Netflix is cracking down on customers using VPNs to stream movies and shows. So it only makes sense for us to check out our list of the best VPNs for streaming video online and see which ones are still letting the Netflix content flow. We found plenty that still do the job of unlocking vast libraries of content, though not all.
We list the top choices below, followed by some explanations of how we did our testing, why Netflix blocks VPNs, and whether any free VPNs work with Netflix.
Table of Contents
Proton VPN
Best Free VPN for Netflix
Why We Picked It
ProtonVPN unblocked Netflix in nearly all of our test regions. It also has an excellent combination of powerful features and affordability, making it the best free VPN service we've reviewed. Finally, it also has servers that are especially recommended for a better video streaming experience (though they are not only for streaming).
Who It's For
If you're cost-conscious, like a streamlined user interface, and want to watch Netflix from every region except for Canada (where it was at least partially successful), ProtonVPN is the pick for you.
PROS
- The best free VPN subscription
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent speed test scores
CONS
- Awkward ChromeOS implementation
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Blocks Ads | |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | 10 |
| 500+ Servers | |
| Server Locations | 67 countries |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Free Version | |
| Free Version Data Limit | Unlimited |
NordVPN
Best Premium VPN for Netflix
Why We Picked It
While expensive, NordVPN has a hefty collection of privacy tools and a large number of servers across the globe. It also has streaming-specific servers, which enabled full Netflix access in every region we tested.
Who It's For
If you're looking to unblock Netflix around the world and don't mind paying a little extra for a VPN that's packed with features, NordVPN is your best option. You can use a static IP address, enable split tunneling, try a multi-hop connection, get extra protection with a kill switch, and choose from thousands of server locations globally.
PROS
- Multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
- Excellent design
- Traffic routing and file-sharing with Meshnet
- Built-in antivirus tools
CONS
- Expensive
- Lackluster malware-blocking results
- Limited utility of free Meshnet traffic routing
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Blocks Ads | |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | 6 |
| 500+ Servers | |
| Server Locations | 111 Countries |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Free Version | |
| Free Version Data Limit | No Free Version |
Private Internet Access VPN
Best for Unlimited Connections
Why We Picked It
Private Internet Access has a snazzy interface that lets you customize the experience and is one of the few VPNs that enabled full Netflix access across every region we streamed from.
Who It's For
With its customizable interface, Private Internet Access appeals to anyone who wants to have their app tailored to their personal aesthetic. Also, unlimited simultaneous connections mean it will unblock Netflix for every device in your household at the same time.
PROS
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Split tunneling and multi-hop
- Numerous server locations
- Completed third-party audit
CONS
- Expensive
- No free version
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Blocks Ads | |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | Unlimited |
| 500+ Servers | |
| Server Locations | 84 Countries |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Free Version | |
| Free Version Data Limit | No Free Version |
ExpressVPN
Best for World Travelers
Why We Picked It
In addition to giving full access to four out of five of our testing regions, ExpressVPN recently redesigned its app and also has a large global presence that stretches across 105 countries. While it has eschewed the new WireGuard VPN protocol, it instead uses its own technology called LightWay, along with the open-source OpenVPN protocol.
Who It's For
With numerous server locations, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice for anyone living or traveling outside of the US. Anyone keen on streaming from around the world should be well served by either the desktop or mobile app.
PROS
- Large, diversely distributed fleet of servers
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Split tunneling
- Stylish interface
CONS
- Expensive compared with VPNs with similar feature sets
- No multi-hop connections
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Blocks Ads | |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | 5 |
| 500+ Servers | |
| Server Locations | 105 Countries |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Free Version | |
| Free Version Data Limit | No Free Version |
IPVanish VPN
Best Interface
Why We Picked It
While IPVanish didn't unblock Netflix in every region in testing, its intuitive desktop application and reasonable price put it a few notches above other options in our lineup.
Who It's For
Those who are looking for a reasonably priced and easy-to-use option for unblocking Netflix should consider IPVanish near the top of their list of prospects.
PROS
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Good geographic diversity of servers
- Transparent privacy policy
- Small impact on throughput speeds in our testing
CONS
- Expensive
- Free trial only offered on annual plans via mobile app stores
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Blocks Ads | |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | Unlimited |
| 500+ Servers | |
| Server Locations | 52 Countries |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Free Version | |
| Free Version Data Limit | No Free Version |
How Do We Test VPNs for Netflix?
For our testing, we drew from the list of services previously featured in this story, our list of the best VPN services, and
our list of VPNs for unblocking overseas Netflix content.
In early November of 2023, we installed and tested each service with Netflix. We looked only at whether a US-based customer could connect to a US-based VPN server and still successfully stream Netflix content. If you want to view Netflix content that's available in other countries, we have a separate article for you.
All the testing for this story was done on a freshly updated 2022 HP Envy x360 laptop with Windows 10 in Boulder, Colorado. That means we were starting from a residential IP address using a normal internet connection. In most cases, the VPN client software connected to a VPN server in the Denver area, but we frequently looked to use different IP addresses and locations in our testing.
