How to Watch Pornhub with a VPN
Editor's Pick April 2025
As of this writing, a third of U.S. states can’t access Pornhub without a VPN. We’ll get to the why’s of that in a minute, as well as how Pornhub VPN options can help users get around these blocks. Not all VPNs are as adept at getting through these blocks as others. They may have sluggish speeds or don’t bypass blocks effectively, so we’ve chosen our top 5 picks for accessing this adult site, as well as the instructions on how to do so.
In a hurry? Here are the best Pornhub VPNs::
- NordVPN – Best for Pornhub VPN– Fast, secure, and reliable with 7400+ servers in 118 locations.
- Surfshark – Unlimited devices, strong encryption, and competitive pricing.
- ExpressVPN – Privacy-focused, RAM-only servers, and lightning-fast speeds.
- CyberGhost – Affordable VPN with no-logs policy and unlimited bandwidth.
- Windscribe – Free plan available with strong privacy and anonymous sign-ups.
Why is Pornhub Being Banned?
So why is Pornhub banned? It’s not so much that it’s banned outright by government entities, rather, Pornhub blocked itself in response to laws requiring age verification for pornographic websites. Anyone trying to access these sites must prove they are over 18, requiring the site owners to be the ones to verify this, such as through the use of driver’s licenses or I.D. cards. If this verification is not done, the websites can be subject to civil lawsuits.
Understandably, Pornhub doesn’t want to risk the lawsuits, so they are blocking their own site in states with these heavy restrictions. Besides that, most users of the site are not interested in having their personal identification collected anyway, even if measures were in place to delete it afterward. It’s a complete invasion of privacy, which is enough of a deterrent for many that they simply wouldn’t use the service even if it weren’t blocked.
All of this is in an attempt to keep underage children from accessing pornography. While that is an understandable goal, the truth is that there are many less safe avenues to access pornography, and the restrictions may be driving users to these sources. The entire situation is a complex one, with controversy regarding possible government surveillance, personal privacy, sexual freedom and other big issues on the line. It’s a huge can of worms. For anyone who simply wants to enjoy Pornhub and move on with their life, there is a privacy-protecting workaround with a VPN.
VPN for Pornhub: Our Top 5 Picks
There are tons of VPN providers on the market, but not all of them are ideal for accessing pornography. We’ve taken into account factors like fast speeds and reliable uptimes, security and privacy, logging policies, and other important aspects when selecting your service. Here are our Pornhub VPN finalists.
NordVPN
- Optimized servers for unblocking Netflix
- Mind-boggling number of servers
- No IP/DNS leaks found
- Extra-secure Double VPN for data encryption
- Money back guarantee policy
- Not much
- Can’t specify City or Province in App
NordVPN is one of the very best VPN options on the market. Period. When it comes to fast speeds and reliable uptimes, you really can’t beat them, making them a huge contender for the best VPN for Pornhub, as you don’t have to worry about lags or buffering. They’ve been around since 2012 and have quickly proven to be at the top of the list for VPN services, especially with their whopping 7400+ servers and 118 global locations, giving users an insane range of servers to choose from. This keeps them from getting overloaded or bogged down by too many people using them at once.
Some specific features NordVPN offers include 10 simultaneous device connections, Threat Protection to filter your traffic through their servers, robust encryption protocols, and a strict no-logs policy that has been independently verified. That last part is particularly important for privacy-minded users. Many VPNs say they don’t keep logs, but not nearly enough can verify it. Besides all of these basic offerings, NordVPN also has lots of extras for higher tiers, such as password management, identity theft protections and dark web monitoring.
Read our full NordVPN review.
Surfshark
- Unblock 15 international Netflix libraries, including the US and Japan
- Every server is a speciality server
- Clean, dead-simple app interface makes constant security a no-brainer
- Absolutely no logging of connection data, IP addresses, bandwidth used, or traffic
- Get help any time of day via email, phone, or live chat
- Overall, not much to complain about
- Young VPN still has plenty of room to grow in terms of advanced functionality
Another great VPN for Pornhub is Surfshark. You get a lot for your money with this provider, and their prices are quite reasonable compared to many VPN services. One of their biggest strengths is unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you aren’t limited to how many devices you connect to the VPN at once. This is definitely on the rare side for such platforms. What’s more they have strong encryption protocols, great customer support, and zippy speeds. While they are located in a 9 Eyes country, they are independently audited for not keeping logs, which is always a huge plus.
As for features, even the basic tier has bonuses like ad-blockers, rotating IPs, and even the Bypasser capability, which lets specific apps and sites bypass the VPN. For higher pay tiers, the features explode into antivirus options, personal data leak alerts, and even data removal from company databases. All of the privacy and security based extras anyone could ask for.
ExpressVPN
- SPECIAL OFFER: 3 months free (49% off – link below)
- Fastest servers we have tested
- Torrenting/P2P allowed
- Keeps no logs of personal data
- Great support (24/7 chat)
- Priced slightly higher
If you’re looking for a particularly privacy minded VPN, ExpressVPN is a great choice. They have some of the most advanced VPN server technology and their privacy practices are independently audited. All data is wiped every time their TrustedServer is rebooted and it only runs on RAM, meaning data is never stored on the hard drive. They are so confident in the security of their servers that they have a bug bounty program awarding $100,000 dollars to anyone who finds a security issue within their TrustedServer. So far no one has collected.
