Viaplay, the Nordic streaming service, is closing shop in the US, the UK, and Canada. However, you don’t have to lose access to your favorite Nordic movies, TV shows, and live sports.
After testing over 30 streaming services, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best Viaplay alternatives for you:
- Netflix: The best Viaplay alternative with a large Nordic library
- Paramount Plus: Best choice for streaming live sports, including the cinch Premiership
- Disney Plus: Excellent choice for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and big studio movies
- Max: Viaplay competitor for blockbuster movies
- BBC iPlayer: Good choice for sports events such as Formula 1, cricket, and rugby events
- Channel 4: Best free streaming service for Formula 1
- Curiosity Stream: Great Viaplay alternative for documentaries
- Crunchyroll: Viaplay alternative for anime fans
- Tubi TV: Free on-demand streaming service
- StreamEast: Free sports streaming website
If Viaplay no longer works in your country, use a VPN to change your location to a country like Sweden where it still works. If you choose any of the streaming alternatives above, you’ll still need a VPN since their libraries differ by country.
NordVPN does the job best, with over 5,400 speedy servers that can reliably change your location and provide top-level encryption and security.
Read the full article below to learn what each of the Viaplay alternatives have to offer.
Viaplay is pulling out of the US, UK, and Canada mainly because of cost-cutting measures. So, if you’re a Viaplay subscriber, you might wonder what will happen to your collection of Nordic noirs and live sports, including the Scottish League Cup. But not to worry. We tested over 30 streaming services to reveal the best Viaplay alternatives.
And if you are worried about being unable to access some of the platforms on our Viaplay alternatives list because of your location, fret not. You can use a VPN provider like NordVPN to mask your IP and stream your favorite movies and TV shows on any streaming platform and from anywhere in the world.
The 10 Best Viaplay Alternatives (Tried and Tested!)
In the table below, we’ve summarized the features of each of our 10 Viaplay alternatives. We’ve added a few free streaming service picks if you’re not keen on paying for another streaming platform outside Viaplay.
| Streaming service | Price | Number of titles | Live TV | Offline streaming | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | From $6.99/month | 13,000+ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Paramount Plus | From $5.99/month | 36,000+ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Disney Plus | From $7.99/month | 7,000+ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Max | From $9.99/month | 3,500+ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| BBC iPlayer | Costs are covered by your annual TV License | Not listed | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Channel 4 | Free | Not listed | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Curiosity Stream | From $3.34/month | 3,000+ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Crunchyroll | From $4.99/month | 1,000+ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tubi TV | Free | 50,000+ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| StreamEast | Free | N/A | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
Below, we’ll take a deep dive into each streaming option in the table. Scroll down to read about the features of each Viaplay alternative.
1. Netflix: The best Viaplay alternative with a large Nordic library
What We Like
- Over 13,000 movies and TV shows
- Monthly movie releases
- Intuitive recommendation algorithm
- Large Scandinavian library
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive prices
- Restricted password sharing
- Ads on the Basic plan
Price:
- Basic: $6.99 (with ads, two simultaneous streams)
- Standard: $15.49 (no ads, two simultaneous streams)
- Premium: $19.99 (no ads, four simultaneous streams)
Did you get a Viaplay app subscription to watch your favorite Viaplay film and TV show? You’ll be better off with Netflix, the best streaming service. With over 13,000 titles and counting, Netflix has one of the largest movie libraries worldwide. In the US, the UK, and Canada, countries where Viaplay has withdrawn its services, Netflix boasts thousands of movies.
We found award-winning movies and TV series in every genre using the provider. For instance, if you need a thrill or a good laugh, there’s Puss in Boots. If you want to binge-watch original series, look for Squid Game and hundreds of other shows. And if you’re up for action-packed films, you can watch the Transformers movies.
Moreover, we were pleased to see that Netflix features a decent selection of Scandinavian movies, including popular picks like Borgen, Norsemen, Bonus Family, The Valhalla Murders, and Young Royals.
The streaming platform also stands out because it releases new movies and originals monthly. Plus, we found its smart recommendation algorithm very useful as it suggested movies based on our views and interests.
Netflix’s main downside is that its prices are relatively high. However, there are several Netflix alternatives if you opt not to buy a subscription with the streaming provider because of its price or the recent ban on sharing Netflix passwords with others.
However, you can save money on your Netflix subscription by using NordVPN, as Netflix plans differ price-wise for each country. So if you change your location with NordVPN, you can access cheaper Netflix subscriptions. Moreover, NordVPN has several discounts itself on its subscription packages, making it a super-affordable service for everyone.
