Whether you live outside the UK or are away from it due to a holiday or work trip, and you love to watch BBC’s exclusive content, you’ll need to use a VPN to access the iPlayer for it. BBC iPlayer is in great demand as it allows you to stream a plethora of movies, cartoons, films, TV shows, and all that for free. However, to access it from outside the UK, you’ll have to bypass the geo-restrictions; that’s because iPlayer has completely blocked access to anyone who’s not in the UK.
Apart from that, BBC also uses some advanced VPN blocking technology so that any ordinary VPN won’t do the thing for you. The best solution is to use a powerful and reliable VPN to alter your IP address and offer good online security. Since not all VPNs work with iPlayer, we did extensive research and jotted down the best VPNs to watch iPlayer if you’re outside the UK. We looked for those VPNs that offer more security and a risk-free watching experience.
ExpressVPN is our top choice because it has all the features that the best VPN should have. It performs its duties exceptionally well and offers a vast selection of servers. The VPN allows you to connect five devices simultaneously. Moreover, it provides a hassle-free connection and live-chat support that is available 24/7.
The VPN keeps on updating its servers regularly so that the BBC can’t block it. Also, ExpressVPN comes under the BVI jurisdiction, which is not contingent on any legal government surveillance or data retention laws.
NordVPN is an excellent VPN for watching BBC iPlayer, and it offers numerous UK servers that you can choose from. The VPN has around 700 servers operating in the UK, so if you’re a UK content lover and live outside the UK, this is the perfect option. The service offers advanced encryption and follows a strict zero-logs policy. Also, the VPN comes under the jurisdiction of Panama laws which is not subject to any surveillance programs or data retention.
CyberGhost unblocks the geo-restricted contents very efficiently. The app allows you to choose a server for any streaming website you want to access. You just have to navigate to the streaming option in the VPN app, and a list of streaming websites will appear, including the BBC iPlayer. CyberGhost comes under the jurisdiction of Romania, and the laws there are proven secure for VPNs.
Surfshark offers speedy services and a good number of servers that operate in the UK. It is a popular VPN and another good option to access BBC iPlayer outside the UK. Apart from unblocking the BBC iPlayer, it can surpass geo-restrictions for many other streaming services. The service operates under the BVI jurisdiction, similar to ExpressVPN.
PrivateVPN has a good reputation for streaming BBC iPlayer and other popular platforms. The service has two servers that operate in the UK, and one of the servers is specially optimized for streaming BBC iPlayer. The VPN offers good speeds and allows you to connect six devices simultaneously. Apart from BBC iPlayer, PrivateVPN can also unblock other platforms, including Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and ESPN. The company comes under the jurisdiction of 14-Eyes Alliance Jurisdiction.
A VPN unblocks BBC iPlayer by altering your IP address. The Virtual Private Network or VPN encrypts your device’s internal traffic according to the server you choose and then routes it through the intermediary server. The VPN, in this case, will pick a British server and assign your device a UK IP address so that BBC iPlayer thinks that you’re in the UK.
You could be anywhere in the world and pick a British server by using VPN so that other servers or your ISP will think that your connection is coming from a British server. This way, the BBC iPlayer will work for you using a VPN regardless of your location. However, since BBC iPlayer is banning many VPN users just like Netflix, you need to be more cautious. Only the best and most advanced VPNs can bypass BBC iPlayer’s firewall, and in case they get blocked, they work actively to fix the issue.
You can access BBC iPlayer through its website if you live in the UK. However, if you’re outside the UK, you’ll have to first connect to a VPN. If you don’t have a BBC iPlayer account, create one first using this BBC iPlayer link. Follow these steps if you’re outside the UK and want to access iPlayer:
The best VPN for BBC iPlayer should allow you smooth connections so that you can enjoy its content by streaming it in HD. It should have a vast network of servers with BBC iPlayer access on top. The VPN should have a user-friendly interface, and it should allow you to click and connect swiftly. The best VPNs that we’ve reviewed in this post for BBC iPlayer are those that are equipped with strong encryption protocols, kill switch capabilities, money-back guarantees, and are available on multiple devices. These VPNs offer high bandwidths and super performance speeds so that you stream the content smoothly and without any interruption.
