If you’re looking for a neat little trick to watch BBC iPlayer abroad, you’ve found the right article. BBC iPlayer is a free channel with diverse content. You can watch movies, series, entertainment shows, and above all, sports live streams that make this channel enticing.
Unfortunately, people struggle to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK because of geo-restrictions. This means you must be in the United Kingdom to access any of the said content. Or must you? Well, to be precise, you must at least have a UK IP address.
In this tutorial, we’ll explore the reason behind this geo-restriction, explain how to get a British IP with a VPN and guide you through a few of the best BBC iPlayer VPNs. Stick around to find out how to watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere (live and on demand).
Why You Can’t Watch BBC iPlayer Outside the UK?
The main culprit for this inconvenience is a geo-restriction. It’s a form of website restriction based on your location.
This geo-restriction’s roots usually reside in licensing agreements. BBC is a British TV channel that can broadcast only in this country.
As explained, it’s not by will but rather by an agreement that all channels around the world have. Breaching this agreement is unwanted, as such violations can cost the company millions of dollars, or pounds in this case, and ruin the company’s reputation.
So, this is why you can’t watch BBC iPlayer abroad. The channel does a pretty good job of upholding its rules, blocking every “unauthorized” user that originates from a country abroad. This produces a geo-restriction message that looks like this:
This begs the question of the possibility of watching foreign TV channels.
Is it possible to access BBC iPlayer abroad? Yes, it is, as long as you have something that would identify you as a UK resident. An IP address from the United Kingdom, perhaps!
How to Watch BBC iPlayer Outside the UK: Our Detailed Tutorial
To get it, you’ll have to use a reputable VPN for the UK. By that, we mean a VPN with plentiful server locations on British soil. A VPN will alter your IP address to this country, making it look like you’re there, despite your original location somewhere else.
On the other hand, BBC iPlayer is extremely good at detecting VPNs, frequently displaying a geo-restriction message despite the UK IP in place. For this reason, we recommend a powerful provider, such as NordVPN, that can breach anti-VPN measures set by BBC.
This service offers hundreds of UK servers, all capable of streaming. In our tests, it has proven to be reliable, allowing us to watch BBC iPlayer outside the United Kingdom.
The following guide explains how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad with NordVPN.
1. Set Up the VPN
The first step is obtaining a subscription from NordVPN. Unfortunately, it’s not free, but as we’ll soon explain, free providers will not work for this scenario. The silver lining is a 30-day money-back guarantee for all of NordVPN’s plans.
This means you can get it, use it for 30 days, and be refunded if you don’t need it anymore. Our team recommends NordVPN’s 2-year plan with a hefty 50+% discount and some free months. You can obtain it using the button below.
From here, provide your email address, select the payment vendor, and subscribe. Once your account is created, you can download and install NordVPN to your device. It works on every platform and accessing BBC iPlayer abroad is possible even on your phone or tablet.
We’re using the Windows VPN application for this guide.
2. Connect to a UK Server
Now that we’ve explained how to set up and install NordVPN, it’s time to get a UK IP address. To do this, you’ll have to connect to a server in the United Kingdom by first opening the server list. As you see above, there’s a search bar that you can use.
Type in “United Kingdom” and a few servers will appear. Now, click on “United Kingdom” under “Countries” to connect to the fastest server in this country.
In 2-3 seconds, the app will connect and you’ll see a green “Connected” message up top.
3. Unblock and Watch BBC iPlayer Anywhere
The last step is the simplest. Go to BBC iPlayer, create an account or sign in, and start watching anything you want. The channel is, for example, the official broadcaster of Wimbledon in the United Kingdom.
As explained earlier, you can get a refund from NordVPN if you don’t want to watch BBC iPlayer abroad anymore, as long as you request it in the first 30 days. If not, keep using NordVPN and get showered by its numerous benefits.
It also works with 20 Netflix libraries, so if you’re looking to change your Netflix region, NordVPN has you covered.
Best VPNs to Watch BBC iPlayer Abroad in 2024
Given that BBC iPlayer has become increasingly difficult to unblock, particularly for lower-quality VPNs, we’ve chosen to save you the trouble of searching in vain and wasting time on such providers. Instead, we’ll present three reliable VPNs for watching BBC iPlayer outside the UK.
Of course, all 3 have been tested by our experts and work without a hitch.
6300 servers
111 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
8 simultaneous connections
9.1 /10
27000 servers
91 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
Unlimited connections
9 /10
1. NordVPN
Pros
- The fastest UK servers
- Threat Protection
- Works on all devices
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Inexpensive 2-year plan
- Works with Netflix UK & US
Cons
- Rare connection problems reported by some users
- Its monthly plans could be cheaper
We already crowned NordVPN as the best VPN for BBC iPlayer. This VPN packs 6,400 servers with more than 440 in the United Kingdom. Apart from that, we discovered its speeds are the best around. This comes down to its NordLynx protocol based on WireGuard.
With 10 Gbps servers and unlimited traffic, you’ll get the most out of BBC iPlayer with NordVPN. Another perk is Meshnet, which can also be used to circumvent some geo-blocks. It’s also handy for remote access and control of up to 60 devices per account.
NordVPN includes a CyberSec ad blocker but also full Threat Protection. Its Double VPN servers offer two encryption layers by routing your traffic through two different servers. We love that NordVPN also keeps no logs, which privacy-aware users will be happy about.
We said that NordVPN works on all devices – Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Firestick TV, and many more. However, we haven’t mentioned its 10 simultaneous connections that allow you to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK on up to TEN devices at a time!
The provider even offers Smart DNS support, which can be used to watch BBC iPlayer without the VPN setup. NordVPN is pretty much the most advanced VPN you can get in 2024, and an ideal all-arounder to help you get over discouraging geo-blocks.
Other features include RAM servers, Private DNS, Dark Web Monitor, and if you need help, 24/7 live chat support. All of this comes at an all-time low price of just above $3/mo and a risk-free 30-day refund policy, which makes this VPN an absolute banger.
2. ExpressVPN
Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Parental Control
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Servers in 105 countries
- Offers native apps for Apple TV & Firestick TV
Cons
- Not the most affordable
- 3,000 servers (less than NordVPN and PIA)
Another service we recommend is ExpressVPN. This VPN is a masterclass in streaming and unblocking websites. It has plentiful UK locations too, as a part of its gargantuan server fleet that spans 105 countries. ExpressVPN is almost as fast as NordVPN.
This makes it perfect to effortlessly watch content without buffering. Furthermore, its apps are very simple to use, yet, they provide enough firepower for other activities, such as torrenting or even gaming with low latency (it’s one of the best VPNs for gaming according to our tests). Unlimited bandwidth is another feature.
It goes well with its in-house Lightway protocol that works on all of its 10 Gbps servers. ExpressVPN has Advanced Protection to block ads, trackers, and malicious sites. Even better, users can block access to porn with Parental Control if they have children in the household.
ExpressVPN isn’t better than NordVPN but it’s safe to say it’s as secure as its rival. There’s a no-log policy, RAM servers, 256-bit AES encryption, and a powerful kill switch. Split tunneling makes its return and ExpressVPN uses PFS for the strongest privacy.
We love that this VPN supports all major platforms – even routers and Apple TV are supported. Its 8 simultaneous connections should be enough to protect all your devices, as well, albeit, you’ll notice that NordVPN offers 2 more.
You likely won’t be impressed with its price, though, as it’s opulent compared to NordVPN. Luckily, through Gizmodo, you can get a special 49% discount thanks to 3 free months for the 1-year plan and unblock BBC iPlayer outside the UK while saving a bag of money.
3. Private Internet Access
Pros
- WireGuard and Open VPN protocols
- 30,000 worldwide servers
- Unlimited concurrent connections
- App/Domain Split Tunneling
Cons
- Not the fastest provider
- It lacks a native Firestick app
- Rare issues with unblocking Netflix UK
Private Internet Access allows for some insane savings, being the cheapest option for watching BBC iPlayer abroad. It sports 30,000+ servers in 90+ countries, so you can imagine how many of them are in the UK. Most impressively, it works with BBC anywhere!
PIA isn’t the fastest in its class but its performance is better than you think. Besides, it’s another unlimited provider with no bandwidth caps. There’s also the powerful WireGuard protocol whose speed allows for UHD streaming on a myriad of streaming services.
This VPN relies on 256-bit encryption to protect you online. Its MACE ad blocker gets rid of ads and trackers, while MultiHop servers allow for double the encryption. PIA is stuffed with security features, some of which include Shadowsocks and SOCKS5 proxies.
We like PIA’s split tunneling, which can tunnel even specific websites, not only apps like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Private Internet Access is incredibly popular in the US, offering servers in every state. But more importantly, it’s a zero-log VPN, which many love.
Unlike the previous two providers, PIA supports unlimited simultaneous connections, so its value for money is the best out of all three options. We lament the lack of a native Firestick app, which would’ve made this service much better.
Private Internet Access costs just over $2/mo with an exclusive price reduction through our website. It’s worth the money in our book, especially with commodities like fast 24/7 live chat support, Dedicated IPs, and an optional but cheap Antivirus that works like charm.
Should I Use Free VPN Services?
Our team rarely uses free VPNs, let alone to watch BBC iPlayer abroad. The reason lies in the fact that they simply don’t work. Free providers have no streaming optimization, and as a result, they can’t unblock BBC, Netflix, MAX, and other platforms.
Of course, we’re talking from experience and testing dozens of free VPNs. So far, we found maybe a few that worked occasionally but in 99% of the cases, they had limited bandwidth. PrivadoVPN is one of those services but again, it offers 10 GB of bandwidth a month.
You’ll find this insufficient even for day-to-day browsing, let alone watching content, which eats traffic like a hungry wolf. Another argument is the lack of security and privacy. The majority of free VPN services aren’t safe enough and lack basic features.
Some will use weaker encryption, some will lack the kill switch, and some will, sadly, store logs and sell them to third parties. When you examine them closely, you’ll see that very few offer UK servers and they are, as explained, the #1 condition to unblock BBC iPlayer.
Right from the get-go, you’re doomed to fail with a free VPN. To avoid wasting time on futile efforts, get NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or PIA instead. Their 30-day money-back guarantee allows you to still use them for free for 30 days and not lose any money in the end.
The Bottom Line
If you want to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK, you don’t have to be Nikola Tesla.
It’s overly simple and revolves around obtaining an IP from the United Kingdom using a reputable VPN like NordVPN that works with BBC iPlayer.
From here, you’re free to explore the site and enjoy its litany of content. Don’t think you’re paying for a VPN just to watch BBC iPlayer abroad. It has many other uses, all of which are explained in our comprehensive VPN definition article.