Best VPNs for Portugal in 2024
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Learn morePortugal is considered to be a quite free country in terms of Internet access and digital privacy. However, you can’t avoid certain censorship. The major restrictions are in place regarding peer-to-peer sharing, including torrenting and downloading legal content. You can encounter issues like bandwidth throttling and your traffic being monitored in order to limit access to restricted content and sites.
Luckily, a VPN service helps to bypass all the restrictions and change your IP address to a Portuguese one or simply hide your current location. It will not only encrypt your traffic but will also enhance the security of your data, and allow you to access streaming platforms and libraries from Portugal or offshore (if you're outside Portugal, you won't be able to access Portuguese channels).
Having reviewed and tested many providers, we picked out the best VPNs for Portugal for you. Let's take a look at what each of them can offer.
Top 5 best Portugal VPNs – our shortlist:
- NordVPN – the best overall VPN for Portugal
- Surfshark – budget-friendly VPN for Portugal
- IPVanish – versatile, feature-packed VPN for use in Portugal
- ExpressVPN – premium Portugal VPN for bypassing geo-blocks
- PureVPN – audited no-log Portugal VPN
Best VPNs for Portugal - our detailed list:
We tested and qualified a wide range of VPN providers that have the essential features and functionalities for use in Portugal. Let’s take a look at the detailed list of the top 5 providers.
1. NordVPN – best overall VPN for Portugal
Based in: | Panama |
Total servers/countries: | 6700+ servers in 111 countries |
Simultaneous connections: | 10 |
Current deal: | Get 74% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free |
NordVPN is the best VPN for Portugal. It’s the most optimized option in the market with a robust selection of features that will make your experience a smooth sail. NordVPN offers 6700+ servers in 111 countries, 20 servers in Portugal, and can unblock most streaming services. Let’s take a closer look at it.
Security and privacy: NordVPN has unbreakable security – it implements AES-256 encryption, has a robust kill switch, and a regularly audited no-logs policy. Additionally, there are regular independent audits, so you can rest assured your data will be safe.
Performance: super fast speeds are known to be one of the NordVPN’s strongest features. This is ensured by NordLynx tunneling protocols, a variation of the well-known WireGuard protocol.
Features: NordVPN has an excellent suite of other features, including SmartDNS, split tunneling, specialty servers (P2P, Onion over VPN, double VPN), CyberSec (which blocks malicious websites and pop-ups), a dark web monitor feature, and more.
Streaming: with this VPN provider you will be able to unblock most of the streaming platforms whether they’d be local Portuguese channels, or platforms from abroad, like foreign Netflix libraries, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and others. You can even use the VPN connection with devices that don’t support native VPN apps – this is possible because of the SmartDNS technology.
Conveniently, you can connect up to 10 devices at the same time. NordVPN supports a wide range of devices – Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more. Prices start off at $2.99/month and have a 30-day money-back guarantee too.
Take a look at our comprehensive NordVPN review to learn more about this provider.
2. Surfshark – great budget pick VPN for Portugal
Based in: | Unlimited |
Total servers/countries: | 3200+ servers in 100 countries |
Simultaneous connections: | Unlimited |
Current deal: | Now up to 87% OFF Surfshark + 4 months FREE |
Surfshark is our second best VPN on the list value and money wise. It’s versatile and has a great set of local and worldwide servers (in total 3200+ servers in 100 countries), features for multiple devices – iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and more.
Security and privacy: Surfshark has unbreakable data security with the AES-256 encryption and a reliable kill switch that will automatically disconnect your device if connection unexpectedly drops.
Performance: This provider has lots of secure tunneling protocols, such as WireGuard and OpenVPN. These ensure fast connections and no speed drops. During our testing, we reached average speeds of 263 Mbps across many various locations (baseline being 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload). It’s the fastest option on this list.
Features: Surfshark also offers features like SmartDNS for streaming, split tunneling to select which apps to connect to the VPN, and CleanWeb for blocking malware and ads. Additionally, there's the Surfshark One package, which is a bundle of VPN, antivirus, and other extra services.
