Best VPN for Pandora Radio: How to listen to Pandora abroad for free

Want to listen to Pandora radio on vacation? In this guide, we explain how to listen to Pandora for free from anywhere. Scroll down to find the best VPNs for Pandora Radio.

Pandora radio is free to stream in the US. If you go on vacation, however, you will find that it is unavailable due to region locks. This results in the following error message:“Pandora isn't available in this country.” For this reason, you will need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to stream Pandora on vacation. 

A VPN works by concealing your location from the websites you visit. When you connect to a server in America, you get a valid US IP address there. As a result, you can stream Pandora radio, Netflix US, Hulu, and most other region-locked US platforms.

Many VPNs have been blocked by Pandora, so you must pick a provider carefully. The VPNs in this guide were chosen because they have fast US servers especially optimized for streaming Pandora and other popular services abroad, and on restricted networks at work and school.

You can use the quick list below to get started right away, or scroll down for in-depth summaries that will help you pick the best VPNs for Pandora and all your other needs.

Here are the best VPNs for Pandora:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice for Pandora. More than 6,000 high-speed servers worldwide, including almost 2,000 in the US. Works with Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify, Netflix US, Hulu, HBO Max, and tons of other US services. Strong on privacy. Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark: Best budget VPN for Pandora. Allows unlimited connections and costs just $2.50 per month. Easy to use and has many advanced privacy features and settings. No logs policy and 24/7 live chat.
3. ExpressVPN: Offers fast servers in over 105 countries, including streaming-optimized servers in the US. Works with most US streaming services. Round-the-clock customer support.
4. CyberGhost VPN: Extremely user-friendly, secure, and great for accessing Pandora and other US services abroad. Has more than 10,000 servers worldwide, and the WireGuard protocol, which allows it to provide outstanding speeds.
5. Proton VPN: A fast and reliable VPN with speedy servers in the US and many advanced features. Works to access Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, and other popular US services from abroad. Perfect for torrenting thanks to its port forwarding feature. No-logs policy and strong encryption.
6. Atlas VPN: A fast and reliable VPN you can use on an unlimited number of devices. Ideal for accessing Pandora from outside the US or at work. Fast speeds for uninterrupted streaming. MultiHop connections and a kill switch.

Summary Table

Finding the ideal VPN for streaming Pandora can be a challenging task, particularly if you're new to VPNs and don't know how to tell them apart. Many VPN service providers make inflated claims regarding their speed and security attributes, which makes it easy to end up with a lousy VPN that isn't worth the cash.

It's common to encounter VPNs that suffer from critical issues like DNS leaks, inadequate encryption, or other vulnerabilities that jeopardize your online privacy and security. These shortcomings make VPNs unsuitable, which is why we only recommend secure VPNs that offer privacy as well as access to US servers that work to listen to Pandora.

Our approach involves fully auditing each VPN to ensure it provides all the key features you need to stay safe online. Below, we outline specific criteria we use to curate our selection of the best VPNs for Pandora:

• US servers that work to access Pandora privately abroad or at work
• Lightning-fast speeds for streaming content in HD and for listening to music without interruptions
• Customer support via live chat and email to help you at any time of day
• Strong security and privacy features, including a no-logs policy and strong encryption
• Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and more
• Offers a money-back guarantee to test the VPN risk-free
• Global server network to access regional services worldwide
• Excellent value for money
• Allows torrenting and other activities making them super versatile
• In order to qualify for one of the top three positions, the VPN must operate a 100% diskless server network and have its infrastructure audited by a reputable third party

Best Pandora VPNs: Detailed reviews

All our recommendations work with Pandora, but they differ slightly. Some are cheaper, offer more connections, or have additional features. Our summaries help you find the VPN that is best suited to you.

NordVPN is a highly trusted VPN provider based in Panama. The service has more than 6,000 servers in 61+ countries, including the USA, to stream Pandora abroad, at work, or in school. The VPN offers fast speeds for gaming, torrenting, and streaming video or music thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol. 

The VPN has a no-logging policy, so it never keeps records of your IP address, the servers you use, or your activities while connected to the VPN. The security of its apps, policies, and network has been verified by an independent third-party security firm, which means you don't have to take the provider’s privacy claims on faith.

The apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Firestick. Those apps come with strong encryption, a choice of protocols, a kill switch, obfuscated servers, DNS leak protection, split tunneling, Double VPN, Tor over VPN, ad blocking, and tracker protection. It even throws in a free Smart DNS service. Add to that its diskless servers, and you have a VPN that is at the height of VPN technology.

Live chat support is available 24/7, which means you can get help accessing Pandora radio or any other platform that interests you. In our tests, it worked to access around a dozen Netflix regions, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock, YouTubeTV, BBC iPlayer, and many other popular platforms. You can try it risk-free to see how you enjoy using it thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. 

BEST VPN FOR PANDORA: NordVPN is the most reliable VPN to listen to Pandora abroad or privately at work. It works with nearly every streaming service we have ever tested it with. Highly secure, versatile, and incredibly good value for money. Super-fast NordLynx protocol is perfect for gaming, streaming, and torrenting. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Surfshark is excellent value for money and lets you use your account on an unlimited number of devices. You can share your account with all your friends and family, and can always protect your privacy whether at home, at work, or using public WiFi.

Servers are located in more than 100 countries, and this includes servers in the US that work with Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and many other popular services. 

The VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is a fantastic place for a privacy service to be based due to the lack of mandatory data retention regulations or invasive intelligence agencies. To ensure your online activities remain completely private, Surfshark VPN provides a no-logs policy and futureproof encryption.

Apps are available for all popular devices. It even has an app for Linux. Those apps come with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, split tunneling, OpenVPN with obfuscation, MultHop connections, and a free Smart DNS service. It blocks ads and trackers for added protection.

You can ask questions using its live chat support, and try it thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Torrenting is supported throughout its network.

LOW-COST OPTION: Surfshark makes it cheaper to access Pandora, Netflix US, Hulu, HBO Max, and many other US services. Allows unlimited connections with a single account. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark.

ExpressVPN has servers in 105+ countries, including servers in the US that work to stream Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, and other popular streaming platforms.

Apps are available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Firestick devices. You can install it on VPN-compatible routers. Those apps come with a choice of protocols, obfuscation, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and split tunneling.

To ensure you get fast speeds for streaming, gaming, and torrenting, ExpressVPN has implemented a proprietary protocol called Lightway. Our tests gave the VPN an average download speed of 176 Mbps. 

The entire VPN network runs on diskless servers for added protection. These RAM-only servers allow the provider to pull the plug and erase all the data passing through it instantly. This protects users in an emergency and makes it easier for the VPN to always comply with its no-logging policy. 

As with NordVPN and Surfshark, ExpressVPN has completed a full third-party audit. The audit checked its apps, policies, and network implementation for vulnerabilities and verified that the VPN is secure to use for privacy purposes. Live chat support is available 24/7 and you can compare Express to our other recommendations thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.

EXCELLENT ALL-ROUNDER: ExpressVPN can access Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and many other US services on vacation or at work. Lightway protocol provides fast speeds. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

CyberGhost VPN is an ideal option for beginners who want to stream Pandora abroad or on any restricted network. Its user-friendly apps are compatible with most popular devices and are exceptionally easy to use. Despite their simplicity, they offer robust encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection.

With a vast network of over 10,000 servers spanning 100+ countries, including the US to access Pandora, CyberGhost VPN ensures high-speed connections without any server congestion. The efficient WireGuard protocol is perfect for streaming and gaming. In our tests, CyberGhost VPN worked with Netflix US, Disney Plus, Peacock, YouTube TV, and many more platforms.

One thing that sets CyberGhost VPN apart is its user-friendly approach to server selection. The apps categorize servers by country and streaming services. This allows you to instantly locate the ideal server for streaming services like Netflix, iPlayer, Hulu, and popular platforms in over 20 different countries.

CyberGhost VPN has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. The apps also block ads and trackers. A subscription starts at just $2.19 per month, and a single subscription can be used on up to seven devices.

Based in Romania, CyberGhost VPN boasts a robust no-logging policy, ensuring it never retains any records of what you do while connected. It's suitable for torrenting, and you can confidently put it to the test thanks to its 45-day money-back guarantee. Plus, you can get help at any time of day thanks to its 24/7 live chat support.

GREAT FOR BEGINNERS: CyberGhost VPN is easy to use and cheap. It offers reliable security for using public WiFi safely. Has more than 1,000 servers worldwide, including the US, to stream Pandora. Has been tested with a wide range of international streaming platforms. Solid no-logging policy and strong encryption.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

Proton VPN was developed in Switzerland by the same team behind the popular encrypted email service ProtonMail. This gives the VPN a trusted reputation from the get-go, and its base in Switzerland is excellent in terms of privacy.

