By faking your location, you may gain access to geo-restricted media sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer safely, as well as log in to online bank accounts without triggering fraud alarms. Additionally, a VPN may help you access Swiss television, streaming services, and other content while traveling.
Additionally, encrypting your internet traffic using a VPN protects it from prying eyes, such as those of your Internet Service Provider (ISP), government agencies, hackers, and any other possible snoopers.
Our recommended VPN service provide a diverse selection of server locations. This implies that you may get a Swiss IP address even if you are presently living in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, India, China, Hong Kong, France, Sweden, Norway, or Japan.
Best VPN for Switzerland
NordVPN
NordVPN is a popular choice among users because of its zero-logging policy, fast speeds, usage of the OpenVPN technology, and extensive worldwide server network. There are about 100 servers in Switzerland and over 5,000 worldwide.
This provider is based in Panama and is not subject to statutory data retention regulations. In any event, no logs of user activity or session data are kept. Additionally, it has a slew of other useful features, like Double VPN, Tor over VPN, anti-DDoS protection, and servers tuned for fast streaming.
NordVPN enables encrypted access to a variety of websites, including US Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, Sky, and Sling TV. The provider’s website has a knowledge base that assists in choosing the optimal servers to utilize for this purpose.
All communication is secured using 256-bit encryption, and additional security features include a kill button for the internet and DNS leak prevention. A single membership allows multiple concurrent connections and supports Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.
Our process for finding the best VPN for Switzerland
Since each VPN is significantly different, it pays to do research before signing up. Some may not have servers located in Switzerland, for example, while others may be incapable of performing the duties you have in mind. To guarantee that we only propose the best service for tourists in Switzerland, we prepared a list of required characteristics:
- Servers: We choose VPNs with extensive networks and a large selection of servers. After all, the more countries covered by a VPN, the more stuff you’ll have access to. Swiss servers are also advantageous since local servers often give the fastest speeds.
- Speeds: While any VPN will stutter your connection, some companies are worse off than others. We speed test major VPNs on a regular basis and will only suggest those that perform well. This way, regardless of the browser you choose, it will be fast enough for streaming, torrenting, and surfing securely.
- Unblocking capability: While in Switzerland, you may want to access services that are accessible only in your home country. Our worldwide testing team compares each VPN to a variety of geo-restricted sites, including SRF, ZDF, and RTL, to see which offers the best streaming potential for travelers.
- Security and privacy: Substandard security just will not do. At a bare minimum, we need 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak prevention, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. Additionally, sophisticated features such as stealth modes or split tunneling are always appreciated.
- User-friendliness: We think that everyone has the right to internet privacy, which is why we promote novice-friendly services. Anything else that simplifies the usage of a service (such as 24/7 help, no connection restrictions, or multi-platform compatibility) is a significant benefit.
- Pricing: Given the volume of VPNs we encounter, it’s easy for us to determine whether a provider is costing more than it’s worth. Needless to say, we only suggest products that are reasonably priced and will always inform you of any discounts or money-back guarantees available to ensure you are always getting the best bargain.
This may seem like a lengthy list of criteria, but it is just a portion of how we determine if a service is acceptable.
How to surf anonymously in Switzerland with a VPN
We highly advise you to use a VPN in Switzerland to optimize your online experience. This is a simple procedure that takes just a few minutes.
- Choose a service that fulfills your requirements (we recommend NordVPN).
- Download the VPN app for your device directly from the provider’s website. Avoid third-party websites.
- Open the VPN program, log in, and choose a server. Connect to a US VPN server if you need a US IP address. If you need a Swiss IP address, connect to a Swiss server.
- You will receive a notice stating that the connection was successful. Your online activity is now encrypted, and you will need to use a new IP address to browse.
Is it necessary to use a free VPN in Switzerland?
VPNs are mostly used to access geo-restricted or prohibited websites, to safely and securely use public wifi, to access banking and financial services, and to crack blocked VoIP services. This demands impenetrable security and lightning-fast connectivity—neither of which are provided by free VPNs. These services are infamous for their weak encryption standards, restricted IP address allocation, and dubious data theft and pilferage tactics.
You may believe you are getting a good bargain since you do not need a credit card to sign up and may use the service whenever you like. However, as the adage goes, when the product is free, you become the product.
Free VPN services are for-profit businesses. They are not funded by a government grant or another non-profit organization such as the Mozilla Foundation. They make money by mining user data and selling it to third-party marketers or by continuously bombarding you with advertising. Additionally, some unscrupulous providers have used idle user bandwidth to build botnet armies. Finally, one of the primary reasons you’re signing up for a VPN is to ensure your online privacy and secrecy are preserved. However, such providers will most certainly do the exact opposite.
