Best VPN for BBC iPlayer in 2024

Considering a reliable VPN for BBC iPlayer is a common need for people abroad. BBC and its iPlayer video-on-demand service, are the UK’s magnum opus. This platform is full of exciting content, from movies and shows to sports live streams, news, and entertainment programs.

Unfortunately, if you’re outside the UK, accessing any of this content is impossible. A geo-restriction will quickly slap you in the face, confronting you with a perception of gloomy reality. However, your last – and first resort is a VPN service that works with BBC iPlayer.

Does such a thing exist? Of course, it does! However, with many of them bombarding you with fake promises, it’s hard to tell bad from great VPNs for BBC iPlayer. Our team did that for you and tested dozens of services to determine the most reliable.

Best VPN Services for BBC iPlayer – Our Detailed List

Finding the 5 most reliable VPNs to use on BBC iPlayer was time-consuming but worth the results. The 5 providers you’ll see below are tested by our team of experts and proven to work with this platform using VPN servers in the United Kingdom.

Best of all, these providers are risk-free, with a money-back guarantee that you can use to get a refund if you’re dissatisfied. So, if you so desperately want to unblock BBC iPlayer with a VPN, you have virtually nothing to lose.

1. NordVPN

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This was an easy choice. NordVPN is a world-famous VPN with 6,500+ servers in 110+ countries. Its 440+ UK servers are some of the best around, with superb streaming optimization and speed. Our team tested plenty of them with splendid results.

NordVPN unblocks BBC iPlayer promptly using its powerful NordLynx protocol. Thanks to it and 10 Gbps servers, you can expect staggering performance with no buffering and long loading times. We appreciate unlimited traffic too, which is paramount for a premium VPN.

NordVPN cemented its name as a VPN with almost no limits. Hence, there’s the Meshnet feature with which you can use another device’s IP and bypass stubborn geo-blocks. Its Double VPN feature routes your traffic through two servers, doubling your encryption.

The service includes fancy options like Threat Protection, useful for blocking ads, malware, and trackers. Moreover, its users appreciate Obfuscated servers for censored regions. This means you can use this great VPN even in China to access BBC iPlayer.

We love NordVPN’s compatibility. It works on all devices, and in our test, unblocking BBC iPlayer worked even on our Android and iOS phones. With 10 simultaneous connections, streaming on several devices at a time is a walk in the park. Now, the best bit – price!

NordVPN is our favorite VPN for BBC iPlayer whose price lingers around $3 a month. Thanks to a 30-day refund policy for all plans, you can test it without risk and start streaming on BBC iPlayer immediately. Don’t hesitate to check our full NordVPN test as well.

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2. ExpressVPN

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So, moving on, we have ExpressVPN as yet another reputable VPN service for BBC iPlayer. As expected, it really works, with 3,000+ servers in 105 countries. ExpressVPN covers several British cities, allowing for swift access to this platform.

We especially like its stable performance, which is brought to the table with the in-house Lightway protocol. The VPN takes pride in its MediaStreamer, which is Smart DNS for streaming on platforms like this one but also Netflix and MAX.

Our team likes its simplicity and device compatibility. For example, there’s an amazing VPN app for Android TVs for watching BBC iPlayer on a big screen. While it has “only” 8 simultaneous connections, we’ve heard no complaints about this feature from users.

ExpressVPN is no slouch security-wise. We love its Advanced Protection which blocks ads and Parental Control which blocks porn site access. Another advantage is a no-logs policy, allowing you to do whatever you want online in complete privacy.

ExpressVPN is a technological marvel, lacking only a few features like MultiHop and a Dark Web Monitor. Other than that, its AES-256 encryption is very powerful, and with a kill switch, you can “kill” IP leaks before they arrive. Overall, an extraordinary VPN for BBC iPlayer.

We wish it was a tad cheaper, though. At least, you can drop the price by 49% thanks to 3 free months for the 12-month plan. Once again, you’ll find handy a 30-day money-back guarantee for testing purposes. Try this ultra-popular VPN on BBC iPlayer below.

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3. Private Internet Access

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Private Internet Access is no streaming giant like the previous two services. Yet, we found its dedicated streaming servers in the UK more than enough to unblock this platform. In fact, the provider offers 30,000 servers in total, making it the largest VPN that works with BBC iPlayer.

Apart from the size, PIA is reasonably fast, especially when using its WireGuard protocol. We detected its amazing connection stability on all platforms – iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. PIA also uses its MACE ad blocker to clean up your web pages – and it truly works!

PIA devoted its existence to security and privacy, making it a joy to use. Yes, it’s a no-log VPN with RAM servers, Private DNS, and other quirks like 256-bit encryption and DNS leak protection. However, as a mighty VPN for BBC iPlayer, it offers more than you’d expect.

