10 best VPNs for iPlayer that work in 2021 | Unblock and watch iPlayer abroad

ExpressVPN is our go-to provider when it comes to unblocking BBC iPlayer on holiday, and three servers well optimized in London means I have never had trouble tuning in to content as though I was back home. Over the last decade ExpressVPN has become one of the most popular and well-respected names in the VPN world – and it’s plain why.

It’s servers are super-fast, I was constantly impressed by how quick ExpressVPN is (no stuttering, low-quality streams here!). I just fire it up and watch iPlayer outside of the UK. It has a large and reliable network of servers, and the ability to consistently unblock the world’s most in-demand streaming services like BBC iPlayer – as well as US Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and more. The fact that there are apps available for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Linux means that no matter which device you pack when abroad, you’ll be able to check out iPlayer in a few taps. Although, I should mention they only offer a command-line Linux app.

These are just a few of the reasons why ExpressVPN has claimed the top spot in our list. An Express subscription is more expensive than the other services in this guide, but the VPN provides a sleek, premium-feeling service with true value for money that’s hard to find elsewhere.

ExpressVPN offers an industry standard of 5 simultaneous connections. When it comes to privacy, ExpressVPN leads the pack thanks to military-grade encryption, watertight privacy policy, and a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN is one of our top choices for watching BBC iPlayer abroad because it offers truly fantastic value for money! This provider achieved our most coveted award a few years back, winning Best Overall VPN at the ProPrivacy Awards in 2019.

I have always found NordVPN to be one of the best VPNs to use to connect to the UK from abroad. On their desktop app, it has over 440 servers in the UK that you can connect to – these based in London, Manchester. However the mobile apps only offer 1 UK server, but this still works really well with BBC iPlayer and BBC sounds. The speeds are off the charts and during our tests and it allowed us to stream iPlayer in HD with absolutely no issues.

I love using NordVPN on our phones as well as on our windows laptops and computers, it has a great range of applications for all platforms. The Android app is fantastic, it’s super-easy to use and it’s packed with features including an ad and malware blocker. I was also able to stream iPlayer on mobile using the iPlayer mobile app which was great.

Speeds are fast enough to let you enjoy shows in full HD, and you can use the VPN on up to 6 devices at the same time. The software is streamlined and intuitive, which means you can be streaming your favorite content in seconds. With clients available on all popular platforms, NordVPN is a cost-effective solution for streaming BBC iPlayer on the go.

CyberGhost VPN has taken the industry by storm in a short space of time by offering an excellent premium VPN product at a great price. On top of that, it’s a fantastic option for unblocking UK content, especially iPlayer. It has a choice of lightning-fast UK servers capable of unblocking iPlayer, each of which is well up to the task of streaming in HD smoothly with no buffering.

I have found that CyberGhost is a great VPN for BBC iPlayer. Not only does it have 320 UK servers to connect through – these are based in London, Manchester, and Berkshire – it’s always a plus to have so many. CyberGhost also has servers specifically optimized for streaming BBC iPlayer which is awesome. When you log onto the app you can easily find the VPN servers that are optimized for streaming and you can use their search function to search iPlayer and find the servers specifically for streaming the BBC. I recently used these optimized servers to finish off Peaky Blinders whilst I was in a different country – and it worked perfectly the whole time!

Software is available for all major platforms, is extremely easy to use, and the VPN is highly secure thanks to military-grade encryption. With a 45-day money-back guarantee, an attractive price, and a robust offering overall, CyberGhost is certainly one worth considering for anyone looking to unblock iPlayer content.

Surfshark burst onto the VPN scene and now boasts an impressive network of more than 3,200 servers in 65 countries. Connect to any of these to enjoy uninterrupted HD streaming thanks to Surfshark’s stunning speeds, and check out iPlayer, Netflix, and more without pesky geo-restrictions. I was able to fire up iPlayer and watch it from anywhere when connected to its UK servers. And I found that with Surfshark’s excellent speeds, I didn’t experienced buffering of any kind, no matter where I’m connecting from.

Surfshark is compatible with all devices, and you can rest assured that your connection will remain secure, thanks to OpenVPN encryption and an independently audited zero-logs policy.

As should be expected from today’s top VPN providers, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support. What’s more unusual – and more impressive – is that Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections with just one subscription. This means you can connect as many devices to the service as you like, and all at the same time.

PrivateVPN is a service that is highly praised by subscribers. During my tests I found it to work with iPlayer both on the website and on my Kodi. The service is highly featured, which makes it great for advanced users who want to torrent or bypass censorship by streaming BBC news for example.

I found the VPN to be fast enough for streaming on BBC without buffering, and I also enjoyed that this VPN unblocks Netflix US and Netflix UK (as well as 12 other regions). I was particularly happy to see that this VPN comes ready to use in its native state, with OpenVPN set by default. Plus, it has a kill-switch to ensure it is good for torrenting on Pirate Bay or bypassing government blocks.

I used the VPN for a few weeks and found it to be both fast and highly reliable. The software is a pleasure to use, and I found it to compatible with all my devices across various platforms. I was also happy to see that PrivateVPN has a robust zero-logs policy, which makes it both trustworthy and cheap. An impressive VPN for iPlayer that I strongly recommend comparing to our other option if you fancy a bargain that is highly effective.

