How to Access Pornhub in Montana?

Alex Popa

By Alex Popa . 21 July 2024

Cybersecurity Journalist

Justin Oyaro

Fact-Checked this

Pornhub is currently not available in Montana due to a new law that recently entered into effect. You will need to use a VPN to change your IP to that of another US state to access Pornhub in Mondana.

Quick Guide on Accewssing PornHub in Montana with a VPN:

All you need is a VPN. ExpressVPN is the best VPN that we’ve tested.

  1. Download your VPN app.
  2. Connect to a server located in the USA.
  3. Access Pornhub

Get ExpressVPN Now.

Summary:

  • Create an account with a VPN provider like ExpressVPN, NordVPN or Surfshark
  • Download the VPN app after buying a subscription (or not for a free VPN)
  • Log into the VPN with the credentials (email address and password) you entered when creating your account
  • Wait until you’re logged in
  • Find the server list. Its location will be different depending on which VPN app you’re using
  • Select a country and connect to a server from the list by clicking “Connect” or anything similar to that
  • Wait until the connection is created. You should see a “Connected to X server” message pop up
  • Minimize or close the VPN app. It will remain in your system tray section (bottom-right section of your taskbar)
  • Access Pornhub

With only 9 steps, you’ll have unrestricted access to Pornhub from Montana, and the geo-block won’t be a problem anymore.

Now, for more context – As of January 1st, 2024, Montana requires age verification for all users who access sites with explicit adult content.

The law defines the “reasonable age verification methods” as government-issued IDs or any other reasonable methods that can confirm that the user is at least 18 years old.

As a result, Pornhub has completely cut off access to all Montana users and they’ve officially stated that the ID requirement is a major security and privacy risk to its users.

So, in this article, you’ll learn how to bypass the Pornhub geo-block in Montana with a very simple solution!

VPN as a Solution

Pornhub logo

https://www.dailywire.com/news/pornhub-shuts-down-access-in-montana-days-before-age-verification-law-takes-effect

The quickest and most effective way to access Pornhub from Montana is with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This tool will assign you with a different IP address which will allow you to “fool” Pornhub into believing you’re not from Montana.

With a VPN, you can manually select a server location, which spoofs your real location and creates the illusion that you’re connecting from another location.

For instance:

  • You live in Montana
  • You connect to a server in New Haven, Connecticut
  • You will receive an IP from New Haven
  • Any service you use online will believe you live in New Haven

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This is how you can trick bypass the geographic block imposed by Pornhub on Montana. It’s perfectly legal and you won’t get in trouble for it.

Unlike other countries like Turkey, Russia or China where VPNs are heavily restricted, the US doesn’t have such laws. This means that it’s not illegal to use a VPN service.

And technically, it’s not illegal for the end-user to use a VPN to access Pornhub even though the later has instituted a geographic-block on Montana. It’s one of the many grey areas of VPN usage.

How Do VPNs Work?

Virtual network
Here’s a quick summary of how VPNs work:

  • You download a VPN application after creating an account with a VPN provider (and purchasing a subscription, if necessary)
  • You open the VPN app
  • You scroll through the server list and click/tap “Connect
  • The VPN switches your default IP with the IP of the server you connect to
  • The new IP will originate from another geographical location
  • Your real location will be hidden, to be replaced with the new location of the IP
  • Any service looking at your IP will believe you’re located in the spoofed location

Geo-blocking techniques like the one used by Pornhub in Montana rely on IP address identification and ban. The platform automatically identifies your IP and, if it originates from a blocked country/state, you won’t be able to access the platform.

A VPN is the most straightforward solution to this. By faking your IP and pretending to be from another location, you won’t be blocked from using the service anymore.

VPNs also offer many other features such as:

  • Traffic encryption so your internet connection is safe from prying eyes
  • Good anonymity, where your identity and other personal information are hidden
  • Safer public Wi-Fi usage through the network encryption that protects you from man-in-the-middle attacks or eavesdropping attempts
  • Bypassing national censorship regulations by allowing you to access blocked or restricted websites banned by your government
  • No-logs policies (for some VPNs), which means that they won’t track or store your online activities or personally identifiable information (PII)

While VPNs can’t make you 100% private, they can anonymize your activities up to a point where no one knows who is behind the online persona responsible for those activities.

