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The Best VPNs to Get a Static IP Address
JP Jones
JP Jones is our CTO. He has over 25 years of software engineering and networking experience, and oversees all technical aspects of our VPN testing process. Read full bio
A shared static VPN IP address allows you to keep your VPN IP address the same all the time, giving you disruption-free browsing and other benefits while maintaining a degree of anonymity. Our recommended VPN for getting a shared static IP address is Windscribe, which offers static IP addresses in seven different countries.
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is your unique identifier online, acting as your internet “passport”. It allows you to communicate with other devices and servers and reveals your location.
There are three main types of VPN IP address:
Dynamic IP: The default type, it often changes when you reconnect to a VPN server and is shared with potentially thousands of other VPN users.
Static IP: Offered by some VPNs for an additional fee, this stays the same however many times you reconnect. Unless it’s dedicated (see below), a static IP is shared with a smaller group of other subscribers.
Dedicated IP: A subtype of static IP that’s exclusive to a single user.
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There are important differences between each type of IP address. This guide is focused on static IP VPNs and how they differ from dynamic IP VPNs.
To learn more about dedicated IPs, which are more common than shared static IPs, read our our separate guide on getting a dedicated VPN IP address.
What Is a Static VPN IP Address?
Some VPNs offer a static IP address as a paid extra. Unlike the standard dynamic IP, a static IP remains the same regardless of how often you reconnect.
A key benefit is that only subscribers to a particular static IP can use it, resulting in far fewer users compared to dynamic IPs. This makes it harder to detect that your traffic is coming from a VPN.
However, you’ll be limited to just one geographical region, and the static IP address will be linked to your individual VPN subscription.
We’ve outlined the main differences between static and dynamic VPN IPs below:
Static IP Address
Dynamic IP Address
Fixed IP address
Changeable IP address
Rarely offered by VPN services
Widely available
Costs an extra fee
Enabled by default
Accessed by a smaller group of users
Shared amongst all VPN subscribers
Anonymity dependent on number of users
Maximum anonymity
Tied to one region
Can be assigned wherever there’s a server
Smoother browsing experience
Prone to CAPTCHAs and frequent verification checks
Secure remote access to private business servers
Incompatible with IP whitelists for remote access
If you want a static VPN IP that is not shared with anyone else at all, you need a dedicated VPN IP instead.
You may also be able to purchase a residential IP address. These dedicated IP addresses come from IP ranges normally reserved for household connections, which makes it harder still to identify your traffic as coming from a VPN. This makes it easier to bypass VPN blocks on streaming services.
The Best VPNs with Static IPs
Static IP addresses – whether shared or dedicated – are not widely offered by VPN services. Based on our research, shared static IPs are the rarest of all.
We have thoroughly checked every VPN service’s offerings and are confident that only two VPN providers offer a shared static IP address feature.
We’ve assessed these VPN services based on a strict testing criteria. The best static IP VPNs should be affordable, available in multiple locations, residential, and completely anonymous – without any links to your account.
The table below compares our two recommended VPNs that offer shared static IPs:
Static IP shared with other users to maintain anonymity
Residential IP can unblock all major streaming services including US Netflix
Great server coverage in the US
Data-center IPs are very affordable
Doesn’t offer a dedicated IP
Residential IPs are expensive at $8/mo
Middling connection speeds
Windscribe is an excellent VPN for streaming, and its static IP feature is no different. By connecting to a static IP address in Chicago, we were able to stream US Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hulu.
Residential IP Addresses Unblock Most Streaming Platforms
Windscribe’s streaming success is largely attributed to its use of residential IP addresses.
Windscribe’s residential VPN IP wasn’t detected by an IP lookup tool.
This disguises your internet traffic, as residential IPs are taken from a pool of IP addresses that have been reserved for households.
Normally, streaming services detect VPNs by maintaining a database of known IP addresses from VPN servers, as well as monitoring accounts that log in from multiple geo-locations.
A residential IP bypasses both detection methods by appearing as a household IP address and retaining the same virtual location.
Server Coverage Varies by IP Address Type
You can purchase a static IP for seven different countries, including: the US, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, France, Canada, and Switzerland.
Windscribe only offers residential IPs for the US and Canada, the other locations are all data-centre IP addresses.
The US server location is also the only one to accommodate city-level options.
