Short on time? Here’s the best free VPN for Netflix in 2023:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN: It’s not technically free, but it’s the best VPN for streaming Netflix in any country in 2023, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use it risk-free for a whole month. It also has industry-leading security, maintains the fastest connection speeds I’ve seen in a VPN, and offers affordable plans.
Using a free VPN to stream Netflix can be risky — it might be unsafe, its speeds may be too slow, and it might not even be able to access Netflix. I always suggest using a premium VPN (like ExpressVPN) over a free VPN, as premium VPNs offer stronger security, better speeds, and full 24/7 support for Netflix and other streaming platforms.
Fortunately, some premium VPNs offer free versions of their service. I tested dozens of free VPNs and found the best 5 for streaming Netflix — while all of them have some limitations, they’re secure, fast, and work with Netflix most of the time.
Quick summary of the best free VPNs for Netflix in 2023:
- 🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for watching Netflix in 2023. Consistently works with Netflix, has some of the best security features around, and maintains the fastest speeds. It’s not totally free, but it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 🥈2. CyberGhost VPN — Great for watching Netflix with dedicated servers. Has dedicated Netflix servers that are optimized to always work with Netflix and also provides fast speeds, easy-to-use apps, a free 24-hour trial, and a 45-money-back guarantee.
- 🥉3. Windscribe — Best free VPN for accessing Netflix. Consistently works with Netflix, provides up to 15 GB/month, and has pretty good speeds.
- 4. Proton VPN — Great free VPN with unlimited data. Great security and speeds, but only 3 server locations and sometimes unpredictable Netflix access.
- 5. Hide.me — Easy-to-use free Netflix VPN. Allows 10 GB/month of data and provides good speeds for streaming Netflix, but it can’t always access Netflix.
- Comparison of the Best Free VPNs for Netflix.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Netflix in 2023
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN to stream Netflix in 2023. It can access Netflix more reliably and provides better security and faster speeds than most of its competitors. While it’s technically not 100% free, it comes with a generous 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can subscribe risk-free and enjoy your favorite content for a whole month.
I like ExpressVPN because it’s very easy to use — it only took me a couple of seconds to find and connect to a server. Once I installed it, I connected to one of its servers, and I could easily access Netflix on my browser with no issues. I also tested ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer feature, which let me stream Netflix from my game console and smart TV, and I experienced no problems whatsoever.
ExpressVPN has some of the best speeds I’ve seen in a VPN. On all the servers I tested, I was able to stream HD Netflix content without any lag, and I even got close to my normal connection speeds when I was connected to the closest server to my actual location.
In terms of security, ExpressVPN is a top choice. It has TrustedServer technology, which means its servers use temporary RAM rather than hard drives, and they are wiped clean each time they’re restarted. It also has an audited no-logs policy and full protection against WebRTC, DNS, and IPv6 leaks. I ran 10+ tests, and I never saw my real IP address — I only saw ExpressVPN’s IP address.
I also like its split-tunneling feature, which lets you control which apps route through the VPN and which ones bypass it. This means you can watch your favorite movies and shows on Netflix over the VPN connection and route the rest of your traffic through your internet provider’s network and enjoy better speeds.
Premium subscriptions start at $6.67 / month, but I often see special deals on ExpressVPN’s website offering extra free months.
Bottom line:
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Netflix in 2023 — it can access Netflix 100% of the time, and it has great speeds and security. It has support for a wide range of devices, provides MediaStreamer for installing on devices that don’t have native VPN support, and includes features like a speed test to help you connect to the fastest server. It’s not totally free, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so you can try it with no risk.
Read our ExpressVPN review here
🥈2. CyberGhost VPN — Has Dedicated Servers for Netflix
CyberGhost VPN lacks a free plan but has a free 24-hour trial. And its free trial includes access to dedicated servers optimized to work with 15+ Netflix libraries. The best part about the free trial is that you don’t need to share your credit card information to sign up for it.
Plus, CyberGhost comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee for its long-term plans, which gives you enough time to test out how well it works with Netflix (in my tests, it always worked really well with the platform). Its short-term plan is backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee, which is still good.
What I really like about CyberGhost is its Smart Rules feature that allows you to set up VPN connection preferences. For example, you can configure it to automatically launch your Netflix app when you connect to a VPN server, which is very convenient. You can also set it up so that it automatically connects you to a Netflix server on launch.
CyberGhost has great speeds, but it’s not quite as fast as ExpressVPN. In my tests, all HD videos on Netflix loaded instantly, and I didn’t experience any buffering, but 4K videos took around 2 seconds to load.
You also get great security, including RAM-only servers, an audited no-logs policy, and DNS and IPv6 leak protection — when I tested it, CyberGhost never leaked my IP address.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans are super affordable, starting at just $2.11 / month. Plus, the longest plan often includes 2 extra months for free.
