ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Netflix overall, with a generous server network, outstanding geographical content unblocking and an uncomplicated app design. Whether you’re a seasoned VPN expert or new user, Express’s streamlined applications help you hop on a server and start streaming quickly. Express unblocked almost all international Netflix libraries I tried.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN for Netflix streaming. Its class-leading 11% average internet speed loss results in silky smooth, buffer-free 4K video streaming quality. Capable of unblocking dozens of popular international Netflix libraries, Nord is an excellent choice for power users. Although Nord didn't provide access to some worldwide Netflix content -- notably Egypt -- it never failed to load Netflix and its exceptional internet speeds make it a fantastic VPN for streaming in 4K ultrahigh-definition.

Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN for watching Netflix. Its generous server network provides access to dozens of international Netflix libraries, fast speeds make for slick 4K video playback, and the company offers unlimited simultaneous device use so you can stream on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, your phone, computer and any other gadget all at once.

Proton is the best free VPN for streaming Netflix and the only zero-dollar VPN CNET recommends. Despite a few limitations, the no-cost tier doesn’t compromise your data or inundate you with ads and you can still stream Netflix. You'll find apps for all major streaming platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV. The paid Proton Plus plan provides 12,000-plus servers in 117 countries and outstanding geo-restricted content unblocking capabilities (Proton unblocked all of the Netflix countries I tried), so it’s a compelling upgrade for cinephiles.

A virtual private network is your key to unlocking content from all over the globe that you may not be able to access otherwise, including regional Netflix libraries. VPNs make this happen by hiding your public IP address, which makes streaming sites think you're in a different city, state or country. Netflix filters which shows you can see according to your country so if you want to stream a movie or show from your home country while traveling abroad, you may need a VPN.

The more global servers a VPN provider offers, the greater the amount of choice you have. With the right virtual private network, you’ll be able to stream films and shows from other countries long before they turn up on your local Netflix, if they ever do at all. Some providers, such as Peacock, outright won’t allow you to connect from outside the US at all. With a VPN, you’ll continue to get access to the stream sites you pay for even when you’re traveling internationally, and you can cut down on the number of streaming services you’ll have to juggle just to watch certain shows. There’s no need to worry about breaking the Netflix terms of service (ToS) either as Netflix thankfully allows the use of VPNs. Unfortunately, you’ll need a paid account to access Netflix through a VPN and you still can't stream live content on Netflix with a VPN enabled.

Not all VPNs will work with Netflix either. We’ve tested a bunch of them to bring you recommendations for the best VPNs for Netflix that unblock regional Netflix libraries and boast high-speed servers to deliver buffer-free 4K video playback. We tested VPNs for Netflix on a slew of devices, including desktops, laptops and smartphones, as well as streaming boxes such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV dongles. Whether you want to watch Den of Thieves 2 or Zero Day, a VPN for Netflix can help you stream with ease.

Streaming support

When you’re selecting a VPN to stream Netflix, you’ll want to consider how many international content libraries it unlocks. Generally, we found that most servers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Romania and South Africa worked flawlessly. Servers in other countries, such as Egypt, occasionally didn’t show geo-specific movies and shows -- while Netflix never failed to load, on some VPNs, it simply continued showing the US version. Aside from Netflix, think about the other streaming services you want to unblock with a VPN, such as Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV and other providers.

Server network

The more individual country servers a VPN provider offers, the greater potential it provides for unblocking international Netflix libraries. At the high end, VPN companies, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark, sport 100 or more nations. We recommend at least 60-plus countries, which gives you plenty of options. Notably, you may not be able to access global Netflix content on all servers. But if a VPN offers multiple servers in a particular country -- such as several choices in the UK -- you can try changing servers within that region to see if that successfully unblocks Netflix. The best way to see if a provider unblocks the content you want to watch is to take advantage of a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll know for sure if a provider can actually give you access to Netflix in the region you want when you test it for yourself. If not, you can issue a request for a refund.

Device compatibility

Think about the devices you want to stream Netflix on using a VPN. Most VPNs offer Windows, MacOS and Linux applications for desktops or laptops. Likewise, you’ll find Android and iOS/iPadOS apps for mobile devices, including phones and tablets. Many VPNs feature Android TV apps that run on streaming boxes, like the NVIDIA Shield TV or Chromecast with Google TV. A growing number of VPN companies, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PIA, IPVanish, Proton VPN and Surfshark boast Apple TV apps, which are great for Apple aficionados. (Disclosure: IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Speed

All VPNs slow down your internet connection somewhat, with the best-performing VPN dropping your speed by an average of 25% or less. A reliable connection is a must, especially for streaming in 1080p high-definition or 4K ultrahigh-definition. Look for a VPN with a minimal internet speed loss for buffer- and lag-free streaming.

Privacy

Aside from entertainment such as streaming video and gaming, many people use VPNs for additional privacy. When connected to a VPN, apps, websites and your internet service provider view your traffic as coming from a different location -- such as another state or even country. At a minimum, I recommend a VPN service with AES 256-bit encryption (with the OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 with WireGuard, a kill switch and split tunneling. Additionally, make sure your VPN provider maintains a strict no-logs policy and undergoes annual third-party audits to verify its zero-log claims. However, more privacy-conscious users, such as investigative journalists or political activists, may want advanced privacy features such as a double VPN or multihop, Tor over VPN and RAM-only servers.  

