With about 150 million paying subscribers around the world and a steadily growing revenue, it’s safe to declare Netflix as the biggest and most popular streaming service the world has ever seen. The company has a vast library that they update on a daily basis with new movies, TV shows, series, and documentaries. Therefore, it’s very easy to get addicted to this incredible media streaming service that’s based in the United States.
However, while the service is available in nearly every country in the world, the things you’re able to stream on the streaming service depends on your country. Thanks to copyright agreements, much of the content in the company’s vast catalogue is geo-restricted. The geo-restrictions means you can only watch the content that is available in the country you are in. If you really wish to unblock and access everything, then you’ll need the best VPN in 2024.
Bear in mind that the geo-spoofing is explicitly forbidden in Netflix’s terms and conditions. So, accessing content that is unavailable in your country is something the company sternly frowns at.
In order to prevent that, they’ve implemented systems to detect and block numerous VPNs. Although, they may never be able to block all of them. What’s the best VPN to watch Netflix in 2024? Find out in our guide below.
There are so many reasons why you may need the best Virtual Private Network to stream Netflix. First of all, it can improve your protection, security, and privacy. The most significant draw for using a Virtual Private Network to stream, however, is its ability to geo-spoof.
While the company truly has a large library of interesting content, it actually varies from one country to the other. And there may be restrictions on the country’s catalogue. Although the majority of the streaming service’s original content is globally available simultaneously, other sorts of content are affected by licensing restrictions.
For example, the UK Netflix doesn’t have some movies/shows/series you’ll find on US Netflix like the Mad Men, 30 Rock, and Parks and Recreation. Geo-spoofing is currently the only effective way to bypass this roadblock and allow UK residents to access US catalogue.
A Virtual Private Network is capable of opening up the restrictions, allowing you to stream thousands of movies that are not available in your country. The principle is easy : you connect to a server and this enables you to change your IP.
By doing this, you bypass the geo-restriction and can access any catalogue anywhere in the world.
Choose the best VPN for Netflix : ExpressVPN >
Following intense pressure from their major copyright holders to take action against users from outside the United States who’re using VPNs to bypass geo-restrictions, Netflix eventually sprung to action. In early 2016, the company infamously started a battle with the use of VPNs officially.
Following the previous announcement in the first month of that year, the company initiated a couple of successive steps and actions to further ban VPNs. By the beginning of the following year, numerous of the best VPNs that were initially effective were no longer effective.
Why have they stopped working? Simple. The service has actively blocked the majority of them, although some of them are even too slow to stream effectively. While a couple of the best VPNs still work for unblocking the American streaming service in 2024, most of them don’t really work well, contrary to the claims many of them make.
Understandably, most copyright holders aren’t pleased with how the illegal use of Netflix is costing them lots of money.
Therefore, the company is trying out different methods and implementing VPN-blocking systems to block users from accessing content that is not available in their country. In addition, the company has implemented a few alterations to its Android application to compel it to use Google DNS, which prevents the use Virtual Private Network.
While there are still loopholes in their newly-implemented systems, only a few VPNs have the resources required to exploit those loopholes. Some VPNs have even entirely given up on unblocking the streaming service.
Consequently, it becomes very hard for users to find a working VPN to unblock and access US catalogue.
Thanks to its super-fast servers which are perfect for video streaming, ExpressVPN is the best Virtual Private Network to access Netflix in 2024.
Operating a broad network of fast servers in about 100 countries, ExpressVPN offers everything you need to spoof your IP address to stream from locations like Canada, Germany, and the United States.
With its high speeds that allows it to unblock and access Netflix and stream in HD across a remarkable wide range of devices, ExpressVPN is our number one pick.
Speaking of support, ExpressVPN offers probably the best support in the industry.
While some providers leave you to find a suitable server after testing numerous ones, ExpressVPN does much better. Instead of looking endlessly for a suitable server for your stream, simply open a live chat session. Ask the available agent for the ideal servers, and they will promptly point you in the right direction.
Another excellent feature you will find on the VPN is MediaStreamer DNS, which helps unblock and access Netflix on devices that aren’t compatible with VPNs such as smart TVs, game consoles, and Apple TV.
While ExpressVPN is a little costlier than several rivals, it provides a great experience for users. Not only that, but it also includes a reassuring risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to test the service for 30 days with the option to take your money back if you’re not pleased with the service.
The extras don’t end there – there is also a 49% discount on offer and a 3-month free subscription you’ll get when you buy their 12-month plan.
Unblock Netflix with ExpressVPN now >
Unblocking US Netflix with ExpressVPN while being in Europe
ExpressVPN is, for us, the best VPN to unblock and stream Netflix everywhere in the world. Yet, there are alternatives providers that will also enable you to bypass any geo-blocking of the catalogues.
