5 Best VPNs for Houston in 2023

Houston gives you access to some of the largest content libraries globally, like the rest of the US locations. But you’re out of luck if you want to watch NRK TV, France TV, Servus TV, or other content from Houston.

In some instances, you might not even get to watch The Rockets, Houston Dynamo, or Astros play due to game blackouts in your region.

On top of that, you may be traveling abroad but need a Houston IP address to watch region-specific content like KHOU 11, FOX 26, ABC 13, and other local channels.

Or, maybe you’re tired of your ISPs collecting all your internet data to sell to advertisers, blocking your access to some sites, and keeping you from downloading torrent files?

No matter which it is, my chosen VPNs have you covered. Start with a summary of what they have to offer to know they mean business.

Torrent Securely, Bypass ISP Surveillance, and Unblock Content With These VPNs for Houston

You don’t have to get an error message when accessing The Pirate Bay, fear that your internet service provider (ISP) sees everything you’re doing online, or suffer content restrictions anymore.

Let my best VPNs for Houston help:

Surfshark – Offers unlimited simultaneous connections with access to 3200+ servers in 100 countries; great for streaming content anywhere, bypassing ISP blocks, and beating geo-restrictions for breakfast.
PureVPN – Brings an extra layer of protection (quantum-resistance servers) on its reliable encryption to keep your ISP and government out of your online activities, no matter how hard they try.
PIA – Best pick to get that elusive Houston IP address to stream content like home and other servers to download/seed torrents without getting nasty copyright notices.
CyberGhost – Most specialized VPN provider with servers that cater to torrent download, streaming, and gaming needs.
Atlas VPN – Freemium VPN service provider that doesn’t sacrifice quality encryption and privacy to give you a free taste of what you can expect.

I had difficulty settling on my top choice, given how fantastic these VPNs sound.

Even so, I can help you make a better decision by comparing the VPNs below, according to my tests.

That way, you know which best suits your needs in Space City.

Let’s get to it.

Comparisons and Tests on My Best VPNs for Houston, Texas

I started with 21+ free and paid VPN providers, but they started to drop off once I tested them on speed, security, privacy, reliable unblocking, P2P activity, and other important metrics. Here’s how the top five fared in those tests.

MOST AFFORDABLE

Surfshark – Houston Server, US Servers, and 3200+ Global Servers to Unblock Content

Surfshark has a server in Houston, Texas, meaning you can

Connect to gaming peers in Houston and have a fine online gaming experience
Access local content like TV Informa, KHOU 11, and Fox 26 from anywhere, especially when traveling to other US states or countries
Unblock your US banking apps abroad without raising red flags
Encrypt your internet activities when connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots at The Galleria, Star Pizza, Anvil Bar, and Refuge, or any other free Wi-Fi hotspots in H-Town
Hide your online activities (including your online gambling activities) from AT&T, Verizon, or your preferred ISP

Luckily, Surfshark has 600+ other US servers to unblock content in the continental US, especially when the content isn’t available in Houston.

For example, my host told me he sometimes couldn’t stream Astros’ games due to blackouts. That was no issue when he connected to a Surfshark Los Angeles server. After all, such blackouts are often locally-imposed.

On top of that, Surfshark has 3200+ servers in 99 other countries to unblock content abroad. This is the largest country haul on this list, making it the best option for international students, expats, tourists, and other travelers who want to access blocked websites in their country. After all, this massive country reach means you stand a better chance of landing a server back home.

Surfshark isn’t slow either, managing 39Mbps on a 100Mbps connection.

This is enough to stream 4K content, play online games like COD: Warzone without buffering, and browse the web faster.

Speaking of web browsing, I love Surfshark’s AES 256-bit encryption for keeping AT&T out of my internet traffic while in Houston.

The same is true for other ISPs, public Wi-Fi operators, and network admins at school/work.

Otherwise, they could collect that data, store it for six months to a year, and sell it. And they’re within their legal rights to do so.

But not anymore.

Thus, I was extra confident in unblocking torrent websites and downloading torrent files over a Surfshark connection. The best part was that I could unblock The Pirate Bay and RARBG, which are usually inaccessible over the ATT network.

It’s also worth mentioning that Surfshark has P2P servers optimized for faster torrenting. Type “P2P” into the server search bar and get these torrenting-optimized VPN servers.

But if you like to seed torrents, there’s no joy with Surfshark.

Skip to PIA or PureVPN instead for that.

The only ick I have with Surfshark is that it’s based in the Netherlands, another 14 Eyes member country like the USA. So, what’s to say Houston doesn’t ask Uncle Sam to reach out to Holland and force Surfshark to hand over information on what you did over its servers?

Well, Surfshark has an audited no-logs policy. In other words, its secure servers are designed to wipe off everything you do on them instantly.