Price

You can sign up for a monthly, bi-annual, yearly or multi-year VPN subscription. VPN plans run you anywhere from $40 to $100 per year. Typically, the more you commit to the more you save, so an annual plan breaks down to a lower price per month than a monthly plan (but you’re paying upfront). We recommend sticking to an annual plan for the maximum savings with the lowest risk. A lot can change in a year: Your fast, private VPN might suffer a data breach or get acquired by a shady company during a 12-month time span. Notably, many VPN providers hit you with price hikes, so you might pay $60 for your first year of service, then get slapped with an auto-renewal of $100. Pay attention to the checkout page when purchasing a VPN, and take advantage of any early renewal discounts you get to avoid a costly subscription renewal. 

Netflix libraries vary by your location, so available movies and TV shows vary by country. For instance, if you’re a US Netflix subscriber traveling throughout the UK and pull up Netflix, you’ll find certain content unavailable in other regions. For instance, you can stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on UK Netflix but not US Netflix. Therefore, a VPN lets you watch many movies and TV shows previously unavailable in your region. Moreover, foreign film fans can access popular movies and shows from other areas. Using a VPN to stream Netflix at home lets you maximize your subscription by accessing a vast library otherwise unavailable to watch in your area.

Conversely, you can set a VPN to your home country while abroad. For instance, while traveling in the UK, you could continue binge-watching Gilmore Girls even though it’s not available in the United Kingdom by tunneling through a US server. 

How to use a VPN for watching Netflix

Streaming Netflix with a VPN only requires a VPN subscription, an active Netflix plan (excluding the ad-supported tier), a compatible device and an active internet connection. Here’s how to watch Netflix with a VPN:

1. Download your VPN provider's app on your device. If there’s no available app, you can run a VPN on your router.
2. Once you’ve installed a VPN on your device or router, fire up your virtual private network. 
3. Choose a server from the country you want to unblock.
4. Open the Netflix app or head to Netflix in a browser.
5. Start streaming videos from the international Netflix library you unblocked.

You should now be able to view movies and shows from your region of choice. But if that doesn’t work, you can try switching Netflix profiles. Occasionally, especially on streaming boxes or mobile devices like phones and tablets, I had to change profiles to get the correct region to load. 

Alternatively, on a phone, tablet or streaming device, you can try force-closing the Netflix app, then reopening it when you’re still seeing a country in Netflix that doesn’t match the VPN server you selected. I even had to force quit the Netflix app, clear my cache and data, enable my VPN, then restart the Netflix app on some Android phones and tablets to load the correct region. 

I tested VPNs for Netflix streaming by watching movies and TV shows on dozens of global servers to determine each virtual private network's international Netflix libraries. While researching, I used servers in a bevy of countries, including Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, Romania, South Africa, the US and UK. I tried VPNs on a host of platforms, including Windows, MacOS and Linux PCs, Android and iOS/iPad mobile devices, plus Android TV and Apple TV streaming boxes. In addition to geo-restricted Netflix content unblocking, I tested each VPN’s connectivity -- officially with hundreds of internet speed tests per provider and anecdotally by streaming videos in 4K to assess lag or lack thereof. 

PIA

Private Internet Access, or PIA, is a wallet-friendly VPN provider. I was impressed with its superb Netflix unblocking capabilities -- PIA provided access to all the worldwide servers I tried. PIA is one of the cheapest VPNs on the market, at $12 per month, $40 for the first year (renewing at $50 per year) or $79 every three years. Despite its modest price, PIA doesn’t cut corners. It boasts a massive roster of 35,000 servers across more than 90 countries. I streamed Monk via a Canadian server (traditionally that title is on Peacock in the US). An unlimited simultaneous device policy means that Netflix’s concurrent streaming is the only thing keeping you from streaming on all your devices at once. 

However, PIA’s middling connectivity -- I experienced an average 49% internet speed loss in our benchmarking -- might impact streaming quality, particularly on a slower internet connection (think less than 50Mbps or unreliable connections such as satellite internet). Video quality was occasionally blocky when first starting out and sometimes buffered. 

Nevertheless, PIA brings a lot to the table. Its diverse device support includes Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS/iPadOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV and Apple TV. I liked the Linux graphical user interface app, which is easier for beginners than a command line-only app. The Android TV, Fire TV and Apple TV apps simplify streaming Netflix with a VPN in the living room on your television. Plus, its relative affordability compared with competitors helps PIA overcome its internet speed loss. If you’re on a budget, PIA is a value-packed VPN with strong privacy chops and robust device compatibility.

Read our PIA review.

IPVanish

IPVanish is a decent VPN for casual VPN users. (Again, IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis). While I was able to unblock Netflix in most regions, including the US, UK, Canada, Japan and Germany, streaming on an Australian server didn’t work at all. You do get 2,400-plus servers in 108 countries for decent Netflix international library options. But with its high 44% average internet download speed loss that we clocked in our 2024 testing, IPVanish isn't ideal for streaming videos in 4K or even 1080p.

IPVanish costs $13 per month, $40 for the first year or $53 total for your first two years (the annual plan renews at $90 and the two-year plan goes to $180 total after your introductory period). While IPVanish’s upfront prices are easy on the pocketbook, its future price hikes and high internet download speed loss mean you’re better off with other VPNs for watching Netflix.

Read our IPVanish review.