How to watch Netflix España (Netflix Spain) abroad with a VPN

Netflix España (or Netflix Spain) might not measure up to other countries’ catalogs of TV shows and movies, but that doesn’t mean there are no gems to be found in the Spanish version of the world’s largest premium streaming service. Unfortunately for Spanish subscribers, many of these are unavailable in other countries’ libraries. On the plus side, it’s still possible to stream Netflix Spain while traveling in other countries, as long as you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to gain a Spanish IP address.

Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all of a device’s internet traffic and routes it through an intermediary server in a location of your choosing. This masks your real IP address with that of the server, allowing you to access content only available in that country. In this case, you would connect to a server in Spain.

Sadly, Netflix started blocking connections from known VPN servers back in 2016. Attempting to watch a show or movie through a blacklisted VPN, results in the following error message:

“Algo salió mal… Error de streaming. Parece que estás utilizando un desbloqueador o proxy. Desactiva cualquiera de estos servicios e inténtalo de nuevo.”

Or, in English:

“Whoops, something went wrong… Streaming error. You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again.”

Now only a handful of VPNs work with Netflix at all, and even fewer can securely access Netflix Spain in particular. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and tested over a dozen VPNs. For those that haven’t got time to read the whole article, here is a summary of the best VPNs for Netflix Spain:

1. NordVPN Vast server network with servers in Spain that are perfect for streaming Spanish Netflix. First-class security and privacy features. Easy to set up and get going. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark Best budget provider. Decent speeds, no connection limit, and tight security.
3. ExpressVPN Operates a vast network of servers and takes privacy very seriously.
4. PrivateVPN Not as large a network, but its Spanish servers had no issues with Netflix. Privacy and security features are solid.
5. Hide My Ass Works well with Netflix but only has a few servers in Spain and needs some manual tweaking to get it working.

How to watch Netflix España from anywhere

Setting up a VPN to access Spanish Netflix from abroad is simple. Just follow our step-by-step guide below.

Here’s how to watch Spanish Netflix (shows & movies) from anywhere:

1. Sign up with a VPN that offers servers in Spain. We recommend NordVPN.
2. Download and install the VPN app or browser extension for your device.
3. Open the VPN app or browser extension and connect to a server in Spain. This will provide you with a Spanish IP address for watching Netflix abroad.
4. Go to Netflix and login to your account.
5. You should now be able to play videos on Netflix España! If you’re still encountering restrictions, try clearing your browser’s cookies.

The best VPNs to watch Spanish Netflix – at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Netflix España.

The best VPNs to watch Netflix España

We drew up the following list of the best VPNs for Spain based on the following criteria:

• Operates servers in Spain that work with Netflix
• Fast and stable connections for uninterrupted and high-quality video streams
• Responsive and competent customers service
• Strong security and privacy policy
• Compatible with multiple types of devices

Read more on our methodology and how we test VPNs.

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for watching Netflix Spain from anywhere:

1. NordVPN

May 2023 works with Netflix EspañaTested May 2023

NordVPN is our top choice for Netflix Spain. It’s among the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, and its servers reliably work with Netflix Spain, among other libraries. Not only that, but this provider operates more than 5,400 servers around the world.

It holds to a true zero logs policy, so no information about what or how the VPN is used is recorded. Military-grade encryption is built into the app. A single subscription allows users to connect up to six devices at the same time.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

BEST VPN FOR Netflix España:NordVPN is our top choice. Top performer for streaming and torrenting. Strong privacy and security features and allows up to 6 devices to be used simultaneously from one account. Hard to beat. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try them risk-free.

Read our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

works with Netflix EspañaTested May 2023

Surfshark is a low-cost VPN that makes secure streaming easy. It can securely access a range of Netflix libraries, including Netflix Spain, plus other popular sites such as Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. It has ample speeds for streaming and operates a growing network of more than 3,000 servers in over 100 countries.

Security and privacy features abound and include military-grade encryption, automatic wifi protection, and a kill switch. Surfshark sticks to a strict no-logs policy.

Apps are available for Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

BEST BUDGET PICK:Surfshark is a solid all-rounder that offers strong security and unlimited connections. Plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark.

3. ExpressVPN

works with Netflix EspañaTested May 2023

ExpressVPN is another strong choice for a Netflix Spain VPN. It’s exceptionally fast and offers unlimited bandwidth, so you should be able to watch without interruption. ExpressVPN can also be used to securely stream Antena 3, Quatro, and more.

