Published on: June 30, 2021 Updated 7 times since publishing
3 Steps (Quick + Easy) to Getting a US IP Address in 2026:
- Pick a VPN. Choose a secure VPN that has at least 1 US server. My top pick is ExpressVPN — it has servers in 20+ US cities, it provides very fast speeds, works with US sites, and has excellent security and privacy features.
- Install the VPN. It usually only takes 1–2 minutes to download and install the VPN (you just have to follow the installation wizard). If you want to use the VPN on more than 1 device, check how many simultaneous connections the VPN allows — ExpressVPN, my number 1 pick, allows 14 connections.
- Connect to a US server. In the VPN app, find the list of server locations. Scroll down the list and select a US server. That’s it! Now you can enjoy the internet as if you were browsing in the US.
The best way to get a US IP address is to use a VPN, an online service that lets you connect to different servers around the world. Once you connect to a VPN server, it replaces your IP address with a new IP address from the country the server is in (like the US). You can then start surfing the web as if you were actually located in the US.
What’s more, VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, which means they make it completely unreadable (so hackers can’t spy on it). Also, VPNs are affordable, easy to use, and legal.
I tested all of the top VPNs on the market and got a US IP address from each of my top 3 VPNs. ExpressVPN is my top pick due to its vast server network, advanced security, and blazing-fast speeds, but the other options I recommend are also pretty good. Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Best VPNs for Getting a US IP Address in 2026
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Getting a US IP Address
Basic 12-Months plan: $3.99 / month
1-month plan: $12.99 / month
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for getting a US IP address — it has servers located in 20+ locations throughout the US, it has the best security, best speeds, and best overall performance on the market. It’s ranked #1 on our list of the best VPNs in 2026, it’s an excellent streaming VPN, and it’s great for torrenting.
ExpressVPN also provided me with the fastest speeds on this list — all websites loaded instantly (even ad-heavy websites), HD and 4K videos didn’t buffer, my Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls never dropped or froze, and I downloaded 50 GB files in 20 minutes, which is very fast.
I also love how simple ExpressVPN makes it to get a US IP address — it’s very easy to install its apps (it only took me 1–2 minutes to do it on my Android and Windows devices) and the intuitive design helps you find US servers very fast (I usually connected to a US server in 2–3 seconds). I’m also a big fan of ExpressVPN’s Shortcuts feature, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites that show up on your screen after you connect to a VPN server.
In terms of security, ExpressVPN has industry-leading security tools to keep your data safe and secure. I really like that ExpressVPN’s strict no-logs policy has been independently audited and verified — it makes it very easy to trust this VPN with your privacy.
Also, ExpressVPN comes with advanced security features like RAM-only servers (meaning every server reset wipes all data), perfect forward secrecy (a feature that changes your encryption key for each VPN connection so that hackers can’t compromise past or future encryption keys to spy on your traffic), and full leak protection.
Another great feature is ExpressVPN’s ad blocker, which does an excellent job blocking annoying ads. I also like its Threat Manager, which blocks ad trackers and prevents you from visiting sites that contain malware.
I’m also happy that ExpressVPN offers split-tunneling, a feature that lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which apps use your local network. I successfully used the split-tunneling tool to surf US sites with ExpressVPN and access my bank’s site using my local network (most bank sites block VPN connections).
Read our full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. NordVPN — Reliable & Secure VPN for Getting a US IP Address
Plus 24-month plan: $3.59 / month
Complete 24-month plan: $3.99 / month
Prime 24-month plan: $6.99 / month
NordVPN has an extensive network in the US, with 1,900+ servers to choose from (in 15+ US cities) — it’s easy to find a US server, it includes robust security features, and it maintains very fast speeds. This makes it perfect for browsing, downloading, and online gaming with a US IP address.
NordVPN offers advanced security features to protect your online privacy, including RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, full leak protection, and a no-logs policy that’s been independently audited and confirmed. I also really like its Threat Protection feature, which blocks ads and trackers and prevents you from visiting malicious websites and downloading malicious files (though some malware test files slipped through in my tests) — it’s one of the best ad blockers on the market.
When it comes to speeds, NordVPN is right up there near the top of the list. Its proprietary Nordlynx protocol, based on the WireGuard protocol, provides faster speeds than traditional VPN protocols (and has excellent security). In my tests, I never experienced long load times for browsing or watching videos, and my files downloaded very fast — a 50 GB file took about 26 minutes. While NordVPN isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN, I still found its speeds really impressive.
