Best VPN for Netflix in 2026: 5 VPNs That Still Work

A VPN that unblocks Netflix US can still fail when you switch to Japan, Brazil, or Turkey, because Netflix blocks the servers it recognizes in each country. Of the 40+ VPNs we’ve tested on Netflix, we recommend only five. In October, we tried each on the US, Canadian, and Japanese libraries, then tested the top three on 15 libraries in all.

NordVPN is the best VPN for Netflix: it unblocked all 15, Netflix Taiwan through its browser extension after the app was detected. ExpressVPN came closest with 13. Private Internet Access has the lowest price, but it failed to unblock Netflix Japan.

Netflix VPN Results at a Glance

We tested on a Windows 11 PC in Europe with a 190.36 Mbps connection. Speed loss averages UK, US, and Japanese servers, and the streaming column counts 14 services, each tried after clearing cookies and cache.

VPN	Netflix US, Canada, and Japan	Streaming services unblocked	Speed loss	Smart DNS	Devices
NordVPN	All three	14 of 14	7.8%	Yes	10
Proton VPN	All three	10 of 14	10.2%	No	10
ExpressVPN	All three	14 of 14	7.8%	Yes (MediaStreamer)	10-14
Surfshark	All three	13 of 14	9.6%	No	Unlimited
PIA	US and Canada	8 of 14	12.7%	Yes	Unlimited

The Top Netflix VPNs in Detail

1. NordVPN: Best VPN for Netflix Overall

NordVPN unblocked Netflix in all 15 countries we tested, from the US, Canada, and Japan to Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, and Ukraine. Netflix Taiwan detected its desktop app, and the Chrome extension with location spoofing unblocked that library instead. Its US server measured 181.50 Mbps, the fastest US result in our tests, and the 7.8% average speed loss leaves far more than the 15 Mbps Netflix recommends for 4K.

TVs are covered too. On our Apple TV 4K, NordVPN’s tvOS app unblocked the five services we tried there, from Netflix US to Prime Video. Its Smart DNS also unblocked Netflix US without the app, which helps on a game console or a Samsung TV. Meshnet connects your own devices, and our guide to Netflix’s password-sharing restrictions explains where it fits. Our streaming VPN ranking covers its results on Hulu, Peacock, and Now TV.

Its Windows app occasionally failed to connect with a second VPN installed on the same PC, and restarting NordVPN solved it. NordVPN’s Basic plan is under $3.50 a month over two years, with 10 devices per account.

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2. Proton VPN: Best Netflix VPN for Privacy

Proton VPN unblocked Netflix US, Canada, and Japan, along with the Korean, Dutch, Swiss, Swedish, and Argentine libraries. Netflix Korea buffered until I lowered the picture to HD, and Proton VPN unblocked Netflix Sweden only after I cleared cookies and cache. Netflix Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Algeria blocked it, so viewers who want those catalogs should choose NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Its US server measured 173.68 Mbps with VPN Accelerator enabled, 4.9% faster than with the feature disabled. Its average speed loss was 10.2%, close to the leaders in our fastest VPN tests. Privacy explains its second place, with Swiss jurisdiction and yearly no-log audits that our Proton VPN review details. Proton VPN has no Smart DNS, so a TV without its app requires a router setup. VPN Plus starts under $3 a month for 2 years.

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3. ExpressVPN: Best Netflix VPN for Simple Apps

ExpressVPN unblocked Netflix in 13 of the 15 countries we tested, including Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Ukraine, and Algeria. Netflix Turkey detected it now and then, and its browser extension restored access. Netflix Argentina blocked the app, while the extension unblocked it, and Netflix Hong Kong and Taiwan blocked both.

Speed matched NordVPN at a 7.8% average speed loss, and the Japanese server measured 163.94 Mbps, the best Japan result we recorded. Our Japanese Netflix guide covers that library in detail. The apps keep settings to a minimum and connect in one click on a phone, a laptop, or a Fire TV Stick. On our Apple TV, Netflix US played through MediaStreamer, its Smart DNS.

That simplicity limits control, and PIA offers more settings to change. The Basic plan is under $3 a month when billed for 28 months, and our ExpressVPN review compares its three tiers.

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4. Surfshark: Best Netflix VPN for Unlimited Screens

Surfshark unblocked Netflix US, Canada, and Japan, and on its Kyiv server it unblocked Netflix Ukraine, which blocked PIA. On the US server, Surfshark recorded 170.38 Mbps, more than ten times what Netflix recommends for 4K. Across the 14 streaming services, ITVX was its only failure, and it unblocked Disney+ in the app itself, with no extension required.

One subscription covers every phone, laptop, and TV in a home. It also unblocked BBC iPlayer, which our BBC iPlayer VPN guide covers. Surfshark dropped Smart DNS, though, so smart TVs without its app are limited to a router setup or a connection shared from a computer. Surfshark’s Starter plan is about $2.50 a month for the first 27 months, and the price more than doubles at renewal.

