Netflix subscribers in France pay more for a monthly Netflix subscription and get fewer TV shows and movies than their American counterparts. Although Netflix has expanded its French library over the past few years, you can’t deny that there’s a lot of content that’s simply not available. So if you are currently traveling in France but don’t want to miss out on your favorite shows you’ll need the help of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access your home Netflix library.
A handful of VPNs can still securely access Netflix. We’ve gathered five of the best VPNs to watch US Netflix while traveling abroad in France or anywhere else in the world. If you don’t want to read the rest of the article, here’s a summary:
- NordVPN: Our top recommendation for watching US Netflix while in France. Works on many types of devices, offers 24/7 support, and utilizes strong security. Comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark: Budget friendly option that works with US Netflix. Boasts good security and an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
- ExpressVPN: Good all-round VPN that works with US Netflix.
- CyberGhost: Easy-to-use VPN that has fast speeds and can access US Netflix from abroad.
- PrivateVPN: Fast VPN that has a simple interface and works with Netflix in several countries.
If you want to access Netflix’s American library while in France, you’ll need a VPN. A VPN encrypts your device’s internet connection and routes it through an intermediary server in a location of your choosing. In this case, you would connect to a VPN server in the US, which makes it seem as though you’re accessing Netflix from back home in the USA. Netflix will, therefore, grant you access to the larger catalog of TV shows and movies.
Not all VPNs will work, though. Netflix has taken steps to block connections from many VPN servers, resulting in the following error message:
How to watch US Netflix from France
To watch Netflix USA in France, just do the following:
- Sign up for a VPN that works with Netflix. We recommend NordVPN.
- Download and install the VPN app.
- Run the app and select a server in the USA.
- Connect to the US server.
- Open Netflix and start streaming!
Not every server from a particular provider will watch Netflix. Typically a VPN provider operates a few Netflix-optimized servers, and these might not be apparent in the apps. You might need to contact customer support or consult your provider’s website in order to find out which server to connect to. All of the VPNs we recommend include live chat support that can walk you through what you need to do.
Best VPNs for US Netflix from France – at a glance
We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for US Netflix from France.
Best VPNs to watch US Netflix from France
All of our recommended VPNs adhere to the following criteria:
- Works with US Netflix from France
- Fast speeds for high-quality, uninterrupted streams
- Strong security and a no-logs policy
- Fast and competent customer support
- Includes a money-back guarantee
Here is our list of the best VPNs for watching Netflix US from France:
1. NordVPN
Jan 2023
works with netflixTested Jan 2023
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
- Background
- FireTV
Website: www.NordVPN.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
NordVPN is among the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, so you can stream HD and 4K video without buffering. You also get beefy security and data leak protection, plus a kill switch that halts internet traffic if the VPN connection drops.
BEST VPN FOR NETFLIX USA:NordVPN is our #1 choice, with all the speed and server access you need to stream Netflix USA from France. It comes with a risk-free, 30-day, money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- Works with Netflix US
- Fast speeds for uninterrupted streaming
- Zero logs and strong security
- Inexpensive
- Money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Occasional slow server
Our score:
Read our full NordVPN review.
2. Surfshark
works with netflixTested Jan 2023
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.Surfshark.com
Surfshark allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices on a single account, making it a great option for a family or group of housemates. Almost every server works with Netflix US; even connecting to servers in other countries will redirect you to US Netflix. That means there’s no anxiety about choosing the correct server to stream from.
Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark lets you watch Netflix on as many devices as you want and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Works with US Netflix from almost any server
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Strong security and no logs
Extremely fast
Some features can’t be used without a Surfshark One plan
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
Website: www.ExpressVPN.com
The company operates more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries. Every connection is guarded by strong encryption, leak protection, and a network lock—ExpressVPN’s name for a kill switch that cuts off the internet in the event of a dropped VPN connection. The company doesn’t store any identifying logs.
