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Does Mullvad Work with Netflix?
The Short Answer
Mullvad does not work with Netflix, and this has been the case for several years. None of its servers in 44 countries are able to bypass the streaming service’s geo-restrictions. Even the San Jose server, which used to be reliable, now fails to access the American catalog. To bypass Netflix’s geo-restrictions, you’ll need to switch to a VPN that consistently works with Netflix.
A VPN changes your IP address and spoofs your geolocation, with the best ones making Netflix think you’re in a different country and giving you access to thousands more movies and TV shows.
The content platform works hard to ban the use of VPNs and proxy servers, though. Only a few VPNs can bypass Netflix’s geo-restrictions consistently, and after regularly testing Mullvad, we can safely say it’s not one of these few VPNs.
Let’s be even more honest: in our experience, Mullvad is probably one of the worst VPNs at unblocking geo-restricted streaming services.
The reason why Mullvad doesn’t work with Netflix is because the content platform has blocked all of the VPN’s IP addresses.
Since Mullvad hasn’t prioritized refreshing its IP pool for the purpose of beating streaming geo-blocks, changing VPN servers or clearing your web browser cache will do absolutely nothing.
The only remedy is to switch to a Netflix-optimized VPN, like ExpressVPN.
As a workaround, Mullvad suggests using split tunneling to access a local Netflix library. Don’t bother, it’s a useless tip that won’t give you access to geo-restricted content.
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Is Mullvad a Good Choice for Netflix?
We’re going to have to be be brutally honest about it: Mullvad is a terrible choice for unblocking Netflix.
In our most recent tests, Netflix immediately recognized we were using a Mullvad IP address and wouldn’t let us log into our account.
No matter which country server we switched to, Netflix was able to detect the VPN connection and wouldn’t work with Netflix.
But, if we disconnected from Mullvad or switched to a better VPN service like ExpressVPN, we were able to log in to Netflix seamlessly and stream international Netflix content. Sadly, this proved that Mullvad was the problem.
Netflix detected a Mullvad VPN connection and blocked us from logging in.
Here are a couple more reasons why we don’t recommend using Mullvad for streaming Netflix:
Poor Device Compatibility
Unlike the vast majority of paid VPN services, Mullvad lacks dedicated apps for streaming devices. We weren’t able to download it on Fire TV, Android TV, or Apple TV.
Mullvad doesn’t offer an app for Apple TV or any other streaming devices.
Additionally, Mullvad doesn’t provide a Smart DNS feature, meaning it can’t bypass geo-restrictions on devices that don’t support VPN apps, such as Smart TVs and game consoles.
Even if Mullvad were compatible with Netflix, its use would be limited to mobile and desktop devices, making it a subpar option for streaming.
Small Server Network
Netflix blocks VPN users from accessing the service by identifying and blacklisting IP addresses that belong to VPN servers. It’s therefore important for VPN services to have large server networks, with thousands of different IP addresses, in order to reliably unblock Netflix.
Mullvad’s small server network is its downfall when it comes to streaming. It makes it much easier for Netflix to detect and block each one of its servers, making it an unreliable service for watching Netflix.
You can see how Mullvad’s server network compares to other top-rated VPNs in the table below:
| VPN Service | Countries | Server Count | City Servers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 106 | 3,000 | Some |
| Windscribe | 69 | 120+ | Many |
| NordVPN | 118 | 7,837 | Many |
| Mullvad | 44 | 674 | Many |
A small server network greatly reduces the number of Netflix libraries you might be able to access, just due to the fact that there might not be a server in that country.
Mullvad has a good spread of servers across Europe and the US, but it fails to compete against high-quality VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN when it comes to the number of servers and IP addresses they offer.
Alternatives to Mullvad for Netflix
Mullvad is designed to enhance your privacy and security and admits it is not suitable for streaming. To reliably access Netflix content from other countries, you’ll have to use a different VPN instead.
VPNs that excel at unblocking Netflix, like ExpressVPN, offer thousands of IP addresses and regularly recycle their IP addresses to avoid detection.
Here’s a table summarizing Mullvad’s Netflix performance versus ExpressVPN and Windscribe:
| VPN Service | Netflix Libraries | US Netflix | UK Netflix | International Speed (100Mbps Baseline) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvad | 0 | No | No | 85Mbps |
| ExpressVPN | 18 | Yes | Yes | 85Mbps |
| Windscribe Pro | 32 | Yes | Yes | 86Mbps |
To learn why ExpressVPN and Windscribe outperform Mullvad for Netflix, read on:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN works reliably with Netflix.
| Advantages Over Mullvad | Disadvantages Compared to Mullvad |
|---|---|
| Unblocks 18 Netflix libraries | More expensive |
| Dedicated app for Fire TV & other streaming devices | |
| Faster download speeds for HD streaming |
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming Netflix. It’s also our top-performing VPN service overall.
Our tests reveal that ExpressVPN consistently unblocks 18 Netflix regions, including those in the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan.
ExpressVPN offers impressive device compatibility, featuring apps for Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV, as well as a Smart DNS feature for Smart TVs. It also provides a dedicated app for routers, which allowed us to change Netflix on Chromecast and Roku devices.
Although ExpressVPN is more expensive than Mullvad, you can try ExpressVPN for free for up to 30 days. Get ExpressVPN for free for 30 days.
2. Windscribe
Windscribe’s intuitive apps allow you to quickly and easily watch region-locked Netflix content.
| Advantages Over Mullvad | Disadvantages Compared to Mullvad |
|---|---|
| Works with Netflix in 32 countries | Costs extra |
| Offers browser extensions for Chrome & Firefox | Less privacy-focused |
| Apps for Fire TV & Android TV | Sometimes fails to show geo-blocked video content in HD |
Windscribe unblocks 32 Netflix libraries — far more than any other VPN we’ve tested.
The VPN also offers native apps for Amazon Fire TV Stick and Android TV, making it easy to stream Netflix on your TV. However, it does not have an app for routers, and its Smart DNS tool costs extra.
Windscribe also has a free tier, and it’s one of the very few free VPNs that work with Netflix.
However, Windscribe Free’s 10GB data cap only allows you to stream approximately four hours of TV shows and movies each month, and it can’t unblock US Netflix.
