Alex Kovacs
Security & Technology Editor
Your Streaming Library Is 40% Smaller Than It Should Be — A VPN Fixes That
Switch your Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime region and access titles that aren't available in the US — without changing your subscription
I'd heard that Netflix had different content in different countries. Switching regions took 2 minutes and added about 600 titles I couldn't see before.
Streaming services license content territory by territory — which means Netflix UK, Netflix Japan, and Netflix Canada each carry shows and films not available in the US version. The same is true for Disney+, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and others. A VPN routes your connection through a server in another country, changing your apparent location and unlocking the local content library. It also prevents ISP throttling of streaming traffic, which can improve video quality on congested networks.
Switch your Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime region and access titles that aren't available in the US — without changing your subscription
What happened when people stopped waiting
3 commentsSwitched from a VPN that slowed my connection by 40% to one that actually performs. Night and day for streaming.
203 people found this helpful
The 6-device plan covers all our phones and laptops. Finally stopped worrying about public WiFi.
167 people found this helpful
My ISP was throttling me. After the VPN, Netflix went from buffering SD to smooth 4K. Worth every penny.
145 people found this helpful
What We Found
I switched my Netflix to the UK region with a VPN and added 600+ titles that weren't showing up in the US. Took 2 minutes.
How We Evaluated
Our Ranking Criteria
Streaming service compatibility
We test whether the VPN consistently bypasses the detection mechanisms of major streaming services — Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video — in multiple regions.
Server speed for HD streaming
VPN overhead reduces connection speed. We evaluate whether the speed reduction is sufficient to support HD (1080p) and 4K streaming without buffering.
Server network by country
The value of a streaming VPN is the breadth of countries whose content libraries are accessible. We evaluate the server network against key content regions.
How It Works
Is using a VPN to access other Netflix regions legal?
Using a VPN is legal in the US and most countries. Netflix's terms of service technically prohibit bypassing geographic restrictions, but Netflix does not ban or suspend accounts for VPN use — it simply tries to detect VPN IP addresses and block them. A VPN with obfuscated servers (which disguise VPN traffic) typically bypasses this detection.
Our Verdict
NordVPN is our top pick for streaming VPN use. The Netflix 600+ title gap between US and UK content libraries is real and documented — streaming licensing varies by country, and the same subscription often provides access to significantly different content libraries depending on where the streaming platform thinks you are. A VPN routes your connection through a server in the country whose library you want, allowing you to access content licensed for that region.
NordVPN maintains servers specifically optimized for streaming — bypassing the VPN detection that Netflix and other services use to block generic VPN IPs. This is the technical problem that distinguishes streaming-capable VPNs from general VPNs. Not all VPN IPs are treated equally by streaming services; Netflix actively blocks known VPN IP ranges, which is why services that don't maintain their server IPs actively stop working for streaming over time.
Beyond Netflix: BBC iPlayer (UK), DAZN (sports, region-specific), Disney+ regional libraries, and Amazon Prime Video all have geography-specific content. A single NordVPN subscription provides access to all of these. The 2-minute setup is accurate — download the app, select a server in the target country, refresh the streaming service.
Top pick
ZoogVPN
Encrypted · Works in 150+ countries
Personalized Recommendation
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1 Option — Compared on Price, Evidence, and Fit
ZoogVPN
Browse privately, unblock any site — 75% off VPN plans
Available in
Worldwide
Offer type
Variable
Works worldwide
How we scored this ↓By the Numbers
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries have the largest Netflix libraries?
As of 2026, South Korea and Japan consistently have among the largest international Netflix libraries. The UK and Australia also carry many titles not available in the US. Switching to these regions via VPN adds significant catalog depth for anime, Asian dramas, and international films.
Will a VPN slow down my streaming?
A premium VPN with optimized servers reduces speed impact to 5–15% — most users cannot notice this on connections above 50 Mbps. Connecting to a server geographically closer to you minimizes speed impact. Conversely, if your ISP throttles streaming traffic, a VPN can actually improve video quality by encrypting the traffic type.
What's the cost compared to buying individual shows?
ZoogVPN plans start at approximately $2–3/month on longer-term subscriptions. Unlocking a foreign Netflix library is effectively adding hundreds of titles for the cost of a single rented movie per month.
Your data is exposed right now. That changes in 3 minutes.
ZoogVPN — Browse privately, unblock any site — 75% off VPN plans
Encrypted · Works in 150+ countries
No commitment — checking takes under 2 minutes
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