A free VPN (virtual private network) often comes with limitations, including data caps and slow speeds, and most free VPNs can’t even unblock Netflix. So how do you pick a free

VPN that works with Netflix? We’ve done the heavy lifting for you by researching and testing dozens of free VPNs to find the best free VPN for Netflix.

Read on to discover our three best free VPNs to watch Netflix movies and shows, regardless of your location and what device you’re using.

However, if you want to invest in a premium VPN provider with reasonably-priced subscription plans and reliable servers and features that will consistently unblock Netflix, your best bet is NordVPN.

NOTE:

Netflix has announced they will roll out more stringent controls on account sharing in “early 2023.” The idea is to prevent users from sharing their accounts outside of their household. The tips and instructions included in the article are currently working but could be affected by these changes. We will continue to review and test Netflix VPNs to ensure we provide the most current information.

The Three Best Free VPNs for Netflix

Below, we’ll share three reliable free VPNs for Netflix. It’s worth noting that, with a free VPN that works with Netflix, unlimited streaming is not a given. Some require several tries before they work with Netflix, while others come with data and bandwidth limitations.

Feature	#1 PrivadoVPN	#2 Proton VPN	#3 TunnelBear
Unlimited speeds	✔	✔	✔
Free data per month	10 GB	Unlimited	500 MB to 1.5 GB
Countries with servers	10	3	46
Easy Netflix access (without too much tweaking)	✔	✖	✖
Protocols	OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard	OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec
Download	Get PrivadoVPN	Get Proton VPN	Get TunnelBear

However, free VPNs aren’t the most reliable pick to unblock Netflix. If you reach your data cap mid-show, you won’t be able to watch your favorite series anymore. Hence, a premium VPN, like NordVPN, is the best solution for overcoming these issues.

Now, let’s dig into our best free Netflix VPNs, starting with our No.1 free VPN provider, PrivadoVPN.

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1. PrivadoVPN: The overall best free VPN for Netflix

Features:

• Free monthly data allowance of 10 GB
• Free servers in 10 countries, including the US, the UK, and Mexico
• Unblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney Plus, and other streaming platforms
• Offers apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
• Very easy to use for binging your favorite Netflix movies

PrivadoVPN is the best free VPN for Netflix, period. During our testing, this VPN service consistently unblocked Netflix libraries without trouble. We were particularly impressed with the fact that it was able to reliably unblock Netflix USA. Just that alone would make it the best free Netflix VPN.

The free version of PrivadoVPN offers servers in 12 cities and 10 GB of data each month, although you can only connect one device at a time. You also get military-grade AES-256 encryption alongside an automatic kill switch that will cut off your connection to the internet if the VPN stops working, which is rare among free VPNs.

PrivadoVPN’s only drawback as a reliable free VPN to watch Netflix, is that if you exhaust the data offer, you’ll be limited to 1 Mbit speed and only one server. This won’t work well if you intend to stream high-definition movies. Still, PrivadoVPN consistently exceled in our VPN tests and tops our list of the best truly free VPNs.

Click the button below if you want to stream your favorite Netflix shows with PrivadoVPN today!

You can also read our full PrivadoVPN review to learn more about this top-rated VPN and the unlimited experience it offers in its premium version.

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2. Proton VPN: Guaranteed anonymity to watch Netflix safely

Features:

• Quick and easy installation
• Servers in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands
• Doesn’t keep any logs of your activity
• No caps on speed or traffic
• Can unblock numerous streaming platforms

Proton VPN is the best pick if you’re a privacy-minded person and is a good free VPN that works with Netflix most of the time. It’s also one of the few free VPNs that doesn’t keep any logs of your activity, lets you enjoy the internet completely anonymously, and helps you stay safe online. These are some of the reasons we have also included it in our best free VPN for Netflix list.

If you’re thinking of accessing Netflix (or any other streaming platform), you’ll also be happy to know Proton VPN doesn’t impose any speed or traffic limits. You can use their free plan, no-questions-asked, for as long as you want. Not to mention, it’s very easy to install. Once you have it on your PC, you can easily watch Netflix in different countries with Proton VPN.

But there are also a few downsides to Proton VPN. In our tests, its ability to unblock Netflix was spotty. Sometimes it would get through, but most times, we weren’t able to watch other Netflix libraries from our location. It also has a limited server network.

If you don’t want to deal with the limitations of Proton VPN Free, you can always get more by opting for a Proton VPN paid plan. Find out more about what this VPN provider has to offer in our Proton VPN review.

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3. TunnelBear: Free Netflix VPN with plenty of server locations

NOTE:

TunnelBear failed at unblocking Netflix in our most recent round of testing. For now, it might be safe to pick a different VPN from our list.

Features:

• Free 2 GB of data every month
• Free access to over 40 server locations
• Users in some countries with anti-censorship measures enjoy 10 GB per month
• Offers apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac
• Has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox

In our tests, TunnelBear had a bit of a harder time unblocking Netflix libraries. We had to tweak some settings, including switching servers and VPN protocols, to access Netflix libraries in the United Kingdom and Germany. Even then, we didn’t get consistent results with this free VPN to watch Netflix.

