How to Get a UK (British) IP Address from Abroad

Whether you’re a traveler or a person of British descent living elsewhere, you can greatly benefit from an IP address in the UK. If you’re not sure what to do to get it, this post is exactly for you. We’ll explain how to get a UK IP address from abroad, which tools you may give a try, and which solutions to avoid. 

Why Do You Need an IP Address from the UK?

The United Kingdom is famous for a robust selection of entertainment websites, VoD services, online TV channels, radio, music streaming services, etc. They deliver quality content that resonates with millions of people across the world. There is a catch though – most of these websites and services are blocked outside the UK. You have only two solutions to access them – either to move to the UK or just get yourself a UK IP address. 

An IP address from the United Kingdom is of great help for travelers and Brits who live in other countries. If you’re planning to use online banking abroad, an IP address from your home country will help maintain unrestricted access to your account. Otherwise, logging in from overseas may set off the fraud detection system, which makes your account unavailable. 

A British IP address is helpful for many other cases, especially when you want to avoid troubles with law enforcement or browse the web incognito. 

The Best Ways to Change Your IP Address to the UK

VPNs and Proxies allow you to change your IP address to a country of your choice, in this case the UK. Both technologies are based on server networks sprawling across many world regions. By connecting to a server in a particular country, you obtain its IP address. 

Despite similarities in how proxies and VPNs work, they have more differences than things in common.

Features of a VPN:

• Encrypt user traffic to safeguard it from monitoring and inspection;
• Able to get past geo-blocked websites and network firewalls;
• Use advanced technologies to prevent IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaking;
• Available as apps for all kinds of Internet-compatible devices (Windows, macOS and Linux computers, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets)
• suitable for sensitive activities.

The only downside of a VPN is that it may significantly impact connection speeds due to encryption and longer routes your traffic has to pass. That said, many providers optimize their networks to increase bandwidth and minimize slow-downs.

Features of Proxies:

• Encryption-free connection;
• Can unblock certain geo-restricted websites;
• Lack functionality;
• Available as browser extensions, app-level configurations, and, in some cases, apps for mobile devices;
• Hide your real location but don’t deliver any security.

Proxies are marginally faster than VPNs since there is no encryption in place. At the same time, you may encounter slow speeds if your proxy service has a small network or servers you reach are located in remote countries. 

Things to Consider When Choosing a VPN

A VPN is a more advanced technology than a proxy, therefore, we recommend using this option. Along with that, every VPN provider is different. Some VPNs just don’t supply the necessary features for your needs. Before subscribing to any VPN, you need to ensure that it meets the following requirements:

• Servers in the UK;
• Acceptable price.
• No-logs policy;
• Fast connection speeds;
• Convenient VPN clients for your devices;
• Ability to unblock geo-restricted websites and streaming services;
• 24/7 tech support.

There are many factors to keep in mind indeed. You are free to scout out suitable options on the Internet but this will involve a lot of work and time. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it – we’ve already conducted massive research to help you make the right choice. Below, we put the 3 best VPNs worthy of your attention:

• Provider
• User Rating
• Price

Editor Choice

• 
  NordVPN
  
• 
  14827 Votes
  
  
  
• $3.29 / month

2 Year Plan

Save 72%

Visit Provider

• 
  PureVPN
  
• 
  7715 Votes
  
  
  
• $3.24 / month

1 Year Plan

Save 70%

Visit Provider

• 
  ExpressVPN
  
• 
  6930 Votes
  
  
  
• $6.67 /mo

1 Year Plan

Save 49%

Visit Provider

Here’s How to Get a UK IP Address with a VPN

Follow the instructions below to obtain the desired IP address from the UK:

1. Select a VPN service from our list and create an account with it;
2. Download and install the VPN app for your device;
3. Start the VPN and connect to any UK based server.
4. That’s it. In a few seconds, your device will get a UK IP address and your geolocation will change.

Before doing any online activity, you can use this service to check your IP address.

Can I Use Free VPNs?

Although you can find many free VPNs with the UK servers, we don’t recommend using them because:

• They are extremely slow;
• Implement bandwidth limits;
• Apps are infested with advertisements;
• Sell data about user traffic to the third-parties;
• Fail to bypass geo-blocked streaming services;
• Forbid torrenting / p2p.

Worse still, some of the free VPNs are associated with major security risks, in particular, malware, tracking codes, botnets, etc. If you value your online privacy, invest a few dollars per month and get yourself a trustworthy VPN.

Conclusion

Getting a UK IP address is very easy with a VPN. On top of masking your location, a VPN will also secure your activities with encryption. Don’t hesitate to test out one of the VPNs we suggest in our post – these providers have proven to be trustworthy, safe, and reliable.