The Netherlands has traditionally been a great place to "VPN from,” rather than a place you need a VPN for. This is no longer the case, however, and it is now as vital to use a VPN in the Netherlands as it is in most other places. In this article, we look at the best VPNs for the Netherlands and show you how to get the most out of the internet with one.
What Are The Best Netherlands VPNs?
If you want a quick answer, take a look at the list below to see what our experts picked as the best Netherlands VPN services. Scroll below the list for an in-depth look at each VPN service.
- ExpressVPN - is a long-standing leader in the industry, being able to access the world’s most sought after streaming sites for HD binge-watching.
- CyberGhost VPN - An easy to use Netherlands VPN that is compatible with all popular devices. It's easy to use, secure, and unblocks lots.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure VPN for The Netherlands. It abides by a strict no-logs policy keeping your data secure and private.
- Surfshark - The cheapest Netherlands VPN. It has incredible security features, including a kill-switch – just be sure to switch it on, first!
- Ivacy - A great VPN for streaming. It can unblock content from around the world without ISP throttling to slow you down.
The Best VPNs for Netherlands | In-depth Analysis
We take a more in-depth look at the best Netherlands VPN below. If you still want more information about any of the services below, check out our detailed VPN reviews.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for the Netherlands. It’s easier to list the features it doesn’t have! Enjoy super-secure OpenVPN encryption on any device at any time. ExpressVPN is a great pick for folks in the Netherlands, and offers a whopping 3,000+ servers dotted across the globe. You can bookmark your favorite servers with Express’ location picker, making quick access to streaming sites that much easier. It’s worth noting that Express does not offer dedicated or static IPs. Instead, the provider rotates its IP addresses fairly regularly. Online surveillance in the Netherlands has recently seen an increase, and wary citizens will benefit from Express’ audited no-logs policy. The provider also runs its own DNS on servers that won’t ever write data to a hard drive. Also, whether you’re at home or hopping from hotspot to hotspot in Amsterdam, OpenVPN encryption will keep you secure. Pretty much any device you own can support Express, which boasts up to 5 simultaneous connections - so you can share the love with friends and family! Try all of Express’ features today with a 30-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost is an excellent VPN for Holland. It will protect you from DNS and IP leaks and grants access to streaming sites around the globe. CyberGhost spoils its users rotten with more than 6,600 servers – 121 of which happen to be in the Netherlands. Dutch customers can also enjoy an automatic kill switch (that you won’t even need to turn on!), P2P support, and a no-logs policy that ensures that nobody, not even the government, can snoop on the particulars of your browsing sessions. The Romanian-based provider beats out ISP throttling and can unblock content from around the world. Tune in to your favorite shows in a few clicks with CyberGhost’s curated list of servers optimized for streaming, and rest assured that CyberGhost employs OpenVPN to ensure your security around the clock. Customers will also be protected from DNS and IP leaks. Share your subscription with up to 7 devices at any one time, and get in touch with a 24/7 customer support team if you have any burning questions. We’d definitely recommend taking CyberGhost for a spin with its 45-day money-back guarantee, or make use of its free 24-hour trial! Private Internet Access is the most secure VPN for The Netherlands. It's loaded with features, has proven in court that it doesn't keep logs, and obfuscation servers. Favored by Reddit’s online security community, Private Internet Access (PIA) has been recently acquired by CyberSec firm, Kape Technologies. The company aims to help its customers shore up their privacy - which plenty of folks in the Netherlands will appreciate! PIA offers 317 Dutch servers. What’s more, if you’re looking to torrent, PIA has your back with P2P support and a super handy automatic kill-switch. PIA is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices, as well as routers, and users can enjoy up to 10 simultaneous connections. The provider is a particularly great pick for VPN newbies, thanks to its instant setup and auto-connect feature, but an expert team is available via live chat if you need a bit of extra help. Check out PIA’s obfuscation measures, ad-blocking capability, and much more with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is the cheapest VPN for Holland. It unblocks worldwide content, obscures user data and, incredibly, unlimited simultaneous connections. Surfshark might be a relative newcomer to the VPN game, but don’t let its youth fool you - the provider offers a complete security package that’ll keep any and all Dutch users safe from the worst of government snooping. All of its 1,700+ RAM-only servers boast a Private DNS when using IPv4 stack. In addition, Surfshark makes great use of OpenVPN to keep unlimited devices secure when connected to public hotspots or home networks. If you’d like an additional layer of security, a traffic obfuscation feature is available, and P2P activity is supported on certain