VPNs are primarily designed to improve your online privacy. By encrypting your traffic, they prevent it from being read by your employer, Internet Service Provider (ISP), or government and allow you to browse the internet anonymously.

They have another benefit, though: VPNs can route your traffic through servers in other countries. This automatically provides you with a new, country-specific IP address. Since your IP address is what most geo-restricted platforms rely on to find your location, you can use a VPN to access services that would normally be unavailable abroad. So you can still stream your favorite Irish content and access important online services like banking from abroad by using an Ireland IP address

How to get an Irish IP address with a VPN

Getting an IP address from Ireland is extremely simple with a VPN; just follow the steps below.

Here’s how to get an Irish IP address from anywhere using a VPN:

  • Begin by signing up for a suitable VPN service (we recommend NordVPN).
  • Download and install the app. There are usually several different versions, so make sure to get the right one for your device.
  • Connect to one of your VPN’s servers in Ireland.
  • Try accessing a geo-blocked site. It should load instantly, although you might have to clear your cache and cookies before reloading the page.

There’s loads of detail below on each of the providers, but should you be short on time, here’s our summarized list of the best VPNs to get an Irish IP address:

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

  • NordVPN: Our top choice for obtaining an Ireland IP address. This veteran provider has been growing its server list for over a decade to over 5,000. Fast and secure. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Surfshark: Best budget pick. Boasts fast speeds, a global network of servers, and unlimited connections.
  • ExpressVPN: Superfast servers dotted around the globe that are great for streaming in HD and downloading. Apps are secure and connections are private.
  • CyberGhost: The most beginner-friendly apps and impressive streaming speeds. Well priced, secure and private.
  • IPVanish: Most popular among Kodi users that use a remote to surf streaming sites. Secure apps. Lets you connect all of your devices.
  • PrivateVPN: Has fewer servers than others on this list but makes up for it with speedy connections and solid unblocking capabilities.

If you’d like to watch live content, it’s important to test your VPN with the steps above beforehand. This way, if anything doesn’t work as expected, you’ll have time to get help from your VPN’s customer support team and you’re less likely to miss any portion of your show.

Having more options is rarely a bad thing, but it does make choosing the best VPN for a given task particularly challenging. To simplify matters, when looking for the best VPNs for getting an Irish IP address, we only considered services which met all of the criteria listed below:

  • Has at least one Irish server, preferably multiple
  • Offers reliable connections and speeds high enough for HD streaming
  • Uses effectively uncrackable encryption and includes various other security features
  • Has apps for all of the most widely-used operating systems
  • Does not log any personally identifiable information

The best VPN to get an Irish IP address – at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for getting an Irish IP.

What’s the Best VPNs to get an Irish IP address?

Here is our full rundown of the best VPNs to get an IP address for Ireland:

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

This VPN includes a wide range of security features. There’s 256-bit encryption, protection against DNS, IPv6, WebRTC, and port forwarding leaks, and a program-specific kill switch (in every version except Android). Users can also access Tor over a VPN or send traffic through two VPN servers for double protection. NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy so your privacy is in good hands. Need help? You can contact support 24/7 over live chat.

NordVPN apps are available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android. It has to be manually installed on supported internet routers.

BEST IRELAND VPN:NordVPN is our top pick. It boasts customizable security, high speeds, and the ability to unblock numerous popular sites at a very reasonable price. It includes a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Operates over 5,000 servers including 50 in Ireland
  • Privacy-focused
  • Has the largest network of any major VPN
  • Fast, consistent connections
  • Inexpensive
  • 24/7 live-chat support

Cons:

  • Takes slightly longer to connect to certain servers

Our score:

Here’s our full review of NordVPN.

2. Surfshark

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Security is a strong feature of this VPN. You get military-grade encryption, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and a kill switch. Extras include automatic wifi protection, split tunneling, and VPN obfuscation. No logs are maintained whatsoever.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android, and you can configure Surfshark with select home routers. There’s no limit on concurrent connections.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is a solid budget choice. It’s great for streaming, keeps no logs, and allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices. Payments are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Great for streaming

  • Unlimited connections

  • Doesn’t keep logs

  • Around-the-clock support

  • Apps available for all major operating systems

  • Support could be refined

Read our full Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

It offers 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch (desktop versions only), to guarantee your privacy at all times. Further, ExpressVPN does not log any information that could identify you. For added anonymity, users can choose to pay with Bitcoin. Customer support is available via 24/7 live chat in case you run into any problems.