Proton VPN has servers in more than 71 countries, and those servers provide fast connections that are well-suited to data-intensive tasks such as HD streaming, gaming, and torrenting. We used the US servers to connect to Pandora, Netflix US, Hulu, and HBO Max, among others. It also worked to access many international platforms, like BBC iPlayer.

Proton VPN has many advanced settings and features. Users get a kill switch, obfuscation, a choice of protocols (including OpenVPN and WireGuard), MultiHop connections, split tunneling, a no-logs policy, SecureCore servers, Tor over VPN, and DNS leak protection. It allows port forwarding, which makes it a fantastic option for techy users who want to torrent.

It is a touch expensive, but you get what you pay for. It is also a little trickier for beginners to get used to because it has a wide array of features. That said, the apps do a great job of explaining what each feature does.

Proton VPN has a limited free plan that will let you connect to a server in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands. These are slower than the paid servers offered to premium users and are blocked from accessing streaming platforms. You need to upgrade to stream Pandora, Netflix, and other services. If you want to test the VPN without any of these limitations, you can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST FOR TORRENTING: ProtonVPN is a highly advanced VPN that offers a ton of useful advanced premium features. Has a wide choice of server locations that are fast enough for streaming Pandora and other services. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of ProtonVPN.

Atlas VPN works seamlessly to stream Pandora radio from locations outside the US, and on restricted networks such as at work or in school. The VPN provides the WireGuard protocol by default, making it perfect for streaming in HD. In our tests, it worked with Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, ESPN+, YouTubeTV, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and many other popular platforms.

It starts at just $1.82 per month, which makes it extremely affordable. You can connect on an unlimited number of devices, which means you can share your account with friends and family.

AtlasVPN has servers spanning more than 44+ countries, including eight cities in the USA for listening to Pandora. 

The apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android and they come with a very decent feature set considering the cost of this VPN. You get a kill switch, DNS leak protection, multi-hop, rotating IPs, ad and tracker blocking, and strong encryption.

Atlas VPN is based in the US, which isn't ideal in terms of privacy. However, it has a solid no-logging policy which means it retains no records of your IP address or your online activities.

PERFECT FOR STREAMING: AtlasVPN has servers in over 40 countries, including the US to stream Pandora on vacation. Works with most streaming platforms, including Netflix. Solid no-logs policy and robust encryption. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of AtlasVPN.

Pandora VPN testing methodology

Dozens of VPNs are available on the market, and they were not all created equally. Many VPNs make wild claims about being the fastest or most secure, even though they suffer from leaks or have congested servers. This makes it very easy for end users to get hoodwinked.

At BleepingComputer, we understand how hard it can be to find a reliable VPN. We use a meticulous VPN testing methodology to rate VPNs. First and foremost, we concern ourselves with finding secure VPNs that put data privacy and security first. 

We only consider the ability to access services like Pandora after a VPN is found to be watertight in terms of security. A VPN is a privacy tool that you must be able to rely on to get online privacy and security for your online data transfers. Without this, it is not fit for purpose. 

You can find out more about how we test and recommend VPNs by reading our full testing methodology explainer. Below, we have included the main features we looked for when recommending VPNs for Pandora:

• Robust security: Our primary consideration is to identify VPNs that are equipped with top-tier security and privacy features. Our recommendations feature strong encryption, cutting-edge VPN protocols, meticulously designed applications, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. Some have extras such as obfuscation and ad blocking to keep you even safer. 
• Privacy: Our top recommendations center around robust VPN services that uphold a strict no-logging policy. They do not collect or retain any user data, ensuring that your online activities remain completely private. 
• High-speed connections: All our suggested VPNs have fast servers in the US and around the globe, offering unlimited bandwidth. This ensures smooth streaming on Pandora without buffering. Our recommendations access platforms like Netflix US, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and a multitude of international streaming services.
• Global network: The VPNs in this guide grant you the flexibility to get an IP address not only in the US but virtually anywhere around the globe. This is valuable for bypassing censorship and using online services discreetly, regardless of where you travel.
• Cross-platform compatibility: Our picks impose no limitations and provide apps for a wide array of popular devices. This guarantees that you and your family can enjoy enhanced privacy on smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, Firesticks, set-top boxes, and potentially other devices too.
• Customer support: Good VPNs prioritize customer support, offering assistance through email and live chat. They bolster these support channels with comprehensive setup guides and FAQs, ensuring that you can always get help.

