Does NordVPN Unblock Netflix?
NordVPN works reliably with US Netflix.
We put NordVPN through our rigorous VPN testing process and found that it works very well with Netflix. It reliably unblocks fifteen streaming libraries around the world, including:
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Japan
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom (UK)
- United States (US)
You’ll also be automatically shown the US library if you try to stream while connected to any NordVPN server located outside of those countries.
This is a huge bonus for users who don’t live near the US because you can browse the largest content library without compromising on speed. Just connect to any local server – outside of the countries above – to access US videos, such as The Office and Space Force.
There are a number of features that make NordVPN a good choice for Netflix, including obfuscated servers, SmartPlay, and fast connection speeds. We’ll take a detailed look at these in the remainder of this section.
Alternatively, you can learn how to watch Netflix with NordVPN or read our discussion on whether NordVPN is the best option for streaming.
NordVPN Netflix Servers
NordVPN has one of the largest server networks on the market. It offers over 5,000 VPN servers spread across 59 countries.
The larger a VPN’s server network, the harder it is for Netflix to ban each and every one of them. This increases the likelihood that you’ll find a server to stream with.
Some of NordVPN’s servers also use obfuscation technology. Often, sites like Netflix are able to see that traffic has been encrypted and so can deduce that it is VPN traffic. Obfuscation masks the VPN encryption and makes the traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic.
To use obfuscation, select Obfuscated under Specialty Servers and choose your desired location from there.
The following is a list of NordVPN servers we’ve recently tested that successfully unblock Netflix in their respective countries:
Country | Server IDs |
---|---|
Canada | #1006, #1063, #1060 |
India | #82, #91, #96 |
Japan | #523, #534, #549 |
UK | #2050, #2097, #2173 |
USA | #6084, #6497, #6948 |
NordVPN SmartPlay
NordVPN has a SmartPlay feature built into its service by default. Though the technical aspects of SmartPlay are kept secret, we know that it combines VPN and Smart DNS technology to create a better streaming experience for users.
Similar to a VPN, Smart DNS technology tricks websites into thinking your physical location is elsewhere in order to keep your true location hidden and unlock region-restricted content. To do this, the tool changes the DNS server that your traffic is routed through.
Usually, the main drawbacks to using Smart DNS tools are that they don’t encrypt your traffic and can require a degree of technical knowhow to set up. By combining Smart DNS with VPN software and integrating it automatically, NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature avoids these drawbacks and allows you to enjoy the benefits of Smart DNS technology for streaming.
Read our guide to using NordVPN on PS4 to learn more about Smart DNS.
NordVPN Netflix Speeds
Beating Netflix’s geographic restrictions is impressive, but a VPN service also needs to have good enough connection speeds to stream effectively.
With poor connection speeds, you’ll be forced to watch low-quality video and endure a lot of buffering. Netflix lists minimum speed recommendations on its website:
- >3Mbps for Standard Definition quality (480p)
- >5Mbps for High Definition quality (1080p)
- >25Mbps for Ultra High Definition quality (4K)
Though using a VPN will almost always slow your internet speeds down to some degree, premium VPN services like are usually so fast you’ll barely notice it. NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve ever tested.
When connecting from the UK to servers in the US, we experienced an average speed loss of 21% – where our normal download speed of 94Mbps dropped to 74Mbps after connecting to a server in New York.
These are impressive speeds for a long-distance VPN connection, and our tests show that NordVPN consistently performs well on other international connections:
Country | City | Avg. Download Speed | Avg. Speed Loss |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | Sydney | 56Mbps | 40% |
Germany | Berlin | 83Mbps | 12% |
Singapore | Singapore | 63Mbps | 33% |
USA (East) | New York | 74Mbps | 21% |
USA (North-West) | Seattle | 67Mbps | 29% |
USA (South) | Dallas | 76Mbps | 19% |
USA (West) | Los Angeles | 62Mbps | 34% |
These speeds make NordVPN an excellent choice for Netflix and mean that, even with a modest home connection, you should be able to stream buffer-free and in Ultra HD.
SUMMARY
NordVPN uses obfuscation and a huge server network to successfully unblock Netflix in a number of countries.