How to Watch American Netflix with a VPN in 2025: Guide & Best Netflix VPNs

If you’re traveling outside the U.S., you can still access the American Netflix library. Our guide shows you how to watch American Netflix from anywhere.

Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)

Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Co-Chief Editor)

Last Updated: 19 Feb'25

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

Key Takeaways: How to Watch American Netflix

Sign up for a 72% discounted plan on NordVPN’s website.
Connect to a U.S. server.
Go to Netflix and start streaming American Netflix content.

Best 3 VPNs for Accessing American Netflix:

NordVPN — Top-rated VPN delivering exceptional performance. New NordVPN subscribers get up to 72% reduced rates on long-term commitments.
Surfshark — Wallet-friendly VPN without compromises. Explore Surfshark’s features with a 30-day return policy, and grab extended plans at a 66% (plus 3 months free) discount.
ExpressVPN — Easy-to-use VPN with great performance and features. Get 25% off the first two years with ExpressVPN, covered by its 30-day money-back guarantee.

What to Know About Accessing American Netflix:

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.
NordVPN 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 Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Both have decent speeds and are great VPNs for Netflix.

The Best VPN for American Netflix

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.

To access U.S. Netflix, our top VPN recommendation is NordVPN. 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.

How to Unblock Every Netflix Library and Stream From Any Country

Meet the experts

Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)

Kit Copson is a writer and briefing editor at Cloudwards, with over two years of expertise in streaming services and entertainment. With a BA in English & Creative Writing from Birmingham City University, Kit’s background as an English teacher uniquely positions her to convey complex information in an engaging and understandable manner. Beyond her professional pursuits, she’s an avid animal lover, a film enthusiast with deep roots in the VPN world from her time in China, and a writer whose work is featured in various publications including PetKeen, Excited Cats, and Hepper.

More about Kit Copson

Jackie Leavitt (Co-Chief Editor)

Jackie Leavitt is a co-chief editor at Cloudwards, where she has been leading the editorial team for over three years, bringing 12 years of diverse experience in professional communications and editing. Her expertise is rooted in a solid educational background with a Master’s in Strategic Communications and Bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and European Culture Studies. Leavitt’s career spans various sectors, including international journalism and publishing, and she is recognized for her skill in enhancing editorial systems and digital content quality. In addition to her professional life, she is passionate about sailing, dancing (especially salsa and swing) and outdoor activities like running and camping.

More about Jackie Leavitt

Learn more about our editorial team and our research process.

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.
07/16/2024

Added our “how to unblock Netflix” video for easy viewing.
10/01/2024

We refreshed this guide with updated step-by-step instructions and revised VPN rankings.
12/04/2024

Updated to add PrivadoVPN as the best free VPN for Netflix US.
02/11/2025 Facts checked

Added additional information on the best VPNs for American Netflix.
updates

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.

Sign up for a VPN, like NordVPN. Go to NordVPN’s website and sign up at a 72% discount.
Download the VPN app to your device.
Open the VPN app and connect to a U.S. server.
Open Netflix and start streaming American Netflix.

Sign up for NordVPN
Go to NordVPN’s website and pick a plan. All NordVPN plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Download NordVPN
Download the NordVPN app for your device and follow the instructions in the installation wizard.
Connect to a US Server
Open the NordVPN app, then select a U.S. server and tap the “connect” button.
Open Netflix and Start Streaming
Open Netflix, pick the movie or show you want to watch, put your feet up and enjoy streaming.

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 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. NordVPN — Best VPN for US Netflix

The Best VPN for American Netflix

Pros

Gets into many streaming services
Fastest speeds
30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

Fiddly mobile map

Watch without borders — try NordVPN risk-free for 30 days and get 72% off.

NordVPN is the best streaming VPN. It gets into major streaming services, including Netflix, and has the fastest speeds. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee to give you peace of mind if you want to give it a try.

We also like NordVPN’s user-friendly interface and that you can switch servers without opening a location list. While there is a handy list at the side, the main feature is its interactive map. However, as much as it’s great to use on the desktop app, it’s a bit tricky to use on smaller screens.

Still, that’s not a deal-breaker and NordVPN has a cheap two-year plan available. Read our complete guide to learn how to watch Netflix with NordVPN, as well as our full NordVPN review.

