Tag Archives: United States

How to Watch US Netflix in Canada

Oh Canada, you’re lovely but Canadians can’t help but want the stuff Americans have. Although the CN Tower and Whistler’s ski resorts are iconic, sometimes one craves New Orleans’ cuisine or the energy of New York City.

Netflix Canada has come a long way. It ranks third in terms of having the most content and is one position behind the US which is second. Still, depending on your watching habits, many think that Netflix US is far ahead.

US Netflix Vs. Netflix Canada

On paper, there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference between the content library in Netflix US versus Canada. According to a snapshot of its content in 2022 Canada offered about 5,730 titles (both movies and TV shows). And Netflix in the US had 5,879 titles. That’s only 149 additional titles to choose from. However, don’t let the stats fool you!

Netflix US has the top-rated TV shows so many are itching to watch! Healer, The Best of Enemies, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy are examples of popular shows that Canadian Netflix subscribers don’t get access to. The American version of Netflix shines when it comes to its selection of TV shows.

Netflix Canada has its strengths too. Canadians get access to some award-winning movies that Americans don’t such as Wind River, Hell or High Water, and Eastern Promises. Additionally, their Canadian library has some TV shows like Pretty Little Liars and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air which are nowhere to be found on US Netflix.

Why Netflix US has Awesome Shows Canadians Don’t Get

It’s a bit frustrating. Why are Canadian subscribers excluded from some of the best content on Netflix? First, we need a basic overview of how the TV and film industries work.

Although Netflix is the service that delivers all the programming the vast majority of its content is supplied by movie studios, television networks, and other providers.

Netflix signs contracts with each company that creates content so new titles can be added to their libraries. In those contracts, the studios and networks specify which regions get access to their titles and which ones don’t.

Thus, Netflix is simply following these contracts and delivering content according to the requirements of its creators. Most of us will never know exactly why The Office isn’t available to Canadians. Customers simply have to work with the cards they’re dealt.

How Netflix Knows Its Subscribers are Based in the US or Canada

When you visit Netflix’s website it automatically directs you to a regional version of their site. So, if you live in Canada it ensures you’re doing business with Netflix’s Canadian operations. It means you’re billed in CAD and get access exclusively to their content for Canadian subscribers.

Each time you use the Netflix app to watch programming the app detects where you’re located. Your smartphone, PC, or other device has an IP address associated with it. That IP is a quick, effective way for providers to know what country you’re accessing their service from.

So, in theory, it doesn’t matter if you signed up with Netflix Canada or Netflix US. What’s significant is the country you’re currently accessing Netflix from. To test this, Canadian subscribers can watch Netflix while they’re on vacation in the US. Voila, they’ll have full access to Netflix’s US content library.

How to Watch Netflix’s US-Only Content in Canada

To view the Netflix US content library, you need to appear to be in the US when the Netflix app or website checks your location.

The most effective way to watch Netflix in Canada is by using a VPN. What’s that? It means virtual private network. A VPN works between your internet service provider and the website or app you’re connecting to. It creates an intermediary layer that enhances your security and privacy online. VPNs make it easy to change your IP so you can choose an IP address that is associated with any country.

Over the years Netflix has detected that many users are accessing their app and website from the same IPs. So yes, they’re wise to the use of VPNs to view regional content. In fact, some IPs won’t work with Netflix, and some VPN services are better than others for streaming Netflix. If too many people are already using the same IP address users can be temporarily denied access. The good news is this is often solved simply by choosing a different IP address from those provided by your VPN.

Tips on Choosing the Right VPN for Watching Netflix

Netflix is constantly improving its tech and refining its policies. One example of this is their crackdown on password sharing which started at the end of 2022.

Before subscribing to a VPN service it’s advised that you check the latest posts on Reddit’s r/NetflixViaVPN community. Redditors there share which VPNs they’re using and which VPNs work with Netflix as well as which ones don’t.

To ensure you go with a solid VPN service overall read LetMeBy’s reviews of the top 3 VPN services.

Want the fastest answer? These are the VPNs most commonly recommended here for watching Netflix US in Canada:

When it comes to the best VPN services for streaming, speed is a key factor. HD video takes a good amount of bandwidth and all that data is sent through your VPN. Pretty much any VPN that requires a monthly subscription is speedy and capable of streaming high-quality video.

