Hulu is a streaming service that’s only available in the US and Japan. So how can you enjoy Hulu’s on-demand content and live TV if you live anywhere else? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to unblock Hulu with a VPN:
- Subscribe to a good VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN. In our tests, it was the most consistent at unblocking Hulu.
- Install the VPN app on your device. If you get a NordVPN subscription, you can install it on pretty much any device.
- Open the VPN app and log into the account you used to sign up.
- Connect to a server in the US. Hulu is also available in Japan, but the US version has the best library.
- (Optional) if you don’t already have an account, sign up for a Hulu account with a US payment method.
- Log into Hulu and start watching!
NordVPN is the top VPN for streaming. Apart from its impressive streaming speeds, it offers a SmartPlay feature that will help you access geo-blocked content and protect your personal data.
While it is common to use a VPN to access Hulu in countries where it is unavailable, always ensure to check Hulu’s user agreement before streaming any of their content with a VPN.
Need more information? Our article below explains what to do in case your VPN is not working with Hulu and how to pay for a Hulu subscription if your payment method is not accepted.
Hulu is an American streaming service with a vast library that grows each year. When it first launched, the most popular show it offered was The Handmaid’s Tale. Now, it has a ton of popular TV series and movies, from Yellowjackets and Family Guy to Home Alone or Shrek. Plus, Hulu has over 85 live TV channels, which makes it one of the best streaming services on the market.
It’s an amazing platform, and it’s even available as a bundle with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. But unfortunately, Hulu can only be accessed in the US and Japan. If you live anywhere else and want to stream Hulu, you’ll need a VPN. A virtual private network will change your IP address and make Hulu think you’re visiting their site from the States. If you’re not sure how to do that, keep reading our guide below.
How to Watch Hulu With a VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a useful tool that helps you stream content safely and bypass online censorship and geo-restrictions. A VPN like NordVPN will change your IP address and connect you to a server where the content you want to stream is available.
This guide presumes you already have a Hulu account. If you don’t, you’ll need to jump through some hoops and get a gift card to pay for Hulu if you live in a country where the service provider is not available. But we’ll get to that in a minute. For now, let’s cover how to watch Hulu by subscribing to a VPN:
- Subscribe to a premium VPN. In our experience, NordVPN was the best service for unblocking Hulu and maintaining reasonable connection speeds.
NordVPNOur choiceDeal Save big with 68% off a two-year subscription plus 3 months free!From$ 3.199.3- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
- Download the VPN app. If you have picked NordVPN, you can install it on pretty much any device.
- Open the VPN app and connect to the account you used to subscribe.
- Connect to a server in the US. You should pick one that’s as close to you as possible to limit buffering.
- Open Hulu and enjoy any show or movie you want to watch!
This is the best way to unblock Hulu and access its library if you live in the US and you’re temporarily outside of the country.
When using a VPN to access streaming services like Hulu, ensure to use a trustworthy provider that will protect your personal information online and will effectively unblock the content you want to watch. There may be problems with the VPN service itself, including its inability to conceal your IP address and prevent data leaks if your VPN is unable to get around geo-restrictions.
What If Hulu Doesn’t Work With Your VPN?
Hulu not working with your VPN shouldn’t be a problem if you use some of the best VPN providers like NordVPN. It’s one of the best virtual private networks for unblocking streaming sites, so if you use that, you won’t be left wondering how to watch Hulu with a VPN. Nonetheless, a trusty VPN can fail at circumventing geographical restrictions if you don’t have the right settings in place, so let’s go over why your VPN might be failing you.
- Your browser might have your location. Through cookies and browser fingerprinting, your browser might be sending accurate location data to the sites you visit, regardless of your IP address. The easy workaround to unblock Hulu is to either open a new incognito window or just use a different browser than you normally do.
- Hulu recognizes the VPN server you’re on. Sometimes, streaming platforms are able to flag VPN servers as a proxy and block access from them. This is normal and easy to fix. Just connect to a different server, and you should be able to access Hulu now.