WATCH NETFLIX AND MORE:ExpressVPN is a great all-round VPN that works with US Netflix from abroad. You can try it risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Works with US Netflix
Fast servers
Strong security and no logs
24/7 live chat support
A bit more expensive than rivals
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
4. CyberGhost
Website: www.Cyberghost.com
Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS
Encryption standards are strong and CyberGhost doesn’t store any logs about its users or what they do online.
Apps are available for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, and Android. You may connect up to seven devices at once on a standard plan.
SUPERB ACCESSIBILITY:CyberGhost makes watching US Netflix a breeze, and it comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Makes it easy to watch US Netflix
Fastest VPN
Very secure
45-day money-back guarantee
7 simultaneous connections
Doesn’t work well in China
Read our full CyberGhost review.
5. PrivateVPN
Website: www.PrivateVPN.com
PrivateVPN excels at securely accessing international services like US Netflix and has fast servers to make streaming a breeze. Although its server network is smaller than the others on this list, PrivateVPN has a wide range of locations to choose from. The interface is simple and streaming servers are clearly labeled in the apps. PrivateVPN also works to stream Hulu and BBC iPlayer, among other services.
Live chat support is available should you need it. PrivateVPN meets all of our security and privacy standards.
Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. You can connect up to 10 devices at a time.
SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE:PrivateVPN gets the job done and works with US Netflix without hassle. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Works with US Netflix
Fast speeds
Strong security and no logs
Easy to use
Fewer servers
Read our full PrivateVPN review.
Can I use a free VPN to watch US Netflix from France?
Free VPNs are not recommended for Netflix. Attempting to watch Netflix while connected to a free VPN will result in a proxy error in all but a few rare cases. Even if you happen to find a free VPN that Netflix hasn’t blacklisted, most free VPNs are too slow to stream video.
Free VPNs also tend to be less secure. To make money, they often harvest user data and sell it to third-party advertisers and data brokers. Some free VPNs even carry malware.
Paid VPNs have the resources and business incentive to keep Netflix-optimised servers maintained and available at all times for customers. We recommend you stick to paid VPNs and stay away from free alternatives.
Netflix US vs Netflix France
French Netflix has a total of 6,413 titles at time of writing, according to our latest research:
- 4,364 movies
- 2,049 TV shows
In contrast, US Netflix has a total of 5,995 titles:
- 3,833 movies
- 2,162 TV shows
Some of the TV shows and movies on American Netflix that you can’t get on Netflix France include:
- The Real World
- Basketball Wives
- The Amazing Race
- Junior Baking Show
- Falling in Love Like a Romantic Drama
- Are You Afraid of the Dark?
- Newly Rich, Newly Poor
- The Baker and the Beauty
- The Unsettling
- Love Island USA
- Sister, Sister
- The Parkers
- One on One
Despite having fewer TV shows, the most basic Netflix subscription costs US$5.90 per month in France. In the US, a subscription costs $6.99 per month.
VPN testing methodology
Comparitech relies on real-world tests to ensure our recommendations are reliable. Our team of international testers are instructed to connect to the VPN, open Netflix US, and attempt to watch a show. If the show plays, the tester records a positive result. And if the proxy error is returned instead, the result is negative.
This is done as a part of our wider Netflix VPN testing in which we test each VPN’s access to Netflix libraries in 20 countries on both the Netflix mobile app and the Netflix website in a desktop web browser. As of this year, we’ve conducted about 3,000 individual tests on 37 VPNs.
To ensure the VPN is not just redirecting to the US version of Netflix—many VPNs do this—we check each library for country-exclusive shows. This ensures we are connected to the intended country version of Netflix.
As part of these agreements, broadcasters have to do their best to prevent anyone outside of these regions from watching. That’s why streaming services tend to block VPN users, proxy servers, and so on. Unfortunately, this means that people traveling abroad may find themselves unable to keep watching their favorite shows until they get back home.
The good news is that all of these problems will go away once you disconnect from the VPN. Here’s something that should give you a little more peace of mind: we’ve been testing VPNs against Netflix for years – some work, some don’t, but we’ve never had an account banned and have never heard of any other user being banned simply for using a VPN either.
