Do you want to access the holy Netflix’s US catalog? You swear by the British series of BBC? Do you want to watch the antics of RTBF’s Grand Cactus again? Just take a plane ticket and go to the country … otherwise, opt the best Netflix VPNs for unblocking geo-restrictions, without jerks to the broadcast.
Don’t dream anymore, we have selected, among the best VPNs of our comparison, those adapted for streaming of the biggest international platforms, especially Netflix. Warm up the popcorn, you’re about to discover an unknown world!
Streaming is probably the main consumer use of VPNs. We are less interested in hiding our visits to the net than in accessing audiovisual treasures blocked in this or that country. Until now, the American broadcaster Netflix has complacently tolerated Internet users from all over the world using a VPN to access its US catalog. But Netflix’s policy has changed with country-specific content. It was already the game of hide-and-seek of VPNs with different platforms. Indeed, several VPN servers are clearly identified by the audiovisual broadcasters as servers made to locate in other countries to circumvent restrictions.
In spite of a VPN subscription, many Internet users were complaining about not being able to access their favorite replay or VoD service. This means that free services are even more limited.
Amazon is particularly careful to offer its catalog of movies and TV series only to legitimate subscribers in North America and another, less extensive, one for European countries. The venerable BBC is also starting to be more discerning. Some connections are known to emanate from blacklisted VPN servers. Belgian, French or Swiss audiovisual platforms are less rigid… for now.
The best Netflix VPNs:
- CyberGhost
- NordVPN
- ExpressVPN
- Surfshark
- Proton VPN
To find out more about the streaming services accessible via a VPN, we tried each VPN with different video streaming platforms, from English and French speaking countries. Obviously, we connected to the behemoth Netflix US (offering a catalog of movies, series and documentaries) more important than in other countries, but also Amazon Video, ESPN (to watch NBA basketball or American soccer from the NFL), Crackle (movies and TV programs), Popcornflix, BBC iPlayer (the respectable public broadcaster of the United Kingdom), Auvio (replay of the Belgian channel RTBF), Play (video service of the Swiss TV channel RTS)
If by any chance, you have encountered problems with geo-restrictions, VPN addresses banned abroad, do not hesitate to let us know, in a benevolent way, in the comments of the article. Legal VoD and streaming platforms generally do not appreciate the use of virtual private networks. However, there is no guarantee. Some contents might be inaccessible at the time you read this. Please let us know.
CyberGhost, the best for Netflix
CyberGhost has all the qualities you’d expect from a consumer VPN, in terms of performance, security and functionality. Its modern and intuitive graphical interface makes it one of the most pleasant VPN services to use on a daily basis. WireGuard’s integration on all platforms ensures excellent performance while remaining one of the best VPNs for accessing geo-blocked content like Netflix.
Performance for streaming
CyberGhost is unsurprisingly at the top in this selection of quintessential VPNs for streaming. Its dense mesh of servers could suggest good performance for video playback. But it’s mostly one of the few VPNs to offer servers optimized for video streaming, and even specialized for certain platforms. For example, several servers allow you to specifically unblock the catalogs of different versions of Netflix: Netflix US, Netflix UK, Netflix Germany, Netflix Japan, Netflix Italy and Netflix France.
Compatible devices with CyberGhost
CyberGhost provides apps for computers (Windows, macOS, Linux), mobiles (Android and iOS), TV boxes (Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Android TV) and game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox). Everyone can watch Netflix wherever they want, since CyberGhost allows up to 7 devices to be connected simultaneously. You can also install CyberGhost on your router, so that your entire network can benefit from the VPN. The rate is also attractive with the long subscription (3 years and 3 months).
NordVPN
As a leading VPN provider, NordVPN continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Its performance has gone up a notch thanks to the deployment of a network of 10 GB RAM servers and the NordLynx VPN protocol. In addition to its remarkable applications, it is distinguished by its ease of use and excellent stability. A service that we can only recommend, and without a doubt the best VPN for its quality / price ratio.
