also increases your connection limit to 10 devices and removes all speed restrictions. In our latest round of testing, this provider averaged more than 300 Mbps, placing it squarely among the fastest services available. In the unlikely event that you run into any difficulty, customer support staff are on hand 24 hours per day.

ProtonVPN’s paid plans grant you access to its fastest servers, and we thought you deserved to know just how quick they are. When we tested the Italian ones, they delivered an average speed of 192.98 Mbps, putting them head and shoulders above most of the other providers on the market. Now, is it the quickest VPN on this list? No, but it does provide speeds high enough for watching 4K video with no buffering or lag whatsoever. Let’s see the full results:

When it comes to security, ProtonVPN is one of the best. It all but guarantees your privacy with uncrackable encryption, automatic tracker-blocking, and DNS and IPv6 leak protection, as well as a kill switch. More importantly, this service has an independently-verified no-logs policy, so even it doesn’t know what you get up to online. If you’d like a little more anonymity, you can pay anonymously (via cash or Bitcoin) or connect to one of the Secure Core servers – these are effectively multi-hop servers that are kept in high-security data centers so that nobody can access them without proper authorization.

ProtonVPN has its own Android, iOS, MacOS, Linux, and Windows apps. Alternatively, it can be manually installed on most routers (and there are guides on the VPN’s website explaining how).

WATCH AD-FREE:ProtonVPN makes it easy to stream Italian TV while traveling abroad. It’s privacy-focused and even blocks ads for you, improving your viewing experience whilst keeping you safe. What’s more, this service includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our complete ProtonVPN review.

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7. PureVPN

PureVPN stands out from the crowd by providing extraordinarily high speeds (around 400 Mbps in our most recent tests) and the ability to access services that stump many of its rivals. This includes platforms like Netflix, Rai Italia, and Now TV. It’s very affordable, allows up to 10 simultaneous connections, and provides 24/7 support via live chat. Plus, with servers in 65 countries around the world, you’ll never be short on something to watch.

While it only has one Italian server location (Milan), PureVPN provides consistent performance regardless of when you use it. Further, even the lowest speed we recorded was more than enough to handle data-intensive tasks like live streaming or downloading large files. Overall, this VPN produced an average speed of 160.19 Mbps. That’s pretty impressive, given how low the price is, though there’s always room for improvement. Below, you’ll find a chart showing PureVPN’s performance at multiple times of day:

Let’s talk about security. This VPN supports multiple industry-approved protocols, prevents IPv6 and DNS leaks, and uses encryption that is currently considered uncrackable. Further, it’ll automatically obfuscate your traffic if it detects you’re in a country with repressive online censorship. PureVPN has been audited multiple times by independent experts, proving beyond all doubt that it’s telling the truth when it says it doesn’t keep logs. There are a couple of caveats, though: the kill switch isn’t available on every platform, and tracker-blocking is only included with Plus and Max plans.

PureVPN offers apps for MacOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, and Android. If you’d prefer to secure a whole network, you can manually install it on a wide range of routers.

SPEEDY AND SECURE:PureVPN is perfect for people who’ve never used a VPN before. It’s quick, extremely versatile, and great for streaming. Works effortlessly with all of your favorite streaming sites and comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of PureVPN to learn more.

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8. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN doesn’t have the largest network, with only around 200 servers in 60 countries. It does, however, have far faster speeds than many of its competitors. This makes it a natural choice for anyone looking to stream Italian TV from abroad. In fact, PrivateVPN works not just with DMAX and La 5 but also with major international platforms like Netflix Italy and BBC iPlayer.

PrivateVPN has never been known for its ultra-high speeds, but it does provide a solid level of performance that will allow you to stream Italian TV with no complaints. We tested it three times and noted an average speed of 93.63 Mbps. This is roughly enough to stream 10 4K videos simultaneously, so there won’t be any problems when live streaming standard 1080p content. To its credit, there was less than 5 Mbps of variance across our testing. Here’s a breakdown of this provider’s results:

It comes with a wide range of security features too. These include a customizable kill switch, 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a stealth mode capable of bypassing even the strictest VPN blocking measures. Further, PrivateVPN doesn’t keep any logs at all, so your privacy is in good hands. Staff can be contacted over live chat for 22 hours every day, and support is also available over email, ensuring you never have to wait too long to get help.

PrivateVPN apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. If you’d prefer to install it directly on your home router via manual configuration. You can install it on Linux systems, too.

PERFECT FOR STREAMING:PrivateVPN boasts exceptionally high speeds, but it’s also able to access many Italian streaming platforms securely. This, coupled with its strong security focus and no-logging policy, makes it a great choice for anyone looking to stream safely abroad. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our comprehensive review of PrivateVPN.

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Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for watching Italian TV

Theoretically, any VPN with servers in Italy could help you watch Italian TV abroad. However, that really is the lowest reasonable expectation, and here at Comparitech, we believe you deserve better. So, our team has put together a comprehensive testing process that evaluates providers in five key areas. This not only allows us to identify the VPNs that are best for streaming Italian TV but also gives you a better understanding of what you’re paying for. Here are the areas we focused on:

Italian speeds

Every VPN will slow down your connection slightly. The good news is that, in contrast to previous years, it’s uncommon to see a speed reduction of more than 30 percent (assuming optimal testing conditions). This matters because if your speeds are too slow, you’ll notice live streams take forever to load, pause intermittently, or simply refuse to play. You could even find that the VPN disconnects itself, leaving your activities visible to anyone monitoring the network.