Apart from the tweaking it requires, its default free data allowance of 500 MB is also an issue. As such, we wouldn’t recommend this VPN service for unblocking Netflix long-term, but it’s worth a shot if you’re out of options.

However, TunnelBear is one of the more reliable and secure free VPNs. You get military-grade AES-256 encryption, which is near-impossible to break. Even on a free account, you’ll be able to connect to servers in several countries, including Germany, Spain, Japan, the USA, France, and Canada.

This free Netflix VPN provider also offers a paid plan that comes with a lot more features. You can learn more about that in our full TunnelBear review.

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How We Chose the Best Free VPNs for Netflix

We looked at different factors when choosing the best free VPN for Netflix, such as speed, no-logs policy, and security features. However, most free VPNs that work with Netflix come with significant limitations, so it’s crucial to scrutinize your options to ensure you’re picking the best one.

Below you’ll find the main criteria we looked at while picking the best free VPN for Netflix.

• Ability to stream Netflix: Some free VPN services can unblock Netflix in Europe, but very few VPNs can access Netflix USA. That’s why it’s vital to confirm which Netflix libraries your VPN can unblock. We specifically considered some of the best free VPNs for the USA and tested those with Netflix.
• Speed: Most free VPNs for Netflix cap your speeds and throttle your bandwidth. If your free VPN service is slow, you’ll experience lag, buffering, and poor video quality while watching Netflix. Luckily, it is easy to test a VPN for speed and security, including free VPNs for Netflix.
• No-logs policy: Because many VPNs log and sell your data to advertisers, it’s essential to determine if the free VPN offers a strict no-logs policy.
• Security: Your VPN is as good as the security features it offers. Free VPNs generally come with limited security features, but AES-256 encryption and strong protocols are must-haves.
• Customer support: Some VPNs give customer support priority to paying customers. So if you’re using a free VPN, you might not be able to get the help you need. At the very least, your chosen VPN should have exhaustive knowledge bases and user forums.

What to Do If Your Free Netflix VPN Isn’t Working

You might be tempted to call it quits when you notice that even the best free VPN for Netflix isn’t unblocking any streaming sites. Before you throw in the towel, here are a few troubleshooting tips to get your free Netflix VPN working again.

1. Try a premium VPN instead (you can try most of them for free!)

There are some things you can do to try and get Netflix working with a free VPN. And we’ll teach you all about these further down in the article. However, if you want to unblock the streaming platform easily, we recommend using a premium VPN for Netflix instead.

You don’t even have to lose any money for it. VPNs like Surfshark and NordVPN have great money-back guarantees, which you can use as de-facto-free trials. Sure, you’ll have to pay some money upfront. But you can get it back later, no questions asked.

2. Select a different VPN server

Chances are, the free VPN server you’re using is blocked by Netflix. It might also be leaking information about your location. Whatever the case, if your free VPN is struggling to access Netflix, choose a different server location.

You might have to sift through several servers before finding one that can unblock Netflix libraries. We recommend using streaming-optimized VPN servers to access Netflix. These usually have obfuscation features that can outwit Netflix’s geo-blocks.

PrivadoVPN is the only free VPN we recommend that has obfuscation features.

3. Clear your cache and cookies

Your browser’s cache and cookies improve your browsing experience by making pages load faster. However, this comes at a cost: these cookies keep track of addresses and locations and may reveal those to websites you visit.

Even if your free VPN is working, Netflix might know that your location and IP address don’t match. As a result, it can block you from watching geo-specific Netflix content altogether.

Clear your cache and cookies periodically to remove any hint of your location. Alternatively, you can change your browser or use incognito mode to browse anonymously alongside using one of the VPNs in our best free VPN for Netflix list.

4. Make sure your VPN is up-to-date

While software updates may be easy to ignore, they often add important security fixes and unblocking capabilities to your VPN. These updates are essential because Netflix is also constantly trying to outsmart VPNs.

In general, we recommend you check for available updates for your VPN at least once a month. Another helpful option is to restore your VPN to its default settings, especially if you’ve tampered with them repeatedly.

In exceptional cases, you may have to uninstall and reinstall your free VPN to get it working properly. Usually, however, you’ll simply be shown a popup asking you to update the software.

5. Contact customer support

If the above measures don’t work, contact your VPN’s customer support. However, most VPNs limit the support options for free users. Start with knowledge bases found on their websites.

If you don’t find what you need there, you can email, call, or use live chat to contact support.

