Last Update: May 3, 2022
Hulu is a leading digital streaming platform. It’s used by millions of people around the world. On its two libraries, you’ll be able to browse a broad range of interesting content. One issue is that accessing Hulu’s US and Japan libraries when you’re out of these two countries is not possible without a reliable VPN service provider.
There are hundreds of VPNs to choose from when you’re in the market for a Hulu go-to. Due to that, it can be difficult for average consumers like yourself to find the right provider. Fortunately we’ve got your back. In this article, we will talk about the best VPNs for Hulu so that you won’t have trouble making the right choice.
Streaming Capabilities: NordVPN is the best VPN or Hulu. It doesn’t break a sweat when used to unblock the streaming platform’s US and Japanese libraries.
The reason is because its network is one that’s very capable. Many of the platform’s 5500+ VPN servers are located in the United States and Japan. These servers, for the most part, have no trouble with getting around Hulu’s geoblocks and accessing all of the content it offers.
Another thing to note is that NordVPN is capable of getting around censorship systems like the Great Firewall of China. This makes it an excellent tool to have if you’re a frequent traveler that has to deal with pesky localized internet restrictions to access Hulu.
Furthermore, it should also be mentioned that NordVPN’s servers are also very fast.
Some have even dubbed them as the fastest that are currently available. Hence, it should come as no surprise that the VPN service can facilitate a seamless viewing experience. You’ll no longer have to deal with common issues like lengthy loading times, sudden drops in quality, and endless buffering while you are streaming on Hulu.
Privacy & Security: Your privacy and security are two of NordVPN’s utmost priorities. Based on my experience with the provider, I can say that it certainly delivers at keeping its subscribers safeguarded. This is despite it being hacked once by an attacker acting independently.
Like all other similarly ranked virtual private networks, NordVPN uses AES-256 encryption. For those unaware, this type of encryption is the same one that’s utilized by many of the world’s militaries and financial institutions, meaning there isn’t any reason to doubt its secureness.
NordVPN also supports a wide array of VPN protocols. Aside from OpenVPN, it lets you toggle IPSec IKEv2 and L2TP. On top of that, the service provider has NordLynx, which is proprietary and is a modified version of WireGuard - the fastest and safest VPN protocol that’s available.
The user-friendly applications of NordVPN are packed with features. Out of all of them, the most important is the ad & malware blocker and the kill switch. The former allows you to have an ad-free browsing experience while the latter protects you from accidental exposure.
Pricing: NordVPN doesn’t charge a premium despite it being a premium VPN. You can get it for just $11.95 a month. If you ask me, this is an absolute steal considering that many lesser VPN service providers charge way more for a basic 1-month subscription plan.
Streaming Capabilities: Streaming geo-restricted content on Hulu is definitely possible with the help of ExpressVPN. The provider has a large network that’s got many servers in Japan and the United States. Many of which are capable of bypassing the geoblocks established by Hulu.
Besides what’s stated above, you should know that ExpressVPN can grant you access to Hulu in China where it’s banned. The reason why is because the provider can bypass China’s Great Firewall with relative ease. Moreover, it can do so reliably, making it a great travel companion.
Now if you’re wondering, ExpressVPN is a very fast provider.
While using it, not once did I have trouble with my connection speeds. I could stream content on Hulu without dealing with quality drops or buffering. And yes, this remained true even following my transfer to a server that was located halfway across the world from me.
Privacy & Security: ExpressVPN is a pioneer in the VPN industry. It was the first major service to equip itself with a RAM-based server network. More importantly, it was also one of the first to regularly subject itself to independently done audits. As such, you can be sure that your private info will stay in safe hands as long as you are connected to any one of ExpressVPN’s servers.
The developers of ExpressVPN have chosen to use AES 256-bit encryption. Moreover, they’ve opted to support most mainstream VPN protocols. With that being said, in WireGuard’s place, they have developed Lightway, which has been met with critical acclaim by online experts.
Unfortunately, the extensions and native apps of ExpressVPN lack many essential VPN security features. For example, they don’t have an ad & malware blocker. This means you’ll need to get yourself another piece of software if you wish to block malware and intrusive advertisements.
