As Netflix is a very popular streaming platform as of late, it is only normal that not all contents are available on every regional Netflix.
Having mentioned that, do you know that not all VPN service providers can access Netflix? Well, that’s true considering Netflix did block some VPN service providers due to proxy errors or regional restrictions.
Regardless of what issues they are, we have compiled a list of best 7 VPN service providers that can bypass Netflix’s ban. Access contents you have been itching to watch but could not. Or catch the latest episode of your favourite show with the help of a VPN service provider.
Before we continue, there are several criteria you may want to consider before settling for one.
Criteria
There are several criteria you will need to think of before choosing the best VPN service provider for Netflix.
The number of servers
The number of servers is important because the lesser the number, the less popular the VPN service provider is. That being said, it does not mean that if a VPN service have a lot of servers is the best.
It depends on whether your VPN service appetite is that huge.
The VPN service provider’s privacy and security
Are you someone who is concerned about your own privacy and security? User privacy and security is important in a sense that you do not want your credit card and other personal details leaked, do you?
Though most VPN service providers practice zero logs policy, it does not mean they are not prone to hackers. You will still need to be aware and careful that your private information and internet activities will still be mined by 3rd party members without your knowledge or warrant.
Connection speediness
If you are planning on using VPN services to access and watch Netflix contents, then VPN connection speediness is definitely one of the most important factors you should consider.
Most mid- to high-range VPN service providers usually have a good to excellent speed. Having run it in the background, your internet speed usually will decrease by a small percentage, but not very drastically.
The decrease in internet speed usually won’t be too noticeable most times anyway. You’ll be left with a speed that runs almost as fast as your original speed.
Plans and pricing
Plans and pricing would be subjected to consumer’s preferences. Having taken into account your expectations and budget, searching and browsing the right Netflix VPN may be worthwhile for you.
Our Top 7 VPN Choices for Accessing Netflix
We can now discuss about our best 7 VPN service choices for accessing Netflix without worrying about getting blocked.
1. NordVPN
It is not surprising to see NordVPN here in the list. With over 5600+ servers available, it is no surprise that NordVPN is considered one of the best. The large amount of servers reflects the popularity of the VPN service provider, and have been confirmed as such.
In terms of speed connection, NordVPN is said to be one of the speediest VPN Netflix among its competitors. Even as it is considered as one of the best VPN service, that does not mean it has speed issues.
Most VPN service providers, when activated and run in the background can slow down your overall PC speed. NordVPN is no exception to that. Users have reported back saying that even when it is activated and running in the background, it will hardly cause any performance slowdowns.
People often hate slow connections when they are streaming Netflix movies and tv series. If you are worried if the slower connection will affect your Netflix streaming, it will not. Users said that despite the speed difference, they said the movies and tv series did not slow down that much.
As a matter of fact, the slowdown was almost close to non-noticeable. Hence, the speed decrease is less likely to be felt.
Remember that depending on which servers’ location you are connected to can be a contributing factor to your internet speed. The further away it is from you, the slower your connection speed will be. The same can be said about being connected to a server location that is much closer to you geographically – which usually will be faster.
Concerned about safety? NordVPN practices a n0-logs policy where they keep none of your personal data and information. If anyone demands that they handover your user details, NordVPN will not be able to do it since they don’t keep data anyway.
If you are interested in NordVPN it has several plans for you.
- 1 Month Plan: US$11.95/month
- 1 Year Plan: US$143.40/year
- 2 Years Plan: US$286.80/year
- 3 Years Plan: US$430.20/year
NordVPN has a 30-day money back guarantee feature. If you are not happy with their services, you can unsubscribe from their plan before the 30th day mark.
On a side note, users have mentioned how NordVPN is more expensive than average. Most VPN services charges around US$10 a month on average. NordVPN is slightly above that average so to speak.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is another popular Netflix VPN service provider that we can say “does wonders” as a VPN. “Doing wonders” may be an over-reaching appraisal, but the fact of being one of the best VPN service providers still stands.
With over 3000+ servers available, it is nearly as popular as NordVPN – if not on par. ExpressVPN’s servers allow you to connect to any of its servers without blocking access to Netflix.
Although that is the case, some shows on Netflix may not be available due to regional laws. That and the fact that some shows’ episodes may delay by a few hours or days depending on which server you are connected to.
In terms of speediness, some users reported back that they experienced up to 38% speed reduction. Although there were reports of speed retardation, users also mentioned how the reduction is barely felt.
Not forgetting to mention how the far the server (you’ve connected to) is away from you, the slower your connection will be. Let’s say your current location is in Singapore, but your server connected is located somewhere in Europe. Obviously the geographical difference is massive.
The further away the server you are connected to, the longer it will take your data to travel over and back. In the same way, if you are to connect to a server closer to where you are, the faster your data will travel over and back.