Bottom line:
CyberGhost has Netflix-optimized servers for 15+ Netflix libraries. Although it doesn’t have a free plan, it offers a free 24-hour trial that provides access to the streaming servers and a generous 45 money-back guarantee on its long-term plans. It also has very fast speeds, great security features, and easy-to-use apps.
Read our full CyberGhost VPN review
🥉3. Windscribe — Best Free VPN for Accessing Netflix
Windscribe’s free plan is one of the few that consistently works with Netflix. The provider claims it works with Netflix, and I also didn’t experience any issues accessing the platform in my tests.
The free plan gives you access to 10+ free server locations (more than many other of the free VPNs on this list), but it comes with a maximum monthly data limit of 15 GB. This means you get about 15 hours of SD Netflix content or 5 hours of HD content, which is decent.
Windscribe’s security features are solid, as it provides access to advanced security features like perfect forward secrecy, RAM-only servers, and full leak protection. Also, the free plan provides access to a built-in firewall and ad and malware blocking via the R.O.B.E.R.T. feature. And you also get access to split-tunneling, which can help you manage your data usage.
I’m also happy with Windscribe’s speeds. When I tested it, all HD videos on Netflix took only about 1–2 seconds to load, and there was minimal buffering, which only happened when I skipped through the videos — this is really good and didn’t affect my overall experience. But ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN are still faster.
Windscribe has several premium plans, starting at $5.75 / month, and they all give you unlimited data and access to more servers. It also has a “build-a-plan” option, which lets you customize your plan by adding access to individual servers. All plans have a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom line:
Windscribe has one of the only free plans that can consistently access Netflix. However, free users can only reach a 15 GB/month data limit, so it’s not ideal for Netflix bingers. It has split-tunneling to help manage its data cap, as well as a built-in firewall. Upgrading to Windscribe’s premium plans unlocks unlimited data and a larger server network.
Read our full Windscribe review
4. Proton VPN — Great Free VPN With Unlimited Data
Proton VPN’s free version doesn’t come with a data cap, so you can watch as much Netflix as you want. Its security is strong, and it offers good speeds on its 3 free server locations (the US, Japan, and the Netherlands). One drawback is that free users are allowed only 1 connection at a time.
In my tests, I could access Netflix most of the time, despite Proton VPN’s website saying that its free plan doesn’t support streaming. That said, Netflix detected I was using a VPN on a couple of occasions. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN were virtually flawless when accessing Netflix.
Proton VPN’s free plan has really good speeds for streaming HD content on Netflix. I mostly didn’t experience any buffering or lag, though some videos took longer to load when I was connected to its US server during peak times. I really like Proton VPN’s VPN Accelerator feature, which helps provide even faster speeds on distant servers (my speeds were 13% faster with the VPN Accelerator when I connected to servers in Japan and the Netherlands).
Proton VPN has great security that includes full leak protection, an independently audited no-logs policy, and open-source apps that are regularly audited by independent third parties, which makes it easy to trust this VPN.
Proton VPN’s paid version starts at $3.99 / month and includes access to consistent Netflix access, a really good ad blocker, and more. There’s a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN’s free version offers unlimited data for streaming as much Netflix content as you want. It has top-notch security and fast connection speeds, and all of its apps are open-source and undergo regular third-party audits. However, its free version only allows 1 device at a time, and in my tests, it didn’t access Netflix all the time. Upgrading to its premium plans unlocks more devices and servers, as well as more reliable Netflix access.
Read our Proton VPN review here
5. Hide.me — Easy-to-use Netflix VPN (Great for Beginners)
hide.me is an easy-to-use VPN that’s good for beginners. It has a data limit of 10 GB/month, which is less than Proton VPN or Windscribe, but it’s enough to stream a few movies a month. It doesn’t guarantee its free plan works with Netflix, but it worked 60% of the time in my tests, which is decent.
hide.me offers 5+ free server locations, including Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the US. During my speed tests, I only saw a bit of buffering when connected to its US East server, but this was during peak times. Overall, I had good download and upload speeds but not near what I saw with ExpressVPN.
hide.me’s free version is very secure. It has Stealth Guard, a feature that prevents apps from accessing the internet when you’re not connected to Hide.me (kind of like a customizable kill switch), which works great for preventing leaks.
hide.me’s premium plans start at $3.84 / month and get you unlimited data, consistent Netflix access, and 50+ server locations. hide.me offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans.
Bottom line:
hide.me is an easy-to-use free VPN with a decent 10 GB/month data limit. It can access Netflix, but it doesn’t consistently work with the platform. However, its premium plans unlock unlimited data, more reliable Netflix access, and servers in 50+ countries.
