The Best Fast VPN Service for Netflix

23Sep

Without a doubt, Netflix is the superstar of the video streaming industry. Its enormous library of movies and TV shows beats all other services hands down. This can be incredibly frustrating if you’re living somewhere with a disappointing Netflix catalog, or visiting a country where your favorite programs aren’t available.

You probably would have experienced the feeling of missing out on something when you watch a movie without having some delicious butter popcorn…

And that is precisely how it feels if you use Netflix without a proper VPN, as you are missing out on some of the best movies that are only accessible on the other side of the planet.

That is why we’re going to provide you with this list of all the best possible options out there for you to choose the perfect VPN so that you will never miss out on anything on Netflix.

Things to know about Netflix and a VPN…

If you are hearing the term VPN for the first time in your life or if you are wondering what it is and why you need it, then we recommend you to check out our article, where we discuss everything you need to know about VPNs.

In simple words, a VPN lets you watch your favorite Netflix movies on the other side of the world that’s unfairly been geographically restricted.

But Netflix doesn’t like this and so using a VPN to get around these restrictions is expressly forbidden in Netflix’s terms and conditions of usage.

Netflix VPN ban

In January 2016, Netflix announced a crackdown on VPNs or virtual private networks. This meant that accessing content that shouldn’t be available in your region is something Netflix doesn’t want you to do. You will see the Netflix proxy error message showing that your chosen Netflix VPN ban workaround didn’t work.

There has always been a constant battle between the streaming service and VPNs which are circumventing its restrictions. And that is the reason why each provider is constantly revamping its service to get around the Netflix VPN ban.

So, which VPN is currently the best for Netflix?

The VPN crackdown is most prevalent on free VPNs and SmartDNS services. If you hoped to get access to Netflix from another country without paying for a VPN, you’re out of luck, unless you pick Windscribe. Possibly the only VPN service out there that offers premium-quality service upfront without asking for your payment details, you get 10GB data allowance when you sign up, and 5GB more when you tweet nice things towards Windscribe.

Netflix is highly vigilant about blocking VPNs, so you’ll need to bite the bullet and get a paid VPN to fight the company’s constant blocks. A free VPN service might not stand the test of time, but a big-brand paid VPN should last and keep working well.

Too lazy to read everything? Here’s the TL;DR version

This article has a lot of information, and so here is the TL;DR version of our top choices and why we picked them:

ExpressVPN is our top pick as it is the most trustworthy VPN provider we found, with blazing-fast speeds, secure connections, easy-to-use applications on every major platform that can handle torrenting or bypassing geographic restrictions, and just a generally pleasant experience.
NordVPN is our budget-friendly choice as they are a giant in the VPN industry that has catapulted in demand by offering high-quality service at a reasonably priced plan that effectively operates across more than 50 nations globally with several servers in high-traffic countries such as the USA to guarantee maximum server up-time.
Windscribe is also a great choice if you want to start using VPN as it offers both a free and a pro version. The free version doesn’t give you access to Windflix (Windscribe’s dedicated servers for streaming Netflix) but still offers users many features such as a 10 GB monthly data limit, a kill switch, and supports torrenting.

When it comes to picking a reliable VPN service, here is the criteria we considered

Speed and server coverage: No matter what you’re doing with a VPN, speed is certainly the top major factor to consider. Especially for torrenting or streaming high-quality videos via Netflix, you need a VPN that supports fast connections.
The number of servers: It is essential to go for a VPN with the most servers if you want more bandwidth. A VPN must have many servers to be able to handle the traffic. If fast connections are what you are looking for in a VPN service, then make sure to look out for more servers.
Location of the servers: If your VPN service has several locations to choose from, you would have no lags. VPNs that have server locations nearby can provide you with high speeds and performance as they can switch from one server to another without any delay. So if you wish to stream media on Netflix, Hulu, etc., then get a VPN service that offers you several locations to choose from.
Privacy and security: You need to ensure that your VPN service provider offers the best security layer to protect your privacy. This means not keeping logs and using layers of encryption for all data transfers.
Support for mobile devices: If you’re going to spend money on a VPN service provider, you should be able to get a consistent experience across all of your devices. Make sure you don’t have to use two different VPNs with two different policies and agreements just because you want to secure your phone along with your laptop.
Anti-Malware/anti-spyware features: Using a VPN doesn’t mean you’re invulnerable. You should still make sure you’re using HTTPS whenever possible, and you should still be careful that you’re not downloading viruses or Trojans.
Ease of use: You will need easy-to-use apps for all your devices so that you can quickly connect to your VPN, switch servers, and change IPs without any technical skills.