We believe that spending a few dollars per month on a premium VPN service will provide you with a trouble-free and improved experience.
Why, in the first place, should I use a VPN?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) may be used for a variety of purposes. These include torrenting files, securely, viewing your favorite movies and television programs while traveling, dodging government monitoring, and bypassing state-imposed limitations on blocked websites. In today’s world of restrictions, a VPN is required to access the unfiltered web.
A VPN encrypts all communication between your device and the Internet and tunnels it via an intermediate server in a location of your choosing. It works by concealing your true IP address (the one issued to you by your internet service provider) and creating the illusion that you are in another place. Through a secure connection to a suitable server, you may safely access streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. Additionally, the encryption feature prevents state-sponsored hackers and sleuths from determining your digital trail.
Swiss VPN FAQs
How can I get access to the various Netflix libraries available in Switzerland?
When accessing Netflix in Switzerland, the popular streaming service will automatically reroute you to the Swiss edition. Netflix uses your IP address to identify the country from which you’re signing in and then displays the library for that country.
Certain individuals believe that the account’s initial registration will accompany them wherever they go; for example, if they signed up in the United States, they will always have access to US Netflix. That, however, is a fallacy. As part of its licensing agreements, Netflix is legally obligated to geo-restrict its services. To access Netflix libraries in other regions of the globe, you must first connect to a VPN server in that region.
Perhaps you’re wondering why Netflix functions in this manner. That is because the majority of the content it broadcasts is not its own. The corporation acquires rights from other production companies, although they do not extend worldwide. However, Netflix’s original programming, such as Stranger Things, is unaffected by this since the company controls intellectual property rights.
Without a doubt, free VPNs are incompatible with Netflix. However, the majority of paid ones do labor. All you have to do is establish a connection to a server in the country containing the library you want to access. The VPN we’ve mentioned is compatible with Netflix US.
What else can I do in Switzerland using a VPN?
Swiss people who live abroad or travel regularly may find that using a VPN enables them to access local television from their home country, as well as connect to their bank accounts without the risk of being hacked or tagged for fraud.
Swiss television broadcasts a diverse variety of programming, from news to entertainment to sports. SRF1, 3+, 4+, and 5+ are some of the most popular channels. Numerous broadcasters geo-restrict access to their live feeds to anyone with a Swiss IP address. Therefore, if you are located outside the nation, you must use a VPN to access a Swiss server.
Using financial services from a foreign location increases your danger of being attacked by hackers, particularly those who target public wifi networks. Coffee shops, malls, hotels, and other places of interest all have their networks. By encrypting your traffic using a VPN, it becomes unintelligible to anybody who intercepts it.
Simultaneously, although banks may not necessarily have geo-restricted services, their fraud detection and compliance teams will keep a close watch on incoming data. Even if you supply the correct login and password, IP addresses from obscure places around the globe may be detected. In certain instances, you may be required to answer additional security questions or interact with a customer service representative before gaining complete access to your account. As such, it’s a smart idea to start with a VPN.
Is torrenting legal in the Swiss Confederation?
While the use of peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent is unlawful in Switzerland, local courts provide extensive protection to individual consumers, making prosecution for downloading and distributing torrent files very difficult. This may be about to change since Switzerland was recently included in a blacklist of nations with weak copyright legislation. Because of the threat of punitive actions from the US, the nation is scurrying to get its house in order. While it is unknown what precise steps the government will take against heavy torrent users, it is still smart to behave prudently.
VPNs are popular among torrenters as a way to conceal their online identity and keep their online behavior hidden.
Are virtual private networks (VPNs) permitted in Switzerland?
At the time of writing, Switzerland has no regulations prohibiting the use of a VPN. However, if one is being used to facilitate a crime, this may be an aggravating circumstance. Simply put, as long as you are not engaging in unlawful activity online, there is no cause to fear prosecution.
What is the procedure for unblocking YouTube TV in Switzerland?
YouTube TV is a geo-restricted service that is often exclusively accessible in the United States. However, since this platform determines your location based on your IP address, Americans traveling to other countries may access it by connecting to an American VPN server. If you have problems doing so, we suggest contacting your VPN customer care team; they may be able to guide you to a working server.
NordVPN has servers in the following cities in Switzerland:
While several other companies have servers in Switzerland, the majority do not reveal their precise location. NordVPN, on the other hand, is one of the few that does; at the time of writing, it had over 100 Swiss servers, all of which are situated in Zurich.
To our knowledge, CyberGhost is the only big provider with servers in numerous locations around Switzerland. Users may connect to either the Zurich or Huenenberg clusters.