If you're an Icelandic local – or you're holidaying in the Nordic nation – then a VPN can come in handy if you'd like to unblock content from elsewhere in the world. On the other hand, you can use a VPN service in order to get an Iceland IP address and unblock content only available in the region.
We'll check out the very best providers for Iceland in this article, as well as dive into exactly how a VPN can improve your privacy whilst also combating censorship and geo-restrictions. So, keep reading to find out our top picks!
The best VPNs for Iceland
Below is a quick summary of our top VPNs to use, whether you're in Iceland and attempting to access content unavailable there, or away from the country and wanting an Icelandic IP:
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Iceland. Reliably unblocks content from around the world and has servers in Iceland.
- NordVPN - A really speedy provider for Iceland with a great set of privacy tools and security features.
- Surfshark - a stylish, quick provider that sets no limit on simultaneous connections through one account and has lots of Iceland IPs.
- Private Internet Access - A sturdy, secure VPN with Iceland VPN servers and plenty of US VPN servers to stream sought-after shows and movies.
- CyberGhost VPN - An easy-to-use VPN optimized for streaming with 24 servers in Iceland.
What to look for in an Iceland VPN
If getting yourself an Icelandic IP address is your main priority, then you should primarily look for a provider that can offer you:
- Decent server coverage in Iceland
- A track record of unblocking Icelandic content
- Fast connections and download speeds
However, if you're currently in Iceland and want a VPN to enhance your privacy or unblock content from other parts of the world, then it's a smart move to subscribe to a VPN service that has:
- A large global server network
- A collection of contemporary security features
- AES 256-bit encryption
- A robust no-logs policy you can trust
- Fast connections and download speeds
Luckily, most of the VPNs in this article have these features. Things like the size of server networks and the standard of security will obviously differ between providers, however, so we'll discuss them in much greater depth below.
A closer look at the best VPNs for Iceland
These are the best VPN services to use in Iceland in 2024:
ExpressVPN has gone from strength to strength since its birth in 2009, and is a great option for both an Icelandic IP address and unblocking content from around the world. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN, based in the British Virgin Islands, is the provider I've selected as the best VPN for Iceland. It has apps for all platforms and users can log into the same account on five devices concurrently, which is quite handy. The provider has really intuitive apps for all platforms that don't take much time to master. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced tech whizz, you'll find ExpressVPN is worth the money despite the relatively expensive price tag. ExpressVPN, despite being a top-tier provider, has a smaller server network (~3,000) than almost all of the providers on this list. However, they're spread across 94 countries. So, if there's a number of different shows or movies from around the world you'd like to watch, or a lot of different Netflix libraries you'd like to unblock, you're going to get a lot more bang for your buck with ExpressVPN than some other providers. ExpressVPN has a large collection of servers in various locations in countries like the UK and USA, home to some of the most sought-after services (BBC iPlayer, Netflix USA, etc.) that enforce geo-restrictions. ExpressVPN doesn't have many competitors when it comes to security and leads the pack in many respects. They were one of the first providers to switch from hard drives to much more secure RAM-only servers (RAM stands for Random Access Memory, a type of volatile memory that needs a power supply to operate – so every time a server is turned off or powered down, all data is lost). The provider has even pioneered their own protocol, Lightway, which is one of the speediest and most secure around. ExpressVPN also has all the baseline security features you need whilst using a VPN, including a kill-switch, obfuscated (stealth) servers, and a private DNS service. If you're in Iceland and privacy is your priority, look no further than ExpressVPN. Some people are put off by ExpressVPN's price tag and, admittedly, there are cheaper VPNs available that perform really well. ExpressVPN is one of the most robust, secure services out there, however, and you can rely on them in ways you might not be able to rely on other providers. If you want a VPN that can do absolutely everything (and quickly, mind) then ExpressVPN is your all-encompassing solution. If you don't believe me, take advantage of their 30-day money-back guarantee to try the software out for yourself. NordVPN, like ExpressVPN, is another provider you can trust to unblock lots of content, and it also has servers in Iceland. Nord Demo NordVPN is based in privacy-conscious Panama, which is great news for the privacy-focused, and has millions of customers worldwide. It's a pretty solid choice, whether it's speed or security you're most concerned with, and it has an excellent track record of unblocking popular streaming services. Overall, it's a top provider that won't make a deep dent in your bank account. NordVPN is one of the quickest providers around and always finds itself near to the top of the speed tests that we conduct on a daily basis. This is naturally really useful for streaming and will come in handy if you're in Iceland as it's likely to be quite a distance to the servers you're connecting to – the United Kingdom, a nearby location serviced by NordVPN, is 3,500 miles away! Due to its consistently speedy performance, NordVPN is great for things