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Short answer: A VPN can route your connection through another server and may help when a network blocks streaming, but it cannot guarantee access to a particular Crunchyroll catalog or prevent Crunchyroll from detecting VPN traffic. For an all-round paid option, NordVPN is a strong candidate based on current general VPN coverage; ExpressVPN is a good fit for straightforward setup and support, while Surfshark and Private Internet Access stand out for households with many devices. These are evidence-based recommendations, not guarantees of Crunchyroll playback on every server or device.
Before subscribing, check whether the VPN supports your device, choose a plan with a refund period, and connect to a nearby server in the country where you are actually located. If your goal is to watch a title unavailable in your location, licensing and account-region rules may still apply.
Quick picks
| VPN | Best for | Simultaneous connections | Refund period | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Strong all-round candidate | 10 | 30 days | Introductory pricing renews higher; not unlimited devices |
| ExpressVPN | Ease of use, device coverage and support | 10–14, depending on plan | 30 days for new users | Provider guidance is not independent proof of uninterrupted access |
| Surfshark | Households with many devices | Advertises unlimited connections | Check current plan terms | Unlimited connections do not guarantee unlimited bandwidth or streaming reliability |
| Private Internet Access (PIA) | Many devices, routers and price-conscious users | Advertises unlimited connections | 30 days for new subscribers | May require more setup than a beginner-friendly option |
| Proton VPN | Privacy-focused users choosing a paid plan | Up to 10 on paid plan | 30 days | Random server selection and medium speed make the free plan a poor default for predictable streaming |
Connection limits, features, prices and refund conditions can change and may vary by plan, country or purchase channel. Check the provider’s current checkout terms before paying. General VPN rankings and provider marketing pages are not tests of every Crunchyroll title, server or device.
What a VPN can—and cannot—do for Crunchyroll
A VPN encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server and makes websites see the server’s IP address instead of your ordinary public IP address. That can be useful for privacy on public Wi-Fi or when a school, hotel or workplace network blocks streaming. It may also affect how a service estimates your network location.
#1 Best Overall
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- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
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Those are not the same as changing your Crunchyroll account region or obtaining a title’s streaming rights. Crunchyroll says account region is based on the user’s location and cannot simply be transferred to another region. Its catalog also depends on regional licensing. A VPN address may be recognized and blocked, and changing the apparent IP location does not guarantee a different catalog. See Crunchyroll’s account-region guidance.
In practical terms, you might be able to sign in and watch while connected to a VPN, but a particular title can remain unavailable, or playback can fail because of VPN detection, licensing, account, app or network issues. No provider should be treated as a way to unlock the full Crunchyroll library or bypass every restriction.
Which VPN should you choose?
NordVPN: best all-round candidate
NordVPN is the strongest general-purpose pick in this shortlist for readers who want one service for Crunchyroll and other streaming use. TechRadar’s current 2026 comparison ranks it first overall; that is general review evidence, not a Crunchyroll-specific test or guarantee. NordVPN advertises 10 simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Its pricing page lists multiple plans, including a VPN-only Basic tier.
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Rank #2
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- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
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ExpressVPN: best for simple setup and support
ExpressVPN publishes a Crunchyroll-specific setup guide, advertises servers in 113 countries, its Lightway protocol and 24/7 support. Its current plans allow 10, 12 or 14 simultaneous connections depending on tier, and the company advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. These are provider-stated features, not independent evidence that any particular Crunchyroll server will keep working.
Choose it if: you value a guided setup, broad device support and help when troubleshooting. Think twice if: your priority is the lowest monthly price or unlimited connections. The plan, price, renewal and refund terms can differ, including for purchases made through app stores.
Surfshark: best for a household with many devices
Surfshark advertises unlimited simultaneous connections and more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries; see its Crunchyroll page and plan details. Unlimited connections can make it convenient for a household, but do not mean unlimited bandwidth, unlimited high-quality streams or guaranteed access. TechRadar’s 2026 general comparison rates its streaming performance below NordVPN’s, which is not a direct Crunchyroll test.