This VPN has apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It offers custom router firmware to simplify the process of protecting all of your devices simultaneously.

GREAT ALL-ROUNDER:ExpressVPN is a versatile VPN. It’s fast, reliable, security-conscious, and able to unblock a huge array of geo-locked services abroad. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Operates fast and reliable servers in Ireland

  • High speeds

  • Powerful security measures

  • Strong unblocking capability

  • Large server network

  • Slightly more expensive than other rivals on this list

Read our review of ExpressVPN.

4. CyberGhost

Website: www.Cyberghost.com

Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS

CyberGhost has more than 7,000 servers across 91 countries, and 60 in Ireland alone. It’s fast enough to stream live HD video without interruption, and its server list even tells you which platforms each can unblock so there’s no guesswork involved. This service permits up to seven simultaneous connections too, meaning you can protect most, if not all, of your devices with a single account.

CyberGhost is extremely user-friendly but this doesn’t mean it lacks in the security department. It features 256-bit encryption, an always-on kill switch (on every platform), and IPv6 and DNS leak protection, as well as automatic ad-blocking and malware-scanning. This VPN doesn’t log any personally identifiable information so you don’t have to worry about your activities being traced back to you, although you can pay with Bitcoin for added peace of mind. Should you have any problems, live chat is available 24/7.

CyberGhost offers apps for Linux, MacOS, iOS, Windows, and Android devices. It also works with select network routers but must be configured manually.

BEGINNER-FRIENDLY VPN:CyberGhost is a strong, low-cost service with high speeds, a suite of security options, and a low price tag. It includes a 45-day money-back guarantee.

  • Operates 60 servers in Ireland with exceptionally high speeds

  • Very easy to use

  • Fast speeds

  • Strong security

  • Good unblocking ability

  • Few advanced configuration options

Here’s our in-depth CyberGhost review.

5. IPVanish

Website: www.IPVanish.com

IPVanish offers access to more than 1,900 servers covering over 75 locations worldwide, including Ireland. With its high speeds, lightweight apps, and reasonable unblocking ability, IPVanish is great for those looking to browse and stream on-the-go. Further, no connection limit, it gives you the freedom to protect all of your devices at once.

Considering its low price point, IPVanish actually includes a wide range of security features. There’s 256-bit encryption, for instance, as well as DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch (desktop apps only). This service also allows you to change your IP address at timed intervals, obfuscate OpenVPN traffic, and block local connections entirely. Best of all, IPVanish keeps no logs whatsoever. Support is on hand 24/7 via live chat.

FAST, VERSATILE VPN:IPVanish offers advanced security features, consistently high speeds, and the ability to protect every one of your devices. A 30-day money-back guarantee is included.

  • Lightweight apps are ideal for mobile devices

  • Unique security options

  • High speeds

  • Can’t unblock as many streaming services as some of its rivals

Read our full review of IPVanish.

6. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

PrivateVPN has fewer servers than its rivals (just 200 or so across 63 countries, and one in Ireland) but it provides far higher speeds. It’s also able to bypass regional restrictions on streaming services like Virgin Media One and TG4 with ease. PrivateVPN permits up to 10 connections at once, so it’s ideal for those looking to browse safely regardless of which device they’re using.

This service keeps you safe at all times with a combination of 256-bit AES encryption, WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy. You can sign up anonymously by paying with Bitcoin and using a disposable email address. Although PrivateVPN doesn’t offer support over live chat, its staff are able to install or configure the software for you remotely, if you’d like.

PrivateVPN offers Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS apps. It works with Linux and select network routers but must be configured manually first.

STREAM AND BROWSE SAFELY:PrivateVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested and takes your privacy seriously. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Faster than average speeds

  • No-logging policy

  • Anonymous registration possible

  • Smaller network than most

  • Live chat isn’t 24/7

Here’s our full review of PrivateVPN.

Can I get an Irish IP address with a free VPN?

