How to Watch Netflix USA Content from South Africa

What makes Netflix interesting is that it comes with a wide array of titles from movies to series. However, what you currently see in your Netflix account isn’t exactly complete. For instance, Netflix users from South Africa don’t get to see the same titles as users in the United States. According to Netflix, there are a few reasons why movies and TV shows differ depending on your location.

One, South African viewers have a different favorite show or movie compared to Netflix's US audience. Next, it's also possible that Netflix isn't the distributor of certain titles in the country. Another platform may have the exclusive rights to certain movies and series depending on the location.

How to Watch Netflix’s US Content?

There is a good reason why you’d want to watch content from Netflix USA if you’re currently in South Africa. The main reason is that Netflix USA has a better lineup. It has around 2,000 more titles compared to its South African counterpart.

The only way you can access content from another region is by using a Virtual Private Network or a VPN. What it does is that it hides your IP address. It reroutes your traffic giving you a temporary US IP address and making it appear that you are connecting from the United States.

However, the benefits of a dedicated IP VPN go beyond watching Netflix titles in other parts of the globe. If you have the habit of connecting to public WiFi, this is a layer of protection that you can give yourself. And also, even if you’re connected to your home WiFi, you still get to hide your data from your internet service provider if you have the VPN turned on.

As early as 2016, Netflix attempted to stop users from resorting to VPN to bypass blocked content based on location. In 2020, there were reports that if Netflix detected a user connecting via a VPN, the user would only access titles seen in his or her location. However, it's quite obvious that Netflix's efforts don't exactly work that well.

How to Choose the Best VPN?

So let's say that you want to access Netflix and other streaming platforms' libraries in the United States while you're in South Africa. How do you choose a VPN? The good news is that there are lots of VPN options. However, you will need to be very picky if you want the best experience.

First, if you’re going with a free VPN, remember that nothing is free. The truth is that free VPNs will show ads and even sell your data. Plus, you don’t get to experience the best connection speed when compared side-by-side with other VPNs.

So how much should you pay if you're having a VPN? That's something that only you can answer. Some VPN providers offer additional deals with their plans. If you're unsure, try to go with a VPN provider that comes with a free trial. The trials could range from 7 to 30 days. Here, you’ll figure out if the VPN is really worth its price monthly.

Next, you want to make sure that you also compare the reviews. Are users happy when they’re connecting to an IP address in the United States? Do they get to watch movies without any problem?

Also, try to do a bit of research about the home country of the VPN provider you're going for. In some countries, some laws may require VPN companies to hand over data to the authorities. And lastly, more servers don’t always mean better user-experience.

It could mean that the VPN doesn't have control of its server network. As a rule of thumb, just stick with a vendor that offers a US IP address if you intend to just watch titles found in the United States' Netflix library.

Conclusion

Using a VPN is a good way to make the most out of your Netflix subscription. This can give you access to titles in the United States while you’re in South Africa or even in any other part of the world. But of course, be sure that you’re going to also do a bit of research when trying to avail of a VPN.