I’m a big fan of how easy it is to navigate throughout NordVPN’s apps. The quickest way to always connect to a US server is to set up a custom connection under settings — I set it up to automatically connect to a US server when I open the NordVPN app.
It also has a number of excellent extra features. My favorite one is split-tunneling, which is available on Android and Windows (although I wish NordVPN had it for Macs like ExpressVPN). In addition to letting you choose which apps aren’t routed through the VPN, NordVPN has inverse split-tunneling, which allows you to choose which apps only travel through the VPN — this saves you a lot of time.
🥉3. Surfshark — Allows Unlimited Connections
One 24-month plan: $2.49 / month
One+ 24-month plan: $4.19 / month
Surfshark is one of few VPNs that allows unlimited connections — this means one subscription lets you connect as many devices as you own, making it a convenient and cost-efficient option for large families or couples with tons of devices. Additionally, the VPN is compatible with various operating systems and devices, making it easy to use on multiple platforms.
And I love how Surfshark has over 600 servers located in more than 25 locations across the United States, which gives you a wide range of options to choose from when getting a US IP address. This is especially useful for when you’re traveling around the US, as the geographic spread of US servers means you can always find one close to your location and enjoy the best VPN speeds.
In my speed tests, Surfshark maintained fast speeds, but it failed to measure up to ExpressVPN or NordVPN. While I had similar speeds as the other two competitors on local servers, I experienced some significant slowdowns on very distant servers. However, as long as you don’t need to connect to a US server from halfway around the world, you will be fine.
Surfshark provides good streaming support and supports P2P downloads across most of its US servers.
Surfshark offers a wide range of security features, such as RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and DNS leak protection (but it’s missing WebRTC and IPv6 leak protection). You also get useful extras like a really good ad-blocker (called CleanWeb) and IP Rotator, which automatically changes your IP address without changing server locations (providing you with more privacy).
Read our full Surfshark review
Quick Comparison Table
How to Choose the Best VPN for Getting a US IP Address
- Look for servers in the US. To provide you with a US IP address, a VPN needs to have at least 1 server in the US. ExpressVPN, my top pick, has 20+ US server locations.
- Choose a VPN with strong security. All the VPNs I recommend come with industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a no-logs policy (to prevent the VPN from logging your traffic and IP address), a kill switch (disables online access if the VPN connection drops to prevent data leaks), and protection against IPv6, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.
- Assess the VPN’s bandwidth speed. All VPNs reduce your connection speed due to encryption, but the best ones minimize this loss. The VPNs on my list offer satisfactory speeds for activities like browsing, torrenting, and gaming.
- Consider streaming and torrenting support. A good VPN will work with many popular streaming sites. Also, all the VPNs I recommend allow torrenting on their US servers.
- Opt for a VPN that’s easy to use. I only recommend VPNs that have apps for all major platforms that don’t take more than 1–2 minutes to install. Their apps are also very intuitive, so it’s really simple to find and connect to US servers.
- Choose a VPN that offers good value. The top contenders provide additional perks, multiple device connectivity (like ExpressVPN‘s 14 devices and Surfshark‘s unlimited devices), affordability, and have a generous refund policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best VPN for getting a US IP address?
My favorite VPN for getting a US IP address in 2026 is ExpressVPN — it works with US sites like Netflix US and Amazon Prime US, provides blazing-fast speeds, is easy to use, and has excellent security and privacy features.
Can I get a US IP address with a free VPN?
Yes, but most of them aren’t very good. While many free VPNs can get you a US IP address, they all come with some limitations, including a cap on your daily or monthly data, no streaming or torrenting support, and you only get 1 connection.
To get a US IP address and access to streaming and torrenting support and multiple simultaneous connections, I recommend getting a low-cost premium VPN like the ones on this list.
Can I watch Netflix with a US IP address?
Yes, you can access Netflix with a US IP address without any issues. My favorite VPN for Netflix is ExpressVPN — it has super-fast speeds for streaming and reliably works with the streaming service.
Can I torrent with a US IP address?
Yes, you can use a US IP while torrenting to enjoy more privacy — the best way to do that is to use a VPN that has US servers and is good for torrenting. I recommend ExpressVPN because it allows torrenting, works with top P2P apps like Vuze and Deluge, and has very fast download speeds.
Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
