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7 Best VPNs for New York in 2024 – Get a New York City IP

Last updated: July 1, 2021

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If you want to connect to a website or service that’s geo-restricted to users in the United States, this is actually pretty easy to do by using a virtual private network (VPN). With a VPN, you can connect to a US server from outside of the US and make it appear that you are in New York, or other US cities, and circumvent these geographic blocks.

But what if you want to get an IP address in a specific city, like New York City? Can you connect your Apple device (or any other device) to a server in The Big Apple? And why is connecting to a server in New York State or New York City beneficial?

If you are living in New York City, one benefit of being able to connect to a New York VPN server is proximity — generally speaking, the closer you are to your server location, the faster your speeds will be when you are connecting to the Internet.

Thankfully, there are actually some great VPNs out there that let you connect to servers in New York — and even in New York City.

Before making your choice, keep reading to learn more reasons why you’d want to connect to a New York State or New York City server, and to find out more information about some of the very best VPNs on the market that will help you conceal your actual IP address and get a NY IP address in minutes — no matter where in the world you are actually located.

In a Hurry? Here Are 5 Best New York VPNs

Why You Need a VPN in New York City

One of the most common reasons for using a VPN is for added privacy and safety on the Internet. When you connect to a VPN, your data is encrypted and your IP addresses are hidden from your Internet Service Provider, third parties, or hackers, allowing you to torrent safely or browse the Internet anonymously. If speed is a concern for you, keeping your IP and website activity hidden from your ISP will help ensure that your connection is not throttled if you are using too much data.

Since the US is part of the 5 Eyes Alliance, it’s in your best interest to use a VPN connection in New York — or really any cities around the United States — to ensure your privacy and avoid US surveillance — especially when it comes to protecting the identity of journalists or activists.

Another reason why using a VPN is a good choice in New York City is there are certain websites that are restricted for access to people within a certain geographic location. If you are trying to access streaming services or any other website that is only accessible from within the US, or from within New York (which is less common), you will want to connect to a server in New York.

How to Choose the Best VPN for New York

Whatever reasons you may have for using a VPN, whether you are using it for a more secure connection or to unblock restricted websites, here are some important features you should keep in mind when searching for VPNs that work best for New York City:

☑️ Compatibility with multiple platforms: For the best user experience, make sure your VPN is compatible with desktop and mobile platforms, different operating systems, and also offers browser extensions.

☑️ A broad network of servers: Typically, more servers equals faster connectivity and more options to unblock services in cities around the world. If you want to connect to a server near New York City, make sure your provider has VPN servers in or near your city.

☑️ Good security and privacy features: If you are looking for a safe and anonymous connection, features like a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and IP and DNS leak protection are crucial so that your identity and IP address are protected at all times.

☑️ Good Support: Even people who are experienced at using VPNs have troubleshooting issues that pop up from time to time. A great feature to have is live-chat support to ensure you have your question answered and get back to the internet quickly and with minimal interruption.

☑️ A guarantee: If you decide that your VPN is not working as a good fit for you, it’s good to have a service that lets you get a refund. Good VPNs have money-back guarantees.

Can I Use a Free VPN in New York City?

While you are perfectly welcome to try using free VPNs in New York City, we would strongly advise you not to waste your time.

Because free VPNs tend to have fewer server locations than paid VPNs, and their servers are often located in more popular locations, their servers are very frequently crowded, leading to slow speeds and lots of buffering. When your speeds are not adequate, streaming, gaming, or torrenting becomes very tedious and frustrating.

On top of this, it is important to realize that just because a free service is not making money off of your subscription does not mean it is not making money off of you. Because free VPNs also need to make ends meet, they have been known to make money in less respectable ways, like selling user IPs and data to third parties, or introducing ads and pop-ups on your devices.

Whether you are looking to connect to VPN servers in New York City for privacy, protection, or for better access to online content, free VPNs often simply wont cut it.

7 Best VPNs for New York

If you are looking for the best VPNs for New York City that will give you great encryption, a large server network, and secure access to the Internet from any location in the US or abroad, check out these 7 options before making your choice!

1. ExpressVPN — Super-fast VPN for New York City

Devices compatible with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has over 3,000 high-speed servers in 94 countries around the world — including New York City. On all of our ExpressVPN speed tests, whether connecting to a local server or a server around the globe, speeds were impressive.

If you are looking to stream the latest movies and shows, ExpressVPN can help you access your content from hundreds of cities in HD with no buffering or lag, and with consistently stable connections.

When put to the test, ExpressVPN had no problem unblocking Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO GO, Disney+, ESPN+, Showtime, and the many other streaming platforms we tested when connected to a New York City server.

