How to Use a VPN to Watch Netflix — Updated Guide (2024)

The content you can watch on Netflix varies depending on your IP address, determined by the country you’re in. This is because streaming platforms sign licensing agreements with production companies, which restrict where a movie or TV show is available.

You can technically use a VPN to change your IP address to watch a Netflix movie in another location. However, this violates the platform’s Terms of Service and copyright agreements. For these reasons, I don’t condone using a VPN to watch restricted content.

But if you just want to use a VPN for security, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming Netflix. It refreshes its IP addresses frequently to avoid blocks and has a large high-speed server network. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it risk-free.

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN

Quick Guide: 3 Steps to Watch Netflix With a VPN

Why You Need to Use a VPN When Watching Netflix

VPNs can help you stay anonymous online by encrypting your traffic and hiding all your activities from hackers and other third parties. This also applies to streaming shows on Netflix, especially when you use unsecured public WiFi a lot to save data.

A VPN can also improve streaming quality, especially when an ISP throttles speeds. However, I don’t condone using a VPN to hide your traffic or the fact that you’re streaming from your ISP, as it’s against most providers’ terms of use.

Recently, Netflix introduced cheaper ad-supported plans that are great for your wallet, but can be annoying. To avoid these ads, you can use a reliable VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark, as they come with built-in ad-blocking and anti-tracking features. This gives you an optimized streaming experience while enhancing your online privacy.

The Best VPNs to Use With Netflix in 2024

1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN with High-Speed Servers for Watching Netflix without Buffering

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	3,000+
📱Devices	8
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

ExpressVPN is my top choice for streaming Netflix as it has high-speed servers that help you avoid lags. Its global network includes more than 3,000 servers, all of which work with Netflix in many countries like the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and Australia. ExpressVPN also updates its IP addresses frequently to avoid proxy detection and ensure it always works with Netflix.

I tested ExpressVPN’s distant servers in the US to determine how fast it is. The average speed was 74Mbps, approximately 14% less than my regular internet speed but 3 times what I’d need for UHD streaming on Netflix. This was faster than all the VPNs I tested. Plus, ExpressVPN was consistently stable for streaming, even on slow networks.

During tests, I noticed that ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol provided strong security without compromising speeds. It allowed me to switch WiFi connections without interrupting my show — a common issue when I’m streaming on my iPhone. Fortunately, it’s available in all apps, including iOS and Android. ExpressVPN’s other advanced features are:

• TrustedServer technology — uses RAM-based servers to ensure no identifiable data is ever stored.
• Audited zero-logs policy — proves that ExpressVPN doesn’t collect any data that can be used to identify you.
• AES-256 encryption — secures your streaming sessions with military-grade encryption that has never been cracked.
• Split tunneling — allows you to channel traffic from certain apps and websites through the VPN while allowing others to bypass it.
• Private DNS — sends your requests through its encrypted DNS servers to keep your activities private.
• Automatic kill switch — disconnects your internet traffic if the VPN connection drops at any time.

While ExpressVPN is my top recommendation for watching Netflix, it’s slightly more expensive than other premium VPNs on this list. But it’s worth the speed and working IP addresses it provides for Netflix.

If you’re looking for affordable short-term VPN plans, you can start with ExpressVPN’s monthly plan. I recommend its 1-year + 3 months plan for the best value, as it starts at $6.67/month. Plus, it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. When I tested this policy by requesting a refund via live chat, it was approved instantly and I was refunded within 3 days.

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

2. CyberGhost — Dedicated Servers to Ensure Buffer-Free Streaming on Netflix

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	11,800+
📱Devices	7
💰Refund	45 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

CyberGhost has streaming-optimized servers worldwide for Netflix. These servers are available in the US, UK, Germany, France, and India. Since they’re checked frequently by CyberGhost’s team, the servers always have working IP addresses for Netflix. During tests, my teammates worldwide used CyberGhost’s optimized servers without issues.

Since CyberGhost offers many advanced features, it’s also ideal for protecting your privacy and security when streaming on a public WiFi network:

• Military-grade encryption — encrypts your data, protecting you from third parties, including hackers.
• Strict no-logs policy — committed to your privacy as the policy has been tested and proven during third-party audits.
• Kill switch — guards against data leakage if your VPN disconnects abruptly.
• WiFi protection — turns on VPN connection when your device detects public WiFi.
• DNS and IP leak protection — prevents your real IP address and DNS requests from being exposed.

During tests, CyberGhost allowed me to connect up to 7 devices at a time, which is good if you often stream Netflix on multiple devices. CyberGhost has native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. I could also install the VPN app on Android TV to watch my favorite shows in UHD on a big screen.

My only issue is that its distant servers are not as fast as other VPNs I’ve tested. However, CyberGhost’s local and streaming-optimized servers are fast enough for binge-watching without interruptions. The speeds were excellent on regular servers near my current location in Sweden — the servers in the UK and Copenhagen only saw an average speed drop of 16%.

You can get up to 83% discount on your subscription by opting for CyberGhost’s 2-year + 2 months plan, which also comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. This means that if you’re not satisfied with the service, you can request a refund. I emailed customer support and got my refund approved within 30 minutes.

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Extensive Server Network Allows You to Watch Netflix Without Restrictions

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	35,000+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Among all the VPNs I tested, PIA has the largest network to watch Netflix without lags. Overcrowded servers can become slow, but PIA’s 35,000+ servers in 91 countries provide sufficient bandwidth to support all its users. You’ll also have access to more servers in your country if one is overcrowded.

PIA also includes streaming-optimized servers in Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Australia, the UK, and the US. I tried the streaming-optimized servers in Sweden, Finland, and the US, and averaged a speed of 47Mbps, dropping by 34% from my base speed of 72Mbps.