VyprVPN is a provider based in Switzerland that is renowned both for providing fast speeds and access to many sought-after streaming services from around the globe. With VyprVPN, users can access not only iPlayer, but also other British TV channels and Netflix. I like VyprVPN because it is easy to use, and it has excellent apps for all platforms. This is also one of the few VPNs that has proven its no-logs claims with a full third-party audit of its platform and server network.

VyprVPN provides servers in over 70 countries, which is great for bypassing censorship or accessing content from back home while on holiday. Plus, this VPN implements robust levels of OpenVPN encryption and other top-notch security features like DNS leak protection and a kill-switch.

Admittedly, VyprVPN doesn’t have the biggest server network on the market, but I found it easy to connect to it’s UK servers, which were very quick and I had no issues with buffering or latency. Although BBC iPlayer is a site that uses VPN detection technology, VyprVPN, in our experience, the provider seems to be able to get round it just fine!

Ivacy is a VPN based in Singapore that I found to be great for unblocking UK streams such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and Channel 4. The VPN is both secure and fast, which means you can trust it for gaining online privacy and for streaming content online in HD. Plus, with Ivacy you get servers in over 100 countries – so, as well as being able to unblock iPlayer I could access popular streaming services like Netflix US, Hulu, and much more.

Ivacy provides OpenVPN encryption, I always recommend using this protocol as it is the most secure VPN encryption protocol available. On top of all that, it is a no-logs VPN, which means it will never have any records about what you do online. This gives me trust in the services that it will keep my data secure and private. My favorite thing about this VPN is that it is super fast, I used it for downloading torrents and for streaming in HD and found it to be a VPN that performs superbly.

All in all, Ivacy is an excellent service that is well suited to streaming British TV. You can test it completely risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Hotspot Shield is a popular US-based VPN provider that is well known due to its free VPN apps for mobile devices. However, besides having the free service (which only provides VPN connections in the USA) it also has full premium service with servers in 98 countries – including the UK.

When testing Hotspot Shield, what really stood out for us was how smoothly the app worked across all of the platforms I tested it on (iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac). The desktop and mobile apps were excellent, and the router setup was super simple, which helped us get streaming iPlayer on my TV quickly and easily. Their website has some great guides on how to set up this service on a DD-WRT router. I also tested creating a virtual router using a Windows machine and the speeds were great and it allowed us to stream iPlayer on a PS5. Connection speeds were awesome too, so I had no issues streaming in full HD no matter what platform I used it.

What is unusual about Hotspot Shield is that it uses a proprietary protocol called Catapult Hydra to transport data. And it is super fast. In fact, this is one of the fastest VPNs I have tested, making it great for streaming iPlayer. Admittedly, the closed-source nature of the protocol does raise some questions, so any users with an elevated threat model may prefer to stick to a provider using OpenVPN (like the rest in this list).

On the other hand, Hotspot Shield’s home-grown protocol has been audited and the premium version unblocks iPlayer without issue, Hotspot Shield provides a lengthy 45-day money-back guarantee – so you can test it thoroughly for a month and a half!

Tested by Attila

VPNArea is a Bulgarian VPN provider that is perfect for streaming content online. It is pretty cheap when you opt for the yearly plan, and it will let you stream not only BBC iPlayer but many other popular streaming sites from all around the globe. I tested it myself with iPlayer on the website and on Kodi and found it to work without issues. I also managed to watch Channel 4 and ITV. Next, I logged into Netflix while on the US server and was happy to find that it unblocks extra content.

While it is true that this VPN is not the fastest, in practice I found it to be extremely stable. I used it while making some Skype and Zoom calls to check whether it would hold up, and found it to work without issues. The apps are extremely well designed, and I found them a pleasure to use on Windows, iOS, and Android. I also am a huge fan of their live chat, which has some of the friendliest agents I’ve ever encountered. What’s more, they really know their stuff.  

VPNArea has solid software for all platforms, and they all come fully equipped with what you need to keep your data private. I checked under the hood and was happy to see it comes with OpenVPN by default and that DNS leak protection and a kill-switch are included. Plus, this VPN has a no-logs policy, which is the best type available on the market. A great service that does everything to a high standard; well worth testing risk-free using its money-back guarantee.

StrongVPN is a secure VPN provider that has apps for all platforms. It is a secure no-logs VPN that is based in the USA. Until recently, the VPN could unblock iPlayer by connecting to the UK server in the VPN clients. However, the service has informed us that customers will need to avail of its Smart DNS service instead.

The good news is that this is available for free as part of your regular VPN subscription plan, and it is not hard to set up (thanks to the guide on its website). As soon as you do, you can unblock iPlayer with ease. I think this VPN provides excellent unblocking capabilities, and it is a highly secure VPN that can be trusted to protect your digital privacy.

I found StrongVPN’s Smart DNS service to be incredibly simple to set up, whether it was on my computer or directly on my smart TV. I was able to unblock iPlayer in a matter of just a few minutes from Budapest, Hungary. The experience was truly seamless and I had no issues streaming in full HD. On top of that, I was able to use StrongVPN to unblock Netflix US, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO as well.

Well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Tested by Attila