Tips for Using a Free VPN With Netflix

There are a lot of things you can do, both to make your free Netflix VPN run better and to make the most of your experience. Here are a few of our tips for using a free VPN with Netflix:

1. Try connecting to the US and Turkey libraries: If your VPN has servers in these countries, connect to those locations, as they have the best collections of movies and TV shows.
2. Use Netflix secret codes: These codes can help you unlock hidden movies and TV shows.
3. Pay attention to your data limits: It’d be a bummer to be cut off mid-movie or show because you ran out of bandwidth, so ensure you check how much data you have left.
4. Stop all your downloads or updates: If you’re downloading something in the background while using a free VPN, you’ll experience slower connection speeds, and you’ll burn through your data allowance really fast.
5. Turn off the VPN connection after you’re done watching Netflix: If you have a small data allowance on your free Netflix VPN, this will help you stretch out that allowance.

Why Free VPNs Aren’t the First Choice for Watching Netflix

Even the best free VPNs for Netflix often have lots of limitations that make them unsuitable as Netflix VPNs. Here are some of the problems you’ll run into trying a free VPN to watch Netflix:

• Free VPNs might log and sell your data: If you’re not paying for the VPN, then these free services must find a different way to make money. Some free VPNs log your data and sell it to advertisers.
• Some VPNs contain malware: In 2017, researchers from the University of NSW and UC Berkley in the US studied 238 VPN apps on the Google Play Store to determine if they had any malware. The results were shocking: over 38% of VPNs studied contained some form of malware, spyware, or adware.
• Free VPNs might have ads and pop-ups: Free VPNs often bombard you with ads and pop-ups. These ads are often targeted, meaning free VPNs likely share your internet traffic data with advertisers.
• Data limits might interrupt your Netflix experience: According to Netflix, users will burn through 3 GB per hour when they set their video quality to High Definition. For comparison, most free VPNs don’t offer more than 10 GB per month, while some only offer less than 1 GB per month.
• Free VPNs could slow down your internet: Some free VPNs intentionally throttle your bandwidth and slow down your internet traffic. They do this to nudge free users to upgrade to a paid plan.

Does your free VPN have enough data to stream Netflix?

The best free VPNs for Netflix, like PrivadoVPN, give your around 10 GB of data each month. However, free VPNs at the lowest rung of the ladder give you just 500 MB.

For Netflix streaming, these data caps are inadequate. Here are Netflix’s video quality settings to help you understand how much data they take up on average.

Netflix video setting	Data consumption/hour
Low	Up to 0.3 GB
Medium	Up to 0.7 GB
Standard Definition (SD)	Up to 1 GB
High Definition (HD)	Up to 3 GB
Ultra High Definition (UHD or 4K)	Up to 7 GB

If you want to watch more than just a few hours of Netflix, you’ll need a VPN service that provides unlimited bandwidth.

NordVPN: Best VPN With Unlimited Data

During our NordVPN review, we discovered that NordVPN can unblock Netflix libraries in many countries, including the US, the UK, Turkey, and plenty more countries with amazing content. We’ve tested this VPN extensively, and it never failed to unblock content from Netflix.

NordVPN was also really fast during our testing circuit. We could stream The Walking Dead on Netflix US without lag or buffering. In fact, it’s the fastest out of all the VPNs we test regularly. Plus, Netflix recently announced targeting users that use multiple IP addresses. NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses, which are only assigned to one user.

On top of speed and a proven track record of unblocking Netflix, NordVPN is also really easy to use and affordable, and you can even get a free trial for NordVPN thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. There is also a slew of extra features like Meshnet technology that connects many remote devices and can help you bypass the Netflix password-sharing ban.

If you want an extensive server network of 5,400 reliable VPN servers at your fingertips, robust security features, and the ability to stream high-quality videos lag-free, choose NordVPN.

Free Netflix VPNs to Avoid

Unfortunately, not all free VPNs can unblock the American Netflix library. Others have substandard privacy practices that can put you in danger. Below, we’ve listed some free VPNs we think you should avoid for streaming Netflix.

VPN Provider	Why You Should Avoid It
Tuxler VPN	This provider doesn’t unblock Netflix. Even if it did, its speeds are not nearly good enough for streaming.
Hola VPN	Apart from not working with Netflix, Hola logs a ton of user data. Whether watching Netflix or doing something else, you should never compromise your data this way.
Radmin VPN	Although it’s called a VPN, it doesn’t really do many things a VPN can do, such as unblocking streaming services. Moreover, it only works on Windows.
Pure VPN	It’s not free anymore, so it won’t fit your needs.

Final Thoughts: The Best Free VPNs for Netflix

Because of Netflix’s anti-VPN technology, many free VPNs draw a blank when they try to access Netflix. Based on our extensive research and testing, here are the best free VPNs for Netflix that can bypass the platform’s restrictions:

1. PrivadoVPN: The overall best free VPN for Netflix
2. Proton VPN: Guaranteed anonymity and security
3. TunnelBear: Free Netflix VPN with plenty of server locations

However, even the best free VPNs have severe data and bandwidth limitations, making it hard to enjoy Netflix. If you don’t want to deal with those limits and shortcomings, we recommend NordVPN, the best VPN for Netflix. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it without committing to anything.

The Best Free VPN for Netflix: Frequently Asked Questions