The Best Netflix VPN [2020]: Stream Your Favorite Version of Netflix from Anywhere

ScreenBinge tested 7,000 servers and 66 virtual private networks (VPNs) to unblock the Netflix libraries of 33 countries. And we tried all of these VPN servers to access different versions of Netflix on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Firestick (2nd generation), and Linux to determine the best Netflix VPN in 2020.

As of now, Netflix is available in 190 countries. However, despite the vast availability of Netflix globally, the content library differs from country to country because of content distribution policies and copyright agreements.

This means the movies, anime, documentaries, and TV shows that you can watch on Netflix are limited by the region or county you are residing in. If you are living in a country where the Netflix content library is limited, however, there is still a way to access any version of Netflix abroad with the help of a VPN.

Here is a quick overview of the five best VPNs for Netflix in October 2020 that we will cover in-depth later in this blog:

Already got one of the above-mentioned VPNs? Go directly to the steps for how to use a VPN with Netflix 

With the use of a VPN, you can access any Netflix catalog and will be able to watch hundreds of TV shows and movies, no matter which country or region you are in. However, there is a catch! Because of the Netflix VPN ban, there are only a few VPN providers that reliably and consistently work with Netflix.

Based on our extensive testing of 7,000 servers from 66 VPNs, we will provide you with the best Netflix VPNs that reliably work in 2020.

We found that most of the providers would not be able to bypass Netflix’s VPN detection.

When tested, many VPNs fail to avoid the Netflix ban, and the error code m7111-5059 appears on the screen with the following message:

How to Choose the Best VPN for Netflix

ScreenBinge considers the following seven factors in choosing the best VPN for Netflix:

• Successfully unblocks all popular libraries of Netflix, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France.
• Frequently changes servers if they get blocked by Netflix and replace them with new ones.
• Works with Netflix on popular streaming devices including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Apple TV, Android Smart TV, Amazon Firestick/Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, PS4, and Xbox One.
• Offers at least five simultaneous connections along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Fast and speedy servers to stream in high-definition (HD) quality and avoid buffering issues.
• 24/7 excellent customer support.
• Provides strong privacy features, no-log policy, and powerful online security.

Five Best VPNs for Netflix in 2020 (In-Depth Analysis)

Based on the criteria mentioned above and extensive testing of 7000 servers, we have found these to be the best Netflix VPNs that are working in October 2020:

1. ExpressVPN

Unblocks Netflix on the browser: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on Android: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on iOS: Yes

ExpressVPN is the best Netflix VPN in 2020. It offers 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries that successfully unblock 33 Netflix libraries in our testing. This provider changes all of its servers that get blocked by Netflix regularly, so you can access Netflix any time you want without seeing proxy error issues. And their 24/7 live chat support is the best place to find out which servers are working with Netflix. With every ExpressVPN subscription, you will get five simultaneous connections along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

According to our testing, ExpressVPN successfully unblocks 33 versions of Netflix on all the major streaming platforms, including Windows, iOS, Linux, macOS, Android, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Firestick, and even routers. It allows us to stream in HD and 4K quality without any loading or buffering issues. Best of all, ExpressVPN offers MediaStreamer, also known as smart DNS, to unblock Netflix on devices that do not support VPNs, such as Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, and PS4.

Recommended Servers:

• Netflix U.S.: New York, New Jersey-1, and Washington DC
• Netflix U.K.: Docklands and East London
• Netflix Australia: Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth
• Netflix Canada: Toronto-2 and Montreal
• Netflix Japan: Tokyo-2 and Yokohama
• Netflix Germany: Frankfurt-1, Frankfurt-3, and Nuremberg

2. Surfshark

Unblocks Netflix on the browser: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on Android: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on iOS: Yes

If you are looking for a pocket-friendly VPN that unblocks all popular versions of Netflix, Surfshark could be the best Netflix VPN for you. This provider is cheap, and according to ScreenBinge testing, it unblocks Netflix U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, U.K., France, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

It offers 1,700+ servers in 60+ countries. Most of its servers are optimized for streaming that allows you to stream most of the geo-block streaming services in HD. Best of all, this is the only provider that offers unlimited simultaneous connections and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

This makes it the best affordable Netflix VPN, as you can share its single subscription with your friends and family. It flawlessly unblocks Netflix on all the popular streaming devices, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Firestick, Android Smart TV, Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, and PS4. Furthermore, our testing showed that it is the best Disney+ VPN right now to watch it from anywhere.

Recommended Servers:

• Netflix U.S.: Atlanta, Chicago, Latham, and Boston
• Netflix U.K.: London and Glasgow
• Netflix Canada: Vancouver and Toronto
• Netflix Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide
• Netflix Japan: All of them
• Netflix Germany: Berlin and Frankfurt am Main

3. PureVPN

Unblocks Netflix on the browser: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on Android: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on iOS: Yes

PureVPN can unblock seven libraries of Netflix on all major streaming devices. However, most of the time, it will redirect you to the U.S. Netflix when you try to unblock another Netflix country’s content.

