How To Watch BBC iPlayer In Australia? [September 2023 Guide]

Wondering, is BBC iPlayer available in Australia? Unfortunately, no, BBC iPlayer is not available in Australia due to geo-restrictions and licensing agreements. It is only accessible to people who live in the UK. However, you can use BBC iPlayer in Australia by using a high-quality and reliable VPN like ExpressVPN.

BBC iPlayer is one of the top streaming platforms. Some of the much-awaited sports events on BBC are; the Women’s Fifa World Cup, Cycling World Championships and the most historic documentary of the Oppenheimer Series. Moreover, you can also watch the Bold Type in Australia as it’s an upcoming news show on BBC iPlayer.

Accessing iPlayer from Australia is extremely difficult because BBC has some of the strictest blocks in the world. There are only two requirements to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia.  The first is a premium VPN for BBC iPlayer enables you to conceal your IP address, and the second is the BBC iPlayer account which can be created without cost.

Read on to discover how to unblock BBC iPlayer for free in Australia.

Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer?

A VPN is needed to get BBC iPlayer in Australia cause it is not an international streaming service like Netflix, which offers an Australian library. BBC iPlayer has broadcasting rights for the UK. That’s why it is exclusively available in the UK and geo-restricted in Australia.

To protect its programs from overseas consumers, iPlayer must adhere to content licensing agreements and international streaming rights restrictions.

If you watch BBC iPlayer without VPN it will block your access by showing a territory restriction error.

BBC iPlayer only works in the UK Sorry, it’s due to right issues.

Geo-error message on BBC iPlayer

When you connect to a VPN, your Australian IP address is masked by the UK one. This way, you can bypass the geo-block of BBC iPlayer and enjoy its streaming in Australia.

Remember that not all VPNs are superior to trick BBC iPlayer geo-tracking technology. Therefore, you need a trusted VPN that provides servers in the UK, such as ExpressVPN to watch your favorite shows like Colosseum in Australia.

What is the Best VPN To Watch BBC iPlayer from Australia? [In-depth Analysis]

We tested 70+ VPNs to provide you with accurate and reliable information. We compiled a list of the four best VPNs for BBC iPlayer in Australia based on our testing criteria of the server network, speed, streaming performance, unblocking capabilities, and security features. These VPNs include:

All these four VPNs operate large server parks in the UK. They are fast, easy to use, and provide excellent customer service. So let’s take a look at them one by one.

ExpressVPN: The Fastest VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer in Australia for a number of reasons, including its global servers, its unlimited speed, and high video quality. When we tested ExpressVPN, it gave us a download speed of 89.42 Mbps on a 100Mbps connection.

ExpressVPN successfully unblocked BBC iPlayer in Australia.

ExpressVPN is a feature-packed VPN for watching BBC iPlayer in Australia. It operates 3000+ servers in 94+ countries, with 5 servers in the UK that let you stream BBC iPlayer in Australia without a hitch.

The desktop version of the ExpressVPN app offers four server locations to choose from: i) Docklands, ii) East London, iii) London, iv) Wembley, and v) Midlands. The app’s mobile version offers only two server locations, Docklands, and East London.

All servers bypass the geo-block of BBC iPlayer and offer blazing-fast speed. In contrast, the Dockland server outperforms all the other ExpressVPN servers.

It clocks a download speed of 89.42 Mbps and an upload speed of 84.64 Mbps over a 100 Mbps internet connection, allowing you to stream the best family movies on BBC iPlayer hassle-free.

ExpressVPN Speed on 100 Mbps Internet Connection

It also offers an impressive MediaStreamer DNS feature. By enabling this feature, you get fast speeds and excellent unblocking capabilities on devices that do not provide native VPN support.

ExpressVPN supports five simultaneous connections on a single account and is compatible with major streaming devices. In addition, the apps and extensions are available for Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome, and Firefox.

On the security front, ExpressVPN has top-notch features like a kill switch (Network Lock), split tunneling, AES-256 bit encryption, IP leak protection, and no-logs. In addition, there is also Lightway Protocol for lightning-fast speeds.

You can get a subscription to ExpressVPN for AU$ 10.4/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) , with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This money-back guarantee is a free trial offered by ExpressVPN, so you can satisfy yourself before sticking to your subscription.

In case you want more details about this provider, make sure to go through the ExpressVPN review. Because of all these amazing features, it is also considered one of the best VPNs for Netflix.

Test Findings

Surfshark: Budget-friendly VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

Don’t want to spend extra on a VPN? Then Surfshark is your best bet. You can unblock BBC iPlayer with this VPN for AU$ 3.88/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) . A 30-day refund guarantee is included.

Surfshark lets you access BBC iPlayer in Australia.

Unlike other VPNs, Surfshark supports unlimited connection. You can connect Surfshark on multiple devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, phones/tablets, PC/Laptops, and set-top streaming boxes.

