Is Harry Potter on Netflix?
Everyone’s favourite wizarding chronicles are available on the streaming site – but there’s a caveat
Is Harry Potter on Netflix? The truth is, there’s no short answer to this eminently important question.
The sad news is that the Harry Potter franchise is not currently available for free on any of the UK’s top streaming services, including Netflix, Now TV and Amazon Prime.
US residents have a little luck albeit for a small window. All the Harry Potter films are currently available on HBO Go, but you’ll need to be quick because they get taken off the streaming service at the end of the month. That said, you still have time for one massive weekend of binge-watching the adventures of The Boy Who Lived vs He Who Must Not Be Named.
The only other service we know of that’s streaming all eight Harry Potter movies for free indefinitely is Netflix, but only if you live in Australia, New Zealand, France or Belgium.
Why, you might be asking, do the Harry Potter films so rarely feature on these streaming platforms? The answer pertains to licensing fees, and the often astronomical sums that streaming giants will – or will not – fork out for everyone’s favourite wizarding trio.
Canny Potter fans might have noticed that the franchise makes the odd appearance on Now TV – although this is usually rolled out as a marketing technique when an affiliated movie like Fantastic Beasts is being released.
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So if you’re a UK or US-dweller, your best bet when it comes to a Harry Potter marathon is to pay to buy or stream the films on Amazon Prime (£3.49 to rent per HD movie), iTunes (£40 for the complete collection) or Google Play (£3.49 per movie).
Meanwhile, if residents of New Zealand, Australia, France or Belgium find themselves travelling abroad and want access to the eight-part film series, their most viable option is to use a VPN – that’s “virtual private network” for anyone not in the know.
A VPN will re-enable you to access the Potter franchise, whether you’re on a business trip or a family holiday (everyone needs their home comforts) by simply changing your location to your home country. In short, it does its own technical wizardry to let you access content you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
We’ve rounded up the best VPNs around, so aforementioned Netflix viewers can watch Harry and the gang up to their old, ahem, tricks, wherever you are in the world.
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Our top three VPN choices to watch the Harry Potter films on in the UK and US are Express VPN, NordVPN and Surfshark, all of which offer a smooth and reliable viewing experience of the film franchise’s fantastical offerings.
Express VPN
This is the quickest VPN of the roster, offering lightning quick speeds for uninterrupted viewing sessions. Plus, it comes with 24hr customer support and a platform for online tutorials. No more tearing your hair out when things go wrong, then. Plus, Expert Reviews readers get three months free when they sign up for the 12-month plan.
Nord VPN
This VPN service lets you encrypt your connection on up to six devices, if you and your pals are doing a remote Harry Potter marathon (as one does). If you’re hot on your data protection, this is the VPN for you; its service has been audited to prove that it doesn’t log any user data.
Surfshark
This is a relative newbie on the VPN scene, but boasts an impressive array of features, including apps for every device, 24/7 customer service as well as one of the lowest price tags we’ve seen on a long-term VPN plan.
NB: it’s worth noting that if you’re using a VPN very far afield from Australia, there might be a slow-down in even the fastest VPN. Just a heads-up.
Meanwhile, those of you among us who prefer doing things the old-fashioned way can snap up the complete eight-film box set on Amazon for just shy of £30 for the DVD edition or £40 for the Blu-ray edition.