Netflix is available in most countries, but the site will display a different catalog of shows and movies depending on where you are in the world. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can help you regain access to your regular Netflix library while traveling abroad. The VPN encrypts your internet traffic and sends it through an intermediary VPN server that’s situated in whatever location you choose. However, it takes lots of resources to do this reliably, which is one of the major reasons that you’ll rarely find a free VPN that works with Netflix.

The following Netflix proxy error is common with free VPNs:

“Whoops, something went wrong. Streaming error. You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again.”

Even if a free VPN does work, there’s no guarantee it will continue to do so. Other issues with free Netflix VPNs include slow, unreliable connections, a small selection of servers, low data caps, and poor privacy policies. So rather than using a subpar free VPN, we recommend using a quality VPN with a free trial period or money-back guarantee.

In this article, we’ve put together a list of VPNs that offer money-back guarantees, free trials, or very low monthly rates. There are more details below, but here’s an at-a-glance look at that list.

VPNs that offer free trials, money-back guarantees, or very low monthly rates:

  • NordVPN: Our top VPN pick for Netflix. An extremely fast VPN option with a large network of secure servers that can securely access plenty of popular streaming sites. 30-day money-back guarantee,
  • Surfshark: A budget option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Works well with Netflix and allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
  • ExpressVPN: Offers a no-fuss 30-day money-back guarantee on a service that’s fast, secure, and great for securely accessing streaming sites, including Netflix.
  • CyberGhost: Provides blazing-fast speeds. Works with many streaming platforms, including Netflix. 45-day money-back guarantee.
  • PrivateVPN: No issues securely accessing Netflix. Provides a fast, secure service for just a few bucks per month.

Steps to get a free VPN for Netflix

Here’s how to get a free VPN for Netflix:

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

  • Sign up with your chosen provider. We recommend NordVPN, but Surfshark and ExpressVPN are excellent alternate options.
  • Download the appropriate app for your device.
  • Connect to a server in your home country. For example, for Netflix US, select a US server, or for Netflix UK, choose a UK server.
  • Go to the Netflix website. You will automatically be directed to the Home page for the region your VPN server is in.
  • Select the show or movie you want to watch and enjoy!
  • If you don’t want to keep the VPN, cancel before the end of the money-back guarantee, smug in the knowledge you have had a period of free access!

Best free trial or low-cost VPNs for Netflix – at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Netflix.

Best free trial or low-cost VPNs for Netflix

To make our list, VPNs have to meet the following criteria:

  • Reliably works with Netflix
  • Offers a free trial, money-back guarantee, or very low monthly rates
  • Has fast, reliable connections
  • Provides strong security
  • Keeps no logs
  • Offers prompt and knowledgeable customer support

Here are our best VPNs for watching Netflix for free or on a budget:

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

works with NetflixTested Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

NordVPN is our number one choice. It works reliably with Netflix and allows you to use almost any server in its vast network (currently more than 5,400 servers in 60+ countries). Note that while it can securely access several local catalogs, including US, UK, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, and Italy, it will redirect to the US Netflix library in other cases.

NordVPN pegged some great speeds in our latest round of tests and can handle streaming HD video with no issues. It comes with tight security, including strong encryption, leak protection, a kill switch, and perfect forward secrecy, as well as additional features like automatic wifi protection, which is great for on-the-go streaming. NordVPN keeps no logs.

Desktop clients are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and apps for iOS and Android can be found in their respective app stores. Each plan allows for six simultaneous connections.

BEST VPN FOR NETFLIX:NordVPN is our top choice. Fast speeds make it ideal for streaming. It offers low monthly rates and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

Cons:

  • Connecting to some servers can be a bit slow

Our score:

Check out our in-depth NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

works with NetflixTested Jan 2023

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Surfshark is great for accessing a variety of Netflix libraries securely, including US, UK, France, India, Netherlands, and more. Like NordVPN, if you connect to a server in a region for which the library that isn’t supported, you’ll automatically be redirected to US Netflix. In other words, US residents traveling elsewhere in the world can use the closest server to securely access their usual library, rather than relying on servers back home.

Surfshark offers low prices and is one of the few decent VPN providers that allows an unlimited number of devices to be connected at one time. Speeds are fast enough for streaming so you can expect a stress-free experience.

Security and privacy features are up to par, and include strong encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and a true zero-logs policy. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark enables you to stream Netflix on as many devices as you like at a low monthly rate. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Every server tested worked with Netflix

  • Reliable servers in 100+ countries

  • Privacy-first provider

  • Uses strong encryption

  • Allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections

  • Records some slower speeds

Delve into our full Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

ExpressVPN offers a no-fuss 30-day money-back guarantee, making it a great choice for streaming Netflix for free for a short period. It works with multiple Netflix libraries, including Netflix US, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, and France, as well as many other streaming sites, such as BBC iPlayer and Hulu. All servers are optimized for speed, making streaming a breeze.

More than 3,000 servers are available in 94 countries. Not all servers can securely access Netflix, so you may have to contact customer support to find out which one to use. Knowledgeable representatives are available around the clock to help, so this should only take a minute or two.

This provider offers military-grade encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy. It doesn’t log any personally identifiable information.

Apps are available for MacOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. You can configure the VPN to certain routers, and ExpressVPN even provides its own custom firmware. Connect up to five devices at a time, with a router counting as just one.

