With a reliable VPN, you can spoof your location and access region-locked websites while you’re staying at an Airbnb. But what happens if it becomes unresponsive? Our handy guide explains what to do if your VPN isn’t working with Airbnb wifi.
If you fancy browsing the web freely while connected to wifi at an Airbnb, a top-rated VPN can jump in to save the day. However, if the VPN you’re using at the moment is struggling, there’s a chance it isn’t hiding your location from the websites you’re trying to visit. Keep scrolling for our advice.
In this article:
Disclaimer: The GadgetMouse team does not support using a VPN to access dangerous or prohibited material from an Airbnb.
At a glance: best VPNs to use with Airbnb wifi
Some VPNs don’t work very well with Airbnb wifi and that’s because they aren’t able to hide your location effectively. However, the VPNs we’ve listed below are a good choice if you’re aiming to unlock a website or service that’s usually reserved for folk in another country.
If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to read our full article, sign up for one of these VPNs – all of them are designed to work over an Airbnb wifi connection and they’re budget-priced, too.
| VPN name | Starting price (per month) | Why do we like it? |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 ExpressVPN | £5.61 | Offers over 150 servers and around-the-clock live chat support |
| 🥈 Ivacy | $1 | A cheap but secure VPN with public wi-fi security |
| 🥉 NordVPN | £2.99 | Servers in more than 50 countries and a built-in malware blocker |
| Atlas VPN | £1.49 | Effective tracking blocker with a strict no-logs policy |
| PureVPN | $2.29 | A trusted VPN that hides your real location at all times |
Why is my VPN not working with Airbnb wifi?
If the website you’re trying to access discovers you’re browsing from an unauthorised territory, your connection could be blocked. However, a trusted VPN can still help you stream content from anywhere in the world, even if you’re staying at an Airbnb for a limited time.
Your VPN isn’t working on Airbnb wifi and that’s probably because it’s not hiding your real location. The VPN servers you have available to you through your current VPN might be blacklisted by the website you’re trying to unlock. By swapping to a better one, you’ll be able to browse the web without being interrupted.
Try these fixes:
Delete your browser cookies – Cookies that are saved locally on your PC or mobile phone will help websites and mobile apps to understand where you’re viewing content from. We suggest you clear your cookies so that the website you’re trying to access will no longer recognise your previous IP address.
Try connecting to a different VPN server – The server you’re trying to connect to from your Airbnb might be acting slower than usual, or not at all. We suggest you try and connect to a different server to see if that solves your problem.
Contact a support team through your VPN – You might be able to reach out to the support team directly and ask why it isn’t working over Airbnb wifi. However, remember that not every VPN has a support team available around the clock.
Uninstall and reinstall your VPN software – Sometimes, a full reset of your VPN can solve issues and give you access to websites designed for countries all over the world.
Worked your way through the bullet points above and still seeing errors? We suggest you sign up with a different VPN, so keep scrolling for a list of great options.
How do websites detect my VPN at an Airbnb?
If your VPN isn’t hiding your real location, the website will interfere with the server you’re using, making your VPN useless. Bad VPNs take a long time to replace blacklisted servers. If your VPN isn’t working at an Airbnb, this is the reason.
The best VPNs you can download do a really good job of replacing a blacklisted server. That means that, even if a website has disabled a server, a replacement will be up sooner rather than later.
Free VPNs that work at an Airbnb
If you want to download a VPN to use at an Airbnb, a free service can be tempting. However, we suggest that you avoid free services entirely – they’re far more likely to sell your data to make a profit. By paying for a trusted VPN once a month, you’re getting a high-quality service and peace of mind.
The best VPNs for Airbnb wifi in 2023
ExpressVPN
- 1-month subscription: £10.90 per month
- 6-month subscription: £8.41 per month
- 1-year subscription + 3 months free: £5.61 per month (49% off)
| 🌎 Number of servers worldwide | 160 in 94 countries |
| 📈 Bandwidth allowance | Unlimited |
| 🗣️ 24/7 live chat service | Yes |
| 📱 Number of devices supported at once | 5 |
If you want to unlock websites while you’re at an Airbnb, create a membership with ExpressVPN. It’s easy to use, delightfully fast and works well if you’re looking to access content that’s usually reserved for specific countries.
This VPN keeps your real IP address hidden at all times, so websites won’t know you’re accessing content from outside of a supported country. Every ExpressVPN member has access to servers in over 90 countries around the world. ExpressVPN works on a range of different devices including Mac, PC, Android or iOS smartphone.
Our verdict: This is one of our favourite VPNs to try over Airbnb wifi. The app is really snappy and backed by clearly-labelled menus and toggles.