like videoconferencing, torrenting, and streaming pretty much anything in HD. It also has a Smart DNS service that comes with the VPN, so if you want even quicker speeds by sacrifice, this could be the one for you. NordVPN has not held back on the number of features they afford their customers access to. Like ExpressVPN's Lightway, NordVPN has developed NordLynx, a technology wrapped around the WireGuard protocol for increased speeds and security. NordVPN will encrypt all of your traffic with the AES 256-bit encryption standard and protect your original IP address from leaking with a kill-switch. However, there are also a lot of features you won't find anywhere else, like Onion-over-VPN, which connects your device to the Tor Network, and CyberSec, an ad and malware blocker that you can use for a smooth browsing experience. The only thing I can criticize NordVPN for is the fact they only allow up to 6 simultaneous connections – CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and Surfshark (more on these providers later) all offer more. Everything else, from the user interface to the provider's 5,200+ servers, is a joy to use. NordVPN is another provider offering a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you don't even have to take my word for it. Surfshark is a nifty little provider that, despite having only been around since 2018, is already making a name for itself as one of the most reliable VPNs out there. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands and is the youngest provider on our list. It makes up for its relative youth with a package full of excellent features and speeds that are great for streaming, be it in Iceland or anywhere else. Like the rest of the providers we've recommended, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you don't have to worry about being out of pocket if you're not satisfied with their service. Surfshark's USP is that it doesn't set a limit for the number of devices you can log into one account on, and there's similarly no limit to how many users can be online on the same account at one time, which is a fantastic feature that isn't offered by any other VPN on this list and will be hard to find elsewhere. This will be really useful if, for instance, you were holidaying in Iceland in a group and there were 12 people who wanted to unblock TV shows from other parts of the world – with Surfshark, you'll never have to worry about logging out again. Surfshark, according to our most recent speed tests, is only two positions behind NordVPN out of a total of twenty top providers, with both ranking easily in the top 6. Although speeds do vary, this isn't a bad achievement at all. The provider has over 3,200 servers in more than 65 countries, so you'll have a lot of content from across the globe to stream. Surfshark also has servers in Iceland, so if you want an IP address for the country, it's got you covered! Again, similarly to NordVPN, Surfshark manages to supply users with lots of features without overcomplicating their user interface in any of its apps, which are very easy to use. Surfshark uses diskless servers (so nothing is ever written to drives) and AES 256-bit encryption to make sure its users are safe, and there's also an ad and malware blocker called CleanWeb. Surfshark has a camouflage mode that will hide your VPN usage from your internet service provider or anyone else who can see your traffic, and a multi-hop feature, which will reroute your connection through one rather than two servers. Private Internet Access (PIA) is a VPN with thousands of US servers and plenty in Iceland for you to choose from, too. PIA Demo Private Internet Access is a US-based provider that allows up to ten simultaneous connections on one account – perfect for all your family and friends who want to stream content whilst in Iceland. PIA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you read this review and think it's the VPN for you, you can test it out without incurring any real-time costs. PIA actually has 48 servers in Iceland, meaning you'll have no trouble sourcing an Icelandic IP address using this provider. You'll be able to unblock all your favorite Icelandic shows in a few clicks, and the likelihood you'll experience server congestion whilst doing so is very small. The provider has almost 15,000 servers in the US to choose from, and plenty of others in various locations, so you'll never run out of regional content to stream. In fact, there are over 2,000 servers in the United Kingdom and more than 4,000 in Canada! It's always nice to know you can trust your VPN provider to keep your activity private, right? Well, there are few providers that can assure their customers as PIA can. Private Internet Access has been served court orders to hand over user data not once, but twice in recent years in the US. Both times their answer has been the same: they couldn't because they don't keep any logs. This is exactly what we want to hear, especially in a space where not all VPNs are living up to their claims. PIA's entire server network is bare metal, they have provisions for obfuscation, AES 256-bit encryption, kill-switches, and many more security features. The only real downside in the context of this article is that PIA doesn't have a Smart DNS service attached to it. This is a very minor fault, however, and the VPN itself works just fine for streaming. One thing that I always have thought makes PIA stand out is its provisions for Linux users. Linux has millions of users worldwide and very few VPNs offer fully-featured clients for its various distros. Most providers do what Surfshark does and just provide a command-line client, but PIA is one of the few that offers a fully-featured client for Linux users. CyberGhost is a pretty simple, but solid all-round VPN that you'll get a lot of joy out of if unblocking content is your main priority. CyberGhost Demo