5 Best VPNs for Vodafone (Reliable & Tested)

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NordVPN is the best VPN for Vodafone users in Asian, African, Oceanic, and European countries where the ISP is present.

This VPN service is compatible with mobile devices and routers, protects you from DDoS attacks, keeps your data private from Vodafone, and bypasses throttling.

I reviewed 20+ other VPNs for Vodafone. Of these, Surfshark, PureVPN, ExpressVPN and AtlasVPN are also compatible with Vodafone.

In the rest of this guide, I’ll discuss how to set up a VPN for Vodafone.

I’ll also talk about lesser-known yet significant reasons to use a VPN on Vodafone – and how my top VPNs help in these cases.

In a Hurry? Here’s What Makes My Top VPNs for Vodafone Special

vodafone speed throttling
Beat Vodafone's speed throttling with my VPNs

I didn’t just choose the first VPNs I came across. After extensive tests, I’ve summarized the reasons why each Virtual Private Network (VPN) made the list below:

  • NordVPN – NordVPN offers 5500+ servers in 59 countries to unblock content reliably over Vodafone. You also get robust router software to protect your gaming consoles, smart TVs, and home units connected to the Vodafone network.
  • Surfshark – Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous device connections is the best bet for your household of devices and smart units connected to a Vodafone network. Also, unblock content from a generous 3200+ server network in 95 countries.
  • ExpressVPN – Enjoy fast obfuscation to bypass Vodafone’s VPN traffic blocks while unblocking content faster over a 3000+-strong server network.
  • PureVPN – Industry-standard encryption over 6500+ servers in 78+ countries to unblock content, unlock faster speeds or secure your internet experience when surfing with Vodafone.
  • AtlasVPN – The best free VPN for Vodafone mobile users looking for the best value. You’ll get reliable encryption and decent unblocking speeds too.

There’s more to these VPNs than meets the eye. During my tests over the Vodafone network, I discovered unique opportunities where they shine and compare to one another.

So, continue reading to make a better choice.

My Reviews and Comparisons of the Top VPNs for Vodafone

I tested 20+ VPNs for mobile support, compatibility with the Vodafone network, speed, privacy, and security.

Here’s how the top five of the group compare against the rest.

NordVPN – 5500+ Mobile-Friendly Servers for Data Privacy on Vodafone Network

nordvpn quick connect
Choose the "Quick Connect" option to automatically get the fastest server on the best protocol

NordVPN’s 5500+ servers in 59 countries cover regions in:

  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Oceania
  • Africa

I’m interested in these regions since they’re where Vodafone operates.

Thus, you can find a local server to:

  • Secure the internet over VPN in your country without losing access to local services
  • Unblock local content from abroad via a server in your country while using the Vodafone network
  • Connect to a closer server for secure gaming with less ping
  • Encrypt your internet connection over public Wi-Fi networks without losing access to banking apps, local stores, etc.

However, I’m concerned that the VPN provider only has a South African server for Africa. Likewise, it has ZERO servers in the Middle Eastern regions where Vodafone operates. This is unlike Surfshark and PureVPN.

So, Vodafone users in the Middle East and African nations like Egypt, Libya, Cameroon, and Ghana may have to set up split tunneling to use NordVPN over Vodafone in their country.

Moreover, you can only use split tunneling on Android, not iOS devices.

I’ve included a short, helpful video to setup NordVPN’s split tunneling on your Android devices below:

Fortunately, you can always connect to NordVPN’s international servers from anywhere to:

During my tests, I found that NordVPN is fast enough to stream content in HD. Knowing that VPNs cause a connection drop due to their encryption, maintaining such speeds on its servers is impressive.

However, it’s generally not as fast as ExpressVPN and PureVPN.

Although, the speed differences are negligible enough that they won’t be a dealbreaker.

That said, NordVPN’s speeds are impressive enough to bypass Vodafone’s bandwidth throttling attempts. This allows you to:

  • Stream content in HD or higher quality for longer
  • Download content anytime without bandwidth throttling
  • Play resource-intensive games without lag

I tested this and got better speeds on my connection over NordVPN as shown below.

