There are lots of reasons why you should be using a VPN with all of your internet-enabled devices, including your Android TV box, but you may want the best VPN specifically to unlock Netflix in a region other than your own.
Maybe you are traveling and don’t want to miss the latest new episodes of your favorite show, which is currently only available in select countries. Maybe you live overseas and you just want access to a better Netflix library. A VPN can help you get access to Netflix and sometimes even other streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and Hulu.
It could also be that you are just using a VPN as a matter of best practice, and you don’t want to get blocked from Netflix as a result. This is an issue because not all VPNs work with Netflix. In order to meet the requirements of their licensing contracts, services such as Netflix need to actively try to prevent VPNs from connecting to their services. VPN services work hard to stay ahead of Netflix and ensure good access, but some are better at it than others.
With that in mind, we have picked the 5 best VPN services for Netflix that ensure you the best access to the popular streaming service.
Product Quick Links
- ExpressVPN – Best Overall
- IPVanish
- NordVPN
- CyberGhost VPN
- AtlasVPN – Best Budget
Key Features
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
NordVPN
CyberGhost VPN
AtlasVPN
5 Best VPNs For Netflix
Below are our top picks for the best VPNs to ensure you can access Netflix. Remember, when you create your Netflix account you want to have your VPN connected to a US server to create a US account. If you create a Netflix account for another country and then try to access content via a US server, it can throw a red flag and prevent you from seeing your content.
Read our guide to why you should be using a VPN with your Android TV.
1 ExpressVPN
Express VPN dominates the market by offering some of the best speeds and services for streamers. You also have different options when it comes to streaming so you can negotiate between speed and protection.
- 3,000 servers in more than 90 countries
- $99.95 per year for 5 devices
ExpressVPN only has 3,000 servers, but they are all optimized to work at maximum output. Their servers are verified to access Netflix USA and BBC iPlayer UK, and you don’t even have to turn on your VPN to get access. How?
You can bypass the VPN server for faster streaming. You can register your IP address with ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer, and when you connect to streaming services they will connect you automatically to it. This grants you access to the services but without encryption. This offers better speeds but does not offer the same level of security.
ExpressVPN gives you options when it comes to how you use it. If you want full anonymity and protection, run everything through their fast VPN. If you are more worried about speed than anonymity when streaming, get even faster speeds with MediaStreamer.
2 IPVanish
IPVanish is another VPN service that offers some of the best speeds you will see on the market. They also let you connect an unlimited number of devices with a single subscription. This is good news since it is surprising how quickly you can hit five or six connected devices.
- 2,000 servers in 75 countries
- $44.99 per year for unlimited devices
IPVanish uses WireGuard technology which allows them to offer full VPN encryption while minimizing the drag on your internet speed. They also stand out by offering a wide range of additional services, such as malware and ransomware protection, split tunneling, and more.
What about streaming? Testing shows that IPVanish consistently works with Netflix US while offering its standard excellent speeds. It’s not as consistent as some of its competitors with more niche streaming services, but this will not bother most users.
If speed is your main concern and you can’t stand looking at a loading screen, IPVanish is your best choice for minimizing your VPN’s drag on your connection while remaining protected.
3 NordVPN
NordVPN offers a smart service that uses strategy and technology rather than just the number of servers to deliver the best possible access and protection.
- 5,500 servers in 60 countries
- $84 per month for 6 devices
NordVPN costs a little bit more than some of its competitors, but the justification is the quality of service that you get. They are one of the most trusted VPN providers on the market with a no-logs policy and other advanced security features including split tunneling and double encryption (if you think you need it).
Testing shows that NordVPN consistently works with the best streaming services, including Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. They are good at keeping ahead of the streaming services and ensuring consistent access.
Unlike some of the other services on this list, NordVPN does not offer a lot of streaming-specific features. This is unnecessary since their overall service is so good.
4 CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost stands out in the market as one of the most affordable VPNs with a wide range of servers. They have more than 8,000 in nearly 100 different countries. This number of servers means that they are better able to update IP addresses to keep ahead of streaming service blockages.
- 9,300 servers in 91 countries
- $48 per year for 7 devices
CyberGhost has optimized some of its servers for streaming, which means they are constantly monitored for access to the big streaming services, and the data packages needed for streaming pass through quickly and evenly. You can choose specific servers for Netflix US, DE, and FR; BBC iPlayer; Hulu; YouTube; and Crunchyroll.
All of CyberGhost’s servers offer good speeds and have all the essential features such as leakage protection, automatic kill switch, and malicious ad blocking. They don’t have some of the fancier features of other VPN services, but that makes it great for Android TV, where you don’t want to be adjusting your features all the time.
If you are looking for something affordable that you can essentially switch on in the background of your Android streaming device and forget about while accessing all your favorite services, CyberGhost is a great choice.
5 AtlasVPN
If you want to pay as little as possible while still getting a decent service, AtlasVPN is a good choice. They are so affordable because they are new to the market and still building their reputation.
- 750 servers in 32 countries
- $1.99 per month for unlimited devices
AtlasVPN has a relatively small network, but that makes sense for a growing service with relatively few clients. They will no doubt grow their server number as they grow their business but being a small newcomer, they are offering better prices than you can expect from the big names.
When it comes to streaming Netflix, Atlas does have servers optimized for streaming and these are clearly indicated in the VPN interface so you know exactly the best way to connect. Atlas is particularly good for streaming services outside the United States if you want to access something special only available in its native region.
If you are looking for an affordable VPN for accessing streaming services anywhere in the world, AtlasVPN is a great place to start.
The Verdict
There are a lot of reasons why you might want to be able to use a VPN to access the streaming service library as it is defined in a specific country, but not all VPN services will do the job. VPNs need to constantly update their servers to maintain access to streaming services such as Netflix, and some do a better job than others. If this is a top priority for you, choose one of the streaming-suitable options from our list above.
Remember, a VPN service won’t give you free access to premium content. If you want to learn more about this, read our guide to Kodi.
