Do you actually need a VPN in Peru?
VPNs are legal in Peru. There is no ban, no licensing and no blocking of VPN providers, and the apps are on the local app stores. Peru has had a net neutrality rule for years that stops operators blocking applications, and in practice WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom and Teams calls work on Movistar, Claro, Entel and Bitel. Social media, news and streaming are open. The one area the state does block is unlicensed online gambling: Law 31557 brought a licensing regime into force in February 2024, and the tourism ministry MINCETUR has since had unlicensed betting sites taken down. UK bookmakers are not licensed in Peru, so expect them to be unavailable or to refuse a Peruvian IP.
The everyday reason is Wi-Fi. Peru's hostels, guesthouses, Cusco cafes and the PeruRail lounges run shared networks that everyone on the premises can see, and mobile coverage is patchy enough that you will use them more than you expect. Banking, work email and card payments should not cross those networks in the clear.
Then there is location. UK bank apps sometimes refuse logins from South America, and BBC iPlayer and ITVX will not play from a Peruvian address. A UK server fixes both. When something breaks in a hostel in Huaraz with no one to ask, 24/7 live chat from NordVPN or Surfshark is the practical safety net.
What a VPN does and does not do in Peru
A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server, so the hostel router, the cafe and anyone sharing the network see only scrambled traffic. It also chooses where you appear to be: a London server makes UK banking, iPlayer and Netflix behave as they do at home, while a Lima server, which both of our picks offer, keeps Peruvian sites and local payment pages treating you as domestic.
It will not add bars to a dead signal on the road to Puno, it will not make a satellite link in the Amazon faster, and it does not change Peruvian law on unlicensed gambling. Both picks carry a 30-day money-back guarantee, so test them on the networks you will actually use: NordVPN for a two or three week trip, Surfshark if you are settling into Lima or Cusco for longer.
Recommended VPNs for Peru
NordVPN, best for short trips and month-by-month plans
It is the one for you if you are covering yourself, or you and a partner, and want something simple to run and easy to forget about. One plan covers 10 devices, and the apps are quick to install and easy to switch off and on as you need. Plans run by the month, the year or over two years, all with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark, best for long stays and unlimited devices
It is the one for you if one subscription needs to cover everyone. Connections are unlimited, so every phone, laptop and tablet you travel with, and anyone you share a place with, runs on the same plan at once. That suits a stay that stretches to months rather than weeks. It sells the same three terms and adds bonus months on the longer two, with the same 30-day money-back guarantee.
Server networks and speeds in Peru
Both of our picks run servers in Lima. NordVPN lists Lima as its Peruvian location and Surfshark lists Peru on its network. A local server keeps latency low for everyday browsing and video calls, which matters because the alternatives are Santiago, Bogota or Sao Paulo, all a long way off. For UK services you connect to London, and the transatlantic hop is the same whichever provider you choose.
Mobile speeds are modest. Opensignal's February 2026 report, covering October to December 2025, put average downloads at 30.6 Mbps on Bitel, 30.4 Mbps on Claro, 25.1 Mbps on Entel and 23.7 Mbps on Movistar. 5G is limited to the big cities. Movistar has the widest coverage, Claro is close behind, and Bitel is the one built for rural areas.
How to choose between them
The differences that matter fit in one table, and the last two rows are there to name two promises you should not believe from anyone, us included.
| Feature | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|
| 1 month | $14.99 | $16.45 |
| 1 year plan, total upfront | $65.88 (12 months billed) | $50.85 (15 months billed) |
| 2 year plan, total upfront | $94.23 (27 months billed) | $67.23 (27 months billed) |
| Devices per plan | 10 | Unlimited |
| Kill switch and auto-connect | Yes | Yes |
| Independently audited no-log policy | Yes (2025) | Yes (2025) |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Guarantees access to any blocked site, anywhere | No | No |
| Makes slow Wi-Fi faster | No | No |
On a single month NordVPN is cheaper. Over a year or two Surfshark is. On everything else the choice is about shape rather than money: 10 devices and a simple setup on one side, unlimited devices on the other.
Setting up before you travel
Do the setup at home, on Wi-Fi you trust, before the airport. Install NordVPN or Surfshark on each device, sign in, and connect once to confirm everything works. Then turn on two settings both apps include: the kill switch, which stops your traffic travelling unprotected if the VPN drops, and auto-connect, which brings the VPN back up when your connection returns.
Install and log in before you fly, then turn on the kill switch so a Wi-Fi dropout in a hostel does not leak traffic. Save a UK server for banking and iPlayer and a Lima server for local sites. A Peruvian SIM is registered to your passport through the Reniec biometric system, and not every shop knows foreigners qualify, so an eSIM bought before you land is the simpler route. Our Best eSIMs for Peru guide covers which ones have coverage on the Lima to Cusco route.
Final recommendation
Peru is a straightforward country for VPN use: legal, nothing mainstream blocked, and both providers have Lima servers. For the classic two or three week trip through Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, NordVPN is the pick. Its Lima server keeps local browsing quick, its UK servers handle banking and iPlayer, and ten device connections cover a couple's phones, tablets and laptops.
If you are basing yourself in Lima or Cusco for a season of remote work, or moving for a job, Surfshark is the better value. Unlimited devices covers every phone, laptop and TV box in a rented flat, and its Lima server keeps everyday latency low.
