Whether you’re a Portuguese expat or traveler, using a VPN to get an IP address in Portugal makes accessing a Banco de Portugal account or streaming the RTP1 TV channel painless. You don’t even need to be Portuguese to do it – anyone using a virtual private network (VPN) with servers in Portugal can create a secure tunnel and safely access otherwise geo-restricted online services.
The best VPN to get an IP address in Portugal
We’ll get into more detail about each provider later in this article. In the meantime, here’s a rundown of our top choices.
Best VPNs to get a Portuguese IP address:
- ExpressVPN – Our recommended VPN for getting an IP address in Portugal. A huge network of RAM-only servers, market-leading security, and seamless access to streaming platforms. Comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN – Best budget VPN for IP addresses in Portugal. More than 20 RAM-only servers in Portugal and thousands more worldwide. Fast, secure connections and a regularly audited no-logs policy.
- Surfshark – Offers plenty of Portuguese IP addresses via RAM-only servers in Porto and Lisbon. Plans come with unlimited device connections and reliable access to national and international streaming platforms.
- Private Internet Access – Demonstrable commitment to privacy and great for torrenting. Has RAM-only servers in Portugal, open-source apps, and access to both multi-hop and obfuscated servers.
- PrivateVPN – Portuguese IP addresses available via a server in Lisbon. Good access to streaming services and great for torrenting. Knowledgeable customer support team with options for remote control assistance.
There are more than 100 different VPNs to choose from, so it’s not surprising that making a decision can seem difficult. To sort the good from the bad, we compare providers using specific criteria. These are outlined below, and expanded upon later in this article.
- Fast and reliable Portuguese servers
- Ability to access Portuguese TV and streaming libraries
- Robust privacy and security features
- Good value for money
- User-friendly apps
- Responsive customer support
How to get an IP address in Portugal from anywhere
Follow these simple steps to get a Portuguese IP address from anywhere:
- Choose a VPN that has servers in Portugal and an audited no-logs policy. We recommend ExpressVPN.
- Pick a subscription plan and sign up. Longer terms are usually cheaper.
- Download the relevant app for your device and install it.
- Restart your device once the installation is complete.
- Open the VPN app and choose « Portugal” from the list of available countries.
- Select a location within Portugal. The most common options are Lisbon and Porto. If possible, choose the one nearest you for optimum connection speeds.
- Click the « connect” button.
- Wait until the app tells you that a connection has been established.
- Enjoy using the internet with a Portuguese IP address and encrypted traffic.
Best VPNs for getting an IP address in Portugal
We’ll now explore our recommended providers in a little more detail, and find out what else they can do beyond providing Portuguese IP addresses.
ExpressVPN is one of the most secure providers for using an IP address in Portugal. It’s also one of the fastest and best for streaming. A 30-day money-back guarantee means you can try it risk-free. Yes 49% OFF With a strong reputation for both innovation and security, ExpressVPN is a solid choice for anyone who wants to safely access online services in Portugal. It has thousands of RAM-only servers worldwide and can provide IP addresses in 94+ countries. Connection speeds are fast, thanks to a proprietary open-source connection protocol. This has been independently audited to verify its security. Using it, subscribers can expect to be able to stream 4K content without buffering. ExpressVPN is notably good at accessing geo-restricted streaming content. It works with Netflix Portugal without issue, and can be used with the likes of Hulu and Amazon Prime, too. It can also help smart TVs access different streaming regions using the MediaStreamer tool. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire TV. There’s also an app specifically for routers, which will protect your entire home network. This only counts as one of your allotted five device connections, regardless of how many devices connect via the router. Internet traffic is secured using 256-bit AES channel strong encryption, in conjunction with 4096-bit DHE-RSA keys and SHA512 hash authentication. ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy that has been verified by multiple audits and tested in court cases. The provider has also had its apps audited to check for vulnerabilities. It even has its own site on the Tor network, so you can sign up completely anonymously. NordVPN has thousands of secure servers worldwide and hundreds of Portuguese IP addresses to choose from. It works great with streaming platforms in Portugal and elsewhere. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Yes 70% OFF 59% OFF NordVPN has a massive number of Portuguese IP addresses to choose from, with more than 20 servers in the country. It has a huge network of diskless servers overall, and very fast connection speeds to boot. Features include a proprietary connection protocol; one-click access to the Tor network; multi-hop servers; split-tunneling; and Meshnet – which is a tool used to create a secure private network of several devices. NordVPN also has obfuscated servers, which help ensure that it works in some of the most restrictive countries in the world – even China. The provider is able to reliably access region-locked content for Portugal from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. Its SmartPlay feature automatically spoofs your DNS location, making it harder for streaming platforms to block you. User-friendly apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and Android TV. The VPN can also be manually installed on compatible routers. Subscribers are allowed to connect up to six devices simultaneously. NordVPN protects internet traffic using 256-bit AES channel encryption, together with SHA384 authentication and a 3072-bit DHE-RSA key exchange. The provider’s no-logs policy has been audited multiple times – as have its apps. Surfshark provides access to Portuguese IP addresses, as well as offering static and rotating IP addresses. Excellent access to streaming service and unlimited device connections. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Yes 83% OFF 70% OFF Surfshark offers a combination of fast speeds, secure connections and wide-ranging access to streaming providers. It has plenty of options for IP addresses in Portugal – and can virtually place your device in the cities of either Lisbon or Porto. It can also spoof your device’s GPS coordinates. Features include an ad-blocker; obfuscated servers; a private ad-free search engine; a kill-switch; and access to static and rotating IP addresses. The provider works well with the Portugal libraries of major streaming platforms, and can help devices like smart TVs and games consoles get access too. Surfshark apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. The GUI is easy to navigate and consistent across platforms – including Linux. Audited browser extensions are available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Surfshark can also be installed on compatible routers. Internet traffic is protected using AES-256-GCM encryption, although ChaCha encryption is available for Android devices. Surfshark has an audited no-logs policy and its entire server network is RAM-only and completely controlled in-house. The provider resolves all DNS requests itself, and is free from DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. Private Internet Access has open-source apps and is strong on both privacy and security. Its servers in Portugal provide access to local IP addresses. Subscription plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Yes 83% OFF 82% OFF 38% OFF Private Internet Access is a great value VPN that provides demonstrably secure access to its servers in Portugal. It’s not the greatest for streaming, but it does work seamlessly with Portugal’s national TV channels RTP1 and SIC. Features include a SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks proxy; split-tunneling; a kill-switch in all apps; an ad-blocker; and the option to buy a dedicated IP address. There’s also a private browser for phones available; and access to multi-hop and obfuscated servers. Private Internet Access is a favorite among torrenters as it provides port forwarding. This allows users to connect to more peers in a torrent swarm and download files faster. Subscribers are permitted up to 10 simultaneous device connections, which is higher than average. Open-source apps with a full GUI are available for Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. There are also browser extensions available for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. Private Internet Access has a rigid no-logs policy that has been independently audited as well as tested in court. This is just as well, given that the company is located in a country – the US – whose government is known for strong-arming organizations into providing assistance with domestic spying. While connected to Private Internet Access, users’ internet traffic is protected using 128-bit AES-GCM by default. This can be increased to 256-bit, though using 128-bit provides a faster connection. All Private Internet Access servers are RAM-only and owned outright by the provider – thus minimizing the risk of third-party interference. PrivateVPN offers a good mix of security, speed, and value for money. IP addresses are available in Portugal’s capital city. Lisbon. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Yes 84% OFF 50% OFF 17% OFF PrivateVPN is a competitively priced provider that owns all of its own hardware and offers fast connection speeds. Its Portuguese server provides subscribers with IP addresses in the country’s capital, Lisbon. PrivateVPN is a good choice for streaming Portugal-specific content, as it works well with all major streaming platforms. It’s also a solid option for torrenting, with dedicated P2P servers in Sweden, and the option of using port forwarding to boost download speeds and improve seeding. Other features include split-tunneling, a program-specific kill-switch; and a stealth mode for bypassing VPN blocks. PrivateVPN also offers protection against IPv6 and DNS leaks. Subscribers can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously, with the option for router installation to make this go further still. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and Amazon Fire TV. Users can choose to protect their internet traffic with either 128-bit or 256-bit encryption. They can also choose between various connection protocols, such as OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP. Although PrivateVPN’s customer support isn’t on hand 24/7 to answer queries, it’s notable for being able to provide remote assistance to subscribers.