You can connect to the following static IP locations in the US:
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Washington DC
Dedicated IP Is a Privacy Risk
Windscribe is not without its drawbacks, though. It doesn’t support a dedicated IP address, citing ‘privacy reasons’ as the justification.
Considering PIA and CyberGhost’s token solution, we would like to see Windscribe offer an anonymous dedicated IP address in the future.
It’s also not the fastest VPN connection, we experienced a 33% speed loss in download speed when connecting to a Chicago-based static IP.
In terms of pricing, Windscribe is a mixed bag. Purchasing a data-center IP only sets you back $2.00 per month, but it lacks the streaming benefits of a residential IP. It’s also not dedicated, so its usefulness is limited all-round.
Subscribing to a residential IP is much more costly at $8.00 per month, but this is mitigated by Windscribe’s great streaming performance.
Static IPs are included in the standard subscription
Your static IP is shared amongst Surfshark’s entire userbase
Doesn’t support residential IP addresses
Limited server coverage
Surfshark is the only VPN service to offer a static IP address as part of its default subscription, at no additional cost.
You can sign up for just $1.99 a month on a two year plan, making Surfshark the best cheap VPN.
Shared Static IP Addresses Come with Major Drawbacks
The major downside to this is that every Surfshark subscriber has access to the same static IP servers as you.
This means thousands of users will be connecting from the same IP address, largely negating the benefits of using a static IP, aside from hosting game servers.
Your browsing activity will still trigger CAPTCHAs; whitelisting your IP for remote networks or IoT devices will also leave them accessible to other Surfshark users; and streaming services will just as easily recognize your traffic as coming from a VPN.
Surfshark’s static IP was immediately flagged as a VPN connection.
Excellent Download Speeds & Server Coverage
We can’t recommend Surfshark’s shared static IP for most use cases, but it’s worth highlighting for its inclusion in the default service.
It did record the fastest speeds of any static IP we tested with an average download speed of 92Mbps when connecting to a nearby New York.
Surfshark’s server network was fairly extensive too, covering locations in North America, Europe, and Asia.
You can connect to Surfshark’s shared static IP servers in the following locations:
It’s not guaranteed that your VPN service will offer a static IP address at all. Aside from Surfshark, there aren’t any VPN services that offer a static IP address at no extra cost.
Most services that offer a static IP address, whether that’s shared or dedicated, allow you to purchase it as a paid add-on within your account area on their website.
Quick Guide: How to get a Static IP on your VPN
Log into your VPN’s client area: This is the Account section on your VPN’s website.
Navigate to the static IP setup area: This can be found under Add-ons, Subscriptions, or Port Forwarding. It can also be labeled any variation of Static IP or Setup Static IP.
Purchase a static IP: Choose your preferred subscription length and server location.
Open the VPN app and connect to the static IP.
Follow this step-by-step guide to set up a VPN Static IP using Private Internet Access as an example:
How to Set Up & Activate a Static IP with Windscribe
Log into your Windscribe account and click ‘Features’: You can quickly do this by selecting ‘Features’ from the website’s top navigation bar.
Select static IP from the list of options: You’ll need to scroll down to find static IP.
Choose your preferred IP address type: You can pick between a static IP from a data center or a residential IP address.
Select your server location and pay: You can purchase a static IP in 10 different cities.
Launch your Windscribe app and connect to your new IP: You can find this under the anchor symbol within the Windscribe app.
Which Is Better: Static or Dynamic IP?
Dynamic IP addresses are the default for both VPN and standard internet connections.
Most VPNs will assign you a dynamic VPN IP address on connection. It’s not fixed, and can change an indefinite number of times both during a session and whenever you reconnect to the same VPN server.
Every server location offered by your VPN can assign a dynamic IP address, whereas static IPs tend to be limited to a handful of popular regions. This makes dynamic VPN IPs ideal for accessing geo-restricted content, as you can easily cycle through different virtual locations.
Dynamic IP addresses are also shared with thousands of other VPN users all over the world, which is great for anonymity. However, it makes it much more likely they will be banned or blocked by web or streaming services.
Here’s a summary of how static and dynamic VPN IP addresses compare in eight key areas:
Category
Winner
Anonymity
Dynamic IP
A static IP address is explicitly tied to your account whereas a dynamic IP is shared amongst many users.
Remote Access Security
Static IP
A static VPN IP can be added to an IP whitelist to ensure secure remote connections. Dynamic IPs change too often and won’t be permitted.