The server record with Surfshark was pretty straightforward for desktop and mobile platforms, as each offered three server locations to choose from: i) London, ii) Manchester, and iii) Glasgow.

All servers worked fine, but the Manchester one performed better when streaming. However, Surfshark’s Glasgow server is the slowest and is not recommended.

One thing, in particular about the service, was how well it handled live streaming without suffering from any performance drops.

We recorded the download and uploaded speeds of 85.48 Mbps and 48.42 Mbps during the speed test.

Surfshark Speed on 100 Mbps Internet

Surfshark offers 3200+ servers in 65+ countries. Among them, you got four server locations in the UK, allowing you to access BBC iPlayer and watch UK TV.

Surfshark also provides standard security and privacy features at a low price. These include an automatic kill switch, Cleanweb, IP leak protection, no logs, and Whitelisted, allowing you to watch the best BBC horror movies in Australia.

It also has some premium features like GPS Spoofing, Multihop connect, and Bypasser.

The app of Surfshark is available for free download on various platforms such as iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and macOS devices.

Test findings

NordVPN: Largest Server Network VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

NordVPN is the VPN with the largest network to get BBC iPlayer in Australia and provides a whopping 440+ UK servers. Overall, the service offers more than 5500+ servers in 60+ countries worldwide.

NordVPN has the largest server network to access BBC iPlayer anywhere.

Its SmartPlay feature combines VPN technology with Smart DNS, allowing it to bypass any streaming platform’s geo-blocks easily. NordVPN provided the most stable streaming experience by far of any other VPN provider without any loss in connectivity. Our 100 Mbps internet connection recorded download and upload speeds of 86.18 Mbps and 42.13 Mbps. 

NordVPN Speed on 100 Mbps Internet Connection

So, if you’re looking to indulge in a BBC iPlayer long-hour marathon over the weekend, you should give NordVPN a try through a free trial.

NordVPN has an impressive line-up of security and privacy options, including dedicated IP addresses, an automatic kill switch, military-grade encryption, and a strict no-logs policy, allowing you to watch BBC iPlayer on Sky securely.

The provider offers six simultaneous connection supports and native apps for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows.

You can get its 2-year plan for a monthly fee of AU$ 5.44/mo (US$ 3.49/mo) . In addition, a 30-day money-back guarantee has backed the offer.

Test findings

PureVPN: High-Speed & Secure VPN to Watch BBC iPlayer VPN in Australia 

PureVPN provides superior security and privacy with technologies like Split tunneling, DNS leak prevention, IKEv2, and WireGuard. With such strong privacy and anonymity safeguards in place, unblocking BBC iPlayer is straightforward and accessible from anywhere.

PureVPN easily unblocked BBC iPlayer abroad.

PureVPN has a network of 6500+ servers in 75+ countries worldwide. It provides 160+ VPN servers across four UK cities, allowing hassle-free access to BBC iPlayer.

The desktop version of the PureVPN app offers four server locations to choose from: i) Gosport, ii) Maidenhead, iii) Manchester, and iv) London.

On the other hand, the mobile version of PureVPN offers only two server locations, Manchester and London. All the UK servers performed at average speed when unblocking BBC iPlayer to access the live content.

During the speed test, we recorded the download and uploaded speeds of 74.12 Mbps and 38.48 Mbps.

PureVPN Speed on 100 Mbps Internet Speed

No idea which server to pick? Use its built-in streaming mode to find the fastest UK server with one click. PureVPN is easy to use and the safest VPN service verified by KPMG.

You can subscribe to its 2-year plan for AU$ 5.19/mo (US$ 3.33/mo) 2-year plan, with a 31-day refund guarantee. PureVPN is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. In addition, it allows ten simultaneous connections per subscription.

Test findings

How to choose the Best VPN for BBC iPlayer in Australia?

While choosing our preferred VPN to stream BBC iPlayer, we ensure that we must look into account all the following factors because there are times when BBC iPlayer doesn’t work with the VPN; therefore must check the below aspects before choosing any VPN connection.

What are the different channels of BBC iPlayer?

In Australia, Foxtel and Fetch TV give limited access to five BBC channels, including BBC First, BBC Earth, UKTV, CBeebies, and World News. However, they make up only a fraction of what the BBC offers.

That’s where BBC iPlayer comes in. You can access all the following BBC channels including BBC One Australia, while streaming BBC iPlayer in Australia:

What to Watch on BBC iPlayer in Australia?

There is a wide range of BBC iPlayer shows and movies that you can binge-watching while having your favorite snacks. You can watch content in different genres as per your preference such as Christmas, reality, war, romance, and whatnot;

Can I watch BBC iPlayer in Australia on multiple devices? Yes, definitely you can access 5 devices at once on BBC iPlayer. The devices could be;

How to get BBC iPlayer in Australia on Mobile Device?

To download the BBC iPlayer app in Australia, follow these steps: