The best Netflix VPN in 2021

With more and more of us cutting the cord, Netflix VPN service are becoming an everyday tool for countless people worldwide. But why are the best VPN services all clamoring to be the go-to provider for streaming?

Essentially, Netflix restricts what it shows to people in certain regions thanks to licensing and distribution agreements, but many paying customers think they're entitled to watch everything Netflix stocks. By using a Netflix VPN, you can make yourself appear to be located somewhere else, and access exclusive shows and movies you wouldn't otherwise be able to watch.

That's why grabbing the best Netflix VPN is the best course of action – not only will you be able to access Netflix in the first place, but you'll be able to switch location and watch the best shows not available where you are, whether you're on holiday, or you're just exploring shows from your living room.

What makes the best Netflix VPN?

The best Netflix VPN should be fast, 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.

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. 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.

That's why ExpressVPN tops our list. It ticks all the boxes and has never let us down when accessing Netflix from any location – and it also boasts plenty of extra features  to suit more experienced users. There are plenty more to pick from, though, so below we've run down the five best Netflix VPNs. All that's left for you to do is pick which one suits you.

NB: Using a VPN to circumvent restrictions goes against Netflix's Ts&Cs, and doing so may put your account at risk.

• Here's our in-depth guide on how to change region on Netflix with a VPN

The best five Netflix VPNs available

Simply put, ExpressVPN is the best Netflix VPN on the market, thanks to its 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.

Express also has a huge network of over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, which means you'll have a great range of options when it comes to picking a location.

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.

NordVPN is possibly the best-known VPN on the market, and has achieved that by prioritising security and speed: excellent 256-AES 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

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 around $2.50 a month it's one of the best cheap VPN services, but it performs like a premium product and also features on our guide to the best fast VPN. 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, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Also, Prime access is an improvement, as while in our last round of testing it couldn't access it reliably, this time round there were no issues at all.

As a Netflix VPN, though, there's very little to fault with Surfshark, especially for just $2.49 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

Hotspot Shield is the go-to provider if you want a fast VPN, and if you want to stream Netflix in HD without a moment's buffering, it's a seriously tempting choice.

With access to Netflix libraries all over the world – as well as other services such as Amazon Prime, Disney+ and the ever-tricky BBC iPlayer – it makes a great all-round streaming VPN. Plus, with simple and intuitive apps, it's a piece of cake getting connected and watching.

However, if you're looking for a VPN with lots of configuration, Hotspot Shield does lack a little. The proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol is the secret behind its immense speeds, but it also limits usage outside of the bundled apps. Realistically this will affect very few people, but if you would rather set up your own VPN server, you'll need to find a different service that supports OpenVPN.

However, if you're a Netflix addict that just wants full access at maximum speed, Hotspot Shield offers a simple yet powerful solution to your needs.

Sign up now on the Hotspot Shield website

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

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