Utah has made national news for its internet laws in recent years, from age checks on adult sites to a 2026 law that mentioned VPNs by name. If you live in Salt Lake City, Provo, or St. George, you might wonder whether you can still use a VPN there. You can.
That law deals with adult websites, and it doesn’t make VPNs illegal for residents or visitors. As for why you’d want one, the reasons are familiar: privacy on public Wi-Fi, streaming services from other countries, and safer banking on the road.
Utah adds one more. Its NBA and NHL teams stream through apps that only work in their home market, so fans lose access when they travel. Five VPNs passed our Salt Lake City tests, and the quick list comes first.
Top Utah VPNs for 2026
- NordVPN: Best overall, with the fastest Salt Lake City server in our tests
- Proton VPN: Best for privacy, with Secure Core and a Utah server
- ExpressVPN: Best for easy setup, with one-tap connections to Salt Lake City
- Surfshark: Best for streaming households, with fast downloads and ad blocking
- Private Internet Access: Best budget pick, with open-source apps and detailed settings
Utah VPNs Compared
| VPN | IP lookup on its Salt Lake City server | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
| No VPN (baseline) | Not applicable | 190.36 | 19.37 | Not applicable |
| NordVPN | Salt Lake City, Utah | 174.99 | 17.39 | 198 |
| Proton VPN | Salt Lake City, Utah | 125.53 | 12.78 | 168 |
| ExpressVPN | Salt Lake City, Utah | 138.29 | 17.37 | 201 |
| Surfshark | Salt Lake City, Utah | 140.19 | 17.73 | 181 |
| Private Internet Access | Salt Lake City, Utah | 133.17 | 18.18 | 206 |
We connected to each VPN’s Salt Lake City server from our Windows 11 PC in Europe in our October tests, then confirmed the location with an IP lookup site. The distance from Europe explains the high ping, and it’ll be far lower on a connection in the US.
Best VPNs for Utah, Tested on Salt Lake City Servers
1. NordVPN: Best Overall VPN for Utah
Pros
- Fastest downloads in our tests
- Servers in all 50 US states
- Unblocks major US streaming services
- Obfuscation for restricted networks
- No-logs policy audited by Deloitte
Con
- Price increases at renewal
NordVPN recorded the fastest download speed in our Utah tests. The company says it has servers in every US state, so one app covers Utah and every other state. Its US servers unblocked Hulu, a service that blocks many VPNs, plus Netflix and Peacock.
Threat Protection blocks ads and malicious sites, a useful layer on airport or coffee shop Wi-Fi. Among NordVPN’s plans, the two-year option keeps the introductory price for the longest time.
2. Proton VPN: Best for Privacy in Utah
Pros
- Utah server listed by city in the app
- Covered by Swiss privacy law
- Secure Core double-server connections
- NetShield blocks ads and trackers
Con
- Slow uploads for large files
Proton VPN lists its Salt Lake City server under Utah in the app. It recorded the slowest upload of our tests, a drawback for cloud backups and large attachments. Downloads were still fast enough for streaming, browsing, and video calls. Proton VPN is among the most secure VPNs we’ve tested.
The company is based in Switzerland, and its no-logs claims have passed several third-party independent audits. Turning on Secure Core sends traffic through a second Proton VPN server, located in a country with strong privacy laws.
3. ExpressVPN: Best for Easy Setup
Pros
- One-tap connection on the Automatic protocol
- Dozens of US server locations
- Apps for TVs and routers
- Same app design on every device
Con
- Limited settings for power users
ExpressVPN is the simplest of our picks to set up. We left it on the Automatic protocol, picked USA – Salt Lake City, and it connected straight away. Speeds were very close to Surfshark’s in both directions. Its apps look and work the same on phones, computers, and TVs, and it’s a favorite with Android users.
Power users will find fewer settings to adjust than in NordVPN or PIA. Beginners won’t miss them, since ExpressVPN’s settings stick to the essentials: the protocol, the kill switch, and split tunneling.
4. Surfshark: Best for Streaming in Utah
Pros
- Second-fastest download speed
- Post-quantum WireGuard by default
- CleanWeb ad and tracker blocking
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
Con
- Antivirus costs extra
Surfshark is one of our top VPNs for streaming, and it recorded the second-fastest download speed. That leaves room for several 4K streams in one household. The app picked WireGuard with post-quantum protection on its own, so there was nothing to configure.
One subscription covers every device you own. CleanWeb, Surfshark’s VPN ad blocker, removes ads and trackers on each of them. Antivirus and data breach alerts require the more expensive Surfshark One plan, so check which tier you’re buying.
