If you’ve been watching Netflix with ProtonVPN and you suddenly cannot play any content on the streaming service, Netflix has been able to block all of ProtonVPN’s IP addresses.
This has happened because ProtonVPN is no longer able to get around Netflix’s VPN blocking techniques.
To fix ProtonVPN not working with Netflix, go through these simple fixes in order. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next one until you can watch Netflix with a VPN again.
See also:
- IPVanish Not Working with Netflix? There’s an EASY fix! (September 2023)
- PureVPN not working with Netflix? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)
- Surfshark not working with Netflix: Here are some EASY fixes! (September 2023)
ProtonVPN not working with Netflix: Simple fixes
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Delete Cookies
Deleting your cookies is a great place to start when trying to fix ProtonVPN not working with Netflix.
When you go online, you may notice some websites and apps require you to accept Cookies. These are small files designed to make your online experience better. But in order to do that, they store information about your physical location.
Even if you’re using ProtonVPN to hide your location, Netflix can potentially access the location information stored on your Cookies.
If your Cookies location is different to your VPN location, Netflix will know you’re using ProtonVPN, and it will block your connection.
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Change to a different server on ProtonVPN
Netflix has stopped working with ProtonVPN because the IP address you have been given has been identified and blocked by the streaming service.
Changing to a different server will provide you with a different IP, and if that one hasn’t been blocked, then Netflix will work with ProtonVPN again.
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Upgrade to a more reliable VPN
If deleting your cookies and changing to a different server doesn’t fix ProtonVPN not working with Netflix, then Netflix has been able to block all of ProtonVPN’s current IP addresses, and you’ll have to wait for ProtonVPN to fix the issue.
The quickest and most effective way to fix ProtonVPN not working with Netflix is to use a VPN that is compatible with Netflix. We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) has fast servers all over the world, and most importantly, it has measures in place that will stop all of its IP addresses from being blocked by Netflix.
This will stop you from running into the same problems you’re coming across with ProtonVPN.
Why does Netflix block ProtonVPN?
The reason Netflix blocks ProtonVPN is all to do with broadcast rights.
Netflix has strict agreements with its content partners regarding where a particular show or movie can be broadcast. For example, Netflix has the rights to broadcast AMC’s Better Call Saul in the US, so you can find it on Netflix in the US. However, it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast Better Call Saul in the UK, so it is absent from the Netflix library.
If Netflix breached these broadcast agreements, it could face severe financial punishments. Because ProtonVPN is a well-known way of watching Netflix libraries outside of their region, the use of a VPN could constitute Netflix breaching its content agreements.
To prevent this from happening, Netflix tries to block ProtonVPN users from accessing its service.
How does Netflix block ProtonVPN?
In order for a VPN to work as a business, they need to have more customers than IP addresses.
This is no different for ProtonVPN; however this discrepancy means ProtonVPN customers are forced to share IP addresses.
Netflix uses this to its advantage. It monitors for an abnormal amount of connections coming from the same IP address. Usually, only a household of devices connect to Netflix via the same IP address. So when Netflix notices hundreds of connections coming from the same ProtonVPN IP address, it deems this as abnormal usage and blocks that connection.
This happens to all VPNs. However, the best VPNs, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), have measures in place to get around this problem. These measures will allow you to watch Netflix with a VPN anywhere in the world reliably.
Does Netflix still work with VPNs?
Netflix still works with a VPN, but you need to use a VPN that’s still compatible with the service. You need a VPN that hasn’t had all of its IP addresses blocked by Netflix.
You can wait for ProtonVPN to release more IP addresses that haven’t been blocked by Netflix but seeing as you’ve already run into this problem, you’ll probably run into it again. To fix the problem, you need a VPN that plays a game of cat and mouse with Netflix. You need a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)
When Netflix identifies and blocks an IP provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), they will close that IP and open a new one. This will allow you to reliably watch Netflix from anywhere in the world, and it will help to prevent the errors you’ve run into from happening again.
The best VPNs to watch Netflix
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
