If you’ve been trying to use Spotify with a VPN and it’s not working, your VPN isn’t good enough to stay ahead of Spotify’s VPN blocking measures.
Spotify doesn’t officially support VPNs, and if you’re using a lesser VPN, you’ll more than likely run into errors when using it in conjunction with the music streaming service.
Don’t panic though, there’s several fixes you can try to fix Spotify not working with VPN.
This article will explain how to fix Spotify not working with VPN, and how you can prevent the issues you’re coming across from happening again.
See also:
- Pokémon Go not working with VPN? Here’s how I FIXED that! (June 2023)
- How to watch US Netflix in the UK: The EASY way! (June 2023)
Spotify not working with VPN: Fixes
Try these fixes in order. If one doesn’t work, move onto the next until you can use Spotify with a VPN again.
Delete Cookies
Spotify uses Cookies to streamline your online experience. An example of this is Cookies store your login information so you don’t have to login every time you use Spotify.
Cookies aren’t malicious files, they’re small files used to make your online experience better with Spotify. However the problem is, these Cookies often contain information about your location.
If the information stored on your Cookies shows a different IP address to the one your VPN has given you, Spotify knows you’re using a VPN and blocks your connection.
A good place to start when trying to fix Spotify not working with VPN is deleting your Cookies.
Change to a different server
If you’re still running into issues using Spotify with your VPN, try changing to a different server.
The reason you’re having trouble using Spotify with your VPN is because the current IP address your VPN has given you has been blocked by the streaming service.
Changing to a different server will give you a new IP address and if this one hasn’t been blocked, you’ll be able to use Spotify with your VPN again.
Change to a different protocol
Check to see if your VPN supports multiple protocols
A VPN protocol is a set of rules that stipulates how the VPN reroutes your online data via its servers.
Not all protocols work the same, some are faster than others, while some are more secure.
Your VPN might have stopped working with Spotify because the protocol you’re using is no longer compatible with the music streaming service. Try changing to a different one to see if that fixes Spotify not working with VPN.
Make sure your VPN is up to date
Make sure your VPN is updated to its latest version.
Often, errors or bugs that prevent a VPN working with Spotify are known to the VPN.
To remedy these sorts of issues the VPN will release fixes and resolutions via updates.
If you haven’t updated your VPN to the latest version you might not have these fixes. Ensure your VPN is up to date so you have these fixes.
Use a VPN that works reliably with Spotify
If changing servers and deleting your Cookies hasn’t resolved the problem, Spotify has managed to block all the IP addresses your VPN can provide.
From here there are two things you can do:
You can wait for your VPN to release new IP addresses that haven’t been blocked, however, this could take a long time and there’s no way of knowing how long it will take for your VPN to fix this issue.
Or, you could fix it yourself: The best way to fix Spotify not working with VPN is to upgrade to a VPN that’s compatible with Spotify.
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) is very good for use with Spotify. This is because it has one key feature that sets it apart from lesser, especially free VPNs.
If Spotify identifies an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) this VPNs will close that IP address and open a new unblocked one.
This will prevent you from running into the issues you’ve come across with your current VPN and it will allow you to use Spotify reliably with a VPN.
Why does Spotify block VPNs?
The reason Spotify blocks VPNs is because of copyright and licensing agreements it has with record labels.
Similar to TV and movie streaming services, music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music need to purchase the rights to albums and songs.
Spotify needs to buy the rights to music from record labels in order to have that music on its service.
Theses rights come with geographic caveats though. Record labels often decide where in the world they want their music to be made available. This is why Spotify has different music libraries depending on the country you’re in.
Because VPNs allow users to get around these location based stipulations, they could result in Spotify being fined as it would breach the agreements they’ve made with the record labels.
To prevent this from happening, Spotify tries to block VPNs. These blocks are why you’re VPN has stopped working with Spotify.
How does Spotify block VPNs?
Spotify blocks VPNs using three main techniques:
- The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than the number of IP addresses they can provide; this means that customers can use the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When ISP sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN and it blocks it.
- Spotify monitors for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
- Spotify teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, ISP will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from and it will block you.
Lesser VPNs struggle to get around Spotify’s blocks, and subsequently all the IP addresses they can provide no longer work with the music streaming service.
To fix this you need a VPN that can stay one step ahead of Spotify’s blocks.
Does Spotify still work with VPNs?
Spotify still works with VPNs, however, you need to use a VPN that has a good track record working with Spotify and has the resources to ensure you can continuously and consistently use Spotify with a VPN.
VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) are very good at this.
These VPNs work reliably with Spotify because they play a game and cat and mouse with the music streaming service.
If an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) is blocked by Spotify, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close that IP and open a new one.
This means there will always be an IP address for you to connect to, allowing you to listen to Spotify consistently with a VPN.
The best VPNs for Spotify
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
Special Offer for you
(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 70%!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