Pricing: At present, ExpressVPN’s rates are quite high. You’ll need to spend $12.95 to get it for 1 month. That means that the provider doesn’t offer much value for money. Needless to say, it’s still a great option for those who’ve got the budget and want to ensure that they get a good Hulu VPN service.
Streaming Capabilities: Surfshark is a VPN service that you should definitely consider when looking for a go-to for Hulu. It’s a champ when it comes to streaming thanks in large part to its network that’s currently got hundreds of servers across the United States and Japan. Many of which easily get around the blocks established by Hulu and other leading streaming websites.
The speed capabilities of Surfshark are great. My tests have proven that the provider is just as fast as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Therefore, it won’t introduce any issues when you use it to unblock Hulu’s restricted libraries and watch otherwise unavailable content.
Something else to note is that Surfshark is fully able to circumvent China’s Great Firewall. For anyone who doesn’t know, this censorship system is the hardest obstacle for any VPN to overcome. Only the absolute best providers can manage to do it with consistency.
Privacy & Security: Your privacy and security are guaranteed when using Surfshark.
Backing up the provider’s zero-logging policy is a RAM-based server network that’s completely incapable of compromising your data. Furthermore, there’s also a clean bill of health from Cure53, which is a very well-renowned online security firm.
Surfshark lets you pair AES-256 military-grade encryption with every VPN protocol that you’d want to use. That means that you can configure the provider exactly how you want it. It’ll be possible to fully tailor your VPN experience by selecting the best protocol for use with Hulu.
All Surfshark apps and extensions come with the bells and whistles that you’d want. That means you won’t have to worry about getting an additional ad & malware blocker and whatnot. I’d have to argue that this is great as you shall be able to further fortify your online privacy and security.
Pricing: Surfshark, like ExpressVPN, charges $12.95 for a 1-month subscription. Unlike its competitor though, it supports unlimited simultaneous device connections. That means that using a single account, you will be able to keep an unlimited amount of people safeguarded.
Streaming Capabilities: CyberGhost is the preferred VPN of many because it’s able to meet all your needs when it comes to streaming. The VPN has the world’s largest VPN network. As of writing, this has thousands of servers scattered across the US and Japan. And yes, many of which are Hulu-capable.
Sad to say, CyberGhost cannot bypass the Great Firewall of China despite it having the globe’s largest VPN server network. Time after time, our testers in China have not succeeded in freely browsing the internet and accessing Hulu in the country using the VPN service provider.
On the bright side, the servers of CyberGhost are very fast. Although they aren’t as quick as the servers of NordVPN and Surfshark, they’ll certainly meet your needs. While connected to them, there’s very little chance that you will encounter issues like sudden quality drops and buffering.
Privacy & Security: Your privacy and safety is CyberGhost’s first and foremost priority. From my time with the provider, I can definitely say that it’s secure. Like our other top VPN services for Hulu, the provider utilizes AES-256 encryption. Moreover, it supports all leading protocols.
CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania. This is a great place to operate a VPN from since it doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of any of the world’s major surveillance alliances. Any service provider in the country does not need to abide by copyright laws that may hinder its operations.
As you might’ve already guessed, CyberGhost has a firm no-logs policy. Sadly, it doesn’t have a RAM-based server network. Besides that, it has yet to subject itself to any independent audits.
One last thing to note is that the various apps and extensions of CyberGhost all come built with an automatic kill switch and malware blocker. Aside from that, they’ve got split tunneling, which is a great feature to have for Hulu users who are on the road.
Pricing: CyberGhost was once an affordable provider that anyone could get. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Today, the VPN charges a steep $12.99 for a monthly subscription plan.
Streaming Capabilities: PrivateVPN has excellent streaming capabilities despite it having less than 200 servers. It won’t leave you being unable to access Hulu due to limited connectivity options. Moreover, my tests have proven that it’s capable of granting you access to the streaming site in China.
