5 Best Free VPNs for Netflix in 2023

Netflix is the streaming platform of choice for over 230 million subscribers, but if you’d like to make the most of its diverse content offerings, you’ll need a VPN. You can choose a free VPN for Netflix - but remember that most of them have slow speeds and limited bandwidth. That’s why the best option is to get a free trial from a premium VPN service - as they have no limitations and come without any risks.

But first, the big question: why do you even need a VPN to watch Netflix? Well, because the platform uses geo-based blocks to restrict access to specific titles based on your IP address, which shows your location. In other words, each country where Netflix is available has its own library, with big differences in the number of available titles.

This is where VPNs come in - they can hide your real IP and replace it with one from their VPN servers. This means that when you connect to a US server, for instance, you can access Netflix US original shows from a non-US region. 

It’s also important to know that most free VPNs can’t unblock Netflix, and even those that can are usually extremely limited. For example, it wouldn’t matter that a free VPN could unblock Netflix if it only gave you enough data to watch one episode! That’s another reason why we’ll recommend both free VPN trials and completely free VPNs. 

In this article, we’ve included detailed Netflix VPN descriptions and covered some FAQs at the bottom. We’ve tested a number of free VPNs to ensure they’re safe and have handpicked the best for you, so keep reading to find out more!

How to Get a Free VPN Trial for Netflix

To unblock your favorite movies and shows on Netflix, we recommend using a risk-free VPN trial. The process of setting one up is easy - just follow these steps: 

1. Sign up for a Netflix VPN trial (like ExpressVPN’s 30-day risk-free trial).
2. Download and install the VPN on your streaming device(s).
3. Launch the VPN and log in to your account.
4. Choose any VPN server to connect to (based on your desired Netflix library).
5. Open Netflix - that’s all you need to unlock a secure streaming experience!

A major advantage of using ExpressVPN with Netflix instead of a free VPN is that it offers unlimited bandwidth for you to stream to your heart’s content. Just leave the VPN connected and let the binge-watching adventures begin!

For more info, check our guide on how to use a VPN to watch Netflix from other countries. 

Best Free VPN That Works with Netflix

The best free Netflix VPN should offer unlimited bandwidth and fast connection speeds for watching content in UHD (Ultra High Definition) and FHD (Full High Definition). It should have a large global server network to give you enough choices when picking a server to connect to (covering as many Netflix libraries as possible). Finally, it needs a strict no-logs policy to ensure it doesn’t record your browsing history or share it with a third party.

Based on the above criteria, these are the best 5 free Netflix VPN services:

1. ExpressVPN - Our #1-Rated Free VPN Trial for Netflix
2. NordVPN - Best Netflix Free VPN Trial for Extra Security
3. Proton VPN - Best Free VPN for Netflix
4. Windscribe - Best If You Need a Lot of Servers
5. Hide.me - Best Free Netflix VPN for Occasional Streaming

1. ExpressVPN - Our #1-Rated Free VPN for Netflix

If you’re looking for the most seamless streaming experience out there, ExpressVPN should be your VPN of choice. We’ve rigorously tested it and can vouch for its incredible content-unblocking capabilities.

While most VPNs are notorious for slowing your connection down, ExpressVPN has clever tactics up its sleeve to provide lightning-fast connections and lag-free streaming. It uses fast 10 Gbps servers and has optimized even its remote servers for low ping times, resulting in a superior performance with zero buffering.

You can connect to any of ExpressVPN’s 3,000+ servers in 94 countries to access Netflix movies and shows from tons of regions, including Japan, the US, Canada, France, and others.

It also offers unlimited bandwidth without any caps, and it stops your ISP from throttling your connection. When an ISP detects you’re doing something bandwidth-intensive, like streaming video, it might restrict your speeds to preserve network bandwidth. ExpressVPN encodes your traffic so your ISP can’t see what you’re doing or throttle your speeds.

You can install ExpressVPN on your smartphone, laptop, tablet, smart TV, and even your router. It offers 5 simultaneous connections with just one subscription, too.

