Four Ways to Unblock Websites Which are not Available in Your Country | VPN Life (2024)

There are four methods to unblock websites: using a VPN, a proxy server, the Tor browser, and Smart DNS. However, the simplest option is often a VPN. In this article, we will introduce four ways to unblock such websites and detail the steps for using VPN services. Additionally, we will provide recommendations for specific VPNs.

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Why Aren’t Some Websites Available in My Country?

Two common reasons that websites aren’t available in certain countries are:

• Video owners have chosen to make their content available only to certain countries/regions (usually due to licensing rights)
• Specific websites or content may be blocked to comply with local laws.

The practice of restricting access to websites based on your location is also called geo-blocking. For example, some streaming services which are available around the world, like Netflix and Amazon Prime, display content differently country by country. If you access websites unavailable in your country, you may see the wording below or something similar.

This video is unavailable in your country

In the case of YouTube, if you access a video unavailable in your country, you will see the screen below.

How Do Websites Block Access?

Websites determine where they are accessed from based on the location of the IP address, and show content based on that determination. This includes language, pricing, and so on. For example, an IP address accessed via an internet provider in the US is shown below.

If you access websites restricted to Japan from this IP address, the content will not be shown.

Four Ways to Unblock Websites Which are not Available in Your Country

There are four ways to unblock these kind of websites.

1. Use a VPN

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a secure connection method between your device and the internet. By using a VPN, your online activity goes through an encrypted tunnel.So, you can keep your online activity private and safe, and ensure that hackers can’t steal your data. Using VPN services is helpful in terms of privacy and security.

Using a VPN changes your IP address. Using a VPN allows you to access content as if you were in a different country. For example, if you connect to a VPN server in Japan and access websites restricted to Japan, you can get access to their content even if you are outside of Japan.

After you’ve registered with a VPN, you can easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.

There are free VPNs. But we recommend paid services in terms of privacy and security because we don’t know how free VPNs manage our log traffic data. Using paid services costs, around $2.50 – $7.00/month. It’s quite a low price. For more detailed information, please refer to the following articles.

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2. Use a Proxy Server

A proxy server is an intermediary between you and websites that you browse. You connect to the proxy site, which then accesses websites directly, receives data from websites, and then shows you the content. By using a proxy server, you can shield your IP address and unblock websites. In addition, using a proxy server does not require installation of softwarebecause it can be managed through a web browser.

However, most data which goes through proxy servers is not encrypted. So, there may be worries in terms of security and trustworthiness.

3. Use Tor Browser

Tor Browser is a web browser similar to Chrome and Edge. Using Tor browser, your traffic is relayed and encrypted via multiple servers over the Tor network. So you can keep a high degree of anonymity while browsing, including shielding your IP address.

But, encrypting and routing your traffic through the Tor network can slow down your internet connection. This may cause trouble while watching videos.

4. Use Smart DNS

Smart DNS is a technology thatallows you to access content as if you were in a different country while hiding your IP address. Smart DNS is not the same as a proxy or VPN. Smart DNS only helps toprovides access to streaming content. Smart DNS doesn’t encrypt your traffic data, so it provides fast internet speed while watching TV and playing games. On the other hand, it’s less secure and less capable of unblocking websites.

An Example of Unblocking a Website by Using a VPN

If you access Funimation from outside of countries where access is allowed, like US and Canada, you will see a screen which displays, “Sorry, but this content isn’t available in your country”.

After registering with ExpressVPN, download and launch the app and connect to a VPN server in the US. Click the power icon in the middle. Now, you can connect to a server in the US easily.

You will be able to see the content.

For more detailed information, please refer to the following articles.

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The Best VPN Services for Unblocking Websites Which are not Available in Your Country

Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN	SurfShark
Prices	1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month	1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month	1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days
Countries	105	60	100
Servers	3,000+	5,800+	3,200+
Maximum devices supported	8	10	Unlimited
Connection Speed	Ultra Fast	Fast	Fast
Security	AES-256 Kill Switch	AES-256 Kill Switch	AES-256 Kill Switch
Privacy	No-logging	No-logging	No-logging
Support	24/7 Live Chat Support	24/7 Live Chat Support	24/7 Live Chat Support

ExpressVPN: Ultra-fast Internet Speeds

Prices	1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	105
Servers	3,000+
Maximum devices supported	8

ExpressVPN offers some of the fastest internet speeds among the VPNs we have used. All VPNs may slow down your internet connection, but ExpressVPN is one of the fastest, and you rarely notice the difference. Review sites consistently rank ExpressVPN as one of the fastest VPNs. Additionally, with over 3,000 servers in 105 countries, you have a wide choice of countries to change IP addresses to. Real humans are available 24-hour live chat support to help you with setup and troubleshooting. ExpressVPN also has a no-log policy.

After you’ve registered with ExpressVPN, you can use it to easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.

Ideal for those who:

• Place a high importance on internet speed

Try ExpressVPN

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

NordVPN: The Ultimate Balance of Price and Internet Speed

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	60
Servers	5,800+
Maximum devices supported	10

NordVPN’s excellent service, and balance of price, internet speed, servers, and countries, has allowed it to gain the greatest market share in the world. Overall, NordVPN consistently receives great reviews from leading experts. NordVPN has more than 5,800 servers in 60 countries, so you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. You can et help and advice from our friendly customer support team through email or live chat for your 24/7. And NordVPN also has a no-log policy.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using NordVPN just by downloading their app.

Ideal for those who:

• Want to balance price and internet speed

Try NordVPN

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

Surfshark: Impressive Performance with a Lower Price

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	100
Servers	3,200+
Maximum devices supported	Unlimited

Surfshark offers impressive performance with a lower price. You can get Surfshark much cheaper than other services if you apply for the 24-month plan. Furthermore, Surfshark has no connection limits. So, you and your family can connect and use all your devices simultaneously. Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries. Just like the other VPNs, you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. Customer support experts are there for you 24/7, if you need a helping hand with them via live chat or email. And SurfsharkVPN also has a no-log policy.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using Surfshark by downloading their app.

Ideal for those:

• Who are budget conscious and want to want to connect with lots of devices

Try SurfShark

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

Conclusion