Best VPNs to Watch ESPN+ Anywhere (Including Outside the US) (original) (raw)
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You’re here because you’re seeking the best VPN for ESPN+. Why? Well, likely because you’re abroad and you found out the bitter truth. You can’t watch ESPN Plus outside the USA! On top of that, this streaming service is competent at detecting VPN traffic.
This makes things worse for those who’d like to unblock the service promptly and access it anywhere. Does this mean that none of the providers work in 2024? Hardly. If you haven’t found one, it just means you haven’t looked in the right direction. That’s where our team comes in.
We tested hundreds of providers and pretty much ALL failed to unblock ESPN+ outside the USA. However, after a while, we found three that work perfectly fine in 2024. This guide will cover them and explain how to unblock and access this streaming service outside the US.
- How to Watch ESPN+ Outside the US With a VPN?
- Best VPN for ESPN+ to Unblock It Anywhere
- My VPN Can’t Unblock ESPN+ Abroad: What Can I Do?
- Summary
How to Watch ESPN+ Outside the US With a VPN?
Okay, so let’s address the elephant in the room. Using your typical streaming VPN, many times, won’t work here. ESPN Plus detects encrypted traffic and immediately blocks it. When you connect to a Virtual Private Network, the first thing that happens is encryption – oh no!
This spawns an error message saying that the page cannot be found once you try to visit the site. If you look at the address bar in your browser, you’ll see the “**block=geo**” part, which tells you everything. The page isn’t found because you’ve been geo-blocked.
If you’re not in the USA, the best thing you can do is get a VPN that works with ESPN+. As it turns out, NordVPN is such a provider and that’s great because this service offers many more qualities. Better yet, using it is a piece of cake and is guaranteed to unblock this platform.
Watch ESPN+ Outside the US With NordVPN
Users also appreciate the 30-day money-back guarantee that makes it risk-free. This means you can grab its subscription on vacation, watch ESPN+ outside the USA, and when you’re home, be refunded by NordVPN, no questions asked. Here’s how to make everything work.
- Subscribe to NordVPN. You can use the button above or this link to snatch a 72% discount on its 2-year plan and make incredible savings.
- For this guide, we won’t use its apps – instead, we’ll opt for its browser extension. Go to your browser extension store and search for NordVPN.
- Download the NordVPN add-on and sign in to it using your email and password.
- To unblock ESPN Plus abroad, connect to the American server. We found that Denver works well.
- Before you access the site, go to settings (Gear icon) and navigate to “Security and privacy.”
- Enable “Location Spoofing” and make sure WebRTC leak protection is enabled.
- Go to ESPN+, sign up (or sign in), and watch your favorite sports.
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Best VPN for ESPN+ to Unblock It Anywhere
We said it’s incredibly difficult to find a VPN that works with ESPN+. If you test an average provider, you’ll get disastrous results. The same goes for free providers that don’t have the “firepower” to safely unblock this site. So, you’re left with just a few choices.
The good news is that these few choices are excellent and will work without problems. They include:
1. NordVPN
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Pros
- Great VPN extension with geo-spoofing
- It blocks ads and trackers
- The fastest VPN for streaming
- Support for Firestick TV
- Flexible subscription plans
Cons
- No obfuscated servers on mobile apps
- Slower Double VPN connections
We’ve already demonstrated how well this provider works. However, the key is to use its Chrome VPN extension which also works on Edge, Brave, and Firefox. This extension, as well as its full-fledged apps, offers over 6,400 servers, out of which, nearly 2,000 are in the US.
This makes NordVPN an ideal ESPN+ VPN for limitless streaming. Another thing to mention is the performance. It’s crucial to watch content smoothly and without buffering. With its average speed loss of just around 18%, you’ll be able to watch sports even in 4K.
NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol excels in stability. In addition, you’ll find its Smart DNS great for all-around streaming on all devices under the Sun. NordVPN’s apps are equipped with Threat Protection to keep ads, trackers, and malicious sites away from your eyesight.