You might be tempted to use a free VPN but we advise against it for several reasons. First, they almost never have enough servers to support all of their users. This leads to major network slowdowns, particularly noticeable when trying to stream: video pauses and buffers frequently, if it plays at all. Additionally, free VPNs are usually the first to be blocked by major streaming platforms, so the likelihood of you being able to watch anything is fairly slim.

Servers are expensive and maintaining an international network is even more so. Free VPNs don’t charge their users upfront, but they’ve found other ways to make money. You’ll find that the vast majority inject ads into the sites you visit, but this is nothing new for free services. Some don’t stop there, though, and use tracking cookies to harvest valuable user data which can be sold to advertisers at a later date, often without the user’s knowledge or explicit consent.

Perhaps most worryingly, it’s becoming difficult to even find a safe free VPN to use. We’ve seen major players sell user bandwidth to help run a botnet in the past, and when the industry giants don’t play fair, there’s little incentive for smaller companies to do so. In fact, recent research illustrates this: of 283 tested apps, almost 40% contained malware, over 80% leaked data over IPv6, and 18% never used any form of encryption at all.

We recommend using a reputable, well-established VPN with a track record of protecting its users’ privacy instead.

Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for an Irish IP address

While it’s true that any VPN with servers in Ireland can conceivably get you an Irish IP address, there are other things to consider if you want it to work reliably. For instance, how well does it hold up against Irish streaming platforms? To ensure we only recommend the best, most versatile VPNs, we created a list of key areas and laid out the minimum we expect in each:

  • Servers in Ireland: We looked for VPNs with lots of Irish servers, ideally with clusters in multiple cities. There are two reasons for this: it increases the chance that you’ll have one nearby (thereby lowering your latency), and spreads network load, leading to more consistent performance.
  • Speed: We regularly speed test leading VPNs to see which are the fastest. That’s why we can say with confidence that the services we recommend are quick enough for anything you have in mind (although your base connection has a part to play here too).
  • Streaming potential: If you’d like an Irish IP address specifically, you’re probably looking to watch TV. Our team pits VPNs against platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, RTE Player, and Disney+ to see which are the best for streaming abroad.
  • Security features: We want you to be able to browse safe from prying eyes, which is why all of our top VPNs offer 256-bit encryption, a no-logs policy, leak protection, and a kill switch. Of course, many provide even more advanced tools for you to use.
  • Usability: To make things as simple as possible, we only recommend VPNs that are easy enough for beginners to use. Further, we look for quality-of-life features like live chat, multi-platform support, and a lack of connection or bandwidth limits.
  • Pricing: Part of our testing involves comparing services to rivals that cost about the same amount. This makes it very obvious if one charges more than it’s worth. Not only are all of the VPNs above fairly priced, but we’ve included info about any available discounts and money-back guarantees they might offer.

Seems like a fairly in-depth set of tests, right? This is actually just the beginning! Why not read the full post explaining how we test VPNs at Comparitech.

Internet restrictions in Ireland

There are only a handful of blocked websites in Ireland. In 2010, Irish ISPs began restricting access to the most widely-used torrent and file-sharing sites. There’s currently a three-strikes policy in effect with users suspected of downloading copyrighted material facing suspension or even termination of their internet service.

The effectiveness of this kind of blanket blocking is questionable, however. VPNs make it trivially simple to bypass government- or ISP-imposed firewalls. They also ensure that the user’s real IP address is hidden and as such, that they cannot be identified when torrenting, rendering the three-strikes policy all but useless.

However, you should note that sometimes, platforms restrict access in other ways. For example, you might be required to provide an Irish payment method during the registration process. If you usually live in Ireland, you can still sign up to these services from abroad, but otherwise, they’re almost impossible to access unless they allow you to pay in gift cards or cryptocurrency.

When out and about in a foreign country, you’re essentially at the mercy of public wifi. These hotspots are convenient but may well be monitored and possibly restrict access to certain types of content. By using a VPN, you can not only bypass these restrictions and browse freely, but you also prevent any snoopers, such as malicious hackers, from tracking your activities.

Note: although we’ve done plenty of research on this topic, we are tech experts, not lawyers. Nothing we’ve said above should be taken as legal advice.