It offers 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries, with 10 simultaneous connections on a single account. Based on our testing, this provider unblocks Netflix on all the streaming devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Roku, and Firestick. Apart from Netflix, it can also unblock BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max on both browsers and mobile apps. It offers ten simultaneous connections and comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Recommended Servers:

• Netflix U.S.: Ashburn, Chicago, and Atlanta
• Netflix U.K.: Maidenhead and Manchester
• Netflix Canada: Quebec
• Netflix Australia: Melbourne and Perth
• Netflix Japan: Tokyo
• Netflix Germany: Hessen and Frankfurt

 4. NordVPN

Unblocks Netflix on the browser: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on Android: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on iOS: Yes

NordVPN is another good performing Netflix VPN that can unblock Netflix from anywhere abroad. However, when you try to access other Netflix countries, it typically redirects you to U.S. Netflix.

It offers 5,000+ servers in 60+ countries, and the majority of them can unblock popular streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more. During our testing, this provider successfully unblocked Netflix on multiple devices, including Windows, Linus, macOS, Android, and iOS. With NordVPN, you will get six simultaneous connections on a single subscription, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Recommended Servers:

• Netflix U.S.: Dallas (6148, 6063), Miami (6761, 6759), and San Francisco (5323, 5691)
• Netflix U.K.: 2092, 1925, 2146, and 1881
• Netflix Canada: Vancouver (1093, 1243) and Montreal (1050, 1219)
• Netflix Australia: Sydney (577, 624) and Perth (636, 671)
• Netflix Japan: 584, 526, and 541
• Netflix Germany: Berlin (854, 863) and Frankfurt (971, 861)

 5. PrivateVPN

Unblocks Netflix on the browser: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on Android: Yes | Unblocks Netflix app on iOS: Yes

PrivateVPN is a new addition to the VPN industry and can unblock 29 Netflix libraries in our latest testing. Despite offering such a small network, this provider can unblock all the well-known geo-block streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Sky Sports, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Best of all, PrivateVPN iOS and Android apps are easy to use. Just search for the streaming service you want to unblock, and its app will automatically suggest which of their servers are working. You can connect to six devices at a time. The apps are available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. And in case you aren’t satisfied with the service, you can claim a full refund, as the service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you used less than 100 GB.

Recommended Servers:

• Netflix U.S.: Atlanta, and Las Vegas 
• Netflix U.K.: London
• Netflix Canada: Toronto
• Netflix Australia: Sydney
• Netflix Japan: Tokyo
• Netflix Germany: Frankfurt

VPNs That Sometimes Work With Netflix

Below is the list of VPNs that are supposed to work with Netflix. Most of the time, however, they don’t work because of poor server speed and unoptimized servers for streaming. This is why all of these VPNs have not made the list of the best VPNs for Netflix that are mentioned above. Since Netflix keeps blocking VPNs, we would not recommend the following VPNs, as they are not able to bypass the Netflix proxy error most of the time:

• Atlas VPN
• AirVPN
• Astrill
• Avast SecureLine
• Avira Phantom
• BlackVPN
• BulletVPN
• CactusVPN
• F-Secure Freedome
• FrootVPN
• Goose
• Hide.me
• Hide My Ass
• Ironsocket
• IPVanish
• Keenow Unblocker
• Le VPN
• LiquidVPN
• McAfee Safe Connect
• Mullvad
• Norton Wifi Privacy
• Private Internet Access
• Private Tunnel
• ProXPN
• ProtonVPN
• SaferVPN
• SlickVPN
• Speedify
• StrongVPN
• Surfeasy
• Torguard
• VPN Area
• VPN Unlimited
• VyprVPN
• Windscribe
• Zenmate
• ibVPN
• Perfect Privacy
• VPN Tunnel

VPNs That Don’t Work With Netflix

These are other VPNs that claim to work with Netflix. However, based on our extensive testing, not a single VPN in the following list is able to unblock Netflix:

• Turbo
• OperaVPN
• Unlocator
• Browsec
• Hola
• TunnelBear
• Buffered
• GetFlix
• OverPlay
• HideIPVPN
• Blockless
• Unotelly
• VPNBook
• IVPN
• WorldVPN
• AnonymousVPN
• Betternet
• BTGuard
• Earth VPN
• Kaspersky Secure VPN
• OneVPN
• TigerVPN

Unblocks Netflix All Around the World: VPN Testing Analysis

In a document titled, “Film Availability in Netflix Country Stores in the EU,” an EU Commission found that, “The average delay in availability between theatre and Netflix release (‘windowing’) in the EU11 is 326 days, with wide variations across countries, compared to only 112 days delay in the U.S.” Additionally, the Netflix availability of international content in European countries is just 31% — somewhat lower than the 40% availability of downloadable films in the Apple iTunes stores in the EU.

Because of all these delays and the unavailability of content, it necessitates VPN use to access all the TV shows and movies that are not available on the Netflix library where you reside.

Not all VPNs can provide you access to different versions of Netflix, however. This is why we carried out almost 6 weeks of continuous testing and updates to determine the best VPNs that work with Netflix. ScreenBinge tested 7,000 servers of 66 VPNs in 33 countries on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Firestick. Below are the complete results of VPNs that we tested so far.

