Tested: Is Surfshark a Good Choice For Netflix?

Updated: November 19, 2023

At Flixboss, we regularly test the most popular VPN services on the market. Our objective is to create a reliable and honest database of VPNs that work with Netflix, including up-to-date information about which country libraries they can successfully unblock.

Today, we're taking a closer look at Surfshark. A popular and budget-friendly VPN that claims to be able to unlock an impressive amount of additional Netflix content. Does it work? Let's find out.

Does Surfshark work with Netflix and which libraries does it unblock?

There are over 15,000 movies and series on Netflix. However, due to geo-restrictions, most of them are not available to stream — unless, of course, you use a VPN. Utilizing a VPN is a fully legal method to "unlock" the Netflix libraries of other countries and enhance your Netflix subscription significantly.

Surfshark stands out among VPNs by claiming to successfully bypass VPN blocks of most streaming services, including Netflix. In our communication with their customer service, they assured us of its capability to unblock Netflix catalogs in around 20 countries. This count is substantially higher than that of most other VPNs, so expectations were high when we started the test.

How we test VPN services for compatibility with Netflix We employ a simple testing methodology, aiming to replicate the actions of an average user without resorting to elaborate measures or complex solutions.

The VPN service being examined is installed on our Windows machine, and we use Chrome to determine its ability to unblock Netflix across a list of countries with a diverse collection of movies and series. This list, comprising around 40 countries, remains consistent across all VPN services that we test. For each country on the list, we establish a connection to the VPN and stream a movie or series from Netflix that is accessible in the tested country but not in our current location (Sweden). When Netflix detects VPN usage, we attempt to connect through another server within the same country, often multiple servers are available, or seek help from customer service. Countries where Netflix is successfully unblocked are indicated with a green checkmark, while those where it remains blocked are marked with a red cross.

The main Netflix libraries

We begin by examining whether Surfshark can unlock the largest and most significant Netflix libraries. These are the ones that we consider most crucial for the VPN to grant access to – in other words, the libraries that house the most popular and best titles.

France	Unblocked
Germany	Unblocked
Japan	Unblocked
United Kingdom	Unblocked
United States	Unblocked

With Surfshark, we successfully unlocked all the primary libraries on the initial attempt, without requiring server switches or reaching out to customer service. Among the mentioned countries, all except Japan offer multiple alternative servers that you can utilize if necessary.

An excellent outcome with little else to add in this regard.

Other Netflix libraries

This list includes all countries that do not belong to the primary libraries. Here, you typically encounter more specialized or local content.

Argentina	Remains blocked
Australia	Unblocked
Austria	Unblocked
Belgium	Remains blocked
Brazil	Unblocked
Bulgaria	Remains blocked
Canada	Unblocked
Chile	Remains blocked
Colombia	Remains blocked
Croatia	Remains blocked
Czechia	Remains blocked
Denmark	Remains blocked
Estonia	Remains blocked
Finland	Remains blocked
Greece	Remains blocked
Hong Kong	Unblocked
Hungary	Remains blocked
India	Unblocked
Ireland	Remains blocked
Israel	Remains blocked
Italy	Unblocked
Latvia	Remains blocked
Lithuania	Remains blocked
Malaysia	Remains blocked
Mexico	Unblocked
Netherlands	Unblocked
New Zealand	Remains blocked
Norway	Remains blocked
Philippines	Remains blocked
Poland	Unblocked
Portugal	Remains blocked
Romania	Remains blocked
Singapore	Unblocked
Slovakia	Remains blocked
Slovenia	Remains blocked
South Africa	Remains blocked
South Korea	Unblocked
Spain	Unblocked
Sweden	Unblocked
Switzerland	Remains blocked
Taiwan	Remains blocked
Thailand	Remains blocked
Turkey	Unblocked
Ukraine	Remains blocked

Comparing this with the information we initially received from Surfshark's customer support, we notice that it generally aligned quite accurately. While we couldn't unlock the Swiss library as they had indicated, we did succeed with Italy and Hong Kong, which weren't on their list.

We also note that Canada, Spain, and The Netherlands - all libraries containing excellent titles, often exclusive to those markets - are unblocked, which is a big plus. Especially Canada seems to be a big problem for other VPN providers.

In either case, the number of unlocked countries is among the highest we've tested, offering many alternative ways to enjoy a large amount of movies and series that would not be available otherwise.

Conclusion: Surfshark is one of the best VPNs to use with Netflix

Overall, Surfshark successfully unblocked all of Netflix's primary libraries and 15 additional countries. This puts the service in the absolute top among VPNs that work with Netflix.

We really like Surfshark, and we consider it to be one of the top VPN choices for those who enjoy streaming movies and series, and are eager to expand their Netflix selection. The extensive number of servers and unlocked libraries is a standout feature, as it's rarely blocked by the streaming giant. In instances where this did occur, we often found an alternate server in the same country or received help from their customer service.

The one factor currently preventing us from giving them the 5 out of 5 rating is the relatively higher monthly subscription cost and the (small) limitation of only having a single server to choose from in Japan. However, with a longer subscription commitment, the price becomes notably more affordable.

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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If you want to try Surfshark for free, take advantage of their 30-day trial period. Sign up for a regular subscription, and within the first 30 days, you can contact customer service, cancel your plan (no questions asked), and receive a full refund.

Try Surfshark Now » 30-day money-back guarantee.