BBC iPlayer VPNs – Watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere in HD without lag
BBC iPlayer has one of the world’s most diverse and exciting British entertainment libraries. iPlayer is home to timeless classics and sizzling new drama series, such as The Split, Peaky Blinders, Marriage, A Very British Scandal, Call the Midwife, and Death in Paradise.
The issue with iPlayer’s broadcast coverage is that it cuts you off once you’re outside the UK. Non-UK viewers cannot enjoy the content on iPlayer because it is region locked.
When you access BBC iPlayer outside the UK, you’ll see this notification “BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only.”
Well, this can’t stop you from watching your fave British TV shows outside the UK. It simply means you have to find the right VPN to unblock iPlayer and watch your shows.
This article reviews the top three VPNs for streaming iPlayer from anywhere. Consider using the VPNs listed in this article if you’re particular about watching your iPlayer shows in HD without buffering. The first VPN is our editor’s choice for the best iPlayer VPN. However, you can get good value from the other VPNs mentioned in the article; read on.
The Best BBC iPlayer VPNs for Viewers Outside the UK
Fast Connection: Watch videos on iPlayer in HD without buffering. With ExpressVPN, you can expect a fast connection and a browsing speed of up to 400 Mbps. This VPN service supports 4K streaming. So it is more than adequate for streaming movies on iPlayer or any other streaming platform.
Advanced Privacy and Cyber Protection: You can privately access any website on your home, work, or public network with ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN uses military-grade 256-bit AES encryption to deliver hard-line cyber protection. Your network provider cannot monitor your activity when connected to an ExpressVPN server.
Multi-platform Support: ExpressVPN app is available for most operating systems, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. It is also available for smart TV systems, game consoles, and PC browsers.
No Log Policy: This VPN service provider does not store user logs. You’re the only one who knows about your online activities with ExpressVPN.
Supports Multiple Connections: ExpressVPN allows multi-device connections. You can watch iPlayer on your PC, smartphone, Smart TV, game console, and browser simultaneously with one ExpressVPN account.
Supports other streaming platforms: You can use ExpressVPN to unblock iPlayer and other streaming platforms that are not available in your location. If you want to watch an exclusive US show outside the US, you can use ExpressVPN to access the content easily. ExpressVPN manages over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, including the US and UK.
It takes 3 steps to connect to an ExpressVPN server in any country.
Step 1: First, Get ExpressVPN – you need to subscribe to use the ExpressVPN app.
Step 2: Download and install Express VPN on your device.
Step 3: Choose a server and start streaming on your device.
ExpressVPN Pricing and Payment Options
ExpressVPN offers three plans, $12.95/month for a monthly plan, $9.99/month for the 6-months plan, and $8.32/month for the 12 months plan. Well, the 12-months plan saves you more money compared to the 6-months plan.
ExpressVPN offers 30-day money-back guarantee for each plan. You can pay with PayPal, Bitcoin, credit card, and more.
Pros
- Best in-class encryption
- Competitive prices for longer plans
- Detailed guides and customer support
Here is a more detailed review of Express VPN.
Dedicated Streaming Servers: It offers specialized servers for different internet activities, including streaming, torrenting, and gaming. Connecting to a streaming server in the UK lets you access iPlayer and watch content in HD without lag.
CyberGhost maintains around 9,249 servers in 91+ countries. You can connect to any of the servers in BBC iPlayer-supported regions to stream your favorite show.
This VPN service NoSPY servers are another standout feature. The NoSPY servers are entirely set up and maintained by CyberGhost, which means no third party has access to them. Also, NoSPY servers have a higher bandwidth than regular servers, which makes them faster and even more suitable for streaming videos on iPlayer.
Advanced Privacy: As its name implies, CyberGhost offers you complete anonymity online. The VPN service does not store your browsing history and protects your data from being read by your network provider or spies.
With CyberGhost, you’re 100 percent invincible online. You can watch iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime without sharing your location.
Cyber Protection: CyberGhost uses AES-256-CBC encryption to keep your connection private. Right now, this encryption standard is uncrackable.
Multiplatform Availability: CyberGhost has apps for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, streaming boxes, and browsers. You can access iPlayer on up to 7 devices with one CyberGhost subscription. CyberGhost offers more devices VPN protection on a single subscription than most VPNs.
