Best VPN Services for Netflix
2021 Guide To Best VPN Services for Netflix
Unlocking Netflix, when you are outside of the US, is now one of the most popular search terms on the internet. If you have a fast internet connection anywhere in the world, it is now possible to see all your favorite Netflix series using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Netflix blocking occurs because of copyright restrictions. You get kicked off the service if your IP address is on the blocked list of countries. Netflix uses your IP address to block or reroute your connection as your IP address pins down your country location. VPN providers are a workaround. They use multiple servers worldwide to trick Netflix into allowing you access by masking your actual location to gain access to Netflix’s extensive US library. Utilizing the chain of servers offered by VPN providers is the only way to stream the US Netflix content when you’re abroad.
It’s a hassle, but it works most of the time. Naturally, Netflix is onto this ploy and devotes time and energy to rooting out VPN connections. However, the best VPN services for Netflix stay one step ahead. To help you choose your VPN provider, we have reviewed the top 5 Netflix VPNs.Pros
– 24/7 support
– 30-day money-back guarantee
– Supports up to five devices
– Reliable and fast service
– Class-leading customer support
Cons
– Not the cheapest VPNCheapest is not always best. And this is the case with ExpressVPN who is arguably the top Netflix VPN provider by quite a measure.
They can lay claim to the crown for several reasons. But their primary selling point is their unerring ability to outfox Netflix consistently.
For us, another great plus point for ExpressVPN is the ease of use. Even if you haven’t ventured into the world of VPNs before, you are unlikely to run into problems setting it up. It’s incredibly user-friendly and straightforward.
Once set up, you will find that ExpressVPN provides consistent and reliable connection speeds – even when you’re logged on to servers in far-flung parts of the globe. So you can say goodbye to buffering no matter what you are watching or where. Even the latest 4K visual feast nature documentaries are no problem.
We should also add here that ExpressVPN is amazingly versatile. No matter which device you prefer to use for your Netflix viewing, ExpressVPN has you covered. Their service supports laptops, tablets, smart TVs, smartphones, Amazon Fire, Roku, and a host of other streaming devices. In addition, ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer DNS will let you watch Netflix on devices that don’t ordinarily support VPNs, such as Apple TV, games consoles, and some smart TVs, for instance.
Kudos too for ExpressVPN’s customer service. Unlike other providers who leave customers to figure out by process of elimination which server is working that day, ExpressVPN goes the proverbial extra mile. Should you run into a problem, simply fire up a live chat on their support site, and a member of the customer support team will point you to the best server for Netflix.Pros
– 24/7 support
– 30-day money-back guarantee
– Supports up to six devices
– Secure
– Excellent performance
– Good privacy measures Super-strong encryption
Cons
– Not the easiest of smartphone experiencesNordVPN is a solid choice for beating Netflix blocking when you are out of the country.
What sets NordVPN apart is their sheer speed, which is down mainly to their proprietary protocol known as NordLynx. The result is you will barely notice streaming via their VPN affecting your connection speeds.
HD and 4K streaming are all taken in its stride no matter which server you are logging into or its geographical location.
As well as Netflix, NordVPN will also get you on to the usually tricky BBC iPlayer as well as easy access to other services such as Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube, and others.
Outside of the US, NordVPN enables access to Netflix in Canada, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, and Australia.
Customer service, too, is noteworthy. Their support web pages are an excellent resource for DIY troubleshooting should you run into trouble trying to watch newly arrived movies or your favorite binge-watching series. If you need to contact a human for help, the NordVPN support agents are available 24/7 to give you a hand.
Other great features to flag up are its military-grade 2048-bit encryption, kill switch, an extensive range of global servers, and privacy measures to maintain your stealth mode.
Privacy, too, is a significant concern for NordVPN. They have a ‘no logs’ policy in place that is externally audited to ensure customer privacy.
Overall, NordVPN makes for a robust choice of Netflix VPN provider. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee to enable you to try out the service risk-free before committing yourself to a service package.
At $11.95, the monthly deal looks pricey compared to the $4.95 offer if you opt for the annual plan.Pros
– 24/7 support
– 30-day money-back guarantee
– Competitively priced
– Attractive interface
– Easy to use
– Unlimited device support
Cons
– Comparatively fewer servers to choose from
– Privacy policy could be betterIf you are going to do one thing, make sure you do it really well.
This adage certainly applies to Surfshark. To a great extent, they are specifically geared up for customers who mainly want to use their VPN to watch Netflix.
Wearing its heart on its sleeve, Surfshark says it can unblock Netflix in 16 countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
Fortunately for the consumer, Surfshark does not fall into the trap of overpromising and under-delivering. Getting onto a Netflix-supporting server is unlikely to present any hassle at all.
Where Surfshark also distinguishes itself is in its friendliness to those customers who haven’t used VPNs before. Much thought and energy have gone into making Surfshark as user-friendly and jargon-free as possible. Compared to others in the Virtual Private Network sphere, Surfshark is a refreshing change from the obviously-designed-by-techies approach to interfaces.
More advanced users may mark the service down as its ‘no logs’ policy has yet to be externally audited as other competitors have done.
