From Killing Eve and Fleabag to Doctor Who and Gavin and Stacey, BBC iPlayer is full of incredible content – the only problem is that strict and effective measures are in place to block users outside the UK from watching. However, by using the best iPlayer VPN you can crack it wide open and access all the great BBC content wherever you are in the world.
Although usually thought of as privacy tools (and that’s still true), the best VPN can get you access to iPlayer from abroad with ease by directing your web traffic through one of its UK-based servers. As a result, any website you visit will assume that you’re browsing from within the UK. However, there's some serious iPlayer VPN blocking tech in place – more so than even Netflix – so many lesser services fail at the first hurdle.
- Get to the nitty-gritty – see who wins in ExpressVPN vs NordVPN
- Or perhaps you want to see the outcome of IPVanish vs NordVPN
What makes a great iPlayer VPN?
Besides offering a speedy connection so that content can be streamed in HD, the best iPlayer VPN should have a good amount of servers within the UK and regularly change their lineup of available IP addresses.
That’s important because the BBC only has the rights to distribute content for free to TV-license-paying UK households. Outside of the UK, BBC Worldwide – the service’s commercial arm – sells those rights to distribution networks such as Netflix. To prevent competition with those networks, the BBC puts a lot of effort into blocking users from streaming iPlayer abroad.
It’s not hard to see why this makes ExpressVPN our top choice for the best iPlayer VPN. It simply does everything right, especially when it comes to server choice. Its vast selection of servers – more than 3,000 in 94 countries – includes a huge amount in the UK, enabling you to easily find an option to unblock iPlayer content.
- Save your money with the best cheap VPN
- Rubbish for streaming, but there are decent free VPN services out there
- PC users should get a Windows VPN, and Apple users need a Mac VPN
1. ExpressVPN – simply the best iPlayer VPN
If you need access to iPlayer – whether that's because you're abroad or it's blocked on your network – ExpressVPN is the most reliable way of doing so. With tons of UK servers and super intuitive apps, it's never been so easy to unblock content. Plus, you'll now get three months free with a 12-month plan.View Deal
2. Surfshark – the best-value iPlayer VPN on the market
For bargain hunters who want to watch Bargain Hunt, Surfshark will be a seriously tempting proposition. At just £2/$2.49 a month, it's the most affordable way to reliably unblock iPlayer whether you're in Hull or Hungary.View Deal
3. CyberGhost – some great dedicated streaming features
Perfectly tailored for streaming fans, CyberGhost has some excellent features that make streaming iPlayer a breeze. While the apps aren't quite up to the standard of Express or Surfshark, if you want access to over 6,300 servers and CyberGhost's filtering system, £2.15/$2.71 a month doesn't sound too bad.View Deal
The best iPlayer VPNs today
ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs around. In our ExpressVPN review, we saw little change to our download speed when connected, meaning you shouldn’t have any problem streaming HD iPlayer shows.
What’s more, ExpressVPN is renowned for its excellent customer service. If something goes wrong while you’re watching iPlayer, you’ll be able to launch a live support chat immediately as agents are available 24/7.
Another ExpressVPN bonus is a diverse set of client apps for devices such as the Fire TV Stick and game consoles. With other VPNs, you could end up spending hours fiddling with your Wi-Fi router to connect these devices – not so here, as you’ll have a dedicated app right in the store, ready to download.
It’s worth noting that some of these devices rely on Express’s MediaStreamer tech, which allows you to access blocked content through the use of Smart DNS rather than using VPN servers – but it works very well and allows you to use the service on tons more devices.
ExpressVPN’s split tunneling feature is also worthy of mention. Using this, you can pick and choose which of your apps and programs connect directly to the internet, and which are routed through ExpressVPN’s servers. This is ideal if you want to watch iPlayer without interrupting your connection to other sites.
Overall, if you want the best VPN for iPlayer on the market, ExpressVPN should be at the very top of your list.
