The Best TVNZ VPN service in 2024

ExpressVPN Demo

When I hear a VPN company pioneering a new protocol, upgrading their server network, or making it easier to upload VPN software onto a router, my first thought is always ExpressVPN. They truly are the best VPN company for a wide variety of tasks and has an extremely impressive track record when it comes to privacy and security. 

The best VPN for TVNZ

ExpressVPN is an excellent choice to unblock geo-restricted content in New Zealand, like TVNZ. ExpressVPN has a number of servers in the South Pacific nation and, on top of this, is one of the speediest VPNs in the game (consistently topping our daily speed tests). ExpressVPN is one of the VPN services on this list that comes with a Smart DNS service for faster streaming, which is handy if privacy isn't your priority (Smart DNS services don't encrypt your data despite spoofing your location). 

ExpressVPN's new protocol Lightway, which has been designed to increase both speeds and security, is available at its servers in New Zealand so you won't miss a thing. Outside of New Zealand, ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers across the rest of the globe spread across a huge 94 countries, making it the best choice if you'd like to stream content from elsewhere too. 

Market-leading features 

ExpressVPN has had security audit after security audit to ensure that its customers know its keeping to its promises on privacy. ExpressVPN has one of the most watertight networks around and, unlike some providers on this list, uses obfuscation technology to mask user VPN usage. If you're attempting to access TVNZ from somewhere like China, I'd advise you to use ExpressVPN because of its stealthy servers. 

Other security green flags that put ExpressVPN ahead of the pack include Random Access Memory (RAM)-only servers, which are much more secure than hard disk servers, and of course things like AES-256 bit encryption and a private DNS service, both of which have become commonplace for VPN companies to offer. 

Expensive but worth the money

Let's not sugarcoat things here: ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPN companies around. However, the premium price tag is justifiable because it is the best VPN company around. You pay a decent amount each month for ExpressVPN, but if you want assurance that your browsing sessions are private and protected, then it's a small price to pay! Just utilize the provider's 30-day money-back guarantee if you're genuinely unsure, and then you can test out the software and make up your mind before committing to a permanent purchase.  

Nord Demo

Servers in New Zealand 

NordVPN has servers in New Zealand that are ideal for streaming TVNZ on demand. Overall, the provider the provider's server network spans around 65 countries, in which there are 5,200 servers, and many of these are in the USA. This is good news if you're looking to unblock things like Netflix US or certain shows available on YouTube, for instance.  

The only downside to NordVPN's New Zealand coverage is that they don't provide obfuscation (or 'stealth') technology there (we'll discuss exactly what this means further down in this analysis). There is also no Double VPN function available in New Zealand. Unless you're living under an oppressive regime, however, these features aren't essential to unblocking TVNZ safely and securely. 

The quickest VPN?

NordVPN is one of the quickest VPNs around and, like ExpressVPN, often finds itself near or at the top of our daily speed tests, a process that ranks the best providers on the internet and imparts up-to-date information on their connection times.

The NordLynx protocol the provider has developed over the past few years – based on the speedy WireGuard protocol – is impressively speedy and a testament to NordVPN's commitment to providing uninterrupted streaming experience for all its customers. 

Lots of tools to play with 

Amongst the top-tier providers we recommend here at ProPrivacy, you'll struggle to find a more feature-laden software than that of NordVPN. Not only are all the standard security features taken care of, but there is also:

• TOR-over-VPN – a feature that hooks your VPN up to the Tor network


• CyberSec – an ad and malware-blocking tool


• NordLynx – the more secure, faster protocol mentioned above


• Double VPN – reroutes all of your traffic through two servers


• Stealth servers – mask the fact you're using a VPN from anyone watching


• Diskless servers – ensure no user activity is ever written to a hard drive

By signing up to NordVPN and taking advantage of their money-back guarantee (which lasts for thirty days) you can try out all of these features and just demand a refund if you're not happy. Win-Win!

PIA Demo

Private Internet Access has been around for over a decade and has a great reputation when it comes to security. It is one of the few VPNs that has had its no-logs claim proved amidst a court case when it was subpoenaed by the US government not once, but twice in the past few years. On both occasions, the company has had no logs to hand over because it doesn't keep any – which is great news for PIA's subscribers. 

US-focused network (with NZ servers!) 

PIA has 183 servers currently stationed in New Zealand, which is more than enough to ensure you'll be able to unblock TVNZ without experiencing any congestion or latency. 

Private Internet Access is one of the best providers for unblocking American TV shows and movies because the majority of its 28,000+ servers are located in the country. The USA is, however, only one of 78 countries that PIA has servers in – so if there's more you're planning to watch with a VPN, then you'll be in for a treat. 