For the best speed: ExpressVPN

Pricing: $12.95 per month

ExpressVPN as the name suggests is the fastest or, should I say, an “express” VPN service currently available in the market. Although It’s not the cheapest option, it still is the most trustworthy VPN provider that we have found, as it offers 24/7 live chat customer support with a 30-day money-back guarantee. With high speeds and high performance, ExpressVPN has sure become our favorite VPN service that we have used till now.

What makes ExpressVPN a perfect choice for Netflix?

The top point to note is that ExpressVPN is one of those companies that’s going to battle with Netflix. It allows you to virtually reside in the country of your choice to access additional TV shows and movies.

In our tests, we could access US Netflix using ExpressVPN, and there was nothing to complain about when it came to how quickly the stream started or even skipping ahead or back on 1080p video.

The company says you can use any US server to connect, and it also asks customers to contact them if they have trouble using Netflix with any of ExpressVPN’s servers.

Also, even if Netflix does end up blocking all VPN tunneling efforts, ExpressVPN offers users a Smart DNS proxy which should function as an excellent workaround.

As with other VPNs, ExpressVPN supports routers. It also has an exceptional service called MediaStreamer that allows you to watch the American version of Netflix on an Apple TV, consoles, and other set-top boxes. That’s a really excellent service for those who live outside of the US — especially expats who want to watch the same stuff that their friends are watching back home.

Speed test

It’s a fact that ExpressVPN has really good speeds in the US and UK, as it hit up to 40Mbps on our test connections. We streamed 1080p video without waiting for the video to buffer and could seamlessly play fast-paced online games without any noticeable extra lag.

The ExpressVPN servers that we tested (there are 3,000 servers in total!) were available in 160 locations across 94 countries, ranging from Monaco to Mongolia, which all seem to be rock-steady while still providing a reasonable throughput.

From what we found out, the west coast servers are the best when it comes to using Netflix through ExpressVPN.

In summary

If you’re outside the US and still want to enjoy your favorite shows and movies and unblock Netflix, do yourself a favor and get ExpressVPN.

Pros

Support for all VPN protocols
Encrypted Traffic
Gives Offshore Privacy
Unblocks Websites
Zero-Knowledge DNS

Cons

Connects to Only three devices
A bit expensive compared to the rest

It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for: bulletproof encryption, high speeds, reliable access to the most popular sites, and responsive customer support, and every subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

Read our full ExpressVPN review for more.

For budget-friendly: NordVPN

Pricing: $11.95 per month

NordVPN is a VPN provider based in Central America. It supports almost all the major platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, and Android. It even has browser extensions that are fully encrypted.

It has a strict no-log policy. It uses strong encryption methods which keep your online activity private and safe. It comes with DNS leak protection. It can support up to 6 simultaneous connections, more than other VPNs in the market.

It has other features like choosing an option IP address, a kill switch, and a smart play feature which allows the user to access a wide range of blocked streaming services around the globe.

NordVPN has several affordable plans to choose from. The monthly plan starts from $11.95 per month, which is more expensive than many VPNs in the market. NordVPN supports several payment methods like Paypal, Credit Cards, Bitcoins, etc.

What makes NordVPN a perfect choice for Netflix?

NordVPN is able to unblock content from over 20 countries, some of them including the US, UK, India, Brazil, France, Netherlands, and so on, making it the perfect choice to watch all the best movies and series on Netflix.

SmartPlay is another feature that makes NordVPN the best VPN to use with Netflix, as it is able to hide your true location by displaying another location, enabling you to unlock region-based content.

Speed test

When it comes to speed, the NordVPN provides you a fairly decent connection with an average of 30Mbps, thanks to its NordLynx protocol and its 5200+ servers in over 61 countries around the world.