So, it won’t even have any data to hand over. Plus, it uses shared servers, so there’s no way to single out your internet activity from other users sharing the same server.

Impressive? Wait till you hear this:

Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections, only matched by AtlasVPN. So, you can connect all your mobile devices and PCs.

It supports routers, gaming consoles, web browsers (with extensions), and streaming units.

It gets better: It’s one of the cheapest VPN providers.

Get these discounts to enjoy Surfshark’s services and its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Houston server to get local IP addresses
600+ US servers and 3200+ servers in 100 countries to unblock content anywhere
Fast for 4K streams: 39Mbps on a 100Mbps connection
Offers P2P servers for secure torrent download and unblocking
Uses AES 256-bit encryption for privacy from ISPs, hackers, and third parties
Affordable VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections

Cons

TOP SECURITY

PureVPN – Quantum-Resistant Houston, US, and Global Servers for Online Protection

If you’re more concerned about keeping your online activities private from your ISP, hackers, the government, and other third parties, PureVPN is your best bet.

I say that because it offers quantum-resistant servers in a few locations, and the US is inclusive. It also packs a Houston server that enjoys the same quantum-resistant tech.

My bad. Here’s what that means:

Even if the US government, Space City authorities, hackers, AT&T and its cohorts, or other parties use next-gen computers to hack PureVPN’s servers, they’ll get no luck. So, whatever you do on those servers, stays on those servers.

But PureVPN isn’t all about the security business. It also brings the fun, allowing you to watch Jalen Green score some beautiful points for the Houston Rockets, get KHOU 11 streams even when you’re outside H-Town, or secure your online games over the local server.

The only thing I don’t like about PureVPN is that it brings DDoS protection for gaming as a paid add-on. Whereas you get it for free on the other VPN providers. So, you may want to defer to the others (especially CyberGhost) for gaming.

Besides the Houston servers, PureVPN still packs 1800+ servers in the USA alone, the largest in the region on this list. Some of these servers are optimized for streaming specific content, ensuring a smoother streaming experience when connected via PureVPN. Fun!

But not all the best content is in the USA. Thankfully, you can connect to PureVPN’s 6500+ servers in 78+ other countries to unblock anything anywhere. I’ve used some of these servers to access France TV content, watch BBC iPlayer like I was in the UK, and stream beIN sports, no matter where my travels take me.

And they’re plenty fast for these tasks, scoring 87Mbps in my speed tests.

That’s the fastest of all the VPN services I tested. It’s not just fast on paper, either, since all the content I stream on this VPN software automatically switches to 4K (or 1080p HD, depending on the device I’m using).

It’ll be a shame if such speeds don’t support torrenting.

Luckily, PureVPN has a specialty P2P server section (like CyberGhost and Surfshark), so you don’t have to test different servers to get the best one.

I recommend choosing the P2P server closest to you for the fastest torrenting speeds.

Furthermore, PureVPN syncs well with uTorrent, BitTorrent, Deluge, and Vuze, which are my preferred torrenting clients. I’m sure it’ll work with your preferred torrenting client too.

But that’s not all; the VPN offers port forwarding support for torrent seeding. And given its 13Mbps upload speeds, you won’t have to wait too long for the files to be fully uploaded.

Unlike Surfshark, PureVPN is based in the BVI, a truly privacy-friendly country.

It also has a twice-audited zero-data logging policy, doubly confirming that it doesn’t collect data about your online activities.

So, it’s out of the US government’s jurisdiction and can’t be compelled to hand over data to any other countries Uncle Sam is in alliance with.

But it falls short of Surfshark with ten simultaneous connections.

That’s better than what CyberGhost offers, so it’s not the worst on the multiple connections.

Did I tell you that it’s the cheapest VPN provider I reviewed?

Save more with these PureVPN discounts, and test it risk-free with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Houston server for local IPs
6500+ servers to unblock content in 78+ countries
P2P-optimized servers and port forwarding for secure torrenting and seeding
Fastest VPN provider: 87Mbps servers on a 100Mbps connection
AES 256-bit encryption + quantum-resistant servers
Most inexpensive VPN with ten simultaneous connections

Cons

MOST EXTENSIVE

PIA – Servers in Every US State to Unblock Blacked-Out Content Anywhere

PIA is the last in the line of VPNs offering Houston servers, but it does more than that.

It’s also the VPN provider with the most extensive US server list.

So, I prefer this for VPN users traveling domestically in the USA as they’ll get a local server anywhere.

It’s also a fine choice if you’re traveling abroad with its choice of other servers to unblock game content that may be blacked out in Houston, Texas.