No logs and simultaneous connections 

As mentioned above, PIA's no logs claim has been proven in court – and it has PIA MACE for blocking malware and DNS adverts too. Private Internet Access beats both ExpressVPN and NordVPN in terms of simultaneous connections offered, allowing double the number of connected devices the former offers and almost twice as many as the latter. PIA also allows more connections than CyberGhost, and it's a really good VPN to go with if you think there are members of your family, or even friends, who might want to unblock content without paying for another provider account. 

If you're a single user with lots of tech and devices, however, this might be the provider for you, or if you're someone who likes to share your TVNZ OnDemand account, there are all sorts of devices you can watch movies and TV shows on – I've watched Netflix on four different types of devices just this week – so if you don't want to worry about logging out and in again, try PIA. 

The VPN of choice for Linux users

Linux is sadly neglected across much of the VPN sphere, with plenty of top-tier providers still only providing a command-line client for the operating system. PIA bucks that trend though with a fully-featured client for Mint, Ubuntu, Arch, and Debian as well as support for other distros. It's exactly like having PIA on any desktop. 

Surfshark Demo

Surfshark is the penultimate provider on this list and also one of the youngest VPN companies out there, only recently entering the market in 2018. Since then, Surfshark has forged out quite a reputation for itself as a very reliable provider. 

The provider has excellent apps for a number of platforms and also rocks one of the cheapest prices available in the game, at least when compared to other VPNs that also provide top-quality services. 

A streaming dream 

With Surfshark, streaming becomes an easy experience, and it has servers in New Zealand that will unblock TVNZ in no time. The provider has servers in 65 countries in total, which isn't as many as the likes of CyberGhost or PIA, but it does the job at hand and has servers in countries other than New Zealand – like the US – which will help you unblock more content. 

In total, 3,200 Surfshark servers are located in various countries across the world, and as VPN networks go, there are definitely many that aren't as quick as Surfshark. The provider has a very easy-to-navigate around website that has specific pages that will show you the benefits of VPN servers in specific countries. 

Surfshark's superb security 

Surfshark has all the baseline VPN features you need to keep you safe, which are especially important if you're trying to access TVNZ from a country that might forbid VPN usage or frown upon the attitudes displayed in the shows you're watching. AES-256 bit encryption, a kill-switch, and a trusted commitment to keeping no logs are thus included in the Surfshark package. 

There are, however, more advanced featured such as a CleanWeb tool for blocking malware and a Multi-hop, which will route your traffic through two VPN servers, and Camoflauge mode, which will hide the fact you're using a VPN (also known as Obfuscated servers). Surfshark switched to diskless servers last year, which run entirely on RAM, and thus nothing is ever written to hard drives.

Unlimited connections

Surfshark's unique selling point – at least amongst the VPNs on this list – is the fact that the provider offers unlimited simultaneous connections through the same account. TVNZ might be a streaming service lots of members of your family, or your friends, want to access – so ensure you choose a provider that will let you connect multiple devices. 

CyberGhost Demo

CyberGhost – a VPN provider based in Romania – literally has millions of subscribers all over the world and is one of the most recognizable providers in the game. It's got all the basics you need and takes a no-frills approach, which has clearly permeated the provider's approach to user interface design and privacy features. 

Optimized servers 

First and foremost, CyberGhost is a fantastic VPN for streaming. The provider has a huge server network consisting of more than 7,000 servers in around 91 countries, which means you'll have a whole lot more to unblock than just NZTV. However, if that's a top priority, you'll be able to connect through to one of CyberGhost's 13 servers inside New Zealand. 

If you're trying to access multi-national streaming services like YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Netflix, CyberGhost has a great feature where it tells you which of its servers are optimized to unblock specific websites, something not many providers do. 

A great money-back guarantee

CyberGhost is the only provider on this list that has set a 45-day period where you can claim a refund if you're not satisfied. This is over two weeks longer than the customary 30 days most VPN companies allow for. So if you're someone who struggles to make decisions and needs a lot of information before taking the plunge, this might be the provider for you.  

Room for improvement

If you're trying to access NZTV from somewhere where VPNs are banned, or certain content you'll be watching on NZTV would be banned, then I wouldn't go with CyberGhost purely on the basis that the provider doesn't use obfuscation technology to hide its user's VPN usage.

CyberGhost does have the key privacy features needed to get onto this list, so don't worry. Things like a kill-switch and AES-256 bit encryption are essential and provided, but I'd personally like a bit more from a provider. If you're someone that gets bogged down when software has too many settings or is too highly customizable, you might appreciate the simplicity, but I think that VPN companies in 2024 have to give their customers more.