There are quite a few reasons to use a VPN for Netflix. It may be one of the best streaming platforms that are out there at the moment. But, that’s not to say that it doesn’t have any downsides. In fact, there’s quite a bit of room for improvement here just by using a virtual private network for Netflix. And it has to be specifically made/supported for it – but more on that later.
So, without any further ado, let us check out some of the best reasons to install a VPN for Netflix!
1: A VPN for Netflix can Bypass Geo-Restrictions
In case you’re not familiar with them, Netflix’s geo-restrictions prevent certain regions from getting access to their full catalog. And that’s while still paying the full price that the US pays or in some cases, even more than that – which is definitely a bit unfair.
An easy way of getting past this restriction is by using a VPN for Netflix. And while there are tons of choices out there, only a few of them are going to work.
A big part of that is because Netflix is actively trying to recognize and block people who are using virtual private networks to get access to geo-restricted content. But, they can’t block everything.
Lots of VPN services are still working just fine with Netflix. One of the most popular ones that we recommend is ExpressVPN. All you have to do is install it, select a country that’s not geo-restricted for the series that you want to watch, then start watching whatever it is that you’re interested in.
USA is the country that offers the most movies and shows. So, we’d recommend starting out with that.
So, this is by far the best reason to use a VPN for Netflix. It’s the one thing that gives you access to all of the available shows. That or you can also move to the US – guess which one is cheaper.
Keep in mind that you may come across times when Netflix will blacklist a specific IP and you won’t be able to use your VPN for a certain period of time. If that happens, just wait for a while until your VPN provider manages to work around the issue.
Again, Netflix doesn’t like it when people bypass its geo-restrictions. So, it should hardly come as a surprise.
2: Third Parties won’t be Able to Spy on you
In case you don’t know about it, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and pretty much anyone else who may be interested in it can get access to your internet activity. This includes the websites that you visit all the way down to the movies and shows that you’re watching.
VPNs are actually primarily made for offering increased privacy. They can prevent your ISP and most 3rd parties from seeing what you’re up to while online. So, if you’re worried about your privacy, be it with Netflix or anything else for that matter, a virtual private network can truly be a lifesaver.
The exact details on how this works are a bit complicated. But, long story short, the two main things that are increasing your privacy with a VPN are:
- Disguising the IP address
- Encrypting data
IP Address
First of all, your IP address is the main thing that links back to your identity. It’s sort of like giving your home address to every website that you visit.
Of course, the exact information that people can get out of you will greatly vary depending on the websites that you visit. Not to mention that only a minority of them can or are willing to abuse information that they can get about you. Still, the very thought of it is kind of terrifying.
VPNs can conceal your IP address by giving you a different, shared one. That’s possible because all of your data are going through the VPN provider’s servers before reaching their final destination and vice versa. That’s how no 3rd party can see your real IP address and that’s also how Netflix thinks that you’re browsing from a different country.
Encryption
Encryption is a relatively simple matter. It’s just that all the data that you send and receive are encrypted; aka nobody can see what they contain except you and obviously the sender as well (Netflix, Facebook, etc).
So, as far as anonymity and privacy are concerned, a VPN is truly a great weapon to have.
3: Bypass your Country’s Restrictions
There are a few regions where you can’t get access to Netflix. Not without a VPN. One of the most popular ones is China which is also known for blocking many other services as well.
But, as we mentioned above, a VPN can encrypt your data while also disguising your IP address. It’s mainly thanks to these two tricks that you can use a VPN to bypass any restrictions that your region has imposed.
What’s the Best VPN for Netflix?
While there are a ton of VPN services to choose from, we’d say that Express VPN is one of the best – if not the best.
And the main reasons that some VPN providers are better than others for Netflix is that they just work. As we mentioned above, Netflix doesn’t like it when you try to watch blocked content with virtual private networks and that’s why many of them have been blocked. But, to this day, Express VPN remains one of the few exceptions.
Do also keep in mind that free VPNs are often the first to get blocked since there are so many people who are using them. While we’re at it, don’t forget that speed is also important. If your VPN provider doesn’t offer servers that are fast enough you may not be able to browse Netflix without buffering.
How to Use a VPN for Netflix
Using a VPN for bypassing restrictions is pretty easy. All you have to do is:
- Open the VPN that you’ve installed (Be it Express VPN or anything else. Almost every single one out there involves the exact same process)
- Select a country/server where you know that the show of your choice is not geo-blocked there (US is one of the safest bets)
- Wait until you are connected to that server
- Then try to get access to Netflix again
And that’s pretty much all there is to it!
Disclaimer
There have been a few reports that Netflix is actively blocking accounts that are trying to bypass their geo-restrictions by using VPN services. It never happened to us – but there’s no guarantee that it won’t happen to you. And in the rare instance that it does, keep in mind that WTLS is not going to take responsibility for it. You’re trying this at your own responsibility.
That’s all we’ve got for now. To wrap things up, here are the main reasons that you may want to use a VPN for Netflix:
- Gain access to all of the available shows that are normally blocked on your region
- Block any 3rd parties from spying on your activity
- Unblock Netflix if it’s blocked in your region
If you’ve got any questions or if you want to add anything more, feel free to let us know about it in the comments section down below!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-k-8246a1169/
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If you are not sure whether you should get a VPN, then this is an article you should take a look at. To be honest, I got a Netflix subscription only because I have a Surfshark acc, and I have to say it was the best decision ever. Also, I found this article with all Marvel movies on Netflix listed out in chronological order and with regions where you can find them (https://medium.com/@norbertgrinpt/how-to-watch-marvel-movies-on-netflix-in-order-4e968c6e00de). I guess for the upcoming weekend I’ll have a Marvel marathon to go through.