Streaming: Having a big server fleet (3200+ servers in 100 countries) and local servers in Portugal (number is not disclosed), Surfshark managed to unblock every major streaming site, such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Portuguese channels like RTP 1, TVI Player, and more.
You can connect this VPN to unlimited number of devices at the same time. Other great news – Surfshark prices start as low as $1.99/month, and it has unlimited simultaneous connections. It’s one of the cheapest options in the market. And another bonus – there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee included.
Discover all the details in our Surfshark VPN review or conduct a Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison to find the best option.
3. IPVanish – robust VPN for streaming and ensuring privacy
Based in: | United States |
Total servers/countries: | 2400+ servers in 100 countries |
Simultaneous connections: | Unlimited |
Current deal: | Now up to 83% OFF IPVanish |
IPVanish is another solid VPN for use in Portugal. It offers unlimited simultaneous connections and has 5 servers in Portugal, which will ensure your connection is always speedy and secured. Let’s see what features it has:
Security and privacy: for a next-gen security, IPVanish also provides an AES-256 encryption with SHA-512 functions. Besides, there’s also an audited no-logs policy and a functional kill switch.
Performance: IPVanish supports several tunneling protocols – WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. These ensure your speeds are exceptional, whether you’d be torrenting, gaming, streaming, or browsing. Our tests have shown fast download speeds, retaining around 80-90% of the original performance.
Features: this VPN provider offers features like split tunneling, which lets you decide which applications use the VPN tunnel. Also, there’s a free SOCKS5 proxy for fast and secure torrenting. IPVanish also has obfuscated servers, which will allow you to connect to the servers of those countries where VPN is blocked.
Streaming: what IPVAnish cuts short is its streaming. During our tests, it only manages to unblock Netflix and can struggle with other streaming platforms or local channels in Portugal. We advise to keep this in mind, if you’d like to use this VPN for the sole purpose of streaming.
IPVanish prices start at $2.19/month and go up for long-term subscriptions. Even though it’s a little bit pricey, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to test it before subscribing for premium plans and unlimited simultaneous connections to connect to as many devices as you want.
Sounds like a great deal? Take a look at our IPVanish review to learn more.
4. ExpressVPN – premium VPN for Portugal ideal for streaming
Based in: | British Virgin Islands |
Total servers/countries: | 3000+ servers in 105 countries |
Simultaneous connections: | 8 |
Current deal: | Now up to 82% OFF ExpressVPN + 6 months FREE |
ExpressVPN is a top-tier choice for users in Portugal seeking security, speed, and versatility. While the exact number of servers in Portugal may not be disclosed, ExpressVPN boasts 3000+ servers in 105 countries, ensuring reliable connections and optimal performance for Portuguese users.
Security and privacy: ExpressVPN employs AES-256 encryption, a no-logs policy, and a kill switch feature to prevent data leaks. With these measures, users in Portugal can browse the web with peace of mind, knowing their online activities remain private.Performance: Using the Lightway protocol (WireGuard variation), ExpressVPN delivers fast speeds ideal for streaming and browsing. During our tests, it retained around 77% of its original speeds.
Features: With features like split tunneling and TrustedServer technology, ExpressVPN offers customization and reliability. Streaming: ExpressVPN's ability to bypass geo-restrictions makes it a prime choice for accessing streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer from Portugal or abroad.
Starting at $4.99/month, ExpressVPN is a great value VPN for Portugal. Additionally, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans.
Learn more in our ExpressVPN review.
5. PureVPN – always on-audit VPN service for Portugal
Based in: | British Virgin Islands |
Total servers/countries: | 6000+ servers in 65 countries |
Simultaneous connections: | 10 |
Current deal: | Now 83% OFF PureVPN + 3 FREE months |
PureVPN is another secure and speedy VPN for Portugal. This provider offers a great and versatile server fleet in numerous countries – 6000+ servers in 65 countries, and has quite a selection of features for fast streaming or gaming.
Security and privacy: As every reputable VPN we tested, PureVPN also implements the AES-256 encryption cipher, which ensures unbreakable security. It has a kill switch that guarantees no accidental data leaks happen. Besides, it has an always-on audit and no-logs policy for high-level privacy.
