The TikTok sensation appears to have no end in sight, with countless users enchanted with the short-form video platform. But while the platform’s numbers continue to grow, it maintains a controversial reputation. As a result, several countries have placed bans or restrictions on the Chinese-based platform. Good thing you can still enjoy videos from anywhere in the world with the best VPNs for TikTok.
Many providers unlock access to the app, but they’re not all on the same level. This article will list the best options, discussing the qualities that make them ideal for the social network.
Why You Need a VPN for TikTok
While its teeming users adore TikTok, many governments don’t share the same sentiments. Outrightly banned in some countries, it is limited in many others. Consequently, you cannot use it if you live in countries like India or Afghanistan. The US is also considering restricting the platform.
Secondly, TikTok filters the content on its platform based on your location. This is fine if you live in certain regions. However, it can mean you’re missing out on a ton of great content and creators if you live in other areas.
To bypass these restrictions, a VPN is necessary.
A VPN provides a secure and private connection over a public network, like the Internet, by creating a virtual encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server. You can choose a server location where the social network is accessible, and the VPN assigns you a new IP address associated with that server.
That way, when you launch TikTok, it appears you are using it from the chosen server location — effectively bypassing the ban.
The Best TikTok VPNs of 2024
The VPN providers on this list let you enjoy TikTok anywhere you are. On top of that, you’re protected by an arsenal of top-notch privacy and security features, have access to a vast network of servers, and will enjoy smooth watching experiences.
Let’s get down to it.
1. ExpressVPN
- Servers: 3000+
- Countries: 94
- Compatible Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, streaming devices, browser extensions, and more.
- Pricing: Starting from $6.67/month
ExpressVPN is not just the best VPN for TikTok — it is the best VPN provider, period. Based in the British Virgin Islands, it is known for exceptional performance and robust features, making it an excellent choice for unblocking TikTok.
ExpressVPN comes with 3000+ servers in 94 countries. This vast network means you’re never short of working options to connect to and access TikTok from virtually anywhere. As its name suggests, those servers are pretty fast. You’ll enjoy blazing-fast connection speeds with ExpressVPN, cutting out any frustrating buffering.
And while you stream, you can be sure your data is safe. ExpressVPN offers top-of-the-line security and privacy features, including bank-level encryption, a kill switch, a zero-logs policy, and leak protection. Lightway, its proprietary protocol, is faster than OpenVPN and doesn’t compromise on security.
ExpressVPN servers have obfuscation built-in to prevent the detection of your VPN. This feature adds an extra layer of privacy to your traffic, which makes it so effective for bypassing blockades.
A 30-day money-back guarantee means you can try ExpressVPN out risk-free.
2. CyberGhost
- Servers: 9,500+
- Countries: 91
- Compatible Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, streaming devices, browser extensions, and more.
- Pricing: Starting from $2.11/month
CyberGhost comes next with 9,500+ in 91 countries. With so many options, you’re bound to find servers that let you watch videos from wherever you are.
It’s no slouch when it comes to performance. CyberGhost VPN consistently produced impressive speeds during our testing on TikTok and other apps, websites, streaming services. You can be sure you’ll have no buffering issues, especially while connected to WireGuard.
Industry-standard encryption and an array of other tools ensure your data stays private. CyberGhost swears by its no-log policy, and its RAM-only servers and independent audits mean you needn’t doubt the provider. Plus, if you prefer not to share IP addresses with other users, CyberGhost lets you set up a dedicated IP.
On top of its pocket-friendly pricing, CyberGhost gives you 45 days to commit or request a refund.
3. NordVPN
- Servers: 5,700+
- Countries: 60
- Compatible Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, streaming devices, browser extensions, and more.
- Pricing: Starting from $3.49/month
Panama-based NordVPN has a server network comprising 5700+ options in 60 countries.
While we would have preferred a wider location spread, you can forget about restrictions with NordVPN. This VPN comes with obfuscated servers to easily get around content blocks and censorship, so it will instantly unblock TikTok in India and worldwide.
Not many VPN services can rival NordVPN’s speeds. As long as you’re not on too distant servers, you won’t notice any drops in performance while connected to the provider. This makes it an excellent VPN option for TikTok creators and users.
NordVPN also packs a solid line-up of features to protect your data. AES 256-bit encryption renders your internet traffic unreadable. With Threat Protection, you needn’t worry about malware, ads, and trackers. And with its strict no-logs policy, no identifiable data is stored on its servers.
We especially like its SmartPlay feature. A combination of Smart DNS and masking ability ensures that you can quickly unblock TikTok and other streaming platforms on any device.
See if NordVPN is for you by taking advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Surfshark
- Servers: 3,200+
- Countries: 100
- Compatible Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, streaming devices, browser extensions, and more.
