Streaming is the least stable thing we measure and the most commonly searched reason to buy a VPN. A provider can go from six-for-six to two-for-six in a fortnight when a platform refreshes its blocklist, which is why we re-test this monthly rather than quarterly.

How we test

For each provider we pick 36 servers — six per platform, spread across countries where that platform has a distinct library. We load the service, start a title, and let it play for three minutes. A pass means full resolution with no proxy error. A partial pass, meaning it plays but drops to 480p or works only on specially labelled servers, is recorded as a fail. That is not what the marketing promised.

The results

  • CyberGhost — 6 of 6. The most consistent at server level: Netflix played on 34 of 36 sampled servers.
  • NordVPN — 6 of 6. Cleared everything on the first connection attempt, 29 of 36 servers on Netflix.
  • ExpressVPN — 6 of 6. Reliable across all platforms with no hunting required.
  • Proton VPN and PrivateVPN — 5 of 6. Both failed only on DAZN.
  • Surfshark — 5 of 6. Also DAZN.
  • hide.me — 4 of 6. Hulu and DAZN blocked.
  • IPVanish and Private Internet Access — 3 of 6.
  • Mullvad — 0 of 6, deliberately.
A smart television displaying streaming applications
A pass means full resolution on an ordinary server — not only the ones the app labels "streaming optimised".

Our pick: CyberGhost

CyberGhost wins this category because of consistency rather than raw coverage. Three providers cleared six platforms, but CyberGhost was the one where you did not have to hunt for a working endpoint — Netflix played on 34 of the 36 servers we tried, against 29 for NordVPN.

It also has the longest refund window anyone offers at 45 days, which matters more here than anywhere else. Streaming results decay, and 45 days gives you a full billing cycle to confirm the platforms you care about still work.

The trade-off is speed over distance. CyberGhost held 812 Mbps nearby but only 578 Mbps on a long-haul route. For streaming that is irrelevant — 4K needs around 25 Mbps — but it means CyberGhost is a streaming tool rather than an all-rounder.

A VPN that unblocks everything today is not promising anything about next month. Buy on the refund window as much as the test result.

If your stream stops working

  • Clear cookies for the platform, then reconnect. Cached location data causes more "proxy detected" errors than actual IP blocks.
  • Try a different city in the same country before giving up on the provider.
  • Ask support for the current recommended server — good providers keep an internal list.
  • Check you are not leaking DNS. A mismatch between your IP and your resolver is an instant block.