How to Watch PBS Outside the US in 2024

You can watch content in your favorite genre by using movie streaming services. One of the popular movie streaming platforms to check out is PBS. PBS is an on-demand and live TV streaming platform with thrilling content suitable for the entire family.

The features on the platform promote a good user experience through a user-friendly interface. The one downside of using the service is it is geo-restrictive. It doesn’t let users outside the US access all its contents. However, technology, such as VPNs, has made using PBS in restricted locations possible. Still, most people don’t know how to do it. So, we have packed this article with information on how to watch PBS outside the US with VPN services and the best VPNs for this purpose. Also, we discuss many other things you need to know about the subject; read on to learn more.

Quick Guide Watching PBS Outside the US with a VPN

Best VPNs for Watching PBS – Quick List

1. ExpressVPN: A leading VPN service known for its strong emphasis on privacy and security, offering fast and reliable connections across a vast network of servers worldwide.
2. Surfshark: A user-friendly VPN solution with unlimited device support, providing a range of features like CleanWeb and MultiHop to ensure a secure and private online experience.
3. NordVPN: Renowned for its robust security features and extensive server network, NordVPN offers top-notch encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and advanced technologies for a secure and anonymous browsing experience.

Why Do You Need A VPN to Watch PBS Outside the US?

PBS is an online streaming service with interesting content and more, but it has a geo-restrictive policy on some content. This means people outside the US can access the streaming service but cannot get all its contents and services. However, technology upgrades have made getting all PBS services in restricted areas possible.

This can only happen with the use of a VPN service. VPN services can change the user’s IP addresses and locations to the country where the internet service is available. With this, you can watch PBS from anywhere. Note that VPNs don’t only unlock geo-restricted internet services. They protect users’ online activities in many ways.

Best VPNs for Unblocking PBS – Detailed List

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a notable VPN that is popular for its credibility. It is one of the best VPN services for watching PBS outside the US without glitches. This VPN has certain services and features that make using it great. Here are the services. The VPN service has over 3000 servers in more than 105 counties worldwide. With this, users can appear to be almost anywhere in the world and get the online benefits that people there get.

This VPN service has extra tech tools that help users get even better services. One of the major technologies on ExpressVPN is the TrustedServer technology. With it, the VPN won’t write users’ data to the hard drive. ExpressVPN supports many devices, such as Mac, iOS, Windows, routers, Android, and Linux. The service also works on web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and more.

Features

• Best-in-class Encryption: ExpressVPN has one of the best encryption tools that keeps users’ data private when they surf the internet. It uses AES-256 to carry out this process, tightening its privacy policy. AES-256 is a tool that most tech experts trust for encryption.
• 24/7 Customer Service Availability: ExpressVPN works with human VPN experts to sort out user issues while using the platform. The people on this team are available on live chat and email and are accessible 24/7.
• Lightning-fast Speed: ExpressVPN lets users watch movies, load pages, connect to servers, and perform other online activities quickly. This reduces the frustration people experience when they wait for one internet service to load for minutes.
• Eight Devices’ Simultaneous Usage: On ExpressVPN, users can connect eight devices to one account and use them simultaneously without glitches. It can reduce costs because all eight device owners can slash the service cost and pay.
• Unblock PBS: People who want to watch PBS in a restricted area can unblock the streaming service with ExpressVPN. The steps are easy; the VPN only needs to change the IP address and location to the supported area.
• No Activity Logs: Using ExpressVPN means accessing the internet in incognito mode and not leaving a trace of your activities behind. The platform has a no-activity log policy that doesn’t save browsing history. Hence, no one can know what you did online or trace an activity back to you.
• Strong Security: ExpressVPN protects its users from online dangers like hacking, viruses, malware, spyware, and more. Also, it further offers protection from rogue Wi-Fi that users connect to daily. More so, users get protection from packet sniffing and security breaches.

Pricing

ExpressVPN has three tiers, and the name follows their timing. They have different pricing, yet the same features.

• The 1-month Plan: The price of the 1-month plan is $12.95 for a monthly subscription. It is better for people who are not consistent with ExpressVPN. A 30-day money-back guarantee is certain for this plan.
• The 6-month Plan: The cost of the 6-month plan is $9.99 per month, which is a subsidized price of the previous plan. It helps consistent ExpressVPN save money on their subscription. Also, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• The 12-month Plan: The price of the 12-month plan subscription is $6.67 per month. This plan comes with a free three months for users. Also, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our comprehensive ExpressVPN review

2. Surfshark

Surfshark is another of the best VPNs for watching PBS in restricted areas. It has services and features that promote an awesome user experience. Surfshark offers its users a secure connection to the internet. It reduces the risk of data breaches, hacking, snoopers, trackers, and more. Also, it secures your browsing from ads, cookie pop-ups, and other regular interruptions. Users can be sure of a standard private internet surfing with the VPN. With this, users’ online activities will remain oblivious.

