VPN for travel - trying to access US Netflix from Europe

[Script]

So I've been using ExpressVPN for a bit but the speeds are kinda meh lately. I get around 70 Mbps on my home WiFi but when I connect to their US server it drops to like 25-30 Mbps which is barely enough for streaming in HD. Plus, I tested it with Netflix and it sometimes buffers or shows the proxy error. Protocol-wise I'm on OpenVPN because I read it's more stable, but I wonder if I should switch to WireGuard or IKEv2 for better speed? Also, how do you guys deal with privacy while abroad? Do you trust the no-log claims or do you run a self-hosted VPN just to be safe? Ymmv but I'm thinking about trying a different provider or maybe setting up my own server in the cloud.

 

[Latency]

Ymmv but I never fully trust no-log claims from VPN providers, especially big names. Running your own server in a cloud or even in a VPS you control kinda gives you peace of mind but that's more effort. I personally use a mix of both depending on what I need but for streaming I'd say try switching protocols first, WireGuard usually gives a nice boost in speed without sacrificing too much stability.

 

[Urgency]

Ever tried Proton VPN? They got a no-log policy and good speeds, plus they support WireGuard. Might be worth a shot if you're thinking about switching providers or testing out protocols.

 

[Velocity]

different angle: i trust no-log claims but still run my own setup sometimes for peace of mind. using a VPS with openvpn or wireguard gives me control but yeah, more work. if you're comfy with configs, it's kinda the safest bet imo

 

[Ember]

Man, I tried the same thing and ended up with more buffering than actual watching. VPNs can work but netflix keeps fighting them, it's like whack-a-mole. Fwiw, sometimes just using a smart DNS is smoother if you wanna keep it simple.

 

[Summit]

Last month I was in Spain and used a VPN to get US Netflix, worked fine for me, no buffering issues. Maybe it's just a matter of picking the right VPN provider? Not all VPNs are created equal in this game.

 

[Foray]

came here to say exactly this

 

[Geode]

Different angle: try using a VPN with obfuscated servers, they're designed to hide VPN traffic and might work better with Netflix's blocks.

 

[Haven]

ngl this is facts

 

[Nadir]

Did a quick scan and saw over 60% of VPNs still get blocked by Netflix sometimes. Feels like a cat and mouse game, no? Honestly, even with obfuscated servers, it's not guaranteed, so gotta have backup plans or just accept some borders might be unbreakable.