However, I found that its streaming-optimized servers in the USA are the best for streaming US content at home and abroad. I connected to a few other servers to stream Netflix US, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and CNN Go but was caught sometimes. Only these streaming-optimized servers got me access every time.

Luckily, you have more of these in some other locations (83 countries) outside the US. Even so, you can still test other servers in locations without streaming-optimized servers, and you may be lucky. In my experience, those regions don’t enforce geo-blocks as much as the areas where PIA has these special servers.

Moving on, PIA remains one of the best VPNs for torrenting securely in Houston, thanks to its

SOCKS5 proxy support for safer and faster torrenting without the VPN encryption burden
Free port forwarding on all servers (except the US servers), unlike PureVPN, which has it as a paid add-on
Support for uTorrent, BitTorrent, Vuze, and Deluge, my best torrenting clients
AES 256-bit encryption to hide your torrenting activities from copyright trolls, your ISP, and the US government

PIA may not be as fast as PureVPN, with only 31Mbps speeds on the 100Mbps connection, but it’s closer to the upload speeds (14Mbps).

So, it should be relatively fast for torrent seeding too.

The major dealbreaker with PIA is that it’s based in the USA, the heart of the 14 Eyes surveillance.

Last time I checked, it hasn’t been caught sharing user data with the authorities or logging any user data. It even promises a no-logs policy, but that hasn’t been confirmed by any independent audit.

So, we only take their word for it now.

If you’re not so concerned about that, it’s also highly affordable and offers ten simultaneous device connections like PureVPN.

You can grab these PIA discounts to get it cheaper and enjoy it risk-free for 30 days.

Pros

Local server in Houston for H-Town IP address
Servers in 84 countries to unblock content abroad
P2P support + free port forwarding for torrent download and seeding
AES 256-bit encryption for online privacy and security
31Mbps on a 100Mbps connection for fast streaming, gaming, and torrenting
Affordable provider with ten simultaneous connections

Cons

CyberGhost – Specially-Optimized Servers for Torrenting, Streaming, and Gaming

CyberGhost lacks a Houston server, so you can’t get a local IP address in Bayou City, but it packs a punch in other areas. Else, it wouldn’t have made this list.

For starters, it’s an extremely easy-to-use VPN, especially over its PC apps.

You find servers optimized for streaming content, downloading torrent files, or playing games online.

It has a lot of streaming-optimized servers in the USA, just like PureVPN, and more than PIA. But what I like the most is that it has other streaming-optimized servers in other regions, unlike PureVPN, and more than PIA, again.

CyberGhost offers the largest server count – 9000+ in 90+ countries – to seamlessly unblock content in more locations than every other listed provider (except Surfshark).

On top of that, CyberGhost makes your streaming and unblocking life even easier by stating what platform each server is optimized for.

So, you can quickly find a server engineered for Netflix France, BBC iPlayer in the UK, ESPN+, and DAZN Canada, among others.

However, you don’t get the gaming and torrent-optimized servers on mobile.

I guess that’s wise, given that most of us don’t download torrents on mobile.

But we play mobile games, and I’d like to get DDoS protection and improved security when playing Call of Duty, Fortnite, PUBG, or other related titles.

So, it’s good news that CyberGhost offers the same level of DDoS protection and security on every other server you can connect to for gaming.

CyberGhost is fast enough to justify being optimized for these features, scoring 38Mbps on the 100Mbps connection. That’s not as fast as Surfshark and PureVPN, but it beats the others on this list.

These speeds translate from streaming into torrenting, minimizing wait times for huge file downloads. Connect to the WireGuard protocol and choose any of its P2P servers for the best performance. However, it doesn’t support torrent seeding – so choose PIA or PureVPN if you want that.

If that’s not a dealbreaker, you’ll like that CyberGhost is based in privacy-friendly Romania, beating Surfshark and PIA. It’s also audited for its no-logs policy, giving it another leg over PIA.

But it offers the least simultaneous connections here (seven), which should be another consideration. Especially if you have a larger household or a lot of PCs/smartphones/users to secure from one account.

Like the others, CyberGhost’s plans don’t break the bank, and you can test the VPN risk-free for 45 days (the longest trial) before committing full-time.

I’ll throw in these CyberGhost deals to sweeten the deal.

Pros

9000+ servers in 90+ countries to get IP addresses anywhere
Servers optimized for torrenting, gaming, and streaming
Second-fastest VPN: 38Mbps on a 100Mbps connection
Audited no-logs provider based in Romania
Seven simultaneous device connections
Affordable VPN with a 45-day risk-free trial

Cons

AtlasVPN – Trustworthy Freemium VPN Provider for Houston, Texas

Suppose MLB TV and NBA TV have already taken up your monthly subscription budget. Without paying, you can still unblock and watch the Astros, Texans, or Rockets from Houston or elsewhere over AtlasVPN.