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5. Private Internet Access: Best Budget VPN for Netflix US

Netflix Japan and Netflix Ukraine blocked Private Internet Access, though it unblocked the US and Canadian libraries. Outside Netflix, it also failed to unblock Hulu, HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney+, and JioHotstar, so it’s a VPN for the American and Canadian catalogs. PIA’s US server came in at 175.68 Mbps, with a 12.7% average speed loss.

PIA’s app lists streaming-optimized US servers, and its Smart DNS, set up from the account dashboard, unblocked Netflix US on our Apple TV 4K. It has apps for Android TV and older Fire TV Sticks, but none for Vega OS, which the newest Fire TV models use. PIA is about $2.20 a month on its two-year plan and sets no device limit, so a household can stream on every screen with one plan.

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Netflix Libraries We Tested by Country

Each VPN was tested on its servers in that country during our October country tests, on a Windows 11 PC in Europe, with cookies and cache cleared.

Netflix library	NordVPN	Proton VPN	ExpressVPN
US	Unblocked	Unblocked	Unblocked
Canada	Unblocked	Unblocked	Unblocked
Japan	Unblocked	Unblocked	Unblocked
South Korea	Unblocked	Unblocked, buffered in 4K	Unblocked
Netherlands	Unblocked	Unblocked	Unblocked
Switzerland	Unblocked	Unblocked	Unblocked
Sweden	Unblocked	Unblocked after clearing cookies	Unblocked
Argentina	Unblocked	Unblocked	Extension only
Brazil	Unblocked	Blocked	Unblocked
Turkey	Unblocked	Blocked	Unblocked, occasional detections
Indonesia	Unblocked	Blocked	Unblocked
Ukraine	Unblocked	Blocked	Unblocked
Algeria	Unblocked	Blocked	Unblocked
Hong Kong	Unblocked	Blocked	Blocked
Taiwan	Extension only	Blocked	Blocked

For setup in a single library, our guide to watching American Netflix walks through it step by step, with a separate page for US Netflix from Canada. For the British and Australian catalogs, see our guides to UK Netflix abroad and Australian Netflix. Our best VPN for the USA page covers US servers in more depth.

Can a Free VPN Unblock Netflix?

Sometimes, within a data cap. Windscribe’s free plan unblocked Netflix US, Canada, and Japan, with 10 GB a month once you confirm an email address. PrivadoVPN’s free plan unblocked the US and Japanese libraries, while Netflix Canada blocked it. Its 10 GB allowance has to be renewed by hand each month.

Proton VPN’s free plan failed Netflix US. At 10 GB, a month of free data covers about three hours of HD viewing. Our best free VPNs for Netflix list compares those plans in detail, and the wider free VPN ranking covers everyday use.

VPNs That Struggled With Netflix

• IPVanish: Netflix US and Netflix Canada blocked it, along with ITV and Prime Video.
• CyberGhost: it unblocked Netflix US and Canada, but Netflix Japan blocked it even on the server labeled for that library.
• Hotspot Shield: the paid plan failed Netflix Japan, and the free plan’s single US location unblocked only Netflix US.
• VyprVPN: it unblocked Netflix US and Canada, while Netflix Japan blocked it.
• TunnelBear: the paid plan unblocked Netflix US but no other Netflix library, and the free plan failed Netflix US.

Netflix Not Working With Your VPN? What Fixed It

Clear your browser’s cookies and cache first. When I connected to CyberGhost’s Canadian server, Netflix showed only Netflix Originals, and switching servers, changing the protocol, and using the Netflix app made no difference. Clearing cookies and cache restored the full Canadian catalog. If the catalog is still limited, switch to a browser extension with location spoofing.

NordVPN’s extension unblocked Netflix Taiwan after the app was detected, and ExpressVPN’s unblocked Netflix Argentina the same way. Our Chrome VPN extension ranking compares the extensions. PIA users can also try its streaming-optimized servers. On a TV, install the VPN’s own app where one exists. Our guide to using a VPN covers setup on each kind of device.

How a VPN Changes Your Netflix Library

Netflix licenses most films and shows country by country, so each library has a different set of titles. The catalog follows the IP address you connect from. A US server provides a US IP address, so Netflix shows the American library on your existing account, with no US payment method required. The same IP address change works for any country where the VPN has servers Netflix hasn’t flagged.

Netflix isn’t available in China, and VPN use there faces its own restrictions, which our China VPN guide covers. For schools and offices that block the site itself, our guide to keeping Netflix unblocked covers the network side.

Conclusion

All five VPNs unblocked Netflix US and Canada, and PIA was the only one Netflix Japan blocked. Beyond those three, NordVPN unblocked the other 12 libraries we tested, Taiwan through its extension, and recorded the fastest US server, so it’s our first recommendation. Our NordVPN review has its full results.

Proton VPN covers the US, Canadian, and Japanese catalogs with an audited Swiss no-log policy behind it. ExpressVPN unblocked 13 libraries with the simplest apps we tested. Surfshark streams on every screen in a home, and Private Internet Access is the low-cost way to watch American Netflix on a TV through Smart DNS. Our list of the best VPNs compares the same five beyond streaming.

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