Does ExpressVPN Unblock Netflix?

Download Astro
Download Astro
May 25, 2022

Did you know that you can find a whole different library of media on Netflix’s foreign servers? Each country has its own regional and international content, giving you a unique chance to catch media from around the world.

But what’s the secret to accessing those servers? Turns out that there is no secret and you just have to use a high-quality VPN to redirect your internet to a foreign server. But it’s no walk in the park, accessing those foreign Netflix servers, as the service has banned the use of VPNs in order to honor its agreements with media partners. The streaming service has even gone so far as to create a VPN detection system that rivals that of China’s VPN detection system. So finding the right VPN for Netflix can be tough, but there is in fact one service that provides unrestricted access to Netflix at all times.

By far, the best VPN to use with Netflix in 2019 is ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN is a virtual private network based in the British Virgin Islands, a place that has been notoriously good for VPNs due to strict personal privacy laws. As of right now, ExpressVPN has done a great job of unblocking Netflix and here’s a breakdown of ExpressVPN’s current compatibility with the streaming service.

ExpressVPN & Netflix – At a Glance

 

Servers and IP Addresses

 

ExpressVPN currently unblocks Netflix on a number of its servers, including servers in the US, UK, Netherlands, and Canada where most new content can be found. Furthermore, each server has thousands of IP addresses in order to trick Netflix’s detection system from noticing an IP address that is constantly streaming. Since the traffic is spread out through so many IPs, the detection system just thinks that the traffic is coming from a domestic user in each country.
 

 

Speed and Performance

 

Currently, there is no faster VPN in the market than ExpressVPN. Thus, your Netflix streaming speed will remain nearly the same as it was, prior to the use of the VPN. ExpressVPN has multiple servers present in the US, Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands, so if your streaming speed does become affected, simply switch to one of the other servers.
 

Best of all, ExpressVPN has a Speed Test which ranks the fastest servers to connect to, based on the latency and download speed of each server. With this neat feature, you can always be sure that you're connected to the best server for streaming Netflix or other media services.
 

 

Protocols and Compatibility

 

Netflix’s detection system is great at detecting VPNs that use the OpenVPN protocol as it is the most widely used protocol by VPNs. But thankfully, many VPN services also offer other protocols, which are good at slipping past Netflix’s system. Such is the case with ExpressVPN, as this service offers the following protocols.

• OpenVPN UDP
• OpenVPN TCP
• L2TP/IPsec
• IPsec
• IKEv2
• PPTP
• SSTP

 

Though streaming Netflix may be slightly slower with some of the older protocols, they are a reliable way to sneak past the detection system.

 

 

Quick Tips for Streaming

 

Though ExpressVPN is currently compatible with Netflix, it doesn’t mean that the service won’t occasionally have a few hiccups. Here’s a list of what you can do if you do experience connection/performance issues while trying to connect to Netflix.

• Switch Servers – If ExpressVPN fails to work on the server that you are connected to, simply try switching to another server, or reconnecting to your current server. The assigned IP address may have been recognized as a VPN by Netflix’s system, which would lead it to being blocked. So simply use Express’s Speed Test to find another quick functioning server to stream from.

 

• Use an Alternate Protocol – Due to OpenVPN’s popularity, it is the most likely protocol to be detected by Netflix’s detection system. Thus, using PPTP or L2TP/IPsec will likely allow you to bypass any restriction if you do happen to encounter any difficulties.

 

• Change the Streaming Quality – If you are in an area with sluggish internet speeds, then streaming will be difficult. Thus, changing the quality of the video to something lesser such as 480p or 720p will give you a better chance to stream without too much delay.

 

 

Conclusion

 

ExpressVPN does in fact still allow users to stream from Netflix, which is splendid to say the least. The service doesn’t work perfectly every time, but as of now, it works better than just about every other VPN. There’s no guarantee that ExpressVPN will be able to evade the Netflix ban forever, but for now, it’s your best bet to stream the content you want from around the world.