Surfshark users are liable to appear in many countries of their choosing. The platform has over 3,200 RAM-only servers in more than 100 countries. Surfshark supports the simultaneous use of an unlimited number of devices. This makes it perfect for a group of family and friends. Here, you can share your login details with anyone and not get interrupted when they use it simultaneously.

Features

• 24/7 Customer Support: With this VPN, you can get solutions to your issues when using the platform. It offers standby 24/7 customer support through live chats and email.
• High-tech Tools: Surfshark has some high-tech tools that enhance its services. One is the Nexus technology that allows users to create their own VPN entry. Also, they can exit server pairs using the Dynamic MultiHop or change their IP addresses every ten minutes.
• Shield Devices: Surfshark offers secure connections and protects users’ devices from cyber dangers. Some of the dangers are viruses, malware, and spyware. The platform scans every download and keeps these dangers out.
• Remove Your Data From the Net: Some pages and apps you visit online collect and store your data. Surfshark helps you submit a request for them to take it down, keeping you safe.
• Data Breach Notification: Surfshark has a segment that notifies users when their data leaks. This feature gives people an early heads-up, helping them find a solution to their data breach before it gets too late.
• High-speed Connection: Surfshark eliminates slow browsing, page hanging, and slow server connection. This means users can load online pages in seconds and connect to the server faster.

Pricing

Surfshark has three tiers with different prices and features. The platform gives you a run for your money; you get what you pay for:

• Surfshark Starter: Surfshark Starter comes for $1.99 per month and $53.76 for the first 27 months. Users can save 86% with this plan and get three months of free usage because of the current Black Friday deal. This tier has a secure VPN, ad blocker, and cookie pop-up blocker. All the tiers have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Surfshark One: Surfshark One costs $2.69 monthly and $75.36 for the first 28 months. The tier saves users 85% and grants them four free months of usage. It has all the features of Surfshark Starter and more. The extra features include a private search engine, 24/7 antivirus protection, webcam protection, antivirus, malware protection, antispyware, and a masked email generator. Also, you can get real-time alerts for email, ID, and credit card breaches. Moreover, you can get personal data security reports and a personal detail generator.
• Surfshark One+: Surfshark One+ comes for $3.99 monthly and $115.68 for the first 29 months. It saves 80% for users and allows them to use it for an extra five months for free. This tier has all the features of the previous tiers and is more like data removal from company databases and search sites.

Read our comprehensive Surfshark review

3. NordVPN

NordVPN is a popular VPN technology online with one of the best services and features. Let’s delve into what users can enjoy when using NordVPN to watch content on PBS. The VPN service has a dark web monitor that tracks users’ leaked data and notifies them. You can try to find a quick solution to the situation before it is too late. NordVPN, out of all its services, takes its online protection service as a top priority. It allows users to experience malware-free browsing with the Threat Protection tool and other cutting-edge tech that it works with. Also, NordVPN protects users from viruses, spyware, trackers, and snoopers.

You can access your files and connected devices remotely with just one click when you use NordVPN. It uses Meshnet for this service. With NordVPN, connecting to servers only takes seconds. It only requires hitting the ‘Connect’ space and choosing the server. NordVPN works at a speed of 6730 Mbps, making it one of the fastest VPNs available. NordVPN has one of the largest servers among the available VPN services. It has over 5800 servers, but they are only in 60 countries. These 60 countries are the top countries users will most likely love to connect to.

Features

• Uninterrupted Browsing: Browsing can be very frustrating when a page loads for minutes or hangs. Since internet surfers want to beat game levels, send emails, research, and watch videos simultaneously, hanging is almost inevitable. All the same, NordVPN can help you do all these without experiencing delay or hanging.
• Private Data Control: The streaming service gives users the wheel, allowing them to control private data regulations. This means you can choose to leave it open or secured. NordVPN doesn’t track users’ online activities or save their browsing history. Hence, no one can know what you are up to online when using the VPN except you let them.
• High Device and Platform Compatibility: NordVPN is compatible with many devices. Some are iOS, Linux, Android, Windows, MacOS, Android TV, and others. Some browsers that let users use NordVPN include Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and others.
• Six-device Simultaneous Usage: On NordVPN, users can connect and use six devices simultaneously. With this, you can share your account with others and split the costs if necessary.
• Extra Security: You can take your online safety on NordVPN further when adding a premium password manager. You can use it to generate, save, and auto-fill your password. Also, you can use it to encrypt and back up your files in a safe cloud.

Pricing

NordVPN updated its plan and pricing recently because of the Black Friday promo. The platform has three functional tiers with unique prices and available features. We explain better below.