Here are some you’ll be able to use :
Despite being a Romania/Germany-based VPN provider, CyberGhost offers one of the best and most consistent ways to unblock Netflix in 2024 or any UK TV channels, for example.
While it has been a solid option for a while, the new update has pushed it ahead. Sporting a overhauled interface designed to show off its array of features, CyberGhost has made it incredibly easy to watch Netflix, while keeping you secure.
With the streaming-friendly US servers the company has, the US version is specifically guaranteed with CyberGhost. Its multiple thousands of servers scattered across more than 90 countries is surely helpful. Localized versions for Germany and France are also available on the VPN, and you will get to access the UK version as well.
Despite the many great things CyberGhost has, its user interface is actually its best and most outstanding feature. The company provides splendid apps for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS that are simple to operate. Also, CyberGhost offers a selection of custom streaming servers, rather than making you try different servers futilely.
There are about 50 servers dedicated for streaming, and all of them are optimized for different platforms, which makes it easy to determine which one to pick.
It also accounts for the basics, like Hulu, Channel 4, Crunchyroll, Netflix and BBC iPlayer. While CyberGhost lacks the same levels of support you’ll enjoy with superior VPNs like ExpressVPN, its general versatility means that it’s totally deserving of its spot here and is one of the best options in 2024.
Unblocking UK Netflix with CyberGhost while being in the US
Being a company that prides itself on its solid security and user-friendliness, NordVPN is also an excellent tool for your streaming. Apart from its magnificent security and ease of use, it also offers blazing speeds, ideal for streaming in HD. Besides the US, the company currently offers support for Netflix in the Netherlands, the UK, Japan, and Canada.
NordVPN also stands head and shoulders above its rivals when it comes to the number of connections it allows for at once. Every account enables you to link up to 6 devices, which ought to be more than sufficient to satisfy your needs even when you stream on-the-go. Moreover, you’ll get to utilize double VPN as well where your data traffic goes through 2 secure servers, thereby leaving behind no trace.
We don’t recommend you to use it for streaming Netflix, though. Indeed, it will terribly impact your speed.
While NordVPN offers an extremely intuitive application for every platform , it doesn’t offer the best customer support. Even though it is available 24/7 via its online chat, it does not respond very fast. Also, you sometimes don’t see it online which is very surprising. In that case, you’ll have to use the contact form, and the answer might take up to 48h.
While NordVPN doesn’t do very well in terms of support, it does well when it comes to compatibility. NordVPN provides broad multi-platform compatibility and support. Just think of any platform and there is a NordVPN app for it. You’ll be able to unblock Netflix with NordVPN on your Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and any other device that the provider has to offer.
However, the monthly plan is quite costly, so the three-year subscription provides the best value for money. But of course, not everyone can make that sort of commitment without being sure about what they’re paying for. That’s probably why the company offers a 7-day free trial and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
The last option we’ll be mentioning in this list of VPN providers that will enable you to bypass geo-restriction and unblock Netflix is SurfShark. This is a fairly new VPN provider but you might still like it a lote. Despite its relatively new status, the company has quickly risen to become one of the best tools to watch Netflix in 2024.
Surfshark has compatible apps for a wide range of devices and platforms. Not only that, but it also brings a highly-polished, cohesive UI design across all the platforms. It’s the best option for beginners who are in search of a simplified solution in 2024. Despite its simplicity though, it still offers some innovative features which take into account the needs of advanced users.
The most important thing is that Surfshark is capable of unblocking a chain of region-based versions and catalogues, which include American Netflix. You simply just have to connect to a Surfshark server in the US and the VPN will complete the rest. Then you just need to sign into your account and you will start seeing movies and shows that are meant to be available in the US only. On top of that, streaming is done with no buffering whatsoever.
The service also has a no-border policy, which allows a free internet for all. This means that every restriction will be lifted while you are connected to the VPN. There is also no limit to the number of devices you can connect, so all your friends and family can also stream at any given time.
Unblocking US Netflix with Surfshark while being in Europe
Netflix usually uses the IP address to block users. Although the company isn’t open about the methods they’re using to block VPNs, it seems they are blacklisting the common IP addresses used by popular servers. The service can even ban an array of IP addresses from server-hosting center. This is why the majority of VPNs aren’t able to combat the firewall the company has put in place.
All the best VPNs we’ve recommended are capable of bypassing the block using one location or server at least. Note that, even these VPNs get blocked sometimes. However, they are always ready with both the manpower and resources to replace blacklisted IPs with ones they haven’t blocked.
Don’t believe they NEVER get blocked, that would be a lie. They sometimes do, but, as they are the best, they swiftly manage to bypass the block.
