5 Best Free VPN for Netflix 2025 — Fast Speeds & Intuitive Apps

My life as a traveler means I'm always watching Netflix from different countries. And that means I need to use a VPN to access the same content as back home. So I've become quite experienced with using VPNs. After over 10 years traveling, I really don’t recommend trying to use free VPNs for Netflix. Most free VPNs don’t even work with this streaming service. And out of the very few that do, most come with annoying limitations — like only being able to use a certain amount of data each day or month, slow streaming speeds, and buggy VPN apps. 

You get much, much better value with a paid VPN. Most top VPN providers work with Netflix without any issues, and they’re also compatible with tons of Netflix libraries. In addition, paid VPNs also have fast speeds and really intuitive apps. 

But if you insist on using free VPNs, keep reading. I’ve been using VPNs for the past 10+ years (very often while traveling), and I have often tried using free VPNs to access Netflix — I’ve written about the (very few) free services that actually provided a decent Netflix streaming experience in this article. 

🥇 1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN Service for Netflix in 2025 ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN isn’t free, but it has a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Its refund policy is no-questions-asked, which means you don’t need to meet any requirements to get your money back if you’re not happy with the VPN. And 30 days is more than enough time to fully test ExpressVPN while watching Netflix to make sure it’s 100% right for you. 

What’s more, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming Netflix in 2025. The VPN works with Netflix without any issues, and it manages this because it refreshes its server IPs super fast (I ran 20+ leak tests on one of its servers, and I always had a different IP address). Also, the provider is compatible with 15+ Netflix libraries, including popular ones like Netflix US, Netflix UK, and Netflix Japan. Also, you get excellent streaming variety, as the provider also works with 100+ other streaming services.

Plus, the VPN also comes with a smart DNS — this is a streaming tool that lets you access Netflix (and other streaming services) on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps. So, you can actually use ExpressVPN to watch Netflix on gaming consoles or certain smart TV models. 

Also, ExpressVPN provides the fastest streaming speeds on the market. I use it very often to watch Netflix while traveling abroad, and I’m always very impressed by how smooth my streaming experience is — whether I’m watching HD or 4K content, the videos always load instantly and they never buffer. 

The VPN’s huge server network helps contribute to its super-fast speeds — ExpressVPN has servers in 100+ countries, which makes it very easy to use nearby servers to watch Netflix. What’s more, it has Lightway, which is its proprietary protocol that’s designed to provide ultra-secure connections and blazing-fast speeds. And you can also use split-tunneling to choose which apps use the VPN and which apps don’t (so you can only route Netflix traffic through the VPN to boost your streaming speeds). 

And ExpressVPN’s apps are also very simple to use. The interface is super easy to navigate, and it doesn’t take more than 5 seconds to find and connect to a server. Plus, you get Shortcuts, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites (like Netflix) that show up on your connection screen after you connect to ExpressVPN. 

Finally, this VPN provider also offers high-end security for watching Netflix. It has an audited no-logs policy, and it also comes with advanced security features — full leak protection, RAM-only servers (whenever a server is rebooted, all data is wiped), and perfect forward secrecy (provides a different encryption key for each VPN connection). 

ExpressVPN’s plans begin at $5.49/month. It’s a bit pricey, sure, but keep in mind this VPN provides the best value (especially in terms of watching Netflix) on the market. Plus, its longest plan often includes extra months of service for free. And don’t forget — each one of the provider’s plans is backed by a risk-free 30-day refund. 

Read my full ExpressVPN review

🥈 2. CyberGhost VPN — Has Excellent Netflix Support and Free 24-Hour Trial CyberGhost VPN

While CyberGhost VPN isn’t free, it has a free 24-hour trial. Even better, the free trial provides access to all of the VPN’s features — plus, I think that 24 hours is enough time to decide if this VPN is good for streaming Netflix or not. Oh, and I should also mention that you don’t need to share any payment details to be eligible for the free trial, which is very convenient. 

Plus, the VPN also has a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, which provides even more time to test if this is a good way to watch Netflix for you or not. The 45-day refund only applies to the provider’s long-term plans, but the shortest plan comes with a 14-day refund, which is still pretty good. 

And CyberGhost VPN has excellent Netflix support, as it works with 15+ Netflix libraries via dedicated streaming servers. On top of that, you also get access to a smart DNS, and the VPN is also compatible with 50+ other streaming platforms — while that’s less than ExpressVPN (works with 100+ streaming sites), it’s still excellent variety.

Also, I’m a big fan of the provider’s Smart Rules feature, which basically lets you automate VPN connections. For example, I configured the provider’s VPN app to automatically connect me to my desired Netflix server and open the Netflix app on launch.

And this VPN is very fast and has a huge server network (10,000+ servers in 95+ countries). I ran multiple speed tests while watching Netflix, and I always had very good results — HD videos loaded instantly and didn’t buffer, and 4K videos took just 2 seconds to load (and there was no buffering when I skipped through the videos). Plus, on Android, you get access to split-tunneling, which you can use to further boost your Netflix streaming speeds. 