Each service got five attempts. We tried to obtain a different IP address for each attempt, either by selecting a different server or using a different VPN server location. Some products, such as TunnelBear VPN, don't let you select specific servers and only let you choose servers at the country level. In these cases, we toggled the VPN connection on and off to try and force a fresh connection.
Note that the services here may stop working with Netflix one day and start working again the next (or vice-versa). If streaming Netflix is your primary VPN concern, don't sign up for a yearlong subscription to a VPN service. Instead, you should go with a month-to-month account. This will give you the flexibility to cancel your plan should you find that Netflix has blocked your VPN of choice.
Note, too, that while it's convenient when a VPN works with Netflix, it's not how we judge or test the best VPNs. We look at these as privacy products first, and we are more concerned with the features each service provides and the steps they take to protect your privacy.
What Is the Best VPN for Netflix?
For a VPN to make it on this list, we had to be able to view US Netflix normally while the VPN was running. In short, there should have been no difference in viewing Netflix with or without the VPN. The services that achieved this goal are listed above and at the bottom of this article. Those we chose for the top spots could stream the most content from the regions we tested
You can see the full breakdown in the chart below, which shows the best result for each service. That means some of the services we list as unblocked were functional at least once, though they may have been blocked on other attempts. Only two of these services—NordVPN and Private Internet Access VPN—worked across the board in our testing. Of these two, only NordVPN is an Editors' Choice winner, making it our top pick for premium VPNs for Netflix.
What Is the Best VPN for Netflix?
The question of which VPN Netflix users should adopt has become a little more complicated lately. A few years ago, testing VPN compatibility with Netflix was fairly straightforward. Netflix either streamed video without complaint or kicked up an error message. Frequently, Netflix was able to tailor the message to VPN users, suggesting that it switches off its VPN or proxy connection.
In 2020, a third state appeared. Instead of showing all the content for a region, Netflix would display a smaller subset of content. All of these would stream without incident. This was almost entirely Netflix original programming, like She-Ra: Princesses of Power, but it also included some licensed content not produced by Netflix, such as 2019's Uncut Gems or the full run of Seinfeld. We previously indicated this state on charts as Netflix Originals but now refer to it as Limited (short for limited access), which more accurately reflects the situation.
In some ways, the Limited library is a good thing for customers. When you use a VPN, you're not entirely cut off from the content you're paying Netflix to see. It also seems like an admission on Netflix's part that it can't entirely stop customers from using VPNs.
It can be hard to tell which state you're in, though. A good rule of thumb is to look at the My List section and compare what appears with and without the VPN. If it's different, you're probably in Limited mode.
Note that Limited mode does not guarantee you'll be able to stream content. In some cases, we found we were blocked from viewing content when presented with a Limited selection of shows and movies. Our chart above shows only the best results we observed over five attempts. Your mileage will surely vary.
What Is a VPN Used for?
For those of you who are still puzzled at this point, let us back up and tell you what VPNs do. When you activate a VPN, it encrypts all your web traffic and routes it to a remote server operated by the VPN company. No one can monitor your activity—not someone on the same network as you, not even the person operating that network. Your ISP can't monitor your activities either, which is handy because several years ago, Congress gave companies the green light to sell customers' anonymized metadata.
Once your web traffic reaches the VPN server, it exits to the public internet. Because your data is emanating from the VPN server, not your home computer, anyone watching will see the server's IP address instead of your own. It effectively spoofs your location.
The Best VPN Services for 2022
When observers attempt to divine your physical location on the internet, one simple way to do it is by looking at your IP address. These identifiers are divvied up by geographic location and can be remarkably close to where you are actually sitting when you use the web. Thus, routing your traffic to a remote VPN server makes it appear as if your computer is where the VPN server is located. Think of it as an astral projection for the internet.
There are other ways to find someone's true location. When using a mobile device, an app might simply request your GPS location. Companies can also look at cookies or the specific combination of device and browser settings on your machine—a process sometimes called browser fingerprinting—to track you across the web and compile more information about you. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have access to more exotic methods, such as advanced timing attacks that compare activity on a target computer with observed traffic out on the web. A VPN won't necessarily defeat all these techniques, but it is a simple and effective way to improve your online privacy.
VPNs have also been used around the world by activists and journalists working in countries with particularly repressive internet policies. VPNs can unblock censored websites by routing traffic past government censors and protect dissident transmissions, too.
That ability to route your traffic to another country can sometimes cause problems when you want to access certain sites and services aside from Netflix. For example, a bank's fraud detection system might think it's unusual to have a US-based customer suddenly logging in from Europe.
Keep in mind that while VPNs are useful for protecting your privacy, they will not guard against every threat. We strongly suggest that readers use local antivirus software, enable multifactor authentication wherever possible, and use a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for each site and service.
Why Does Netflix Block VPNs?
Far from being a monolithic repository of film and television, Netflix has different content available depending on your location. It all has to do with licensing deals. At one point, for example, you could watch Game of Thrones on Netflix—as long as you were watching in Australia—or you appeared to have an IP address in Australia. Such licensing deals are likely the reason that Netflix has begun blocking VPN users.