- Hulu uses different methods to figure out you’re using a VPN. They may flag your DNS address or get accurate location data from your device. If you still run into any issues, contact your VPN provider. They will usually troubleshoot the problem and help you unblock Hulu or any other streaming services you’re trying to access.
What if Hulu Doesn’t Accept Your Payment Method?
Subscribing to Hulu is quite a struggle for people outside the US and Japan as Hulu will ask for a US-based payment method when you sign up, which you can’t provide if you live anywhere else. But don’t worry if you’re not from the US! You can circumvent the payment restrictions with gift cards.
We’ve tested multiple ways to get find the most effective one on how to watch Hulu with a VPN, and we found that the best way is to pay using a Hulu gift card.
Unlike most streaming platforms, you don’t need to struggle to pay with mobile gift cards. Hulu actually lets you redeem gift cards directly on their website.
Check your user agreement and local regulation:
Hulu is not happy about users circumventing its geographical restrictions, which is why it tries to prevent VPN use in the first place. Before you attempt anything in this guide, make sure you check your user agreement and local regulation to make sure everything is above board in your jurisdiction.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting a Hulu subscription from anywhere with a gift card:
- Get a VPN. NordVPN is the best option to unblock Hulu as it offers a smart DNS feature that hides your true location.
NordVPNOur choiceDeal Save big with 68% off a two-year subscription plus 3 months free!From$ 3.199.3- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
- Download and install the VPN.
- Connect to a server in the US. NordVPN has 1,970 servers in the US alone.
- Open a new browser or an incognito window of your regular browser. This is important to avoid being identified by your browser fingerprint.
- Navigate to a site that sells Hulu gift cards. G2A, Amazon, and MyGiftCardSupply are all decent options, but make sure the seller you’re buying from has decent reviews.
- Buy a gift card that can cover at least one month of subscription.
- Sign-up for a Hulu account with your gift card.
- Enjoy Hulu TV shows and movies worldwide!
If you don’t want to (or can’t) pay with a gift card on Hulu’s website, you can get a Google Play or Apple iTunes gift card and sign up for a Hulu subscription from your mobile phone. However, that process is a bit more complicated, so we recommend sticking to the guide above.
Why Can’t I Watch Hulu in My Country?
Hulu only allows users from the US and Japan to access their content. By checking your IP address, Hulu can directly see where you’re based. Hence, they decide whether or not to block your access to their platform. If you’re not in the United States or Japan, you will get an error message when trying to sign-up for Hulu.
This happens because Hulu needs to pay for the distribution rights of their content in each country they stream to. So they probably ran the numbers and figured it’s not profitable to pay for distribution rights anywhere else except the US and Japan. But you can get around that with the Hulu location trick we’ve explained above and use a gift card to access Hulu. However, you’ll need a trusty VPN for that.
The Best VPN for Streaming Hulu: NordVPN
People try to use both free and paid VPNs to unblock Hulu. But unfortunately, the free options aren’t fast enough to enjoy Hulu without lag. And that’s in case you can even access the platform in the first place. Since even the best free VPNs have a limited number of servers, Hulu probably already knows their IP addresses.
So if you’re wondering how to watch Hulu with a VPN, we can confidently say that you will need a premium VPN to access the streaming service. But which one is the best pick?
Luckily, you don’t need to try out dozens of VPNs to figure out which one is the best VPN for Hulu. We did the research for you. If you want to unblock Hulu in Europe and anywhere else outside the US, there’s no better choice than NordVPN. We have tested NordVPN extensively, and we highly recommend it for streaming Hulu and other popular services.
NordVPN is our favorite app to unblock any streaming service. In our experience, it was the best-suited VPN to circumvent geographical restrictions, all while maintaining fast connection speeds. Even when connected to faraway servers, we still had about 80% of your normal connection speed. Plus, it has smart DNS services to help unblock streaming platforms easily.
But you’re not just paying for the ability to unblock Hulu. NordVPN will also enhance your device’s security. The app upholds a strict no-logs policy, which means it won’t collect any data about your online activity. NordVPN also uses different types of VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, NordLynx, and IKEv2/IPSec, that will keep your personal information safe.
