BBC iPlayer is one of the streaming giants in the UK but it’s unavailable to viewers outside the country. The limitation of iPlayer only accessible on devices with UK IP addresses becomes a problem. Fret not, the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer can unblock geo-restricted content. Hence you can easily stream and watch your favorite show on iPlayer with VPN.
BBC iPlayer VPN lets you connect with the server and access content from all across the globe. Even better a VPN completely encrypts your online traffic and secures your data from hackers and snoopers. However, it is important to note that not all VPNs can circumvent geo-restrictions. The one that stands out from the rest will let you stream at blazing-fast speed despite the country you are residing in. So if you are a British ex-pat living abroad and missing your favorite shows then here’s the detailed guide on the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer.
Summary- Best VPNs for BBC iPlayer
- Express VPN – The most trusted VPN service for accessing BBC iPlayer from anywhere. Fast speed and secure connection on multiple devices.
- NordVPN– Best option to bypass geo restrictions for BBC iPlayer. High speed and fast connection offering a range of servers with a risk-free 30-days money-back guarantee.
- SurfShark- Top budget pick with speedy connection in the UK. No connection limit so it can easily unblock BBC iPlayer.
- Private VPN– Overall good VPN that works extremely well for BBC iPlayer and all other streaming services.
- Atlas VPN– A reliable and budget-friendly VPN with fast speed and ability to unblock BBC iPlayer and other services.
What to look for when choosing the BBC iPlayer VPN?
If you are looking for a viable VPN option that successfully bypasses geo- restrictions then here are the key points to consider for the Best VPNs for BBC iPlayer:
| UK Servers | Several server locations all across the United Kingdom |
| Streaming features | Smart DNS, High Speed, Low latency |
| Supported Platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, iOs, Amazon Fire , Roku |
| Best Price | Great value for money |
- UK Server Availability- By connecting to the VPN server you can easily get around geo-blocks so you can watch BBC iPlayer content from all across the globe. Look for a VPN service provider that has various servers in the UK.
- Platform Supported- It’s always a good idea to look for VPN service with wide platform compatibility. This way you will be able to watch BBC iPlayer on a range of devices.
- Streaming Features- It’s crucial to make sure that VPN provider provides good speed and efficient streaming services with good speed and minimal buffering. Moreover, Smart DNS is an integral feature to set up connections on multiple devices.
- Best Price– Compare the features of provider against the range of competitors. Some VPN providers offer great value for money with all the additional benefits. Also, some VPNs offer a 30-day money-back guarantee which is also an edge for customers to try before long-term payments
The Best VPNs for BBC iPlayer -Detailed Analysis
A detailed analysis of VPN providers is done on the basis of sever fleet, security features, pricing, and ability to unblock geo-restrictions for BBC and other streaming platforms.
1. Express VPN
Express VPN gained the top spot among the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer as it offers an excellent server choice with four server locations solely in the UK. With exceptional speed and services, it offers live chat-based support 24 hours a day. The only thing this product lacks is the free trial.
Servers: ExpressVPN has multiple UK servers in the prime location of London, Wembley, Midlands, and Docklands, so you can easily access BBC iPlayer from any part of the world.
Streaming: Express VPN shows optimal performance in unblocking geo-restricted content and works best for BBC iPlayer as well as Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more.
Security: ExpressVPN provides strong protection for data that includes ChaCha 20/Poly 1305 encryption, a reliable kill switch, and SHA -512 hash function.
Speed: This VPN offers a lightway protocol that is not only secure but fast as lightning. The Vpn connection is secure and maintained at an average speed of 246 Mbps.
Cost: ExpressVPN’s yearly subscription is cost-effective and costs nearly $6.67 per month. While the cost of 6 months plan is nearly $9.99 and for 1 month the charges are $12.95.
Additional features: This VPN Service provider offers Smart DNS feature with it you will be able to use VPN with multiple devices and systems.
In brief, ExpressVPN offers the best user experience with dedicated applications and streaming consoles such as Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, and much more.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is a full fledge package with additional security features that includes double encryption, kill switch and no logging policy. The price is reasonable when we consider all the extra features with it. The key issue with this VPN service is its iPhone and Android application that does not work well for streaming on mobile devices.
Servers: NordVPN has more than 4400 servers in UK that are located in major cities including Edin Burgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester. Also, the main advantage of this VPN service is that it has dedicated VPN servers.