However, these non deal-breaker concerns are outweighed by Surfshark’s pricing structure. Backed by a 30-day refund, Surfshark gets its nose out in front as a leading cheap VPN provider.
Currently, Surfshark offers its services from as little as $2.21 per month, which is somewhat remarkable as they support customers 24/7.
With its refund promise, it’s virtually risk-free to try the service first before signing up. This offer is why Surfshark can rightly claim they are eating other VPN providers alive with their deals. Maybe their rivals need a bigger boat.Pros
– 24/7 customer support
– 45-day money-back guarantee
– Super-fast connection speeds
– Straightforward to use
– Good Netflix unblocking
Cons
– Limited choice of devices supportedIf you are looking out for a Netflix VPN without buffering, you can’t go far wrong with Hotspot Shield. In some ways, it may even be the best choice of provider overall.
Premium services with super-fast speeds are today an ever-increasing field. However, when it comes down to speed, Hotspot Shield is very much a contender for the top spot, thanks to its custom-built protocol, Catapult Hydra. For sheer, unadulterated speed, then, Hotspot Shield is one of the best for those of us looking for a robust VPN for Netflix or torrenting.
To earn its well-deserved reputation, Hotspot Shield is not without an exceptionally accomplished track record in unblocking. In tests, Hotspot Shield made light work of the obstacles thrown in its path by Netflix and a host of other content providers, including Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer.
None of this, however, is at the expense of the user. Hotspot Shield shines out because of its ease of use and intuitive interface. Navigating around its menus is super-easy even for complete novices regardless of whether you are using a smartphone or a laptop. It’s a shame their support pages aren’t equally as simple to use.
The one thing that lets Hotspot Shield down is the limited number of devices it supports. They admit their service won’t work on Kindles, gaming consoles, Windows smartphones, non-Android Smart TVs, and Kodi. So, if your device of choice for Netflix viewing is any of these, you would be well advised to consider one of the others in our top 5 best VPN services for Netflix.
Given their top of the range 45-day refund guarantee, Hotspot Shield is otherwise assuredly worth a try.Pros
– 24/7 customer support
– 45-day money-back guarantee
– Good performance
– Servers in 90 countries
– Supports up to 7 devices
Cons
– Not as speedy as rival providers
– Good on Netflix, not so good for other servicesAs unlocking Netflix goes, CyberGhost makes an excellent choice for uninterrupted Netflix watching across the globe. In particular, Netflix in the US is guaranteed thanks to the company’s streaming-friendly servers based in the States.
And with more than six thousand servers dotted around the globe in 90 countries, there’s no shortage of capacity wherever you happen to be in the world. The localized Netflix offerings in the UK, Germany, and France are all fair game.
But the appeal of CyberGhost extends beyond mere statistics; it’s the overall user experience where CyberGhost excels. Less tangible perhaps, but using the service is a walk in the park. Their apps, too, for Windows, Apple, iOS, and Android, are a credit to them. Everything has been fine-tuned to be extremely intuitive. You won’t spend time going round in circles.
The CyberGhost app automatically connects you to the optimum Netflix server. It even opens a window in your browser for you. How good is that?
The CyberGhost VPN is well designed for Netflix. Like the others in our best VPN services for Netflix review, CyberGhost can outwit a number of streaming services. Unfortunately, not as well as Netflix, however. The likes of the BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video in the US, and Disney+ all require significantly more effort and fiddling about to work correctly.
The other factor that got CyberGhost marked down in our book is its speed. For sure, it is a speedy offering, just not as fast as the blistering pace set by rivals NordVPN and ExpressVPN.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhich is the best VPN provider for Netflix?Good question! At the moment, there’s little to separate ExpressVPN and NordVPN speed-wise. Speed is essential, for sure, but consider the type and number of devices you wish to use to watch your favorite Netflix shows as well. However, since you put us on the spot and had to choose one or the other, we would go for ExpressVPN.How can I choose the best Netflix VPN?An excellent place to start is right here. Our review highlights the best of the bunch, and all are guaranteed to get around Netflix blocking. Many other VPN providers have simply given up on Netflix and moved on. The primary considerations when choosing a Netflix VPN are speed, the number of servers on offer, how many digital devices you can use, and privacy. With the providers we spotlight in this review, they all offer between 30 and 45-day refunds, so it is possible to try out their service before committing to a package deal.How do VPNs overcome Netflix’s blocking?They are locked in an ongoing cat-and-mouse battle with Netflix involving IP addresses. VPNs acquire as many new IP addresses as possible and use these whenever Netflix cotton on and bans a particular address.ConclusionGetting a reliable Netflix VPN provider is no longer a daunting prospect. Our review guide to the best VPN services for Netflix narrows down the field to just five providers. Most of the time-consuming research has been done for you already, so you don’t have to waste your time.
We are confident that our five picks are the best out there. Our selection spans services that are beginner-friendly as well as streamers that are more discerning and demanding. We weighed up speeds, features, usability, and privacy as the criteria to arrive at this shortlist for you.
Be confident, then, that Netflix is not outside your reach wherever you happen to be in the world.