Bypass Firewalls
Static IP
Static VPN IPs never change so only ever require a one-time update to any applicable restricted firewall rules.
Streaming
Dynamic IP
Dynamic IPs aren’t restricted to a single region in the same way static IPs are, and can unblock streaming libraries in a number of locations.
Gaming
Static IP
Players can easily connect to your server if you host with a static IP. You also avoid bans from games where other users may have abused a shared IP.
Browsing Experience
Static IP
You can avoid CAPTCHAs and other online verification checks by using a static VPN IP.
Price
Dynamic IP
Dynamic IPs are automatically assigned and reused by the VPN service with no extra cost. Static VPN IPs require manual configuration and are paid extras.
The most significant disadvantage of a static VPN IP address is that you have less anonymity than with a dynamic IP.
Static IP addresses are more vulnerable to traffic correlation attacks, which can result in your internet traffic becoming completely de-anonymized.
This kind of attack involves monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic from a VPN data center for patterns within the data. Naturally, it’s easier to isolate an individual’s activity from a single IP address than from a larger number.
The other areas where we prefer dynamic IP VPNs over static IP are a little less clear-cut.
A static IP VPN can sometimes be better for streaming if you are happy being restricted to a single region, as your traffic will more closely resemble normal internet traffic and is therefore less likely to be blocked by streaming services.
A top-tier dynamic IP VPN is better for streaming overall though, as it gives you vastly more flexibility in spoofing your geolocation.
We couldn’t access US Netflix with PIA’s static IP.
You can also cycle through multiple dynamic IPs if needed, whereas if your static VPN IP gets blocked then there’s little you can do.
The two VPN use-cases where a static IP VPN is a must are remote access and hosting a gaming server.
If you need to use your VPN to access a remote network or device that’s protected with an IP whitelist then it simply won’t work without a static IP.
Similarly, it’s much easier to host a game server using a static VPN IP than a dynamic one. As your static IP never changes, other players can directly connect to your server by inputting your address.
In terms of price, a static IP VPN can be worth the extra money if it meets your needs. Otherwise, of course, it’s better to avoid unnecessary costs.
FAQs
Do Any Free VPNs Offer Static IP Addresses?
No free VPN service currently offers a static IP of any kind – shared or dedicated.
This is due to the sharply rising costs of leasing and buying IPv4 addresses, which began to increase once the finite pool of IPv4 addresses began to run out in 2011.
The closest thing to a free static VPN IP is what Surfshark offers as part of its standard paid subscription.
While this static IP VPN retains some of the advantages over a dynamic IP, the benefits are lessened as while your IP stays the same, it’s shared with every other Surfshark customer.
If you need a VPN static IP on a budget then consider subscribing to CyberGhost. It’s a dedicated IP rather than shared static IP but is the best value for money at just $2.50 per month.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of CyberGhost’s 45-day money-back guarantee to use the full VPN service for free and sign-up to its dedicated IP. You can request a refund at any point during that time period, as long as you don’t miss the deadline.
Why Are Static IP Addresses More Expensive?
Static IP addresses are more expensive primarily due to their scarcity.
Most IP addresses use the IPv4 protocol, which is limited to around 4.3 billion addresses. To conserve this finite resource, ISPs and VPNs typically use dynamic IPs, recycling addresses among users.
Static IPs require manual configuration, increasing labor costs compared to dynamic IPs, which are automatically allocated by DHCP servers. This automation reduces human error, prevents IP conflicts, and lowers administrative overhead.
Does Using a Static IP Increase Your Internet Speed?
In most instances a static IP will not increase your internet speed.
It’s entirely up to your ISP to decide how much bandwidth you are allocated. Your ISP could choose to prioritize your connection from a static IP due to your increased subscription fee.
However, there’s no guarantee that this will happen.
Should You Use NordVPN's Static IP?
We strongly recommend that you don’t purchase NordVPN’s Static IP.
NordVPN requires you to purchase a second subscription for its dedicated IP and then link it to your standard VPN account.
This puts your online privacy at risk as your browsing activity, via your dedicated IP address, is directly associated with your personal NordVPN account.
EXPERT ADVICE: We recommend purchasing Private Internet Access’ dedicated IP for a completely anonymous subscription. Sign-up is carried out through a secure token system that can’t be traced to your account.