How to Watch American Netflix From a Different Country

If you’ve ever traveled overseas, you know that some things become more of a hassle to do. One thing, in particular, is trying to watch your favorite Netflix series without getting geo-blocked. Once Netflix knows that you have left the US, it will restrict its content and you will no longer be able to view it, even if you have your own Netflix USA account.

Luckily, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can easily get you passed Netflix’s geo-restrictions, and back to watching your favorite shows.

Using a VPN makes the American Netflix think that you are still in the country, so it won’t have to lock you out. You’ll be able to use your Netflix account, as usual, despite the fact that you’re miles away from the United States.

Keep reading to reveal all our insider tips and secrets, which will make life all that much easier and help get your VPN up and running in no time.

The VPN we recommend to unblock US Netflix is ExpressVPN. It’s the simplest, fastest VPN for streaming Netflix USA and allows you to unblock Netflix USA from anywhere. Also, ExpressVPN offers a special deal which gets you 3 months free and saves you 49% on their annual plan.

If you don’t want to read the whole article, here’s our list of the best VPNs for Watching US Netflix:

1. ExpressVPN Great for Speed, top-notch security, large server network and keeps your anonymity and privacy.
2. NordVPN Has double VPN, six simultaneous connections, above-average privacy features.
3. Surfshark Large network of servers, No data or bandwidth limits, Unlimited simultaneous device connections.
4. Cyberghost Vast amount of servers, Quick connection speeds, and competitively priced.
5. ProtonVPN Complete security with a zero-logging policy.

Watch US Netflix From the UK

Maybe you’re not an American traveling abroad, but you still want to unblock and access the US Netflix content library. If you are living in countries like the UK, Canada, or Germany, your Netflix video libraries are vastly different from what shows you have access to from within the US. A great VPN like ExpressVPN can mean the difference of 3616 movies and 1416 shows (Netflix in the UK) or 4052 movies and 1580 shows (Netflix in the US). That’s about a 10% increase in content that you’re missing out on simply because you don’t live within the geo-location necessary to access American Netflix. So, if you only have access to Netflix Germany or Netlix in Canada, it’s safe to say you are missing out on a nice chunk of content without a VPN.

Determining the Best VPN Service to Access American Netflix

So we know why you might need a VPN, but with such a wide range of choices out there, it might seem confusing to know which one would be the perfect match for your needs.

After testing many services, we’ve compiled all the elements which make up a top notch VPN:

• Unblocking Netflix It might come as a surprise, but not all VPNs will allow you access to US Netflix. Recently, Netflix has also taken to actively blocking VPN users from using their broadcasting channels. This means that there are only a few out there that will afford you the ability to connect to the American Netflix server.
• High speed VPNs have been known to slow down your internet speed, and there is nothing more frustrating than your favorite show buffering for minutes at a time. A great VPN will only minimally affect your internet speed and give you the smooth service you deserve.
• More servers When there are more dedicated servers involved, there is less chance that your network will be ‘maxed out’ from large amounts of traffic. Also, Netflix on occasion will block and ban server IP’s so having more servers will decrease the likelihood of being blocked.
• Strong encryption technology Your network tunnel needs to provide you with easy geo-blocking encryptions.
• No traffic logging This will dodge any third parties trying to spy on you and will ensure that you leave no breadcrumbs behind as you surf the net.
• No Bandwidth Caps The perfect VPN is the one that does not limit your bandwidth traffic each month.

Why Get a VPN?

Did you know that some countries like Israel, Hong Kong and Indonesia only allow their Netflix users as little as 10% of the American Netflix catalogue? That’s right, you can check all the details here:

Getting your hands on a VPN can be useful for a number of reasons, such as:

• Netflix – As I’ve mentioned – if you are traveling out of the country for the first time, you might not know that people who do not reside in the US have a different Netflix video catalogue to those who do. This is due to national licensing restrictions and copyright laws. A VPN will allow you to bypass those restrictions and watch American Netflix in Europe, or anywhere else for that matter, by hiding your IP address.
• Authorities Monitoring Internet Browsing – There have been many times where people have been detained due to their browsing history, but using a VPN will allow secure and private access to the internet.
• Public Wi-Fi – Using a public Wi-Fi might be considered completely normal for most. But what they (and you) might not know is that your information can be easily intercepted. Using a VPN would mean that this is not possible and that you have added security because your information is encrypted.
• Adverts – Oh how we hate those pesky, unwanted ads. Using social media is one thing, but getting bogged down with ads that seem to reflect all your personal information can be a bit much. A VPN will finally put a stop to this.
• Accessing Region Restricted Content – Some websites are simply restricted due to that region’s internet laws. A VPN will allow you to browse websites and information from all over the world, without having to worry about which website is not allowed where.
• Getting a VPN for Different Devices – A Great VPN will be compatible with many devices, so it doesn’t matter how you are connected. There’s one suited to everybody out there.

Here are your choices of platforms:

• Router
• Windows
• Mac
• iOS
• Android
• Linux
• Smart TV

Paying for Your VPN vs Free

Although there are free VPN options out there, a paid version is the way to go. As they say – you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to watching American Netflix abroad. You can pay for most of these services using a credit card, PayPal or bitcoin, plus a handful of other options.

Be Warned!