Choose it if: device count matters more to you than a single universal streaming ranking. Check the features included in your chosen plan and whether the service works with your devices.
Rank #3
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Private Internet Access: best for many connections and router users
PIA advertises unlimited simultaneous connections and supports router configurations, which can help cover devices that do not have a regular VPN app. It offers a 30-day guarantee for new subscribers. Its interface and router setup may be less straightforward for beginners, and the evidence here does not establish that it works better with Crunchyroll than the other candidates. Review the connection-limit information and current pricing before subscribing.
Proton VPN: privacy-led paid alternative
Proton VPN’s paid plan advertises up to 10 connections, servers in more than 140 countries, streaming support and a 30-day refund policy. The free plan offers one device, medium speed and randomly selected servers in 10 countries, making it a poor default for dependable streaming where a particular country and server choice matter. See Proton VPN’s current plan details; confirm the actual checkout price for your location.
How to choose without relying on a “best” badge
- Check server choice: Can you select a server in the country where you are located or normally connect? Are other servers available in that same country if one fails?
- Check the device: Confirm app support for your operating system, TV or streaming box before buying. Router coverage is a separate setup, not the same as having a native app on every device.
- Consider household use: Connection limits matter if several people use the VPN at once, but they do not tell you whether multiple HD streams will be stable.
- Compare full costs: Look at the billing term, first payment, renewal price, taxes and refund terms. A low monthly equivalent on a long introductory plan is not the same as paying month to month.
- Use a refund period as a trial window: Test your own device and ordinary use case promptly, and read the conditions and deadlines. A refund is not a promise that Crunchyroll access will work.
- Do not use server counts as a streaming benchmark: More locations do not prove that a particular Crunchyroll title will play or that a particular server will avoid detection.
How to use a VPN with Crunchyroll
Windows, macOS or browser
- Choose a reputable VPN and check its device support, current plan terms and refund policy.
- Install the provider’s official app and sign in.
- Connect to a nearby server in the country where you are actually located or normally use the service. Avoid jumping between countries as a first troubleshooting step.
- Close and reopen the Crunchyroll app or browser tab so it starts a fresh session.
- Sign in to Crunchyroll and try a title you are entitled to watch in your region. Check that playback, audio and subtitles work as expected.
- If you see a location or VPN error, follow the troubleshooting steps below. If a title is still unavailable, verify availability without the VPN rather than assuming the VPN can change its licensing.
Android or iPhone
Install the official VPN app from Google Play or Apple’s App Store, connect before opening Crunchyroll, then force-close and reopen Crunchyroll if it appears to be using the previous network session. If diagnosing a problem, temporarily disable conflicting DNS, ad-blocking, location or content-filtering apps, then test Wi-Fi and mobile data separately. Keep in mind that app-store refund rules may differ from the VPN provider’s direct-purchase policy.
Smart TVs, streaming devices and consoles
Many smart TVs and game consoles do not support ordinary VPN apps directly. Options depend on the device and provider:
Rank #4
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- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
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- Use a compatible Android TV or Fire TV app if the VPN offers one for your model.
- Set up the VPN on a supported router, following the provider’s device-specific instructions. Router setup affects devices on that network and can require extra configuration.
- Share a VPN connection from a computer if your operating system and network setup support it.
- Use Smart DNS only if you understand the difference: Smart DNS changes how some name lookups are handled but is not a full encrypted VPN tunnel. It does not guarantee that Crunchyroll will accept the connection or show a different catalog.
Check compatibility before subscribing. ExpressVPN, for example, lists support across a range of platforms and devices, but exact support and simultaneous-connection limits depend on the plan. See its device information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix “VPN detected,” location errors and playback problems
If Crunchyroll detects the VPN or reports a location error
- Reconnect to another server in the same country. A streaming service may block a particular VPN IP address; switching to a nearby server in the same country is a more useful first test than changing regions.