With many features to keep your streaming sessions private, PIA is one of the best VPNs to use in 2024. Its top security features include:

• SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks Proxies — hide your traffic from anti-VPN firewalls that block VPN connections when trying to stream.
• MACE ad blocker — removes annoying ads from movie review sites when you browse for top shows to watch.
• Two encryption levels — allows you to switch from AES-128-bit to AES-256-bit for improved security.
• Perfect Forward Secrecy — changes your session keys frequently so that only a very small portion of your data is compromised in the unlikely event it’s hacked.
  Unfortunately, PIA is based in the US, which is part of the 5-Eyes Alliance that shares internet surveillance data with other governments. However, PIA’s no-log policy has been audited and proven in courts — it doesn’t have any data to share with the authorities.

PIA is one of the least expensive VPNs on this list, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Its 2-year + 2 months plan goes for $2.19/month with an 82% discount. To test its money-back guarantee, I reached out to its customer support via live chat and got a full refund within 7 days.

4. NordVPN — Built-in SmartPlay Allows You to Watch Your Favorite Netflix Shows Securely

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	6,300+
📱Devices	10
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

NordVPN SmartPlay is a built-in Smart DNS feature with VPN security that makes watching Netflix easier. With most VPNs, Smart DNS has to be configured manually, and it still doesn’t encrypt your traffic. SmartPlay works automatically and requires no setup, so you can watch Netflix quickly and securely.

My teammates and I tested the speeds of NordVPN’s nearby and distant servers, including a few obfuscated servers. All the servers tested delivered impressive speeds and were more than enough for buffer-free UHD streaming. The average speed was 65.5 Mbps, which was ideal for watching Netflix.

Additionally, NordVPN has other advanced security features like:

• Threat protection — protects you from cyber threats, including malware, trackers, and risky websites.
• Dedicated IP — get an IP address that isn’t shared with other users to avoid being blocked by Netflix.
• Obfuscated servers — enables you to watch Netflix using school and office networks that often block VPNs.

However, very few NordVPN servers have obfuscation features. But it has at least 2 obfuscated servers in every region. This means you can still access the internet anonymously from restrictive regions and protect your data from hackers and prying eyes.

With plans starting at $3.09/month, you can easily find one that works for you with a 30-day money-back guarantee. To be sure that you’ll really get your money back, I tested this by contacting customer service via email for a refund. I got a response within an hour, and my money was fully refunded in 7 business days.

5. Surfshark — Camouflage Mode Disguises Your VPN Connection to Watch Netflix

Great VPN

Great VPN

📍Servers	3,200+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Surfshark’s camouflage mode makes your traffic look like a regular connection to watch Netflix without getting the M7111-5059 error, which occurs when a VPN is detected. My team and I tested this feature in different locations and could stream Netflix safely without issues.

I also tested Surfshark’s unlimited devices connection on 2 Windows PCs, 1 Android device, and an iPhone. My connections remained stable and secure. Besides military-grade 256-bit encryption, Surfshark offers other security features, like:

• Reverse Bypasser — lets you select specific apps to go strictly through the VPN tunnel.
• IP Rotator — changes your IP address frequently to ensure your online activities can’t be traced back to you.

While testing Surfshark’s speed on several of its servers, I could stream without any lag or buffering. However, the nearest servers delivered the best speeds for binge-watching sessions on Netflix.

Although Surfshark has fewer global servers than most of the other VPNs I tested, I could connect to any local Surfshark server in less than 3 seconds and watch my favorite content with excellent speeds. If you’re in the US, you can easily connect to any of Surfshark’s local servers and stream American Netflix shows without lags.

Surfshark’s 2-year + 3 months plan costs only $2.19/month. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Aside from the support team asking why I was canceling my subscription, getting my money back was easy, and it was done in 5 days.

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

Comparison Table: Best VPNs to Use With Netflix

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs to Use With Netflix

I meticulously evaluated VPN services based on key features that are essential for an optimal Netflix viewing experience:

• Large Network — VPNs with extensive server networks provide more connection options, more resources, and less congestion, which is crucial for lag-free streaming.
• Works with Netflix — All the VPNs on this list have working IP addresses for Netflix in a large number of countries.
• Fast Speeds — I prioritized VPNs that offer fast speeds, which is essential for streaming shows in UHD without buffering on Netflix.
• Top Security and Privacy Features — I selected VPNs that offer the best security features for online privacy, such as military-grade 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and obfuscation features.
• Customer Support — The VPNs I’ve shortlisted have highly responsive customer support services available 24/7 via live chat.
• Money-Back Guarantees — Since all the VPNs I’ve listed offer at least a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try them risk-free.

FAQs on How to Use VPN With Netflix

Start Watching Netflix with a VPN Today

Using a VPN to watch Netflix helps to improve your overall streaming experience, but most importantly, it safeguards your online activities. A VPN encrypts your binge-watching sessions, ensuring you can stream without buffering or annoying lags.

For a secure and uninterrupted streaming experience, I recommend ExpressVPN. It constantly updates its IP addresses, has a large high-speed server network, and robust security features. Since all its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s risk-free to try it with Netflix.

Summary — The Best VPNs to Use With Netflix in 2024

Rank

Provider name

Our score

Price

Top Ranked Top Choice

1.

9.8

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$6.67 / month Save 49%

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2.

9.6

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$2.19 / month Save 83%

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3.

9.4

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$2.19 / month Save 82%

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4.

9.4

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$3.09 / month Save 76%

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5.

9.4

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$2.29 / month Save 85%

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