Streaming: With one of the viable VPN service among the Best VPNs for BBC iPlayer you can easily circumvent geo blocks of BBC iPlayer, Netflix , Amazon Prime and much more.
Security: NordVPN boasts Ram only servers with advanced and military-grade AES-256 encryption. With kill switch, NordVPN is effective in masking IP addresses even if the connection drops.
Speed: The high-level protocol, NordLynx which is a modified version of WireGuard sat an impressive average speed of 249 Mbps.
Cost: NordVPN offers a range of pricing plans with a long-term 3-year plan starting at $2.99 per month while the monthly plan is $11.95 per month.
Additional features: NordVPN comes with SmartDNS so it can effectively unblock BBC iPlayer even with a device that does not support VPN connection.
For all this NordVPN is a fairly reasonable service that also offers 30-day money-back guarantee. To know further about its features read NordVPN Review.
3. Surfshark
Surfshark offers a robust security suite to access BBC iPlayer without any hassle. The top class service is estimated by the fact that you can connect to unlimited devices.
Servers: SurfShark has 212+ UK servers in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Hence you can easily watch BBC iPlayer from any part of the world.
Streaming: The streaming experience with BBC iPlayer is smooth with no buffering and lagging. Moreover with this VPN provider you can unblock Netflix libraries, Hulu, Disney + and much more.
Security: This VPN service has range of security features that includes RAM-only servers, solid kill switch, AES-256 encryption and much more.
Speed: SurfShark is one of the reliable and fast VPNs that offers an average speed of 263 Mbps. This is solely possible as a result of the WireGuard protocol.
Cost: SurfShark offers multiple yearly packages. The plans are categorized into three main types names as Starter, One and One Plus. The best choice is the 24 months long SurfShark One plan which costs nearly $3.49/mo.
Additional features: Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections with reliable connections. On the top of that , being in the list of nest VPNs for BBC iPlayer it has Smart DNS feature that allows to set VPN on any device even if not natively supported.
4. Private VPN
Private VPN is an extraordinary VPN that shows peak performance on mobile devices. With military grade encryption, this VPN stands tall when it comes to speed and reliability. Although it offers comparatively fewer servers than competitors but all of them work extremely fast.
Servers: Private VPN has 2 servers that are located in the prime location of UK which makes it a viable option for fast connection.
Streaming: This VPN provider has an overall good track record for all the major streaming services that includes BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and Hulu.
Security: PrivateVPN being in the list of best VPNs for BBC iPlayer supports both the 256-bit and 128-bit encryption options that provides the perfect forward secrecy.
Speed: Despite the service having a low network of servers the speed is comparatively fast than the rest.
Cost: PrivateVPN offers 15 month plan which costs approximately $2.88 per month while the short-term plan is 1 month plan which nearly costs $6.57/month.
PrivateVPN is specifically designed to fight speed throttling that is implemented by various internet providers. Through this VPN you can connect with up to six devices in a single plan.
5. Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN with its Wire Guard implementation is one of the best VPN streaming services. The UK servers of this VPN provider work exceptionally well for BBC, Netflix, Sky TV, Now TV, BT Sports, All4 , Channel5. Due to unlimited bandwidth streaming in HD is never a problem.
Servers: Atlas VPN has a decent amount of UK servers and the exact numbers are not disclosed by the company . But it has server in the prime location of London for fast and reliable service.
Streaming: Atlas VPN lets you stream your favorite movies and shows with minimal to no buffering. Other than BBC iPlayer you can easily stream and watch Netflix, YouTube TV, Hulu , and HBO Max.
Security: In terms of privacy, this VPN works well with market-standard AES- 256 encryption with advanced data settings.
Speed: The WireGuard protocol works exceptionally well for Atlas VPN and boasts its browsing and gaming speed. The provider has an average speed of 247 Mbps.
Cost: The estimated cost for PrivateVPN starts from $ 11.99 for monthly subscription and for 3 -year plan the cost is significantly high, $71.49.
Additional features: Being one of the secure option in the list of best VPNs for BBC iPlayer this service provider offers a top-class streaming experience with specialized servers that provides lag-free streaming service.
AtlasVPN has applications for all platforms and is comparatively easy to use with an intuitive interface. Malware filtering is built in to provide first-class protection against hackers.