For one, there are unlimited simultaneous connections. Perfect for multi-user scenarios if you share the service with your family. Second, there’s Smart DNS for limitless streaming on all devices. Third, it offers Dedicated IP addresses in the UK, which we found ingenious.

You can purchase your own VPN-secured IP address located in the UK and watch BBC iPlayer uninterruptedly. Another optional feature is an antivirus to keep your PC clean from unwanted software. Private Internet Access is slower than the previous two providers.

It also lacks a Firestick app, which might hurt someone’s feelings. This is easily forgiven once its major 2-year deal steps into the room. At a hair over $2/mo with 2 free months on top, you’d be forgiven for taking this provider lightly – it’s all but light and futile!

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4. Surfshark

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Surfshark is at #4 but is still one of the leading VPN services to use on BBC iPlayer. Its server fleet isn’t enormous but all of its UK servers can unblock the platform. Better yet, we’ve discovered that it works with Netflix UK, which not many cheap VPNs can achieve.

We’ll also address its improved performance. Its speeds are excellent, which can be attributed to the WireGuard inclusion. Surfshark offers ideal streaming optimization and works with the most Netflix libraries out of all tested VPNs – around 30+ at the moment.

Streaming aside, Surfshark comes with a wealth of commodities to spice things up. There’s Search, a private browser way ahead of your Incognito mode in Chrome. Another nifty little feature is Whitelister, which is split tunneling that tunnels only particular apps and IPs.

One of its major features is MultiHop, which can double our encryption by driving our traffic through two servers in different countries. Surfshark is all about security with its bank-grade encryption and a kill switch that had a few malfunctions in the past – that’s now gone.

As one of the top VPNs for BBC iPlayer, Surfshark is streaming-friendly on all devices. In particular, we love its good-looking VPN app for Mac but other apps are state-of-the-art. Another advantage is here – unlimited simultaneous connections, identical to PIA.

Surfshark is one of our favorite picks for BBC iPlayer because of its price. Again, you’ll spend no more than $2.5 a month, which will make budget-driven users jump in excitement. At this price, the only superior option is Private Internet Access.

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5. CyberGhost

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CyberGhost is the last provider of this list of the best BBC iPlayer VPNs. With over 12,000 servers and a significant portion in the United Kingdom, it’s easy to see why we like it. Its streaming servers, in particular, caught our attention swiftly.

There are servers labeled with “BBC iPlayer” that offer bespoke optimization for this platform! Connect to one and we guarantee you’ll unblock BBC even on the Moon! Apart from that, CyberGhost is quite fast but only with the WireGuard in place.

Its OpenVPN speeds make it a bit sluggish in our experience. In our CyberGhost review, we mentioned its NoSpy servers are often used for more privacy. The VPN’s Romanian jurisdiction adds to privacy too, as the VPN isn’t forced to store any kind of logs.

We also love CyberGhost’s torrenting servers. They’re one-of-a-kind and are neatly dispersed in over 70 countries for added convenience. CyberGhost boasts tons of Dedicated IPs too and there are Smart DNS addresses in a handful of countries, rather than the USA only.

Since CyberGhost is PIA’s sister company, it also offers an optional antivirus. However, there’s also the Security Updater to keep your apps up-to-date and invulnerable to online threats. CyberGhost has only 7 simultaneous connections, which isn’t the most impressive.

It also lacks obfuscated servers, using the VPN to access BBC iPlayer in China won’t work. At least the price is more than acceptable, plus, there’s a 45-day refund policy. If your bank account isn’t brimming with cash, this is quite an amazing BBC iPlayer VPN for the money.

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How to Use a VPN for BBC iPlayer

With our selection of the top-ranking VPNs for BBC iPlayer, it’s time to see how to use one.

We have a full guide on how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad, so check it out for more info. This will be a shorter tutorial that explains how to use NordVPN to unblock this platform.

1. Get a VPN subscription

Our tutorial will use NordVPN, but as said, you can pick any of the other 4 services recommended.

In our experience, this VPN works with BBC iPlayer most reliably, so it’s our #1 pick. The first step is a subscription, which you can get below. As said, using our link will get you a discount.

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It’s a 2-year deal with a 60-plus-percent price reduction and 3 free months. Claim it on the site, create an account, and then install NordVPN on your device. You can choose any device, as mentioned, and even multiple devices simultaneously. Your choice.

Once NordVPN is installed, open the app and sign in with your email and password.

Here’s how the ready-to-use app will look.

2. Connect to a VPN Server in the UK

NordVPN’s simplicity is undeniable, especially when you promptly want to connect to a server. We want a UK server, so we’ll open the server list and find the country by using the search bar displayed above. Alternatively, you can just scroll down and find it.

Either way, click on the UK once and NordVPN will connect in 2-3 seconds. You’ll see the green circle on the world map in the UK and the “Connected” message in the upper-left corner.

3. Enjoy unrestricted access to BBC iPlayer with your VPN activated

Now that you have a British IP address, you can freely watch BBC iPlayer anywhere. Go to the site, sign in or sign up – it’s free – and then start watching.