NordVPN is a tad slow when compared to ExpressVPN but is still impressive as it gains high ground in terms of security with its strict no-log policy. It is also important to note that we couldn’t find any IPv4, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks during our speed tests.

From what we found out, Europe servers are the best when it comes to using Netflix through NordVPN.

In summary

If you are worried about your activities being logged, monitored, or passed to any third-party websites, then get yourself a NordVPN subscription as it guarantees your online safety through its military-grade encryption.

Pros

Provides streaming services
Supports multiple devices
Encrypted internet traffic two times
No logs policy
DNS leak protection

Cons

NordVPN can be comparatively slow
Cannot prevent ad trackers

Read our full NordVPN review for more.

For free: Windscribe

Pricing: free

If you are looking for a free VPN service that doesn’t sell your data, then Windscribe would be the best option. Even though it is a VPN provider based in Canada (which means that they come under the jurisdiction of the Five Eyes Alliance), they still follow a strict no-log policy so that you can stop worrying about government agencies spying on your browsing history.

The main feature that we love about Windscribe is that it provides a static web address (which doesn’t come under the free plan).

While most VPNs give out the same IP address for more than one user, Windscribe provides you a dedicated IP address so that you don’t have to worry about the nefarious things that are done by others who share the same IP address along with you.

It supports almost all the major platforms like Windows, MAC, Linux, IOS, and Android. It also has browser extensions that are fully encrypted and has features such as Time warp, Location warp, WebRTC slayer and so on.

What makes Windscribe a perfect choice for Netflix?

Windscribe provides certain servers that are specifically designated for streaming Netflix. These servers are known as Windflix and are a feature that is only available in the premium subscription.

After testing out all the servers, we found out that the Windflix US server works fine as we were able to watch all the contents in the US Netflix catalog without any issues.

But when it comes to Windscribe’s dedicated UK server, we were out of luck as we were blocked by an error message from Netflix.

If you are only looking to watch movies from the US Netflix catalog, then WIndscribe would work perfectly fine as its dedicated US Netflix server is a bit faster with an average speed of 38 Mbps.

Speed test

Windscribe isn’t the best when it comes to speed tests with their free version, but the paid subscription is a bit impressive as you can get access to servers across 60 countries.

The US, UK, and Canada can provide an average of 25Mbps which is sufficient enough to stream Netflix, and from what we found out, Windscribe works best when using their dedicated Windflix US server to stream Netflix.

In summary

Nothing comes free in this world, but still, Windscribe provides you with a free VPN that is not only safe to use but also comes with a lot of powerful features.

If you are starting out on the quest to find the perfect VPN, then Windscribe is a great place to start as they also provide you the option to upgrade to their paid subscription.

Pros

Blocks IPs and domains on all your devices
Provides static IPs
No logs policy
DNS leak protection
Supports split tunneling

Cons

It comes under the jurisdiction of the Five Eyes Alliance
Provides only a 3-day money-back guarantee

Some of the other notable paid competitors

1) Surfshark (Nominated)

Pricing: $12.95 per month

Surfshark is an up-and-coming name among top VPN services, which is backed by a 256-BIT security protocol. This VPN service provider for iPad and iPhone brings you exceptional support not just for desktop and mobile devices but also for VPN routers.

Packed with 3200+ servers across 65 countries worldwide, there is barely any spot on the map where Surfshark doesn’t have a server set up. All of this comes with a secure, 30-day money-back policy, so you don’t have to gamble your money away if it does not seem worthwhile.

Pros

Secure access to blocked content
Zero-Knowledge DNS
3200+ servers across 65 countries
256-bit encryption
Customer support

Cons

It doesn’t support split tunneling
A bit expensive

2) VyprVPN (Nominated)

Pricing: $9.95 per month

VyprVPN is a VPN based in Switzerland that has over 700+ servers in over 73 locations. The privacy policies in Switzerland are favorable, which makes it a trustworthy VPN. It also offers unlimited bandwidth and has excellent security and performance.

VyprVPN is very speedy and performs well overall. It comes with excellent features and support for all the major platforms like Windows, MAC, IOS, and Android. If you wish to access Netflix or use it for torrenting, then VyprVPN works perfectly well.

It supports several protocol methods. Their 24/7 available customer service is friendly and would help you out with any queries you have.

