The Best Free VPNs for Netflix

Netflix displays different content titles based on your geographical location. With a Netflix VPN you can change your Netflix region and unblock video content typically ‘hidden’ in your country.

Finding a free VPN that does this isn’t easy, though. Most free VPNs are either too unsafe to use, or simply do not work with Netflix because their IP addresses have been blocked by the streaming platform.

Of the 24 free VPNs we tested with Netflix, only two free services were able to unblock certain region-restricted libraries.

Our most recent streaming tests reveal that out of 24 free VPNs, only the two VPNs listed above still work with Netflix consistently.

However, using a totally free VPN isn’t the only way to unblock Netflix regions for free.

Use the table below to compare our recommended free Netflix VPNs side by side:

Further down in this guide we’ll take a close look at each of the Netflix VPNs compared above.

We’ll also explain how to use a free VPN with Netflix, and the importance of using a trusted free VPN.

For the best streaming experience, you need to use a paid VPN. These unblock multiple Netflix regions, deliver the fastest speeds, and work on almost any device.

While they’re not 100% free, like PrivadoVPN or Windscribe, you can use a paid VPN for free for a given period of time. This is ideal to watch Netflix on vacation, or binge-watch a TV series.

The two best VPN free trials for unblocking Netflix are:

The video tutorial below shows you how easy it is to watch Netflix with a VPN:

Likewise, getting a free VPN or a VPN free trial to use with Netflix is simple.

Follow the steps below to use a VPN for free and unblock geo-restricted Netflix content.

For a full overview of this research, check out our article on Are Free VPNs Safe?

Sadly, many free VPNs put users at greater risk than using no VPN at all.

It costs money to own and operate a VPN service, so how can a free VPN provider sustain itself without charging a subscription fee?

The answer is that free VPN services often monetize their users, while delivering a weakened service.

Here are some of the ways in which free VPNs can pose a risk to your security and safety:

1. Logging Your Online Activity and Personal Information. Free VPN providers have direct access to a huge supply of personal web data, now the world’s most valuable resource. A good VPN service operates a strict no-logging policy, deleting user data immediately or never recording it in the first place.

   However, many free VPNs exploit their position in order to collect, store, and sell valuable information about their customers.

   One study by CSIRO in 2016 found that 75% of the 283 free VPN products they tested contained at least one tracking library.

   These trackers allowed the companies to monitor and log information such as:

   • The users’ IP address.
   • The websites they visited.
   • The time they spent on these websites.
   • Sensitive information (e.g. bank details) that are shared on unprotected sites.

   Given one of the main reasons to use a VPN is to protect your privacy online, this is a clear violation of trust. Yet, for most free VPNs, it is common practice.

2. Infecting Your Device with Malware. A number of free VPNs knowingly endanger users by infecting their device with malware.Malware is a piece of code designed to hack into your accounts, steal your money, or lock you out of your accounts until a ransom is paid.

   We recently investigated 150 of the most popular free VPN apps in the Google Play Store and discovered that a worrying 21% tested positive for potential malware or viruses. This included Ultrasurf (beta) and VPN Proxy Master, both counting over 5 million installs.

3. Leaking Sensitive Information. A defining feature of a VPN is its encryption tunnel. Yet, CSIRO revealed that a staggering 18% of the free VPNs they tested had no encryption whatsoever, making them more like proxy servers than VPNs. Without encryption, a VPN cannot protect your privacy. Instead, it will reveal personal information like your IP address to your ISP, government, and any snooping third party.

   Even with encryption, VPNs can still leak sensitive information. Of the top 150 free VPN apps on Google Play, 25% leaked user-identifying data in our leak tests, despite all using some form of encryption.

   Most of the time these were DNS leaks, but there were also instances of WebRTC leaks and IP address leaks.

   Data leaks undermine the whole purpose of using a VPN for privacy. These findings emphasize the need to be extra careful when using a free VPN.

In addition to putting your privacy and security at risk, free VPN services rarely have the money or motivation to ensure their product is the best it can be.

Below are different ways free VPNs can affect user experience:

1. Won’t Work with Netflix and Other Streaming Platforms. A common reason for getting a VPN is to access streaming and entertainment web content from abroad. This involves unblocking platforms like Netflix, HBO and BBC iPlayer. Sadly, the vast majority of free VPNs do not work with streaming services. PrivadoVPN and Windscribe are the only 100% free VPNs that work with Netflix, and it is a similar story for other streaming services.

   Free VPNs tend not to be effective when it comes to streaming.

2. Data Usage Limits. Most free VPNs impose some form of data usage limit. This means that, for free VPNs that do unblock Netflix, there is only a certain amount of content you can stream before running out of data.The limit varies across providers. Windscribe Free users are allowed up to 10GB of data, which equates to around four hours of Netflix streaming. Whereas TunnelBear restricts users to just 2GB, which isn’t even enough for a single movie.
3. Slow Connection Speeds. Free VPNs are often known for having slow speeds and unstable connections. While paid VPN providers invest in large server networks in order to give customers a greater range of locations, free VPN services tend to offer relatively few servers.

   With fewer servers and locations, connections often have further to travel between device and server. The servers themselves are also far more crowded, leading to slower speeds and occasional drops in connection.

   Free VPNs have sometimes also throttle connections to reduce VPN speeds. They do this to maintain network stability or to frustrate users into upgrading to the paid version of the product.

Simply put, most free VPNs are not worth the risk. At best, they’re slow and unable to unblock Netflix. At worst, they steal your personal information and infect your device with malware.

This is not to say that all free VPNs are bad or unsafe – or that all paid VPNs are trustworthy. It just emphasizes the need to do your research before using a VPN, especially a free one.