So you finally got the chance to move abroad. Fresh home, fresh surroundings, maybe even a fresh job – that’s a lot to take in. One of the best ways to slow down and take a break from everything is to watch your favorite TV shows – doctors’ words, not ours.
But wait a minute! Do you happen to be in a region where you don’t have access to Netflix or your favorite Netflix library? Treat yourself anyway! If you’re an expat then you can use a VPN to unblock websites and watch your comfort TV shows!
In this guide, we’ll discuss three ways to unblock Netflix content anywhere in the world:
1. Unblocking Netflix with a VPN
To keep things simple, here’s why you can unblock Netflix with a VPN:
- You use a VPN app to connect to a VPN server. Please keep in mind that the server has to be in the same country as the Netflix show you want to watch.
- The VPN app and the VPN server create an encrypted connection.
- When you visit Netflix, the VPN takes your connection request and sends it to Netflix.
- The request contains your IP address, which reveals your geo-location. Since Netflix thinks that the request is coming from the VPN server, it will only see the VPN’s IP address.
Using VPNs comes with a catch though: not just every VPN will work with Netflix.
You have to use a VPN that will refresh its IPs constantly. Otherwise, you’ll end up seeing the Netflix proxy error. Why’s that? Because Netflix can detect VPN IP addresses.
We’ve tested the top 20+ VPNs, and Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN performed the best. They unblocked popular Netflix libraries (the US, the UK, Japan, and Canada) and also maintained fast streaming speeds even on distant servers.
2. Using a Smart DNS to Bypass Netflix’s Geo-Blocks
A smart DNS is an online service that helps you avoid geo-restrictions and unblock your favorite streaming shows.
How can a smart DNS unblock Netflix?
Let’s say you’re from the UK, and you want to watch Netflix US. A smart DNS will re-route your data through a special proxy server that is cleverly located in the USA.
Besides that, the service changes your DNS settings so that they don’t leak your geo-location. Plus, it intercepts your DNS queries and replaces metadata that leaks your geo-location with new information that’s linked to a whitelisted region (the US, in this example).
So Netflix will think you’re located in the US instead of the UK, meaning it’ll redirect you to the US library.
3. Using a Proxy Server
A proxy is an online tool that works just like a VPN – it redirects traffic through a server before it reaches Netflix.
But proxies have an extra feature – their local cache where they save requested content. So, anytime you want to access a saved Netflix page, they’ll retrieve it from their own cache instead of requesting that data from Netflix.
What’s in it for you? Faster loading times and better viewing experience.
All These Tools Sound Sweet, But What Should I Choose?
Everything can be limited to one real, serious concern: how much do you value your privacy?
For us, it means a lot. That’s why we mostly recommend using VPNs. Nobody can spy on the information exchanged between the VPN server and your device.
Proxies and smart DNS services don’t offer this kind of encryption. That means better speeds, sure, but it’ll also cost you your privacy since they can’t protect you from cybercriminals, online surveillance, and targeted ads.
Don’t care about that?
Well, think of it this way – without a VPN, your ISP will see that you’re binging Netflix, so they’ll slow down your internet speed if you’re consuming too much data. Sure, it doesn’t happen too often and it depends on your ISP and the internet quality in your adoptive country. But why risk it in the first place?!
But if you use a VPN, they won’t know what you’re doing online. They’ll only see you’re using a VPN – nothing more! So they won’t be able to selectively throttle your bandwidth when you watch Netflix at night or on weekends.
How Do You Know Which VPNs Can Successfully Unblock Netflix?
Subscribing to each one and testing it for a month or so is not an option. Fortunately, you don’t even need to do that because any top VPN provider can unlock Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
And the best part is that all of them offer either a free trial or a money-back guarantee!
As a tip, we suggest picking a VPN that has a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
Besides this, there are a few more things to put on your checklist when you choose your VPN:
- It has at least 1,000+ serves so you won’t have a problem unblocking online content from anywhere in the world.
- It doesn’t have bandwidth caps that will limit you to a few GB of data per month. It’s either unlimited traffic or a deal-breaker.
- They mention in their Privacy Policy that they don’t keep any logs. What you do with their service is your business, not theirs.
How Do You Like to Watch Netflix Abroad?
Let us know in the comments which unblocking method you like the most. If you know other ways to get around geo-blocks (besides the ones we mentioned), don’t forget to share them with us.
