Best VPN for Disney Plus 2023: Comparing 27 Providers

For years, Disney has bought up rights to films and TV series like few others, including Star Wars and Marvel. The entire collection can be viewed on Disney's dedicated streaming service, Disney+.

In comparison to Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ content varies less from country to country, but licensing rights still play a role. Should you want to watch a film or series that isn't accessible on Disney+ where you are physically located, but is elsewhere, you can use a VPN.

These allow you to change your virtual location, tricking Disney+ into allowing you to access content that you normally wouldn't be able to. In our comprehensive evaluation of VPN providers, we looked at the ins and outs of 27 services to see which allow users to fool Disney+ into letting them view content from abroad. Specifically, we attempted to view US content while being physically located abroad, which should serve as a good indicator for how the services performed.

From the 27 providers in our sample, 12 allow users to access Disney+ content from abroad. Interestingly, Disney+ appears to be a harder nut to crack than either Netflix (17) or Amazon Prime Video (14).

Below, we've listed our Top 5 VPNs for streaming foreign content on Disney+:

NordVPN received top honors in our overall evaluation, marketing what is, in our opinions, the best all-around package, excelling in terms of size, quality, and price. The Panama-based provider offers access to all important features, including split tunneling, and also took first place in our speed test.

Performance is important to ensure that streaming functions smoothly, especially from a server based in the US. Luckily, NordVPN's speeds are excellent, making streaming enjoyable. Should you want to access content on other streaming platforms, we also had good experiences with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the BBC's iPlayer.

ExpressVPN finished just behind NordVPN, as can be seen in our head-to-head comparison of the two. Its biggest disadvantage is actually its price, which is significantly higher than that of NordVPN - twice as much, to be exact, even for its cheapest subscription.

Beyond that though, differences between the two are a bit like splitting hairs. Despite coming in fourth in the speed test, ExpressVPN's performance was excellent, and with 3,000 servers across 94 countries, it has a wider global spread than NordVPN.

In terms of video streaming, the service was reliable, allowing us to watch Disney+ content without any problem.

Our price-performance pick, Surfshark, is far more affordable than ExpressVPN (1/3 as expensive), but that doesn't mean you'll have to make any sacrifices in terms of performance. On the contrary: Surfshark came in two places higher than ExpressVPN in our speed test, right behind NordVPN.

Such speeds make video streaming enjoyable, particularly for Disney+. Should you want to watch content from abroad at a low price, Surfshark is a solid choice.

ProtonVPN was our favorite free VPN, primarily because it doesn't impose any data or speed limits upon users, unlike most other free VPNs. Of course, free users only have access to three server locations, but we liked the provider's app, which offers split tunneling and a range of other features.

Unfortunately, video streaming isn't available to Free or Basic subscribers, however, Premium and Visionary users can watch Disney+ content or that from other streaming platforms.

HideMyAss has more to offer than just a funny name: The eccentric donkey took fifth place in our speed test, has a huge server network spanning 210 countries, and offers plenty of extras such as random IP selection. As such, the provider impresses not only in terms of quantity but also quality. Of course, there are a few missteps here and there, such as the desktop client's lack of split tunneling, but no one is perfect.

HMA did enable us to access content from abroad on Disney+, but had trouble with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Should you already be paying for multiple streaming platforms, you likely won't want to purchase more than one VPN to unlock additional content on them.

We were able to access content from abroad on Disney+ with more than half of the providers from our sample. Below, we've included the seven alternatives to our Top 5:

To test all 27 services from our sample, we purchased a subscription to each, evaluating their clients and apps thoroughly. Each review is divided into six main areas, which relate to the most important facets of a VPN:

Installation and Features

We began by looking at the features offered by each VPN, as well as the user-friendliness of their apps and clients. In addition, we also noted how many platforms they are offered for, both in terms of the desktop client and mobile app.

Server Network

In terms of networks, we were able to compare providers numerically, based on how many servers they offer (which impacts performance), as well as the number of countries they have a presence in.

Performance

We constantly assess the performance of all providers from our sample using a 1 GB/s connection with a server in Frankfurt (Germany) as part of our VPN speed test. To complement this, we also tested each service for a day, to see how they worked for surfing and how they handled streaming with Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the BBC's iPlayer.

The table below shows which providers from our sample are capable of unlocking US Disney+ content:

Security and Privacy

When it comes to privacy, VPN providers often promise the moon. Owing to scandals, we stopped taking providers at their word, ignoring their "No-Logs" promises or guarantees. Instead, we read between the lines of their privacy policies, check whether a provider has submitted to external security audits (or regularly does so), and determine whether the service or its parent company have been involved in any scandals in the past. Finally, we conduct VPN leaks tests and assess each service's general security practices.

Customer Support

Each provider should offer easy-to-find means for getting in touch directly with their support staff, either via live chat, email, or a hotline. To score high, responses should be competent and for emails or support tickets, received within less than 24 hours. Beyond that, VPN services should offer comprehensive and readily searchable help centers with support articles and FAQs.

Mickey Mouse might not be as accessible as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video when it comes to streaming, but there's still plenty worth watching. Should Disney continue to buy up rights for movies and TV programs, this offer is likely to continue growing. Of course, the availability of this content will vary from country to country.

Circumventing geo-blocking or restrictions is made easy when using the VPNs we've presented above, helping anyone to take full advantage of their Disney+ subscription. Of course, you should keep in mind that our tests reflect a single point in time, lasting at most, a day, and that streaming platforms are aware of VPNs and doing their utmost to counteract them. With that said, we remain confident that our Top 5 will stay a step ahead of the game.