Performance: Since PureVPN has a newly implemented WireGuard protocol, its speeds picked up and now it offers solid speeds, which will never limit your browsing or slow down the traffic.
Features: PureVPN has a great set of other features, such as split tunneling that lets you choose which apps go through a VPN and port forwarding, that’s useful for remote device access.
Streaming: in terms of unblocking various streaming platforms, with this VPN Portuguese citizens or anyone located in Portugal, will be able to unblock BBC iPlayer and of course Netflix.
You can connect PureVPN to up to 10 devices simultaneously, share it with family and friends. PureVPN prices don’t bite either. It starts from $2.14/month and there is a 31-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service without a risk.
Want to learn more? Check out our PureVPN review.
Best VPN for Portugal compared
VPN | Rating | Servers in Portugal | Servers | Security features | Price |
NordVPN | Yes | 6700+ servers in 111 countries | Kill switch, Threat Protection, obfuscated servers, Double VPN, RAM-only servers | From $2.99/month | |
Surfshark | Yes | 3200+ servers in 100 countries | Kill switch, CleanWeb, NoBorders Mode, MultiHop, RAM-only servers | From $1.99/month | |
IPVanish | Yes | 2400+ servers in 100 countries | Kill switch, Threat Protection | From $2.19/month | |
ExpressVPN | Yes | 3000+ servers in 105 countries | Kill switch, Threat Manager, Ad Blocker, RAM-only servers | From $4.99/month | |
PureVPN | Yes | 6000+ servers in 65 countries | Kill switch, port forwarding | From $2.14/month |
How we tested and selected these VPNs
For selecting the best VPNs for Portugal, we built a list of the key aspects of a VPN to get the best experience possible. The service has to check a lot of boxes to prove itself to be an exceptional service. So here’s the criteria we’ve used:
- Number of servers in Portugal. The more local servers you have, the better the connection and speed will be, as the chosen server will not be overcrowded. Our top picks have multiple server locations in Portugal.
- No-logs policy. It’s crucial to have a reliable VPN provider that logs no data or logins of yours and is regularly audited publicly.
- Fast speeds and strong encryption. We made sure that each provider we picked utilizes a strong encryption cipher, such as AES-256, and has strong tunneling protocols (like WireGuard or OpenVPN). The WireGuard is an excellent option for both speeds and increased security.
- Simultaneous connections. It’s also useful to have an option to connect to multiple devices at one time, which all of our providers offer. Some of our selected providers offer unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Streaming. Having access to geo-restricted streaming sites is also one of the most important uses of a VPN. We made sure our mentioned VPNs will get you connected to the most popular streaming platforms inside or outside of Portugal.
- Supported devices. Most VPNs support major operating systems and devices. Through testing, we make sure that the apps on these devices are high quality and have all the essential features.
- Obfuscation availability. In order to enjoy access to restricted content without the fear of being detected, you need to be connected to specialty servers, aka obfuscated servers. The top VPNs that we picked and tested have these servers. You can test them out on NordVPN or Surfshark.
Why do I need a VPN in Portugal?
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can benefit you in many ways. Here are some reasons why you should use a VPN in Portugal:
- Access geo-blocked content. With a VPN, you can unblock Portuguese, either offshore content, and get access to different libraries on streaming platforms like Netflix or local channels like RTP1, RTP N, TVI Player, and more.
- Access betting and poker sites that are restricted in Portugal. A VPN connection is also a great way to access blocked poker and betting sites, such as Pokerstars, Betfair, Williamhill, and others. All you need is to connect to a server where these sites are legal (we tested the London server).
- Enhanced security and privacy. Even though Portugal has a fairly open Internet, you and your data are still vulnerable to hackers and snoopers. A VPN connection ensures your data’s safety and anonymity online at all times.
- To avoid ISP throttling your Internet connection. Many ISPs may throttle streaming platforms like Netflix or downloading torrents, in this way slowing down the connection. A VPN solves the headache by simply hiding your Internet traffic.