While this needs more expertise, money, and time than most providers can offer reliably, the best ones we’ve recommended make a rigorous effort to run Netflix-unblocking servers at all times.
We know that the most popular benefit of a Virtual Private Network is probably bypassing geo-restrictions and streaming restricted content. You’ll be able to watch the CW abroad for instance. However, you can use the best VPN in 2024 to do other things apart from that.
Geo spoofing is the most popular reason for which people use the best VPNs. Have you ever wanted to steam or view online content just to see that the content is unavailable in your region, especially on Netflix? Geo-spoofing was designed specifically to get around this problem.
It will help you open up more websites and more regions of the internet.
Whether it is a censorship that’s established by the government of your country or just barriers implemented by work, getting a censorship message when you load a website can be very frustrating.
A VPN provides you with an effective way to get past the censorship pop-ups, thereby enabling you to fully access the internet. Best exemple for this would be the use of VPN in China.
The best VPNs also make downloading P2P files a safer endeavor. It offers a simple way to enhance your safety if you download often.
Normally, your Internet service provider sees your online activities and actively logs the information. The best VPNs for Netflix prevent this from happening, owing to the strong encryption that they often deploy.
You can instead browse safely knowing that the VPN you are using won’t log your online activities. Be warned that some VPNs, usually the free ones, often log your browsing activities. Thus, if you really prioritize privacy, then make sure you read the terms and conditions properly.
As the world advances and everything goes online, we are putting more information about ourselves on the internet. From grocery shopping to online banking, everything becomes more convenient with the internet. However, it comes at a cost.
Cybercrime is increasing on a daily basis throughout the world and your activities online provide these criminals with a chance to read your sensitive data. This is especially true if you’re using a public Wi-Fi. The best VPN in 2024 use military-grade encryption protocols to protect your information and lessen the risk.
Since VPNs usually encrypt your data to provide you with an additional protection layer, your Internet speed can be slowed down. Of course, this might not even be a problem at all for some things you do.
However, the last thing you want when streaming is having a low-quality picture and buffers. There is no cause for alarm though.
Using a VPN to watch Netflix doesn’t necessarily mean slow Internet speeds. The best providers like ExpressVPN don’t compromise on safety or speed, so they won’t slow you down.
Not all Virtual Private Network services are compatible with a wide range of platforms or devices.
You will no doubt want to stream on your computer, smartphone and TV at your convenience. Ensure you check compatibility levels thoroughly with all your devices before sticking with a particular company. The best services like ExpressVPN usually offer support for multiple platforms.
Every technology tends be frustrating sometimes, and it’s the same thing with VPNs. A Virtual Private Network that is unreliable can frequently crash, which means there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to use it at all times. The best options will inform you about its average downtime, which in many cases is usually less than 1 percent.
The law surrounding the use of a Virtual Private Network to watch Netflix and generally view geo-restricted content is somewhat of a gray region that has a couple of loopholes.
You are currently not doing anything illegal by using VPN to get around geo-restrictions and nobody has been indicted of using a Virtual private Network.
Changes are, however, possible to come in, we must note. Countries like China that place a huge concentration censorship are making moves to make the use of VPNs illegal and a couple of websites are taking active measures and putting their best efforts to prevent people from viewing their licensed content with a VPN.
Geographic locations are stated under Netflix’s terms and conditions, which states that “You may view a movie or TV show through the service only in geographic locations where we offer our service and have licensed such movie or TV.” However, the site doesn’t refer to VPNs specifically.
Is it legal to watch Netflix with a VPN? The answer is yes.
Over the next few years though, this could change in some countries and the company may eventually successfully block out all the attempts to unblock its content and bypass the geo-restriction.
We will get straight to the point here!
We firmly suggest staying away from free VPNs as they basically don’t work for Netflix. Building a reliable solution that can combat Netflix’s VPN-blocking measures takes a lot of investments and hard work. Free VPNs can’t just do it as they don’t have the resources required.
To give a more profound explanation of the problem around free VPNs, we will answer expansively. Thus, below are our reasons why free VPNs will never help you unblock the biggest streaming service in the world:
There is really no need wasting your time and energy on finding a solution that simply won’t work. The top VPNs in 2024 such as ExpressVPN perform this task with 100% success rate and minimal effort.
With a library packed with exciting movies, entertaining shows, and enlightening documentaries, who needs to go to the cinema nowadays when there is Netflix? However, being unable to watch the shows or movies you want due to copyright restrictions can be frustrating.
What’s the way out?
Getting one of the best VPNs. With all the tips we’ve given and excellent VPNs we’ve reviewed in this guide, we hope you won’t have a problem accessing any part of Netflix again.
Just to sum it up, here are the best 4 VPN for Netflix we’d recommend :