6 Best VPNs for Social Media in 2024 (Access from Anywhere)

Key Takeaways:

• Depending on the country you’re currently in, the social media content might vary because some governments ban specific content.
• Some content creators might restrict certain countries from viewing their content. 
• A VPN is the best way to bypass these restrictions and unblock your favorite content.
• The best VPN should be able to offer fast speeds and high-end security features.

After extensively testing VPNs by accessing multiple social media sites, I can confirm that NordVPN was the best VPN that works and unblocks social media.

Using a VPN to browse social media can help protect your online privacy and security. That’s because a VPN encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address. On top of this, it can help you bypass restrictions and access social media from anywhere in the world. 

In this article, I’ll show you how you can use a VPN on social apps. Also, I’ll present the most important features a VPN should have and review 6 popular VPNs.

Best Social Media VPNs – our shortlist:

1. NordVPN – overall the best social media VPN
2. Surfshark – VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections
3. AtlasVPN – VPN with a free version to access social media sites
4. PrivateVPN – simple and secure VPN for online browsing
5. ExpresVPN – expensive, but works on social media sites
6. CyberGhost – has a large server network

Why Do You Need a VPN to Access Social Media Sites?

Popular social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, and TikTok are available all around the world. However, some countries restrict specific content that is considered “harmful” to the people living there. 

If you’re traveling to those countries, you can unblock social media only if you use a VPN. This way, you can hide your real IP address and get another one associated with a country that doesn’t restrict social media access. 

	NordVPN	Surfshark	AtlasVPN	PrivateVPN	ExpressVPN
Website	NordVPN.com	Surfshark.com	AtlasVPN.com	PrivateVPN.com	ExpressVPN.com
Best VPN Ranking	1 – THE BEST	2	3	4	5
Avg. Speed	46,4 Mbps	40,1 Mbps	35,9 Mbps	43,6 Mbps	42,2 Mbps
Server count	5400+	3200+	750+	200+	3000+
Logs	No-logs	No identifiable logs	No identifiable logs	No logs	No identifiable logs
Suitable for Games	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Works with Streaming	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
P2P Traffic	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Extra features	Ad-blocker Threat Protection Split-tunneling	Ad-blocker Split-tunneling	Split-tunneling	Port Forwarding	Port Forwarding (routers) Split-tunneling
Devices supported	Windows MacOS Android iOS Linux SmartTVs Routers	Windows MacOS Android iOS Linux	Windows MacOS Android iOS	Windows MacOS Android iOS	Windows MacOS Android iOS SmartTVs Routers
Best Deals	63% OFF + Gift	Save 81%	83% OFF	Save 85%	3 months FREE

The Top 6 VPNs for Social Media

Since popular social apps are banned only in some countries, I focused on finding the best VPNs that provide high-end security and privacy features. 

Also, I made sure that the VPN providers have a large server network, so you can always find a nearby server for fast speeds. Last but not least, I picked VPNs that can access tons of popular streaming services.

So here are the best social media VPNs: 

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is the best social media VPN. It has an extensive server network of 5,000+ servers in 55+ countries. I tested it for 2 weeks and it always provided uninterrupted access to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. 

NordVPN also provided fast connection speeds when I connected to both distant and nearby servers. I was always able to browse social media without noticing any long load times or lag. Also, I watched HD and 4K videos without noticing quality drops. 

This VPN provider can hide your online activities because it has a kill switch, 256-bit AES encryption, full leak protection, and an audited no-logs policy. It also has advanced privacy features like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy that provide better security. 

Also, it has Threat Protection, which is a feature that scans the executable files you download on your device for malware. Threat Protection also blocks the connection to fake social media sites, ads, and web trackers. 

For even faster speeds, the VPN offers split tunneling. This way, you can redirect only social media traffic through the VPN tunnel to get faster speeds. When I tested it, I always had 30-40% faster speeds when I used split tunneling than without it.

Plus, it has apps for all major platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. So you can use social media apps on both mobile and desktop versions. Also, NordVPN has useful setup tutorials that show you how to configure the VPN on your router. This way, you can use it on devices that don’t support VPNs, like smart TVs.

2. Surfshark

Sursfark is another excellent VPN for social media. This is one of the only VPN services on the market that you can use on unlimited multiple devices.

It has a large server network with 3,200+ servers in 95+ countries, so it provides excellent connection speeds. I was always able to access social apps like YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. In addition, HD and 4K videos on social media loaded fast and I didn’t experience lags when I scrolled through these apps. 

Surfshark also has strong security features like military-grade encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. Its no-logs policy has also been audited recently and proven true. 

If you want to boost your internet speeds, it has Bypasser, which is the VPN’s split-tunneling feature. Also, to prevent social media apps from detecting your real location on your Android, it has spoof GPS. This feature matches your GPS data to your VPN IP address, so social media platforms can’t see your location by checking your GPS data.

