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By country · ES · May 2026

Best VPN for Spain

Streaming, privacy, and torrenting recommendations specific to Spain — based on local laws, surveillance regime, and available streaming services.

Disclosure · We earn commissions from some VPN providers. This doesn't affect our rankings or recommendations.

The case

Do you need a VPN in Spain?

Spain is a relatively relaxed country for personal copyright enforcement — individual torrenters rarely face prosecution. The strongest reasons for a Spanish resident to get a VPN are different: accessing US Netflix and other geo-restricted catalogs, watching RTVE Play and Movistar Plus+ when abroad, using public WiFi safely (very common given Spain's tourism economy), and bypassing site blocks (Spain blocks gambling sites and a long list of streaming/torrent sites at the ISP level).

Country dossier

Country context

EU member
Yes (EU member)
Five Eyes / 14 Eyes
Outside surveillance alliances
Internet freedom
Free
VPN legal
Yes
Data retention
Spanish ISPs retain connection metadata for 12 months under Law 25/2007. The CJEU has ruled portions incompatible with EU law but the framework remains in force.
Torrenting status
Personal use without commercial intent has historically been treated leniently. Criminal prosecution typically targets commercial-scale operations, not individual downloaders.

Recommended

Best VPN picks for Spain

01
NordVPN logo

NordVPN

Panama

from
$3.69/mo
8.5 / 10Excellent

Best all-round VPN — premium price, premium features.

  • 6,400+ servers · 111 countries
  • Audited no-logs
  • Streaming: Netflix + BBC iPlayer
  • Audited no-logs
  • RAM-only servers
  • Outside surveillance alliances
  • Unblocks Netflix · BBC iPlayer
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
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02
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Netherlands

from
$2.19/mo
8.0 / 10Strong

Best value — unlimited devices, low price, NordVPN-owned.

  • 3,200+ servers · 100 countries
  • Audited no-logs
  • Streaming: Netflix + BBC iPlayer
  • Audited no-logs
  • RAM-only servers
  • Unblocks Netflix · BBC iPlayer
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
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03
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

British Virgin Islands

from
$4.99/mo
8.0 / 10Strong

Fastest VPN, but you pay a premium and Kape owns it.

  • 3,000+ servers · 105 countries
  • Court-tested no-logs
  • Streaming: Netflix + BBC iPlayer
  • Court-tested · 2017
  • RAM-only servers
  • Outside surveillance alliances
  • Unblocks Netflix · BBC iPlayer
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
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Local services

Local streaming services

  • RTVE Play
  • Atresplayer
  • Movistar Plus+
  • Mitele
  • Filmin

These services typically geo-block users outside Spain. Most major VPNs (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark) maintain IPs that keep them accessible when you travel. Mullvad and free VPNs are not optimized for streaming and won’t reliably work.

Frequently asked

Frequently asked questions

Can I bypass site blocks in Spain with a VPN?

Yes. Spain ISP-blocks a list of gambling, streaming and torrent sites. A VPN routes your DNS and connection through another country, bypassing the blocks at your ISP.

Will I get fined for torrenting in Spain?

Personal-use torrenting in Spain has historically been treated leniently — criminal prosecution focuses on commercial distribution. Civil action against individual downloaders is rare. A VPN still adds protection if you'd rather not have your ISP know.

Is using a VPN legal in Spain?

Yes. VPNs are fully legal for personal use.

Neighbouring

Neighbouring countries

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