CyberGhost is one of the most widely-used VPNs in the world. Although the provider does keep some connection logs, no user activity is ever recorded and you can be sure your browsing experience will be private. CyberGhost allows customers with a subscription to use their account simultaneously on up to 7 devices, which is great if you have friends or family that want to unblock shows in Iceland, or are in the country yourself and want access to a whole world of streaming options. CyberGhost has an excellent collection of apps for the most popular OS around, and one thing I really like about the software is how easy it is to use. Connecting to a server really takes no time at all and I can confidently say you won't get lost in the Settings menu. CyberGhost takes a bit more of a no-frills approach than some other providers (looking at you, NordVPN!) which can be a good or a bad thing depending on your primary use case/s. Of course, the provider still has a kill-switch and uses AES 256-bit encryption to secure traffic being funneled through its servers. CyberGhost not only offers servers optimized for streaming, but it even has little labels to tell users exactly what websites and services specific servers are designed to unblock. This is a really handy feature – especially if you're new to the VPN scene – and just makes the whole process of getting connected and watching your favorite shows a hell of a lot easier. CyberGhost actually has over 7,000 servers worldwide in 91 countries – a spread that makes it the only real rival to ExpressVPN in terms of the countries you can unblock content from. 24 of those servers are in Iceland, too, so if you want an Icelandic IP address to unblock shows and movies, then CyberGhost has you covered. Don't get me wrong, CyberGhost is an excellent provider that will unblock a whole tonne of sites for you. However, it is disappointing that they are yet to upgrade their network with stealth (also called 'obfuscated') servers, which hide the fact you're even using a VPN by disguising it as normal traffic. This is the reason we don't recommend CyberGhost in places where VPNs are banned. This has crept into the 'industry standard' category for me, considering all the other VPNs on this list along with other providers like VyprVPN, Ivacy, and IPVanish all have incorporated this into their networks. CyberGhost is still one of the best options for streaming – and, of course, they still encrypt all your traffic to the highest standard – so if you're not too concerned with someone finding out you're just using a VPN, then no need to worry. 1. ExpressVPN
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Go global with streaming
Top-of-the-range security
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Speeds to write home about
A wealth of features
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Unlimited connections
Very commendable Speeds
Security features galore
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Icelandic servers and much, much more!
Is PIA secure?
A great VPN for Linux
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Easy-to-use with a capital E
Optimized streaming servers
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Why do I need a VPN for Iceland?
VPNs have several use cases, but I like to think that all of their functions can be sorted into two broad categories: privacy and streaming. By this, I mean people either use VPNs to enhance their privacy in some way, shape, or form, or they use them to unblock some sort of content from around the world.
- VPNs enhance your privacy by rerouting all your traffic through a private server before it gets to the internet. This masks your IP address and decouples your activity from your device/identity.
- VPNs enhance your streaming capabilities by unblocking website geo-restrictions only enforceable due to the visibility of user IP addresses.
Here at ProPrivacy, a big part of our work is recommending secure VPNs to people living in countries where government censorship laws are wide reaching, as well as in regions where sites used by billions around the globe, like Facebook, are blocked.
Iceland, on the other hand, is one of the best places in the world for internet freedom, and citizens enjoy unfettered access to more sites than most. Despite this, Iceland is not impervious to cyberattacks and, even though citizens have better-than-average privacy protections, the government still runs surveillance operations like every other state in the world. So, both privacy and streaming capabilities are massively important in the Nordic nation – citizens of Iceland that want to unblock content from elsewhere in the world will benefit from a VPN. Iceland has a much smaller Netflix library, for example, than countries like the US and UK, and other streaming services with regional libraries or geo-restrictions will likely be the same.
Alternatively, people outside of the country might want an Icelandic IP address in order to unblock content only available in the northerly nation. Luckily, the VPNs we've chosen today all have servers in Iceland, and therefore have a number of Icelandic IP addresses to choose from.
How to unblock sites with an Iceland VPN: 5 steps
Setting up a VPN is a pretty simple task, and don't worry, you don't have to be a technical whizz to do this.
- Sign up to ExpressVPN or another VPN provider that works for you.
- Download and run the software on your device.
- Connect to a server in a region where the site you want to access isn't blocked.
- Search for the site via your browser.
- Find the specific show you'd like access to.
If you follow these steps, you should have whatever you want to unblocked accessible in no time!
Can I use a free VPN in Iceland?
I'd advise against using a free VPN service, primarily because they come with security risks and caveats that paid, premium services simply don't.
