Though streaming service Netflix is available in many countries, you won’t get the same content everywhere due to regional restrictions. American Netflix is one of the largest Netflix libraries in the world and has a diverse selection of content. If you’re going to be traveling outside the U.S., read on to find out how to watch American Netflix from anywhere in the world.
Key Takeaways:
- Netflix uses geoblocks, so the content differs depending on your location. To access the U.S. Netflix library from overseas, you can use a VPN.
- ExpressVPN is the best VPN for watching American Netflix. It’s lightning fast, consistent with streaming services and secure.
- Our second and third recommendations for streaming Netflix USA are NordVPN and CyberGhost. Both have decent speeds and are great VPNs for Netflix.
To access U.S. Netflix, our top VPN recommendation is ExpressVPN. If you’re new to virtual private networks, stay tuned, and we’ll show you how to get American Netflix from other regions, as well as how to watch Netflix while traveling using a VPN.
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03/25/2022
Updated to include a step-by-step picture tutorial and to include updated information on VPN providers that can unlock Netflix U.S. We’ve added in a section about free VPNs, too.
Quick Guide: How to Watch American Netflix with a VPN
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to start streaming TV shows and movies on American Netflix in four simple steps. Assuming you have a Netflix account, let’s get started.
Why Can’t I Watch Netflix America from Abroad?
Netflix uses geoblocks, which is why content in Netflix libraries differs by country. Basically, this is due to copyright and licensing issues. To give you an example, if you search for The Borgias on U.S. Netflix, you’ll find it, but if you search for it on Netflix U.K., you won’t.
Geoblocking affects many popular services besides Netflix. Hulu’s content, for example, is off limits outside the U.S. and BBC iPlayer outside the U.K (read our how to watch BBC iPlayer in the U.S.A guide. This is why many people use VPNs to get around the restrictions and unlock these services’ full potential. If you’re not interested in the U.S. library, you can use your VPN to change Netflix region and access other libraries.
How to Watch U.S. Netflix: The 3 Best VPNs
If you’re unsure of which VPN to choose to watch Netflix U.S., the VPNs below are our top recommendations. These three services are great VPNs for streaming, but they each have their own thing going for them. Read on to find out more.
1. ExpressVPN
Pros:
- Lightning fast
- Consistently unblocks major streaming services
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Expensive
ExpressVPN is our top recommendation for gaining access to the U.S. Netflix library. One of this VPN’s standout features is its protocol called LightWay. ExpressVPN has always been known for its top-notch speeds, but since implementing LightWay, the service is even faster. This means you can watch movies and TV shows on U.S. Netflix uninterrupted without being thwarted by buffering.
ExpressVPN has also proven itself adept at getting into a range of streaming sites in addition to Netflix. If you’d like to mix it up, ExpressVPN is by far the most reliable and consistent. On the downside, it is quite expensive, but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee you can use to try it.
2. NordVPN
Pros:
- Gets into many streaming services
- NordLynx gives better speed
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- OpenVPN protocol is inconsistent
NordVPN is another great streaming VPN. Like ExpressVPN, it gets into major streaming services, including Netflix, and has solid speeds. It’s not quite as fast as ExpressVPN, but it isn’t far behind. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee to give you peace of mind if you want to give it a try.
When we tested NordVPN using OpenVPN, we had connection and speed issues. Luckily, you can use the NordLynx protocol for better speeds and consistency. It contributed to NordVPN being one of the fastest VPNs on the market.
We also like NordVPN’s user-friendly interface and that you can switch servers without opening a location list. Read our complete guide to learn how to watch Netflix with NordVPN.
3. CyberGhost
Netflix while going easy on your wallet.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Decent speeds
- 45-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Inconsistent with some streaming services
CyberGhost is a budget-friendly alternative to our top two recommendations. It works well with Netflix, and though it isn’t quite as fast as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, its speeds are decent. It’s also a little less skillful at accessing some streaming services — particularly Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. You shouldn’t have any major issues accessing Netflix, though.
At Cloudwards, we’re big fans of how easy on the wallet CyberGhost is and its generous money-back guarantees. While its one-month plan only offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, its other plans offer 45 days. That extra time to decide if you want to continue with the service is a real bonus. Check out our CyberGhost review for more information.
Can I Use a Free VPN to Get American Netflix?
Yes, but you need to be careful with free VPNs. Some aren’t reputable and may lack important privacy features like no-logging policies. If you’re going with a free VPN, we recommend Windscribe — the best free VPN for Netflix. It’s secure and has a 10GB free plan that provides as much protection as its paid plans. It also does a great job of smashing through Netflix’s geoblocks (learn more in our Windscribe-Neflix guide).
That said, 10GB won’t get far if you’re a regular streamer. If you want more than a few episodes or a movie, we recommend subscribing to a paid plan with unlimited data. To learn more about what the service offers, check out our Windscribe review.
What if I Can’t Access American Netflix?
Streaming sites are always trying to get better at detecting and blocking VPNs. At the same time, VPN services are always working to overcome these blocks. Sometimes, if you get that meddling proxy error message, it might be because Netflix is doing a particularly grand job that day at blocking VPNs. Don’t worry, though. Netflix won’t block your account for using a VPN.
There are a few ways around the dreaded error message. Most of the time, trying different U.S. servers until you find one that works should fix it. Refresh Netflix each time you switch servers. You can also try clearing your cache. This depends on which device you’re using, but on Windows, you press Ctrl and F5 simultaneously.
You can also clear your cookies on Netflix. To do this, go to netflix.com/clearcookies. This will clear any cookies, log you out of your Netflix account and ask you to sign back in.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, getting around Netflix’s geoblocks to watch American Netflix is nothing to worry about. With a decent VPN, it should take you but a few seconds to connect and stream your favorite shows and movies. If you run into difficulties, your first port of call is to switch servers until you find one that works. This usually solves the problem.
Remember: With a VPN and Netflix account you can unlock infinite entertainment options. Besides watching Netflix U.S., you can unblock Netflix France to watch Parasite, Bourne movies and other TV shows that’re unavailable in the U.S. library.
Learn how you can get the most out of your subscription in our Netflix hacks guide. Plus, if you like your movies on the big screen, be sure to read our guide on how to watch Netflix on TV.
Want to learn even more? Have a look at our guides on how to change Netflix region, as well as how to get around Netflix password sharing for more information.
Do you use a VPN to unblock American Netflix? Which VPN works best for you? Leave us a comment below, and thanks for reading.
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