I dislike free VPNs since they steal user data, are slow, and usually compromise your security, but this is different. Still, it’s limited in some areas.

For example, you don’t get a Houston server. So, no luck watching KHOU 11, the Astros game when available in Houston, or accessing other local content from abroad. In fact, the free version only has three servers: 2 in the USA and one in the Netherlands.

That means no access to BBC iPlayer (UK servers), France TV (French servers), NRK TV (Norwegian servers), or other foreign content over this free VPN version.

Fortunately, Atlas VPN posted decent enough speeds on the free version – 37Mbps on the 100Mbps network – to allow for smooth streaming and downloads.

But there’s another problem:

This free version only allows a 5GB/month bandwidth limit.

In my experience, I only got through three-quarters of a basketball game before I used up the bandwidth. So, I’d have to suffer speed throttling from the VPN or lose the encryption and unblocking ability I get over it.

Atlas VPN claims to support P2P traffic and has reliable AES 256-bit military-grade encryption to back it up. But since I had used up my bandwidth streaming, I couldn’t risk testing it with some torrent activity.

The last thing I want is for AT&T to deactivate me from its service or for copyright trolls to come knocking at my door.

Speaking of doors, Atlas VPN is in our backyard, right here in the USA.

That’s a privacy concern since the US courts can ask it to surrender data on what you’ve been doing over its servers.

Thankfully, it promises a no-logs policy, but even that’s yet to be audited.

Like PIA, another US-based VPN, we might have to take its word for it.

After all, it hasn’t been involved or identified in any data-sharing or government-cooperating scandal.

The major silver lining is that Atlas VPN supports unlimited simultaneous connections, like Surfshark, even on the free plan. Sadly, the 5GB cap doesn’t apply per device connected but to every device on the account.

If I could consume the 5GB in less than a day and on one device, I don’t doubt that multiple users would run through it in minutes.

My advice? Only use the free version if you urgently need a VPN, and get the more feature-packed and affordable AtlasVPN paid version.

If you want to test the VPN risk-free, get these fantastic offers to save more.

Pros

Servers in the USA and Netherlands
37Mbps on a 100Mbps network: fast enough for 4K streaming
Offers P2P-supported servers for torrenting
AES 256-bit encryption for online security and privacy
Unlimited simultaneous device connections

Cons

How to Set up a VPN for Houston?

The three most important steps to set up a VPN for Houston are to enable the kill switch, choose the correct protocol, and connect to the right server.

Let me show you how to do all three in less than five minutes:

Buy a preferred VPN for Houston. I’ll recommend Surfshark.
Download the VPN app for your preferred device. I’ll download Surfshark for PC for this example.

Launch the Surfshark app and log in with your account credentials.
Enable the VPN kill switch to prevent accidental IP/DNS leaks. Go to Settings > VPN Settings > toggle Kill Switch.

Choose the right protocol. I recommend WireGuard for the fastest speeds and best security balance on Surfshark.
Go to the VPN home and search for a preferred server. I’ll search for the United States in this example.

Optional: You can also click the Quick Connect button to get the fastest server automatically. Or search “P2P” to get the best torrenting/gaming/file-sharing servers.
Wait for the VPN connection confirmation, then test for leaks.

Start browsing the web securely over the VPN server.

How to Get a Houston, Texas IP Address?

Sometimes, you can’t get enough of Clutch Town, so you want an IP address there.

Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered:

Choose a VPN with a Houston server. I recommend Surfshark for this task.
Optional: If you’re already in Houston but want to secure your internet over a Houston server, run an IP leak test. Note the IP address you get.
Follow steps 2-5 from above.
Search for the Houston server on the VPN home page. Click to connect.

Optional: If you followed step 2 above, run the IP leak test again. Confirm you’re getting a different (VPN-assigned) Houston IP address now.

Stream Houston local content, encrypt your public Wi-Fi connection at Agora and unblock content in the US.

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FAQs

Are VPNs Legal in Houston, Texas?

VPNs are legal in Houston and the general Texas area, with zero laws or regulations clamping down on VPN usage or operators. However, the region isn’t tolerant of cybercrimes, so don’t commit any over a VPN. Otherwise, you’ll be prosecuted according to the law. Your VPN provider won’t help since you’d have breached its ToS by committing criminal activity on its servers.

All Roads Lead to Hustle Town!

Houston is one of those diverse cities you love to be in. Still, it’s not without its fair share of copyright trolls, ISP speed throttling, content geo-restrictions, game blackouts, and DDoS attacks.

Fortunately, connecting to a server on any of my chosen VPNs solves these issues in minutes.

If you’re hard-pressed for a choice, get these Surfshark discounts to enjoy everything a premium VPN offers in Houston and beyond!