As a company, Netflix earned a staggering $1.21 billion last year, making it the 261st highest earning company in the Fortune 500 list. Its popularity continues to rise as it always seeks to innovate in making the service accessible to more users across all platforms. However, despite its rapid global expansion, there are still restrictions on what content a user can watch based on where they are in the world, and there are some countries where Netflix is unavailable. To overcome these problems, users can use a VPN to watch Netflix (for example unblock US Netflix content).
In this article, we will cover the following:
How Does a VPN Unblock Netflix?
Netflix is available in 190 countries without significant restrictions. The contents may vary depending on which country you are in when accessing the site. As of this writing, Netflix is still blocked in China, Crimea, North Korea, and Syria due to the government’s ban on American companies. If you want to access the original contents of the Netflix US library or you just want to access the site while you are under their jurisdiction, you need to use VPN to bypass firewalls.
Netflix also follows copyright protocols on which films they are allowed to show in a specific region. Depending on the company’s agreement with the producer of the film, some movies are not allowed to be shown in other countries. Because of these limitations, Netflix itself and not a third party blocks any request to access the site:
So if government prohibitions and Netflix itself block you from accessing the site, what can you do? Simple. Use a VPN.
A VPN is a technology that encrypts the data that the end-user receives. The data passes through thousands of servers around the world before it reaches the receiver. Data encryption provides anonymity to the user. Therefore, VPN is a valuable tool in increasing online security and privacy against many forms of cybercrimes.
When connected to a VPN server, the IP address will be hidden from the public. Because it masks the real IP address, it cloaks your current location and pretends that you are visiting a geo-restricted site from a place where it is not regulated. For example, when you use a VPN, your IP address will appear as if you are accessing Netflix while in the US where, in fact, you are in China. Sounds clever, right?
When connected to a VPN server, the IP address will be hidden from the public. Because it masks the real IP address, it cloaks your current location and pretends that you are visiting a geo-restricted site from a place where it is not regulated. For example, when you use a VPN, your IP address will appear as if you are accessing Netflix while in the US where, in fact, you are in China. Sounds clever, right?
What Makes a VPN Netflix Friendly?
There are a few things that you should consider when choosing a VPN that can access Netflix.
- The number of servers and company size: It is important to note that not all VPNs can unblock Netflix. A VPN’s access to Netflix depends on many factors, including its technology, expertise, and of course, money. As a business entity, Netflix awards the license to unblock the site to VPN companies who can give them more profits. At the same time, companies with lesser number of servers cannot generate enough bandwidth ideal for streaming services like Netflix.
- A month-by-month subscription option: Using a VPN makes it harder for anyone to pry on your online activities. Though there are constant moves to intercept streaming services in some countries, these controls are not 100% capable of blacklisting IP addresses released by VPNs. However, there is still the possibility that the repressive regime can shut down the VPN access to geo-blocked sites. For this reason, if you are in such a country and you want to use a VPN mainly to stream Netflix, never settle for a long-term subscription plan. Instead, choose a month-to-month payment plan as it gives you more flexibility to cancel your subscription if Netflix is blocked in your region.
- Excellent customer support: If you are looking for a reliable VPN service that’s Netflix friendly, consider their customer support too. Most likely, you will encounter technical problems on server configuration and how to connect online and, therefore, 24/7 technical support must be readily available to help you.
Taking all these factors into consideration, only a few VPN players are capable of unblocking Netflix geo-restricted sites with the same level of consistency.
What Are The Best Netflix VPNs?
Based on the criteria above, here is our verdict for the 5 best Netflix VPNs:
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has 3000+ servers spread across 160 locations. With this number, it can create up to 30,000 IP addresses at once, which is excellent to keep your online activities private. Its global presence means that it provides a faster internet connection with more reach. A quick internet connection is what you need to enjoy watching movies in HD. ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer DNS feature supports unblocking Netflix on Apple TV, Smart TV, and game consoles. If you need any help, ExpressVPN has 24/7 customer support. Based on our experience, the representatives are very knowledgeable and committed to giving you the best customer experience. On the downside, a $12.95 monthly fee may be too much for your budget if you don’t want to take out a long-term subscription. That being said, they do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee which will give you plenty of time to try out the VPN for yourself.
NordVPN
NordVPN is trusted by over 12 million subscribers worldwide. Since its founding in 2012, the company has grown exponentially to establish 5,339 servers in 60 locations. It supports up to six devices working simultaneously, however it does not support Netflix on TV devices.
NordVPN offers unlimited bandwidth to its users, which helps a lot for streaming Netflix shows without latency. Its SmartPlay feature is straightforward to use, and it enhances your Netflix viewing experience. NordVPN allows you to connect to the VPN servers without doing any additional configuration. If you need assistance, their technical support is ready to help 24/7 via chat.
NordVPN is not the cheapest either with its $11.95 monthly cost, however, it does offer a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee which gives you more than enough time to see if it will meet your Netflix viewing requirements.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost’s headquarters is located on the Romania/Germany border and prides itself for having 3,700 servers located in 61 regions. The company has developed user-friendly tools to make connecting to the VPN easier; even for non-techie individuals. Their VPN and Netflix apps support Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android platforms, and they are absolutely easy to use. The app automatically connects you to the nearest server without asking you to do anything.
CyberGhost provides unlimited bandwidth, which makes streaming and downloading videos from Netflix hassle-free. Users can chat with their customer service representative anytime. However, all these amazing features come with a hefty $12.99 tag price and their monthly subscription only offers a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark
Despite being a new player in the VPN market, Surfshark is off to a good start. For a short period, the company was able to install 500 servers in 50 countries, including China.
SurfShark has the capability to make geo-blocked streaming services available. Because it still has fewer users, the internet speed is fast for watching and downloading videos from Netflix. In addition, you have 13 Netflix libraries to choose from. It also allows you to access Netflix in almost any medium without a limit to the number of devices running simultaneously.
The company has 24/7 chat support to address your issues. Subscription rate is at $11.95 per month and a 30-day money-back policy.
IPVanish
IPVanish has 1,200+ servers in more than 60 locations. These servers are capable of creating up to 40,000 shared IPs, a significant number for protecting your privacy. It comes with unlimited bandwidth, which can be used simultaneously by up to 10 devices. You can enjoy watching Netflix anywhere without lags and interruptions.
If you are looking for the cheapest VPN provider, IPVanish is a good catch. Its $10 monthly subscription rate is very affordable. On the downside, it only comes with a 7-day money-back policy which may not be sufficient time to test it completely. If you need help with your account or connection, their customer service support is open 24/7 via chat, call, or email.
For some reasons, Netflix can detect and block IP addresses from IPVanish. To resolve this issue, you need to configure the split tunneling feature which is quite complicated to do, especially for non-techies.
Summary
VPNs make watching Netflix possible even in regions where streaming services are controlled and highly-monitored. As long as you have an active Netflix subscription and you are connected online, you can enjoy watching movies for as long as you want. VPNs also allow you to download videos straight from the app if you want to watch them later or while offline.
Several countries block Netflix for a variety of reasons and Netflix also restricts the content in various countries. If you are planning to travel to one of these places and you don’t want to miss your favorite shows, consider subscribing to one of our recommended VPNs.