NordVPN will work without stuttering, buffering, and other annoyances. It’s as if you’re not using a VPN, which is why we prefer this provider.

Do Free BBC iPlayer VPNs Work in 2024?

BBC iPlayer upped its game when it comes to blocking VPNs – at least in our experience.

When thinking about the best VPN for BBC iPlayer, you won’t find solace in free providers. They’re unoptimized for streaming and are frequently detected by BBC and Netflix.

What’s more, the majority of somewhat reputable free VPNs don’t have UK servers – a glaring issue. This means you’re instantly doomed and don’t have a means of unblocking the platform. We know that PrivadoVPN has UK servers and in our test, it worked with BBC.

However, this service is capped at 10 GB of monthly bandwidth, so it’s insufficient. The rest of them suffer from the same problem joined by the lack of fast speeds, smaller server networks, no simultaneous connections, and security problems.

That’s why we also don’t advise free VPNs. Security is a vital role of a Virtual Private Network, so the lack of it violates the purpose of using one. Hola VPN and Betternet are good examples, and while Hola VPN works with BBC iPlayer, it stores logs and sells your sensitive info to third parties.

These are the reasons why the best VPN for BBC iPlayer can’t be free. Or it can, depending on your stance. You can use all 5 providers for free with a money-back guarantee. Alas, for a limited period. If you want access to this platform abroad, unfortunately, you need to pay.

VPN Not Working on BBC iPlayer: What to Do?

If you use any of our 5 favorite BBC iPlayer VPNs, you’ll usually be problem-free. However, on rare occasions, they might not work, still producing that annoying geo-restriction message. In that case, there are a couple of things you can do.

• Switch to another UK location. Try a couple of other servers from the United Kingdom. This pretty much always works well.
• Clear your browser cache. Go to Settings in your browser and clear cache and cookies. Accumulated cache and cookies can inadvertently leak your real location to BBC iPlayer, so despite the new IP in place, it can still block you.
• Use another browser. Try to use, let’s say, Edge instead of Chrome or Brave. This solution worked for us a few times when using a VPN with BBC iPlayer.
• Try another protocol. We suggest using OpenVPN TCP instead of the default protocol. Alternatively, you can enable Obfuscated servers in NordVPN or use NoBorders in Surfshark to mask your VPN connection.
• Use a PC instead of your phone. We noticed this trick also works because the GPS location can sometimes “clash” with the IP of the device. Desktop computers don’t have this problem, making them more inclined to unblock BBC iPlayer.
• Contact customer support. You can also ask customer support for a solution if you can’t find one. All 5 VPNs offer 24/7 live chat support that will fix the issue for you in a minute or two.
• Use another VPN. If all else fails, consider opting for another VPN. NordVPN, as said, works the best, but if, for some reason, it doesn’t work for you, consider ExpressVPN or PIA. However, we assure you this step will be unnecessary because you’ll find a solution and get everything working in no time.

Is It Legal to Watch BBC iPlayer With a VPN?

Yes, it is legal. BBC iPlayer’s geo-restriction is a result of various licensing agreements that prevent it from broadcasting abroad. In theory, unblocking BBC iPlayer with a VPN sounds illegal because you’re watching something you’re not supposed to.

Indeed, it’s in direct violation of its terms of service. Again, in theory, users can get their accounts banned but BBC iPlayer doesn’t seem to go that route. We don’t know of a single user with a banned account, let alone being fined.

This platform picks up your IP address instead, and if it belongs to the VPN, it’s automatically blacklisted. This explains why many VPNs won’t work in 2024. That said, you can freely use the best VPN, watch content on BBC iPlayer, and not worry about legal repercussions.

However, don’t take everything we said as legal advice – we’re not lawyers.

The Bottom Line

Finding a great VPN for BBC iPlayer is a hard task on your own. With the help of our cybersecurity experts, you found 5 amazing picks that can unblock BBC iPlayer anywhere. To digress, they include:

• NordVPN. Our absolute favorite provider with 440+ UK servers, the fastest speeds, and incredible security and privacy. Best of all, it’s one of the most affordable options!
• ExpressVPN. A top-tier BBC iPlayer VPN optimized for streaming, stability, and torrenting. An all-arounder at a tad higher price compared to NordVPN.
• Private Internet Access. The king of value that offers plentiful UK locations, unlimited connections, and reliable MultiHop to bolster your privacy.
• Surfshark VPN. Another inexpensive VPN with above-average streaming capabilities that can unblock 30 Netflix catalogs, along with BBC.
• CyberGhost. While it lacks obfuscation, it has BBC-optimized servers, excellent speeds with WireGuard, and a 45-day refund policy.

Now that we’ve got everything sorted out, it’s time to choose. Don’t say you don’t know which service you want – you have ample information to decide!

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