Pandora is the most popular internet radio service in the world. While most streaming radio services recommend music based on what you have in common with other users who like similar music, Pandora uses the Music Genome Project to provide music recommendations based on hundreds of factors. It’s an excellent way to find new music, with roughly one million tracks in its database.
However, Pandora has been restricted to users in the United States since 2007. In response to demands from copyright holders, Pandora began restricting users from other countries based on their IP addresses.
Even paying subscribers are prohibited from hearing from outside those three nations. Anyone making such an attempt is met with the following message:
Fortunately, a simple fix exists. You just need a proxy service, such as a VPN or SOCKS5 proxy, to do this. These programs disguise your IP address and make it look as though you’re surfing Pandora from the United States.
Our preferred method is via a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN encrypts all internet traffic on a device and routes it through an intermediary server in the user’s chosen location. Besides spoofing your location, VPNs have a lot of other benefits, like better security, more privacy, and access to content and services in a lot of places.
VPNs typically include custom applications that do not require any additional configuration on your device. It’s as simple as selecting a location and flipping a switch to connect.
The best VPN for Pandora
We’ve suggested the best VPN for playing Pandora radio based on the following criteria:
- Servers in the USA.
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
- Speed and reliability.
NordVPN
NordVPN is our number one recommendation for a Pandora radio VPN. It’s lightning fast and manages a massive network of over 1,900 servers in the United States alone. It adheres to the strictest privacy standards and includes a “Smart Play” DNS feature that enables you to access Pandora from any device, even those that do not support native VPN apps.
Apps for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android are available. Certain servers have been optimized for increased security and performance. You can connect up to multiple devices concurrently on a single account, which makes it an excellent value.
How to use a VPN to access Pandora Radio from any location
Regaining access to Pandora while traveling is simpler than you may believe. Simply follow these steps and you’ll soon be listening:
- To begin with, sign up for the VPN mentioned above.
- Install the VPN client on the device that is often used to listen to music. Take note that most carriers allow you to connect up to five devices simultaneously.
- Log in and choose a server in your country of origin. This modifies your IP address, preventing Pandora Radio from detecting your international journey.
- Now, just use Pandora as usual. If you continue to have issues, delete your cookies (if you’re using the web version) or data (if you’re using the app) and retry. In the absence of that, the customer support staff for your VPN should be able to assist you further.
How we choose the best VPN for Pandora
Choosing a VPN to use may be difficult, and the sheer number of options available further confuses matters. That is why we have established a stringent set of criteria to guarantee that our suggestion contains only the finest VPN. Here are some critical factors to consider while looking for a Pandora VPN, as well as the minimal standards we require from the provider we recommend:
- Server locations: Pandora is a region-locked service that is available in a limited number of countries. You’ll need a server in a supported location, such as the United States, to unblock it while traveling. However, nearby servers often give the greatest performance, which is why we search for VPNs with extensive network coverage.
- Speed: We need to guarantee that your VPN is fast enough to handle everything you put at it, whether it’s listening to the radio, watching live TV, or torrenting. We’ve performed speed tests on dozens of VPNs and will only suggest the very best.
- Unblocking capabilities: Pandora isn’t the only service you’d want to access from your home country, which is why we seek VPNs that excel at bypassing regional censorship. For example, we’ll compare VPNs to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max to see which can consistently access the most content.
- Security and privacy: VPNs are meant to shield your traffic from prying eyes, and we would not suggest any that do not meet these standards. At the very least, we look for security against DNS and IPv6 leaks, a kill switch, a no-logs policy, and 256-bit encryption. Obviously, we favor vendors that go above and beyond.
- Price: Because we evaluate many VPNs, it’s readily clear when one attempts to charge more than the service is worth. The VPN service we propose is reasonably priced, and we’ll always keep you informed of any special offers that will help keep your costs to a minimum.
- User-friendliness: Keeping yourself secure online should not be difficult. Our best VPN provides user-friendly applications for a variety of devices. Additionally, they all provide live chat support in the event of a problem.
Which is better, VPN or SOCKS proxy?
The SOCKS4 or SOCKS5 proxy is similar to a VPN in that it routes your internet traffic via a distant server, although SOCKS5 proxies are not by default encrypted. This increases their speed but greatly reduces their privacy. Contrary to encrypted packets delivered by a VPN, anybody who intercepts your internet traffic will be able to decrypt it.
A SOCKS proxy is a viable alternative if all you want to do is listen to Pandora’s radio online from a location outside the United States. Take note that this may need to be adjusted in your device’s settings to send Pandora traffic via proxy.
Pandora’s constraints
Take note that Pandora’s internet radio restricts free users to a specific number of skips each hour. This limitation changes depending on whether you have a paid membership or the device being used to listen.
Pandora no longer caps users’ listening time at 40 hours per month. This constraint has been lifted.
Users with free accounts must listen to mandatory advertisements.
FAQs for Pandora VPN
Is it possible to listen to Pandora without downloading the app?
Yes. Through a web browser, you may visit Pandora’s website and stream music from there. If your VPN is not functioning with the app, you may use the website instead.
How can I listen to Pandora while I’m not connected to the internet?
Pandora’s premium editions provide offline listening. Pandora Plus enables offline listening to your favorite stations, while Pandora Premium enables you to download particular songs.
How to listen to Pandora offline is as follows:
- Navigate to My Profile.
- Select the cog symbol.
- Slide the Offline Mode slider to the on position.
Subscribers to Pandora Plus have offline access to their favorite stations. Premium subscribers may access songs offline by visiting My Collection and clicking the download button next to them.
What are Pandora’s radio alternatives?
There are a plethora of music streaming services and applications available, both paid and free. While terrestrial radio stations may provide online choices, they simply cannot compete with the quantity of content available via music streaming services.
- Apple Music
- Spotify
- iHeartRadio
- Tidal
- Deezer
- Soundcloud
- YouTube
- Hype Machine
- Bandcamp
Does Pandora prohibit the use of VPNs?
Pandora, like other region-locked streaming services, has been reported to restrict VPN connections. However, the VPN we talked about above didn’t stop us from listening on Android or desktop browsers during our tests.
Is Pandora available in Mexico?
Regrettably, Pandora is region-locked and hence will not immediately operate in Mexico. However, if you want to listen to Pandora while traveling in Mexico, you may do so by connecting to the VPN mentioned above.