We tested 68 VPNs for key attributes including speed, reliability, and support for popular streaming devices. As of writing, we’ve carried out over 10,000 tests.
Due to how Netflix detects VPN traffic on different devices, we tested each VPN on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and games consoles.
To calculate a VPN’s overall rating for Netflix, we score it based on five subcategories.
To rank the best VPNs for Netflix, we tested for:
- Whether the VPN reliably worked with US Netflix.
- How many other Netflix regions it unblocked, such as the UK or Japan.
- Download speeds across the VPN’s server network.
- High-quality apps for popular streaming devices.
- The VPN’s customer support quality and availability.
In the sections below, we’ll go into greater detail about the performance characteristics we look for in Netflix VPNs and explain how much of our overall rating they make up:
1. US Netflix Access: 25%
Minimum Requirement: Streams US Netflix regularly on some US servers.
We Recommend: Streams US Netflix on all US servers.
The American Netflix library has the largest collection of movies and TV shows. It contains almost 6,000 titles, while some other regions have just over 2,000. For this reason, it’s essential that the best Netflix VPN works with US Netflix all the time and on every device.
We test 68 VPNs with US Netflix every week and track each VPN’s performance over time. If a VPN fails to unblock the American Netflix library for two consecutive weeks, we substitute it on this page for a more reliable VPN.
As well as working consistently, the best VPNs for Netflix will also access the streaming service on any of its US servers. This means you can connect to whichever server is closest to you, resulting in faster speeds and higher resolution video.
2. Other Netflix Libraries: 25%
Minimum Requirement: Works with at least 4 Netflix regions.
We Recommend: Works with over 30 Netflix libraries.
Many popular Netflix TV shows and movies are only available to stream outside of the main regions. Using a VPN that works with a larger total number of libraries increases the chance you’ll be able to access the content you want.
The best VPNs work with Netflix on almost all of its servers. The worse-performing services work with just the US.
To find out how many Netflix regions each VPN works with, we conducted the largest Netflix VPN study of any publication. In all, we tested 68 VPN services with Netflix in every country in the world.
To keep our information as accurate and up-to-date as possible, we update our findings weekly with data from our manual and automated testing process.
3. International Speed: 20%
Minimum Requirement: Average international download speeds above 25Mbps.
We Recommend: Average international download speeds above 80Mbps.
Streaming is a data-intensive activity, so you need high speeds from your VPN to avoid video buffering. As you’ll be using a VPN to access Netflix regions from around the world, the VPN’s long-distance performance is the most important speed factor.
To calculate an international speed score for each VPN, we test each while connected to servers in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. After this, we then work out the average and assign the VPN a score out of 10.
We prefer VPNs with an average international speed of over 80Mbps, as these can be relied upon to deliver 4K resolution across every server location. The worse VPNs have speeds of around 25Mbps, which often means inconsistent performance across different countries.
4. Device Compatibility: 20%
Minimum Requirement: Native app for Amazon Fire TV.
We Recommend: Apps for Fire TV, Google TV, and a Smart DNS feature.
If a VPN isn’t compatible with streaming devices, you’ll have to install your VPN on a router to unblock Netflix on your TV. This is a complicated and involved process, so we only recommend Netflix VPNs that provide native apps for popular streaming devices.
We check the compatibility of each VPN with our Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Apple TV 4K, and PS5. After setting up the VPN on these devices, we download the Netflix app and verify that we can now stream geo-restricted content.
As well as native apps, our top-rated VPNs also provide Smart DNS functionality. This means you can use a proxy server on any non-VPN-capable device.
5. Customer Support: 10%
Minimum Requirement: Email support and online guides.
We Recommend: 24/7 live chat customer support.
When using a VPN with Netflix, some servers may not work or you may encounter error codes. Because of this, it’s useful for a VPN to have good customer support to help resolve any issues.
A VPN’s customer service team will be able to tell you which servers are currently working with Netflix and be able to provide workarounds for any error codes.
We use a bespoke scoring system for rating each VPN’s customer support out of 10. A VPN service must include live chat support, along with email and online resources to score above 8.6 for customer support.