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Methodology for choosing the best VPN to get an IP address in Portugal
It can be frustrating for anyone traveling or living abroad when online services from Portugal cease to work. Geo-restrictions may be put in place by Portuguese banks for user safety, or by Radio Televisão de Portugal because of licensing restrictions. In either case, they can be bypassed using a VPN.
While the ability to provide Portuguese IP addresses is a good start, we require VPN providers to fulfill a number of other criteria before we recommend them. We explore these below:
- Fast and reliable Portuguese servers:The easiest and safest way to get an IP address in Portugal is by using a VPN with servers in the country. The best VPNs have RAM-only servers that are fast enough for streaming 4K content and playing bandwidth-hungry games online. We regularly test the top VPNs to ensure that we’re reporting only the most up-to-date speeds.
- Ability to access Portuguese TV and streaming libraries: Most VPNs claim to provide access to geo-restricted streaming services. Unfortunately, very few actually work with the big-name platforms. We check which VPNs can access regional content from streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.
- Robust privacy and security features:Privacy is important to us, which is why we value VPNs that have independently audited no-logs policies. Ideally, they should also have had their software audited to address any vulnerabilities. We expect secure encryption – 256-AES being the industry standard – and a range of privacy and security features. These include kill-switches, leak protection, split-tunneling, obfuscation, and multi-hop servers.
- Good value for money: Just because a particular provider is expensive, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good. If a VPN doesn’t offer a level of service that’s in line with its subscription fees, then we don’t recommend it.
- User-friendly apps: The better VPN providers ensure that their apps are intuitive to use. Total novices should be able to quickly work out – for example – how to connect to a server in Portugal. Apps should be available for a range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. They should also be consistent, both in terms of their GUIs and their features.
- Responsive customer support:Even advanced users need some help sometimes, which is why a reliable and knowledgeable customer support team is so important. We prefer VPNs that offer 24/7 live chat, as well as a detailed – and ideally, searchable – knowledge base.
Can I use a free VPN to get an IP address in Portugal?
We don’t recommend using free VPNs. There are two main types, with both being unsatisfactory in different ways.
The first are those operating on the freemium model. These are normally offered by established providers hoping to coax users onto one of their subscription plans. They are essentially pared-down versions of the full product, which means access to just a few servers, data limits, and reduced – if any – features. On a positive note, they are normally as private and secure as the provider’s paid-for services.
The second type of free VPN is funded by advertising. These display ads in the app and may use trackers to harvest user data and sell it on. Most have some form of logging policy and the worst may unintentionally allow malware onto your device. The popularity of free VPNs and lack of investment in infrastructure means their servers are typically congested and unsuitable for tasks such as streaming.
Can I get an IP address in Portugal without a VPN?
A SOCKS5 proxy enables you to spoof your IP address – though it doesn’t encrypt your traffic like a VPN. Some providers offer a SOCKS5 proxy as part of their subscriptions. They can sometimes be useful if you need a faster connection to Portugal than the VPN can offer. However, we’d always recommend using a VPN where possible.
Trying to get a Portuguese IP address FAQs
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