Let’s get one thing straight first: using a free VPN for Netflix is always tricky. Just like all other streaming platforms like Hulu or Disney+, Netflix is waging a war on users who try to access its geo-blocked TV shows and movies. And, they have a good reason to do so since there are different exclusivities regarding copyrights in different parts of the world.
Netflix works hard to detect those who use a VPN to unblock geo-restricted shows
Therefore, even premium VPN services could fail to provide access after some time as their IP addresses and servers may get blocked.
Top 5 free (trial) VPNs for Netflix
There are only a few completely free VPN services that unblock Netflix. And it’s not always the much-coveted US library, that’s why we tested if they can give you access to the Netherlands and Japan libraries as well. Besides, you can still find providers that offer free trials for more than one day.
So, please find our top 5 free (trial) VPNs for Netflix below:
1. Windscribe VPN
- Unblocks Netflix in: the Netherlands
- Free version: Yes, 10 locations, 10 GB/month
- Features: unlimited simultaneous connections, fast speeds, Amazon Fire TV app
Windscribe is the best free VPN for Netflix and here’s why. For starters, it unblocks Netflix in the Netherlands, which has almost 4,000 movies and series available. Furthermore, it has a generous 10 GB/month bandwidth – only a few competitors allow more than that.
Another great feature of Windscribe is the unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning that you can connect all your devices and watch Netflix for free wherever you might be. This service also provides fast speeds that should be enough for HD or even 4K streaming – it will probably depend more on your internet connection. There’s also an app for Amazon Fire TV and setup guides for routers and Kodi.
However, you may want to try Windscribe at its fullest to access over 60 countries and its special Windflix servers. They don’t encrypt your traffic but provide better speeds for watching Netflix in the US, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and Japan.
2. ProtonVPN
- Unblocks Netflix in: Japan
- Free version: Yes, 3 locations, no bandwidth limit
- Features: excellent security and privacy, user-friendly, 7-day free trial
ProtonVPN may be the best free VPN for Netflix if you’re in Asia because it unblocks the Japanese library with over 5,000 TV shows and movies. However, users in Europe and the Americas will probably experience issues with streaming in 4K unless they have a really good connection. That’s because of the free version’s speed limit and the fact that ProtonVPN is not among the fastest providers.
However, if you download ProtonVPN, you will get a 7-day free trial of its Plus plan. It will give you the best speeds, five simultaneous connections, and access to the dedicated Netflix streaming servers that also unblock Hulu. Additionally, you will also be able to torrent and choose from the full list of 50+ countries.
To sum up, while ProtonVPN’s free version gives only one connected device, it comes with unlimited bandwidth and that’s the one thing you cannot do without if you’re a serious Netflix fan.
3. Atlas VPN
- Unblocks Netflix in: US
- Free version: Yes, 3 locations, no bandwidth limit
- Features: no-logs policy, allows P2P, military-grade encryption
First things first – Atlas VPN is available on Android and iOS only. If that’s not a problem, we can congratulate you on finding a service that unblocks Netflix US and has no bandwidth limit. While the speeds could be better, you should still be able to stream in HD – after all, there’s not much point in 4K on a smartphone or tablet.
However, if you want maximum quality, upgrading to Premium for $0.0/month will give you the necessary speed, as well as 24/7 email support and no ads. Also, while the free version has only three locations (Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and New York), paid version unlocks all 17+ countries.
We recommend installing Atlas VPN just to try and see if its speeds are good enough for you. After all, no other free VPN was able to unblock Netflix US that has over 5,800 titles in its library.
4. PrivateVPN
- Unblocks Netflix in: the US, the Netherlands, Japan
- Free version: No, 7-day free trial with no bandwidth limit
- Features: excellent for Netflix, fast speeds, very cheap
PrivateVPN is the best free trial VPN for Netflix – you will learn that faster than in 7 days given to you. All of its features are in full display with no bandwidth or server limit. Just install PrivateVPN and check out all of its dedicated streaming servers that include Disney Plus, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, among others.
