14 Best VPN Countries to Stream, Torrent, and More (2024)
Choosing the right VPN server location to connect to affects your browsing experience significantly. The country a server is hosted in affects speeds and access to region-specific content. It can also offer varying levels of protection based on different countries’ data laws.
The jurisdiction of a VPN provider plays an important role too. A provider’s base country affects the legal landscape it operates under, influencing how your data might be handled or shared. It’s best to use VPNs based in privacy-friendly countries.
In my research, I tested over 50 VPNs across various countries and found that ExpressVPN is the best VPN. It offers unparalleled speed, robust security, and a vast array of server options. Its 30-day money-back guarantee also makes using ExpressVPN risk-free, ensuring optimal online freedom and safety. Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Guide: Best VPN Countries in 2024
- Switzerland — Strong privacy laws. However, its streaming libraries are less extensive than in other countries.
- Spain — Excellent for torrenting, but it’s part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
- Panama — Fantastic for privacy, but file-sharing laws are unclear.
- Iceland — Great for speed, but has weaker privacy regulations.
- Romania — A pretty good choice for torrenting, but streaming libraries are limited.
Why Does Server Location Matter?
The distance between your device and a server directly affects speeds and latency (time taken for data packets to travel between your device and the VPN server). Longer distances mean data has to traverse more networks and routers, introducing more delays and slower speeds. Shorter routes result in quicker response times and faster data transmission.
Another relevant factor is the online content that different servers can access. Geoblocks restrict content access based on a user’s IP address, which indicates their geographical location. They enforce regional content licensing agreements by blocking IP addresses from prohibited areas. For example, you need a US IP address to watch American Netflix.
Different countries also have different data retention laws. These laws dictate how long VPN servers must store user data. Connecting to servers in privacy-centric locations minimizes potential exposure and enhances online anonymity.
The Best Countries to Connect to Through VPN
1. Switzerland
Switzerland is often considered the best country to connect through using a VPN. It’s outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance or any other international surveillance agreements, and its Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP) restricts the extent of personal data a company can retain.
While Switzerland is lenient on torrenting (only criminalizing the sharing of copyrighted material with others, including “seeding torrents”), I always encourage respecting copyright laws. One potential downside of Switzerland might be its streaming libraries, which can be less extensive than other regions.
Verdict: The best overall country to connect to
2. Spain
Like Switzerland, Spain is a good country for torrenting, and only restricts the sharing of copyrighted content. If you’re into streaming TV and movies, Spain offers diverse libraries to explore. The nation boasts a strong internet infrastructure, so when you connect through a VPN server in Spain you can expect quick and steady speeds.
However, Spain is part of the 14 Eyes Alliance, so it’s not quite as privacy-friendly as some other countries. But, it does follow the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules, which limit how long your data can be stored for and for what reasons.
Verdict: Good for P2P
3. Panama
Panama has strong data protection laws, keeping you anonymous and ensuring your online activities remain private and secure. It also isn’t in the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, which is a big plus for privacy.
While not much is clear about Panama’s views on P2P file-sharing, it’s always best to be cautious when torrenting. It does have fast speeds due to the country’s
