Best VPN for Italy in 2020
This article investigates what the best VPNs to use for Italy are while also investigating further why internet access is sometimes limited in Italy and why exactly and more specifically, why a VPN helps workaround those limitations.
For the fastest connection anywhere in Europe and access to all the content you want the best VPN possible, NordVPN is one of our top recommendations.
Top 3 VPNs for Italy
Knowing how a VPN helps users in Italy is all very well, but there are so many VPN providers these days on the market. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know which VPNs are worth your money. Here are a few of the most popular ones on the web, and how they compare for speed, security, and accessibility in Italy.
#1 Choice: NordVPN
One of the best reasons to use NordVPN is that you will never be stuck for a great server. This is because NordVPN has more than 5,500 servers all over the world in 59 countries. On top of that, it allows those servers to be specially categorized for things like streaming, torrenting, and extra security.
You can enjoy as many as six simultaneous connections with one NordVPN subscription as well as make use of the Quick Connect button which will start up the NordVPN algorithm to find you the best and fastest server for whatever you’re doing.
If you’re particular when it comes to security you can always rely on the dedicated IP servers “which can only be used by you and will not be shared with any other NordVPN users.”
Having jurisdiction in Panama means that you will always remain anonymous as Panama is a country without any data retention laws. This is something that is detailed in the NordVPN privacy policy.
“We do not store connection time stamps, session information, used bandwidth, traffic logs, IP addresses or other data. From the moment a NordVPN.com user turns on the NordVPN.com software, their internet data becomes encrypted. Any online traffic coming from their user’s device is no longer visible to ISP, third-party snoopers or cybercriminals.”
When it comes to security, NordVPN offers DNS leak protection, LAN invisibility settings, auto-connect, military-grade encryption, Onion over VPN servers, the ability to switch between OpenVPN, TCP and UDP protocols, as well as special obfuscated servers.
Want to read more about NordVPN? Check out our in-depth expert review here.
#2 ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is definitely one of the industry leaders for VPNs, and for good reason. Their connection speed is unparalleled, making them great for things that demand a fast connection, like online gaming and streaming. We also like it for these reasons:
- Guaranteed Connections – ExpressVPN is incredibly reliable, so your information is never left exposed because of a drop from the server. It also means that should you be watching a film or TV show, you won’t experience any buffering plus, you can be sure that you will be able to connect to a server.
- Market Leading Customer Service – Where ExpressVPN really shines is their customer support. They have staff available 24/7 to answer your questions via live chat and email. The service is exceptionally prompt with the average email response times less than 20 minutes. So even if you are traveling in Italy and away from home, you know you can get a VPN connection quickly even if you have come across a problem.
- Money Back Guarantee On top of that, ExpressVPN guarantees their service with a no-questions-asked 30 day money back guarantee, so you never have to worry about haggling for a refund. They even have an awesome referral program that gives you and a friend a month of free service when you get them to sign up.
- Unlimited Bandwidth – As far as their plans go, you get completely unlimited bandwidth and a number of simultaneous connections with all of them, so you can protect both a home and mobile device for no additional charge. Having unlimited bandwidth is a must so that you never have to worry about your VPN connection cutting out when in Italy.
- Multi Platform Compatibility – ExpressVPN’s software is compatible with all major operating systems, and is super easy to use. So whatever device or system you use when in Italy, you can ensure that your connection is secure with this provider’s VPN.
Plus, with military-grade encryption, your data is always private, and always secure. If you want fast connections that are secure, ExpressVPN is the provider to use.
Read our full ExpressVPN review now.
#3 CyberGhost
CyberGhost makes the second spot in our top VPNs for Italy for a number of reasons, one of which is the impressive server range, offering more than 5,600 servers around the globe. It is compatible with all major platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, as well as your router. An excellent feature from this service provider is that you can piggyback your CyberGhost connection from any other device that is running the app.
Another excellent aspect of CyberGhost is its location. Having jurisdiction in Romania, a country that has rendered its laws unconstitutional means that data retention laws are not valid there. Your privacy is of great importance to CyberGhost, which is something highlighted in their logging policy.
“CyberGhost VPN neither observes nor records content like messenger chats, telephone calls, video chats, or other communication forms, nor stores IP addresses (not the ones the users are heading to, and not the ones users have, when logging into the CyberGhost VPN network). Furthermore, it’s not possible to record, which account logged into which server at what time or to connect a real person to a certain CyberGhost VPN account.”
