How to Use NordVPN with Your Streaming Services
If you’re anything like me, you love to watch movies and TV shows on your phone, tablet, or computer. Streaming services like Netflix have provided us with a plethora of fantastic content, and more are coming every year.
In some cases, you might want to access content restricted to certain geographic regions, countries, or networks. Fortunately, there are a few VPNs out there that allow you to do just that, provided you know how to use them. In this article, we’ll discuss how to use NordVPN to access geo-restricted content from Netflix, Hulu, and other popular streaming services.
NordVPN: A Brief Introduction
NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs around, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only do they offer some of the best prices for a VPN, but they also keep their servers in the US so that users can connect no matter where they are, provided they have a decent connection (more on that in a moment). As a result, users can access all of the content their heart desires, without having to worry about geography or censorship.
When you connect to the NordVPN server, you’ll see a green shield with a red arrow pointing to the right. This is the official logo of NordVPN, and it serves as a visual cue that you’re connected to a trusted VPN service.
NordVPN and Netflix
Let’s start with Netflix, one of the most popular content providers, and one of the biggest global players in the industry. You might want to use NordVPN to access Netflix in countries where the service is blocked, or if you live outside of the US and don’t want to view content that might be restricted or geo-blocked.
Here’s the deal with Netflix: unlike other content providers, they don’t just offer films and TV shows from Hollywood. Netflix is becoming a TV network in its own right, with original content aimed at both children and adults, and it frequently adapts successful formats from other industries, like fashion and music, and merges them with programming aimed at specific audiences. For example, they recently adapted the hit BBC show, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” into a Netflix original series (read our full review of “The Handmaid’s Tale” here).
This content is only available to people in certain regions. For instance, the show’s protagonist Offred has to wear a dress that leaves her arms and legs bare. As a result, in some parts of the world, including North America, she’s required to wear a long-sleeved top instead of a short-sleeved one. In other regions, like France and The United Kingdom, she’s allowed to keep her short-sleeved dress. In order to access this content, you’ll need to connect to a trusted VPN service, like NordVPN.
Hulu and NordVPN
Speaking of Netflix, it’s worth mentioning that the company also has a rival in the form of Hulu. While Netflix is certainly the biggest player in the streaming content space, Hulu is a much more affordable option if you’re looking for a TV streaming service. And from a security standpoint, it’s worth noting that Hulu doesn’t offer the same level of encryption as Netflix. So if you’re looking for a secure option, NordVPN is not the best choice.
Unlike most other streaming services, Hulu doesn’t offer any content restrictions, and it’s accessible worldwide. As a result, it’s a great choice for people who want to access content regardless of where they are.
What About Amazon Prime?
Another service that’s widely available and affordable is Amazon Prime. However, despite its popularity and low prices, Amazon Prime is not a good choice if you’re looking for a truly secure connection. Like Netflix and Hulu, Amazon Prime doesn’t offer the same level of encryption as NordVPN (see: “Prime Video” section on Amazon’s website for details).
And that, my friends, is a roundup of some of the best VPN services you can use to access restricted content. The best part is that most of these services are available for both Android and iOS devices, and they also offer desktop clients. So no matter what device you use, you’re covered. Let’s not forget about the excellent prices either, given the amount of content available for instant streaming.