Besides standard VPN functions, ExpressVPN also has ad and tracker blockers, ID alerts, password managers, and even advanced identity protections for higher paid tiers. DNS requests are not handled by third-parties, keeping you all the more anonymous. Another bonus? It’s fast. Exactly what you want when choosing the best VPN for Pornhub.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
CyberGhost
- Unblocks US Netflix in web browser
- Peer-to-peer (P2P) torrenting allowed
- No leaks detected
- Strict no-logging policy
- 45-day money-back guarantee
- Can’t unblock some other streaming sites
CyberGhost is an extremely well respected VPN option for anyone looking for privacy and strong features. They have unlimited bandwidth, apps for all operating systems, 24/7 customer support and an independently audited no-logs policy. They also have RAM-only servers and publish a quarterly Transparency Report detailing any data requests from law enforcement or copyright agencies. While they do collect some data for account administration and similar operations, they claim to only share that information with their subsidiaries and only as necessary. So far that seems to be true, but it’s always worth noting for particularly privacy conscious users.
As for features, CyberGhost has plenty. Split tunneling, automated kill switch, Email leak monitoring, and unlimited bandwidth all come standard with all pay-tiers. It’s also zippy, has great up-times and is reliable, making it ideal for accessing Pornhub. Best part? It’s very reasonably priced.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
Windscribe
Normally we don’t recommend free VPNs due to the prevalence of them selling user data to third-parties or other such reasons we’ll delve into later. However, Windscribe has a surprisingly upfront privacy policy. They don’t keep personal data from their users or any identifying logs, they also release a Transparency Report to show any data requests from law enforcement agencies. One extremely rare aspect is the ability to have anonymous sign-up and pay via crypto-currency. You really don’t get any more private than that. Also, all software is self-hosted with no cloud-based hosting, keeping you that much more secure from data breaches and other issues.
While Windscribe does have a free tier, the paid tiers are much more worthwhile. Free tiers only get to access a handful of their server locations, which are located in 69+ countries. Pay to use options give features like port forwarding, TCP packet termination, secure hotspot capabilities, proxy gateway and their R.O.B.E.R.T. domain and IP blocking tool.
Pros:
- Has a fully free plan
- No-logs policy
- AES-256-GCM cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key
- Static IPs
- Split Tunneling
- Can connect via OpenVPN, WireGuard, Stealth, IKEv2, UDP & TCP
Cons:
- Free plan has lots of limitations
- Pay to use plans are more expensive than some VPNs
- A little slower than some VPNs
How to Use a VPN to Watch Pornhub
The steps on using a VPN for Pornhub are pretty much the same no matter which service you choose. Here’s how:
- Select and subscribe to a VPN compatible with unblocking Pornhub
- Sign into the VPN and connect to a server where Pornhub is not blocked
- Connect to Pornhub and browse per usual
Frequently Asked Questions
Is watching Pornhub with a VPN legal?
That depends on where you live. In certain countries, using a VPN at all is illegal. In others, watching any kind of pornography may also be illegal. Know the rules of where you live as it may not be worth the risk of legal repercussions.
However, for most countries, using a VPN is perfectly legal, as is accessing Pornhub through a VPN. Just look into any gotchas or terms of services on the VPN you select. Most, however, do not have a problem with their users accessing this kind of media. Also, remember that Pornhub wasn’t actually banned in the U.S. They blocked themselves due to the highly restrictive legal requirements. It’s not actually illegal to visit this site in the United States.
Why is my VPN not working for Pornhub?
Is your VPN not working for Pornhub? There could be a lot of possibilities. Here are some things to try:
- Try a different server and server location
- Update the VPN app
- Try a different browser on your device
- Clear your browser cookies and cache
- Try a different device to see if it works, in which case it may be the device you were using
- Change the protocol you’re using
- Check for internet connection issues
- Make sure your firewall isn’t blocking your VPN
- Contact the VPN’s customer support
How do I watch Pornhub without a VPN?
Trying to figure out how to watch Pornhub without VPN services? Without one, it’s pretty tricky to access blocked sites like Pornhub. However, you may have some luck with a proxy server. They also allow users to access geo-blocked websites, though they aren’t as secure and private as a full VPN. Still, they do have some benefits. Here’s a helpful VPN vs Proxy overview, to help you decide what is best for your needs.
Can I use a free VPN to watch Pornhub?
As promised, here are our thoughts on using free VPNs. Be careful. Anything free always has a catch, and quite often with free VPNs that catch is your privacy and security. Ironic, considering that’s the biggest reason you use VPNs. These services have to pay to keep the lights on somehow, and often that means they sell your data to third parties without you even knowing it or they cut corners on security practices they can’t afford. Some are shady enough to even install malware on your device, which is definitely not great.
Free VPNs that are more benevolent tend to be severely limited. You’ll often experience buffering, restricted bandwidth and data limits, and lots and lots of ads. Still, they can be useful if your needs are simple or you want to try before you buy, such as with Windscribe. Just do your homework before trusting something free. Also, most reputable VPNs will give you a free trial, so feel free to give some of our Pornhub VPNs a whirl to see if they’re right for you.