You’ll be glad to know that PrivateVPN is quite fast. While its servers aren’t the fastest around, they will definitely suffice when you’re streaming. As you’re connected to them, it’s unlikely for you to have trouble when it comes to buffering, long loading times, and sudden quality drops.
Privacy & Security: PrivateVPN won’t fail at keeping you safe. It employs military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. Furthermore, on its apps, the provider lets you use every mainstream VPN protocol with the exception of WireGuard.
All of PrivateVPN’s applications are extremely easy to download, install, and navigate. They’ve each got an automatic kill switch feature. For everyday Hulu streamers, this is great as they’ll not have to worry about accidental exposure while they’re watching on the streaming sites.
Now for those wondering, PrivateVPN does have a zero-logs policy. Sadly though, like many of its rivals in the VPN industry, it still hasn’t upgraded to a RAM-based network. Moreover, it has not undergone any audits from an independent third party.
Pricing: PrivateVPN is by far the most affordable VPN in this article. A monthly plan will run you back a mere $8.99. You may get the service provider even cheaper if you opt for one of its longer-term plans. Of course, you’ll also need to shell out more cash upfront.
One final thing that should be mentioned is that PrivateVPN has a 30-day refund policy. For that reason, you may try the provider risk-free for thirty days then request your money back after.
Access Geo-restricted Content: Hulu buys the rights to show content by the country.
As a result, the platform has to have individual libraries for the United States and Japan. The problem is that without the assistance of a proxy or VPN, you won’t get to access these libraries.
We do not recommend proxies for unblocking Hulu or any other streaming platform. The reason why is because they’re not as reliable as VPNs. Even the best examples cannot guarantee that you will be able to access the content you want.
Travel: Another reason to use a VPN for Hulu is to access it when you’re traveling. You see, Hulu is not available in many places around the world. The reason why may range from it not having been launched yet to it being completely banned by the local authorities. With that said, a good VPN service provider will allow you to tap into Hulu without problems wherever you are in the world.
Privacy & Security: Finally, the last reason to use a Hulu VPN is to protect yourself. As you might already know, the internet can be a very dangerous place. Simply watching content on any of the world’s most popular streaming sites can leave you vulnerable to unwanted surveillance or hacking.
With a good VPN, it’ll be possible to stay safe whenever you watch on Hulu. The only thing you shall have to do is connect to your VPN service’s network and you’ll render yourself completely anonymous. By virtually becoming a ghost, hackers and other types of malicious entities won’t be able to compromise your digital security.
Of course, only the best VPNs can manage to protect you fully. With that in mind, it’s best that you stay away from free providers. That’s because such virtual private networks are often not capable of making sure that you will be 100% safeguarded from the internet’s many dangers.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to use a Hulu VPN:
Kick things off by getting a VPN provider. There are many choices that are available on today’s market. Out of all of them, we recommend that you stick to the five services we talked about earlier. They’re sure not to leave you disappointed when you use them for watching Hulu.
After you obtain a VPN, the next thing to do is install it. While this process wasn’t so easy in the past, it is now a complete breeze. In fact, it’s completely automatic on most modern operating systems. Sadly though, setting up a VPN on routers still isn’t something that anyone can do without needing help. Luckily, some of our top picks all sell pre-configured routers models.
The next thing you’d want to do is open your VPN’s app then pair with a server. Remember to connect to a server in Japan or the United States. That’s because Hulu only has libraries in these two countries.
Also, keep in mind that distance directly affects how much a VPN server will affect your internet speeds. Due to that, it would be wise for you to connect to the nearest city to you.
Once you’ve done everything above, you’re finally ready to open Hulu and start watching. While doing this, never disconnect from your VPN. When that’s done, you might immediately get detected by Hulu and then blocked. Also, you’ll be opening yourself up to hackers.
Our methodology when ranking our top VPNs for Hulu was simple. First, we conducted research to know which providers stood out the most. Following that, members of our team got in touch with everyday Hulu VPN users to get a deeper insight into how well our choices performed.
Please note that sheer performance wasn’t the only thing that we considered when coming up with our rankings. We also factored in affordability as well as value for money. After all, these two are arguably the most important things that people look into when choosing a Hulu VPN.