- Restart the session. Close Crunchyroll fully and reopen it after connecting. In a browser, clear Crunchyroll cookies and cache if needed; on an app, clear its cache if your device permits it.
- Check extensions and filters. Temporarily disable browser extensions or device-wide tools that alter location, DNS, headers or playback.
- Look for conflicting location signals. Check the device’s location permissions and system region. If the app uses location permissions, a mismatch may complicate diagnosis.
- Try another client. Test the browser if the app fails, or the app if the browser fails. Update the app and browser first.
- Change the VPN protocol. If the provider offers protocol choices, try another one and reconnect. A protocol name alone does not prove better streaming.
- Check for leaks or network conflicts. Confirm that DNS or IPv6 traffic is not bypassing the VPN, and check whether a firewall or filtering app is interfering.
- Contact VPN support. Ask whether another server in the same country is suitable for the service. Provider support cannot guarantee that a server will remain accepted.
- Test without the VPN. If the title is still unavailable or playback still fails, the cause may be regional licensing, account status, a service outage or a device problem rather than the VPN.
Blocked VPN IPs, stale cookies or sessions, outdated apps and browser extensions are among the potential causes described in ExpressVPN’s streaming troubleshooting guide. Its streaming support guidance also recommends matching the VPN location to the country where the user is located.
If the page loads but the video will not play
- Update the Crunchyroll app or browser and restart the device.
- Disable extensions, ad blockers or content filters temporarily to identify conflicts.
- Try a different VPN protocol or a nearby server.
- Check device date and time, DNS settings, IPv6 behavior and firewall rules.
- Test another title and, if possible, another device. A title-specific problem may be availability rather than general VPN failure.
- If Crunchyroll shows a DRM error, use its dedicated DRM troubleshooting guidance, which covers MED and SHAK error codes.
If playback buffers or drops in quality
Try a closer server, switch protocol, and compare playback with the VPN off. That comparison can show whether the VPN connection is the bottleneck. Wi-Fi congestion, distance to the VPN server, the streaming service and network restrictions can all affect performance. A VPN is not a guaranteed fix for ISP throttling, and no provider can promise no slowdown.
If you cannot sign in
First confirm your Crunchyroll credentials and account status without changing networks. After changing VPN locations, close and reopen the session rather than repeatedly switching countries while logged in. A VPN connection does not transfer your account to another region; refer to Crunchyroll’s account-region information for account questions.
Best Value
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Is it legal or allowed to use a VPN with Crunchyroll?
There is no universal legal answer for every country. VPN use is legal in many places, while some jurisdictions restrict or regulate VPN services. A VPN does not remove copyright or licensing restrictions, and users remain responsible for following local law, Crunchyroll’s current terms and the VPN provider’s terms. ExpressVPN’s streaming guidance says its service must not be used to violate copyright law or circumvent geographic restrictions imposed by content providers. Check the rules that apply where you live; do not assume Crunchyroll endorses VPN use for changing catalog access.
Does a VPN replace Crunchyroll Premium?
No. A VPN does not provide a Crunchyroll subscription or replace subscription benefits. Crunchyroll’s Premium page lists paid tiers and notes that benefits can vary by tier and region. Prices and trial terms change; check the current offer for your country before subscribing.
Alternatives if the VPN does not help
- Watch through the official Crunchyroll app or website in your current region and check the title’s availability there.
- If an account-region or title listing seems wrong, contact Crunchyroll support rather than attempting to change account region with a VPN.
- If a hotel, school or workplace Wi-Fi network blocks streaming, check its acceptable-use rules. Mobile data may be an option if your plan, local rules and signal allow it.
- For a TV or console without VPN app support, check compatible streaming devices or router options before purchasing a VPN plan.
Recommendations in this article are based on current provider information and general independent VPN coverage, not hands-on, title-by-title Crunchyroll testing. Server access and streaming behavior can change by country, device, title and date. Verify the current plan details and test your own setup within any applicable refund window.
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