In addition, CyberGhost VPN provides great security for Netflix streaming. It has advanced security tools like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, and it also comes with an audited no-logs policy. Plus, it also has a really good malicious site blocker, which can protect you from shady Netflix clones.

CyberGhost VPN is also really affordable, with prices beginning as low as $2.19/month. Its longest plan often includes extra months of service for free, and remember — all long-term purchases are backed by a risk-free 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read my full CyberGhost VPN review

🥉 3. Windscribe — Best Free VPN for Netflix Windscribe

Windscribe is the best free VPN for Netflix. That’s because this is actually one of the only free VPN services that actually supports streaming — this means the provider’s free servers refresh their IP addresses very fast, making it difficult for Netflix (and other streaming sites) to detect and block them. 

And the VPN also provides good Netflix library variety, as it works with several popular libraries — such as Netflix US and Netflix UK. The provider actually has free servers in 10+ countries, which is really good (most free VPNs limit you to servers in 3–5 countries). 

Also, Windscribe provides great speeds for Netflix streaming — whenever I use it to watch Netflix while traveling, most HD videos load instantly. What’s more, I only experience minor buffering at the start of the videos, but this only happens like 20% of the time.

And Windscribe has very user-friendly apps. They’re simple to install and navigate, and I like how there are helpful explanations for most settings and features. Plus, the provider’s free plan even supports unlimited simultaneous connections, which means you can install and use Windscribe to watch Netflix on as many devices as you want.

That said, the provider’s free version limits you to up to 15 GB per month. You get 2 GB per month when you sign up, and you can permanently upgrade to 10 GB per month by confirming your email. Finally, you can upgrade to 15 GB per month by tweeting at the company. This means you get to enjoy around 15 GB of SD streaming and 5 GB of HD streaming per month — that’s pretty decent, but if you want to binge Netflix for hours on end, you should get a premium VPN that provides unlimited data (like ExpressVPN) instead.

Windscribe’s paid version starts at $5.75/month, and it provides unlimited data and access to servers in 60+ countries. The provider has a money-back guarantee, but it sadly only covers 3 days.

4. Proton VPN — Fast and User-Friendly Free VPN With Unlimited Data Proton VPN

Proton VPN’s free plan allows unlimited data, which means you can use it to surf the web for as much as you want. In fact, this provider actually has the best free VPN plan on the market right now. 

Now, the provider’s free plan doesn’t officially support streaming. I have used it to watch Netflix on a few occasions, and the results were mixed — I was only able to access my home Netflix library while traveling 50% of the time. It really comes down to luck, so I can’t guarantee that Proton VPN’s free version will work with Netflix 24/7. 

If this is an issue, try Windscribe instead since its free plan works with Netflix 100% of the time. Just keep in mind that Windscribe’s free version limits you to up to 15 GB per month — so, it’s only a good alternative if you only want to use it to watch Netflix a few hours each month.

On the plus side, Proton VPN’s free plan has very fast speeds. Whenever I use it to watch HD videos on YouTube, the videos load instantly and don’t buffer. What’s more, even if I skip through the videos, I don’t experience any quality dorps.

Also, the VPN provides free access to really intuitive apps. There’s a quick-connect feature that automatically connects you to the fastest server for your location. And all settings and features come with helpful explanations.

But the free version also has other limitations — you can only install and use Proton VPN on 1 device, you don’t get access to extra features, and you can only connect to servers in 5 countries. 

Getting the paid version is worth it, as its plans start at $3.59/month — and the paid plans add access to compatibility with 110+ streaming platforms (including Netflix), 10 connections, and 6000+ servers in 110+ countries. Also, all paid plans come with a prorated 30-day refund.

Read my full Proton VPN review

5. hide.me — Good Free VPN for Secure Web Browsing (With Unlimited Data) hide.me

hide.me’s free VPN plan allows unlimited data and also provides strong security features. The free version secures your online web browsing with an audited no-logs policy and advanced tools, like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy. Plus, it has full leak protection — I actually ran leak tests while connected to servers in 5 countries, and hide.me never leaked my data.

Plus, I like how hide.me provides free servers in 5+ countries, including locations in the US, the UK, Singapore, and Germany. This makes it simple to get fast speeds by using nearby servers — in fact, I always maintain a very fast website and HD video load times whenever I use hide.me’s free VPN plan to surf the web.

But, just like Proton VPN, hide.me’s free plan doesn’t support streaming. I’ve tried out the free version with Netflix on several occasions while traveling, and it mostly just comes down to how lucky you are — on average, the free VPN plan only worked with Netflix around 50% of the time for me. If this is an issue, Windscribe’s free version is able to access Netflix consistently (just keep in mind it limits you to up to 15 GB per month). 