TRY IT FREE:ExpressVPN works great with Netflix. You can enjoy a month of its fast, secure service for free by taking advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee. It offers a seamless viewing experience for many popular streaming sites, so you may just want to keep it.

  • Works with multiple Netflix libraries

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

  • Fast speeds for streaming

  • Strong security suite

  • Logs no personal information

  • The monthly rate is slightly higher than some rivals

  • Few advanced configuration options

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

4. CyberGhost

Website: www.Cyberghost.com

Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS

CyberGhost is an excellent beginner-friendly option, and its apps are designed with a clear focus on users looking to stream. Servers are labeled according to which services they work with, so there’s rarely a need to contact customer support for help. CyberGhost can securely access multiple libraries, including UK, US, France, Germany, and Italy. What’s more, it performed well in our latest speed tests.

Just because it’s inexpensive doesn’t mean it scrimps on its service. CyberGhost has excellent security, including 256-bit encryption, a kill switch on all platforms, and leak protection. It keeps no logs whatsoever.

CyberGhost apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android, and you can connect up to seven devices at a time. Note that CyberGhost does offer free browser extensions, but these don’t work with Netflix.

IDEAL FOR STREAMING:CyberGhost has fast speeds and apps tailored for streaming, making this low-cost provider worth considering. Plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

  • Works well with Netflix

  • Excellent speeds

  • Performs well on the security front

  • Keep no logs of user data

  • Generous 45-day money-back guarantee

  • Apps aren’t as user-friendly as they were

  • Few advanced features

Read our full CyberGhost review.

5. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

PrivateVPN scores well when it comes to security and privacy too. It uses 256-bit encryption, includes a kill switch in the Windows app, and maintains a no-logs policy. Apps can be downloaded for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

PRIVACY FIRST:PrivateVPN works with lots of streaming services and offers competitive monthly rates. A 30-day money-back guarantee helps, too.

  • Ideal for securely accessing your usual services abroad

  • Great speeds

  • Secure and private

  • Allows 10 simultaneous connections

  • Small server network

  • Doesn’t offer 24/7 live chat

Read our in-depth review of PrivateVPN.

What is so bad about free VPNs for Netflix?

We mentioned that truly free VPNs are not a good choice for Netflix, and here we’ll explain more about why this is the case. Free VPNs are run on a tiny budget but are still designed to make money. The lack of resources means that there is little chance a free VPN can reliably access any Netflix library. The lack of funds also means you’ll have to endure a frustratingly slow, unreliable connection, which makes free VPNs highly unsuitable for streaming.

You might wonder how these VPNs make money if they don’t charge you. Some inject ads into the sites you visit, while others track your online activity and sell the gathered data to third parties. Aside from the inherent privacy issues, free VPNs typically won’t give you the security you expect from a VPN. Many don’t encrypt your data and some VPN apps have been found to carry malware or sell your bandwidth.

While you’ll find many free VPNs claiming to work with Netflix, there’s usually a lot more to consider. With so many reputable providers offering free trials, money-back guarantees, or super-low monthly rates, it’s not worth wasting your time with subpar services.

Troubleshooting

Whichever VPN provider you end up going with, the steps to get started are generally the same.

Video: How to watch Netflix with a VPN

If you get an error while attempting to watch a show, there could be several reasons for this. The most common one is that your VPN simply can’t access that region for Netflix. Although some VPNs work with multiple regions, we are yet to come across one can securely access them all Most VPNs focus on the most popular libraries, such Netflix US and Netflix UK.

Another possible reason for an error is that you are connected to a server that doesn’t work with Netflix. For either of these issues, you can try contacting your VPN provider’s customer support team for guidance. Providers of Netflix VPNs monitor which servers are working with Netflix, so should be able to help you out quickly.

Can I use a proxy to securely access Netflix?

In the past, smart DNS proxies, many of which can be found for free, have been used to access Netflix. A smart DNS proxy server monitors DNS requests (domain name lookups) and routes traffic for Netflix requests through a special server.

However, Netflix has caught on to smart DNS proxies, and they will rarely work with the streaming service. One that does work reliably is the ExpressVPN MediaStreamer that comes with every ExpressVPN plan.

Note that even if you find a smart DNS proxy that works with Netflix, these come with other issues. First, most don’t encrypt your traffic, and those that do will only encrypt your browser traffic, so there’s no protection for other apps on your device. Additionally, many free proxies suffer from similar disadvantages to free VPNs, such as a small number of locations to choose from and poor privacy policies.

Does a free VPN impact the streaming speed?

Yes, free VPNs are almost always significantly slower than quality paid VPN services. That’s because many free VPNs engage in bandwidth throttling and have restrictive data limits. Of course, it doesn’t help that the majority of free VPNs offer very few servers. With so many users on each server, the heavy load results in poor performance. All of this combined means that free VPNs have a negative impact on streaming in the form of low-resolution, lag-filled streams.

What’s the difference between a free VPN and a paid VPN?

The main difference between a free VPN and a paid VPN is security. Paid VPNs offer more secure protocols, better encryption, and more reliable access to global servers than their free counterparts. In addition, most paid VPN providers have additional features like ad-blocking, malware protection, anti-tracking, and no-logging policies that free VPNs don’t provide.