It’s no news that the United Arab Emirates is a region with strict censorship laws. It’s an Islamic state with deep-rooted conservative values, so that’s not surprising. Consequently, Netflix and other websites tend to censor content that may be deemed offensive or inappropriate under local laws. If you thought residents could turn to the Netflix US library as an alternative, you would also be wrong. Thanks to the streaming company’s geo-restrictions, that’s impossible.
So, whether you’re a tourist in Dubai or you reside in the region, you’re seemingly stuck with the UAE library. Well, you may not be completely stuck with it. Being the richest library in terms of content, you’re likely looking for how to watch US Netflix in UAE. Therefore, we’ve put this comprehensive article together, recommending and reviewing the top VPNs for watching American Netflix in UAE and also offering different tips you’d find useful along the way.
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Our Top VPN Recommendations
With Netflix’s recent crackdown on VPN services, finding a provider that can bypass their blocks is easier said than done. Most of them out there are all-barks-but-no-bite, and knowing them better than you do, we’ve picked out the best ones.
NordVPN
Being the biggest and most popular VPN provider out there, we don’t expect it to come as a surprise to anybody that NordVPN works excellently for unblocking Netflix in UAE. The company manages thousands of servers globally, hundreds of which are located across different cities in the United States. Simply put, users have an enormous selection to pick from.
In terms of speed, not many VPN services can boast to be faster than NordVPN. Besides that, the company also provides unlimited bandwidth, allowing users to watch as many movies as their heart can take. The company’s excellent customer support is also something to enjoy, providing its users with round-the-clock support.
In terms of pricing, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a service that offers better value for money. The prices are budget-friendly. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to recoup your investment if you don’t like the service.
ExpressVPN
If you are in search of a service you can rely on during your next visit to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, ExpressVPN perfectly fits the bill. The service doesn’t only offer excellent connection speeds but also employs effective systems to evade Netflix’s VPN-blocking schemes. You can’t just go wrong with this provider.
Being the fastest VPN service out there and boasting more than 3,000 servers in more than a hundred countries, you can expect not to encounter buffering problems. There’s also no cap on bandwidth usage, so you can watch your favorite shows without worrying about reaching a limit.
Since restrictions are constantly changing, a worthy VPN company must also offer excellent customer support. Apparently, nobody understands this better than ExpressVPN as their support is behind none in terms of availability and responsiveness.
The plans on offer are also cheap, and to encourage users to buy long-term plans, the 12-month plan comes with a 49-percent discount. The added 30-day money-back guarantee means you can get your money back should the service fail to meet your expectations.
PureVPN
Whether you live in UAE or just travel there, PureVPN is another service that’ll allow you to unblock US Netflix effortlessly. With more than 6,000 servers spread across 180 locations worldwide, users have an abundance of alternatives to choose from. Should a server go down or get blocked, you can quickly turn to another one.
The service also performs decently when it comes to speeds, giving big providers like ExpressVPN and NordVPN a run for their money. That means you don’t need to worry about throttling ever again. For ease of use, PureVPN also offers user-friendly clients for a wide range of devices.
However, the quality of customer support is disappointing, for reasons we don’t even know. To make up for that, the company offers flexible and cheap plans. Whether that’s enough to compensate for the poor support or not, it’s up to users to decide.
How to Watch US Netflix in UAE with a VPN
If you’re having a hard time learning how to use a VPN, this section intends to simplify the process. Below are the steps you must follow when trying to access US Netflix in the United Arab Emirates.
- Sign up with one of the top VPNs we’ve recommended
- Depending on the device you use, download and install a compatible client.
- Once you have installed the app, launch it and sign in.
- Find a US server and connect to it.
- Once you’re connected to a VPN, visit the Netflix website and log in to your account.
- Start watching US Netflix in the UAE.
What makes the best VPN for UAE?
If you live in the UAE, there are many things you need a VPN for. From getting away from the prying government to unblocking censored content to accessing content blocked because of geo-restrictions, the ideal VPN for UAE must be able to do it all. Here, we’ve detailed the things you must look out for when choosing an ideal VPN as a UAE resident.
Obfuscated servers – If you’re looking to get past network restrictions and access VoIP services, you need a VPN that offers obfuscated servers, such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. An ideal VPN service must be completely discreet in its operation, or you’d be kicked out of the site you’re trying to access.
Reliability – Restriction of some websites tend to vary often, so you also need a VPN that has a reputation of being reliable in the United Arab Emirates. Paying for a VPN service and realizing after a couple of days that it’s incapable of offering what you bought it for can be exasperating.
Excellent privacy – You must also prioritize a VPN provider that prioritizes complete anonymity. Thanks to the government’s solid stance against the usage of VPNs, we understand you’ll be looking to remain completely anonymous. Therefore, look for a VPN service with a strict zero-logging policy, military-grade encryption, and a range of protocols.
Can a free VPN work in UAE?
If you are looking to get US Netflix in the United Arab Emirates, you must be willing to make some investments. We don’t recommend using free VPNs at all, especially when you consider the strict censorship laws in the region. If you are living in this kind of region, you’ll likely want to turn your VPN on at all times. Since free services always come with data caps, this will be impossible.
In addition, paid VPNs often provide users with a wide range of servers. This means you can always have alternatives to turn to. And if one server is struggling to unblock American Netflix or any other website, you will find another one that does.
Apart from not working sometimes, a free VPN also poses privacy concerns, as they can leak your data in their bid to generate money. Finally, the best paid VPNs come with a money-back guarantee, usually lasting for 30 days in most cases.
While you must pay for access, you can recoup your money within 30 days if you don’t like the service. They also won’t ask you any uncomfortable questions or try to convince you.
Are VPNs legal in UAE?
Yes, using a VPN in the United Arab Emirates is legal. Businesses’ excessive reliance on them means it will be difficult for the government to prohibit them outrightly. However, accessing restricted content is prohibited, and if you’re caught, you may be facing a fine of up to $500,000.
Having said that, we must also note that no one has never been prosecuted for accessing restricted content. Logically, the government is more interested in preventing large-scale crimes like terrorism than chasing individuals unblocking restricted content.
While we don’t encourage anyone to break the laws of their countries with the aid of a VPN, we also greatly believe in complete freedom while using the internet.
Final Thoughts
Despite being a beautiful country and one of the top destinations for tourists, UAE is a region with many restrictions. While its citizens enjoy some of the greatest wonders of the world, internet freedom and US Netflix aren’t among them.
With strict censorship laws imposed on local TVs and Netflix, it’s understandable if you’re looking to learn how to watch US Netflix in UAE. In this guide, we’ve simplified the processes and recommended the best VPN providers to avoid geo-blocking, so we hope you will never miss any minute of your favorite TV show again.
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