• The Standard Tier: During the “Black Friday” deals that the platform offers, the standard package costs $3.79 per month. Also, it costs $102.33 for the first two years payment. This helps users save about 54%. The subscription offers secure, high-speed VPN, malware protection, tracker, and malware blocker. Also, subscribers get three months of free usage.
• The Plus Tier: NordVPN Plus costs $4.79 monthly and $129.33 for the first two years, saving about 54% for users. Also, users get three months free. It is currently the most popular plan, offering everything the previous plan gives and more. Some extra features include a cross-platform password manager and a data breach scanner.
• The Complete Tier: NordVPN Complete now costs $5.79 per month and $156.33 for the first two years, which helps users save 65%. Here, users can get three free months on the platform. Overall, it has the features of the first and second tiers. Some extra features are 1 TB of cloud storage and next-generation file encryption.

Read our comprehensive NordVPN review

How We Choose the Best VPN to Use PBS Outside the US

We don’t just test the VPNs unthinkingly and pick out the ones that feel right as the best. We have a template to choose the best VPNs to use PBS outside the US. Must consider the features below before selecting your VPN:

Compatible with PBS

One feature a VPN service must have to make it one of the best to use PBS is PBS-compatibility. It is not good enough if the VPN slows, glitches, or malfunctions when you use it with PBS. It must be able to work smoothly.

Online Service Unblocking Capacity

We checked the capacity of a VPN to unblock geo-restricted internet services. This feature is one of the basic ones, but every best VPN must have it in the space.

VPN Fast Connection Speed

We cannot pick a VPN that is not fast because speed is a must in the online space. Users often get frustrated or annoyed when a service takes time to load. It makes people lose clients and jobs.

Standby Customer Support

Since people stumble into difficulties when using VPN services, a 24/7 customer support team is important. Here, people can get quick solutions to the problems they have.

Security of Devices and Data

One core function of a VPN service is to protect the online activities of its users and their devices. So, the best PBS VPN must have this feature.

Numerous Servers

VPN platforms need to have numerous servers. With many servers, users can appear to be in different countries.

VPN Service Pricing

The cost of the VPN service is important because not many people can afford the expensive rates. So, the best VPN to watch PBS outside the US must be affordable for the average user.

User-friendly Design

The platform’s design determines how easy it will be for users to navigate its functions. Also, more people prefer to use apps that have easy-to-use designs. Therefore, these are the criteria the best VPN should have.

Support Major Devices

The best VPN to watch PBS outside the US must be compatible with major devices, making it easier. If it doesn’t have this feature, find another VPN service.

Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch PBS Outside the US?

It is possible to use a free VPN to Watch PBS outside the US, depending on the app’s functionalities. However, the VPN might not have the qualities of the best VPNs. It would be good enough if it could unblock PBS and break its geo-restriction policy by changing the users’ location.

Also, the free VPN must have a server in the US, preferably in New York City. You can watch PBS with the free VPN if these qualities are in check. However, since it is free, your expectations of its functionalities should be low. The service might be slow, have glitches, or have other disadvantages.

What Devices Can I Use to Watch PBS Outside the US?

PBS supports a wide range of devices and platforms in the US and every other place in the world. The platform is not a regular on-demand streaming service, supporting more devices. You can watch PBS on smart TVs connected to a VPN-connected router. Also, PBS allows users to watch content with smartphones like Android phones and iPhones. They are easier to handle because of the interface and how handy they are.

Other devices you can use to watch PBS are iPads, tablets, and more. Additionally, you can watch and listen to music on PBS with MacOS, Windows, Linux, and a few others. The platform supports web pages like Chrome, Opera Mini, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Using platforms and devices other than these might not work or have issues.

What Can I Watch on PBS Outside the US?

PBS captures users’ attention with its thousands of pieces of content. The platform displays content in clear picture formats. Some content genres on PBS are Arts and music, Culture, Food, Local, Drama, History, and Indie Films. You’ll also find content in News and Public Affairs, All Shows, Home & How, Science and Nature, Documentaries, and a few more.

Lovers of original and featured content will fall in love with PBS. Some of the shows that users can watch are Independent Lens, PBS New Hour, POV, and Finding Your Roots. Other exciting shows you can watch on PBS include Nature, NOVA, Secrets of the Dead, Frontline, and Washington Week with The Atlantic. Other examples include Austin City Limits, PBS Short Film Festival 2023, Native America, and many others.

Verdict: Is Watching PBS Outside the US Worth it?

PBS is your go-to platform for streaming shows and art. Listening to music and watching news and documentaries are all free. Although PBS has a good interface and features, you can only watch all its content if you are in US territories. People outside the United States can only watch a select amount of content.

However, with a reliable VPN service, you can conquer this limitation and watch your favorite show to your satisfaction, even outside the US. You must find the best VPN, subscribe, and connect to a US server. Since finding a reliable VPN is where you may encounter challenges, we’ve recommended some in this article. Feel free to check them out and let us know your thoughts.

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