Top Five VPNs For Netflix: Which VPNs Can You Trust This 2018?
If you have tried watching Netflix movies and TV shows while being away from your home country, you probably already know why these VPNs have gone all the rage. VPNs are known for unblocking geo-restricted content and that has made it a staple for binge watchers the world over. If you are all set for a business or leisure trip but you don’t want to miss out on the latest episode of ‘Mad Men’ or ‘Breaking Bad’ or any other Netflix exclusive which sits atop your must-watch list, you need to know where to put your money. In other words, you need to find out which are the best VPNs that still work with Netflix. If you have been using VPN services for quite some time now, you are probably aware of the recent crackdown by Netflix on VPN services. The good thing is there are still some VPN services that make watching Netflix content a cakewalk. Here, I have picked the top five VPNs for Netflix that are still working wonders when it comes to ducking the Netflix restrictions.
How To Choose A VPN For Netflix?
In an increasingly crowded VPN market, there are only a few VPNs that stand out in terms of security, speed, simplicity, and on the top of it, efficiency. In case you didn’t know, many VPNs have already given in on unblocking Netflix, and you might just expect a host of annoying error messages popping up every now and then while trying to access Netflix using these VPNs. Similar to this one:
However, the VPNs I have listed below are checked and I can confirm that these are still working with Netflix.
ExpressVPN – Best Comprehensive VPN For Watching Netflix
- Streaming support for a wide array of devices
- Outstanding streaming and download speeds
- On the higher end of the price spectrum
- Only three connections supported
This VPN service is based in British Islands and offers outstanding speeds for HD streaming. The VPN service unblocks Netflix across a disparate range of devices. As of September 2018, ExpressVPN supports Netflix across the US, UK as well as Canada. Besides that, it should also perfectly work for many other countries. With more than 2000 servers in 148 locations and 30,000+ unique IP addresses at the fingertips, it has become a favorite of binge-watchers around the world. Check ExpressVPN in-depth review for a full list of supported features and options.
One particular feature which I totally fell for is the MediaStreamer DNS, which can enhance your video streaming experience. This is particularly useful for unblocking Netflix on devices that are not compatible with VPNs (example: Apple TV). ExpressVPN supports three devices at max for secure VPN access, whether it is a PC, or a tablet, or even a Smartphone. They have a zero-log policy in place and your traffic data won’t be handed over to any third party. 256-bit encryption over OpenVPN, along with PPTP, L2TP – IPSEC, as well as SSTP protocols ensure top-notch security for the users. You can also avail complete support for Netflix viewing.
On the downside, it is a bit pricier option compared to many competitor products, but if you are ready to shell out a few extra bucks for trouble-free Netflix streaming, this one’s should be a safe bet. Also, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee, which should not be mistaken for a free trial. You can choose from three different price plans.
1 Month
$12.95 /month- Billed $12.95 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
15 Months
$6.67 /month- Includes 3 Free Months with Exclusive 49% Discount
- Billed $99.95 first 15 months and 12 months thereafter
- 30-day money-back guarantee
6 Months
$9.99 /month- Billed $59.95 every 6 months
- 30-day money-back guarante
NordVPN – The Safest VPN For Netflix
- Nice distribution of server locations
- Consistent performance
- Company leadership could not be traced
- Monthly plan is quite expensive
NordVPN is widely regarded for the security-first approach of the VPN service providers. The Panama-based VPN has been around for ten years and it still manages to unblock top streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and so on. Almost 5000 servers and counting, presence in 62 countries and customized plans just for everybody, there are quite a few reasons why this VPN has been a preferred choice for many Netflix users out there. Check full NordVPN review for more details.
The proprietary SmartPlay feature is the best thing about this VPN service, and this technology is nicely integrated into the default settings. I conducted a quick test and found that Netflix download speeds were only minimally affected when I paired it up with the VPN. It worked perfectly fine with Netflix US, although it also supports Netflix Canada, Netherlands, France and Hong Kong, among many other countries. Other added benefits that come along are DNS leak protection, a generous pool of servers and a kill switch that make binge watching a fun experience altogether. It’s not as fast as ExpressVPN, but it’s not laggy, to say the least.
Using some wizardry or something, NordVPN has found out how to game the Netflix filters and it’s possibly the only VPN service at this moment which you can use for accessing Netflix from any part of the world (and I mean it)! The company’s privacy policy says that they have a strict zero-log policy, but I couldn’t trace the company leadership. However, there are actually thousands of users using NordVPN every day.
If you are considering putting your money in the monthly plan, I would recommend you to go for the three-year plan instead. It’s the best value-for-money deal, also the company provides 30-day money back guarantee so you are free to use the VPN for 29 days and ask for a refund if you are not satisfied.