Just like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost has an online chat platform that is simple to use and will ensure you get the help you need instantly. Other ways to get assistance include a detailed FAQ section, knowledgebase, troubleshooter and email.
CyberGhost also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee which is more than its competitors offer. There are also no hoops to jump through in order to get your money returned. Just contact support and your funds will be reimbursed with no questions asked.
CyberGhost comes in at a close second for the best VPN for Safari due to the following:
- Strict No Logs Policy
- High speeds
- Automatic Kill Switch
- Simultaneous connections on up to 7 devices
- Easy to use
- 256-bit AES Encryption
- Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
- OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec and PPTP protocols
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Routers
Want to find out more? Check out the full review here
Why Is My Access Limited In Italy?
Internet use in Italy is some of the strictest and least available in all of Europe, though, granted it is not as strict as places like Saudi Arabia or Dubai.
For instance, the country has strict bans on gambling sites that are not licensed in the country. Ultimately, this is a decision made by the government. In part this is motivated by money and taxes, and in part motivated by wanting to stop making gambling too easily available to citizens.
Another internet limitation was implemented in Italy in 2007, with the OpenNet Initiative which determined that access to 7,000 websites was filtered. On top of that, only 32% of internet users in Italy have access to Wi-Fi, thanks to the country’s strict limitations on establishing public networks. While this does have its upsides, as it stops hackers from making use of public networks to hack into someone’s device, it is quite frustrating for native Italians or visitors.
So for those living in Italy or planning on visiting, one of the simplest and most effective ways around these limitations and restrictions, is using a VPN. We look at the legality of this below, but VPNs are definitely a method of unblocking the majority of content on the internet and preventing government surveillance from spying on your activity.
How Will A VPN Help You In Italy?
VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are like secret tunnels in the internet. It’s a paid subscription service that gives you privacy and a secure connection while opening up your access to blocked content, regardless of your geographic location. Here’s how it works:
- You sign up for a service plan through a company.
- Once you download the software, you select a server location and connect.
- Your IP address is masked, and you’re given an IP address for the country of the server you’ve chosen, circumventing content blocks entirely.
- Your data is encrypted, so even if it is intercepted, it’s completely secure and private.
VPNs are extremely good at what they do and are handy for getting around content restrictions as well as protecting your data on unsecured networks.
In short, connecting to a VPN provider’s servers makes a user based in Italy, look like he or she is elsewhere so that they can access content that is blocked for geographical reasons.
Privacy Laws and Regulations
Given that Italy has strong restrictions when it comes to internet usage, especially when compared to other European countries, it is good to question what are the regulations and laws regarding VPNs in that country. More specifically, it is good to question what the laws and regulations are when using a VPN to bypass those very restrictions and limitations.
The answer is that VPNs are legal to have on your computer or device in Italy. However, what a VPN subscriber uses it for is what causes a bit more confusion. In short, if a VPN subscriber uses a VPN to access sites that are deemed illegal by the Italian government, then that subscriber is subject to the laws and punishments of that action should they be caught. The same is the case if they use a VPN to hide their identity for illegal cyber activity.
It is also worth noting here that Italy has a more stringent approach to monitoring its citizens’ online usage. In 2006, Italy made the EU’s 2006 data retention directive into law. This means that Italian internet service providers are required by law to record and archive customer information. This includes IP addresses, billing information, and websites that users visit as well as the recipients of emails.
Streaming Italian Services Abroad
VPNs work whatever country you are in, so if you are an Italian who is abroad, you can also use your VPN to access content that is only accessible in Italy. This means that if you subscribe to video content libraries like Netflix, from an Italian account, you can still view all your favorite films and TV shows whenever you travel overseas.
Italian Netflix is available here.
The Bottom Line
Italy is something of an anomaly when it comes to access and restriction in Europe. Their tight regulation of public networks has limited their population severely in regards to wireless access. Plus, it’s clear that more legislation is in the works to impose further content filtering and surveillance.
Though these measures may seem restrictive, ExpressVPN is a simple and effective way around them. By routing your connection through a secure server in another country, you can bypass content blocks entirely. State of the art encryption keeps your data safe from hackers, and IP address blocking makes you untraceable by snooping government agencies.
Ultimately, to take back your privacy and access blocked content in Italy, use NordVPN.