How Do Some Providers Bypass the Netflix Ban?

The internet connection you are using has your IP address, and each IP address has its own code based on where it is located. So based on your IP address code, Netflix redirects you to the content library that is available in your country or region. If you want to access different region content libraries such as U.S. Netflix, however, you need an IP address that has a U.S. country code.

This is where a VPN service comes in. A VPN can change your local IP address to the country whose Netflix library you want to access. So when you connect to the VPN server and try to stream Netflix, based on your IP address code, it redirects you to that region or country’s content library.

But there is a catch! Not all VPNs are able to bypass Netflix, as they don’t offer advanced protocols and optimized streaming servers that are still tricky for Netflix to detect. However, some VPN providers — such as ExpressVPN — bypass the Netflix ban or proxy error with ease by providing dedicated streaming servers for Netflix in different countries and cities that can’t be detected by Netflix.

And providers like ExpressVPN regularly replace their servers with the new one to ensure that their users can always access Netflix whenever they want. This process of replacing servers continues whenever the older server stops working with Netflix. So, if any server is no longer working for you, contacting ExpressVPN 24/7 live chat support is the best way to find out which servers are working on that particular day or time.

FAQs

Why does Netflix have different content in different countries?

Netflix offers its streaming service in 190 countries, but each country has a different content library because of content distribution policies and copyright agreements. This means Netflix may have the license to stream a TV show or movie in one country but not another. For example, there are so many titles that are available on U.S. Netflix, such as “Parks and Recreation,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Futurama,” but that are not available on Netflix in the U.K., Australia, and Canada.

Which free VPNs work with Netflix?

Certain free VPN providers sometimes work with Netflix, such as Windscribe, Atlas VPN, and Keenow Unblocker. Most of them allow you to access U.S. Netflix only. However, they don’t work every time to unblock Netflix because of low speed and limited servers that are already blocked by Netflix.

This is why the ScreenBinge team recommends going for premium VPNs that offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and consistently work with Netflix without any proxy error and buffering issues. Such VPNs include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, PrivateVPN, and PureVPN. You can use these premium VPNs to watch your favorite version of Netflix without paying any money for at least 30 days.

Does Netflix allow VPN use?

In most countries, a VPN is totally legal to use except in China, Iran, Iraq, and the UAE. However, Netflix still bans users if it detects that someone is using a VPN to access Netflix because of content distribution policies and copyright agreements.

This is why not all VPNs allow you to access different versions of Netflix. 

Can you get banned for using a VPN on Netflix?

No, Netflix will not ban you for using a VPN. The worst thing you can face while using a VPN service with Netflix is that it won’t allow you to access the content while you are connected to the VPN server.

And whenever Netflix detects that you are using a VPN while streaming content, it immediately blocks you from accessing the content and shows the following proxy error message:

“Whoops, something went wrong. Streaming error. You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again.”

So what can you do to bypass this Netflix proxy error? Use a VPN that works with Netflix. According to ScreenBinge extensive testing, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, PureVPN, and PrivateVPN are the Best Netflix VPNs to bypass the proxy error and watch your favorite version of Netflix from anywhere.

Why does Netflix ban VPNs?

Netflix needs to follow content distribution policies and copyright agreements. For this reason, Netflix doesn’t allow its users to watch those TV shows and movies in regions where it isn’t licensed to offer it. However, instead of banning its users’ accounts for using a VPN, it started blocking VPNs in early 2016.

Though there is no official statement by Netflix about the process of blocking VPNs, based on our extensive testing, we assume that Netflix uses an IP tracking system to detect VPN servers.

When someone uses a VPN to unblock Netflix, it triggers the IP tracking system, which immediately bans it and doesn’t allow access to the content. Because of all these reasons, not all VPNs work with Netflix. 

Is unblocking the Netflix app the same as unblocking Netflix in a web browser?

Overall, unblocking the Netflix app is a little more difficult for VPNs, compared with the unblocking Netflix website on web browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. However, unblocking the Netflix app on devices that directly support VPNs — such as Android, iOS, and Firestick — is easier than unblocking Netflix apps on tools that do not support VPN directly — such as Roku, Apple TV, Xbox One, and PS4.

This is because on non-supported devices, you use a smart Domain Name System (DNS) instead of using a server. And Netflix can sometimes override the VPN’s DNS servers and send requests to your nearest public DNS server. That means Netflix can determine your actual location and block you accordingly, even with a VPN. However, there is no need to worry if you are using one of our recommended Netflix VPNs, as they unblock the Netflix app or website on any device successfully without any issue.

In which country is Netflix cheapest?

The ScreenBinge team compared the Netflix per month prices of all three plans — including basic, standard, and premium — from 190 countries, to find out which country offers the cheapest subscription in 2020. We found that Brazil has the cheapest Netflix right now; basic is $3.99/month, standard is $5.99/month, and premium is $8.36/month. Overall, Netflix in Brazil is almost 75% less expensive than average subscription plans globally, 77% cheaper than a premium subscription in the U.S., and 60% cheaper than all Netflix subscriptions in the U.K.