Netflix began in 1997 as a DVD rental and sales company. However, 10 years later, the company expanded their assets by launching a media streaming service. While still focusing on DVD rentals, the streaming version started to grow. As more time passed, the company states that the popular service is available all over the world. As of April of 2018, the company had a total of 125 million users worldwide. It contains movies and TV from all over the world, as well as 126 original series. Though those are mostly available all over, the other content is bound by licensing rights. If you are currently outside the US and want to watch the US library, you would need to unblock Netflix with a VPN.
Netflix is a premium streaming service. That means you can get access to all of the content starting at $7.99 a month. You will also need to be in the US or connect to a US server if you want access to the biggest market. The reason you have to be inside the country or its territories for that is because of the geo-blocks. When you use a VPN, you can watch the US library if you are traveling outside of the US.
Quickstart Guide for Using a VPN with Netflix
For the quickest and easiest way to watch shows on the service, follow these steps.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee).
- Open a browser and go to the Netflix website. There, you can sign up for service. You will want to register for the service with the VPN on as well if you have not already.
- After your purchase, you can watch and enjoy all of the shows and movies. Just make sure you are connected to a VPN first to access the US market.
Here are the best VPNs to help you get around the geo-blocks.
How to Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best choice for unblocking popular streaming services and live sporting events. The ExpressVPN team has combined their VPN service with a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer. The combination will protect your privacy and unblock access to a wide range of content all over the world. You can run the ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and router. The MediaStreamer service extends support to streaming media devices (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Kodi boxes, etc.), Smart TVs, gaming consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Switch), and more.
The team at ExpressVPN is currently offering our visitors a discount on their all-inclusive VPN service. You can enjoy unlimited access to both their VPN network and MediaStreamer service for 49% off with 3 months free. In addition, they are offering a 30-day money back guarantee to all new members so you won’t feel rushed while testing the service. You’ll have a month to watch live events, unblock streaming services, and fully experience the advantages of ExpressVPN. You can expect to be quite impressed with the service.
How to Watch Netflix with NordVPN
NordVPN is a good choice for unblocking live sporting events and streaming services. The VPN will help you unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many more channels. You still need a subscription for paid services like CBS All Access but NordVPN will help you unblock the geo-restrictions. They are one of the few VPNs that can still access Netflix US from outside the United States. This makes NordVPN a great choice for those who want to stream content from other regions of the world.
As you can see, the NordVPN app is easy to use. You can select a server location from the map or from a list of countries. Unfortunately, NordVPN doesn’t let you choose a specific city in locations like the United States. However, it will pick a server based on your current location. We found this to result in slower speeds than ExpressVPN. At times we had to try a few different servers to find one that offered the performance we desired. Otherwise, NordVPN offers everything you need to unblock your favorite websites.
How to Watch Netflix with PIA VPN
Private Internet Access, often referred to as PIA, is one of the most popular VPN services in the world. They are headquartered in Silicon Valley and have contributed heavily to the privacy community. You have likely seen PIA in the news as they support a wide range of privacy-related campaigns. From full-page ads to promote privacy bills to support of the open source community, the PIA team is a strong privacy advocate. You will find the VPN service offers everything you need to encrypt your connection and unblock access to many of your favorite web sites.
We have experienced positive results when trying to access Netflix through PIA. You will find that popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer are getting good at blocking VPNs. It’s a game of cat and mouse in which the VPNs find ways to stay ahead of the game. In addition to unblocking restrictions, PIA is also very popular in the file sharing community. Torrent users turn to PIA to secure their privacy with sites like TorrentFreak promoting the service. You will find that PIA has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price.
We have given you the best options to get connected above. Now, let’s see some of the popular shows you can expect to find on Netflix. There is so much available, it is hard to confine it to a single post. Here are some of the top Netflix shows.
- GLOW
- House of Cards,
- Orange is the New Black
- Jessica Jones
- Arrested Development
- Luke Cage
- Stranger Things
- Master of None
- MindHunter
- Dear White People
- Dark
- A Series of Unfortunate Events
And that is only a partial list of the great content available. You should be able to access those no matter where you are. However, if you want to watch shows or movies that are not Netflix originals, you may be geo-blocked from seeing the most expansive Netflix catalog, the US market.
About Geo-blocks
Geo-blocks can be annoying. Because of world licensing and broadcasting rights, the media companies block anyone outside of their targeted area. In other words, if you are traveling or want to watch content from a specific region, the blocking software will stop you. Since it can detect IP addresses, it can tell if you are outside of the area it wants you to be in. By connecting to a VPN, you can make the blocking software think you are located someplace else. Of course, you can watch more than Nextflix when you sign up for service.
Not All VPNs Will Unblock Popular Streaming Services
The truth of the matter is, the community is littered with ineffective VPN products. Though they may help you in other ways, you are removing one of the biggest benefits of a VPN if it does not unblock geo-restrictions. Even some of the more well-known providers do not work well to get you past those blocks. There is no point in trying to access the Netflix US Library if your VPN service won’t do its job. That is why we suggest using one of the options we mentioned above.
We have just shown you some good ways to unblock the US Netflix library. Though there are other providers available, we think you’ll be happy with our choices. If you are a fan of some of the great Netflix content, you should not have to miss out on great options because of where you are located. You can also access other Netflix libraries by using these methods. If your goal is to unblock the Netflix website and enjoy the available content, you are in the right place.