This provider doesn’t maintain any user-identifying logs and protects your data with 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch. You can use the service on up to five devices simultaneously.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.

FEATURE-RICH VPN:ExpressVPN is a great streaming VPN. It has fast speeds, a large network, and a great range of security features. Subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

4. PrivateVPN

works with Netflix EspañaTested May 2023

PrivateVPN is smaller and younger than most of its counterparts, but it’s consistently been able to one-up the veterans when it comes to securely accessing Netflix Spain. Speeds are great, too, so you can stream uninterrupted and in high quality.

As you might expect, PrivateVPN prioritizes user security. It packs a no logs policy, top notch encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection into its apps. You can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously on just one account.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

GREAT SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is a good family choice. Speeds were surprisingly good at this end of the market. Could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

5. Hide My Ass

works with Netflix EspañaTested May 2023

Hide My Ass has a few servers that work with Netflix Spain. You may have to disable IPv6 on some devices though; see the video below for instructions on how to do that. HMA is one of the faster VPNs around, so you should have no issues with buffering.

This service packs strong encryption, a huge range of servers and locations, DNS leak protection, and an app-specific kill switch. Live chat support is available should you encounter any issues.

Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. You may connect up to five devices at a time on a single plan.

User Friendly Apps:HideMyAss! works well with Netflix and has great security features but doesn’t match other providers for privacy. A bit pricey. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Hide My Ass review.

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Still getting the Netflix proxy error? Try this

If you’ve subscribed to one of the VPNs we recommended in this article but still get the Netflix proxy error when you try to watch a video, try the following steps:

1. If you’re logged into any Google accounts, including the one on Chrome browser, log out of them. Google caches IP addresses, which can reveal your actual location.
2. Disable GPS and any other location services on your computer, smartphone, or browser. If you’ve given Netflix permission to see your location in the past, you’ll need to toggle this off in your browser settings.
3. Clear your browser’s cookies, cache, and temp files. Learn how to clear your cache here, and how to clear your cookies here.
4. Disable IPv6. This is particularly useful for Windows 10 users. You can turn IPv6 off on your Wifi Properties. You may need to restart your device afterward.
5. Flush your DNS cache. In Windows, run Command Prompt in Administrator mode and typing ipconfig /flushdns
6. Change your device’s time zone to the country’s in which you’re trying to access Netflix. Spain has two time zones: UTC+0 and UTC+1.
7. If you are connected to a wifi network and have access to the router, rename the wifi network (SSID). Append “_nomap” at the end (no quotes). For example: “comparitech_nomap”. This will opt your wifi network out of Google’s geolocation services. You will need to reconnect your device to the new network in order to regain internet access.
8. Disconnect and reconnect to the selected server location to obtain a new IP address.

Methodology: Finding the best VPNs for Netflix Spain

You can’t just use any VPN to securely access Netflix Spain. In fact, very few work reliably with this content library. To make matters worse, some are simply too slow to be of any real use. That’s why we’ve put together a list of must-have criteria for the services we recommend. That way, you’ll know that whichever you choose, it’ll be able to handle just about anything you throw at it. Here’s what we looked for in the best VPNs for Netflix Espana:

• Servers in Spain: This is the easy part. Without Spanish servers, you can’t get a Spanish IP address and can’t access Spanish services. Ideally, there’d be lots to choose from, in a variety of Spanish cities.
• High speeds: Streaming uses quite a bit of bandwidth, so fast speeds are essential. We regularly speed test the leading VPNs to see which is currently the fastest, and monitor how their performance has changed over time.
• Great streaming potential: Obviously, we need VPNs that work with Netflix Spain. However, we also look for those that can help you stream platforms like Antena 3, La 1, and Cuatro. This ensures that you’ll always have options for things to watch.
• Strong security: VPNs are designed to keep you safe, so we can’t compromise on security. At a minimum, we require 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, plus a no-logging policy.
• User-friendly apps: Not everyone is a tech expert. Luckily, the services above are all designed with beginners in mind. They provide support over live chat (often 24/7) and some even have special servers for streaming Netflix Spain.
• Fair pricing: Needless to say, we’ll never recommend a service that charges more than it’s worth. Additionally, whenever we recommend a VPN, we’ll always tell you about any discounts or money-back guarantees so that you never pay more than you have to.

Looking to find out more? You can read all about our VPN testing process.

Streaming Spanish Netflix: Frequently Asked Questions