Surfshark has intuitive, easy-to-use apps for all major platforms, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.

3. Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN is the best VPN for social media that comes with a free plan, which offers unlimited devices and speeds. You get access to 3 free server locations — 1 in the Netherlands and 2 in the United States.   

If you subscribe to one of its plans, you get reliable access to the entire server network that has 750+ servers in 45+ locations. But even with a relatively small server network, they are well-distributed around the world. I performed extensive speed tests while connected to both distant and nearby servers, and I was always able to browse social media without noticing any slowdowns. 

When it comes to security, Atlas VPN has a handy kill switch, 256-bit AES encryption, and DNS leak protection. Plus, it has a strict no-logs policy, so it won’t log your personal information. I also liked that it has SafeBrowse, which protects you from annoying trackers and malicious sites.

I could always unblock popular apps like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. I liked that it has super intuitive apps for all platforms, and I didn’t experience any bugs or crashes when I used the VPN apps.

4. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is another good VPN for social media, especially if you’re a beginner. Its apps are super intuitive. Also, it doesn’t have tons of features, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed while using it. 

Its server network is small — 200+ servers in 60+ countries. However, the servers are well-distributed around the world, so you’ll find nearby servers easily. While testing it, I was always able to access social media platforms on both distant and nearby servers without experiencing noticeable slowdowns. 

Also, I had fast speeds and never noticed buffering or quality drops when I watched videos on social media. On top of this, content loaded fast even when I scrolled down continuously on social apps.    

When it comes to security, PrivateVPN has an automatic kill switch and bank-grade encryption. Plus, it has DNS and IPv6 leak protection. Also, it has a strict no-logs policy. 

In addition, if you’re traveling to countries that restrict social apps and VPNs, PrivateVPN has obfuscation. This feature masks your VPN traffic and makes it look like normal internet traffic. 

5. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is another excellent VPN service I tested that you can use to access social media. It has a large server network of 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries. So you can always find a nearby server to connect to for fast speeds. 

While testing it, I was always able to unblock YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Reddit. When I connected to nearby servers, HD and 4K videos loaded instantly, and I didn’t notice quality drops when I skipped through them. On distant servers, videos loaded in 2-3 seconds and they didn’t buffer. 

ExpressVPN has an automatic kill switch, full leak protection, and 256-bit AES encryption. It also comes with a strict zero logs policy, which has been audited and proven true. In addition, ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands, which is a privacy-friendly country.

If you want even faster speeds, ExpressVPN has split tunneling. When I used this feature, we always had 25-35% faster speeds than without it. 

You can install the VPN app on almost any major platform like iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. It also comes with a dedicated router app, which is more convenient than having to manually set up the VPN service. 

6. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is one of the best social media VPNs on the market. It has 9,000+ servers in 90+ countries, many of which are dedicated servers for specific online activities: browsing, streaming, torrenting, gaming, and so on. With so many servers, I never had problems finding a server near me that’s not overcrowded.

I was always able to unblock any popular social media platform like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit. Also, I was always able to watch HD and 4K movies without noticing quality drops. When scrolling down rapidly through the apps’ feeds, videos loaded fast even when I was connected to distant servers.

For even faster speeds, the VPN has split tunneling. However, this feature is available only on Android.

CyberGhost VPN has a useful kill switch and 256-bit AES encryption. On top of this, it has IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS leak protection. Also, its no-logs policy has been audited, so it’s a reliable service that doesn’t log your data.  

You can install it on any popular platform like iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. Its apps have an intuitive, beginner-friendly design. I was always able to download and install the VPN client in less than 3 minutes. 

How to Use a VPN for Social Media Outlets

Here’s how you can unblock your favorite content on social media with a VPN:

1. Find a trustworthy VPN service. In general, I recommend NordVPN. 
2. Get a subscription that fits your needs. 
3. Download and install the VPN client on your device. 
4. Open the VPN app. 
5. Choose a server from a country where social media isn’t restricted. 
6. Log back into your social media account. 

That’s all — now you can start scrolling and watching your favorite videos. 

Features the Best VPN for Social Media Should Have

Here’s a list of all the features your VPN should have so that you can unblock social media: 

• Fast speeds. After you connect to the VPN server, you should be able to watch HD and 4K movies without noticing quality drops or buffering. Also, the videos should load fast even when you’re continuously scrolling down through the app. 
• Mobile apps. Around 70% of social media traffic comes from mobile devices. So choose a VPN that has easy-to-use, bug-free apps for iOS and Android. 
• Streaming support. The VPN should be able to access popular streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
• Kill switch. This feature disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection drops. This way, your real IP address won’t leak and your ISP won’t see what you’re doing online. 
• Strict no-logs policy. Make sure that the VPN doesn’t log your data or has been involved in data breaches. Most VPNs I recommended above have an audited no-logs policy. 
• Military-grade encryption. The VPN encrypts your data so the ISP can’t track your online activity. This encryption is the strongest one on the market.
• Leak protection. Your VPN should have leak protection so your data won’t leak online. So make sure that you use a VPN that has at least DNS leak protection, which is the industry standard. 
• Obfuscated servers. Some countries restrict not only social media, but VPN usage as well. Obfuscation hides your VPN traffic and makes it look like normal internet traffic. Helping you bypass VPN blocks. 
• Double VPN feature. This feature sends your traffic through 2 VPNs instead of just one, making your IP even harder to track. Since it adds an extra layer of encryption, keep in mind that it will make your speeds slower. The VPN services I recommended above are very secure, so you don’t need to use this feature.