servers. Surfshark’s no-logs claim has also been independently audited. The service happily unblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video, so Dutch customers can check out content from beyond Europe in smooth HD. If you’d like to put the provider to the test, be sure to check out its 30-day money-back guarantee, and shoot any questions over to a 24/7 expert team. Ivacy is great for anyone wanting a VPN for streaming in the Netherlands. It takes it security seriously, offering leak protection, a kill-switch, and dedicated IPs. Another top pick for Dutch users, Ivacy uses OpenVPN encryption in conjunction with a no-logs policy and a whole host of other security measures. These include protection from IPv6 leaks and DDoS attacks. With Ivacy, you’ll also benefit from a kill switch as well as P2P support (though the kill-switch must be manually enabled), meaning you won’t need to worry about your ISP cottoning on to your downloads and landing you with a fine. For an extra $1.99 a month, users can also get their hands on a dedicated IP. You’ll be able to connect to servers in Amsterdam, or take your pick of 100 other locations, and a Smart Purpose Selection feature makes it easy to select optimized streaming and downloading servers. Ivacy unblocks most in-demand streaming sites, and you can share your subscription with 5 simultaneous connections. It’s well worth checking Ivacy out, and you can do so at your own pace thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. For any problems, get in touch with the customer service team via email or live chat. 1. ExpressVPN
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What to look for in a Netherlands VPN
Trying to make up your mind about which VPN to go with? Potential customers are spoiled for choice in today’s market, with tons of services available – but we’ve made things easy. Any of our top 5 VPN picks would make a great choice for Dutch citizens, prioritizing security to ensure that your browsing sessions remain private. If you’re still stuck deciding, however, here are a few key factors to consider:
- Plenty of servers – you’ll want a decent amount of servers scattered across the globe in order to access censored content.
- A zero-logs policy – don’t take risks when it comes to your identifiable information! No logs means there’s no way your government or ISP can see what you’re up to.
- Fast speeds – if you don’t want to be stuck watching an endlessly buffering stream or a sluggish download, you’ll want to pick a provider with unlimited bandwidth.
- Access to restricted sites – some VPNs simply don’t work with Netflix (and other sites prone to geo-restrictions), and it’s better to know if your provider can access these in-demand sites before you subscribe.
- A kill-switch – even the best VPNs experience a connection drop sometimes, but a kill-switch will prevent your connection info from leaking to your ISP, government, and any other snoopers.
Why do I need a VPN in the Netherlands?
There are plenty of reasons to invest in a VPN! With one subscription, you’ll be able to secure multiple devices and avoid online surveillance conducted by your ISP on behalf of the government. The Netherlands was once seen as a digital utopia, with citizens subject to very little surveillance, but thanks to the disappointing results of the 2018 WIV vote, times may be changing.
A VPN also comes in handy when bypassing geo-restrictions that would otherwise prevent access to streaming services or "time-wasting” sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram whilst at work. However, that’s not all. Some of a VPN’s best benefits include:
True online privacy
You might think that your ISP could care less about the sites you visit – but in truth, it will keep a log of your web history, including what you watch (and on which devices), and share this information with the government and other third parties. A VPN prevents this by encrypting your internet traffic – if your ISP can’t see what you’re doing online, then it can’t pass that information on!
Access to streaming services and global content
Top-of-the-line VPNs have no trouble unblocking Netflix’s various libraries of content. This means you’ll be able to check out new shows and old classics wherever you are in the world. With a VPN you can enjoy unrestricted access to streaming services like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Prime Video, as well as social media sites like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
P2P support
A VPN is a must for anyone looking to torrent files. Your ISP will be unable to see that you visited a torrenting site, reinforcing your privacy, and also prevents other torrenters from identifying your actual IP address.
Stay secure on public WiFi
We’ve all used the free WiFi you get at a cafe or train station, but these hotspots are hotbeds of criminal activity, and come with frustrating restrictions, like bandwidth caps. In an attempt to steal your data, including payment details and other sensitive information, cybercriminals will use a man-in-the-middle attack. This is a sadly common practice, where a crook connects to a real hotspot and uses their device to make a second access point. It might look the same as the legit connection (with a similar name), but connecting to it can be catastrophic, as the hacker will be able to see exactly what you’re up to online. A VPN’s encryption puts a stop to this, however, and even if a hacker gets hold of your information, they won’t be able to read it.