Are There Risks Associated with Watching Netflix US in Canada?

It’s clear that Netflix is aware that people use VPNs to unblock content and they’d rather their subscribers didn’t. Using a VPN is against their terms. However, a lot of Netflix subscribers have a VPN. It’s becoming more and more common to use VPNs for general internet use and most people that have one never turn it off.

Netflix aims to enforce its rules while keeping its subscribers. So, Netflix won’t toss you off its platform for watching TV shows and movies with a VPN. At worst an IP address provided to you by your VPN will be blocked by Netflix. In many cases, it’s just a question of choosing a different IP that isn’t on their radar.

Wrapping It Up

Some of the best TV shows are on Netflix US but Canadian subscribers don’t need to feel left out. A Canadian Netflix subscriber with a VPN gets the best of both worlds. This gives you access to content that Americans don’t get, plus all the exclusive content available in the US.

VPNs are handy for watching Netflix but that’s really just the beginning of their applications. Browsing the Web while knowing your every action isn’t being tracked is a liberating experience.

Protect Browsing History After Congress Internet Privacy Bill: Time to VPN?

security-breach

The US House of Representatives have passed privacy rules that give your ISP the right to access and even sell the data generated when you use the internet.

This has created a shockwave among Web users, with searches about VPN services that allow you to hide your IP and protect online privacy spiking up as a result.

In the past it was sufficient for ISPs and corporations to know just the basics about you: name, address, phone number, possibly your age. Now they want to peer inside your head and get to know what makes to tick. By studying your opinions, interests, and shopping habits they’ll know exactly what products and services to entice you with, just when you want it most.

And that’s a frightening breach of trust for most of us.

For most the internet is a sanctuary of anonymous inquiry, where we can ask Google questions we wouldn’t dare ask even to our closest friends.

It’s disturbing to imagine world in which our every embarrassing concern, politically incorrect query, and questionable download is being monitored by a tireless sales bot, looking its next hit on our credit card balance.

Unfortunately, it’s likely a minority that will take the steps to protect themselves. Anyone too preoccupied, uniformed or too cheap will be separated from an asset of great value to marketers. Keep in mind this isn’t just an invasion of your privacy, it’s a way of taking more from the consumer without directly raising the cost of internet access.

VPN to the Rescue

To understand how a VPN (virtual private network) can protect your online privacy, we need to examine how it works. A VPN connects users together through a private network so these individuals can access a public network (usually the internet) through it. By making this “virtual” connection routed through the internet from the VPN provider’s private network, the data is encrypted. Any parties intercepting this data won’t be able to read it.

Another advantage is a VPN will hide your IP address: the code used to identify your personal machine and where you are in the world. An ISP of course has all your contact information associated with your computer’s IP. Rather than seeing your true IP the ISP will see the IP of the VPN server so they won’t be able to associate that with your identity.

Recommended services:

Is Your Search Engine Trustworthy?

The ever-improving search technologies offered by Google, Bing and others are nothing short of amazing. However with these new policy changes in effect now is a good time to ask yourself if you trust the company behind your favorite search engine.

If not, you may want to use a search engine that doesn’t track user data like DuckDuckGo or Yippy for your incognito searches.

HTTPS: A Partial Solution

Sites that use HTTPS have a security certificate that encrypts the user’s data directly on their server. Web-based companies that value the privacy of their users have made strides to protect it from malicious entities and now to an extent from ISPs.

When you visit a HTTPS enabled site like Twitter for example, your ISP will be able to see you accessed that site, plus the time and duration of the visit. However, the exact pages you accessed while on Twitter will be hidden to the ISP.

That’s not bad but the issue here is that many sites don’t utilize HTTPS, especially small, independently run sites with limited resources.

Although imperfect, you may opt to use a browser plugin like HTTPS Everywhere to beef up security on such sites with no security certificate.

Hit ISPs Back

Some may see the value in voicing their privacy concerns with their ISP directly. Tell them your concerns about privacy issues. Ask about their policies about selling customer data. Then inquire if you can opt out of it.

If the backlash is great enough there will be market pressure for ISPs to rethink how they handle privacy. Congress may have given them the right to sell your data, but that doesn’t mean they can’t opt out too. Better privacy practices may become a selling feature for ISPs that decide to differentiate themselves from other ISPs unwilling to put their customers needs first.

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Photo: Blogtrepreneur