The only downside is that it does not have a 30-day money-back guarantee. It does have a 3-day trial. The monthly plan starts from $9.95. It is pretty costly compared to some of the other VPN services.

Pros

700+ servers, 200,000+ global IPs
Access to Streaming Services like Netflix
Zero-Knowledge DNS
Numerous Protocols
256-bit encryption

Cons

Not good for gaming
Lacks Ad-blocking

3) Cyberghost (Nominated)

Pricing: $12.99 per month

Popular not just for its ironclad security standards, but CyberGhost VPN is also revered for the simplified user interface it offers. One of the more cost-effective options to take up for iPad and iPhone, CyberGhost comes with a free trial period of one day for you to test it all out.

While it is not the fastest VPN for iPad in terms of network transfer speeds, it still accomplishes the goal to be one of the most secure VPNs with IP address and DNS masking, a no-logs policy, and several failsafe features.

Pros

Fast and reliable VPN
Up to 7 devices simultaneous connection
Has more than 7000+ servers across the world
Follows no-log policy

Cons

A bit expensive
Not as fast as its competitors

4) IPVanish (Nominated)

Pricing: $10.99 per month

IPVanish is a US-based VPN provider and is one of the best VPN services that we have tested so far. The user can choose from over 1000+ servers in over 60 countries. It has unlimited P2P traffic and supports up to five simultaneous connections.

It uses a strong encryption method. It comes with several features. If privacy is your main concern, then IPVanish states they have a strong no-log policy.

IPVanish is really easy to use, is great for using at the coffee shop. The plans start from $7.50 per month. It is a bit costly compared to some other VPNs in the market, but considering the features, it is worth the price value.

The only downside is that it does not have a 30- day money-back guarantee like several other VPN providers in the market. It does, however, offer a 7-day full trial.

Pros

Anonymous Torrenting
Access to censored websites and apps
5 Multi Logins
256-bit AES encryption

Cons

Based in the US
No free option

5) Private Internet Access (Nominated)

Pricing: $12.95 per month

Private Internet Access is a VPN service that is relatively new but brings multi-platform support across ten different devices and is all secured up with premium features such as high-end encrypted network data transfers, website ad-blocking, and a no-log policy in place.

No bandwidth restriction has been put in place by Private Internet Access, which makes it ideal for times when you’re streaming several gigabytes of content in high definition on Netflix.

Supporting remote network servers in 70+ countries globally, Private Internet Access also extends the ability to access the internet with complete anonymity, backed by military-grade encryption.

Pros

The WireGuard kill-switch protocol is ironclad with AES-128 encryption.
Offers plenty of customizations in the security settings for advanced users.
No logging policy with unlimited access to torrenting websites.
It offers one of the most affordable long-term subscription plans out there.

Cons

Not all geo-restricted content can be accessed at times.
The no-log claim has not been confirmed by a third-party security audit.

Free VPN Options…

Security, speed, privacy, and performance aren’t really the main concern for many people who just need a VPN to do normal online activities.

So you don’t have to worry as there are some VPNs that provide you all that as well for free even though it might not be as good as the paid ones.

Here is our list of the best Free VPNs:

In the world of the internet, nothing is free. Free VPNs earn by selling user’s data to authorities, companies, or advertising agencies. Not only this! They also earn by showing ads, annoying popups to their users.

As they say, “If something is free, then you are the product being sold”.

So we advise you not to prefer a free VPN unless you don’t have the option of affording a paid VPN service.

If you can afford one, then always go for the premium service, as it not only provides you access to restricted content but also keeps your data safe and hides your online footprint from third-party websites.

Conclusion

After carefully evaluating all these VPN services, we believe that ExpressVPN is the best VPN service currently available as they offer the best security, easy-to-use apps, a huge network, and blazing fast connections.

NordVPN is the one to go with if you are looking for a secure VPN as it offers a similar set of features to the other VPN service providers but with a strong encryption method.

We hope this article helped you find the best VPN Service as a Netflix user, we’ve also got you covered when you’re looking for a VPN service for Mac and Safari.

* Readers like you help support TheSweetBits. When you buy something through the links in this article, we may get a small commission at no extra charge to you.

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The Best Fast VPN Service for Netflix