Benchmark speeds without NordVPN:

benchmark internet speed

Internet speed over NordVPN’s servers:

nordvpn internet speed

Speaking of playing games, I ensured NordVPN is compatible with mobile games. I tested it with Clash of Clans, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and PUBG, and it wasn’t slow. In fact, it allowed me to connect to foreign servers and play with peers I wouldn’t have had access to in my country.

Fortunately, NordVPN isn’t great on mobile phones alone.

You can also set up the NordVPN router software to broadcast a secure Vodafone network to your smart home and other internet-enabled devices.

This is the best way to:

  • Unblock content on your smart TV units that can’t download a native VPN app
  • Prevent DDoS attacks when gaming online on your PlayStation or Xbox consoles
  • Get access to PlayStation/Xbox content not available in your region

Whether on mobile or PC, choosing the NordVPN-exclusive NordLynx protocol is best for the best speeds, security, and relatively minimal data usage.

Like me, you’ll also appreciate the NordVPN torrent support on mobile and PC devices.

It ensures Vodafone can’t see you’re accessing torrent sites or the files you’re downloading. Thus, the internet service provider (ISP) can’t log your activities, report you to copyright trolls or send you nasty copyright notices.

nordvpn torrenting

To seed torrents, though, your best bet is ExpressVPN.

Besides torrent activity, NordVPN’s 256-bit encryption prevents Vodafone from seeing the sites you visit.

On top of that, NordVPN doesn’t keep logs either. So, Vodafone/other unauthorized personnel can’t hack its servers to see what you were doing while connected.

NordVPN allows protection on up to six devices on the Vodafone network. So, you can protect multiple mobile devices and Vodafone routers without paying for a new account.

Still, NordVPN is one of the most affordable VPN providers I reviewed.

Get these NordVPN discounts and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee on your purchase.

Pros

Cons

Surfshark – Unlimited Device Protection on Vodafone With 3200+ Servers

Surfshark is the best VPN for a group of Vodafone users who need to unblock content access, get faster speeds, and protect their internet activity from the ISP.

The VPN provider makes this possible with unlimited simultaneous connections. Luckily, it slaps unlimited bandwidth on top of that, so you’re not sharing speed allocations with other users.

Even though Surfshark has fewer servers than NordVPN (3200+), it covers more countries (95). Thus, you stand a higher chance of getting servers in all Vodafone-supported countries. This includes African regions like Egypt and South Africa.

While this isn’t all the African regions with Vodafone’s presence, it’s one more than NordVPN offers. Also, Surfshark beats NordVPN in the Middle East with a United Arab Emirates server, representing coverage for ¼ of the Vodafone-present countries in the region.

Thankfully, Surfshark also offers split tunneling for Vodafone users in countries where the VPN doesn’t have servers. Enable that to encrypt your connections while bypassing the VPN on sensitive apps (like your banking applications).

Like NordVPN, though, Surfshark’s split tunneling only works on PCs and Android devices.

Moving on, Surfshark isn’t the fastest VPN provider on this list.

It consistently falls behind ExpressVPN and NordVPN in some of my tests, but there’s a silver lining:

The VPN provider is fast enough to unblock HD streams and bypass Vodafone’s speed throttling in your region.

surfshark internet speed
Surfshark may not be as fast as NordVPN, but it's not slow either

I even tested it for mobile gaming, and it did well with titles like:

Likewise, Surfshark’s speeds make it great for unblocking Plex, Vuze, Hulu, Netflix US, Amazon Prime Video, and other region-specific streaming services over Vodafone.

Unlike NordVPN, though, Surfshark doesn’t have its own protocol.

Instead, it relies on the stock WireGuard protocol for the best mobile and PC speeds/security.

I didn’t forget torrent downloaders, either.

Here, Surfshark supports private and anonymous torrent downloads but not seeding. Its AES 256-bit encryption promise holds up, preventing Vodafone from seeing who’s downloading torrents (or the files you’re downloading.

Again, ExpressVPN is the best bet to seed and download torrents without Vodafone finding out.

surfshark torrenting

If that won’t be a dealbreaker, you’ll find Surfshark’s mobile apps easy to use, install, and set up. Luckily, the iOS and Android apps have a similar interface. So, you’re not lost in the settings and setup if you switch devices.

Additionally, you can install the Surfshark router software to encrypt your Wi-Fi internet if supplied by Vodafone. This is also an excellent way to protect smart home units and gaming consoles and unblock content on smart TVs.

