Netflix has become the biggest online streaming sensation by no stroke of luck. They’ve pushed their way from the ancient world of DVDs into the virtual world with an alluring momentum. Starting as one of the first digital streaming providers for online TV shows and movies; Netflix is now hosting tons of their unique content to draw viewers in to subscribe to their proprietary showings like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and most recently–Jessica Jones.
Netflix is widely available with tons of applications that provide access to the service on computers, tablets, or even smartphones. Netflix is also available in many countries, and it’s reach keeps extending. That said, it’s global reach and long-term plans often get slowed down by strict licensing restrictions that can change country to country–resulting in sub-par library content for many viewers. Australians are familiar with a limited Netflix library, and some countries can’t even access Netflix alone.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNS) are the best way to access Netflix if you’re behind a strict firewall, or you just want to access the “best” Netflix. VPNs allow you to hide your IP address and encrypt it through a virtual tunnel–so you can have a different IP address that lets you access the vast catalog of titles available in the United States or any other location.
Each VPN provider has different features and offerings, strengths and weaknesses, and even widely differing pricing models. We broke down the best VPNS for Netflix so you can get the best and most consistent, high-quality stream available.
UPDATE:
Since the end of January, Netflix has become increasingly aggressive against VPN and proxy use. For an up to date guide, check out this article here.
Torguard
Torguard VPN is one of the most robust VPN providers you can find. They offer tons of extra services that may interest you if you’re not streaming, and if you are, they have an extensive server network that is guaranteed to never be overloaded and always provide fast speeds.
Torguard is simply the best selection for users in China looking to bypass the great Chinese firewall and use a VPN for Netflix. They provide Stealth VPN as well as a Stealth Proxy that provides a double layered security approach against deep packet inspection.
Torguard is also an excellent choice for users around the globe, or in the United States, who wish to stream as we received great speeds and download rates in our review. Torguard VPN has stable connections, and even if it’s not the cheapest VPN available at $9.99, it’s still the best value by far.
Pros:
Best VPN for watching Netflix in China with multiple Stealth Servers in China
Stealth Proxy provides a unique and highly secure double layered security approach
Great Speeds
Easy to Use Torguard Lite client
Five simultaneous use connections (great for streaming on multiple devices around the house)
Various applications + browser extensions available with all encryption types
Cheapest Stealth VPN offering for watching Netflix in China
Cons:
None
Express VPN
While Torguard offers the whole package, Express VPN offers a small sliver–but that sliver is very effective. The entire design of the application feels sharp and clean. Speeds are also very impressive here as well as plenty of server selections.
Express VPN can be a good choice if you’re looking to use Netflix in China since it has some stealth servers, but Express VPN is more pricey than other VPNS at $12.95 a month. Their customer service and their incredible setup and minimalist software that just “works” might be worth the premium price point.
Pros:
Fast Speeds
Great looking client
Cons:
More expensive than some other VPNS
Doesn’t brand itself or act as a leader in the DPI protection space
Only two simultaneous connections
IPVanish VPN
IPVanish has great features within their application that make it stand out for users looking to access and watch Netflix. They provide buttons within the application that make it deliciously simple to switch your connection to what you need. All you need to do is pick the Netflix button, and you will connect to a fast server right away.
IPVanish has a background in content delivery so that you can expect some fantastic speeds from incredibly reliable servers. We also loved some of IPVanish’s convenient features within their Windows and mobile app. While we missed a live chat system on their website–their standard ticket support system is great for any problems you might have while streaming Netflix.
IPVanish is an excellent choice for $9.99 if you’re looking to get access to a large Netflix library available in the United States.
Pros:
Great toggles for switching connections based on need
Multi-featured application that feels dynamic and useful
Great server network and fast speeds
Cons:
Only two simultaneous connections
VyperVPN
VyperVPN brands itself as the most advanced VPN there is. While we didn’t exactly find that to be true, they do have decent speeds through their self-hosted server network, and a great anti-censorship protocol dubbed Chamaeleon. This protocol makes VyperVPN one of the best choices to watch Netflix in censored countries like China. We weren’t a huge fan of Golden frogs (the company behind VyperVPN) aggressively insistent emails and built-in ads.
Pros:
Chameleon technology provides high amount of security to watch Netflix in censored countries
Cons:
500 MB free version not suitable for Netflix use
Mediocre speeds
Bad mobile application
Free use is extremely limited with 500 MB
Very expensive at $15 a month for full package with only two simultaneous use connections
Private Internet Access
PIA VPN is a favorite among many users for their fast speeds and minimalist client (it mostly resides on the taskbar and hides automatically). They have all the features of a good VPN like live chat, website guides, and plenty of servers to choose. They aren’t the best selection for a censored user, and they lack some extra services (both regarding app complexity and website services), but PIA is still one of the best VPN providers there is since it’s so cheap, fast, and doesn’t get in the way. Check out PIA VPN for $6.95 a month.
Pros:
Cheapest VPN offering around
Fast speeds
Client is subtle and lite
Good Mobile App
Five simultaneous connections
Cons:
No extra services
Lacks support for DPI in censored countries
Missing some extra features
Conclusion
Thanks for reading our guide on the best VPNs for Netflix. If you’re looking for a the best VPN to watch Netflix with, with amazing speeds in China, you should consider Torguard as a serious candidate. However, since it also competes with extra services and numerous simultaneous connections, it’s also a great choice alongside cheaper alternatives like PIA VPN. Express VPN is great for those who don’t care about being censored, or really crave a good-looking VPN with good speeds. VyperVPN provides a low-cost entry point but limits data severely to 500 MB. IPVanish is a great choice as well since it some of the best feature-rich application offerings (both Windows and mobile) we’ve seen.