Netflix for Travelers: How Americans Can Watch Outside the US

Netflix offers different shows and movies in different parts of the world, which can come as a shock to Americans when they are trying to stream during a trip. As travel opens back up and man people get out of the house, they may be disappointed to find that their comfort watch isn’t available at their destination. Thankfully, there are some ways to access the U.S. catalog while abroad.

Netflix will automatically load its library for the region you log into it from, and it does not allow you to change your geographic location manually. To access Netflix from a different region, you need to change your IP address to one in the country whose catalog you are trying to access — in this case, the U.S. For this, the simplest, easiest and most legal method is a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN will mask your true IP address, and allow you to use an IP address in another country in some cases.

There are free VPNs out there, including some you can access right through your browser, but these are unreliable and not the best option for streaming overseas. They are often slow to the point of dysfunction, especially for a data-heavy site like Netflix. The better option is to pay for a VPN service with good reviews.

At the time of this writing, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are known to work well for watching Netflix overseas. However, according to a report by Secure Thoughts, Netflix has actually taken some steps to try to curb this activity since some users use it to access material they aren’t paying for in their region. It might be best to shop around for a VPN, checking the reviews to see how it functions with Netflix.

Even then, the legality of VPNs is still a gray area in some places, and functionality may not be perfect. Secure Thoughts advises looking at the privacy protections in place on your chosen VPN as well to make sure you can’t be held liable for any licensing agreements that might be broken with this trick.

Even if you’re not planning on traveling, however, a VPN is a great investment for ensuring your internet privacy. With data being collected and stored by so many private companies these days, VPNs are becoming more and more popular for general internet use.

As for Netflix, the company offers different shows and movies in different regions due to licensing agreements, most of the time. The studio may be cooperating with another streaming service in some countries to share the distribution of a popular production. If that’s the case, you might have more luck by simply signing up for a trial of that other streaming service to watch your beloved show while you’re away — or else, pack an ever-reliable DVD copy.