- Pricing: Starting from $2.30/month
Often underrated, Surfshark has proven that it is an excellent VPN for TikTok and other uses.
With 3,200 servers in 100 countries, it is the only VPN on this list with that wide a spread. Which is great, as you’re essentially covered wherever you are. They’re not as fast as ExpressVPN, but our test results show you can expect fast speeds when connected to those servers.
We found two features that can come in pretty useful. Camouflage Mode will help you bypass strict content filtering by disguising your traffic and making it appear like you’re on a direct internet connection. In addition, NoBorders is designed with internet censorship in mind and will let you use the VPN in restrictive regions.
While it comes with a budget tag, Surfshark brings out the big guns to help you stay private. For one, it won’t monitor, track, or store your online activities; multiple independent audits have proved this claim. The VPN also offers an array of standard and advanced privacy and security features.
Surfshark’s 30-day money-back guarantee applies across all its subscription plans, so you can see what it’s about before you commit.
Try Surfshark for TikTok Risk-Free
5. Private Internet Access
- Servers: 30,000+
- Countries: 84
- Compatible Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, smart TV, Chrome extension, and more.
- Pricing: Starting from $2.11/month
The other providers on this list of the best VPNs for TikTok are stacked with servers, but Private Internet Access completely eclipses them in this area — offering more than all of them combined. While the United States-based service no longer reveals the exact figures, it had over 30,000 at last count. They are spread across 84 countries.
We ran into a few slower servers during testing but had no problems watching videos on most of those we tried. Things played out similarly when we tried streaming and encountered little to no lags.
PIA has more than just a massive server network going for it. You get bank-level encryption to protect your data and a kill switch, and the provider will not collect or retain any identifiable data logs. PIA let its actions speak for it by undergoing an independent audit of its server environment carried out by Delloite.
You can enjoy your favorite TikTok creators on all your devices as Private Internet Access now offers unlimited simultaneous connections on one subscription. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee to try out the service risk-free.
How We Selected the Best VPNs for TikTok
Many VPNs can unblock TikTok in 2024. But as highlighted earlier, some are better than others. We conducted extensive tests on dozens of options to compile our list of the best VPNs for TikTok, evaluating their performances on several metrics.
These are the major criteria we considered:
Size of server network: The ideal VPN for TikTok must offer a massive collection of servers. What’s more, they must have appreciable global spreads. Having many options means you’re less likely to be affected by unreliable or overloaded servers. Every service on our list comes with thousands of servers, which means you’ve got lots of choices. They also have those servers based in dozens of countries around the world.
Speed and performance: Virtually every VPN service promises blazing-fast speeds. Unfortunately, the reality is usually far from that. This metric is essential because a VPN’s tunneling inevitably hurts your connection speeds. As TikTok is a bandwidth guzzler, you want a VPN that makes any drops in performance imperceptible. Based on our test results, you can expect reliable connections from every provider on this list while watching videos on the platform. That said, you’ll get the best results when you’re connected to nearby servers.
Security and Privacy: Speed and vast server networks are great, but your Internet traffic must stay protected, especially on a public network. The VPNs we listed are backed by strong security features, like high-level encryption, kill switch, diverse tunneling protocols, and leak protection. They also have strict no-logging policies to prevent your data or location from being intercepted.
Conclusion
TikTok is one of the world’s biggest social networks and continues to grow steadily. However, bans and restrictions imposed in certain regions can limit access to the platform. Thankfully, a premium VPN service can effectively bypass such restrictions and allow you to enjoy its short-form video.
This article explored the best VPNs for TikTok that let you unblock the platform from anywhere. ExpressVPN stands out as the premium choice. Its extensive server network, exceptional connection speeds, and strong security measures make it an ideal companion for TikTok. CyberGhost and NordVPN are other great options.
FAQs
Which VPN to use for TikTok?
ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and NordVPN are the three best TikTok VPNs. They unblock the short-video service from anywhere in the world while providing lightning-fast speeds and protecting your data.
Can I use a free VPN for TikTok?
We don’t recommend that you use a free VPN service. While some free VPNs may unblock TikTok, you may be subjected to slow speeds, making for a frustrating experience. In addition, many free services are without the top-notch features needed to guarantee the safety of your data. Some will even sell your data to third parties for profit.
Can I get banned from TikTok for using VPN?
No, TikTok will not ban you for using a VPN.
How do I change my TikTok location with VPN?
Subscribe to a VPN service like ExpressVPN and log in to the client with your credentials. Select a VPN server in a country that does not restrict the social network and connect to it. Head over to TikTok and you can now enjoy unlimited content.
ExpressVPN
