Can you use a VPN with Twitch or will you get in trouble?
It’s not a simple “yes or no” question, unfortunately. We’ll do our best to give you an in-depth, clear, and accurate answer, though.
Besides that, we’ll also discuss why many Twitch users use VPNs. And we’ll tell you why you should never use a free Twitch VPN.
So Can You Use a VPN with Twitch?
It’s hard to say. Sadly, that’s the most accurate answer there is.
Let’s take a look at Twitch’s Terms of Service. It’s long and hard to read (like most TOS pages), but here’s what stands out – Twitch says you can’t:
“attempt to circumvent any content filtering techniques we employ, or attempt to access any service or area of the Twitch Services that you are not authorized to access;”
It doesn’t name VPNs or other unblocking tools specifically. But the wording implies that using a VPN is against the rules. After all, “content filtering techniques” can imply the geo-blocks Twitch uses, which many people use VPNs to bypass.
But Twitch does seem to have a problem with VPNs. According to numerous reports, the platform is actually shadowbanning VPN users. That means they get a ban, but they’re not notified about it. It’s not as bad as it sounds – Twitch isn’t removing VPN users from its platforms. But it is stopping them from leaving messages in the chat section as long as they’re connected to a VPN. Actually, the users can still leave messages, but nobody will see them.
So bottom line – yes, you can use a VPN with Twitch. But there’s a chance you’ll get shadowbanned if you do that.
Keep This in Mind If You Use a Twitch VPN
If you still want to use a VPN with Twitch, you need to use one that refreshes its server IPs very often. We really think that Twitch shadowbans VPN users by blacklisting the VPN server IP addresses. It probably uses online services that offer it access to databases that contain popular VPN IPs. Twitch then uses automated scripts to block those IPs.
As long as the VPN changes its IPs often, it should be able to avoid getting blocked. It also helps if the VPN has tons of IP addresses at its disposal. That way, it can instantly change server IPs to get them unblocked.
VyprVPN is a good example. They have over 300,000 IPs, so it’s extremely easy for this VPN to switch IPs to bypass Twitch’s blocks. ExpressVPN and NordVPN also work with Twitch pretty well, but they don’t mention how many IPs they have or how often they refresh them.
Why Use a Twitch VPN in the First Place?
With a VPN service for Twitch, you can do lots of awesome things. Here’s a quick look at the main perks:
- The VPN will keep you safe from DDoS attacks because it will hide your IP.
- VPNs will prevent bandwidth throttling by encrypting your traffic.
- VPNs will help you unblock Twitch in restrictive countries and on school networks.
- With a VPN, you can bypass geo-blocks and watch any content you want or use any services you want (like Twitch Prime).
- VPNs protect your privacy while watching Twitch (nobody will see your IP and use it to track your online movements).
Can Obfuscation Keep You Safe?
Obfuscation is a VPN feature that hides VPN traffic when you use the OpenVPN protocol. Basically, it will look like regular HTTPS traffic instead of a VPN connection.
Many people claim that obfuscation can help you avoid getting blacklisted by services that don’t like VPNs – like Twitch, Steam, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.
However, we don’t think that’s true. Obfuscation only hides your VPN traffic from your ISP and network admins. It only works on the network you’re using. But when you use Twitch, you’re not using their network – you’re still using your ISP’s network. Like so:
You –> ISP Network –> VPN Server –> Twitch
With obfuscation, you’ll only stop your ISP from seeing you’re using a VPN. Twitch won’t use DPI (a network analysis method) to spot your OpenVPN traffic. It will just use IP blocks to blacklist the VPN servers you’re using. And obfuscation doesn’t hide the VPN’s IP addresses.
So just avoid this feature. It won’t help. Plus, obfuscation makes your speeds slower. On average, we had 50-60% slower speeds when using obfuscation.
Why You Should Never Use a Free Twitch VPN
A free VPN is a very attractive option. You don’t need to pay anything or make any long-term commitments, so it’s all good.
But that’s the only perk, really.
If you use a free Twitch VPN, you’re extremely likely to get shadowbanned. Free VPNs don’t refresh their IPs as often as paid VPNs do. So they can’t reliable avoid IP blocks from services like Twitch.
On top of that, free VPNs have very slow speeds. Not to mention they limit how much data you can use each month. Usually, you have to deal with 500 MB or 2 GB monthly bandwidth caps. If you stream in 1080p, you’ll consume around 1.50 GB per hour. So you’ll barely be able to use the VPN with Twitch!
And that’s not all – free VPNs might log and sell your data to advertisers. Also, they might expose you to malware and malicious ads. And their apps are buggy and they don’t offer reliable support.
All in all, just stick to a paid VPN if you want to use a Twitch VPN. Most providers have very affordable deals for their long-term plans. Plus, most top VPNs give you your money back in 30 days if you’re not happy with their services.
Conclusion
While you can use a VPN with Twitch, you can get in trouble for it – Twitch might shadowban you (the streamers won’t see your chat messages). If you want to use a Twitch VPN, make sure you use one that refreshes its IPs very often to avoid getting blacklisted.