If security is what you are worried about when accessing Netflix with a VPN service provider, you can worry a lot less now. ExpressVPN’s security is considered one of the best Netflix VPN among its competitors and it is not surprising as it is one of the better VPN Netflix service providers out there.
ExpressVPN runs on advanced mathematics in AES-256. In layman terms, it means that standards undertaken are entrusted by global security standards verified by security experts.
If you are interested in ExpressVPN, it has 3 plans available for you to choose from.
- 1 month: US$12.95
- 6 months: US$9.99/month or US$59.95 billed every 6 months
- 12 months: US$12.95/month or US155.40 billed every 12 months
Not satisfied with what ExpressVPN has to offer? You still can back out of its subscription and services. ExpressVPN has a 30 days money-back guarantee feature where if you are unhappy with its services you can still unsubscribe.
Just make sure you unsubscribe before the 30th day mark to get your refunds back in full. If you missed the 30th day mark, you will not be entitled to the 30 day money back guarantee scheme.
3. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is another VPN service provider that does not block Netflix on any of its servers. Based in Romania with over 5900+ (6200+ according to some sources) servers worldwide, it does have a lot to offer compared to the other leading VPN services.
CyberGhost’s internet connection is above average. By above average, CyberGhost mentioned that the minimum bandwidth for you to be able to run smoothly is 6 Mbps. The maximum it can reach at best is 1GB.
As mentioned previously, take into consideration the geographical distance between your current location and server choice location. The further the server location is from your current location, the download and upload speed of your internet will be slower. The closer it is, the faster your download and upload speeds will be.
As connection speeds may matter, a lot of users say that the speed reduction is not obvious or noticeable. If you are concerned that it may affect your Netflix speed, it will less likely affect it.
We should also mention that some Netflix contents are inaccessible on some servers due to its varying locations. If that is going to be an issue for you, choose another server from a different location to connect.
CyberGhost’s security is considered one of the better VPN for Netflix in the market. On the down side, it may not be as advanced as the features of NordVPN and ExpressVPN, but its offering is more than average.
For security, it can block malicious websites and redirect you to a better and more secure location. Thanks to its HTTPS feature you can surf the net knowing that you’ll be safe.
If you are interested in its plans, it has 3 plans for you to choose from.
- 1 month: US$12.99 a month
- 6 months: US$7.99 a month, or billed as US$47.94 every 6 months
- 18 months (12 months): US$2.75 a month, or US$49.50 for the first 18 months. After that it is billed as US$2.75 a month for 12 months.
It does come with a 30 day money back guarantee if you are not happy with its services. If you choose the 18 months (12 months) plan, you are entitled to 45 day money back guarantee instead of the usual 30 days instead.
Just remember to unsubscribe before the 30th/45th day mark to avoid having to pay for the plans.
4. Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is perhaps one of the better VPN Netflix service providers you can choose from. Some users lauded Hotspot Shield as one of the fastest VPN service providers you can opt for. For some users, they mentioned how it is even faster in its connection speeds compared to leading VPN Netflix service providers.
However, the lack of server locations have caused it to be less popular but given the top notch and speedy performance, this could be overlooked by users.
With that being said, that means you will not have to worry about your Netflix shows lagging while you are streaming it. Neither do you have to worry about upload and download speeds getting in your shows’ way.
When it comes to privacy, you can lay your fears to rest. Hotspot Shield claims to not collect private information and user data. They don’t keep track of any private information either as they run on 0 logs privacy.
Interested in what they have to offer? Their plans are simple and non-pretentious, as they keep it very simple.
- 1 year: US$7.99 per month, or billed as US$95.88 a year.
- 1 moth: US$12.99 per month, billed every month.
We should also mention how it has a free VPN Netflix too. Although they may have a free version, its server location choices are not as diversified as its paid version. It still works as well, so to speak. However, you may have to remember that you get what you “paid” for.
If you choose the paid version, you are entitled to its 30 day money back guarantee. If you feel dissatisfied with their services, you still can ask for a refund before the 30th day mark. With its paid version, you can connect up to 5 devices under 1 license, just in case you want to know.
5. IPVanish
IPVanish is one of the VPN service providers that lets you access Netflix. With over 1300+ servers across the globe, it comes across as a really solid VPN solution.
As a really strong performer in various VPN tests, it has some very impressive features. Users said they can connect to any IPVanish’s servers really fast. The download speeds are (considerably) above average. Torrenting files are available across all its servers too.
If you worry that it is lacking in speed, you can put that worry to rest. Not forgetting to mention, it helps you to access each and every regional Netflix without fail. That means you get to watch shows that are blocked in your regional Netflix, or are able to access the latest episode earlier than your friends can.
In terms of security, we read that IPVanish keeps a strict no-logs policy currently in present day. That was not the case back in 2016 however, as proven otherwise.