Performance for streaming
NordVPN is once again in the top three of the best VPNs, this time for Netflix. The lack of specialized servers for streaming is largely compensated by an army of multipurpose servers, thus spreading the load. Video playback is almost instantaneous. Even when playing multiple video streams simultaneously, no unpleasant lag.
Compatible devices with NordVPN
With apps for computers (Windows, macOS, Linux), mobiles (Android and iOS), TV (Fire Stick TV, Smart TV, Chromecast), game consoles (Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox), browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox and Edge) and the possibility to install NordVPN on a router, watching Netflix US is a breeze. NordVPN also offers affordable rates.
ExpressVPN, optimized servers
At the cutting edge of technology, ExpressVPN offers a first-class level of service. It’s hard to fault it for its privacy policy, server performance and security, application quality and cross-platform coverage. In addition, ExpressVPN offers many educational guides and tutorials to understand, install and use its VPN on a daily basis. A must.
Performance for streaming
ExpressVPN is certainly one of the best for audio and video streaming. Its network performance (high speeds and low latency) makes it particularly suitable for this use. This VPN doesn’t have servers optimized for streaming, for Netflix for example, but its servers are versatile and the quality is there, even with multiple simultaneous streams. We did not detect any geo-restriction issues with countries and VoD services in our tests.
Compatible devices with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has clients for computers (Windows, macOS, Linux), mobiles (Android and iOS), TV boxes (Apple TV, Fire Stick TV, Smart TV, Nvidia Shield, Chromecast), game consoles (Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox) and even dedicated firmware for routers. Viewing Netflix catalogs abroad is therefore accessible to anyone. The only real problem is the high cost of the ExpressVPN subscription (excluding promotions).
Surfshark, the challenger
Although still young, Surfshark is a leading service almost on par with the best VPNs on the market. It stands out by offering an unlimited number of simultaneous connections as well as advanced security tools. It is one of the best possible choices for the general public.
Performance for streaming
Surfshark is a young VPN, but its performance has nothing to be ashamed of compared to other VPNs. On the contrary, its relative youth is an advantage for unblocking Netflix and others since it is still rarely in the sights of these platforms. We didn’t detect any geo-blocking issues with American, Belgian, British or Swiss servers. Several video streams were played simultaneously without any problem.
Devices compatible with Surfshark
In addition, Surfshark provides VPN clients for all platforms, both conventional (Windows, macOS, Linux), mobile (Android and iOS), TV boxes (Apple TV, Fire TV, Smart TV), game consoles (Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox) or browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox and Edge) to watch movies and TV series anywhere, anytime. As for its competitors, it is possible to configure it on its router. Especially since the number of connections is unlimited! The price for a long subscription (2 years) is particularly interesting.
ProtonVPN, the outsider
ProtonVPN is one of the VPN providers that has evolved the most in recent months. Still featuring one of the most beautiful interfaces on the market, ProtonVPN now includes a VPN gas pedal that increases connection speeds by up to 400%. Renowned for its high level of security and confidentiality, this service, which was mainly aimed at journalists and dissidents in the past, now has all the assets to seduce most people. Special mention for its monthly plan without commitment at the competitive price of 7.49 euros. ProtonVPN: an excellent vintage!
Performance for streaming
When we talk about Proton VPN, we don’t necessarily think first of its performance for video streaming. However, Proton VPN now supports streaming, with good results on unblocking foreign catalogs such as those of Netflix, thanks to its poorly recognized IP addresses. However, it is necessary to take the Plus subscription, which is a bit expensive, to have the maximum speed (and thus enjoy 4K on multiple screens) and enjoy 10 simultaneous connections. Also, only paid subscriptions allow access to geo-blocked content such as streaming services (Amazon, Netflix, Disney+…).
Compatible devices with ProtonVPN
Proton VPN offers clients for computers (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobiles (Android and iOS), but also for connected TVs (Android TV, Fire TV Stick…). You can also install ProtonVPN directly on your router.