2. Paramount Plus: A Viaplay alternative for streaming live sports, including the cinch Premiership
What We Like
- Offers many live streams including the NFL, PGA golf, and UEFA competitions
- Offers live and on-demand Scottish Premier League content
What We Don’t Like
- Not available worldwide
Price:
- Paramount+: $5.99/month (or $59.99/year)
- Paramount+ with SHOWTIME: $11.99/month (or $119.99/year)
If you are among the thousands that purchased Viaplay to stream live sports, Paramount Plus can save the day. It is one of the most well-known Viaplay competitors on the market.
It’s home to many live sports events, including the NFL, PGA golf, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and Concacaf national team competitions. You can expect up to 2,000 live matches each year.
In our research, we noticed that many Viaplay users purchased the service to stream the Scottish Premier League. Many complained that Viaplay seemed to deliver poor streaming quality and commentary.
In contrast, we discovered that Paramount Plus’s stream of the Scottish Premier League was of high quality and came with top-notch commentaries. Plus, we could record the matches and watch them later.
Note that Paramount Plus is geo-blocked. If you’re not in the US, Canada, Latin America, Nordic regions, or Australia, you’ll need one of the best Paramount+ VPN services to spoof your location.
There is also a free Paramount+ 30-day trial that you can opt for while subscribing to try all the streaming platform has to offer for free.
3. Disney Plus: Excellent choice for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and big studio movies
What We Like
- Access to the best of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel
- Supports parental controls
- Stream on up to four devices at the same time
What We Don’t Like
- Prone to buffering
Price:
- Disney Plus: $10.99/month (or $109.99/year)
Losing access to sites like Viaplay can be a big blow. But not when Disney Plus, a worthwhile Viaplay competitor, offers access to movies from major film studios like Disney and Pixar. Disney Plus is also home to crime dramas and action-packed Marvel movies like Thor, Iron Man, Avengers, Spider-Man, and Black Panther.
Disney Plus is a good choice if you want to watch movies virtually with your friends. The GroupWatch feature allows you to host movie parties with up to six friends. You can pause, rewind, and react to movies with this feature. In addition, many of Disney Plus’s movies are available in 4K.
We also love that Disney Plus supports parental controls. You can set up dedicated profiles for your children and set parental controls. For instance, you can restrict your kids to children-friendly classic movies like The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, and Encanto.
Disney Plus adds new content daily with popular movies recently screened at the cinema, so don’t miss your chance to get front-row seats to recent blockbusters!
4. Max: Viaplay alternative for blockbuster movies
What We Like
- Access to recently released blockbusters
- Seven-day free trial
- Stream on up to four devices simultaneously
What We Don’t Like
- Some movies have been removed since its merger with Warner Bros.
Price:
- Max (ads): $9.99/month (or $99.99/year)
- Max (no ads): $15.99/month (or $14.99/year)
- Max Ultimate (no ads): $19.99/month (or $199.99/year)
Formerly known as HBO Max, the streaming service has rebranded as Max following its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
This merger means niche-specific channels like the Food Network, HGTV, ID, Magnolia, TLC, and Discovery are all now available on Max. Plus, you’ll get access to original productions and popular hit TV shows like Game of Thrones, and you can also watch movies like Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Harry Potter.
Another exciting aspect of Max’s rebrand is that all Warner Bros movies that are released will be available on Max after their theatre debut. Max is also a good pick if you want a streaming service for a small family. You can stream on up to four devices at once and download up to 100 movies for offline viewing.
Max is available only in the US, although the company has plans to extend its reach to Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Moreover, you can watch some episodes of popular shows for free on HBO Max without subscribing to the service.
5. BBC iPlayer: Good alternative to Viaplay for sports events such as Formula 1, cricket, and rugby events
What We Like
- UK-focused movies
- Allows you to watch BBC programming
- Excellent sports coverage
What We Don’t Like
- Only available for UK TV license holders
Note:
When asked whether you have a TV license on the BBC iPlayer website, confirm that you do. Most programs on BBC iPlayer are recorded, and you only need to have a TV license to watch live UK TV online.
Price: Free
Since the Viaplay app is packing out of the UK, you can switch to BBC iPlayer if you want UK-focused content. BBC iPlayer allows you to watch all BBC programming online for free. It’s also home to popular movies and series such as Peaky Blinders, Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, EastEnders, and The Sixth Commandment.
BBC iPlayer earns a spot on this Viaplay alternatives list primarily because of its collection of live sports events and highlights, including Formula 1, boxing, horse racing, cricket, rugby, golf, and MMA. Most of these sports are not available on many similar companies that offer streaming services.
We recommend BBC iPlayer to watch the Wimbledon finals each year for free. When we were writing this article, we watched various live sports events on BBC iPlayer, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup match between the USA and the Netherlands, as well as the men’s T20 Cricket World Cup qualifier between Scotland and Denmark. The streams were smooth and buffer-free.
Are you in a location outside the UK? No problem! With NordVPN, you can change your IP address to a UK one and watch all your favorite shows on BBC iPlayer with no issues.
