Published on: January 25, 2025 Updated 2 times since publishing
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : Has servers in Italy and nearby countries and maintains the fastest speeds on the market. Comes with advanced security features, user-friendly apps, excellent streaming support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee (for first-time users).
The best VPNs for Italy secure your browsing, streaming, and other online activities while maintaining fast connections. They encrypt your data and hide your IP address from your internet service provider and the government, providing added anonymity as you use the internet.
After testing dozens of VPNs, I found that ExpressVPN is the best choice for Italy. It offers fast servers in Italy for accessing local services, has servers in all neighboring countries, includes top-notch security features, provides apps for all major devices, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs for Italy
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Italy
Basic 12-Months plan: $3.99 / month
1-month plan: $12.99 / month
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN in Italy — it has 3 server locations in the country, including Milan, Naples, and Cosenza. This means you can easily find the closest server for the best possible speeds.
It’s hard to match ExpressVPN when it comes to security — it has strong features like Threat Manager, ShuffleIP, and ExpressVPN Keys. Threat Manager blocks connections to malicious websites and stops trackers from collecting your data, while ShuffleIP makes sure you use a different IP address every time you connect to a new website and makes it nearly impossible for your internet activity to be traced back to you. ExpressVPN Keys securely stores your logins, lets you quickly generate secure passwords, and auto-fills login fields.
This VPN is excellent for streaming from Italy. It works with 100+ streaming sites, including international sites like Netflix, Disney+, Max, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as Italian-based services such as Canale 5, Rai 2, and Witty TV.
I really like how the Lightway protocol resists network changes and maintains your connection when switching between networks. For example, your VPN connection won’t drop if you switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, ensuring that your data is never exposed.
ExpressVPN’s apps are user-friendly. It divides servers into regions, so it’s pretty easy to find and connect to an Italian server. You can also mark a server as a favorite for quick access. I also really like the Shortcuts feature, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for your favorite app or site (like RaiPlay) that show up on your screen after you connect to a server.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is my top pick for Italy. Its servers in Milan, Naples, and Cosenza provide fast and stable connections, and you get advanced security features, like Threat Manager, ShuffleIP, and ExpressVPN Keys. It works flawlessly with Italian streaming platforms like Rai 2 and Witty TV.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Torrenting in Italy
6-month plan: $7.50 / month
1-month plan: $11.95 / month
Private Internet Access (PIA) is an excellent choice for torrenting in Italy — it supports P2P traffic on all of its servers in 50 countries, including Italy. It also works with all popular torrent clients, such as qBittorrent, μTorrent, and Deluge.
I particularly like PIA’s extra P2P features — it offers port forwarding, so you can connect with more peers and download files faster. It also provides SOCKS5 proxy servers, which provide good torrenting speeds since they don’t encrypt your traffic and only mask your IP address.
PIA is great for streaming, too. It works with streaming sites like Netflix Italy, as well as international sites like DAZN. It also has an optimized streaming server in Italy that’s compatible with nearly every streaming app available in the country. That said, I prefer ExpressVPN, as it works with 100+ streaming sites.
I was impressed with MACE (the best VPN ad blocker on the market), which blocks ads, ad trackers, and malicious websites. During my tests, it always got rid of ads on web pages like Corriere della Sera, which made them load much faster.
I like how customizable PIA’s apps are — you can adjust the settings to boost your speeds. For example, switching to the slightly less secure 126-AES encryption can help you get faster connections on slow networks, like public Wi-Fi, making streaming or gaming much smoother. I’m also a big fan of its Advanced Kill Switch, which allows you to choose which apps shut down if the VPN connection drops (this way, you don’t accidentally end up on any unprotected torrenting sites).
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is a great pick for Italy, especially for torrenting. It supports torrenting on all its servers and offers port forwarding and SOCKS5 for faster P2P speeds. It provides really good streaming support and works with lots of streaming sites, including Italian and international. Additionally, PIA’s MACE feature effectively blocks ads and trackers, speeding up web page load times.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Dedicated Servers for Italian Streaming Platforms
6-month plan: $6.99 / month
1-month plan: $12.99 / month
CyberGhost VPN is great for streaming in Italy — it has 7 specialized streaming servers that work with top streaming sites from Italy, like Netflix Italy, Rai Play, Dazn, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. These servers are checked frequently to make sure they work.
As for torrenting, CyberGhost supports P2P traffic on its Italian servers in Milan and Rome, but it doesn’t have features like port forwarding and a SOCKS5 proxy server like Private Internet Access.
CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs for gaming — it comes with dedicated gaming servers in the US, UK, France, and Germany optimized to deliver the lowest ping possible, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted online gaming sessions.
I was impressed with CyberGhost’s Smart Rules feature, which lets you automate your connections. For example, you can configure the VPN to automatically connect you to an Italian server when you open an app or set it to open an app when you connect to a server. There’s also an auto-connect feature that kicks in when the VPN detects an unsafe network, which is handy if you often use public Wi-Fi in Italy.