To know if your router can support the Surfshark VPN software, check the short video guide below:

Even though you get unlimited simultaneous connections with Surfshark, it’s still very affordable.

Screenshot MS 1 1
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

These Surfshark discounts offer you an even better deal and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

ExpressVPN – Private Torrent Download & Seeding on Vodafone Network

ExpressVPN mimics Surfshark by providing servers in:

  • Europe
  • Oceania
  • Asia
  • Only Egypt and South Africa in Africa
  • No parts of the Middle East

So, PureVPN remains the best choice for Middle Eastern Vodafone users who want to retain access to the local internet while encrypting their connection.

When you’re not worried about local content, ExpressVPN’s 3000+ servers in 94 countries offer the same protection and reliable unblocking.

In fact, I’ve tried the US servers to successfully unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, CNN Go, and Disney+.

But that’s not the best thing about ExpressVPN. This VPN provider uses fast obfuscation on all servers and protocols.

This allows your VPN traffic to pass through Vodafone’s systems if the ISP monitors and blocks VPN traffic.

It’s more impressive because obfuscation protocols usually cause massive connection drops. However, ExpressVPN has managed to keep it ultra-fast. Always connect via the Lightway (UDP) protocol on mobile to get the best obfuscation speeds and security without incurring significant extra data usage.

Another big selling point for ExpressVPN is torrent download and seeding support. I’ve downloaded a ton of torrent files over this VPN, and I’ve never gotten:

  • Speed throttling issues since Vodafone can’t see what I’m doing
  • Notices from copyright trolls
  • Nasty “cease-and-desist” messages from Vodafone

This is partly due to ExpressVPN’s AES 256-bit encryption.

This level of encryption is also responsible for keeping Vodafone’s (and its advertising partners’) noses out of your private online sessions and internet data.

Additionally, a twice-audited no-logs policy ensures your internet data is at lesser risk of getting into the wrong hands. With ExpressVPN in the BVI, Vodafone has no jurisdiction to ask for your VPN connection data.

expressvpn logging principle

I’m equally impressed with my relatively low ping on ExpressVPN’s tests.

In real life, it has helped me unblock games like League of Legends, Apex Legends, Fortnite, FIFA 21, and PUBG over foreign servers without laggy gameplay. This further shows its support for mobile Vodafone devices.

Fortunately, it also offers in-built DDoS protection on every server, unlike PureVPN.

Those who use Vodafone on their router get the same level of privacy with ExpressVPN’s robust router software. It’s also easy to set up for beginners like the other providers on this list.

expressvpn router support
Some ExpressVPN-supported routers

However, ExpressVPN doesn’t inspire confidence by allowing only five simultaneous Vodafone device connections. It’s also the most expensive VPN I reviewed.

Considering its fast obfuscation, reliable unblocking speeds, and decent server spread, it’s worth it.

ExpressVPN plans
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So, save more with these ExpressVPN discounts and get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

PureVPN – Reliable Encryption on 6500+ Servers to Unblock Services on Vodafone

PureVPN extends on Surfshark’s server lead, providing local Vodafone VPN users with servers in:

  • Egypt
  • South Africa
  • Oman
  • Bahrain
  • United Arab Emirates

This is in addition to the several servers in Europe, Asia and Oceania regions where Vodafone is present. Fortunately, the majority of its 6500+ servers are US-based, which ensures

  • Premium access to US-only content like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video US, Netflix US, HBO, Twitch, etc.
  • Access to a more unrestricted internet from US servers
  • Defeating Vodafone’s throttling over fast US servers

PureVPN also impresses with its speed for unblocking content streams without buffering. Gamers will also appreciate the low ping and latency they’ll get on PureVPN to play mobile games like:

  • Mobile Legends
  • Clash of Clans
  • League of Legends
purevpn internet speed
PureVPN doesn't falter on speed either

Fortunately, PureVPN is also plenty fast to unblock and encrypt your online gameplay over PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles.