This is largely because paid providers have a constant revenue stream – subscriptions – that allow them to upgrade their security, offer money-back guarantees and focus on the privacy of customers. Here's some information about some major, free VPN brands so you can see what I mean:
| Provider | Why should avoid you it? | Extra info |
|---|---|---|
| Hola | Can sell data to third parties* Shares emails with marketing partners. Sells traffic data to sister firm. Shared anonymized data to third parties. | Fraudulently steals & resells user bandwidth through sister company Luminati. DNS and WebRTC leaks detected. |
| Betternet | Can sell data to third parties.* Allows advertisers to cookie users' browsers. Displays targeted advertising. Parent firm can access all data. | Lets advertisers track and log user data. IP Leak in Chrome browser extension. Contains 14 tracking libraries in total (according to CSIRO report). |
| Hotspot Shield Free | Can sell data to third parties.* Redirects users to affiliate sites when browsing. Displays targeted advertising in-app and on websites. | Uses 5 different third-party tracking libraries. Shares data with third-party affiliates and partners. Shares all data with parent company. |
| Psiphon | Can sell data to third parties.* Allows ad partners to track users. Displays targeted advertising. | Shares data with their advertising partners. Shares data with third-party affiliates and partners. Shares all data with parent company. |
| HoxxVPN | Can sell data to third parties.* Isn't a VPN (it's a Shadowsocks proxy service). DNS and WebRTC leaks. Tracks user activities and works with authorities. | Keeps logs and sells them to third-party partners. Shares data with third-party affiliates and partners. |
| SuperVPN | Willing to disclose information to authorities. Reports of it being infected with malware. Tracks user activities and works with authorities. | Extensive access to user's sensitive information. Stores session logs in the UK and US. |
| ArchieVPN | Reports of being heavily infested with malware. | Performs real-time analysis (claims this is for troubleshooting only). |
| Onavo Project | Can sell data to third parties.* Uses user info for advertising and marketing. Displays ads to users. | Belongs to Facebook. Shares and sells user data with third parties. |
| HatVPN | Has no available privacy policy. Reports of being heavily infested with malware. Invasive app permissions. | Could be doing anything they want with user data. Developed and based in China. |
| VPN by Apalon | Invasive app permissions. Shares data with third parties for marketing purposes. | Displays ads. In-app purchases. |
| Private Pipe VPN | Shares data with affiliate partners. Displays targeted ads on websites. | Confusing privacy policy (claims no logs, but contradicts this claim). |
| Tuxler VPN | Can sell data to third parties*. Uses logs to target ads at users. | Shares user browsing data with advertising firms. |
| GO VPN | Can sell data to third parties*. Admits to using customer data to build out their database. Displays targeted ads through the platform. | Belongs to Chinese firm Talking Data. Willing to sell usage logs to third parties and partners. Extremely invasive app permissions. |
| Hexatech | Can sell data to third parties*. Allows advertisers to track and log user data. Advertisers can access user data whenever they want. | Created by Betternet (belongs to a marketing firm). Displays ads to users. |
| TouchVPN | Can sell data to third parties*. Adds Cookies, Pixel Tags, and Web Beacons to user browsers. | Shares anonymous data with third parties. |
| Faceless.me | Doesn't work. The privacy policy is too ambiguous to be taken seriously. | Has no support if you have concerns or questions. |
| FinchVPN | Can sell data to third parties*. Reports of being heavily infested with malware. | N/A |
| Cross VPN | Reports of being heavily infested with malware. | N/A |
| VPN OneClick Free | Reports of being heavily infested with malware. Outdated PPTP encryption on Android. | Based in the UAE. |
| Flash Free VPN | Invasive app permissions. | Uses 11 third-party tracking libraries. |
| Fast Secure Payment VPN | Reports of being heavily infested with malware. | N/A |
| sFly Network Booster | Reports of being heavily infested with malware. | N/A |
| IP-Shield VPN | Contains third-party tracking software. | N/A |
| WiFi Protector VPN | Uses 5 tracking libraries. | N/A |
| TigerVPNs | Fraudulently steals and resells users' bandwidth. | N/A |
| Private WiFi | Appears to have poor or no encryption. | N/A |
*according to the privacy policy
A free VPN is never going to excel any category, be it speed, safety, or quality of customer support. There's a much higher chance your IP could be leaked using a free provider's network, too, and on top of this, some of the most popular free VPNs you can find in places like app stores have dodgy privacy policies and even sell user data to third parties.