6. Channel 4: Best free streaming service for Formula 1
What We Like
- Includes many sports races
- Offers thousands of movies and TV shows
What We Don’t Like
- Only available in the UK
Price: Free
What did you often watch on Viaplay? Formula 1? Well, you don’t need to pay any longer to watch some of the world’s biggest races. That’s because Channel 4 is an excellent free Viaplay alternative.
On Channel 4, we could watch top races like the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Monaco Grand Prix. Whether you’re a Lewis Hamilton fan or you swear by Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen, there is a Formula 1 event on Channel 4 to give you a chance to watch them. Unfortunately, there are no Formula 1 live streams.
Aside from Formula 1 events, Channel 4 offers thousands of movies and shows. We were more than happy to watch some of them, like the Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Bake Off: The Professionals.
Note that Channel 4 is only available in the UK. If you’re elsewhere, you’ll need a VPN to change your location to the UK. NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use the service for free for a month to watch all the Channel 4 content you want.
7. Curiosity Stream: Great Viaplay alternative for documentaries
What We Like
- Over 3,000 documentaries
- Dedicated kids channel
- Bundled plan which includes seven streaming services
What We Don’t Like
- Focuses primarily on documentaries
Price:
- Standard: $3.34/month on the annual plan and $4.99/month on the monthly plan
- Smart Bundle: $5.84/month on the annual plan and $9.99/month on the annual plan
The Viaplay app offers little in the way of documentaries, and Curiosity Stream is a worthwhile Viaplay competitor. Created by the founder of the Discovery Channel, the streaming platform contains over 3,000 documentaries that cover all niches, including history, science, technology, biography, and art and society.
Of course, many of the streaming services in this post have documentaries, but Curiosity Stream offers a wider range with higher video quality. Notable documentaries on the site include Out of the Cradle, the History of Home, Engineering the Future, and Polar Bears. There’s also Curiosity Kids, which is a curation of documentaries suitable for kids.
If you purchase the Smart Bundle, you’ll get access to seven streaming services, namely:
- Tastemade: Food, travel, home, and design
- Da Vinci: Educational shows and interactive activities
- One Day University: Live and on-demand lectures
- SOMM TV: Stories behind how great wines and meals are made
- Topic: Crime thrillers
- Nebula: Insights from thinkers and experts on a topic
8. Crunchyroll: A Viaplay alternative for anime fans
What We Like
- Vast anime library
- Contains latest anime releases
- Manga available
What We Don’t Like
- No live TV
Price:
- Crunchyroll Fan: $7.99/month
- Crunchyroll Mega Fan: $9.99/month
- Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan: $14.99/month
Viaplay has a decent anime collection, but it’s nothing compared to what Crunchyroll offers. Dubbed the Netflix of animes, Crunchyroll has over 1,000 animes and 30,000 episodes available. We were pleased to see popular anime like Naruto, Vinland Saga, Death Note, and Blade Runner: The Black Lotus.
Crunchyroll is considered the best free anime streaming service and is the perfect place to look if you’re after the latest anime releases. Usually, anime released in Japan are on Crunchyroll within the hour.
Aside from anime, Crunchyroll offers popular manga like Inside Mari and Gershin Impact. The Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan plans offer priority access to special Crunchyroll Expo events and lotteries.
Note that Crunchyroll’s library differs from country to country, with the US having one of the largest libraries.
9. Tubi TV: Free on-demand streaming service
What We Like
- No subscription fees
- Free live TV
- Over 50,000 movies and TV shows
- Content from major film studios
What We Don’t Like
- Streaming resolution limited to 720p
- Ads every 15 minutes
Price: Free
Chances are, you’re paying for a Viaplay app subscription in addition to other streaming service subscriptions – say, listening to music on Spotify. But you can ease the financial burden by canceling your Viaplay subscription and opting for Tubi TV. That’s because Tubi TV is totally free; there’s no option to subscribe to a paid tier.
Tubi TV gave us access to around 50,000 movies and TV shows, which is a lot for a free streaming service. Granted, its content library doesn’t include recent blockbusters, but we were able to find older movies from top networks like Warner Bros., MGM, and Paramount Pictures.
Tubi TV also has a live TV option, which includes channels like NBC News Now, Fox Sports on Tubi, beIN SPORTS XTRA, Bloomberg Television, Fox Weather, and the TMZ channel.
As with free movie streaming services, there are trade-offs. First, Tubi restricts your video resolution to 720p. In other words, there’s no HD or 4K. Plus, while watching movies, expect an ad every 15 minutes or so, which we found a bit annoying.
Note that Tubi TV is only available in the US, so you’ll need a VPN to unblock the service. NordVPN is our No.1 provider because of its robust unblocking capabilities.
