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Your Top 5 Netflix VPN Questions Answered

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Getting a Netflix VPN may seem like an easy task at first, but there will always be a few seeds of doubt at the back of your mind. Will you get in trouble with Netflix? Is it illegal to use a VPN just to unblock your favorite content from around the world? Are free VPNs worth the hassle?

Netflix VPN Questions Answered

No worries; we’ll clear up all your doubts in a second. This link will tell you all you need to know about using a VPN with Netflix, including which providers work best on the platform. In the meantime, here are the top five most frequent questions everyone asks themselves when considering a Netflix VPN.

#1 Why Are Some Shows Unavailable in Your Area?

The simplest answer to this question is “money”. Local stations may pay hefty sums to movie and TV studios just to keep their shows exclusive to a specific region. Consider the recent trend of everyone launching their own streaming service as well. Companies would rather keep all the profit to themselves rather than divvy it up with Netflix.

That’s completely understandable, and it’s nice to have options when it comes to streaming – unlike, say, a decade ago when Netflix and Hulu effectively dominated the market. However, more isn’t always better, and viewers find that:

  • They have to pay for more services to get all the content they want.
  • They simply can’t access shows they could in the past, because some studio or other retracted streaming rights in the region.

Fortunately, all you need to do is use a VPN to change your IP address, and thus your virtual location. This allows you to regain access to many of the shows that have been slowly disappearing from your regional Netflix catalog.

#2 Which Countries Have the Best Netflix Catalogs?

Right now, Ireland sits at the top of the biggest Netflix libraries worldwide, with a whopping 6,370+ titles. Malaysia and Indonesia follow closely with 6,360+ and 6,260+ titles each. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll find all the shows you want in these regions. For example, hit comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is only available on Netflix UK.

Still, knowing which countries have the most content is a good starting point if you’re not sure where to look.Thankfully, a decent Netflix VPN would have a sizeable server network all around the world, giving you plenty of options for unblocking regional exclusives.

#3Is It Illegal to Use a VPN for Netflix?

The Netflix terms of servicespecify that:

[They] may terminate or restrict your use of our service if you violate these Terms of Use or are engaged in illegal or fraudulent use of the service.

However, there have been no reports of them going into legal battles over someone using a VPN to watch The Office, of all things. They would essentially have to sue millions of their own paying customers, and that probably wouldn’t reflect well on their public image.

An accurate comparison is the case of the BBC’s UK-exclusive streaming service, BBC iPlayer. In 2015 alone, the platform garnered over 60 million international viewers. That number has most likely increased exponentially since then, and yet the BBC hasn’t pursued legal action against anyone.

Keep in mind that UK citizens need to pay a decent chunk of change for a TV license just to be able to watch shows on BBC iPlayer. They’d have a way better reason to go after someone than Netflix, since VPN users from abroad essentially use the service for free. Meanwhile, you’re still paying for your Netflix subscription and just want to watch shows that aren’t availablein your area.

#4 Will Netflix Ban You for Using VPN?

We’ve already seen that it’s not illegal to use a VPN on the platform. However, Netflix may not be as lenient as the law – or are they? Truth be told, you have nothing to worry about on this end, either. While it’s true that Netflix blacklists VPN IP addresses and use other methods of enforcing their VPN filters, that’s about the extent of it.

Yes, they’re obligated to prevent people from bypassing their geo-restrictions on behalf of the companies they license content from. But think of it this way: why would they ban one of their own paying customers? Then there’s also the legal ramification of banning users that simply use VPNs for security reasons. It simply wouldn’t work in their favor, no matter which way you look at it.

As long as they do their best to filter out VPN traffic, their contractual obligations are met, and your account is perfectly safe. Just use a decent Netflix VPN (like those recommended in the beginning), and you’re free to watch all the content you want.

#5 Do Free VPNs Work on Netflix?

There are probably a couple of free providers out there that have managed to evade the VPN filters mentioned above. However, Netflix works with various VPN IP aggregator services (such as MaxMind), so they can easily blacklist them. As such, they probably won’t work for much longer.

Even if they do, you’re not exactly getting the best streaming experience with a free VPN. For one, their small number of servers means you have fewer options when it comes to unblocking content from abroad. Not to mention that server congestion and slow performance will be a constant issue.

This doesn’t even factor in the hidden dangers of free VPNs, such as selling or leaking your data online, potential malware infections, or even having your device hijacked into a botnet. All in all, the experience isn’t worth the trouble – and could potentially cost you way more than a single VPN subscription.

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