Being thorough also means that we have to let you in on those servers that might not be able to use Netflix in its true form, whether partially or completely. Here’s the list:

• PureVPN
• IPVanish VPN
• BufferedVPN
• HotSpot Shield
• TunnelBear
• Zenmate

The Best VPNs That Work With Netflix

#1 ExpressVPN

This is one of the very few VPN services that is able to bypass the Netflix block. They have a 30 day money-back guarantee and their servers cover 43,000 IPs from over 94 countries. They also stand out when it comes to their streaming speeds which is one of the most important factors when watching Netflix.

Pros

• Easy to set up – great for first-time VPN users
• Consistently fast streaming speed with ping times minimally affected
• Military grade encryption and a kill switch feature
• Received a total score of 9.8 on Resellerratings from over 3,000 reviews
• Works extremely well in high censorship countries.
• Special deal – 3 months free and 49% savings!

Cons

• It is a little more expensive than other providers.
• It has a limit of three connections per subscription.

Price: As low as $6.67

Summary
It is simple to see why this service gets our vote. ExpressVPN has proven time and time again to be the one to beat, especially when it comes to customer support and customer reviews.

Sign up today and start streaming in a few simple steps. Or read our full review here.

#2 NordVPN

With over 400 servers in the US alone, this VPN server is out of this world. This company offers you the perfect balance between speed and privacy and if you commit to their longest plan offered it actually turns out to be one of the cheapest options for you.

Pros

• Abundance of servers
• 24 hour live chat available
• They offer performance speeds of up to 400Mbps
• Sold global network
• Double VPN allows for extra security

Cons

• If you want alternative privacy and security features you have to configure them manually
• Connecting to a specific city is not as simple as it could be
• Due to their popularity, Netflix tries to actively block IP addresses used by the VPN

Price: As low as $2.99

Summary
Getting your Netflix fix might be more of a problem these days if you are using NordVPN, because they are being actively targeted and because of their similar price you might be better off using the Express VPN. Other than that, it is a valued service with many happy customers.

Sign up with NordVPN here, or read our full review here.

#3 Surfshark

Surfshark has all manner of features that make it a great choice as a VPN provider at the best of times, but particularly if you want to unblock Netflix when you are traveling abroad. It is able to provide a large amount of server IP addresses that make any Netflix account accessible and usable when not in the country of residence.

Pros

• Over 800 servers, in over 50 countries. In the US and Canada alone, it has 9 server locations strategically dotted around the two countries to maintain a good connection speed for users.
• Surfshark allows users to have an unlimited amount of simultaneous connections which is great news for families that have many members, all of which have many devices. It means everyone can access Netflix wherever they are under the increased safety of a VPN.
• High connection speeds mean that Surfshark users never have to suffer from freezing or buffering when watching their favorite Netflix shows, boxsets or films.

Cons

• Surfshark only uses static servers which means that sometimes Netflix can be alerted if a server is, in fact, a VPN server.
• No automatic server connection means that it can take a while to find a server with the best connection for you.

Price: As low as $1.99

Summary
Surfshark is a newcomer to the VPN game, but it is already gaining traction as one of the top providers. Its cheap prices are very competitive.

Sign up with Surfshark here. Or read our full review here.

#4 CyberGhost

This is one of our top picks due to the excellent speed and strong privacy features that CyberGhost offers their customers. If you commit to taking on a longer plan you can also take advantage of privacy extras they have as well. Their interface is made specifically with first time users in mind and is optimized for buffer free streaming in HD.

Pros

• No email required in order to use their service
• Competitive prices
• Reliable, fast speeds of up to 230Mbps
• Firm zero-logs policy
• Extremely user friendly

Cons

• Torrenting is unavailable in the US
• Advanced users might find the CyberGhost design too basic
• Customer support is restricted to Eastern European hours
• Their network could be bigger

Price: As low as $2.75

Summary
Although they have had issues in the past when it comes to Netflix services, CyberGhost has shown its customers that they are big on transparency and honesty. This is something many individuals like and praise when it comes to their service provider.

Sign up with Cyberghost here. Or read our full review here.

#5 ProtonVPN

Another VPN service provider that doesn’t have any trouble unlocking Netflix, ProtonVPN has over 450 servers in 34 countries and counting.  Compatible with apps individually designed for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android as well as having manual configurations for Linux and some routers. There are four plans to choose from including a Freemium plan that surprisingly doesn’t come with any annoying ads or bandwidth regulations.

Pros

• The free plan is one of the best around. Whilst it is a little slow, the fact that there are no bandwidth regulations is spectacular. There are also servers in three countries that you can connect to such as the Netherlands, the US, and Japan.
• One of the highlights of this VPN provider is the privacy which is laid out clearly and isn’t difficult to read. With over 30% of VPN privacy policies having suspicious terms, ProtonVPN says they will never share your information with third parties.
• Security is something that ProtonVPN takes seriously, and whilst the average user will not need all these protocols, it is comforting that they are used. These include IKEV2, IPsec, Always On feature and military-grade protection.

Cons

• No live chat
• Slower speeds than other premium services
• Small server network so far

Price: As low as $4

Summary

If you want access to Netflix, ProtonVPN has had no issues up until this point in connecting to the streaming giant in the US. Getting around restrictions in other countries like the UK, France and Japan might be a little more difficult in order to connect to their respective local versions of Netflix.

Sign up with ProtonVPN here, or read our full review here.

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter if you are out of the country for work or play, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to access your favorite online shows like House of Cards, whenever you like.

Although we have covered some of the best servers that allow you this luxury, we have to say that at the moment we are most impressed by ExpressVPN which offers an incredibly fast and secure streaming performance and an easy to use VPN for Netflix US.

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