Thanks to its AES 256-bit protection, you get

  • Privacy to prevent other gamers, internet users, advertisers, Vodafone itself, and your government from deanonymizing you online
  • Extra support for reliable unblocking by hiding your actual IP address

However, I’m concerned that PureVPN offers DDoS protection as a paid add-on rather than part of the package.

purevpn add ons dedicated ip

This is most important for online gamers using Vodafone’s network or other internet users at risk of getting DDoS-ed. Thus, I’ll recommend NordVPN if you’re looking for a fast VPN provider that doesn’t charge you extra for this security feature.

If you’re more of a torrent downloader than a gamer, PureVPN has you covered with P2P-optimized torrent download-supporting servers.

Being a twice-audited no-logs VPN provider based in the British Virgin Islands, it won’t tell Vodafone what torrent sites you visited or files you downloaded there.

purevpn quantum resistant servers

You should know that heavy torrent downloaders on Vodafone’s network stand a higher chance of speed throttling during large-volume downloads.

Since Vodafone can’t see what you’re doing online (thanks to PureVPN’s encryption), its systems can’t throttle your bandwidth.

PureVPN is no Surfshark, but it does better than NordVPN with ten simultaneous device connections. You can choose to share these slots with other family members using Vodafone or protect your other devices.

purevpn device compatibility

Speaking of other devices, you can set up PureVPN on your smartphones, router, and PCs.

Thankfully, the VPN provider isn’t expensive.

purevpn pricing
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Get these HUGE Savings on PureVPN + a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

AtlasVPN – Best Free VPN Provider for Vodafone Users

AtlasVPN is your best choice if you want a free VPN for Vodafone without risking the many dangers of the usual free VPN services.

So, you can rest assured that AtlasVPN won’t:

  • Record, collect, and sell your data
  • Offer poor encryption that doesn’t help to unblock anything
  • Expose you to account breaches, DDoS attacks, etc.

Even so, you may not get the best experience on the free plan.

atlasvpn free server locations
Other locations are locked on the free plan

For example, you only get three servers with the free plan.

Of these, only the Amsterdam (Netherlands) VPN server is relevant to Vodafone users staying there. Thus, you can’t encrypt your internet connection locally in any of the 20+ other regions where Vodafone is available.

Moving on, you’re limited to 5GB bandwidth. Thus, you can’t:

  • Download a lot of torrent files before the VPN stops protecting you
  • Enjoy resource-intensive games since they use up your bandwidth faster
  • Stream content without buffering

Thankfully, AtlasVPN doesn’t remove the AES 256-bit encryption from the free plan. So, Vodafone still won’t see your internet activity.

However, that’ll only be for as long as the limited bandwidth lasts.

Another core concern with AtlasVPN is speed. After all, the free plan lacks high connection speed support. I also imagine that many free users will be concentrated on the three available servers, leading to high server load and poor speed.

atlasvpn premium features
Speed is missing on the free plan

In other words, you’ll be sacrificing even more speed for VPN security.

Whereas you can bypass ISP throttling with NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and others.

The good news is you get two US servers capable of unblocking most of the internet’s content. However, what happens when:

  • You must unblock content like NRK TV, Crave TV, and Voot that isn’t available in the US?
  • You unblock Netflix, CNN, Hulu, etc., from the US but can’t enjoy it because of bandwidth throttling?
  • You don’t get good enough speeds to enjoy the content you’ve unblocked on these servers?

Lest I forget, AtlasVPN supports itself with ads on the free version.

These ads may be used to track you, invading the very privacy you wanted to protect from Vodafone.

Alternatively, NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN have gone to great lengths to ensure ad blocking once connected to their servers.

While I’m impressed by the easily navigable AtlasVPN mobile app, I found that you can’t install AtlasVPN on your router.

atlasvpn router and openvpn support

In other words, no protection for your smart TV units, gaming consoles, and smart home units connected to a Vodafone network.

Even if it had router support, you could only connect the free VPN to one device at a time.

Atlas VPN black friday prices

Save yourself the stress, headache, and multiple dealbreakers on AtlasVPN by opting for NordVPN instead.

Pros

Cons

How to Setup a VPN With Vodafone?

The best way to set up a VPN over Vodafone is by enabling the kill switch, choosing the suitable protocol, and connecting to the best server.

Find the stepwise guide to enabling your VPN on Vodafone below.