Coupled with a 100% no-logs policy, a VPN connection can become a perfect mask that keeps your identity private.

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Choosing the Right VPN to Access Pornhub in Montana

Virtual private network

If you know anything about VPNs, then you also know that there are countless VPN services out there. The most popular (premium) ones include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Private Internet Access (PIA), CyberGhost, and others. FreeVPNs include Proton VPN, Hide.me VPN, TunnelBear, Hotspot Shield, Atlas VPN, and more.

The question is – do you need a premium VPN to bypass the Pornhub block in Montana or is a free VPN enough?

Technically, a free VPN should do the job. If all you need is to bypass the geo-block, a provider like Proton VPN lets you do that with ease.

Get ExpressVPN Now.

However, you should consider the downsides of free VPNs:

  • Limited server locations to choose from, which may slow down your internet speed because of how crowded every server is
  • Slower connection speed and bandwidth restrictions
  • Data usage limitation (Proton VPN has no such restriction in place)
  • Privacy concerns, with the vast majority of free VPNs keeping logs on their users. Some of them are even selling the user data to third parties for advertising campaigns
  • The lack of advanced security features that are only available on premium services
  • Restriction on the number of simultaneous devices used, which will affect your overall experience
  • Limited or non-existent customer support
  • Unstable VPN connection that might be disrupted at any time, exposing your real IP address in the meantime

If none of the above is relevant for you, then a free VPN will help you access Pornhub from Montana. That is, unless the platform isn’t actively blocking IPs associated with free VPNs. This happens more than you realize, often with popular streaming platforms like Netflix.

However, if you care about some of the elements outlined above, I would recommend a premium VPN service like NordVPN or Surfshark. Both are no-logs VPNs and they’re currently the two top-rated VPNs in the world.

Currently, NordVPN has an exclusive Christmas deal where they offer a 45% discount for their (yearly) standard plan + an additional 3 months for free.

Surfshark goes one step beyond with a 64% discount for their 12-month Starter plan, and an 82% discount for their 24-month Starter plan (+4 months for free).

But as I said, it’s worth trying a free VPN first (we recommend Proton VPN) to see if you can access Pornhub for free. Nothing beats free, right?

Best VPNs for Pornhub in Montana

1. Proton VPN – Free

ProtonVPN logo

https://account.protonvpn.com

First, I’ll talk about Proton VPN, which is the only free VPN I can recommend at this point. As per a clarification offered by Proton during a highly-discussed case, they say that “Under current Swiss law, email and VPN are treated differently, and Proton VPN cannot be compelled to log user data.

So, we know that Proton VPN abides by a strict no-logs policy from the get-go. Here are other features of this VPN service:

  • Excellent speed scores
  • No limit on the data usage for free subscribers
  • Ability to select which server to use in the five countries supported, unlike most free VPNs
  • Several advanced privacy
  • Ability to upgrade to Proton VPN Plus for 5€ per month
  • The same level of privacy and security as the paid plan

If you don’t want to pay for a premium VPN to access Pornhub in Montana, Proton VPN is your best bet. However, if you want additional protection and privacy, then you should go with a premium service!

2. NordVPN – Premium

NordVPN logo

https://nordvpn.com/

NordVPN is one of the best VPN services in the world. It checks all the boxes – privacy, security, anonymity, encryption, no-logs.

Here are some of its main features:

  • AES-256 encryption standard, which is the best in the world
  • Strict no-logs policy and a jurisdiction outside the 14-Eyes Countries
  • Advanced threat protection options
  • DoubleVPN features
  • Automatic Kill Switch
  • Onion over VPN
  • Dedicated IP address
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Able to access any geo-blocked website and bypass any restrictions
  • Usable for up to 6 devices simultaneously
  • Over 6,000 servers in more than 60 countries
  • More advanced security features for superior service plans (password manager, malware protection, tracker and ad blocker, data breach scanner, etc.)

In a nutshell, NordVPN will help you bypass the Pornhub block in Montana and then some. With its help, you’ll become truly anonymous.