New to the world of VPNs, or just want some extra reading on what they can do for you? We recommend checking out the following guides:
How to install a VPN for the Netherlands
New to VPNs? Don’t worry – getting one set up only takes a few minutes, and it’s incredibly easy! We’ve outlined the process below, so follow along and you’ll be ready to stream, browse, and download safely.
- First and foremost, you’re going to need to pick a VPN provider. We’ve highlighted 5 of our top picks for the Netherlands above, all of which prioritize security features and speeds ideal for HD streaming.
- Sign up on the provider’s website, and select which plan you’d like to subscribe to – more often than not, you can save money by committing to a longer plan.
- Next, download the VPN software that’s compatible with your device.
- Run the software, follow the on-screen installation instructions, and log in with your details.
- Now it’s time to connect to a VPN server. You can simply hit that "Connect” button and let your VPN choose the nearest and quickest server for you, but you’ll also be able to pick your own from the map interface or locations list if you’re looking to access geo-restricted content in a certain territory.
Copyright Issues
For many years the Netherlands was a renowned hotbed of copyright piracy. It was because downloading copyrighted material was legal.
In theory, there were strict limits to this freedom – you could download only movies and music (not computer software), and only if you already owned it. However, they did not enforce copyright laws, resulting in something of a piracy free-for-all.
In order to compensate copyright holders for their loss, since 2003 the Dutch government levied a "personal copy fee” tax on all blank storage media such as CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, and USB thumb drives.
This all changed in 2014, however, when the EU Court of justice declared the local legislation unlawful:
If the Member States were free to adopt legislation permitting, inter alia, reproductions for private use to be made from an unlawful source, the result of that would clearly be detrimental to the proper functioning of the internal market.
The Court further determined that the "personal copy fee” was also illegal, as it unfairly penalized consumers who had never pirated anything in their lives.
In practice, both ISPs and the government have been unenthusiastic about enforcing the new rules. This is changing fast, however, thanks to the tireless efforts of anti-piracy outfits such as BRIEN who recently forced Netherlands ISPs to block The Pirate Bay and are taking an increasingly aggressive approach to Dutch piracy.
Note that ProPrivacy.com does not condone copyright infringement. We strongly encourage all our readers to seek out legal sources for the content they wish to consume.
Wiv
The Netherlands has traditionally been regarded as relatively surveillance-free, but this was put into serious doubt when the government passed the Wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten (Wiv) in early 2017.
The Intelligence and Security Services Act (English translation) was a draconian piece of legislation that granted the Dutch government wide-ranging surveillance powers. Under the Wiv, the government could:
- Tap online communication from a whole neighborhood if a single "suspicious” person was living there.
- Hack all automated devices, as for instance smartphones, computers, and smart TVs.
- Create a secret DNA-database that could include every citizen.
- Share collected data with foreign intelligence services without analyzing them first.
The Wiv also became known as the "Sleepwet” or "Sleepnetwet” (Trawl law) and was due to come into effect in May 2020.
Referendum
In the Netherlands, a non-binding advisory referendum can be forced on any issue if 300.000 signatures can be collected in support of it. Five students from the University of Amsterdam managed to do just that when their cause went viral after being featured on popular Dutch political satire show "Zondag met Lubach”.
The referendum took place on 21 March 2018. To almost everyone’s surprise, the Dutch public very narrowly rejected the Wiv: 48.8% to 47.3%. Perhaps it is unsurprising that voters were sharply divided along age lines. 60% of the people over the age of 55 voted in favor, and 41% of voters under 35 voted against the law.
Unfortunately, the law would still pass even with a majority "No" vote. But these surprising results did give rise to a number of prominent amendments, announced by the cabinet on April 6th, 2018. These were imposed in order to curtail any misuse. Supporters of the law claimed that handing additional scope and power to the Netherland's intelligence and security services was a fair price to pay in order to guard against digital threats.
WiFi Safety
Amsterdam, in particular, is famous for its coffee shops and cafes which almost invariably offer customers free WiFi. This great, but it does put them at risk from hackers who prey on users of insecure public WiFi networks.