Moreover, NordVPN’s connections work with 256-bit encryption, which is one of the most secure encryption protocols in the market. Additionally, the VPN provider offers users a kill switch that will cut their connection to the internet if the VPN malfunctions and a Threat Protection suite that blocks ads and malware.
If you need a premium VPN that can guarantee access to Hulu and ensure your online safety, there’s no better option than NordVPN.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
What’s Available to Watch on Hulu
So now that you’ve figured out how to watch Hulu with a VPN, you can start enjoying all it has to offer. Hulu used to be a niche streaming platform with some good titles, but that couldn’t face up against giants like Netflix and HBO Max. Well, things have changed. Hulu has added a lot of popular titles in the past few years, and it has also launched its own originals that have made quite a big splash too. The first example that comes to mind is Yellowjackets.
Moreover, Hulu has recently adapted a binge-worthy TV series from a popular book, Saint X. If you have not read the novel, it is worth watching Saint X and immersing yourself in the mystery that surrounds this TV show.
Hulu has a wide range of series and films that can’t be seen anywhere else. It’s even got a fantastic range of some of the best Christmas movies. Here’s a list of some of the most popular films and series currently available on Hulu:
- Home Alone
- Blade Runner 2049
- The Proposal
- The Good Doctor
- American Dad
- Family Guy
- Yellowjackets
- Family Guy
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Modern Family
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Parasite
- The Handmaid’s Tale
Along with plenty more.
Hulu also lets you watch live TV and on-demand channels on a ton of streaming devices. You can access the Hulu app on Apple TV, Android TV (pretty much any smart TV, really), Fire TV Stick, and even the Nintendo Switch. You can get it for as little as $7.99 with a one-month free trial.
Conclusion: How to Watch Hulu From Anywhere
Hulu is an up-and-coming star on the streaming scene. Their recent launch, Yellowjackets Season 2, smashed audience records, and Hulu’s ever-expanding library brings more and more people to the platform. Plus, the Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus bundle is a great deal for anyone interested in on-demand content.
But what if you can’t jump on the hype train because Hulu is not available where you live? Don’t worry, as you can circumvent geo-restrictions with a VPN and some gift cards. The best VPN to unblock Hulu is undoubtedly NordVPN. This service provider is not only one of the fastest VPNs on the market, but it is also one of the best regarding the security features it offers, like its robust encryption protocols, to keep you safe online.
However, ensure you check with Hulu’s subscriber agreement before you use a VPN. Even though Hulu does not refer to VPNs specifically it does stress that it does not allow the use of its services outside the US and Japan. Hence, it may be a violation of Hulu’s terms and conditions to access it from another country.
If you want to know more about how to unblock streaming services from anywhere in the world, check out our articles below:
- What to Watch on Hulu: The Best Shows and Movies on Hulu
- How to Watch Disney Plus (and Star) Safely
- How to Watch Netflix With a VPN
- How to Watch HBO Max From Anywhere
- Watch Amazon Prime Video From Anywhere: An Easy Guide
If you still have a question about watching Hulu when you aren’t in the US or Japan, read our FAQ down below!
Yes, you can watch Hulu outside the US and Japan. But since Hulu blocks access from anyone who isn’t in the United States (or Japan), you’ll need to follow a couple of easy steps to watch Hulu worldwide. Learn more about how to watch Hulu from anywhere in the world from our guide on accessing Hulu.
Yes, you can get a Hulu account from outside the United States and Japan. If you’d like to get a Hulu subscription when you’re in Europe, for example, you can use Hulu gift cards. These gift cards allow you to get a paid Hulu account from outside the US and Japan. If you want to know exactly how this is done, read our guide to watch Hulu.
We don’t know when Hulu will expand to more countries (if ever). Luckily, there is a workaround to be able to watch Hulu in Europe, which requires using a VPN. This tool can change your IP address, making Hulu think you’re accessing it from the US.
