As of October 1, residents in Alabama can no longer access the adult site Pornhub. Due to an age verification law passed by the State legislature in April of this year which was designed to prevent minors from viewing adult content, Pornhub’s parent company Aylo has begun restricting access to its adult sites in protest. Users in certain states are now finding themselves without the ability to visit one of the world’s most popular sites, and Alabama residents are just the latest.
This is following a trend that has seen more than half a dozen states lose access to the incredibly popular NSFW site. Similar bans occurred in March of this year when access was blocked to residents in Texas, in June when Indiana, Idaho, and Kansas also lost the ability to visit the site, and most recently in July when Nebraska was hit the ban hammer as well.
Not only is this disruptive for age-appropriate Alabamians who want to access the site, but it also infringes on First Amendment constitutional protections. Fortunately, there’s an easy workaround: using a VPN. Just download and install your preferred VPN, connect to a server in a state that isn’t blocked, and enjoy the content.
Below you’ll find my top picks for VPNs to access Pornhub (or other Aylo owned adult content) if you’re in Alabama where access has just been blocked. For even more great services, check out my list of the best VPNs overall.
ExpressVPN – Best overall
ExpressVPN is my overall top pick for VPN. It packs a ton of great features including wide-device support, ad- and tracker-blocking, and plenty of domestic and international servers.
It also boasts great speeds, meaning you won’t need to lower your video quality to something that makes it look like the important bits are blurred on purpose. ExpressVPN has one of the widest device support networks as well, so not only will you be able to access Pornhub, you’ll also be able to view the content on any device you wish.
NordVPN – Runner-up
NordVPN is a close second to ExpressVPN, only losing out due to the fact that it isn’t as intuitive and can be a bit more expensive in the long-term. Those are just minor issues though and shouldn’t take away from NordVPN still being one of the best VPN services on the market.
It’s consistently the fastest VPN I’ve ever tested, so you can stream in HD to your heart’s content. Plus, it comes with the most robust package of security features if you’re in need of something more than just privacy.
Mullvad – Best for privacy
Depending on what you’re looking for from a VPN, Mullvad might actually be your best option. Not only is it in my top five services for overall speed, it more importantly earns top marks for privacy.
Mullvad takes every effort it can to know as little about its users as possible. The service won’t ask for an email address or name and it even accepts payments via mailed cash if you want. Plus, it costs a mere $5 per month regardless of the plan you choose.
Proton VPN – Best free VPN
While I don’t usually recommend that anyone use a free VPN due to their proven security and privacy risks, Proton VPN is one of the exceptions. This service from the well-known Swiss-based Proton brand has a spotless track record for user privacy. It’s also mercifully free of ads.
Just like all free VPNs there are limitations, but thankfully Proton VPN keeps them relatively manageable. For no cost whatsoever you’ll get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located in different countries around the world (including the U.S.). It doesn’t impose any speed or data limitations on these free servers as well—something that’s nearly unheard of with other free VPNs.
Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld
Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.
