Netflix's success owes a great deal to it's vast catalogue of content, new and old. However, more and more people are seeking out the best Netflix VPN to widen their watching because so many films and series are geo-restricted – that essentially means certain shows and films may be available in some countries but not others.
Geo-restriction is usually done because particular content isn't licensed to be distributed the world over, but Netflix may also choose not to include certain titles because it doesn't think anyone will watch them. Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure – if you're not using a Netflix VPN to unlock extra content, you're certainly not making the most of your Netflix account.
A VPN – or virtual private network – can change your IP address, making you appear to be in different location, be that a different city in your home country or on the other side of the world. So, even if you're abroad, you can make your device appear to be back home and voila – access to the Netflix you know and love.
What makes the best Netflix VPN?
1. ExpressVPN – the best Netflix VPN available
2. NordVPN – great security and streaming power
3. CyberGhost – useful dedicated streaming functions
4. Surfshark – simple, mega-value Netflix VPN
5. IPVanish – quick connections and support
The best Netflix VPN should be swift, reliable and, more than anything, be able to unblock as many Netflix locations as possible. Having great privacy helps too, as although you'll mostly be using it to stream, there's no point in sacrificing the security any good VPN can provide.
If your VPN can access most Netflix locations, it means you'll be able to use it both at home and abroad. At home, you'll be able to make the most of what you pay for from Netflix and stream pretty much anything that's available anywhere.
However, if you're abroad and craving some home comforts, you'll also be able to select a server there, virtually sink into your own sofa and watch what you're used to – no matter where you are.
The best Netflix VPN – and for everything else, for that matter – is ExpressVPN. Simple enough for novices to use but crammed with enough extra functionality to tailor to your needs, it's a great option whatever you plan to use it for. However, there are plenty of other options available, so read on to find out what we rate as the top five best Netflix VPNs available today.
The best five Netflix VPNs available
1. ExpressVPN
The best Netflix VPN on the market
Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Other services unblocked: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Hulu | Streaming devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | 24/7 customer suppoort: Yes | Simultaneous connections: 5
Simply put, ExpressVPN is the best VPN overall – thanks in part to it's excellent performance as a Netflix VPN. On top of that, it delivers superb speeds, excellent 24/7 customer service support and wide compatibility across devices.
Express allows users to access a wide range of Netflix libraries, including the US, UK, Canada and loads more besides, and Smart TV support means that you can explore the world's Netflix from your sofa.
The useful feature that allows this is ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer DNS, which unblocks Netflix on devices that don’t support VPNs – including the likes of Apple TV and consoles, too. That means you don't have to rely just on your mobile or laptop – you can get international Netflix goodness wherever you want.
If you run into any trouble, Express's customer support team is on hand 24/7 to provide you with assistance, and in our experience the operators are eager to help and very knowledgeable – they'll also be able to tell you which server will be best for whatever regional Netflix library you want to explore.
There's a limit of up to five devices using the service at once, which is fewer than some competitors. However, that should be more than enough for most people's needs, since many Netflix plans limit the number of shared accounts used at one time.
If you're looking for the most well-rounded, fully featured VPN for Netflix and more, look no further than ExpressVPN.
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2. NordVPN
Famously security-focused Netflix VPN
Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Other services unblocked: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Hulu | Streaming devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | 24/7 customer suppoort: Yes | Simultaneous connections: 6
NordVPN is possibly the best-known VPN on the market, and has achieved that by prioritising security and speed: 2048-bit encryption, over 5,000 servers spread across more than 60 countries, strong DNS leak protection, two kill switches and excellent connection speeds. All that equates to a service that can unblock Netflix with very little fuss.
While some VPNs can unblock a couple of locations but struggle with others, in our testing NordVPN's Netflix unblocking was excellent, and it was able to access every server we tried. However, if you do have any problems, its 24/7 live chat will be able to assist you in minutes – and there are custom support pages outlining how to access certain popular shows
If you're using a mobile device the interface can be a little tricky, but that's a minor quibble with what is an excellent VPN with fully-featured apps for pretty much every device you have – and having six simultaneous connections is handy, too.
If you're after a Netflix VPN that focuses on security without sacrificing functionality or speed, NordVPN could be right up your street, and if it doesn't work out, you've got a 30-day money-back guarantee to protect you.
Head over to the NordVPN website to sign up
3. CyberGhost
Great streaming specialist, but a little unpolished
Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Other services unblocked: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Hulu | Streaming devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | 24/7 customer suppoort: Yes | Simultaneous connections: 7
CyberGhost has set out to make itself the Netflix VPN of choice, with powerful dedicated streaming and torrenting functionality. With attractive clients and a tempting price tag, there's no wonder it has over 10 million customers.
Naturally CyberGhost unblocks Netflix with ease, but within the apps you'll also be able to filter the best servers for whatever streaming platform you want to use. That sort of feature makes it super simple to get going.
However, although it does a great job at unblocking Netflix, CyberGhost doesn't top this list because as a package it's a little rough around the edges, and its connection speeds aren't great enough to make up for that. The apps aren't quite as intuitive as others, but we'd really love to see every VPN take a leaf out of CyberGhost's book when it comes to the fantastic dedicated streaming filters.
