The Best VPNs for Netflix 2024

We looked at several of the top virtual private networks (VPNs) and evaluated them for speed, ease of use, and Netflix streaming quality. From our testing, we discovered that Surfshark and NordVPN are the best VPNs for Netflix because they make it easy to log in and change server locations, and they don’t drastically slow down browser speeds. 

Proton VPN also topped the list thanks to its free plan that still offers respectable streaming speeds and unlimited bandwidth. 

Keep reading to learn the pros and cons about each of our top VPNs for streaming your favorite Netflix content.

The best Netflix VPNs 2024

• NordVPN: Best for convenience
• Surfshark: Fastest speeds
• Proton VPN: Best free VPN

Top 3 VPN services for Netflix compared

VPN	NordVPN	Surfshark	Proton VPN
Starting price	Starts at $2.99/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $3.99/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $4.99/mo (billed annually)
Free version			Yes — unlimited bandwidth without streaming support
Streaming support	Yes — Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, and more	Yes — Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, and more	Yes — only with paid plans
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

A VPN encrypts your IP address and masks your location, giving you the ability to access streaming services as if you’re in a different country. Whether you're traveling abroad and missing your local shows or want to see what streaming content other countries have to offer, a VPN allows you to access new content that's only available on Netflix in other countries.

If you’ve never used a VPN before, you don’t need to worry about whether VPNs are legal. They're a perfectly legal solution to protecting your internet privacy.

NordVPN: Best for convenience

Who it’s best for

NordVPN makes using a VPN to watch Netflix easy. Its NordLynx protocol prioritizes speed without sacrificing security so you can stream without worrying about buffering or lag.

NordVPN also offers a SmartPlay feature which helps you unblock streaming content. SmartPlay automatically changes DNS servers to get around DNS blocking, mask your IP address, and encrypt your internet connection.

Does NordVPN unblock Netflix?

	US to US	US to UK	US to Canada	US to AU	US to Japan
Did it unblock Netflix?

What we liked

We like that NordVPN has presets where you save different settings for browsing, speed, and downloads. If you find that perfect server for Netflix, you can save the server location that works best for you. NordVPN also has convenient settings like auto-connect, a kill switch, and dark web monitoring too.

NordVPN has 6,800+ servers throughout the world, so you can easily find a country and server that works best for you.

What we didn’t like

Overall, NordVPN performed well. We didn’t have any issues with speed, connecting to various servers, or streaming Netflix. But NordVPN stopped offering official support for Netflix, so you're on your own if you experience issues. Even so, you can still use NordVPN to bypass Netflix password-sharing restrictions. 

NordVPN is also priced competitively with other VPNs that we tested. The best rates are with a two-year commitment, though, so if you just need a VPN for a short period of time, you’ll pay extra. And while Nord doesn’t have a free plan available, it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN specs

Price range	$2.99–$17.99/mo
Free version	No, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers	6,800+ servers in 111 countries
Max connected devices	10
No-logs policy	No logs
Netflix support	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

Surfshark: Fastest speeds

Who it’s best for

Surfshark is a great solution if you're looking for a fast and reliable VPN. With Surfshark, you can easily find the fastest location or nearest server at the touch of a button. You can also save your favorite server locations so they’re easily accessible.

Does Surfshark unblock Netflix?

	US to US	US to UK	US to Canada	US to AU	US to Japan
Did it unblock Netflix?

What we liked

Surfshark’s user interface is simple but easy to understand and navigate. It also has CleanWeb, which allows you to block ads and trackers when you’re connected to the VPN. CleanWeb 2.0 doesn’t require a VPN connection and works on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers. It can even block ads on streaming services, which can be helpful if you have a Netflix ad-supported plan. 

Surfshark also offers kill switch and auto-connect features to keep your connection secure. It was also our choice for the best VPN for the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

What we didn’t like

Surfshark has some features, like Surfshark Search, that seem beneficial but can actually jeopardize your privacy.

We tried Surfshark Search, a private search feature inside the platform, but when we input our search results, it opened the search in a Chrome tab which was already logged in to our Google account. So while the features may seem convenient, it's best to test their security before using them as part of your browsing experience.

Surfshark specs

Price range	$1.99–$17.95/mo
Free version	No, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers	3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Max connected devices	Unlimited
No-logs policy	No logs
Netflix support	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review

Proton VPN: Best free Netflix VPN

Who it’s best for

Proton VPN is the only VPN we evaluated that offers a free plan. Proton specifies that it doesn’t guarantee its free service will work with streaming services, but if you're looking for a free option to use short term, Proton VPN is one of the best choices thanks to its unlimited bandwidth.

Keep in mind, though, the free plan has limited server locations in the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands, so you’ll only be able to access those countries’ Netflix libraries. (The paid plan has servers in 112 countries.) 

On the plus side, its user interface is easy to navigate, and you can easily switch between server locations depending on what content you want to access.