  1. Choose your preferred VPN. I use NordVPN on Vodafone.
  2. Choose a VPN protocol. Tap the Account icon > Settings > Protocol > NordLynx.
  1. Search for a preferred server. I’ll connect to the US for this example.
  1. Wait for the connection confirmation.
  2. Test for leaks.
  3. Enjoy a secure, unfiltered version of the web.

Can I Use a Free VPN for Vodafone?

You shouldn’t use a free VPN for Vodafone if you genuinely care about speed, online privacy, and security. Even trusted free VPNs like AtlasVPN aren’t fast enough to bypass ISP throttling or mitigate VPN-induced connection drops.

Likewise, free VPNs are notorious for being ad-supported. Thus, they introduce you to a more cluttered web version, collect data for advertisers and further invade your privacy with the ads.

free vpn speed throttling on vodafone tweet
You can't bypass such throttling with a free VPN

Furthermore, most free VPN providers only offer a handful of servers, usually not in regions where Vodafone is present. Besides limiting your reliable content unblocking ability, this also makes it almost impossible to find local servers.

So, if cost is an issue, choose a provider like Surfshark that can be crowd-bought by a group since it offers unlimited simultaneous connections.

What to Do When Your VPN Isn’t Working With Vodafone?

You might lose internet access after enabling your VPN, get a massive connection drop, fail to unblock content, or encounter several other issues. Here’s how to troubleshoot these issues.

  • Choose a reliable VPN. Picking a robust VPN is the solution to most VPN-related problems I faced with Vodafone. I recommend NordVPN if you’re stuck between options.
  • Test the internet connection. Sometimes, your Vodafone internet connection might be down. In this case, a VPN can do nothing until your ISP fixes the issue.
  • Try obfuscation. I don’t always recommend obfuscation on Vodafone, but it works if the ISP is blocking VPN traffic. I recommend ExpressVPN for fast, automatic obfuscation.
  • Switch VPN protocols. Always use the fastest (WireGuard/NordLynx/Lightway) protocols for Vodafone. Alternatively, IKEv2 is also an excellent protocol for mobile users.
  • Get a third-party router. Installing your VPN on a Vodafone-supplied router might not work as well. I suggest you get a third-party router for your VPN.
  • Speak with customer support. I recommend speaking with your VPN customer support before Vodafone. Fortunately, my top VPNs for Vodafone have 24/7 customer support.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can’t put a VPN on most Vodafone-supplied routers as they don’t support tunneling or VPN clients. However, you can still encrypt your Vodafone Wi-Fi by purchasing a third-party router and signing up for a router-supported VPN like NordVPN.

Thus, you can subscribe to Vodafone internet on your router and still bypass internet restrictions via the VPN on the router.

Vodafone sometimes blocks VPN websites when its internet filtering settings are enabled but doesn’t restrict the VPN traffic. In cases where Vodafone turns on VPN traffic blocks, you can bypass those with obfuscation protocols masking your VPN traffic as regular traffic.

I recommend ExpressVPN for this, considering its fast obfuscation to mask your traffic without suffering a considerable speed blow.

Vodafone provides an IP-VPN for business users, ensuring encrypted communications between the business and its employees.

However, this Vodafone IP-VPN alternative doesn’t help bypass restrictions, unblock content unavailable in your region, encrypt your internet activity from the ISP or prevent Vodafone’s tracking.

Thus, getting a reliable third-party VPN like NordVPN to safely unblock content from anywhere and get robust online security and privacy from the ISP is best.

Using a VPN isn’t illegal on Vodafone, provided you don’t do anything illegal on the network. So, you can install a VPN on your mobile devices/router using the Vodafone network to bypass restrictions, surf the web anonymously, and bypass speed throttling.

The best way to get around the Vodafone content block is via a VPN.

A reliable Vodafone VPN like NordVPN changes your IP address, removing you from the list of Vodafone-assigned IPs subjected to packet inspections and web filtering.

Besides unblocking content restricted on the Vodafone network, good VPNs will also unblock content not usually available in your region from its relevant servers.

The Future Is More Exciting With a VPN

I know Vodafone promises that the future is exciting on its network.

Still, you can enjoy a more exciting future with these VPNs.

Imagine getting access to content from anywhere, faster download/upload speeds, torrenting without spooking copyright trolls, and keeping your online activity private from Vodafone.

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, get these NordVPN discounts.

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