Ran into a problem? Try ExpressVPN’s 24/7 live customer support. You can download and use ExpressVPN with a 30-day risk-free trial. Try streaming content from across the world on Netflix and if you’re not satisfied for any reason, get a full refund.

2. NordVPN - Best Netflix Free VPN Trial for Extra Security

NordVPN is another long-standing favorite among the top free VPNs that work with Netflix. It has advanced security features like obfuscated servers, which hide the fact you’re using a VPN from websites (and your network’s admins). This is useful if you’re trying to access Netflix on a network that restricts VPNs.

It has 5,500+ servers across 60 countries globally, so you’ve got tons of options. You’ll always be able to find a VPN server close to you or in a remote region. 

NordVPN enables fast streaming with its NordLynx protocol. Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN also enabled us to watch shows and movies on Netflix without any buffering and in 4K. You can unblock Netflix’s libraries reserved for Brazil, South Korea, Italy, and many others. 

You can stream Netflix on up to 6 devices at once with a single NordVPN plan. Also, it’s compatible with iOS, Android devices, laptops, Firesticks, and more. And in case of any questions, know that NordVPN features 24/7 live chat support.

NordVPN provides a 30-day worry-free trial that you can use to try out its features without any limitations. You can securely stream all you want and get a full refund if you don’t like it for any reason within the trial period.

3. Proton VPN - Best Free VPN for Netflix

Data allowances are clearly the biggest inconvenience in the case of Netflix, which is exactly why Proton VPN is among the best Netflix VPN services. There are no data caps to worry about in this case, regardless of how many movies you want to watch. Unfortunately, there are other hurdles you need to overcome, although some are less important than others.

Even if there are no data caps, the free version has speed limitations. For Netflix, this means you may have to watch your movies at a lower resolution. Otherwise, you might have to put up with constant buffering, and maybe some dropped frames. 

Speaking of servers, Proton VPN is quite stingy in this regard. There are only 3 locations to choose from, which heavily restricts your options. The good news is that these locations are evenly spread around the world, with servers available in Europe, North America, and Asia. That should make it possible for everyone to have a decent experience.

If watching Netflix is your primary goal, having access to advanced settings is probably not very important. Still, the app does provide you with a plethora of configuration options, which may come in handy if you have other uses in mind for the VPN. 

Keep in mind that a lot of premium features are missing from the free version, so the premium membership is even more alluring. Nonetheless, this is one of the best free VPN for Netflix because you really won’t have to pay anything. 

4. Windscribe - Best If You Need a Lot of Servers

From this point on, unlimited data usage is no longer an option. Windscribe is more generous than Proton VPN in terms of servers and speed, but they make sure to balance this generosity with a hard data cap. As such, you are limited to 10GB per month in terms of traffic, which is frankly not ideal for Netflix users.

One solution is to watch your movies at the lowest possible resolution, which is 480p in the case of Netflix. As it turns out, that comes out at around 800MB per hour of content, meaning you can probably squeeze in a bit over twelve hours of movies or maybe an entire season of your favorite show. That’s not too bad, but it won’t satisfy everyone.

Windscribe’s biggest advantage is the fact that the app does not require an account or login credentials, making it incredibly easy for anyone to start using it. The interface is also incredibly intuitive and lightweight, with barely any annoying buttons to distract you. 

Another bonus comes in the form of multiple locations to choose from - a lot more than what Proton VPN offers. This should make it easier to find a nearby server, which also helps with speed and latency. Furthermore, you can install the app on every device you own and take advantage of the 10GB/month available on each one.

5. Hide.me - Best Free Netflix VPN for Occasional Streaming

Even though Hide.me seems similar to Windscribe at first - mainly due to the fact that both services impose a 10GB/month data allowance - there are significant differences between the two services. However, at the very least, you get to watch the same amount of content, which is all that matters at the end of the day.

One of the first drawbacks is the number of available servers and locations, which is pretty low, even for a free VPN. Granted, you are not encumbered by speed restrictions, so Netflix should run fairly smoothly. Hide.me is also available on pretty much any popular platform, so you are not restricted to Windows or macOS.