30-days money-back guarantee

Basic

**VAT may apply
Unlimited GB
10
Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

$59.88 billed every year

Save 61%

2-year plan + 3 months

$3.09/month

$83.43 billed every 2 years

Save 76%

Plus

*The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
Unlimited GB
10
Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

$71.88 billed every year

Save 57%

2-year plan + 3 months

$3.99/month

$107.73 billed every 2 years

Save 71%

Complete

*The prices are shown only apply for the first 12 months.
Unlimited GB
10
Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

$83.88 billed every year

Save 53%

2-year plan + 3 months

$4.99/month

$134.73 billed every 2 years

Save 66%

Prime

**The prices are applicable only for the first 24 months. Secure, high-speed VPN Threat Protection Pro™: Anti-malware and advanced browsing protection Threat Protection Pro™: Ad and tracker blocker Password manager with Data Breach Scanner 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage Identity and SSN monitoring and alerts Credit monitoring services Up to $1M in identity theft insurance Up to $100K in cyber extortion insurance
10

1-month plan, 1-year plan

$107.88 billed every year

Save 50%

2-year plan + 3 months

$6.99/month

$188.73 billed every 2 years

Save 61%

2. Surfshark — Best VPN for US Netflix With Unlimited Connections

Pros

Strong security suite options
Solid security
Excellent speeds

Cons

Site may collect your real IP
High latency on close servers
No Mac/iOS split tunneling

Stream freely across the globe — get Surfshark’s best deal at 66% (plus 3 months free) off today.

Surfshark is an excellent VPN for watching Netflix from anywhere in the world. It has 22 high-speed U.S. locations to choose from and any of these can access American streaming sites including Netflix. The unlimited simultaneous connections mean your whole family can stream without interfering with each other.

Surfshark is also a very affordable VPN. It offers a premium service on a budget, as long as you get a long-term plan. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free, and you can read our Surfshark review to learn more.

30-days money-back guarantee

Surfshark Starter

Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
Unlimited GB
Unlimited
Yes

1-month plan, 15-months plan

$47.85 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 79%

2-year plan + 3 months

$2.19/month

$59.13 billed every 2 years

Save 85%

Surfshark One

Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
Unlimited GB
Unlimited

1-month plan, 15-months plan

$50.85 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 81%

2-year plan + 3 months

$2.69/month

$72.63 billed every 2 years

Save 85%

Surfshark One+

Everything in One, plus Data removal Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
Unlimited GB
Unlimited

1-month plan, 15-months plan

$91.35 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 70%

2-year plan + 3 months

$4.29/month

$115.83 billed every 2 years

Save 79%

3. ExpressVPN — User Friendly Netflix US VPN

Pros

Lightning fast
Consistently unblocks major streaming services
30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

Expensive

Unlock a world of entertainment — subscribe to ExpressVPN with a 25% discount and 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN is another 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.

On the downside, it is quite expensive. The best deal is the two-year plan, which costs $4.99 per month. Plus the lack of a monthly plan means you have to subscribe for at least a year. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee you can use to try it. Read our ExpressVPN review for more details.

ExpressVPN Plans

Pricing for the annual and biennial plans applies only on the first year.
Unlimited GB
8
Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-year plan + 3 months

$6.66/month

$99.95 billed every year

2-year plan + 4 months

$4.99/month

$139.72 billed every 2 years

Save 25%

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 PrivadoVPN — one of the best free VPNs for Netflix. It’s secure and has an unlimited free plan that provides as much protection as its paid plans. It also does a great job of smashing through Netflix’s geoblocks.

That said, you’ll only get super-fast speeds for the first 10GB of data you use. After that, slower speeds may cause lag or buffering when streaming. If you want consistently fast speeds, we recommend subscribing to a paid plan. To learn more about what the service offers, check out our PrivadoVPN review.

What if I Can’t Access American Netflix?

If you can’t access American Netflix you should try different U.S. servers, clearing your cache and refreshing the page each time you switch servers.

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.

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. NordVPN is the best VPN for the job. Curious about NordVPN? Its 30-day refund policy means you can explore all its features worry-free and decide if it’s the right fit for you.

Want to learn even more? Have a look at our guide on 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.