Comparison of the Best Free VPNs for Watching Netflix in 2023
How to Choose the Best Free VPN for Watching Netflix in 2023
- Choose a VPN that can access Netflix — Not all free VPNs can access Netflix, so make sure you choose one that can. ExpressVPN accessed Netflix the most consistently out of all the other VPNs in my tests. It’s not free, but it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it risk-free for a whole month!
- Test for fast speeds — Many free VPNs have crowded servers that reduce your speeds, making it difficult to stream Netflix content without buffering or lag. All the VPNs on this list have speeds good enough for streaming HD Netflix videos without any interruptions.
- Look for a large data limit — Streaming Netflix content in SD can take up to 1 GB per hour of data, and HD content can take up to 3 GB per hour. Choosing a free VPN with unlimited data or a large monthly limit will allow you to stream your favorite Netflix movies and shows. Proton VPN’s free plan doesn’t have a data cap.
- Check for server locations in your preferred country — Free VPNs often have a limited number of free servers. Make sure you choose a free VPN that has at least one server in the country you want to access.
- Find a VPN with a split-tunneling feature — Since you’re using a VPN only to watch Netflix, you don’t need all of your internet traffic going through the VPN’s server. Split tunneling allows you to choose which apps to route through the VPN (like your Netflix app or browser).
Risks & Disadvantages of Using a Free VPN to Watch Netflix
- Lack of security. Free VPNs are often unsafe as they lack security features such as encryption and kill switches. They might even track your data and sell it to third parties. While you’re connected to a VPN’s server, it’s hard to know who is looking at your data unless you use a reliable VPN with trustworthy privacy and security protocols.
- More lag. VPNs will introduce some latency to your connection, but free servers tend to be more congested resulting in further slowdowns. Some free VPNs may also deliberately limit your connection speeds. Premium VPNs offer larger server networks, meaning fewer users share each server, resulting in faster speeds for your browsing and streaming activities.
- Locked out. Popular streaming services can almost always detect if you’re using a free VPN. Premium VPNs like ExpressVPN have servers designed to access Netflix, so you’ll never be locked out.
- Blacklisted servers. Because free VPNs have fewer servers (and are more crowded), the chance of a popular website banning or blacklisting the servers is higher. You may notice more captcha requests or being blocked entirely from Netflix or other sites while using free VPNs.
- Data tracking. Because free VPNs have to make money somehow, they may track your activity (like shopping and browsing) and sell your data to third parties. Premium VPNs like ExpressVPN are very strict in their policies to never track or sell user data.
Affordable Alternatives
- Private Internet Access (PIA). Private Internet Access is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market (with prices starting at just $2.19 / month). It’s very fast, can access 5+ Netflix libraries, including Germany, US, and Italy, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. Read the full Private Internet Access (PIA) review here.
- NordVPN. NordVPN offers fast speeds, has excellent security features, and can access 10+ Netflix libraries. It has intuitive apps, and all of its plans (that cost $4.99 / month) are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read the full NordVPN review here.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Hotspot Shield. Hotspot Shield is fast, secure, and easy to use, and it has a free plan — but it doesn’t consistently work with Netflix, and it limits you to only 500 MB per day.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is a simple, easy-to-use free VPN that has fast speeds and can reliably access Netflix. Its free version only allows 2 GB per month (only enough for 30–45 minutes of HD streaming), but upgrading to its affordable premium plans unlocks unlimited data.
- IPVanish. IPVanish has a large server selection and allows unlimited device connections. Unfortunately, accessing Netflix was inconsistent in my tests, and it doesn’t offer a free version.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best free VPN for watching Netflix?
While it’s not exactly free, the best VPN for watching Netflix is ExpressVPN. It provides the fastest speeds, the strongest security, and the most reliable access to streaming sites like Netflix. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can subscribe risk-free.
How do I use a VPN with Netflix?
You can follow these 3 quick steps:
- Download and install a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because it has excellent security, fast speeds, and easy-to-use apps for all platforms.
- Connect to a server. Choose a server located in the country you want to connect to.
- Log into Netflix and start streaming. Open Netflix on your browser or via the Netflix app, log into your account, and enjoy your favorite content!
Do All VPNs work with Netflix?
No, not all VPNs can access Netflix. This can be because Netflix is able to easily detect the VPN, or because the VPN has been blacklisted due to many other users trying to access Netflix with the same IP address. Premium VPNs like ExpressVPN have servers designed to access Netflix successfully, so you’ll never run into this issue.
Does Netflix block VPNs?
Netflix can detect if you’re using a VPN and block you from accessing the service. Some VPNs — usually free VPNs — are easily detected by Netflix. However, some premium VPNs like ExpressVPN can access Netflix without being blocked.