Apart from these features, our top three recommendations have passed rigorous independent security audits. You can have full confidence in their policies, network, and apps to uphold the privacy advertised on their websites.

Additionally, all three of our top picks maintain a network of diskless servers. These are designed to enable remote erasure of all data in case of an emergency.

Pandora VPN FAQs

Can I use a free VPN for Pandora?

No. Although there are a few free VPNs that we can recommend, these are not likely to work to stream Pandora or any other popular US music or video streaming platform. Reliable free VPNs only offer a limited plan to advertise their service and to allow people to gain privacy in serious emergencies (such as during protests or in countries where oppressive governments block access to social media or other services during elections). 

These free VPN plans are designed to provide limited use of their service, and usually only have a few servers to pick from. To encourage people to upgrade to a paid plan, these VPNs usually block access to all streaming platforms. This means that to stream Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, and other services, you will need a paid plan.

As far as we are aware there are no trustworthy VPNs that have a free plan that works to stream Pandora abroad. It is worth noting that free VPNs are usually extremely congested, which makes them too slow for streaming anyway.

Besides these issues, we also strongly urge you to be careful when using free VPNs. Many free services that you can find on app stores like Google Play have lapse privacy policies that allow them to track users. They make a profit by selling your browsing data to third parties such as data brokers or advertisers.

In addition, many free VPNs have been found to lack encryption, suffer from leaks, and even hide spyware in their apps. Using free VPNs is a huge risk to your privacy and the security of your devices. So please stick to safe VPNs that have been tested and do not skimp on privacy features. 

Why is Pandora blocked outside of the US?

Pandora restricts access to its service to the US for licensing and copyright reasons. Pandora has established licensing agreements with music rights holders, these agreements limit where Pandora is allowed to provide that content. At this time, those licenses do not extend to other countries. As a result, when you try to stream Pandora outside the US, you will encounter an error message.

Pandora's limitations are largely related to music licensing and royalty agreements. To legally operate in other countries, Pandora would need to negotiate and secure additional licensing agreements with music rights organizations and individual copyright holders in those regions. At this time, that content is already being licensed to other services. 

The good news is that anybody outside of the US can regain access to Pandora by connecting to a VPN. Connecting to a VPN server in the US will give you a valid US IP address, and will let you stream Pandora from anywhere in the world.

Is it legal to use a VPN for Pandora?

Using a VPN to access Pandora in most countries is generally legal, and to our knowledge, no one has faced legal penalties for using a VPN to listen to Pandora. However, it's important to be aware that bypassing regional restrictions, such as accessing Pandora from abroad, typically goes against the Terms of Service. In theory, this could result in your Pandora account being suspended or terminated for violating these rules.

In practice, streaming services often focus on blocking VPNs rather than targeting individual users. This is because VPNs can also be used for legitimate purposes, such as accessing Pandora from a location within the licensed region, like from your workplace. This makes it challenging for streaming services to distinguish between users who use VPNs for valid reasons and those who use them to access content from restricted regions.

Although VPNs are legal in most countries, the rules vary around the world. Using a VPN to stream Pandora should not get you in trouble, but we still recommend checking local laws surrounding VPN use in your country. Nothing in this guide should be taken as legal advice. 

What are the best alternatives to Pandora?

Once you have a VPN, you shouldn’t need to worry about getting an alternate music streaming service. Pandora should be available no matter where you travel thanks to your VPN. However, if you are interested in knowing about additional or alternate music streaming services, we have listed some of the best platforms below:

• Apple Music
• Google Music
• Amazon Music
• Spotify
• Tidal
• Deezer
• Soundcloud
• YouTube
• Hype Machine
• Bandcamp
• Beatport
• iHeartRadio

Where is Pandora available?

At this time Pandora radio is available exclusively in the US. If you travel to Mexico, the UK, Europe, Canada, or anywhere else, you will need to connect to a VPN server to stream Pandora.

Can I listen to Pandora on more than one device?

Each Pandora account is limited to streaming on one device. You need more than one account to stream Pandora on two or more devices simultaneously.