3. Surfshark – Premium

Surfshark logo

https://surfshark.com/

Last on the list is Surfshark, which is a top-tier VPN service with some of the cheapest plans in the industry. Still, this doesn’t mean you get less quality. Here’s what you get:

  • CleanWeb, where the VPN blocks all trackers, ads, malware, and phishing attempts
  • Connections for unlimited devices
  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Automatic kill switch
  • Private DNS and leak protection
  • Camouflage Mode (VPN Obfuscation)
  • AES-256 encryption
  • Static servers for using the same IP address
  • Multi-Hop servers

At the time of writing this article, Surfshark costs EUR 10.99/month for a Starter package, with an 82% discount for the 24-month package (EUR 1.99/month + 4 extra free months).

NordVPN costs EUR 12.99/month for a Standard package, with a 54% discount for the 24-month package (EUR 3.79/month + 3 extra free months).

You don’t need all the extra features of these premium VPNs to access Pornhub in Montana but they could prove handy if you decide to use the VPN full-time. The privacy and anonymity are more than worth it.

Setting up a VPN for Pornhub Access

AI assistant

Assuming you’ve already created an account, purchased a subscription (or not), and installed the VPN app, it’s time to get it working.

Here’s how you do it on pretty much any VPN app:

  • Log into the VPN with the credentials (email address and password) you entered when creating your account
  • Wait until you’re logged in
  • Find the server list. Its location will be different depending on which VPN app you’re using
  • Select a country and connect to a server from the list by clicking “Connect” or anything similar to that
  • Wait until the connection is created. You should see a “Connected to X server” message pop up
  • Minimize or close the VPN app. It will remain in your system tray section (bottom-right section of your taskbar)
  • Access Pornhub

Get ExpressVPN Now.

Since I don’t know which VPN you chose between Proton VPN, NordVPN or Surfshark, I can’t give you visual guides. But there’s a set-up guide for Proton VPN, one for NordVPN, and another for Surfshark, straight from the official sites!

You don’t need to do anything specific to set up a VPN for Pornhub access. The set-up process is the same for any website you want to access.

Once the VPN is connected to the server, you can access Pornhub and any other geographically-restricted website without worries.

Why Did Pornhub Block Access to Montana Users?

Interdiction

Pornhub blocked access to Montana users because it did not agree with the local government’s requirement for ID verification of the platform’s users.

In a public statement, Pornhub said that “While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk.

And so, Pornhub decided to outright restrict the platform to all Montana users instead of requiring them to present their ID cards for identification.

At this point, we don’t know if and when Pornhub will drop the geo-block but until then, VPNs are your best bet to access the platform from Montana.

It’s respectable that the platform is refusing to put their users’ data at risk by requiring ID verification as per Montana law. It’s true that ID verification adds another attack vector that threat actors may exploit and endanger the users’ sensitive data.

This is especially true if it comes to children and teenagers who may not be aware of the best practices in online data privacy and security.

One thing is clear, though. Pornhub won’t be able to operate in Montana under the current law unless they implement ID verification on their users. So, either the law is rescinded or users keep using VPN services to access Pornhub.

To Conclude...

If you find yourself in Montana unable to access Pornhub because of the new laws, use a VPN service to bypass the geo-block. It’s the simplest and most effective solution to the problem!

Key takeaways:

  • VPNs are the most reliable method of bypassing the geo-block in Montana
  • With a VPN, you can hide your actual IP address and replace it with another one from a different location
  • VPNs encrypt your connection, anonymizing your identity and activities
  • A free VPN like ProtonVPN should be enough to access Pornhub from Montana but bear in mind that it comes with limitations typical to free VPNs (slower speed, limited server locations, etc.)
  • Premium VPN services like NordVPN and Surfshark offer a more versatile experience, with more advanced security features
  • Setting up a VPN to access Pornhub is simple – download the VPN app, log in with your credentials, choose a server outside of Montana, connect to it, and enjoy
  • Pornhub decided to restrict access to Montana users because ID verification would pose serious privacy risks to its users, if implemented

Leave a comment below if you need additional assistance or if you have other questions about unlocking Pornhub in Montana!

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