Does Proton VPN unblock Netflix?

	US to US	US to UK	US to Canada	US to AU	US to Japan
Did it unblock Netflix?

What we liked

Proton VPN was easy to use, and the platform makes it simple to switch to different servers. We also like that Proton's free plan comes with unlimited bandwidth. This isn't always the case, and many free VPN plans cap your data usage at such a low amount that you'll run out of data faster than you can say, "The Office is back on Netflix!" 

Having unlimited bandwidth is beneficial if you're using a VPN for streaming, which takes up a lot of data. 

Our testing on Proton’s paid plan showed the app had no trouble connecting to an Australia server and unblocking the Australian Netflix region. Along with Netflix Originals, we got access to Australian-only TV shows like “Secret City.”

What we didn’t like

If you’re using the free plan, you may run into issues when streaming, and you can only connect to three countries with the free plan. So we’d say the free version of Proton VPN is only ideal if you’re traveling outside of the U.S. and want to access your U.S. Netflix account or if you're interested in streaming content from the Netherlands and Japan. 

And it still may not work even then thanks to Netflix blocking VPN access to certain content.

Proton’s paid plan is also the most expensive out of the VPNs we looked at. So if the free plan won’t work for your needs, you’ll pay more than you would with other VPN services.

Proton VPN specs

Price range	Free–$9.99/mo
Free version	Yes
Number of servers	9,100+ servers in 112 countries
Max connected devices	10
No-logs policy	No logs
Netflix support	Yes — paid only
Torrenting support	Yes — paid only
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and more
Learn more	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review

Honorable mentions

There are so many VPN options out there to help you stream Netflix from various countries. Here are a couple of honorable mentions for our best VPN list that may be a good solution if the top three aren’t viable options for you:

• CyberGhost: CyberGhost is easy to navigate, and you can switch between server locations without too much trouble, making it a solid option for VPN beginners. It even offers streaming-optimized servers for Netflix to ensure the best connection.

  Get CyberGhost | Read Our CyberGhost Review

• Private Internet Access: Private Internet Access is one of the best VPNs for affordable privacy. It comes with plenty of privacy features, including two types of kill switch, split tunneling, and a double VPN.

  Get Private Internet Access | Read Our Private Internet Access Review

• ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is another popular VPN provider that has successfully unblocked Netflix in the past. Best of all, it offers VPN apps for a variety of devices including your mobile device, router, smart TVs including Android TV and Apple TV, and gaming consoles. Its MediaStreamer feature also allows you to install the ExpressVPN app on devices that don’t normally support a VPN.

  Get ExpressVPN | Read Our ExpressVPN Review

How we test VPNs

It was important for us to find VPN solutions that could be used in several different countries to access Netflix content. So no matter where you are, you have access to your favorite shows thanks to a VPN on the go.

Speed is also an important factor when streaming Netflix or other services, so we made sure these VPNs didn’t slow things down to where you spent more time buffering than watching.

The features we found most important for a streaming VPN include:

• Ease of use: How simple is it to connect to a different server, especially in a different country?
• Speed: Does connecting to the VPN limit the speed of your internet connection?
• Price: If you’re traveling extensively, finding a VPN solution that’s cost-effective is also important.
• Additional features: Does the VPN offer other services that make browsing the internet safer?

How to choose the best Netflix VPN

Finding the right VPN to stream Netflix is all about how you’ll use the VPN outside of streaming. If you just need a VPN to access your favorite show when traveling, you may not be concerned about additional features like kill switches or split tunneling.

If you’re just looking for a VPN to use for a limited amount of time, the price may also be a more significant factor in your decision since all of the VPNs we looked at incentivize longer-term contracts.

When choosing the best Netflix VPN, make sure the VPN supports streaming services, that it has servers located in the countries where you want to watch Netflix, and that it doesn’t slow down your internet speeds when connected. 

Most VPNs have several other features that can be helpful, but at the end of the day, if you’re just looking to watch Netflix, these are the most important.

FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs for Netflix

If you’re traveling out of the country or you want to see the Netflix library for a different country, your best option is to use a VPN. A VPN is also useful if you're looking to watch geo-restricted content from other countries.

If you’re looking for even more titles to choose from, a VPN that allows you to connect to servers in other countries will give you ample new content. We looked at quite a few VPNs for Netflix and our favorites include NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN. We liked these three for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, they work great for streaming Netflix.

NordVPN is easy to use, and you can seamlessly switch between server locations and access new and unique Netflix content. Surfshark is the best when you're looking for servers with the fastest speeds in a variety of countries. Proton VPN offers a free option that could work to access Netflix if you’re traveling outside of the U.S.

3 best Netflix VPNs 2024

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
NordVPN	$2.99/mo (billed every two years)	Best for convenience	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $3.99/mo (billed every two years)	Fastest speeds	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review
Proton VPN	Starts at $4.99/mo (billed annually)	Best free Netflix VPN	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review