Unfortunately, back in 2016 it fell into a data logging scandal. It complied with the Department of Homeland Security’s request for user information as one of the persons they were investigating was involved in child pornography.
IPVanish have no choice to hand over the logs, which proved that they do indeed keep logs. As that happened, users like you and we have to remember that IPVanish is based in the US, and is subjected to 5/9/14 Eyes’ jurisdiction. It meant that the authorities can summon them to turn over any records they have on hand regarding any requested individuals.
Although the outcome may be as such, that doesn’t mean that our private data and information will be handed over when requested. IPVanish have ever since practiced a 0-logs policy and will no longer keep any user’s private information and data, alongside its internet logs.
If you are interested in IPVanish, they have 3 plans for you to choose from.
- 1 month: US$11.99 a month
- 3 months: US$8.99 a month, or US$26.99 every 3 months.
- 1 year: US$3.99 a month or US$47.99 a year for the first year. After the first year, it is back to US$11.99 a month.
Note that IPVanish doesn’t practice 30 day money back guarantee schemes. Instead, their money back guarantee scheme is limited to just 7 days. Make sure that if you really no longer wish to use IPVanish anymore, you will have to unsubscribe before the 7th day mark.
6. Surfshark
Surfshark is another VPN service provider you can consider if you wish to access Netflix. No broken promises or overblown marketing confidence. You can access and watch Netflix with the help of Surfshark.
Some users said they were not able to access certain contents on different server locations. As users, remember that the location of your server can affect what contents you can access, and which you cannot. Meaning to say, some Netflix contents can only be accessed on its US servers, whereas some others can only be accessed on its UK servers, and so on.
At the same time the location of your server can affect the speediness of your internet connection too. The further away you are geographically from your VPN server choice, the slower your connection will be.
The reason for such a slow connection speed is because it takes longer for your download and upload speed to travel. The further away your VPN server choice is, the longer it will take for the data to travel.
Although the connection may be slower after connecting to a VPN server, a lot of users say the slowdown is unnoticeable. With that being said, users said that using Surfshark to access Netflix will not affect the streaming speed. As a matter of fact the streaming speed is almost instant.
If you are getting problems with streaming content that are not blocked on Netflix, try refreshing or re-loading the page again. The worst case scenario is to re-open the browser again to restart your content.
In terms of security, Surfshark is considered one of the best you can find in the market. If you doubt Surfshark’s security, you can lay it to rest. It runs on an unbreakable AES 256-bit encryption to ensure that your online safety and security.
It also comes with a CleanWeb function that makes sure you can access the internet with no ads, trackers and malwares.
If you are someone who is concerned about what you watch online, again lay that doubt to rest. Surfshark practices 0 logs policy. That means they don’t collect data from your internet activities. They don’t keep your data either. The only data and information they will keep about you are your email addresses and your billing information.
Interested in Surfshark? They have several plans for you to choose from.
- 1 month: US$11.95 per month
- 1 year: US$143.40 per year
- 2 years: US$286.80 for 2 years
Surfshark has a 30 day money back guarantee feature. If you are not satisfied with its services, you can unsubscribe before the 30th mark. Remember that if you don’t, you will have to continue for the rest of the plan after paying for it.
7. VyprVPN
VyprVPN is another popular VPN service provider that Netflix did not block. A pretty strong VPN service provider, it practices no logs policy like many other leading VPNs. It is less likely that they receive any user data requests from the authorities as they don’t keep any data. They will have nothing to handover anyway.
Users have said that the security and privacy features are pretty impressive to mention. VyprVPN protects your privacy and security with strong support with the best encryption available. It runs on 256-bit OpenVPN across Windows, Mac, and Android devices. The ever capable IKEv2 is available on iOS, but unfortunately it is not available on Windows and Android.
If you worry that VyprVPN will reduce your speed, it won’t reduce much. As a matter of fact, many users who use VyprVPN said that your surfing speed will be as usual and the lags are close to unnoticeable.
Though the lags go unnoticeable, users say when they connect to the UK servers they felt the connections are inconsistent. According to users who have tested out the UK servers, they tested out the performance on a 75mbps line, but only received 25-50mbps.
Compared to users who connected to the US servers reported better connection speeds. US server users said their connections are “better” ranging from 50-70mbps.
Although you can peruse VyprVPN to access Netflix contents, remember that there are contents that are regionally exclusive. Meaning to say whatever Netflix content you wish to access on UK servers may not be available on US servers, and vice versa.
If you are interested in VyprVPN, it has 3 plans available for you to choose from.
- 1 month: US$12.95 per month, billed every month
- 1 year: US$255.40 per year, billed yearly
- 2 years: US$310.80 for 2 years, billed every 2 years
VyprVPN has a 30 day money back guarantee feature. If you are not happy or dissatisfied with its services, you can halt your subscription whenever before the 30th day mark. Once unsubscribed, you can have your refund returned to you in full.
