ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)

If you’ve been watching Hotstar with ExpressVPN and it’s no longer working, then Hotstar has managed to block all of the IP addresses ExpressVPN has available.

This has happened because ExpressVPN is no longer staying one step ahead of Hotstar’s VPN blocking techniques.

You may feel helpless, but there’s a number of fixes you can try to resolve this issue.

This article will explain how you can fix ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar so you can watch your favourite Hotstar movies and shows anywhere in the world again.

See also:

• How to watch Hotstar outside India: The EASY 2-minute method (September 2023)
• Hotstar not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)

ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar: Fixes

Try these fixes in order. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next one until you’ve fixed ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar.

Why has ExpressVPN suddenly stopped working with Hotstar?

The reason ExpressVPN is no longer working with Hotstar is because all of its current IP addresses have been blacklisted by the streaming service.

Hotstar does not have the rights to broadcast its content worldwide. For this reason, Hotstar tries to prevent users outside countries where its available from accessing its content.

If Hotstar doesn’t attempt to block customers outside its broadcast zones, it could potentially run into content and licensing issues.

Because ExpressVPN is a well-known way to spoof your IP address and watch Hotstar outside of its broadcast zone, it could be the reason for Hotstar being financially punished.

To prevent this from happening Hotstar tries to identify and block ExpressVPN connections.

How does Hotstar block ExpressVPN?

Hotstar cannot block ExpressVPN entirely, but it can block the IP addresses it provides.

It does this using three main techniques:

1. The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than IP addresses; this means that customers are forced to share the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When Hotstar sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN, and it blocks it. 
2. Hotstar monitors for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off you are using a VPN.
3. Hotstar teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, Hotstar will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from, and it will block you.

Does Hotstar still work with VPNs?

Yes, Hotstar will still work with a VPN but you need to use a VPN that has IP addresses that are still compatible with the service. You need a VPN that hasn’t had all of its IP addresses blocked by Hotstar.

The best VPNs for this are the VPNs that play a game of cat and mouse with Hotstar. Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) is very good at this.

If Hotstar identifies and blocks an IP provided by Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close that IP and open a new one.

This simple measure will allow you to reliably watch Hotstar from anywhere in the world and it will help to prevent the errors you’ve run into with ExpressVPN, from happening again.

How to fix ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar

To fix ExpressVPN not working with Hotstar, you need to upgrade to a better VPN. 

 Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will allow you to reliably watch the service from anywhere in the world, it’ll prevent errors like the ones you’ve run into with ExpressVPN from happening again.

Below is a list of the best VPNs to watch Hotstar abroad. All of these VPNs are able to stay one step ahead of Hotstar’s VPN blocking techniques, and they all have reliable servers around the world.

The best VPNs for Hotstar when ExpressVPN isn’t working

1. Private Internet Access 🥇

The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!

Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.

This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.

If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.

From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).

2. NordVPN 🥈

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.

It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.

Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.

3. Ivacy 🥉

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.

This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.

The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.

For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.

4. CyberGhost

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.

From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.

That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.

Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.