1 Month
$11.95 /month- Billed $11.95 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
3 Years
$2.75 /month- Save 77%
- Billed $99.99 every 3 years
- 30-day money-back guarantee
1 Year
$6.99 /month- Save 41%
- Billed $83.88 every 12 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cyberghost – Low-Cost VPN For Hassle-Free Streaming
- Dedicated ‘Unblock Streaming’ Feature
- Decent download and streaming speeds
- Cannot unblock all non-US Netflix
- Selecting specific servers is not easy
Cyberghost had to fight a long battle since Netflix’s crackdown on VPN service providers, but it has finally come out with a solution. Like NorVPN, they are also focused on expanding the server list, and as of now, they have almost 3000 servers in 60 countries, which is a quite impressive figure. Cyberghost is not the fastest VPN on the market right now, but when it comes to Netflix streaming, they ensure decent speed and zero buffering. Check the full CyberGhost features review for more details.
They also offer a dedicated unblocking profile only for Netflix, which speaks volumes about their approach to the streaming giant. Additionally, you will get plenty of resources on the official site to troubleshoot errors, and if an IP is blacklisted, all it takes is a couple of seconds to get in touch with the support team, who are available round the clock. What I liked most about this particular VPN is that it lets you connect to seven devices simultaneously. There’s also free version to try out, but the options are severely limited.
The only possible turn-off for Netflix fans out there is that although Cyberghost works with Netflix US, if someone is interested in other Netflix libraries, such as Netflix Brazil or Netflix Japan, they have to look for other options. Also, selecting a specific server is quite difficult and it might be a hit-or-miss. But you can always contact their chat support to choose a specific server.
1 Month
$11.99 /month- Billed $11.99 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
36 Months
$2.75 /month- Billed $99.99 every 3 years
- 30-day money-back guarantee
12 Months
$4.99 /month- Billed $59.88 every 12 months
- 30-day money-back guarante
Hidemyass – Best VPN For Netflix Streaming On PC And Mobile
- Works equally well on mobile and desktop devices
- Dedicated and optimized server for Netflix users only
- Good chat support
- Slower than many other competitors
- No zero-log policy
Hidemyass is one of those VPNs that work equally well on both PCs and mobile devices. I tested it out on both my Windows PC and my Android Smartphone, only to find that the VPN works equally well both on my mobile device and my desktop. Headquartered in the UK, Hidemyass now has more than 900 servers dotted across most of the countries. However, with most of their servers, you can only access Netflix, but you cannot stream and watch anything, which is a major drawback. Read more details in editor’s HideMyAss review page.
The good thing is that they have recently added a dedicated server for binge watchers and I tested the dedicated server. It worked well both on my desktop browser and with the Netflix phone app I am using on my Android phone. You should be able to access and stream Netflix content by connecting to the newly optimized Liberty Island server at one go. The connection speed was good and I didn’t experience any buffering, although it also depends on the internet speed.
Netflix USA offers a thick number of TV shows that you can access using a good VPN service like VPN, but if you encounter an issue, do not hesitate to contact their live chat, which is actually helpful. Some users have complained that their streaming stopped all of a sudden while some other users reported that they could stream all day long without any buffering. In my experience, their speed is definitely not the very best, but it’s not too bad either.
However, since HMA is based in the UK, a country which is known for its stringent data retention policies, it doesn’t have a zero-log policy in place. You can definitely use it for streaming Netflix, but if you are concerned about maintaining your privacy, you should look for other options. You might want to check it out for one month as they have a 30-day money back guarantee.
1 Month
$11.99 /month- Billed $11.99 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
2 Years
$4.99 /month- Save 58%
- Billed $119.76 every 24 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
1 Year
$6.99 /month- Save 42%
- Billed $83.88 every 12 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
StrongVPN – Most Reliable VPN For Netflix Streaming
- Proprietary DNS proxy service
- Broad protocol support
- Decent speed
- Limited pricing plans
What is StrongVPN’s strongest point? I would say it’s one of the most secure and most reliable VPNs around right now. The California, US-based VPN is known for its wide protocol support (they support nearly everything, starting from PPTP, L2TP, to SSTP, IPSec, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and whatnot. The company’s own Smart DNS proxy service, StrongDNS, along with enormously strong 2048-bit encryption, protects users from data leaks and DNS leaks quite efficiently. Currently, they only have about 700 servers in 26 countries and 46 locations. They also let you connect up to five devices at once. Read in-depth StrongVPN review for more details.
If you are a Netflix addict like me, you would definitely like the solid and broad server coverage of StrongVPN. Its compatibility with almost all the major platforms, including Mac and Wndows, adds cherry to the top. They even offer separate user manuals for each of the platforms supported.
I tested it out and I must say that it’s a pretty agile performer, and it actually improved my download speeds during long-distance tests. I could swiftly switch to different servers.
In case you are worried about connection issues or those annoying error messages, you can contact their live chat support in double quick time. However, there are not too many pricing plans, and you have to choose from two plans only (they offer a 30-day money back guarantee, though). I would recommend going for the yearly plan. Did I mention that they have a zero-log policy, like most other decent VPNs you can bank on?
1 Month
$10.00 /month- Billed $10.00 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
1 Year
$5.83 /month- Save 42%
- Billed $69.99 every 12 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Verdict
Which one of these VPNs would fit the bill for you? Really, you can try out any of these VPNs since most VPN service providers offer either a money back guarantee or a free plan, or both. But if you are really keen on getting the premium experience, I would suggest you to try out ExpressVPN or NordVPN first. Happy bing-watching!