5. Private Internet Access: Best Budget VPN for Utah
Pros
- Highest upload speed we recorded
- Fully open-source apps
- No-logs claims tested in US courts
- Unlimited devices on one plan
Cons
- Settings can overwhelm beginners
- Didn’t unblock Hulu in our tests
Private Internet Access recorded the highest upload speed of our tests, handy for backing up photos or sending large files. It’s also one of the cheapest VPNs on a long plan. PIA publishes the code for all its apps. When US court cases required it to hand over user data, it had none to give because it doesn’t keep logs.
The settings menu is long, so beginners should leave the defaults alone at first. Experienced users can fine-tune the encryption in Private Internet Access, switching from AES-128 to AES-256. On streaming, PIA couldn’t unblock Hulu in our tests, so it isn’t the pick for a Hulu-heavy household or for those who primarily buy a VPN for streaming.
Is It Legal to Use a VPN in Utah?
Yes. Using a VPN is legal in Utah, and no state law penalizes people for it. Senate Bill 73, which Governor Spencer Cox signed on March 19, 2026, put new rules on adult websites. Individual users have no obligations under it.
The law requires those sites to treat visitors who are physically in Utah as Utah users, even when a VPN shows another location. It also stops them from explaining how to use a VPN. Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, challenged the law in federal court. On September 24, 2026, a federal judge blocked the VPN location rule while the case continues, finding that no site can geolocate every visitor perfectly.
The state could still appeal, and lawmakers have said they may rewrite the rules in 2027. Utah’s 2023 age-verification law for adult sites remains in force, and Pornhub remains unavailable on Utah IP addresses.
For streaming, banking, and public Wi-Fi, nothing has changed. VPNs are legal in every US state, Utah among them.
Watching Utah Sports With a VPN
The Utah Jazz and the Utah Mammoth stream through their own apps, Jazz+ and Mammoth+, and both work only in the team’s home market. In Utah, KJZZ and Utah 16 also broadcast games free over the air. NBA League Pass and ESPN+ black out those local games for viewers in the market.
Locally, the team apps and over-the-air TV are the way to watch. Jazz+ keeps working for up to 30 days of travel in the US, but neither app works abroad. Utah fans overseas can switch to a Utah server and sign in to the subscription they already pay for.
Other US channels abroad work the same way, on a US server. College football is simpler. BYU and Utah Utes games air nationally on ESPN, ABC, Fox, and CBS, so fans abroad can use any US server with their usual streaming service.
NFL fans who follow a team from another state deal with separate blackout rules for out-of-market NFL games. A VPN works in the other direction, too. From Utah, a UK server lets you sign in to British services such as Channel 4.
How to Get a Utah IP Address
Open your VPN, search for Salt Lake City, and connect. Then load an IP lookup site to make sure the location reads Salt Lake City, Utah. For other devices and platforms, see our guide to changing your IP address.
A Utah IP address helps when you’re away from home. Utah banks and credit unions may flag logins from abroad, and Jazz+ and Mammoth+ check your location when you sign in. Living in Utah?
Connecting to a Utah server keeps ping at its lowest, which helps in online gaming. For privacy on public Wi-Fi, any nearby US server works just as well.
Final Thoughts
Using a VPN in Utah is legal, and the court fight over SB 73 doesn’t change that. It concerns how adult sites check where visitors are, and a judge has blocked the VPN rule for now. The more practical question is speed and location. Every VPN we tested placed us in Salt Lake City, and each was fast enough for daily online activities.
So basically, the choice depends on what else you need from a VPN. NordVPN was the fastest, and it’s also the top pick in our overall VPN ranking. Proton VPN is the pick for maximum privacy, while ExpressVPN is the simplest choice for connecting without touching settings.
Surfshark and Private Internet Access cost less over a long plan. Traveling with a Jazz+ or Mammoth+ subscription? Connect to a Utah server before you open the app, and your games will play as they do at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Utah ban VPNs?
No. Utah's SB 73 sets rules for adult websites and doesn't penalize VPN users. A federal court has also paused its VPN location rule.
Which VPNs have Salt Lake City servers?
NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and Private Internet Access have Salt Lake City servers. CyberGhost doesn't offer a Utah location, and its nearest US servers are in Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Should Utah residents connect to a Utah server?
No, it isn't required. Utah residents see the lowest ping on a Utah server, but any US server protects public Wi-Fi traffic. Jazz+ and other in-market apps require a Utah location.
Can Jazz+ be watched abroad with a VPN?
Yes. Jazz+ checks that viewers are in its local market, so a Utah server lets existing subscribers sign in from outside the US.
Are free VPNs good for a Utah IP address?
No, usually not. Most free VPNs for the US don't offer a Salt Lake City server, and Proton VPN's free plan assigns servers automatically, so a Utah location isn't guaranteed.
Is there a no-logs VPN with Salt Lake City servers?
Yes. NordVPN and Proton VPN offer Utah servers and independently audited no-logs policies, so neither logs the sites users visit or the files they download.