I also like the Content Blocker feature — it blocks ads, trackers, and access to malicious sites. That said, it stopped fewer ads than PIA MACE during my tests.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN is another great pick for Italy, especially for streaming. It offers 7 specialized servers for top Italian services like Netflix Italy and Rai Play, along with local servers in Milan and Rome. On top of that, Its Smart Rules feature automates your connections for ease of use.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
4. NordVPN — Good Malware Protection for Safe Downloads
Plus 24-month plan: $3.59 / month
Complete 24-month plan: $3.99 / month
Prime 24-month plan: $6.99 / month
NordVPN has great features to protect your privacy in Italy. Its Threat Protection Pro feature blocks ads, trackers, and phishing websites, and it also scans any files you download and inspects them for malware. It blocks dangerous downloads before the files have a chance to infect your device.
NordVPN has 3 server locations in Italy, including Milan, Rome, and Palermo — allowing you to access local Italian streaming services like RaiPlay and Canale 5 without any issues. Still, I prefer ExpressVPN, as it works with 100+ streaming platforms.
What I found impressive was the Meshnet feature — it allows you to create a private, secure network for up to 60 devices, no matter where they are. With Meshnet, you can link your devices to share files securely, game with friends on a virtual LAN, or even access files remotely as if you were in the same location.
NordVPN also comes with decent torrenting support — it supports P2P traffic on most of its servers and includes SOCKS5 proxies for faster download speeds.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN is a good choice for privacy in Italy. It has advanced security and privacy features, such as Threat Protection Pro (scans the files you download for malware) and Meshnet. It also provides decent torrenting support with P2P-friendly servers and SOCKS5 proxies for faster downloads.
5. Surfshark — Great VPN for Beginners
One 24-month plan: $2.49 / month
One+ 24-month plan: $4.19 / month
Surfshark is great for VPN beginners in Italy — all of its settings and features come with helpful explanations. Its apps are very easy to install and navigate and also include a quick-connect feature that connects you to the fastest server in your location or the fastest server in a nearby country with 1 click. I also like how you can customize this feature to connect to a specific server location, like your favorite Italian server location.
The provider works with top streaming sites, including those in Italy. What’s more, Surfshark has good torrenting support, allowing P2P traffic on all servers in its 100-country network. That said, I’d still prefer Private Internet Access for torrenting, as it has features that Surfshark lacks, such as SOCKS5 proxy servers and port forwarding.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is excellent for beginners because of its user-friendly interface. It also has good streaming and torrenting support and is affordable.
Read the full Surfshark review
Editor's Note: Intego ONE, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.
Quick Comparison Table
Editor's Note: Intego ONE, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
When choosing the best VPNs for Italy, I applied our proven testing methodology. I tested and checked them for their server network in Italy, security, streaming support, and more. Here are the criteria I used in greater detail:
- I checked for server networks in Italy. Each VPN on my list has servers in Italy, which helps maintain fast, reliable access to local sites and services. The VPNs also have a good global server network to connect you to content in other regions.
- I ensured ease of use. I tested all the VPNs on popular devices like Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. I also looked for user-friendly apps that are easy to navigate, even for beginners.
- I looked for strong security features. All the VPNs on my list include essential security tools like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch to prevent data leaks if the VPN disconnects, and a strict no-logs policy.
- I considered streaming support. The VPNs on this list work with popular Italian streaming services like RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity, and international ones like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.
- I made sure the VPNs provide a good value. The VPNs I recommend have affordable pricing, support multiple device connections at the same time, and offer a trustworthy money-back guarantee, so you can try the service risk-free.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Mullvad VPN. Mullvad comes with user-friendly apps and strong privacy features. That said, it doesn’t work with a lot of streaming services.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is great for beginners and has good security and privacy features. However, it’s not as fast as the VPNs I recommend, and it doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee.
- Astrill VPN. The VPN provides strong security features and excellent streaming support. However, it’s more expensive than the other VPNs listed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best VPN for Italy?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Italy. It offers top-notch security features, has 3 server locations in Italy, and provides fast and reliable connections for bufferless streaming. Its user-friendly apps are compatible with all major devices, making it a great choice for both beginners and experienced users.
Which VPN has servers in Italy?
All the VPNs on my list have servers in Italy. Having local servers means you can enjoy Italian websites and services with better speeds and reliability. A VPN with servers in Italy also helps reduce latency and improves connection quality when you’re within the country.
Are VPNs legal in Italy?
Yes, using a VPN is legal in Italy. You can use a VPN to enhance your online privacy and secure your data on public Wi-Fi. While VPNs are legal, engaging in illegal activities online is still against the law, even when using a VPN. Always ensure you comply with local regulations when browsing the internet.
My favorite VPN for Italy is ExpressVPN — it works seamlessly with both international and local streaming services in Italy, is great for torrenting, and offers top-notch security.
Can I use a free VPN in Italy?
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. Free VPNs often come with limitations like data caps, fewer server options (many don’t include access to the Italian servers), and slower speeds, which can lead to a frustrating online experience. More concerning is that some free VPNs have been known to compromise user privacy by logging and selling data to third parties.
To keep your information secure, it’s better to use a reliable premium VPN, like one of the VPNs on my list. They offer advanced security features, fast connections, and a trustworthy money-back guarantee, so you can try them risk-free.
Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