Get three months free of the best iPlayer VPN
Simply put, ExpressVPN is the best iPlayer VPN on the market today. With unfailing reliability when it comes to accessing the streaming service, you'll also get blazing speeds and excellent privacy. What's more, Tom's Guide readers can claim three months free, meaning you'll get 15 months for the price of 12.View Deal
Surfshark demonstrates that there’s no need to break the bank in order to access a top-quality iPlayer VPN. As long as you’re willing to take out a lengthy contract, this is easily one of the cheapest VPN service providers on the market today.
Happily, even though it’s affordable, Surfshark hasn’t skimped on any important VPN features. Your browsing data will be secure with thanks to 256-bit AES encryption and protocols like IKEv2 and OpenVPN – plus the apps are incredibly easy to use no matter what platform you’re on, making iPlayer access super simple.
One of Surfshark’s party pieces is its unlimited connections policy – this is almost unheard of in the industry, and having it combined with such a rock-bottom price offers excellent value. Overall, while it can’t quite compete with Express in terms of sheer power and configuration, Surfshark is a cheap option that doesn’t scrimp on quality – plus you’ll also have 30 days to claim your money back if you don’t love the service.
With 528 UK servers distributed over three cities, it’s easy to see why CyberGhost markets itself as made specifically for BBC iPlayer. Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost works as a Fire Stick VPN and on Android TV devices, meaning you can quickly get BBC content on your TV wherever you are.
Something we really like about CyberGhost is the inclusion of useful server filters. Essentially, you can select what you want to do (watch iPlayer, Netflix, use it as a torrenting VPN etc.), and filter the server list to display the best connection for the job. While some services like ExpressVPN just seem to work, this takes out the trial and error associated with streaming iPlayer with lesser VPNs.
CyberGhost also deserves recognition for its strong privacy standards. This service is a good choice if you want to stay secure while streaming iPlayer because, besides using the standard roster of encryption protocols, CyberGhost can be set up to connect automatically if you are using an insecure network and disconnect if you are using an encrypted connection.
NordVPN has been a fixture of our best iPlayer VPN list for a long time now thanks to its large UK network and value-adding bonus features. While connected to the web via Nord, you’ll be protected from malware and phishing ads through NordVPN’s CyberSec tech.
Also, you can rest assured that your information will stay private because NordVPN employs 2048-bit encryption and DNS leak protection. And, if you’re still not convinced, thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee you’ll have the freedom to figure out whether the NordVPN package is right for you.
VyprVPN stands out from the crowd thanks to the level of control it grants over how you connect to iPlayer. Users get to choose exactly which protocol to use from options that include OpenVPN, PPTP, and VyprVPN’s proprietary standard known as Chamaeleon (which, by the way, allows Vypr to function great as a China VPN).
In effect, this means you can decide whether to prioritize encryption and security or connection speed and streaming quality. VyprVPN is also notable for its audited no-log policy and NAT firewall that blocks unrequested inbound traffic.
The only problem we encountered with VyprVPN is that connection speeds can be a little patchy for certain server locales. However, if this happens, you shouldn’t have a problem finding an alternative server – but, while functional, the customer support lags behind class leaders such as ExpressVPN.
Why doesn't every service work as an iPlayer VPN?
While almost every VPN has the power to relocate you by routing your connection through a server in a different country, relatively few have the power to unblock streaming services.
Most can act as a YouTube VPN, unblocking region-restricted content, thanks to the fact that YouTube has relatively lax VPN usage rules. Essentially, it's pretty easy to get around it.
Other service like Netflix and Amazon Prime are trickier, though. To access Netflix a VPN has to put work into avoiding the blocks and check in place, and Amazon also take into account where your subscription is based/being paid from.
However, in terms of VPN blocking, iPlayer is usually the most difficult to unblock. That's probably because there are no ad and it's free to use in the UK – so there's a lot of reasons why people overseas would want to get access. Thus, only the very best services can get you watching.