During our test, we managed to unblock all three Netflix libraries in the US, the Netherlands, and Japan. The credit goes to PrivateVPN’s Stealth VPN feature that makes it harder for streaming platforms to detect that you’re using a VPN. The same feature makes this service suitable for use in China.
PrivateVPN is fast enough for streaming in 4K and allows six simultaneous connections. And since this VPN is so cheap, starting at $1.89/month, you may consider purchasing it after the free trial.
5. Trust.Zone
- Unblocks Netflix in: the US, the Netherlands
- Free version: No, 3-day free trial with 1 GB bandwidth limit
- Features: no-logs policy, unblocks Netflix, affordable
Trust.Zone VPN is a decent provider that unblocks Netflix in the US and the Netherlands. While a three-day trial can be considered a generous offer, the same cannot be said about 1 GB bandwidth – this will probably be enough just to assess Trust.Zone’s speeds but not unblocking capabilities. That’s because it has dedicated streaming servers in the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, and France, but these are available to premium users only.
Should you get Trust.Zone VPN that starts at $2.66/month? It depends on what devices you use because this service has apps for Windows and Android only. What’s more, there’s no live chat or 24/7 support, a feature that distinguishes premium VPNs from the rest. Finally, Trust.Zone’s speeds are inconsistent, meaning that today you might be unable to watch your show in 4K even though you did that yesterday.
4 traits that a good VPN for Netflix should have
There are four crucial traits a good free VPN for Netflix should have so that you can enjoy watching geo-restricted videos:
- Ability to unblock Netflix without detection
- Good speed for streaming HD videos
- No connection drops
- Good privacy features
As you can see, the chances of you finding a good free VPN for Netflix are pretty slim. But, we are not saying it’s impossible, either.
Our top free VPNs (and a couple with free-trials) ranked above are definitely worth a look because once you find a VPN that can unblock Netflix, it’s mostly up to speed whether you can enjoy watching streaming HD shows. Here a lot depends on your physical location and distance from your chosen server as well as the time of day when you connect.
Finally, there’s the number of libraries that a free VPN for Netflix can unblock. Usually, Netflix US is the most-wanted one, but we also checked if our tested services can give access to the Netherlands and Japan. Naturally, users in Asia might want to watch the latter version because of faster speeds.
Free VPNs don’t work with Netflix
There are a number of free VPNs that come up in search results and are mentioned or ranked on review sites as working with Netflix. However, our research shows that most of these are based on outdated information. This is why we decided to list some of the most frequently ranked and supposedly free VPNs for Netflix that are either not free, not working, or both.
- Hide.Me – free version, doesn’t unblock Netflix
- TunnelBear – free version, doesn’t unblock Netflix
- Hotspot Shield – free version, doesn’t unblock Netflix
- Ivacy VPN – no free version, free trial, unblocks Netflix
- ExpressVPN – no free version, free trial, unblocks Netflix
- Astrill VPN – no free version, free trial, unblocks Netflix
- TorGuard – no free version, free trial, doesn’t unblock Netflix
- NordVPN – no free version, no free trial, unblocks Netflix
- Perfect Privacy – no free version, no free trial, unblocks Netflix
Alternative VPNs for Netflix
As you can see, even the best free VPNs for Netflix have their limitations when it comes to the number of countries or simultaneous connections. We tried hard but couldn’t find one truly great VPN for Netflix that we could recommend with certainty. This is a grey area anyway because even paid VPN services to get blocked more and more often.
There is no permanent solution for unblocking Netflix. However, you can always go for a top-notch paid VPN for streaming that is determined to find new ways to bypass the Netflix detection even if its servers get blocked.
We’ve found that some providers aren’t ready to give up and still work with Netflix. If you live abroad, are a traveler, or simply want to watch geo-restricted shows real bad, we suggest that you visit our Best VPN for Netflix page for more information on streaming your favorite shows from anywhere.
Did you check Atlas VPN as well? Their free version is the best for streaming Netflix. They don’t limit data, unlike most of the listed free providers, so you’re up for a good start without paying a single penny
I’m glad I could stumble on this article. I must say it’s really helpful. Currently out of the United States to Asia for a few days and needed a free VPN which is fast and reliable to access Netflix. Really happy to find many options here. Thank you