Have you ever sat back and actually considered how many streaming platforms we have to choose from these days? There's a lot of them, which is a good and bad thing. Sure, it's great to have so many options to consider, but there's also such a thing as too much choice.
With so many streaming sites on offer, it can feel like you're drowning in a sea of online content. There's simply no way to subscribe to everything without taking out a small loan, and who actually has the time and energy to check out what's being shown on every platform anyway? No, this is definitely not the way to do things. Instead, you should try and maximise your content options with your favourite streaming site.
With popular streaming platforms like Netflix, you can actually unlock extra content from around the world. For this task, all you need is a VPN.
What is a VPN?
VPNs are powerful cybersecurity tools that provide protection for your personal information by creating a private network that hides your real IP address. Your online activity remains untraceable and secure with a VPN because all of your online traffic passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like hackers, viruses, and malware.
It's the act of hiding your real IP address that means you can access extra content from around the world with a VPN.
What are the benefits of using a VPN?
The protection for your sensitive information is obviously super important, but this isn't really the reason that VPNs have surged in popularity is recent years. A lot of new users are interested in VPNs ability to access content that is normally blocked in your location.
By hiding your real IP address and connecting you to a server in another country, you can watch all your favourite content from that location. For example, you can watch all the films and shows on UK Netflix that are not usually accessible outside of the UK. Whether you live in another country or you're travelling outside of the UK temporarily, you can use a VPN to watch all your favourites from this massive library of content.
How do you unblock UK Netflix with a VPN?
This might be surprising, but the process of accessing UK Netflix with a VPN is actually really simple:
- Sign up to a streaming-friendly VPN
- Download the app to your device of choice
- Open up the VPN app and connect to a server in the UK
- Log in to your Netflix account to watch movies and shows from the UK content library
We should make it very clear that you still need to be subscribed to Netflix for this trick to work. A VPN is not going to grant access to the streaming site for free. A VPN provides access to more libraries from around the world, once you're subscribed. Understood?
What is the best free VPN?
We should start with the good news: There are plenty of free versions and free trials of VPNs. Unfortunately, there are always catches with these free VPNs.
The most common restriction you get with free VPNs is limited data usage. This is going to be fine if you're just an occasional user, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading anything, this simply isn't going to work. Free trials tend to come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.
The reality is that to gain access to advanced security features and the ability to unblock streaming sites, you are going to need to cough up some cash.
What is the best VPN for Netflix?
There are a lot of VPNs that can effectively unblock UK Netflix from global locations, but which is the best? It's a difficult question to answer, particularly as everyone will have different needs and preferences. To help you make an informed decision, we've handpicked some of your best options.
These are the best VPNs for UK Netflix in 2024.
NordVPN
Best For Security
- Monthly: £10.39/month
- One-year plan: £3.99/month
- Two-year plan: £3.19/month
Read our full review of NordVPN.
NordVPN has a reputation for being amongst the sturdiest, most reliable VPNs out there. NordVPN has fast servers that are also not on any blacklists. You should be able to stream Hulu or Netlfix shows in several European countries without any issues.
NordVPN says it offers over 5,000 servers worldwide. It lets you connect six devices at the same time, and it claims to keep no logs of your activities. INordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs, with a wide range of advanced security features that combine to protect your data and identity.
CyberGhost VPN
Best For Simplicity
- Monthly: £10.89/month
- Six-month plan: £6.19/month
- Two-year plan: £1.92/month
Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.
Cyberghost VPN has a really simple interface with easy-to-understand terminology explaining all of its features. It keeps things easy and focuses on strong security features. It’s very fast to set up and has intuitive apps for a variety of popular devices.
CyberGhost might be easy to use but that doesn't mean it's not on par with other options on this list. Users have access to 3,600 servers in over 60 locations around the world, with unlimited bandwidth and traffic. This makes for reliable streaming, but some users have said connections can be slower than with other VPN offerings.
Private Internet Access
Best For Server Network
- Monthly: £10.99/month
- Six-month plan: £5.39/month
- Two-year plan: £1.69/month
Private Internet Access (PIA) installs quickly and comes with loads of impressive features for all types of users, no matter if you're a beginner or an advanced user who likes fiddling around with settings.
You get your standard secure VPN account, encrypted WiFi, P2P, IPv6 leak protection, kill switch, plus a whole lot more. PIA isn't a particularly sexy app, but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for with a long list of features. It also has a solid backbone, with thousands of servers in countries all around the world.
It's also relatively speedy. We noticed our "naked" download and upload speeds dropped by only about a half or two-thirds (common for most VPNs). It may not be the fastest VPN around, but it's definitely not the slowest, either.
PIA has apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and an extension for Chrome.
PureVPN
Best For Customisation
- Monthly: £8.37/month
- One-year plan: £2.86/month
- Two-year plan: £1.75/month
PureVPN is different to other virtual private network services, due to its customisable nature.
Your connection is based on what 'mode' you select. Some of the options include streaming, 'internet freedom', privacy, file-sharing, and dedicated IP modes.
Some Android users might actually find this a bit limiting, but all your activity is kept private no matter what mode you're in, and that's the most important thing. The dedicated IP mode helps deal with some of the speed issues VPNs frequently face, too.
PureVPN also has many of the other features you expect to get from a VPN, such as the ability to change your location, and in-built protections against malware, viruses, and ads.
Surfshark
Best For Multiple Devices
- Monthly: £9.90/month
- One-year plan: £3.05/month
- Two-year plan: £1.76/month
Surfshark is probably the best VPN for anyone who relies on a lot of tech, as you can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously with the same plan. This also makes it something to seriously consider if there is a lot of people in your house looking to stream at the same time.
Surfshark also offers a wide range of impressive features including split tunnelling and enterprise-grade infrastructure, with an easy to use and stylish interface making it a strong choice for total beginners.
Surfshark is not the cheapest provider, but if you're willing to commit to a longer contract, the monthly rate comes down sharply.
ProtonVPN
Best For Free
- Monthly: £9.87/month
- One-year plan: £5.15/month
- Two-year plan: £4.29/month
ProtonVPN offers users a lot of choice, with three different annual plans, as well as a free service.
Android users can choose from ProtonVPN's Basic, Plus, and Visionary annual plans, with each one offering a different package of features.
ProtonVPN has a lot of advantages over the competition. It's Switzerland-based for a start, meaning your data is shielded by Swiss privacy laws, which are some of the strongest in the world. ProtonVPN also has a no logs policy meaning none of your data can be revealed to third parties. Other than that you are also getting a kill-switch, DNS leak prevention, and more.
The Basic plan provides access to servers all around the world, on two devices, with high speeds and peer-to-peer networking.
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