Three Ways to Watch Netflix Outside the USA
Netflix is one of the biggest legal TV and movie streaming services on the Internet. Their influence has grown so great that they have gone from streaming other people’s content to now having their own shows.
The problem is that once you leave the USA you no longer have the ability to watch all of the latest episodes of Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, or some of their other cutting edge shows. This is because, as is usually the case, people in the USA get all the best stuff while the rest of us have to settle for lesser content. Why? Because some people don’t care enough about sorting out their copyright issues!
You, however, are here reading this to find out how you can watch Netflix outside of the USA. Here are 3 tools that can keep you from ever seeing this screen again:
But first…
Before we get too far into this, we should first look at how Netflix blocks your connection when you’re outside the USA. This is done by checking your IP address. You can check your own IP address right now using our IP address tool. As you can see, websites know exactly where you are!
By changing your IP address, you’re able to make Netflix think that you’re inside the USA. They will then treat you just like anyone else in America, and let you watch the full range of exciting content that they offer.
If you live abroad and don’t yet have a USA based Netflix account, you may have some other issues. You can sign up for their service with a USA-based IP address. But then you have the problem with using a credit card that isn’t USA-based, and using a USA address. This is a legally grey area as lying about locations when it comes to paying for things could be fraud. Proceed with caution in regards to this.
How to change your IP address and watch Netflix outside of the USA
1. Free and paid web proxies
A web proxy is a server that people have set up online which you can connect to. For the purpose of watching Netflix from outside of the USA, you’ll want to connect to a web proxy server that is inside of the USA.
Web proxies are a useful tool, but they are difficult to use when streaming video. The free web proxy services are especially difficult as they have lots of traffic going over them, and that makes for slow streaming. You can wait for the whole video to load before viewing, but who wants to do that when you want to watch Aziz Ansari’s exclusive comedy special NOW?
Pros for web proxies: Usually free, and they work directly inside your browser.
Cons for web proxies: They can be very slow, and streaming video can be difficult. They’re not really designed for streaming video content. Web proxies are used more often by students trying to get past blocks placed on WiFi and Internet connections inside schools. Some web proxies will also show you advertising.
2. VPN service providers
VPNs are servers which you connect to, like you do with web proxies, but they are much more suited to the task of watching Netflix outside of the USA. These paid services are able to keep up with live streaming so you never watch a choppy version of Orange is the New Black.
Not only are they able to unlock Netflix for you, but they also offer the same high level of security as we’ve talked about numerous times here on our website. Every single VPN provider with a server in the USA can do this for you, and that amounts to every single one in our Top 10!
What’s even better is that a VPN can help you do more than unblock Netflix from outside the USA. You can switch to servers in multiple countries and enjoy content from all over the world!
Pros for VPNs: Can keep up with video streaming, offer exceptional privacy and security. Wide range of servers make sure you’re always going to have a connection.
Cons for VPNs: Paid service, costs start at a low of $3.33/month with Private Internet Access.
3. Browser extensions and add ons
A browser extension, or browser add on, is a simple piece of software that alters how your browser works, and how websites behave around it. There are extensions out there which can alter your IP address. These can theoretically allow you to watch Netflix from outside the USA, but in practice it’s not quite so easy.
Many of these operate via shared connections in a peer-to-peer context. You can connect to them and share the bandwidth of someone in the USA, getting their IP address, but you’ll also be sharing your connection with other people. This makes streaming nearly impossible as there isn’t enough bandwidth to go around.
Pros for browser extensions: Free services that work within your browser. You can unlock content from different countries thanks to users across the world.
Cons for Browser extensions: Nearly impossible to stream video in real time. Other people will route their traffic through your connection, taking up bandwidth and CPU time.
Summary
Out of the three ways you can watch Netflix from outside the USA, two are free and offer below standard abilities to stream video. A third is designed specifically for streaming content, offering you the chance to watch anything you want on Netflix, any time you want. A VPN is your best choice for watching Netflix from outside the USA, as well as protecting your anonymity online!