Does IPVanish work with Netflix? – We Have Four Solutions That Do
The IPVanish Netflix combo is an unfortunate reality, and one that’s catching up to more and more VPN providers. Today, we’ll dive into the reasons for why some VPNs don’t work with Netflix, plus recommend a few providers that so far have stayed a step ahead of Netflix’s VPN blocking efforts and remain able to unblock the streaming site.
If you’re a regular Netflix user, you might have noticed that in the last few years it’s become harder and harder to use a VPN with the site. Now, often if you use a VPN like IPVanish and visit the Netflix site, when you try to play a video you’ll see an error message saying that your VPN is detected and asking you to turn it off to proceed. This means that if you use a VPN like IPVanish, you won’t be able to use it to watch Netflix content from around the world.
IPVanish’s access to Netflix is hit or miss these days, but you can regain reliable access with these providers:
- NordVPN – Best for Netflix – NordVPN sets the industry standard for dealing with Netflix’s unfair proxy ban. With tens of thousands of spoofable IPs and the incredibly powerful NordlLynx protocol, you’ll enjoy fast streams in HD anywhere in the world.
- Surfshark – A new VPN with some of the most consistent access to Netflix in the industry.
- ExpressVPN – The classic choice for getting past the Netflix VPN ban, now even more reliable with the launch of their Lightway protocol.
- VyprVPN – Capable of tunneling through any government censor, any website geoblock, any ISP throttling thanks to its Chameleon protocol.
This is the problem we’re going to tackle today, so disaffected IPVanish users: read on!
Why Some VPNs Don’t Work With Netflix
Recently, Netflix has started using VPN detection that you will need to bypass for its site. This works in a few different ways to detect whether you are using a VPN and to block your connection and show you the error message if you are.
- The first way that VPN detection works is by blocking off particular ranges of IP addresses which are known to be used by VPN services.
- The second is to block connections when hundreds of different users are on the same shared IP address, which is a pretty good indication that they are using a VPN.
- The third way VPN detection works is to compare the alleged origin of the data with the origin stated in the metadata, and to block connections where there is a mismatch.
RELATED READING: How to get a unique IP address for your VPN
It’s not known exactly what combination of these methods is employed by Netflix, so it’s a game of cat and mouse between VPN providers and Netflix to keep servers which work with the service.
Unfortunately, IPVanish no longer works with Netflix. However, there are other VPN providers that do still work with Netflix.
The Only Real Solution – Use VPNs Confirmed To Work With Netflix
We have checked various VPN providers and found those which have been confirmed to work with Netflix. If you want to watch Netflix via a VPN, these are your best bet to be able to watch Netflix content from around the world without restrictions:
1. NordVPN
For those who want the benefits of excellent security as well as the ability to watch Netflix anywhere, the best VPN to try is NordVPN. With the necessary security features like strong 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy, it covers the basics. But in addition to this, there is an extra security feature available called double encryption. This encrypts your data twice over for the best possible security. In regards to streaming, the connections are fast enough for video and the server network has more than 5,600 servers in over 60 different countries. The software is available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Chrome OS, Android, and Windows Phone, plus the Chrome and Firefox web browsers.
NordVPN works flawlessly with Netflix and is one of the most reliable VPNs for Netflix use. See more information about using NordVPN with Netflix on the provider’s website.
Read our full NordVPN review.
- SPECIAL OFFER: 2-yr plan (70% off - link below)
- Most VPN servers with different IP addresses
- 2,048-bit SSL keys and DNS leak protection
- Based in Panama
- Customer Service (24/7 Chat).
- Apps can sometime be slow to connect.
2. Surfshark
Surfshark has garnered wide acclaim since its debut in 2019 for its uncanny ability to “just work” with Netflix. There aren’t any specialty servers, nor any deep-dive settings to crawl through; just pick a server, navigate to Netflix’s site, and enjoy. How does it work?
There are a few factors. First, as always, is VPN encryption, which in Surfshark’s case is the same level used by the NSA: 256-AES-GCM. Combined with smart DNS and obfuscation available on each of their 3200+ servers, and Surfshark does the advanced configuration for you to beat the proxy ban. In total there are 17 available Netflix libraries, though if you connect to a server in a country not on that list, it defaults to Netflix US (which is probably what you wanted anyway).
Speeds are great on all their apps, available for virtually any device. Surfshark never keeps logs of your activity, so you can enjoy buffer-free streams in complete privacy.
- Unblock 15 international Netflix libraries, including the US and Japan
- Over 800 servers in 50 countries worldwide, and constantly growing
- VPN obfuscation on any server with special Camouflage function
- VPN home jurisdiction in British Virgin Islands is ideal for privacy
- 24/7 live chat ensures maximum uptime.
- Server network is not nearly as expansive as major competitors
- Apps don’t allow for much manual fiddling for power users.
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs among Netflix users thanks to its excellent reliability and good speeds. It has super fast connections which are ideal for streaming high definition video. And in addition, it has strong security with 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy. The server network covers a massive 3,000 servers in 145 different locations in 94 countries, so you can use it to watch Netflix content from around the globe. The software is available for Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, and Linux.
ExpressVPN works very well for Netflix, as its large number of servers can connect to Netflix with no problems.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
- SPECIAL OFFER: 3 months free (49% off - link below)
- 3,000+ super fast servers
- No DNS/IP leaks found
- No logging policy well enforced
- Customer Service (24/7 Chat).
- Power-users configuration options.
4. VyprVPN
Finally, if you want to get around VPN blocks of all kinds, including those on Netflix and those in places with restricted internet like China, then the VPN you need is VyprVPN. The security is excellent, with 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy. But there is also a unique feature called the Chameleon protocol which encrypts not only your data, but also your metadata. This means that VPN detection which compares the origin of data to the origin in the metadata dose not find a mismatch, so does not detect a VPN. This means that you can use VyprVPN even on networks with VPN blocking, which is why it works so well with Netflix.
VyprVPN has connections fast enough for watching high definition video, and a network of more than 700 servers in 70 different countries. The software is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Check out VyprVPN’s own page detailing how to use their service with Netflix.
Read our full VyprVPN review.
Conclusion
So, does IPVanish work with Netflix? Sometimes but not reliably. It’s unfortunate that not all VPNs work with Netflix. In the last couple of years, Netflix has really cracked down on the use of VPNs and has started to use some pretty sophisticated VPN detection technology, putting the IPVanish Netflix duo to a halt. This means that when you try to use the service while connected to a VPN, often the Netflix site will be able to tell that you’re using a VPN and will refuse your connection. This is what happens with IPVanish.
Fortunately, there are some VPNs that do work with Netflix. We’ve recommended three that have been confirmed to work, and which you can use to watch Netflix from all around the world.
Which VPN service do you use to watch Netflix, and what has your experience with it been? Let us know in the comments below.
If you need a VPN for a short while when traveling for example, you can get our top ranked VPN free of charge. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. You will need to pay for the subscription, that’s a fact, but it allows full access for 30 days and then you cancel for a full refund. Their no-questions-asked cancellation policy lives up to its name.