As another example, HBO began releasing its older back catalog on US Netflix in the latter half of 2023. However, during our most recent testing, we weren't able to see a single HBO show anywhere else but servers located within the US.
Being blocked from Netflix is a bummer, and it's especially annoying when you're not trying to spoof your location. If you're concerned about the security of your network or just the general state of surveillance capitalism, it makes sense to use a VPN. Unfortunately, even in this case, where you've paid for the right to watch everything that's locally available, Netflix will still probably do its best to block you if you try to access the service over a VPN connection.
While most people will likely want to spoof their location in order to access content they wouldn't normally have access to, that's not always the case. Let's say you're from the US and you're watching your favorite show on Netflix. If you travel to the UK and try to watch it, you might discover that you can't—unless it's also available in the UK. With a VPN, you can conceivably keep watching as if you were back in the US.
Whatever your situation, just remember: Netflix considers the use of a VPN to be against its terms of service. You are forewarned.
What to Do if Netflix Blocks Your VPN
If you already have a VPN that you like, or you don't like any of the Netflix-friendly ones we've listed above, take heart. Just because your preferred service didn't work with Netflix or had a limited library when we tested it doesn't mean it never works with Netflix. Here are some tactics you can try that may get Netflix working with your VPN of choice.
1. Be Persistent
Most VPN services have multiple servers in a given country, with different IP addresses at each. If you find yourself blocked at one VPN server, switch to another in the same country. Some VPNs will let you view all the available servers in each location, making the process easy. If your VPN doesn't do this, try toggling the VPN on and off to try to get a new IP address.
2. Use Every Tool at Your Disposal
VPN companies understand that many of their users are interested in streaming video, and some have worked to meet that demand. Your VPN may include specialized servers just for streaming, perhaps streaming in specific regions. Your VPN may also include a stealth mode or unblocking mode that aims to disguise VPN traffic. Familiarize yourself with all the tools available and use them all. Your VPN almost certainly has FAQs on how to stream content, so be sure to read those.
Recommended by Our Editors
3. Be Flexible
Is the content you're trying to stream available in just one country or in several? We've noted a few major countries where that may be the case above. If you try other locations, you may have more luck.
4. Be Patient
VPNs are frequently looking for new ways to sneak past Netflix, and Netflix is frequently finding new ways to stop them. If you're not able to access what you want, wait a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks.
5. Consider a Static IP Address
Some VPNs offer static IP addresses for an additional fee. When you use a static IP, your data will always appear to have the same public IP address. Sometimes, these addresses are private to the user, and sometimes, they are shared between a very small number of other people. Either way, it looks more like normal internet traffic and may not be blocked by Netflix. These are generally sold geographically, so you can pick an IP address in the country of your choice. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that a static IP address will work, so be careful before you purchase. In fact, blocking residential IPs had been part of the reported 2021 Netflix VPN crackdown, so this may be even less effective. We have not tested any static IP services on the VPNs listed in our chart above, so tread forward at your own risk.
What Is the Best Free VPN for Netflix?
You don't necessarily have to open your wallet in order to get a VPN. There are several excellent free VPN services out there, although most place some kind of limitation on your use. Generally, a free VPN limits the number of devices that can connect at once, the amount of data used per day, the number of available VPN servers, or all of the above.
ProtonVPN is our pick for free VPNs because it places no limit on the amount of data you can use while connected. That's critically important, especially if you're streaming video. It does, however, limit your choice of servers. That could make spoofing your location difficult and means you are competing with many other free users for limited bandwidth on the designated free servers.
If you can spare a little bit of money, try one of our top-rated cheap VPNs. These services cost significantly less than the average monthly price we've seen across the industry. In general, these services offer more flexibility than free VPNs, with more servers and server locations to choose from. None of the cheap VPNs we've reviewed place a restriction on data usage.
It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online
Will a VPN Slow Down Netflix?
A perennial concern when using VPNs is sacrificing speed. When a VPN reroutes your data, it has to travel further, through more machines and via more wires, all of which serve to slow it down.
For Netflix streaming, this is a recipe for stuttering audio or even your video dropping from HD to blocky low-res. Netflix's documentation outlines how much data the service needs, suggesting about 1GB of data per hour for standard definition video and up to 3GB per hour for HD video.
In general, you'll see an increase in latency when a VPN is in use. You'll also see a decrease in upload and download speeds. Our testing measures the percent change between speed test results with and without the VPN running. To measure internet speeds, we use the Ookla Speedtest tool.
(Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company.)
The following chart shows the speed test results we've recorded over the past several years:
Security vs. Convenience
Here at PCMag, we've spent a lot of time trying to dispel the myth that security must come at the price of convenience. While we've been pleased to find that using a VPN doesn't decrease internet speeds to 1990s levels, we are disheartened by the complications VPNs sometimes cause for mundane activities, such as video streaming services—including Netflix—or even online banking.
The internet, sadly, wasn't made with security and privacy in mind. Hopefully, that will change, and we can move away from VPNs. Of course, unless Netflix and similar services change their models, people will still want to spoof their locations to see content not locally available, which means VPNs will likely be around for a bit longer.
Max Eddy contributed to this story.