Our Verdict
Your best VPN option would depends on your Netflix content needs. Thorough the whole article we can only come down to one conclusion: that all VPN service providers listed can let you access Netflix.
The only difference is that when connected to any one of its server locations, you can only access a certain content that is not available on the Netflix in your region. It can be due to restricted or prohibited contents shown in the Netflix show.
If fear of missing out the latest episode is what you are concerned about, we can say that most VPN services with North American or UK servers will usually have the latest contents. The only difference is the availability of some shows.
At the same time, we can advise you that the best VPN Netflix service providers have always been NordVPN and ExpressVPN. They are both equally reliable, reputable and dependent, making it the go-to options VPNs for Netflix.
In terms of budget, it is apparent that NordVPN and ExpressVPN will be on the more expensive side. That does not mean that with such heavy monthly subscription fees, you won’t be offered much features.
All along leading VPN services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN have always offered some of the best features. Their privacy and security policy is top notch (as expected). You get what you paid for.
If your VPN needs are entry level and you only wish to be able to access Netflix contents, then any other entry-level to mid-level VPN services would do. It is safe to say that most mid-levelled VPN service providers do provide access to Netflix contents anyway. It’s a matter of whether your personal data will be kept safe or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions.
Q: Is it illegal to use VPN services for Netflix?
No, it is not illegal to use VPN services for Netflix. You are not doing anything illegal when you are using VPN to stream and access contents from the giant streaming show. Back then there was some kind of ban on VPN service providers, but things change over time.
Users who used to get messages such as “you seem to be using an adblocker or proxy” may no longer receive the same messages anymore. As Netflix needs clients from every corner of the globe (read: profit), the ban was gradually eased.
If everyone is experiencing geo-restrictions when they access Netflix, that will not turn out well for the streaming company. That’s why some countries have geo-special library of shows.
In order to access those special shows, you will need to access it via the help of a VPN service. Although Netflix may not encourage the use of VPNs, that does not mean they will outright ban it.
However, Netflix encourages people to use the service based on their location. If you wish to use a VPN to access a show that is unavailable where you are currently, then it is in your own will to do so.
Q: Which VPN works best for Netflix?
There are a few really good VPN services that allow you to access Netflix. The best VPN Netflix providers available are those that made sure you have enough security to access Netflix. Just make sure that the VPN service provider has to put in place protocols to avoid being detected by Netflix. Even then, those will not work all the time.
On the other hand, we should also mention that the VPN service you are using may fail to offer total protection when accessing Netflix. You might get caught by Netflix, so to speak. When Netflix detects that you are using a VPN, you will receive a proxy error. To play safe and avoid getting caught by Netflix, it’s good to switch servers occasionally whenever you are accessing Netflix from a restricted area.
To get into that, it’s good to choose a VPN service provider that has a lot of servers for you to choose from. It helps you to switch your server location every now and then. To settle on that, choose a VPN service provider that has servers across North America and Europe.
Don’t just focus on the security too much. Remember that the further the server location is away from you, the longer the data will travel from and back to you. You will need to have a server that will be fast enough with its connections.
If you feel your VPN choice is too expensive, you can always choose one that is more affordable. One that does not compromise on the service delivery. We will suggest (and strongly advise) to better pay a little more money. The more expensive ones usually (but not always) provides the best services.
Having said all that, don’t forget that the VPN service provider you choose must have a good track record from its users and clients. They must also be available whenever you are looking for help.
If you have heard of a specific provider, make sure to do extensive research on it. Read and watch what people have to say about the VPN service provider before settling for it. Other than that, it is best to stick to the better known and reputable VPN service providers instead.
Q: Does VPN work with Netflix? Can Netflix detects VPN?
Yes, VPN works seamlessly with Netflix as discussed above and Netflix can detect VPN, but it does not mean Netflix outright bans the VPN service providers. There are still some VPN service providers where you can use to access geo-special contents and latest episodes.
The primary reason why Netflix has banned VPN service providers because some movies and tv series
do not get payment from people who viewed it. When customers use a VPN to watch a Netflix show or movie that is not available in the viewers’ country that is because the show and movie creators do not receive payment for their works. Hence, the restriction is evident.
As years passed, Netflix’s ban on VPN services have been relaxed. However, users shall be mindful as the restrictions still exists, which have not been entirely lifted.
Eventually, Netflix has geared towards providing global access of their contents to their users which indicates that users can currently watch all the available contents regardless of locations.
As a Master Degree graduate in the Internet Technology field, Stefan is highly dedicated towards improving the overall web security so internet users can browse freely without having to be afraid of technical loopholes. With over 15 years in the internet security industry, you should definitely take his advice seriously.