Does Mullvad Work with Netflix?

A VPN can change your IP address and spoof your geolocation to make Netflix think you’re in a different country, giving you access to thousands more movies and TV shows.

However, Netflix works hard to ban the use of VPNs and proxy servers. In our tests, only a few VPNs consistently bypassed Netflix’s geo-restrictions.

We regularly test Mullvad, and in our experience using it we can safely say that it’s awful for unblocking geo-restricted streaming services.

Netflix has blocked all of Mullvad’s IP addresses, therefore changing servers, protocols, or clearing our browser cache did absolutely nothing. The only solution you have 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, as it won’t give you access to geo-restricted content.

Mullvad is a terrible choice for streaming 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.

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.

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	111	6,328	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.

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	32	Yes	Yes	86Mbps

To learn why ExpressVPN and Windscribe outperform Mullvad for Netflix, read on:

1. ExpressVPN

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 even the top-performing VPN service for 2024 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

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.