Also, CyberGhost's generous 45-day money-back guarantee is great way to test out the service with no risk, and landed it a place on our best VPN free trials buying guide.
For the price, CyberGhost is a very attractive proposition, and is perfectly suited to being your Netflix VPN.
Head over to the CyberGhost website to sign up
4. Surfshark
Cheap, quick, and great for streaming Netflix
Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Other services unblocked: BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Hulu | Streaming devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | 24/7 customer suppoort: Yes | Simultaneous connections: Unlimited
Surfshark is very bold with its Netflix unblocking claims, stating that it can give access to 14 different libraries around the world – and in our testing it delivered. A good thing about this bold claim is that the company is selling itself on its abilities as a Netflix VPN, so it's much more obliged to maintain its performance, even as Netflix tightens its restrictions on VPN usage.
The other great thing about Surfshark is the price – at less than $2 a month, it's one of the cheapest VPNs, but it performs like a premium product. To boot, it also sports very fetching apps which are easy to use and nice to look at. However, they don't have the hugest feature list, so if you're going to be digging around in the settings it might prove restrictive.
As well as unblocking Netflix, Surfshark can get those outside the UK into BBC iPlayer, as well as unblocking YouTube and Hulu. However, it did struggle to get access to Amazon Prime video.
As a Netflix VPN, though, there's very little to fault with Surfshark, especially for just $2 a month. If you're after a cheap and simple way to get stuck in to overseas Netflix content, there are plenty of worse options than Surfshark.
Head over to Surfshark's website to sign up
5. IPVanish
Impressive support and speeds
Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Other services unblocked: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu | Streaming devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | 24/7 customer suppoort: Yes | Simultaneous connections: Unlimited
While IPVanish doesn't really market itself on the fact, the service works great as a Netflix VPN. The US-based provider was able to access every Netflix library we tried in our testing, which means you should be able to get stuck into pretty much everything that Netflix distributes the world over.
However, while Netflix is no problem, IPVanish does struggle access BBC iPlayer, so if you fancy a wider range of media to explore, it'd be worth checking our best streaming VPNs to see if any other services can offer you a better deal.
However, if it's just Netflix you're after, it does a fine job. Plus, if you do run into any problems, the 24/7 live chat support are always willing to help out, perhaps by suggesting a better server or guiding you through the settings.
The desktop clients and apps are fairly easy to use, and they also display a whole loads of data, including your IP, connection speed and data up and down. It's useful to be able to keep tabs on these stats, and it's an easy visual way to diagnose if anything's not working as it should.
With great speeds and good Netflix unblocking, IPVanish is certainly worth considering in your hunt for the best Netflix VPN.
Head over to IPVanish's website to sign up
Best Netflix VPN FAQs
Why do I need a Netflix VPN?
While some shows may be regular Netflix fare in much of the world, even the powerhouses that are the United States and Canada miss out on some content – and things can even vary drastically between north and south of the border.
Japanese Netflix has lots of anime you won't find elsewhere, and Netflix in the UK still has some classic British shows that aren't available anywhere else – and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
If you travel, a Netflix VPN is a must, as when you're out of your home country it's likely that you won't be able to keep up with the shows you're currently bingeing..
Also, if you feel like you're missing out on all that great Netflix content that you can't get in your home country, it's definitely worth considering investing in a Netflix VPN to expand your viewing. And, on top of that, you'll be able to use the service to secure all your browsing on your desktop PC and mobile device, too.
Is it legal to use a VPN for Netflix?
There are a couple of important things to note here. First of all, using a VPN or another kind of proxy service to access Netflix in other countries may violate Netflix's terms of service.
If so, then Netflix would be within its rights to terminate your account. Using a VPN for this purpose may also be illegal in certain jurisdictions, and it's not something we can endorse or condone.
Second, Netflix tries to identify and block VPN and proxy servers, with mixed results – that's why many VPNs can't get you watching. The company didn't always do this, but it's now under pressure from Hollywood studios and other content creators to block cross-border streaming.
This may seem harsh, but if you can recall the devastating legal settlements that ordinary file-sharers had to pay record companies in the early 2000s, you might appreciate this approach. You'd probably rather be blocked than sued. We reached out to Netflix for further clarification, and were directed to a company blog post from early 2016.
"We have a ways to go before we can offer people the same films and TV series everywhere...In the meantime, we will continue to respect and enforce content licensing by geographic location. ...We look forward to offering all of our content everywhere and to consumers being able to enjoy all of Netflix without using a proxy."
Why is Netflix not working with my VPN?
Netflix (and other streaming services, for that matter) are constantly trying to block the IP addresses of VPNs to stop people watching content they're not entitled to.
While the five VPNs above have proven that they're reliable and can consistently unblock Netflix, there's always the possibility that at one point certain servers will be unavailable.
In this situation, we recommend speaking directly to the VPN's support team. They will know many users prioritise streaming support, and will usually do all they can to get you on a working server as quickly as possible.
On that note, great support is an important reason why we rate ExpressVPN so highly. Whenever anything goes wrong – which isn't unheard of with any VPN – having top-class assistance is a massive help in rectifying the issue.
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