There are indeed so many free VPNs available that you can use to bypass geo-restrictions. With a free VPN, you may still be able to access the content from anywhere globally and avoid the subscription costs. Then, you might wonder why you would even consider paying a subscription for one of the 5 VPNs we mentioned above.
The main reason is that paid VPNs offer high privacy and security to their users. Moreover, it may not be easy to unblock content, especially if talking about the BBC iPlayer. It’s a popular and reputed streaming platform with content from highly appreciated sports leagues in the UK, and it uses advanced technology to ban VPNs.
The platform uses high-end tools and technology to upgrade its servers and ban illegal access to its content. So, if you use the free VPNs for BBC iPlayer, you’ll be disappointed because either your account will be banned or you won’t be able to stream it properly.
If you want to access and enjoy the content streamed by BBC iPlayer, you should go for any of the best VPNs we reviewed in this post. These VPNs are reliable, and they continuously upgrade their servers to avoid being detected by BBC iPlayer. You only have to pay the subscription and then enjoy the top-notch features offered by the best VPNs for streaming BBC iPlayer. We recommend you forget the free VPNs because they won’t remain undetected by iPlayer for an extended period.
There might be other VPNs capable of partially unblocking the BBC iPlayer. Though you won’t find these services up to the mark because most of the time, BBC iPlayer can detect these VPNs, too. We have compiled a list of alternative VPNs you can try if you find our Top 5 insufficient. These VPNs work partially for the BBC iPlayer:
Accessing BBC iPlayer through VPN is very easy. You just have to install your chosen VPN and pick a server in the UK. Connect the VPN by using the power button and visiting the iPlayer website. If you don’t have an iPlayer account, make one and sign into it. You can now easily access BBC iPlayer content.
Our top choice for streaming BBC iPlayer from outside the UK is ExpressVPN. It provides blistering speeds and allows you to bypass geo-restrictions smoothly. It has a user-friendly interface and is perfect for unblocking other popular streaming services.
You can adjust the quality of the stream according to your preference or available bandwidth. The BBC iPlayer is available in various resolutions, the highest being 720p. At 720p, you’ll need at least 5 Mbps of bandwidth for a high-quality stream. To stream other TV shows, you’ll need around 3.2 Mbps of bandwidth.
Yes, BBC iPlayer is free to use if you’re in the UK. You just have to create an account on its website and choose a UK postcode. The website also asks for a UK TV license which you should select ‘yes’. However, if you’re outside the UK, you’ll have to use a good VPN for streaming, for which you’ll have to pay the subscription cost.
BBC iPlayer asks for the UK TV license; it has included this in its terms of services since 2016. Apart from that, you also have to enter a valid UK postcode to create an account. However, if you live outside the UK and using a VPN, you can just click on ‘I have a TV license’ when the website asks. You access the iPlayer content through a UK IP address when you use a VPN, so the website should be okay with that only.
There are numerous popular TV shows which you can watch on BBC iPlayer using a VPN. Some of our top recommendations include Planet Earth, Top Gear, Doctor Who, EastEnders, His Dark Materials, Our Girl, Killing Eve, Dracula, Euro 2020, The Graham Norton Show, Normal People, A Suitable Boy, and Inside No.9.
Yes, you can watch BBC iPlayer with a VPN even if you’re in the U.S., Canada, or Australia. However, without a VPN, you can only access the available content on the international version. The international version doesn’t include the popular shows and the catch-up content, though.
That is almost impossible because iPlayer makes its content difficult to access through free VPNs and proxies. BBC iPlayer will quickly detect the free proxy and prevent you from accessing its content. Thus, we recommend choosing the best VPNs we reviewed in this post.
VPNs are gaining popularity as they allow you to stream your favorite shows when you live abroad or are away from your country for traveling purposes. The amount of people using VPNs for streaming BBC iPlayer and Netflix is enormous. The geo-spoofing features of VPNs allow them to watch all the popular streaming platforms from anywhere in the world.
We reviewed the best and most popular VPNs for streaming BBC iPlayer in this post. We looked for those platforms that are reliable, secure, and allow you to stream the highest quality content with impressive speeds. While ExpressVPN is our top recommendation, the other VPNs are also reputable and good for accessing BBC iPlayer content. Once you connect to the server of your choice, you can sign in to BBC iPlayer and watch your favorite shows and movies on the platform anytime with ease.