10. StreamEast: Free Viaplay alternative for sports streaming
What We Like
- No signup required
- Reliable HD streams
- Minimal ads
- Site is easy to navigate
What We Don’t Like
- Unauthenticated live streams
Price: Free
Tired of spending money on sites like Viaplay? Head over to StreamEast. Without signing up, we could watch all kinds of sports content for free.
StreamEast’s live events include soccer, Major League Baseball (MLB), Formula 1, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). You can stream most of these events in full HD (1080p resolution). This easily replaces the sports content Viaplay offers.
There are a few downsides with StreamEast, though. First of all, you’re likely to encounter ads along the way. This is standard fare on free streaming sites, but a good ad blocker should do the trick.
Also, StreamEast is an index of external links and sites. As a result, we can’t guarantee that the sites are legitimate or safe. For security, be sure to use a VPN to secure your traffic and hide your identity from third parties. We recommend NordVPN because it has top-notch encryption and security features to keep you safe online.
How We Chose the Best Viaplay Alternatives
We considered the criteria below when searching for the best Viaplay alternatives. This list will help you know what to look for if you want to explore more alternatives to Viaplay yourself.
- Content library: We looked for streaming services with a vast library of popular movies and TV shows.
- Streaming features: During our search for Viaplay competitors, we looked for sites that allow you to download movies and platforms that offered content in HD and 4K. Also, it is important to be able to have subtitles for movies.
- Usability: All the streaming platforms we tested had to be user-friendly and offer apps for different devices. Moreover, they had to make it easy for users to connect to live streams.
- Price: Streaming services have to offer affordable plans and preferably should also provide free trials for users.
Best VPN for Viaplay Alternatives: NordVPN
The best alternatives for sites like Viaplay mentioned above have libraries in multiple regions worldwide or broadcast exclusively in specific countries. Therefore, a top VPN provider, like NordVPN, is essential if you want to access these streaming services from any location.
Moreover, if you are already a Viaplay customer, you can use NordVPN to get access to your account if it is blocked due to geo-restrictions.
NordVPN has an extensive server network of 5,400 servers worldwide, so you will surely find a location where Viaplay or any of its alternatives are available. Moreover, the VPN provider will hide your IP address and allow you to unblock any international streaming library you want to access, including Paramount+, Netflix, and Max.
The VPN service offers fast and stable connections along with other essential features for streaming, such as a dedicated IP address that only belongs to you. This is a useful feature for a VPN to have, as streaming providers usually block IPs that are used by many people. Moreover, you can set up NordVPN on your smart TV or gaming console.
But the best part about NordVPN? You can try all of its features for free as it offers subscribers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
What is Viaplay?
Viaplay is an online streaming service based in Sweden and owned by the Viaplay Group, a Nordic entertainment group. It’s popular for its Nordic noir movies and series as well as live sports offerings.
In the last five years, the streaming service has expanded into several countries, including the UK and the US. However, in July 2023, Viaplay announced it was exiting the US, the UK, and Canada. The company also hasn’t ruled out an outright sale.
Below is a map with Viaplay’s current availability worldwide.
Best Viaplay Alternatives to Stream Your Favorite Content
Even though Viaplay is withdrawing from several countries, there are many good Viaplay alternatives. Netflix is overall best, with an enviable collection of Nordic noir movies and TV shows. Paramount+, Disney Plus, and Max are also great alternatives for finding a wide range of films.
For live sports, consider BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, and StreamEast if you want to find content similar to Viaplay’s, such as live sports events, including Formula 1, football, and tennis.
Above all, if you want to use sites like Viaplay that are unavailable in your location, use a VPN. Our top choice is NordVPN simply because it has fast, secure, and reliable servers and can give you access to international libraries of various streaming platforms.
You can explore some other streaming alternatives to popular services in the articles below:
- The Best Hesgoal Alternatives for Streaming Sports
- The Best Popcorn Time Alternatives for Streaming
- Soap2day Alternatives That Work
Do you still have a few extra questions about Viaplay? We’ve compiled the most commonly asked questions for you below.
Viaplay will be unavailable if you’re in the US, UK, or Canada. The streaming service has stopped operating in those countries. However, you can use a VPN to change your location to a country where Viaplay still works, say Sweden. That way, you’ll be able to access the service.
In our experience, Viaplay doesn’t detect VPNs. We connected to NordVPN’s servers across Scandinavia to unblock Viaplay and not once did the streaming service notice that we were using a VPN.
If you’re worried about Viaplay or streaming content with Viaplay alternatives while using a VPN, opt for a provider like NordVPN with obfuscated servers that hide the fact you are using a VPN.
Netflix and Viaplay are similar because they are both streaming providers. However, Netflix covers more countries and has thousands more titles than Viaplay. For those reasons, we recommend Netflix over Viaplay.