Is a Free VPN a Good Option for Social Media?

You can use a free VPN to unblock social media, but I don’t recommend it. 

When I tested free VPNs, I noticed that many of them lack important security features like leak protection or strong encryption. Also, they retain data and sell it to advertisers.

Since they are free, these VPNs can’t afford to invest in and maintain servers. Because they don’t refresh their IPs often, they are easily detected and banned. So you won’t be able to unblock social media services and video streaming services. 

Last but not least, free VPNs have overcrowded servers. So even if you manage to unblock your favorite social app, you’ll have slow speeds and videos won’t load fast enough. 

Best Social Media Platforms in 2024

Here’s a list of the most popular social media services: 

• Facebook and Facebook Messenger
• Instagram 
• TikTok 
• YouTube
• Snapchat
• LinkedIn
• Reddit
• WhatsApp
• Pinterest
• Weixin/WeChat 

Why Is Social Media Getting Banned in Some Countries?

Restrictive countries ban specific social apps because they might content considered “harmful” to the people living there. Countries like North Korea, Vietnam, China, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan restrict content that: 

• Criticize the government
• Criticize certain religions
• Containing pornography-related content
• Promote drug use, gambling, dating, violence 

If you want to bypass restrictions and protect your online privacy at the same time, you’ll need to use a VPN. This way, you can access your social accounts anywhere you’d travel.

Social apps can be banned in educational institutions as well to discourage students from using the apps during classes. 

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Final Thoughts

A VPN ensures that you use social media safely and privately by encrypting your internet traffic and hiding your IP address. It can also help you access social platforms that may be blocked or restricted in certain countries, as well as bypass censorship. 

With NordVPN I had a fast VPN connection on both nearby and distant servers. Also, I like that it has a bunch of security features to hide traffic from your ISP. If your traveling in countries where your favorite content is not available, NordVPN can unblock tons of videos from all around the world. 

FAQs about Using a VPN on Social Media 

Here are the most common questions people what to know about using a VPN to unblock social apps:

Is it Legal to Use a Social Media VPN?

Yes, using a VPN to browse social media is legal. However, social networking sites are restricted in some parts of the world like North Korea, Vietnam, China, India, and a part of the Middle East. So before using a VPN, make sure you check the local laws. 

Can Social Media Websites Detect VPNs?

Yes, any social media site can detect VPNs, but the methods might vary. Any conflict between your VPN IP address and your phone number might give away that you’re using a VPN.

As long as you don’t use the VPN to spam or post something against the rules, your account shouldn’t get suspended. 

Does VPN Unblock Social Media Sites From Anywhere?

Yes, a Virtual Private Network can unblock restricted social media sites from any country around the world. You just have to connect to a server from a country where a specific social media app is available. After that, you can access your favorite social media accounts. 

Can a VPN Hide Your Identity on Social Media?

Yes, a VPN encrypts your data and hides your IP address so no one can see your real location. However, the VPN can’t hide the personal information that you share on your account.

On top of that, the VPN can’t hide personal information from social media platforms that you use for logging in like email addresses, phone number, and user account. 

Which VPN is Best for Social Media?

Overall, NordVPN proved to be the best VPN for unblocking social media. It has a large server network, so it’s easy to find a nearby server to connect to, and have fast speeds. I never experienced buffering or quality drops on HD and 4K videos, not even when I used distant servers.

Also, NordVPN has a bunch of security and privacy features, like strong encryption, full leak protection, and a kill switch. Plus, it has an audited no-logs policy. In addition, it also has Threat Protection, which blocks ads, shady social media sites, and also scans the executable files you download on your device for malware.

Does VPN Work on Instagram?

Yes, you can use a VPN to access content on Instagram that may be restricted in your region. 

However, using a VPN to unblock specific content might go against Instagram’s Terms of Service, so you risk getting your account suspended. So while a VPN can be useful for keeping your data private on Instagram, make sure to use it responsibly within Instagram’s guidelines.

Can Facebook Track Me If I Use a VPN Server?

Using a VPN can make it more difficult for Facebook to track you, but it’s not impossible. While the VPN hides your real IP address, Facebook might still be able to track your real location through cookies. Also, if you use Facebook on mobile devices, the social media app might use GPS data to detect your real location.