Are VPNs legal in Portugal?
Yes, VPNs are completely legal to use in Portugal. There are no laws against using a VPN, as long as it’s used for legal purposes. However, any unlawful Internet activity, like downloading and sharing copyrighted content, even with a VPN, is illegal in Portugal.
Using a VPN service is legal in most countries, however, your activities while using a VPN are subject to the laws of the country that you’re located in.
It’s also worth mentioning that using a VPN can breach the Terms of Use of the websites that you’re trying to unblock. For example, trying to access betting sites in Portugal can cause you trouble, as websites can discover that the customer is using VPN. As a result, the user's account and wallet can get frozen.
How to get a Portuguese IP address?
You can easily get a Portuguese IP address either by being located in Portugal or changing your IP address with the help of a VPN. We prepared a short guide on how to do it. Let’s take a look.
Here’s how to get a Portuguese IP address:
- Choose a reliable and trustworthy VPN. We recommend using NordVPN – Get 74% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free
- Download your chosen VPN and install it on your device.
- Launch the VPN app and connect to a server in Portugal.
- Go to a geo-restricted website you want to access. Now that you have a Portuguese IP address, the site should be unblocked.
- That’s it! Enjoy your block-free browsing.
Is Internet censored in Portugal?
No, Internet is not censored in Portugal. There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet, and it’s mostly free in the country. The only blocks that are enforced are on gambling or betting sites. That is mostly if they don’t have a license to operate in Portugal.
Beyond that, Portugal is protected by the EU’s regulations that preserve net neutrality. In simple words, companies connecting you to the Internet have to treat all the content equally. The government then ensures identical access to websites and services for all the users.
Even though surveillance and censorship policies are not strict in Portugal, they are different in other countries. So, to bypass and access local services outside Portugal, you’re still going to need some VPN magic. A virtual private network redirects your Internet traffic outside your ISP’s network. This way, you can bypass any geo-restrictions and enjoy your private browsing experience.
Can I use a free VPN in Portugal?
Technically, yes – there are free VPNs available to use in Portugal. However, we don’t recommend it. Here’s why:
- Limited features. Usually, free VPN services come with data caps, limited functionality, a limited number of simultaneous connections, and poor service. Instead, we recommend using a freemium VPN service to get the best performance and security.
- It’s not safe. Free VPNs don’t profit from its services, hence they’re known to be profiting from your data, advertisers can collect and sell it to third parties. Not to mention the overload of ads, poor performance, and potentially hidden malware that can infect your devices.
- Slow speeds. Free VPN services tend to have a smaller number of servers. Therefore, they can simply be overcrowded and cause buffering or lagging.
If you want to try a full-featured VPN for free, we encourage you to opt for a free premium VPN, such as NordVPN. A free trial will help you to avoid the risk of free VPN services.
Conclusion
All in all, if you’re in Portugal (or want to change your IP address to Portugal offshore), a VPN can help you get access to most of the geo-restricted content, can help to protect your privacy, enhance security, and get the speeds of streaming to another level.
After our careful research and testing, we picked out the best VPNs that will provide you with the best possible experience. Our winner – NordVPN, outranked all the services with its versatile servers, functionalities, and strength of encryption. It lets you choose from 20 Portuguese servers and provides blazing speeds, as well as strong encryption and access to unblock many streaming services – a solid must-have VPN suite.
Have you tested our top VPN services for Portugal already? Let us know in the comments.
FAQ
What can I stream in Portugal with a VPN?
If you’re located in Portugal, you can unblock and access content that’s available in other countries. If you’re located outside Portugal, VPN can help you stream some Portuguese TV channels like RTP1, TVI Player, RTP N, and more.
Does NordVPN have servers in Portugal?
Yes, NordVPN has more than 20 servers in Portugal to choose from. NordVPN’s smart algorithms select the best VPN server based on your location to get the best speed and security.
Can I access blocked websites from Portugal?
Generally, yes, you can access blocked websites from Portugal. However, it depends on the technology that the blocked website is using to block access in the first place. We recommend using NordVPN to unblock websites and blocked streaming platforms.
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