Outside of the United States it can be a challenge to watch your favorite TV channels, such as ESPN+, NBC, Comedy Central, and more. You quickly run into geographical restrictions.
Luckily, there’s an easy way to watch American TV online, no matter where you’re located: use a VPN. With a VPN, you can get an American IP-address and unblock American TV channels in Europe or anywhere else in the world.
We recommend NordVPN — our #1 best tested VPN — if you wish to unblock American TV right away.
How to Watch American TV on Your Computer or Smartphone
Can’t get access to American TV channels? Here’s how to set up a VPN to stream American news and TV shows abroad. It only takes a minute!
- Get your VPN ready. Go to the NordVPN website and sign up for a subscription. There’s a 30-day money-back-guarantee in case you’re not satisfied.
- Download NordVPN for your device. You can watch American TV on your computer, tablet, smartphone, and even on smart TVs.
- Log in with your new account.
- Select a server in the United States. This is how you get an American IP address to watch US TV.
- Go to the American streaming service or TV channel you want to watch and enjoy!
Want a bit more information? Below, we’ve listed detailed instructions for how to set up your VPN and watch United States TV abroad.
Why Do I Need a VPN to Watch American TV Overseas?
You need a VPN to watch American TV abroad because of limited distribution rights. If you’ve tried to watch American TV outside of the US before, you’ve probably been denied access. This is because not all American channels have broadcasting rights around the world.
How does a VPN help? With a VPN (Virtual Private Network), you can change your virtual location to the United States. By connecting to an American VPN server, you will automatically get an American IP address.
To American streaming services and online TV channels, it will look like you’re located in the United States. It’s a quick and easy way to access US TV abroad.
Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming?
Yes! You do not need to worry. In almost every country around the world, it’s perfectly legal to use a VPN to watch TV online.
Best VPNs to Watch American TV
We’ve tested 35+ VPN providers to see which ones are most suited to streaming American TV abroad. We’ve managed to narrow it down to our top 3 best VPNs to watch American TV:
- NordVPN: Best VPN for streaming American TV everywhere
- Surfshark: Affordable, fast VPN for US TV channels
- Private Internet Access (PIA): American VPN with many servers
Each of these VPN has very high speeds, can easily unblock US channels, and has plenty of American VPN servers to connect to. You’ll be able to access American TV streaming services from anywhere in the world.
1. NordVPN: Best VPN for streaming American TV everywhere
Features:
- Offers 1970+ servers in the United States
- Can unblock American channels without issue
- Very user-friendly VPN with solid features: ad blocker, double VPN, and more
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans
NordVPN is an absolute powerhouse VPN that will allow you to watch American TV in Europe or anywhere else in the world. It’s one of the best streaming VPNs in the world, thanks to its lightning-fast speeds!
With close to 2000 American servers, you won’t have to worry about getting access to services like Pluto TV, Fox or ESPN sports. Enjoy lag-free, high-definition streams on any device.
NordVPN also boasts the best privacy and security features you can find. From obfuscation software (to make your VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic) to built-in malware protection, you’ve got a high-quality VPN on your hands.
Right now, you can take advantage of NordVPN’s limited offer and receive 72% off your plan.
You can read more about our experiences with this VPN in our NordVPN review.
2. Surfshark: Affordable, fast VPN for US TV channels
Features:
- 600+ high-speed servers across the United States
- Very affordable VPN: plans starting at $ 2.19/month
- Works with all major streaming services and channels
- Solid security features included: ad blocker, browser extensions, and more
Surfshark is one of our best-tested VPNs for unblocking American streaming platforms like Hulu and Max. Thanks to its obfuscation technology (Camouflage Mode) you can also access plenty of American online TV channels without issue.
This VPN allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, which means you can share your Surfshark account with as many people as you like! Considering Surfshark is already one of the cheapest VPNs around, it’s a real steal.
In terms of security, you won’t be disappointed either. This VPN keeps your data protected at all times with 256-bit encryption and offers fantastic features, such as split-tunneling and a built-in ad blocker.
With high-speed servers, you’ll stream any American TV show or movie you want! Don’t miss out on the deal and claim Surfshark’s discount of 86% right away.
Have a look at our Surfshark review to see a full run-down of features.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA): American VPN with many servers
Features:
- Largest server network in the world: 35000 servers in 91 countries
- Unblocks American TV without any problems; VPN servers in every US state
- Solid security and optimal encryption (256-bit encryption)
- Cheap subscriptions available, starting at $ 1.99/month
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a fantastic VPN for American TV because it has servers in every single US state. This American-based provider also has the biggest global server network available, so you’ll be able to watch sports streams and entertainment from around the world.
We’ve managed to successfully unblock NBC, The CW, and lots of other American broadcast channels. Since PIA is a very privacy-focused VPN, you’ll be able to browse the web freely, no matter where you live.