Split Tunneling, automatic kill switch, and Ad blocking are the other notable features of CyberGhost. The split tunneling feature allows you to choose the apps you want to protect with CyberGhost.
Without question, CyberGhost holds its own against our editor’s choice, ExpressVPN. However, ExpressVPN comes out on top, thanks to its 400+ Mbps average download speed. On the other hand, CyberGhost registers a 100 Mbps download speed in tests.
CyberGhost Pricing and Payment Options
CyberGhost offers three pricing tiers – a 1-month plan, a 6-months plan, and a 2-years plan. The 2-year plan offers the highest value; pricing starts from $2.19/month. The 6-months plan costs $6.99/month, and the 1-month plan costs $12.99.
Interestingly, CyberGhost offers a free trial to new users who are undecided. You can use the free trial without putting down your card, which is great. The paid plans have a money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- 2-year + 2 months FREE plan
- 45 days money back guarantee
- IP adresses: 6,000+
Fast Speeds: Enjoy quality streaming with NordVPNs high-speed servers. NordVPN can offer a super-fast downloading speed of 417 Mbps or more, depending on your connection. This speed is sufficient for streaming on iPlayer at any time. You only need around 3.0 Mbps to stream BBC iPlayer in HD. Netflix, Prime, and Disney+ require a minimum of 3.0 Mbps.
Large Server Base: Watch iPlayer shows from any virtual location of your choice. NordVPN has an extensive 5,500+ servers across 60 countries, including the UK. You can watch iPlayer shows with NordVPN by selecting a server in the UK.
NordVPN has an excellent connection uptime; you won’t experience annoying connection drops while streaming.
Advanced Kill Switch: If your connection drops due to a network provider glitch, NordVPN’s auto-kill switch feature will kick in to protect your identity. The kill switch will automatically turn off when the app establishes a secure connection to a NordVPN server.
No Logs Policy: NordVPN has a no-logs policy like the other VPNs mentioned. Your user activity information is never stored; consequently, it cannot be copied, transferred, or provided on request.
Advanced Security: NordVPN uses AES-256-GCM encryption and perfect forward secrecy protocol to protect you from cyberattacks.
Ease of Use: The mobile applications from NordVPN are superior to those from most VPN providers, and its Windows app is equally good. Overall, NordVPN apps are quite user-friendly.
Whether you’re a first-time VPN user or new to NordVPN, you can navigate the interface in minutes. If you run into trouble using the VPN to access iPlayer, contact NordVPN’s 24/7 technical support team.
NordVPN Pricing and Payment Options
NordVPNs admirable 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee is worth mentioning first. This guarantee covers all subscription plans.
The VPN service is available in standard, Plus, and Complete packages for 30 days, 1-year, and 2-years plans.
The standard package offers VPN service, malware protection, web tracking shield, and Ad blocking.
The Plus package comes with all the standard package features, a cross-platform password manager, and a data breach scanner. The complete package comes with all standard package features and 1TB of encrypted cloud storage.
You can pay with cryptocurrency, credit card, iTunes, AmazonPay, prepaid card, PayPal, Sofort, prepaid card, and many more
Pros:
- Unparalleled privacy settings
- Super speeds
- Very affordable plans
ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and NordVPN are excellent VPNs in their own right. On paper, they have similar qualities. So choosing the best VPN for watching iPlayer shows would depend on your preferences.
ExpressVPN stands out for its streaming speed and wide server base. Being able to stream your iPlayer movies in HD without lag is the best thing you could want.
Whichever VPN you choose, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth. Happy streaming.
FAQs
How much does BBC iPlayer cost?
It is free to everyone within the UK. If you’re outside the UK, you can watch iPlayer in HD with ExpressVPN.
You can watch live and recorded TV shows from all BBC channels with iPlayer. The BBC channels include Radio 1, BBC News, BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, and BBC Four.
What’s good on BBC iPlayer at the moment?
iPlayer has a vast movie collection, which can make choosing a title difficult. However, you will be entertained by any of these latest shows – Death in Paradise, Call the Midwife, The Control Room, and This is Going to Hurt.
The best series on BBC iPlayer
If you’re in the mood for slow-burning drama that can provide entertainment for an extended period, check out these titles – Peaky Blinders, The Tourist, and Marriage. On the other hand, The Responder is a gritty, fast-paced, and humorous show you should watch if you’re in the mood for it.