The Best Free VPNs for Netflix That Work in 2025

Netflix is at war with the VPN industry, trying to stop subscribers from accessing regional and geo-restricted content, but a good VPN can help you get around the barriers.
We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

Best overall

5.0
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Proton VPN's website

Proton VPN
View More

Best free server locations

4.5
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On PrivadoVPN's website

PrivadoVPN
View More

Proton VPN and Privado VPN are the two best free VPNs for watching Netflix. They're both reputable companies with high overall ratings and top-of-the-line security features, so you don't have to worry for paying with your data.

Proton VPN is the overall best option thanks to its unlimited data caps, high speeds, generous free server count, and open-source security. PrivadoVPN offers a wider pool of countries to connect to, if you're looking for specific content.

It’s worth noting that paid VPNs for Netflix provide more powerful servers. These VPNs often employ obfuscated servers, which hide your VPN usage and let you bypass Netflix’s restrictions easily. You’ll need to be careful, though, that you don’t use a VPN that logs and sells your data.

In this article
The best free VPNs for Netflix 2025
Proton VPN: Best overall
PrivadoVPN: Best free server locations
FAQs
Bottom line: The best free VPNs for Netflix

The best free VPNs for Netflix 2025

Netflix is notorious for blocking VPN usage and even has a policy against it, warning that you can lose your account if you violate the rule. If you’re willing to risk it but can’t commit to a paid VPN plan now, these options will help you watch for free.

Top 2 VPN services for Netflix compared

VPN
Free plan data limit Unlimited 10 GB/30 days
Free server count 314 servers in 6 countries Hundreds of servers in 50 countries
Average speed drop -7.43% (made our speeds faster) 26%
Passed Netflix test
Paid plan starting price $4.49/mo (billed every two years) $1.48/mo (billed every two years)
Learn more Get Proton VPN

Read Proton VPN Review

Get PrivadoVPN

Read PrivadoVPN Review

How we test and rate VPNs

We complete standardized hands-on tests for each VPN we review so we can put their claims to the test. This includes vigorous third-party testing by comparing our internet speed while connected to different servers, checking for DNS leaks, making sure the kill switch actually works, and more. We also make sure we can comfortably access popular streaming sites, like Netflix, and still do our day-to-day work without interruption.

Once we’ve completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each VPN in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, server count, speed, security, and features.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full VPN methodology here.

Proton VPN: Best for unlimited data

Browse Privately With Fast & Secure Connections
5.0
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Proton VPN's website
VPN
Proton VPN
Save Up to 55% on 24-Month Plan
  • Stream from anywhere with 11,300+ high-speed servers
  • VPN Accelerator tech improves speeds by up to 400%
  • Block ads, trackers, and malicious scripts

Who it’s best for

Proton VPN is best for people who want to watch Netflix all the time through the free VPN, since it doesn't have monthly data caps, even with its free plan. The only real limitation is you get access to a smaller pool of servers, but there are still plenty to use across six different countries.

A screenshot of a TV show on Netflix with the Proton VPN dashboard in the foreground.

What we liked

Proton VPN offers one of the best free VPNs on the market. Its website mentions that you may be unable to watch Netflix with the free plan, but we didn't have any issues during our testing. We connected to servers in the U.S. and in the Netherlands, and Netflix kept running as usual.  

Proton's list of free server locations includes the U.S., the Netherlands, Poland, Japan, and Romania. Unlike other free services, it doesn't bombard you with intrusive ads or collect your data. It doesn't even limit you on speed or data, so you're free to stream to your heart's content without fearing buffering. In fact, in our most recent speed tests, Proton VPN actually made our speeds better.

What we didn’t like

We were annoyed by some of the limitations on Proton's free plan. There's no option to select from the free servers; you just have to hit the Change Server button. If you want to change your server again, you'll have to wait a minute and a half before doing so.