You can connect to the ExpressVPN server network from your desktop or mobile device, as well as from routers and other platforms, on up to 5 devices simultaneously, and adding these devices will not slow your browsing experience.

As for privacy, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs with RAM-disk servers and it offers military-grade 256-bit encryption, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, a Kill Switch, and OpenVPN across all platforms, so all of your information will remain private and secure at all times.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, and ExpressVPN has a strict, verified no-logs policy, so there really, truly is never any worry that your information is ever being shared or compromised.

I can attest that ExpressVPN has some of the most responsive, knowledgeable live-chat customer support around, and I am always relieved to chat with somebody on the other side who can give me immediate, to-the-point, expert assistance.

In the end, if ExpressVPN if not the best choice for you, you can opt-out within 30 days for a full refund, guaranteed, so you really have nothing to lose.

Pros:

  • Exceptional streaming speeds
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • No-logs policy
  • Unblocks multiple Netflix libraries
  • 24/7 Live chat support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

  • More expensive than the other VPNs
  • Only 5 simultaneous connections

2. NordVPN  — Large Server Network and Fast Connectivity

Devices compatible with NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best VPN providers with over 5,200+ servers in 60 countries worldwide and consistently great speeds and reliable connections.

NordVPN can unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu US, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and hundreds of other services.

NordVPN protects your activity with its AES 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN and IKEc2/IPSec protocols that will keep your footprint hidden. Its CyberSec feature also provides an extra layer of protection from malware and annoying ads that may otherwise pop up.

If you are worried about surveillance, it is good to note that Nord is based in Panama, a privacy-friendly country, and that it also upholds a strict no-logs policy, which we have verified to be reliable.

NordVPN has apps for mobile and desktop, and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, smart TVs, routers, and Linux, and you can use up to 6 devices simultaneously with a single subscription.

Nord has great customer service, including 24/7 live chat support that you can use in case you need to clarify any information or troubleshoot any issues. If you are not sold after a few weeks, you can opt out and take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Very fast streaming speeds
  • Can unblock multiple Netflix libraries
  • No-logging policy
  • Cheaper price than ExpressVPN
  • 6 user connections on one plan
  • Unlimited bandwidth

Cons:

  • Speeds can be slower in advanced mode

3. Surfshark — Unlimited Devices on a Single Account

Devices compatible with Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the best VPNs out there, with over 3,200 servers in places like New York City, and 65 countries around the globe.

Though Surfshark’s speed does not compare to ExpressVPN or NordVPN, its servers are still plenty fast for torrenting or streaming, with hardly any buffering or lag.

Surfshark has proven to be successful at unblocking streaming sites like Hulu, Netflix, HBO GO, Disney+, ESPN+, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Surfshark passes all the tests for security features with its AES 256-bit encryption, split tunneling, double encryption, Kill Switch, and its special CleanWeb suite, which blocks ads and protects against malware.

Like Nord and Express, Surfshark is located outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, and it has a strict, verified no-logs policy.

One of the reasons why Surfshark is in our top 3 is that its users can connect as many devices as they want to just one account; and it has apps for pretty much all devices and platforms you use, including Windows, Android, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire TV, Apple TV, and more.

Surfshark also offers 24/7 live-chat customer support and a 30-day refund guarantee, giving you the chance to try Surfshark for a month and cancel without penalty.

Pros:

  • Live chat support
  • No-logging policy
  • Can unblock multiple Netflix libraries
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • Slightly slower speeds
  • Split tunneling only on some platforms

4. CyberGhost — Large Network with 45-Day Guarantee

Devices compatible with CyberGhost

CyberGhost has over 7,300 servers in 91 countries around the world, including New York City.

Its speeds are pretty reliable, with only some minor lags here and there, which makes it a good choice for streaming Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and other media streaming sites.

CyberGhost has apps for MacOS, Windows, Android or iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and more, and you can connect a pretty sizable 7 simultaneous device connections to one account, which is higher than what NordVPN and ExpressVPN allow.

CyberGhost offers 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a built-in ad blocker. On top of this, It is based in Romania, which is out of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance and has a strict no-logs policy.

Unlike the other VPN services, CyberGhost offers users a 45-day money-back assurance, giving you even more time to change your mind with absolutely no penalty.

Pros:

  • Good streaming speeds
  • No-logging policy
  • Unblocks Netflix
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Live-chat support
  • 45-day money-back

Cons:

  • Slower long-distance speeds

5. UltraVPN — Smaller VPN with Top Encryption

Devices compatible with UltraVPN

UltraVPN is among the smallest of the VPNs, with around 100 servers spread across almost 60 countries. Despite this, I was impressed with UltraVPN’s connection speed and reliability.

