If you’re outside the UK and want to watch BBC iPlayer, you’ll need a BBC iPlayer account.
If you don’t have one, this can be tricky as you won’t be able to access the streaming service while abroad.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to make a BBC iPlayer account anywhere in the world. All you need to do is trick BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re in the UK.
This article will explain how to make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK so you can access the streaming service and watch all your favourite BBC content anywhere in the world.
See also:
- How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad: The EASY 2-minute method! (September 2023)
- How to make an HBO Max account outside the US: It’s EASY and only takes minutes! (September 2023)
How to make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK: Guide
To make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK, you need a few things.
First, you need a reliable VPN that works with BBC iPlayer. Second, you need a valid email address, and lastly, you need a UK address.
Simply follow these steps to make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK:
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Download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and connect to a UK server
To make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK, the first thing you need to do is gain access to the streaming service.
If you’re outside the UK, BBC iPlayer will block you from accessing the platform.
That’s where a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) comes in. ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) will allow you to trick BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re accessing it from within the UK so you can make an account.
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Visit BBC iPlayer and select “Register Now”
Once you’re connected to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month), you’ll now have access to BBC iPlayer.
From here, you’ll need to click “Sign In”, and where it says “Don’t have a BBC account?” select register now.
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Input your information
BBC iPlayer will ask you for your age and also your birthdate.
Input this information.
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Input your email and password
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Make sure you set the location to the UK
Where it asks for your location, confirm you’re connected to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and set it to the UK.
It will ask you for a postcode. You can get one here.
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You’ll now have a BBC iPlayer account
How to download the BBC iPlayer app outside the UK
If you’re outside the UK you won’t be able to find the BBC iPlayer app on the Apple or Google app stores.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get around this:
Apple
- Download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and connect to a UK server
- Create a new iCloud account for free
- Login to your new iCloud account
- Open your account
- Select Media and Purchases
- Select View Account
- Tap Country/Region and select the UK
- You’ll now have access to the UK version of the App Store
- Download BBC iPlayer
Android
- Create a new Google Play account and login to it on the Google Play store
- Download and install ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) on your Android phone
- Connect to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
- Open up your Google Play Account
- Click Settings
- Click General
- Click account and device preferences
- Change your location to the UK
- Put in your credit card details
- Close Google Play and open it again
- You’ll now be on the UK version of the Google Play Store
- Download and install BBC iPlayer
Can you watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK?
Officially, you can’t watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK because BBC iPlayer is a UK-based streaming service only for UK-based customers.
Fortunately, there’s a way to trick BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re in the UK when accessing the service. All you need is a VPN that’s compatible with BBC iPlayer. We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month).
When you go online, these VPNs can make it look like you’re in the UK and give you access to BBC iPlayer. This will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world.
For a more detailed guide, you can read our article How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad.
Why do I need a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK?
BBC iPlayer only has the rights to broadcast its content in the UK. It doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content around the world.
Because of this, BBC iPlayer blocks anyone outside the UK from accessing its service. If you try and access BBC iPlayer outside the UK, it won’t work. You’ll run into errors like “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.”
The reason you need a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) is because these VPNs work with BBC iPlayer and will allow you to trick the streaming service into thinking you’re in the UK.
This will allow you to get around BBC iPlayer’s blocks and will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world.
VPN not working with BBC iPlayer?
If you have a VPN and it’s not working with BBC iPlayer, your VPN will have been blocked by the streaming service.
BBC iPlayer is constantly trying to block VPNs from accessing its service. It does this because a customer using a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK could result in the streaming service being found guilty of breaching copyright and licensing regulations.
To stop this from happening, you need to use a VPN that works consistently and reliably with BBC iPlayer. The best VPNs for BBC iPlayer have measures in place to prevent BBC iPlayer from being able to block them.
These VPNs will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer anywhere in the world. If you use a VPN without these sorts of measures in place, chances are it won’t work with BBC iPlayer, and you could waste money on something that won’t work.
If you’re using a VPN and it isn’t working with BBC iPlayer, we have a guide on how to fix VPN not working with BBC iPlayer here.
Which VPNs work with BBC iPlayer?
The VPNs that work with BBC iPlayer are the ones that have fast UK-based servers, the ones that are 100% secure and the ones that have measures in place to ensure they can’t be blocked by BBC iPlayer.
Here are the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer:
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
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
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
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).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
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
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
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.
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
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
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
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.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
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
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
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.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
