In the past, when I wanted to access US content, I would use free VPNs and location-spoofing extensions.
Last year, I retired my free VPN usage (Proton VPN), even if it came in handy to help me confirm some regional pricing and verify international products. But the service was especially slow and quite limiting.
Recently, I began using VPNs again. I've spent the week testing NordVPN, a trustworthy VPN service that can improve your streaming, web surfing, and privacy.
The app works on many different devices, including Chromebooks , Android-powered Smart TVs, and iOS devices.
One of my primary tests with NordVPN consisted of how well it worked with my current streaming platforms. I tried it with Netflix, then Amazon Prime Video, and later Crunchyroll. Here's how it went.
I used NordVPN to access US and JP Netflix content
The service made streaming fast and reliable
I've never had great experiences with streaming, especially after my favorite free Chrome and Firefox location-spoofing extension retired. I stuck to the free route of using VPNs, since I wasn't sure how often I would use them or how reliable they would be.
VPNs can hamper your connection if you select a server that is far away, or while you double down on its security and protection .
Using a VPN while streaming can make it tough, depending on the content you're streaming and your internet speed (remember, VPNs need to reroute your traffic through a remote server).
I wasn't successful with it when I tried it with my free Proton VPN account; either I was kicked off the server or couldn't connect to the platform at all. This is because it was designed primarily to work with Proton VPN's paid plans .
When I tried using it with NordVPN (paid plan), I was surprised by how easy and reliable it was.
I used NordVPN's extension to access the top US movies category on Netflix on my web browser.
I then tested it on my Amazon Fire TV, and it worked surprisingly well. I expected to have more difficulty accessing the content due to VPNs' IP blocklist issues .
Platforms can restrict VPN access if they detect that you're using a VPN service. To deal with it, you need to either change the VPN's protocol, switch servers, or use a dedicated IP address.
Thankfully, I didn't need to purchase a dedicated IP address from NordVPN to get it to work. But it does offer that option if you need it.
To access US Netflix in Canada, all I had to do was sign in to my NordVPN account, download the NordVPN Chrome extension, choose a US server, and restart my browser.
The process was easy, and it worked like a charm. I tried playing different films in the US top movies category. I checked out The Woman in the Cabin and KPop Demon Hunters .
I used a similar trick to access Japanese Netflix. I like to dabble in anime, and I knew the catalog would be more enticing than what's available in Canada and the US.
I was able to do all of this smoothly.
I installed NordVPN on my smart TV
I used it to check out Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Crunchyroll
While being able to access streaming content in my browser quickly is fantastic, it still isn't my ideal option for watching.
I spend most of the day working on my computer, so I like to take a break from a close-up screen . Even though I can always connect my computer screen to my TV, as I did with my previous VPN, I would rather avoid the extra setup if I can.
Thankfully, NordVPN has an app you can download from the Amazon Appstore (Fire TV) . Connecting to it was easy. You can either scan the QR code or enter a code in your web browser (after logging in to your NordVPN account).
When connected, you can access the VPN service through the NordVPN app on your TV.
I set my connection to a nearby US server. After selecting the server, I began opening all my smart TV apps to access Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime Video.
While opening the apps, I didn't face any accessibility issues. The only issue I had was that Amazon Prime Video felt sluggish while browsing the app. But after I picked a TV show or movie, it worked fine.
But keep in mind that I don't always watch content in 4K. So any slowdowns in streaming won't be as noticeable as with constant 4K streaming.
I just get weary of dealing with the compression problem that some platforms have (Prime Video being notably worse ).
Now I don't really bother juggling between 4K and 1080p video streams. The 1080p video streams have always been enough for me, as long as they don't stutter and don't take too long to buffer.
What a VPN doesn't solve for me
I still can't comfortably access and use Hulu
One streaming platform that I wish to use is Hulu. However, Hulu isn't available in Canada.
The challenging part of using Hulu in Canada is that you need to keep a VPN active at all times or set up your DNS . You also need a US payment method and a valid US billing address.
You can technically lose access to your US payment method (like if you set up a US PayPal) and have your Hulu account shut down.
Setting up a virtual credit card connected to a US billing address can also be pricey .
While it isn't impossible to set up a Hulu account in Canada, it still isn't as easy as the other options, where I already have an account and just need to switch on my VPN to access different content.
I'd love to use Hulu. But the risks associated with it, and the setup just aren't worth it unless I already had a valid account and needed to access it elsewhere.
VPNs add more flexibility to my streaming
Not all VPN services are created equally, and whether one helps (or not) depends on what you're trying to accomplish.
For me, I didn't have any issues accessing US and Japanese content. But it might not always be so smooth if you're using a VPN to access servers farther away.
But since I lucked out, I felt better knowing I could commit to a single streaming service without subscribing to other platforms.
I can access a fresh catalog of anime and Japanese animated TV shows on Netflix using a VPN, which lets me comfortably take a break from Crunchyroll (I don't watch that much anime/animated content).
VPNs might not be the be-all and end-all solution to getting all the content you want in one place.
But it's definitely a valuable tool to have with you, especially if you're someone who might be traveling abroad, or like me, who doesn't want to spread themselves too thin by subscribing to many different streaming services.
I use it to help myself overcome subscription fatigue . That's already a massive win for me.
This article was produced in partnership with NordVPN.