Unlike Windscribe, Hide.me requires an account in order to start using the service. While not a major inconvenience, this means you can only have one active device at any given moment. Obviously, those 10GBs would be spread pretty thin otherwise, so perhaps it’s for the best that you are limited to a single connection per account.

In terms of features, the app itself is pretty versatile, and there are quite a few knobs and pulls to manage if you are into that sort of thing. However, these advanced configuration options are tucked away in the Settings menu, not to overwhelm beginners. If watching Netflix is your main concern, then you probably won’t have much use for those extras anyway.

Why Using a Free Netflix VPN Is a Bad Idea

Using a free VPN for Netflix is a bad idea because you’ll get a half-baked solution. To stream online media via a VPN, you need one that won’t slow you down. Also, you’ll want a VPN with plenty of servers. That’s just not something a free Netflix VPN can offer. 

Also, free VPNs are usually not sneaky enough to bypass Netflix’s VPN detection, so you’ll be out of luck if you want to bypass Netflix’s VPN blocks. If that’s what you’re after, paid VPNs are a far better solution.

To make matters worse, free VPNs with in-app ads also come with security flaws that more often than not defeat the purpose of having a VPN in the first place. The companies behind them are quite keen on selling your data, which is yet another good reason to stick with a premium service instead.

It’s also very difficult to gauge the quality of a free VPN service by looking at user reviews and ratings. Many developers inflate their ratings using fake reviews as a way to cover up their shortcomings or make it seem like their products are more popular on the App Store.

At this point, we wouldn’t blame you if you decided to give up on free VPNs as a whole and go for a premium service instead. In fact, that’s why our guide to the best free VPN for Netflix comes with free VPN trials. You can take advantage of them without any risk.

More precisely, our recommendation is ExpressVPN’s 30-day free trial. Once you subscribe to this VPN, you’ll be covered by its 30-day money-back policy. In other words, you’ll reserve the right to change your mind during the first month of use. 

To check other options, turn to our central guide on the best free trial VPN services, many of which are more than suitable for Netflix.

Free VPN Not Working with Netflix?

There are several reasons why your free VPN isn’t working with Netflix, including the possibility that Netflix is detecting your location. Here’s what you can try: 

• VPN Detection Algorithms: Netflix uses sophisticated VPN detection algorithms and will block you when it identifies a VPN connection. Most free VPNs fail to bypass these detection mechanisms. So, it’s better to use a paid VPN instead.
• Long Buffering Times: A common bottleneck when using a free VPN to access streaming sites like Netflix is lengthy video loading times. Free VPNs have limited resources and typically have congested networks shared by multiple users, which can slow down your connection.
• Limited Platform Support: We wouldn’t be surprised if your free VPN doesn’t support your TV or other devices. Many only provide Android and iOS apps, unlike premium VPNs that offer support for multiple platforms.
• In-App Ads: Since free VPNs don’t charge you for their operational expenses, they generate revenue using other means. Some might sell your data to third parties and others will bombard your Netflix shows with annoying ads.
• DNS Leaks: A DNS leak happens when a VPN doesn’t encrypt DNS queries. This can reveal much of your personal data and lead to a streaming service identifying your real location too. This is yet another reason to go for a paid VPN. 

You can find more possible solutions in our central guide that answers the question of why is my VPN not working on Netflix. Also, here’s how to bypass the Netflix proxy error.

Final Thoughts

Even though some free VPNs can unblock Netflix, it’s best to go with a free trial from a premium option. That’s because the average free VPN for Netflix won’t even be able to access the website itself, and if they can, they’ll most likely limit the amount of streaming you can do before you run out of data.

We recommend ExpressVPN as the best free VPN to watch Netflix. It offers fast speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and a truly massive server network that spans the globe. There’s also a 30-day risk-free trial for you to take all its features on a test drive, without any risk.

That’s all for our guide on the best free VPN for Netflix. If you have any questions for us, let us know via the comments section below. Thanks for reading!