With P2P support, secure VPN protocols, ad blockers, and malware protection, this VPN goes a long way to improving your online security. Since you can use it on unlimited devices, you can even split the costs of a subscription between friends and family.
Curious? Make use of PIA’s 30-day money-back guarantee to see for yourself!
Read our detailed Private Internet Access review to learn more about this VPN service.
How to Watch American TV With a VPN: Step-by-Step
It’s easier than you might think to watch American TV with a VPN. Here’s how to go about it:
- Subscribe to a VPN with plenty of servers in America. We recommend NordVPN, which has 1970+ servers in the United States and is our #1 provider overall.
NordVPNOur choiceDealSave big with up to 72% off a two-year subscription!
From$ 3.399.3- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
- Download NordVPN on your device. As you can see, NordVPN has apps for all major operating systems.
- Log in with your NordVPN credentials. You’ll get access to the VPN client right away.
- Select a server in the United States — this is key to unblocking American TV! By connecting to a server, you will get a US IP address to stream American content.
- Go to your favorite American streaming service or access channels through US TV Now.
If you’re new to using VPNs, we can’t recommend NordVPN enough. It’s easy to set up, very fast, and does exactly what you need it to do!
How to fix common issues when streaming American TV
Are you unable to stream American TV or otherwise running into issues? Some streaming services push back against VPN use and might try to block you from using one.
Here are some quick fixes you can try:
- Try a different US server and attempt to connect again.
- Reset your internet connection.
- Clear your cookies in your browser or switch browsers altogether.
- Make sure your VPN is fully updated so that any potential bugs are fixed.
- Use obfuscation features; usually you can find these in the settings of your VPN.
If none of these fixes work, we recommend reaching out to the customer service team of your VPN provider. NordVPN has an expert team available 24/7. Usually, they are able to point you to a specific server that will work with the American streaming service or channel you want to unblock.
American TV Channels You Can Access With a VPN
Want to watch American TV online but don’t know where to start? We’ve listed the best options available to you in the table below.
| Service | Channels | Price | Do you need a VPN? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sling TV | 30+ TV channels | $40,00/month | Yes, outside the United States |
| Pluto TV | 250+ TV channels | free | Yes, outside the United States |
| Peacock | 50+ TV channels | $5.99/month | Yes, outside the United States |
| US TV Now | 100+ TV channels | free | Yes, outside the United States |
| Hulu | 75+ TV channels | $76.99/month | Yes, outside the United States |
| Max | — | $10.00/month | Only in select countries |
You can also use a VPN to access websites of individual channels such as Fox News, ABC, NBC, Comedy Central, AMC and more.
Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch US TV?
It might be tempting to get a free VPN to watch American TV outside of the United States. While there are some good free VPNs out there, you’ll have to keep the following risks and limitations in mind:
- Limited server network: most free VPN services don’t have a lot of server locations. You’ll be lucky to find a free VPN with servers in the United States. However, these can easily get overcrowded.
- Security risks: not all free VPNs are able to uphold the security standards necessary to keep your data safe.
- Data sold: in some cases, free VPN providers sell your data to third parties in order to gain revenue.
- Slow speeds: free VPN services are not known to offer fast speeds. Even if you manage to unblock an American TV channel, you might not be able to actually watch it comfortably.
In all honesty, you’re better off with an affordable, but premium VPN like Surfshark.
Conclusion: Watch American TV Anywhere
If you’ve been looking for a way to watch US TV abroad, a VPN is the tool you need. With a VPN, you can bypass geographic restrictions and access American content, no matter where you live.
For American television online, we recommend NordVPN. This VPN has a huge amount of US servers (nearly 2000!) and works wonders when it comes to unblocking niche streams.
Don’t miss out and claim the temporary discount now!
For more information on watching TV online, we recommend checking out the following articles:
- How to Watch British TV Online From Anywhere
- How to Get a US IP Address
- How to Watch Sling TV From Anywhere
Do you have any questions about watching American TV abroad? Check out our FAQ for some quick answers!
Besides Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, not many streaming services are available outside of the United States.
Luckily, you can unblock platforms like Hulu, Sling TV, Max, Peacock, and more with a VPN.
You can watch US TV in Europe by using a VPN. This will allow you to get an American IP address and virtually change your location to the United States. As such, you’ll get access to American TV abroad.
You can watch US channels outside of the United States by using a VPN to get an American IP address. Once you’re connected, head over to your favorite online TV channels or use US TV Now to get access.
Open de VPN app, log in with your account, then connect to a VPN server in the United States. This will give you an American IP address. Once your IP address has changed, head over to your favorite TV channels or streaming services.
Yes, it’s legal to watch American TV with a VPN. Most countries around the world don’t have a ban on using a VPN for streaming.
Since VPN providers do sometimes push back against VPN use, we do recommend using obfuscation to make your VPN traffic look like normal traffic.