UltraVPN can unblock Netflix, Hulu, and HBO GO, and You can connect UltraVPN to Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, FireTV, web browsers, and routers; and you can connect 6 devices on a single account.

UltraVPN has 256-bit data encryption and an automatic kill switch, but it does not have any built-in ad-blocking feature.

If you are worried about surveillance, it is important to note that UltraVPN is based in the US, and that the US is a 5/9/14 Eyes country. It claims that it does not keep logs, but when we checked further, we found that it does collect users IP address, location, and device information, but does not store any logs of user activity.

All in all, this is a small and less-advanced VPN that really doesn’t offer as much value for your money as all of the VPNs on the list above.

Pros:

  • 30-day money-back
  • Military-grade data encryption
  • Kill switch
  • 6 simultaneous connections

Cons:

  • Keeps some logs
  • Slower speeds
  • Limited features

6. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Huge Server Network

Devices compatible with PIA

If this were a race to see which virtual private network could offer the most servers, Private Internet Access would be on top. Private Internet Access boasts an insane numberof servers — over 20,000.

With PIA, you can customize your data encryption standards, so you can choose AES-128, AES-256, or no encryption at all. Lowering the level of encryption will make your website browsing less private, but it will also increase your speeds, which might be helpful in certain scenarios.

If you want your VPN in a privacy-friendly country, this is not the one for you. Even though PIA has a strict no-logs policy, it is based in the US, which is in the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.

PIA Speeds were good enough to maintain HD streaming with almost no buffering or lag, and PIA is able to unblock Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming sites.

It is easy to use Private Internet Access on a range of platforms, and you can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously, which really does make this service appealing to those of us with many devices, or with family members who will all want to connect to the Internet at once.

Pros:

  • Large server network
  • Affordable
  • 30-day money-back- guarantee
  • 10 simultaneous device-connections
  • Top security features
  • Live-chat support

Cons:

  • Inconsistent speeds
  • In 5-Eyes country

7. IPVanish — Unlimited Device Connections

IPVanish

IPVanish has over 1,500 servers in over 55 countries around the globe, with over 40,000 shared IPs.

IPVanish has decent speeds and offers all the important security features, like 256-bit AES-Encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a no-logs policy — but it is based in the privacy-unfriendly US, which is in the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.

Like Surfshark, IPVanish allows for unlimited simultaneous device connections, so you can connect as many devices as you want to one account.

Pros:

  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Owns its own servers
  • Unblocks Netflix
  • Great security features
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

  • In 5-Eyes territory

How to Get a New York IP Address with a VPN

Getting a New York IP address is actually pretty simple. Follow these quick steps to connect to a New York server in no time:

  1. Choose a provider that has servers in New York, like our go-to, ExpressVPN.
  2. Download and install the VPN app or the browser extensions to your device or computer.
  3. Connect your VPN to a server in New York, which will give you a New York IP address.

If you find that you are having issues accessing services as if you are in New York while connected to your NY VPN server, try to clear the cache and cookies in your browser.

FAQs

Do I need to use a VPN in the USA?
While you don’t need to use a VPN service in New York City (or in the US), we strongly recommend that you incorporate a VPN into your online browsing routine.

If you value your privacy and security online, a VPN is very affordable protection that you can use from the USA, or anywhere in the world, that will ensure that your traffic is encrypted so you are safe on public Wi-Fi or elsewhere. This will give you great security and ensure that your IP address is hidden from your ISP, authorities, hackers, or even your boss.

Using VPNs in the US will also help ensure that you avoid your ISP detecting your IP and throttling your connection; and it will help you can access geo-blocked services in whichever country you choose.

Can I get in trouble for using VPNs?
In New York City, elsewhere in the US, and in most other locations, using VPNs is legal. Even though a VPN is legal in the United States, this does not mean that you won’t get into trouble if you do anything illegal using your VPN. Using your service to commit any crime, like downloading pirated or copyrighted content, can result in you getting fined or even jailed if caught.

Conclusion

If you are looking for reliable VPN providers for New York City — whatever your reason may be — it is important to use one that offers you a secure VPN connection, a concealed IP address, good speeds, great support, and a sizable list of servers and server locations in US cities and around the world.

The VPNs listed above all offer military-grade encryption to protect your data; VPN servers located in New York; and user support for any troubleshooting issues that may arise. On top of this, they will all work on your mobile device, desktop, and with browser extensions.

Our top choice is ExpressVPN, which has the fastest server speeds, top encryption standards, unlimited data, and bandwidth allowance, and is able to unblock websites around the world — including many Netflix libraries in many different cities.

Get the best VPN for New York Today!

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