Still, I do like how user-friendly this free VPN is. While the design feels a bit outdated when compared to other top competitors, the apps are still very simple to navigate. Plus, I really like how all settings and features come with quick, helpful definitions. 

hide.me has prices that start at $2.59/month. The paid version adds guaranteed streaming support and access to servers in 50+ countries. Also, all paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick Comparison of My Top Picks

	Starting Price	Data Limit	Works With Netflix	Speed Limits	Number of Devices	Money-Back Guarantee
🥇 1. ExpressVPN	$5.49/month	Unlimited			Up to 8	30 days
🥈 2. CyberGhost VPN	$2.19/month	Unlimited			7	45 days (long-term plans) 14 days (shortest plan)
🥉 3. Windscribe	$5.75/month	Up to 15 GB per month	(free and paid version)		Unlimited	3 days
4. Proton VPN	$3.59/month	[Unlimited	Maybe (free version) (paid version)		1 (10 via paid version)	30 days (prorated)
5. hide.me	$2.59/month	Unlimited	Maybe (free version) (paid version)		1 (10 via paid version)	30 days

How I Chose the VPNs on This List

• Get a free VPN that works with Netflix most of the time — Netflix is able to block pretty much all free VPNs, so the best you can hope from a free service is that it lets you stream Netflix at least 50% of the time. Windscribe is the only exception I found so far whose free plan works with Netflix 100% of the time (but it does limit you to up to 15 GB per month). 
• Pick a free VPN with a good data plan — Most free VPNs will limit how much data you can use each day or month. I generally recommend getting a free provider that lets you use at least 2–5 GB per month. There are some exceptions that provide unlimited data (like Proton VPN and hide.me, for instance), but they don’t consistently work with Netflix.
• Go for a free VPN service that has fast speeds — When you connect to a VPN, your original web speeds will always slow down. Sadly, with a free VPN, the slowdown is more noticeable. So make sure that the free provider you pick maintains good web speeds (for instance, an HD video shouldn’t take more than 5–7 seconds to load.
• Choose a free VPN that’s easy to use — The provider should have apps that are really simple to install (it shouldn’t take more than 2 minutes to do it). Also, the apps should be easy to navigate, and ideally provide helpful explanations for all settings and features.
• Pick a free VPN that is secure — Unfortunately, a lot of free VPNs lack important security features. So I strongly recommend getting one that comes with military-grade encryption, a kill switch to prevent traffic leaks, a no-logs policy, or DNS leak protection (all of the VPNs I recommend in this article are really secure).
• Get a free VPN service whose paid version offers good value — If its free version doesn’t consistently work with Netflix, its paid plans need to provide consistent access to the streaming platform. Also, bonus points if the paid version has affordable plans and a generous money-back guarantee.

Risks and Drawbacks of Using Free VPNs for Netflix 

• Free VPNs usually can’t stream Netflix — Most of the time, you can’t even use a free VPN to access Netflix. That’s because the streaming giant is able to detect and block most free VPNs. Netflix can do that since free VPNs don’t refresh their server IPs very fast, so the streaming site has an easy time detecting and blocking them. Windscribe is the only free VPN I have found so far that actually lets you watch Netflix.
• Free Netflix VPNs limit your data usage — Even if a free VPN works with Netflix, it will very likely cap your daily or monthly data usage, so you won’t be able to use it to stream Netflix for hours on end. For example, Windscribe’s free plan is able to access Netflix, but it limits you to up to 15 GB per month (this only allows around 15 hours of SD streaming and 5 hours of HD streaming per month).
• Free VPNs have slow speeds — Free Netflix VPNs don’t optimize their service for speeds, and they also limit you to a small number of server locations (so you might have to use overcrowded or distant servers, which cause slowdowns). If speeds are really important to you, it’s better to just get a premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead (this is the fastest VPN on the market, and it also works with Netflix 24/7).
• Free VPN services put your data at risk — A lot of free VPNs lack essential security features, like a kill switch or military-grade encryption. Using such a VPN means your web data won’t be protected, so hackers could compromise it.
• Free VPN providers compromise your privacy — Many free VPNs actually log your personal data and share it with third parties (like advertisers and data brokers) for a profit. This pretty much defeats the point of using a VPN to begin with. 
• Free VPNs have apps that are hard to use — Unfortunately, a lot of free VPNs come with unintuitive apps that make it hard to connect to servers and change settings. Plus, a lot of free VPN apps are also buggy (for example, you might not be able to connect to a server on the first try, or a certain feature won’t work). 
• Free Netflix VPNs spam you with ads — Some providers expose their free users to in-app ads that can’t be skipped. Usually, you will need to watch an ad to be able to use the VPN for a set amount of time, which is really inconvenient.
• Free VPN providers have poor customer support — Unlike a premium VPN, a free VPN can’t afford to invest in quality customer support. So you can’t rely on 24/7 live chat and email support if you encounter any issues. Instead, you’ll often have to deal with inaccurate and outdated support guides, or unresponsive email support. 

Best Free VPNs for Netflix in 2025 — Final Thoughts: