How To Stream US Television Shows While Traveling Abroad in 2018

Argh! You got the “Unfortunately this content is not available in your country” error again.

If you’ve tried accessing US content while traveling abroad, you know the pain of this error message.

You’ll be happy to know that there’s an easy workaround to get through those geo-restrictions that are holding your favorite content hostage.

A VPN is the answer to your frustrations, and it’s now easier and cheaper than ever to get started. Check out how USA VPNs work, what they are, and which are the best for US TV streaming while you’re abroad.

To watch US TV shows and movies anywhere, get ExpressVPN now.

Why is My Access Blocked from US TV Streaming Services Abroad?

If you’ve ever tried accessing a US website, station, or channel while traveling abroad only to be refused access, you’re aware of this phenomenon.

Countries frequently block content from being enjoyed in other parts of the world.

You might watch American TV online with a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, listen to your favorite playlists on Spotify or Vevo, or get your daily news from YouTube TV or HBO Now.

Whatever the reason, people love their streaming services, and they want to stream TV abroad just like they do at home.

The question is why can’t you stream US TV shows abroad? There are several reasons including:

1. Licensing Agreements. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer sign contracts with broadcasting and production companies to provide their content. These contracts contain rules about where content is allowed to be viewed, so you can’t stream US TV in UK regions, etc.
2. Government Censorship. Some government bodies like China or Russia enforce strict censorship policies, checking content that the general public is allowed to access, to protect citizens from harmful or inappropriate content. Frequently, USA TV streaming is restricted in these areas as a political move to keep contrary messaging away.
3. Illegal or Malicious Content. Similarly, governments block illegal or malicious content. Sites that let you stream US TV shows can often have hidden viruses, gambling, or inappropriate content.
4. Price Discrimination. Companies frequently offer different pricing structures for various countries. Content needs to be in line with that pricing structure, or the people living in one area might see that they’re not getting the same deals as customers from a different area.

Stream TV Abroad with a VPN

The next question is how to get American Netflix, Hulu, and the rest of your streaming services abroad. The answer is a VPN.

A virtual private network (VPN) helps unblock TV, music, and sporting events. This is how a VPN for streaming movies works.

• Services read your IP address (your computer’s location) whenever you connect.
• If the address is in a location in which the content is not allowed, you won’t be able to access it. This is called geo-blocking, and most streaming services such as American Netflix and British BBC iPlayer implement it.
• The VPN lets you connect to a service using one of its servers.
• These servers have different IP addresses, and you can choose one in the right country for your entertainment purposes. If you’re trying to unblock US shows, you can use a VPN IP changer to stream from a US server to confuse the service into thinking you’re really in the US, even though you’re sipping mojitos in Bali.

You can read more about What is a VPN here: “The Ultimate Beginners Guide To VPNs“

The benefits of using the top VPN services is obvious: you get to access your favorite content including music, news, sports, and TV while abroad.

Get the Best VPN for Streaming TV and Movies

Not all services deliver the same quality or features needed to stream TV abroad. Some features that the top VPN services will offer might not be the best VPN for streaming TV shows, movies, and music stations.

The top VPN providers were chosen based on the most important criteria:

• Speed. A slow service will make the streaming process agonizing. That’s why a fast VPN is the only VPN for streaming movies we’d consider.
• Number of Servers. The more servers, the faster and easier it will be for you to connect to your content. Sites win points for more servers.
• Server Locations. You need a USA VPN to stream content from the US, a UK VPN to stream UK content, etc. Services scored higher when they had the right combination and number of servers in the best locations.
• Anonymity. Privacy matters to a lot of streamers, so privacy policies were considered as well. Logging policies, confidentiality, and encryption were all weighed in this process.
• Price. You certainly don’t want to spend a lot on a VPN IP changer just to watch TV abroad. The top services give you good streaming at great prices as well.

Here are some of the best VPN for streaming TV while abroad

#1: ExpressVPN – The Best VPN to Watch TV and Movies Anywhere

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN for streaming Netflix and other geo-restricted content. It has fast speeds, servers across 94 countries, and solid privacy policy.

Additionally, ExpressVPN has 2,000+ servers, unlimited bandwidth, and no throttling. Add to that a 30-day money back guarantee, and it’s a shoo-in.

Price:

• $12.95/month for one month.
• $9.99/month for six months.
• $8.32/month for 12 months.

We have a full review for ExpressVPN here if you’re interested in reading more about ExpressVPN.

We Recommend using ExpressVPN for streaming US TV overseas, you can follow this link for our special offer: Subscribe to ExpressVPN and Start watching US TV show Now!

#2 CyberGhost – One Of the Best VPN we have tested!

While CyberGhost falls slightly short of ExpressVPN due to having fewer server locations worldwide and offering slightly slower speeds, it’s still an extremely secure and reliable VPN for watching your favorite shows while overseas.

CyberGhost brings military-standard 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch and watertight DNS and IP leak policies which repeatedly succeed in unblocking Netflix and other geo-restricted sites.

CyberGhost has over 1,100 servers in 59 countries around the world, so you’re likely to be able to find a fast and nearby server wherever you are.

CyberGhost makes sure that you don’t have to wait through delays and lags by offering unlimited bandwidth, and there’s torrenting and P2P filesharing available too.

Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost lets you try out the service with a 30-day money back guarantee. Prices are relatively low at only $11.99 per month too.

CyberGhost also offers a commitment-free 7 day free trial with no restrictions. It is the perfect “try before you buy” option.

Price:

• $11.99/month for one month.
• $9.99/month for 3 months.
• $2.75/month for 12 months.

You can find more Pricing info here: CyberGhost For US TV.

#3 NordVPN – highly reputable VPN service offering very secure and pretty fast online streaming.

NordVPN is a close competitor of ExpressVPN for quality and speed. What’s more, this service allows 6 simultaneous connections, and NordVPN has an astounding 3,600+ servers around the globe.

To add to that, this company has the same money back guarantee.

Price:

• $11.95/month for one month.
• $5.75/month for 12 months.
• $3.29/month for two years.

You Can Sign up with NordVPN here.

#4 HideMyAss – HideMyAss has fast customer service through live chat and email.

HMA is a cheeky VPN that lets you stream unfettered from anywhere. It’s particularly noted for its encryption techniques, easy-to-use and configure application, and unlimited usage.

You can also connect five devices simultaneously, connect to servers in 190+ countries, and enjoy a 30-day money back guarantee.

Price:

• $11.99/month for one month.
• $7.99/month for six months.
• $6.99/month for twelve months.

Sign up with HideMyAss here.

#5 SaferVPN – The performance levels are generally pretty good

SaferVPN boasts a worldwide server location and has over 700 servers, ensuring high speed connections and unlimited VPN server switching.

This guarantees you can stream any site, from anywhere and bypass any censorship blocks. Combined with a no-logs policy, high-grade encryption, multiple device support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, it is a great VPN to choose.

Price:

• $8.99/month for one month.
• $5.49/month for a year.
• $3.29/month for two years.

Sign up with SaferVPN here.

#6 PrivateVPN – This VPN is on the cheaper side of things, but you get what you pay for.

This streaming service offers some of the fastest speeds along with unlimited bandwidth. PrivateVPN has a no-logs policy, is compatible with all OS/devices, and has a small but solid group of servers around the world.

All packages also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Price:

• $7.67 for one month.
• $5.25/month for three months.
• $3.88 for 13 months today.

Sign up with PrivateVPN here.

#7 IPVanish – Its connection speed is excellent, and will definitely support streaming.

IPVanish has an alarming number of IP addresses (40,000+), boasts 1,000+ servers across 60+ countries, unlimited bandwidth, super strong encryption, and absolutely zero traffic logging.

Top that off with 5 simultaneous connections and a 7-day money back guarantee, and you’re looking at one of the best VPNs on the market.

Price:

• $10 for one month.
• $8.99/month for three months.
• $6.49/month for a year.

Sign up with IPVanish here.

Free VPN for Streaming – is it Worth it?

Free VPNs can get the job done, but at what cost? Usually, you get what you pay for, and VPNs are certainly no different. For the monthly fee, you’ll trade in:

• Speed. Free sites limit your bandwidth and throttle you after a set amount, making streaming a painful and sometimes impossible task.
• Anonymity. If privacy is important to you, a free VPN is a bad choice. Most of these sites have blatant logging policies and will hand over your information if asked (or paid).
• Security. Free sites frequently have poor encryption techniques, so your security is in jeopardy as well as your privacy.

Other Reasons You May Need a VPN for Travel

Streaming TV shows isn’t the only reason you might need a VPN while traveling. Any geo-restricted site will give you trouble such as:

• Banking sites: Financial sites that don’t recognize your location might give you a hard time accessing your accounts.
• Work services: If you need to get a little work done while away, you might not be able to connect to your office network from abroad.
• News: Streaming TV isn’t the only thing that gets blocked by geo-restrictions. As mentioned, music services, news reporting channels, and sporting events won’t get through either.

Fortunately, you can change VPN to USA settings with the tap of a button and do away with all these problems.

Top VPN Providers for When You Are Traveling Abroad

Stop getting bullied by big name brands and geo-restrictions. Let a good VPN unblock US TV abroad, and get all your favorite outlets wherever you are.