If you’re trying to watch CBeebies on BBC iPlayer in the US, you may have noticed it doesn’t work. You’ll run into this error, “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.”
This is happening because the BBC iPlayer service only have the rights to broadcast its content in the UK. They don’t have US-based broadcasting rights.
The good news is there’s an easy way to fix this problem! All you need is a reliable VPN.
In this article, I’ll explain how to watch CBeebies in the US with a reliable VPN. Read on to find out which VPNs are the best for doing this.
See also:
- How to get BBC iPlayer on the US App Store: The SIMPLE method!
- How to watch BBC iPlayer while travelling: It works anywhere in the world!
How to watch CBeebies in the US: Easy Fix
To watch CBeebies in the US, you need to get access to BBC iPlayer. In order to do that, you need to change your US IP address to a UK based IP address. (more information on that below)
Although this sounds complicated, VPNs make the process very simple. All you have to do is follow these easy steps, and you’ll be able to watch CBeebies in the US.
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Create a new account with ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
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Download and install the new VPN app
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Open your new app and connect to a server in the UK
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Watch CBeebies in the US
Why doesn’t CBeebies work in the US?
The reason CBeebies doesn’t work in the US is because the BBC is blocking your internet connection when you go on BBC iPlayer.
It does this because BBC iPlayer is a UK based streaming service that doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content in the US. This geographic boundary is dictated by the copyright and licensing agreements that the BBC has with its content partners.
If the BBC allowed you to watch CBeebies outside the UK, it would be breaching its content agreements and would be severely punished with massive fines.
In order to stop that from happening, the BBC blocks anyone outside the UK from accessing its content. The “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry. It’s due to rights issues” error you’re coming across is a sign that the BBC is blocking your connection.
How does my connection get blocked?
The BBC blocks your connection by scanning your IP address when you connect to BBC iPlayer.
Whenever you go online, you’re allocated a unique IP address. Think of it as the area code on a landline phone. It contains information that discloses your physical location.
An IP address is used to create a communication line between your device and the website or app that you’re visiting, in this case, BBC iPlayer, and you must have an IP address. You cannot turn it off.
The problem is, in order for this communication to work, your IP address needs to contain information about where your device is physically located. This is, so BBC iPlayer knows where to send information back to.
The BBC scans your IP address when you connect to BBC iPlayer, and if it shows you aren’t in the UK, your connection will be blocked.
How can I get around these geo-blocks?
In order to watch CBeebies in the US, you need to make the BBC think you’re accessing the platform from within the UK.
To do that, you need a UK based IP address. And the best way to get one is using a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.19/month).
These VPNs give you an anonymous internet connection, so the BBC cannot figure out where you’re located, and they also allow you to spoof your IP address so that the BBC thinks you’re accessing its content from within the UK.
All you need to do is download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.19/month), connect to a UK server, and you’ll have a UK IP address.
Now when BBC iPlayer scans your IP, it will think you’re in the UK, and you’ll be able to stream CBeebies in the US or anywhere in the world.
Will any VPN work?
There are loads of VPNs out there, and not all of them will work with BBC iPlayer.
The VPNs that do work with BBC iPlayer are the ones that have fast servers and that have measures in place to get around the BBC’s VPN blocking techniques.
The BBC not only blocks people outside the UK, but it also tries to block VPNs from accessing its service. It does this because VPNs are well-known ways of watching BBC iPlayer outside the UK, and it could put the BBC at risk of financial repercussions.
For lesser VPNs, especially free VPNs, it’s very hard to get around the BBC’s VPN blocking methods. This is because lesser VPNs don’t have measures to stay one step ahead of these blocks. Fortunately, the best VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.19/month) use a simple process that allows you to watch CBeebies reliably in the US.
When an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.19/month) is blocked by the BBC, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.19/month) will close that IP address and open a new one. This cat and mouse game allows you to stay ahead of the BBC’s VPN blocks, and you’ll be able to watch CBeebies in the US reliably.
The best VPNs to watch CBeebies in the US
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
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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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2. 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.
Read our NordVPN review.
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3. 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).
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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.
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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
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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.
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Is watching BBC iPlayer with a VPN legal?
There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.
If you’re outside these countries and are using a VPN, you’re legally allowed to do so. However, it’s important to know that using a VPN with BBC iPlayer may breach the service’s terms of use.
In here it states: “You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or to watch or download BBC programmes on iPlayer when you’re in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. If you’re outside these areas you need to check if your country has its own TV licensing scheme.”
What this means is if you’re accessing BBC iPlayer in a location that doesn’t have a TV licensing scheme with a VPN, then the BBC is within its rights to ban/block your connection or account.
However, with BBC iPlayer being a free streaming service that doesn’t require any sort of subscription, you aren’t obliged to accept a contractual agreement meaning there’s less restrictions when it comes to using a VPN with the streaming service.
This means, although BBC iPlayer will try and stop you from accessing its content with a VPN. It won’t ban your account for using one. However, asthe best VPNs for BBC iPlayer use military-grade encryption, it’s impossible for BBC iPlayer to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from, making it very hard for the BBC to block your account.
Also, BBC iPlayer has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.
For more information you can check out our article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?