To ensure we get the fairest, most accurate test results, we decided to test each VPN’s Italian servers three times and average the results (which helps offset some of the inherent randomness of speed testing). Now, our testers were located in the UK with a base connection speed of 246 Mbps – if you’re closer to Italy and have a similar base connection speed, you’ll likely notice slightly better performance. Let’s see how well each service performed:

Finally, we weighted and normalized these results relative to each other to produce a score out of 10 for each provider. Surfshark was the fastest, earning a perfect rating, with NordVPN and IPVanish following close behind.

Streaming capabilities

Your main goal is to access Italian TV channels with the VPN active, so we have to make sure your service is actually up to the task. To do this, our experts pit each provider against a series of popular streaming platforms, including Rai TV, Netflix Italia, Now TV, and Mediaset Infinity. Points were assigned based on how many each VPN could access and how reliably they did so. We also checked if there were multiple Italian locations to choose from and automatic ad-blocking since these both have the potential to improve your viewing experience. Let’s see what our top VPNs had to offer:

Once again, we weighted and normalized our scores to get ratings out of 10 for each service. Here’s how they stacked up:

NordVPN came out on top here, earning a perfect 10 out of 10 for its exceptional reliability and the ability to access every service we tried. ExpressVPN was a close second, with 9.8 points, while Surfshark took third with 8.7. PrivateVPN was the lowest scorer simply because it struggled with a few popular platforms and doesn’t include an ad blocker.

Security and privacy

Let’s not forget that the main function of a VPN is to keep your browsing habits private. With this in mind, we created a strict set of criteria to ensure that only the most privacy-conscious VPNs earn a spot on our list. Our experts examined providers on more than 15 separate criteria, dove deep into their audit histories, and even checked to see if they were located in countries that participate in intelligence alliances. Here are our findings:

As ever, we assigned points and then normalized and weighted the resulting scores to get a rating out of 10 for each provider.

We actually had a two-way tie for first place between NordVPN and Surfshark (each with 9.5 points). NordVPN’s authentication was a little lower than we’d like but still secure, whereas Surfshark operates out of a country that’s in the Nine Eyes alliance, though it follows a no-logs policy. Conversely, PrivateVPN had the lowest result, a still impressive 8.6. This was mostly due to its lack of advanced features and a lower-than-average default encryption level.

Ease of use

The more beginner-friendly your VPN is, the better. We strongly prefer services that make getting started as straightforward as possible and make it nice and easy to get help if anything goes wrong. Of course, we also keep an eye out for any other quality-of-life features, such as task-specific servers, automatic ad-blocking, or a total lack of connection limits. You’ll find a full list of our considerations (and findings) below:

Just like before, our team assigned scores before weighting and normalizing the results. Here’s a chart breaking down how each VPN compared:

This was the closest category by far. In fact, there was just a single point of difference between the providers in first and last place (NordVPN and PrivateVPN, respectively). You’ll notice that VPNs with no connection limits did quite well, though Surfshark did lose out due to its lack of streaming-optimized servers and a registration process that could be a little smoother.

Value for money

There’s a provider for every price point, but one thing we always like to emphasize is that VPNs at the extreme ends of the pricing spectrum are rarely worth paying for. We’re here to make sure you get a service that meets your needs without overpaying. This involves looking at how often it goes on sale, whether it’s possible to reduce the price at all, and whether the VPN actually justifies its price in the first place. Additionally, to be eligible for a place in this list, services must offer a money-back guarantee so you can try it with no risk.

There was actually a fairly tight spread of scores here. Surfshark took first place with 9.7, but IPVanish, NordVPN, and CyberGhost were hot on its heels. All of these services offer steep long-term discounts and reasonably high (or nonexistent) connection limits, which definitely helped. Meanwhile, ProtonVPN had the lowest score (7.4) as it costs a little more each month, even on a long-term plan. It does offer a free trial, though, which none of its rivals do.

Unblocking Italian TV abroad with a free VPN

Although it’s tempting to try and watch Italian TV abroad with a free VPN, and a quick search will turn up plenty of them, but we do not recommend it. They’re a particularly poor choice for anyone looking to stream because, despite their huge number of users, these services usually only have a handful of servers. This causes very slow speeds, which means your video will almost certainly lag, buffer for long periods of time, or simply refuse to play. There’s also no guarantee that your chosen VPN will have an Italian server (or that it hasn’t already been blacklisted by major streaming sites).

There’s a more serious problem with free VPNs to consider, too: at least one popular app store is flooded with hundreds of Trojans looking to capitalize on your desire for better security for free. Some free VPNs have also been found to collect users’ data to sell to third parties, while others failed to use any encryption, completely defeating the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.

To stay as safe as possible when streaming, it’s best to use a reputable, paid VPN with strong security features and a clearly-worded, user-first privacy policy. However, if you’re dead set on watching Italian TV abroad for free, here are some tips on how to do so safely.

How to watch Italian TV abroad with a free VPN:

• Opt for a VPN that offers a free trial. These range from 1 – 7 days, which could be enough if you just want to catch a couple of shows.
• Make the most of the money-back guarantees of the providers we’ve listed here. They last 30-45 days, so that should be enough to cover you for a vacation or short work trip. Unlike free trials, you do have to pay upfront but can at least rest assured that if you’re not 100% happy with the service, you can claim a full refund. Check out our step-by-step guide to claiming a full refund from NordVPN to see how simple it is.

Watching Italian TV abroad: FAQs