A VPN protects you in this situation. It securely encrypts your data to the VPN server, which prevents hackers from accessing it.
It will also protect you against snooping by the WiFi operator. May it be untrustworthy Airbnb hosts or commercial WiFi services who provide "free” internet access in exchange for spying on your browsing habits.
Unblock Netflix
The Dutch have a well-deserved reputation for speaking many languages, with levels of fluency in English being particularity high. This means that many Dutch people can fully enjoy English-language programmings, such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
VPNs are great for unblocking such services, although please note that iPlayer and Netflix might block some VPNs. Please check out our Netflix VPN and iPlayer VPN pages for ones that are not. With a VPN you can unblock Netflix shows from anywhere in the world
Is it safe to use a free VPN in the Netherlands?
Well, it depends! There are heaps of free VPNs available on the market – you only need to take a quick scroll through the App Store to see as much. However, not all of them are trustworthy services, and it pays to be cautious when considering one.
The good
There are perfectly safe free VPN services out there – we’ve even written glowing reviews of some. You’ll still need to be careful, however, as these services make up the minority.
What’s more, a lot of free services are only going to be useful for day-to-day browsing – so, refreshing Twitter every once in a while. Even the best free services come with hefty restrictions that limit their capabilities; you’ll often come across:
- Bandwidth limits
- Data and download caps
- Fewer servers
- A reduced number of features
This means that they’re pretty much useless when it comes to streaming. For one thing, there are very few free services that can unblock sites like Netflix, and even if they could, you wouldn’t be able to relax with a movie, as capped bandwidth means buffering, stutters, and even your viewing stopping altogether.
Overall, free VPNs exist as a means to tempt you into purchasing a full subscription. They’re an appetizer, meant to give you a flavor of the service and little else. If you’d like to check out a fully-featured VPN with none of these restrictions (and without risking your cash). We’d recommend making use of a premium provider’s money-back guarantee to get the most out of your VPN without losing your cash.
The bad (and the ugly)
There’s an old saying that sums up our thoughts on these services: things that seem too good to be true often are. This most definitely applies to "unlimited” free plans. We’d recommend giving these dodgy providers a wide berth, as they’re usually after your data or bandwidth.
Running a VPN is a costly business, and a service will normally charge a subscription to cover the cost of upkeep. It begs the question of how an unlimited free VPN can afford to stay in business, doesn’t it? Well, you’ll be paying with your data rather than your wallet. These crooked services collect user data to sell to third parties, which is the polar opposite of what a VPN should do.
Are VPNs legal in the Netherlands?
Yes! You can safely use a VPN in the Netherlands without fear of reprisal. VPN usage is common, in fact. Plenty of individuals use VPNs to exercise their right to online privacy, and businesses across the country rely on corporate VPNs to keep staff members connected. So, banning VPNs or making them illegal would actually harm the Dutch economy.
If you’re going to use a VPN, there are a few things to bear in mind. First of all, you might intend to put your VPN to use in order to bypass those pesky restrictions imposed by your school or workplace (and we won’t tell), but bear in mind that this could have some nasty consequences if you’re caught. It’s not illegal, but your boss or tutor may not be best pleased.
It’s also true that some folks use VPNs to conduct illegal activities. We don’t condone this and would like to point out that illegal activities done whilst using a VPN will remain just as illegal.
Conclusion
The Wiv referendum result provides a pool of light in what is, globally, a darkening surveillance situation. How the Dutch government will respond is still a question. I think it's fair to say that the world is changing, and the Netherlands with it.
It is, therefore, a very good idea to use a VPN in the Netherlands. If your looking for an affordable VPN you will be happy to know that there’s plenty of great ones out there, check out our cheap VPN page for more information.
- ExpressVPN - is a long-standing leader in the industry, being able to access the world’s most sought after streaming sites for HD binge-watching.
- CyberGhost VPN - An easy to use Netherlands VPN that is compatible with all popular devices. It's easy to use, secure, and unblocks lots.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure VPN for The Netherlands. It abides by a strict no-logs policy keeping your data secure and private.
- Surfshark - The cheapest Netherlands VPN. It has incredible security features, including a kill-switch – just be sure to switch it on, first!
- Ivacy - A great VPN for streaming. It can unblock content from around the world without ISP throttling to slow you down.