As a VPN reviewer, I am in luck as I have free subscriptions for several VPNs to evaluate them. Among those VPNs, ExpressVPN is the one that has stood out the most for me so far. You can learn the reason why in my ExpressVPN 2021 review. Naturally, I also use ExpressVPN for Netflix too. While I need to unblock US Netflix content most of the time, sometimes I need it for Netflix UK, Canada, or even Australia.
Why Can't I Access Netflix Content: Geo-blocking
First, why can't I access the same Netflix content anywhere in the world? Netflix is one of the best streaming services in the world, providing a large variety of content. However, Netflix's library of available movies and TV shows is different from country to country.
As you already know, Netflix offers its original content and content owned by other vendors. In most cases, third-party content is copyrighted and licensed, and the ownership rights sometimes include territorial exclusivity. As a result, the content might be available in one region but be ineligible for streaming in another. This is the reason Netflix and other streaming content providers use geo-blocking.
So, geo-blocking is the process of restricting access to parts of the content library of a streaming service like Netflix based on the viewer's location. The reason it exists is to allow any copyright and licensing violations that would cause Netflix legal issues.
To go one step further, movie studios and broadcasters pushed Netflix to ban known VPN IPs to block the use of VPN with the service. That's why, even in 2021, many VPN services do not work with Netflix. This VPN IP blacklist is ever-growing, so a VPN server that used to work for a service like Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu may suddenly stop working.
However, top-tier VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Cyberghost, and Surfshark (but even some decent choices like Ivacy VPN) have ways of avoiding this blacklisting or changing IP addresses constantly so that you will not be a victim of geo-blocking.
How to Unblock Netflix Using ExpressVPN
To install ExpressVPN on a computer, the fastest method is to go to the ExpressVPN website and look for the Get Started link. The installation process for the ExpressVPN client is straightforward, but you will need an active ExpressVPN subscription to use ExpressVPN. Once the installation is complete, you can start the ExpressVPN client, log in with your account credentials, and select a location you wish to unblock.
The process is similar when using ExpressVPN as an Android or iPhone VPN. Head to the site, sign up for ExpressVPN, and then download the app from the relevant app store. Once it's installed, you must start the ExpressVPN app, sign in with your details, and open up the Netflix app to start watching.
Watching Netflix with ExpressVPN
The other part of solving the geo-blocking equation is finding out what shows and movies are available on specific regional libraries of Netflix. A handy tool for that kind of search is FLIXWATCH, the unofficial Netflix search engine.
For instance, you can find:
- Content exclusive to Netflix USA.
- Content exclusive to Netflix Canada.
- Content exclusive to Netflix UK & Ireland.
- Content exclusive to Netflix Australia and New Zealand.
FLIXWATCH is a competent search engine with which you can find any kind of content available on Netflix and the region you need to unlock with ExpressVPN to access it. After connecting to your region of choice, you can go to netflix.com (or open your Netflix app) and search for the title you want to watch.
Will ExpressVPN Slow Your Internet?
The short answer is yes. However, the full answer is that a top-tier VPN like ExpressVPN will affect your connection as little as possible. Of course, if you connect to the other side of the world like I do when connecting to the US or Australia, you will experience some latency and be unable to make the most of your bandwidth.
However, since ExpressVPN prioritizes speed (especially if you use Lightway, ExpressVPN's next-gen VPN protocol based on WireGuard), you should be able to stream at the same resolution you would use without using a VPN.
ExpressVPN will impress you in that regard. Moreover, don't forget that using a secure VPN like ExpressVPN prevents your ISP from throttling your internet connection.
As you can see on my ExpressVPN review, ExpressVPN maintains most of my connection speed even when I'm connected to Australia or Hong Kong and even the latency is not unacceptable.
| Location | Latency [ms] | Download Speed [Mbps] |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline – Athens, Greece, no VPN | 16 | 26.59 |
| Romania – Bucharest | 38 | 24.73 |
| Span – Barcelona | 146 | 25.11 |
| France – Strasbourg | 80 | 24.16 |
| UK – London | 100 | 24.81 |
| Netherlands – Rotterdam | 83 | 23.84 |
| Germany – Nuremberg | 92 | 25.37 |
| USA – New York | 246 | 23.39 |
| USA – Los Angeles | 194 | 24.61 |
| Canada – Toronto | 142 | 25.41 |
| Australia – Melbourne | 295 | 23.11 |
| Hong Kong – 2 | 253 | 21.21 |
As you can see, using ExpressVPN for Netflix geo-unblocking is an impressively reliable option.
A Word of Warning
Despite using a VPN service, you still have to log into your Netflix account to watch any content. This means that Netflix knows what content you are watching and that you may be switching between countries to bypass geo-blocking.
So far, Netflix has not taken any action against people using VPNs, claiming that it does not share your private data with anyone, including authorities. You can read Netflix's privacy policy page for more information on that front. However, this policy may change anytime, and a VPN cannot protect you from being targeted by copyright infringement lawsuits.