If you opt for a paid plan, Proton is more expensive than other providers like NordVPN and Surfshark. However, it does come with some handy features like servers optimized for streaming and NetShield ad blockers

Proton VPN specs

Free plan data limit Unlimited
Free plan speed limit Unlimited
Length of free trial Unlimited
Unblocks Netflix Sometimes
VPN protocols OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, Stealth
VPN headquarters Switzerland
Kill switch Yes
Split tunneling Yes
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and more
Learn more Get PrivadoVPN

Read PrivadoVPN Review

PrivadoVPN: Best free server locations

4.5
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On PrivadoVPN's website
VPN
PrivadoVPN
Up to 87% off +3 months free
  • Affordable pricing and a free plan option
  • Fast speeds and unblocks Netflix

Who it’s best for

PrivadoVPN is best for anyone looking for a free VPN that offers servers in specific countries, since its free server count covers 50 countries (compared to Proton's 6). 

PrivadoVPN unblocked Netflix UK when we connected to a London server.

What we liked

Privado offers surprisingly fast speeds and good privacy features for a free VPN. During our speed tests, we clocked speeds similar to or slightly slower than our regular internet with just our internet service provider (ISP). It’s so close you won’t notice a difference.

We were impressed that Privado was able to unblock Netflix. There’s a disclaimer on Privado’s website that it may not be able to unblock streaming services like Netflix, so it doesn’t guarantee access to any streaming platform. In our testing, however, we succeeded, so we wanted to pass on that knowledge to you.

We were also impressed with Privado's clean, minimalistic dashboard design. We found its VPN app easy to install and user-friendly. When installing it, Privado offers a tutorial that takes you through the dashboard and explains where everything is located.

With the free plan, Privado allows up to one connection on unlimited devices. It also offers free VPN servers in countries worldwide, including Canada, France, Germany, and more.

What we didn’t like

It offers 10 GB every 30 days and fast download speeds, which is more than many of its competitors. Though this would be great for light activities like securely connecting to your bank, streaming will use up those 10 GBs fast. For example, when we streamed “Game of Thrones” back in the day, we noted that each episode had around 1 GB of data.

PrivadoVPN specs

Free plan data limit 10 GB/30 days
Free plan speed limit Up to 1 Mbps after the data cap is reached
Length of free trial Unlimited
Unblocks Netflix Sometimes
VPN protocols OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
VPN headquarters Switzerland
Kill switch Yes
Split tunneling Yes
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and more
Learn more Get PrivadoVPN

Read PrivadoVPN Review

FAQs

Is there a free VPN that works with Netflix?

In our testing, PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN have all shown the ability to work with Netflix. If you find you can’t access Netflix with the VPN active, you may want to try switching servers. Since Netflix is constantly on the hunt for VPN usage, a VPN that works today may not work tomorrow, and vice versa.

What is the cheapest VPN that works with Netflix?

The cheapest VPN that works with Netflix, excluding any free VPNs, is Surfshark. Surfshark offers a low monthly fee for a basic subscription, which will get you access to all of its servers. Surfshark uses obfuscated servers so you don’t look like you’re using a VPN, which will help trick Netflix.

Can I watch Netflix for free if I have a VPN?

You may be able to watch Netflix for free using NordVPN’s Meshnet technology. Meshnet is a free service offered by NordVPN that allows you to mesh your network (see what they did) with someone else. If your parents are 2,000 miles away, you can look like your device is right there in the house with them. This will help you get around Netflix’s password-sharing restrictions. As far as regular VPN usage, however, you’ll still need a Netflix account to watch the streaming service.

What is the best VPN for Netflix?

The best VPN for Netflix is a toss-up between several of the best VPN services. However, we would argue that NordVPN and Surfshark are best for Netflix, as you’ll be able to get around the VPN blockers while paying a reasonable price.

Bottom line: The best free VPNs for Netflix

We believe PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN are the best free VPN providers for Netflix. They're safe and secure, unlike many free products, and you can trust them to keep your data encrypted.

4.5
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On PrivadoVPN's website
VPN
PrivadoVPN
Up to 87% off +3 months free
  • Affordable pricing and a free plan option
  • Fast speeds and unblocks Netflix
Author Details
Mary is a seasoned cybersecurity writer with over seven years of experience. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University, she educates audiences on scams, antivirus software, and more. Her passion lies in educating audiences on helpful ways to protect their data.