Iceland is a lot different in terms of risk to, say, Myanmar or China – so using a free VPN isn't as dangerous as it would be in other parts of the world. But a government that acts to protect internet freedom with one hand can also conduct surveillance operations with the other. Plus, you don't want a sluggishly slow VPN that can't unblock anything – a paid provider is the best way to go.
VPN speeds
Iceland is one of the most remote countries in the world – a sparsely populated island without any close geographical neighbors. If you want to stream content from across the globe, you'll need a speedy VPN that can deal with rerouting your connection through servers thousands of miles away.
Here at ProPrivacy, we test VPN speeds on a regular basis so we can provide our readers with the most up-to-date information. Find the fastest VPN service now:
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Performance | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Speed | 100 | 568.0 | 254.93 |
| ProPrivacy.com SpeedTest (average) | 100 | 85.9 | 62.2 |
What can I watch with an Icelandic IP address?
There's plenty of Icelandic content that's worth watching that's only available in Iceland and will be blocked if you're trying to access it from outside of the country.
Examples of TV channels accessible using a VPN with Icelandic servers include Nova TV, RÚV, NENT, and Stöð 2. A VPN is the only real way to access these channels and stay safe at the same time.
Are VPNs legal in Iceland?
It's quite common for people to think VPNs are illegal – it does, admittedly, feel like you're doing something a bit cheeky when you can suddenly unblock loads of content you previously couldn't. VPNs are illegal in some places, like Russia, but in the vast majority of countries, it's perfectly legal to use one.
Iceland is one of these countries, so the mere fact you're using a VPN to unblock websites from around the world isn't going to get you into trouble with Icelandic law enforcement and/or the national government. If you're living outside of Iceland and trying to stream Icelandic shows from another country, it's a good idea to check the legal status of VPNs so you don't get yourself into a muddle. And remember, obviously, if you partake in illegal activities using a VPN, say credit card fraud, for instance, it's still illegal!
If you are in a nation where VPNs are frowned upon/illegal/their status under the law is in question, you have to pick a VPN with obfuscated (stealth) servers because they're able to mask not only your IP address but the fact you're even using a VPN. Every VPN featured in this article offers this bar CyberGhost.
What you are doing whilst using a VPN is potentially violating the terms of service of the websites you visit. This is why websites like Netflix sometimes try to block IP addresses of known VPN servers. But importantly, this has no bearing on the end-user (i.e. you) and it's vastly unlikely you'll be banned from a site for accessing it with a VPN.
Can I use a Smart DNS service to unblock content?
You may have heard of a Smart DNS service as an alternative to a VPN. They both unblock content by spoofing your IP address.
But what's the difference? well, if security is your top priority, then don't go with a Smart DNS service. Although they spoof your IP address, they don't encrypt any of your traffic so provide next to no protection. This does, however, mean they're a little bit faster than VPNs simply because encryption takes time. There are some great Smart DNS services out there, but personally, I'd go for a VPN for three related reasons:
- The privacy and security features not present in Smart DNS services
- VPNs cost about the same per month as a good Smart DNS service
- Many VPN services provide a Smart DNS service for no extra cost
So definitely check out whether a Smart DNS service will work for you, but remember, a VPN is most likely a better bet!
What else can I do with a VPN?
We've talked about a lot of different tasks a VPN can help you with so far, but are there any other usages we haven't covered? Well, there are still a couple of extra features you might like to know about.
Occasionally, a VPN can actually speed up your internet if you're being bandwidth throttled by your internet service provider (ISP). ISP's will slow down your internet speeds if you're requesting large amounts of data over their network. This might be because you're playing a video game, for example, but with a VPN, they won't be able to see your activity, so they won't know what data you're requesting or subsequently throttle your bandwidth!
VPNs are also used by gamers wanting to find games yet to be released in their regions. The same games often have different release dates for different countries, so a VPN is actually quite a smart solution.
Final thoughts
There was a lot of information to take in there – well done for getting to the end. If you've forgotten exactly which providers we recommended or just haven't decided which one is right for you, here's a quick recap of the VPNs discussed in this article:
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Iceland. Reliably unblocks content from around the world and has servers in Iceland.
- NordVPN - A really speedy provider for Iceland with a great set of privacy tools and security features.
- Surfshark - a stylish, quick provider that sets no limit on simultaneous connections through one account and has lots of Iceland IPs.
- Private Internet Access - A sturdy, secure VPN with Iceland VPN servers and plenty of US VPN servers to stream sought-after shows and movies.
- CyberGhost VPN - An easy-to-use VPN optimized for streaming with 24 servers in Iceland.