Try ExpressVPN with our unique discount code (30-day money-back guarantee)
Ivacy
- 1-month subscription: $9.95 per month
- 1-year subscription: $3.99 per month (save $71.40)
- 5-year subscription + FREE password manager: $1 per month (90% off)
| 🌎 Number of servers worldwide | 5,700 in 100+ locations |
| 📈 Bandwidth allowance | Unlimited |
| 🗣️ 24/7 live chat service | Yes |
| 📱 Number of devices supported at once | 10 |
Ivacy is a great pick for Airbnb-goers, and it’s well-suited if you don’t want to spend lots of money. This service supports 256-bit encryption, which helps keep cybercriminals away. You also get public wi-fi security that protects your gadgets against malware if you’re connecting to a hotspot in a public area.
Wherever you are, you can use Ivacy to access geo-restricted websites and apps without anybody knowing about it. Ivacy enforces a very strict no-logs policy, which prevents your valuable personal data from being sold to sinister third parties.
Our verdict: This is a popular Airbnb-friendly VPN that we recommend regularly. Wherever you are, you’ll have no trouble unlocking region-locked websites without giving away your true location.
Try Ivacy with our unique discount code (30-day money-back guarantee)
NordVPN
- 1-month subscription: £10.29 per month
- 1-year subscription: £3.89 per month (40% off)
- 2-year subscription: £2.99 per month (54% off)
| 🌎 Number of servers worldwide | 5,200+ in 59 countries |
| 📈 Bandwidth allowance | Unlimited |
| 🗣️ 24/7 live chat service | Yes |
| 📱 Number of devices supported at once | 6 |
Here’s another VPN that lets you use region-locked websites at an Airbnb. NordVPN has servers all over the world and all of them are protected by military-grade encryption. With Nord’s enhanced encryption technology, you can even stay safe on public wi-fi networks without speeds being affected.
NordVPN’s servers are brilliantly secure and you can connect without handing over personal data. This VPN doesn’t watch how you’re using the service, so privacy is guaranteed. You can also try the CyberSec feature, which blocks suspicious-looking websites and lowers the risk of your device being infected with data-grabbing malware.
Our verdict: NordVPN is really easy to set up and use at an Airbnb. Even if it’s your first time using a VPN, you’ll likely be up and running in just a couple of minutes.
Try NordVPN with our unique discount code (30-day money-back guarantee)
Atlas VPN
- 1-month subscription: £9.83 per month
- 1-year subscription: £2.69 per month (73% off with code BIGDEAL)
- 2-year subscription + 3 months extra: £1.49 per month (85% off with code BIGDEAL)
| 🌎 Number of servers worldwide | |
| 📈 Bandwidth allowance | |
| 🗣️ 24/7 live chat service | |
| 📱 Number of devices supported at once |
Atlas VPN can be your shield against online threats and also unlocks region-locked content over Airbnb wifi. It comes with a tracker blocker that battles against ads, suspicious websites and phishing links.
Other features include a data breach monitor that alerts you if personal details have been exposed online. Atlas VPN has a no-logs policy, plus a network kill switch that halts the service if your connection becomes unstable. You get over 700 unique servers all over the world. Connect to one based in a supported country and then you can start watching content on your PC or smartphone.
Our verdict: If you’re staying at an Airbnb, Atlas VPN will easily unlock websites for you. Have a look at the pricing options and pick the best deal for your needs.
Try Atlas VPN today with our exclusive code (30-day money-back guarantee)
PureVPN
- 1-month subscription: $12.45 per month
- 1-year subscription: $3.74 per month (70% off)
- 2-year subscription: $2.29 per month (82% off)
| 🌎 Number of servers worldwide | 6,500+ in over 78 countries |
| 📈 Bandwidth allowance | Does not limit bandwidth per user |
| 🗣️ 24/7 live chat service | Yes |
| 📱 Number of devices supported at once | 10 |
PureVPN is one of our favourite services to recommend for VPN newbies staying at an Airbnb. It’s simple to use and doesn’t limit bandwidth. Members have access to optimised servers that are specifically designed to provide a buffer-free experience.
As soon as you connect to PureVPN, your data is encrypted and then passes securely through a series of tunnels that lead to the company’s servers. That means you’re completely anonymous. You have a 24-hour support team at your disposal, so you can reach out at any time if you have a question or need help.
Our verdict: this tried and trusted Airbnb-friendly VPN offers up thousands of servers from around the world.
Try PureVPN with our unique discount code (31-day money-back guarantee)
Use VPN with Airbnb wifi on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
Before you start using a VPN while you’re at an Airbnb, you need to pick a geo-restricted website or service that you’re aiming to unlock.
As an example, let’s say you’re based in the UK and you want to use HBO Max – that particular streamer is usually only available to viewers based in the US. So, to unlock HBO Max while you’re at an Airbnb in the UK, you would need to run through these steps:
- Pick one of our suggested VPNs – we’ll use ExpressVPN for this example.
- Once you’ve created your ExpressVPN account, sign in.
- From Windows or Mac, open ExpressVPN and select a server in a supported country. In this example, you could choose a server based in the US.
- Once you’re connected, head to the HBO Max website.
- Log in to your HBO Max account and enjoy.