Users also appreciate its kill switch that prevents IP leaking. Interestingly, there are obfuscated servers that can also unblock ESPN+ abroad. You can use obfuscation in China or Iran where censorship is at its apex to regain your online freedom and safely unblock sites.
In terms of device support, as said, you’ll be getting a lot. NordVPN even works on Firestick TV and its freshly-baked Apple TV app is no less impressive. With 10 simultaneous connections, the #1-rated VPN for ESPN Plus will surely impress even those cold-hearted.
We invite you to explore its 2-year deals and see which one benefits you. NordVPN has around 9 plans to pick from, ranging in length, price, and features. If you have an Android device, you can even sign up for a 7-day free trial and pay nothing at the start.
2. ExpressVPN
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Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 3,000+ servers in 105 countries
- MediaStreamer (Smart DNS)
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Impeccable streaming optimization
Cons
- Expensive monthly plan
- No Double VPN support
ExpressVPN works with ESPN+ fairly well. Unlike NordVPN, it doesn’t rely on the browser extension. This means you can subscribe to the service, download its app, and connect to one of many US VPN servers. After that, watching ESPN+ outside the US is a breeze.
This provider is all about simplicity and ease of use. You’ll find its apps rather inviting. They’re identical on all platforms and offer the same mind-boggling capabilities. Streaming on ESPN Plus abroad, watching Netflix, and torrenting won’t pose an issue for this giant.
Additionally, ExpressVPN uses 10 Gbps servers that you can connect to using Lightway. This protocol makes ExpresssVPN hasty and speed-oriented. ExpressVPN offers a few extras, such as MediaStreamer and Advanced Protection. The latter is useful for handling ads and trackers.
ExpressVPN’s security is one of the best around. Apart from 256-bit encryption, it relies on Private DNS plus a no-log policy to deliver a truly anonymous experience. In a recent Mullvad VPN test, we praised this VPN for this characteristic that ExpressVPN also boasts.
This provider is slightly less impressive than NordVPN because it offers fewer simultaneous connections – eight. However, its apps work on all devices as well, plus, its 24/7 live chat service seems to be a tad more responsive. In terms of ESPN+ unblocking, it’s perfect.
If you encounter a white screen, don’t fret. Wait for 5 to 15 seconds and the site will load normally. ExpressVPN can be purchased below with a hefty 49% discount as a result of 3 free months for the provider’s annual plan. It’s quite a deal if you prioritize juicy savings.
3. Surfshark
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Pros
- The best site-unblocking abilities
- NoBorders (obfuscation)
- Affordable 2-year plans
- Unlimited concurrent connections
Cons
- You have to pay more for advanced features
- Dutch jurisdiction (9 Eyes)
At #3, we have Surfshark as one of the best VPNs for ESPN Plus. It’s incredibly good for streaming, unblocking over 30 Netflix catalogs, Hulu, Prime Video, and hundreds of other platforms. If you ask us, it’s likely the best VPN for Hulu and for streaming overall.
We put it at #3 because it’s slower than the previous two providers. However, its 3,200+ servers in 100 countries are more than enough for most users. Besides, it has 600+ of them in 22 American cities, so it can be used to watch NFL live streams or out-of-market games.
Surfshark uses WireGuard, which delivers connection stability and reliability. This is improved by the use of RAM-only servers whose performance is commendable. Surfshark works on unlimited devices at a time, putting it at an advantage in comparison to many pricey rivals.
Like the other two, it works on all devices and offers some amazing features to behold. MultiHop, IP Rotation, a kill switch, and NoBorders are only some of them. If you pay a dollar or two more for the mid-tier plan, you’ll get an antivirus for 360-degree protection.
There is, however, another addition called Search. It’s a nifty little incognito browser with no tracking and other fluff from your ISP. Surfshark is also equipped with static and dedicated IP addresses that you won’t find in Proton VPN or ExpressVPN, yet, they’re more expensive.
Surfshark lets you watch ESPN+ outside the US easily. Just connect to any US server in the app – no additional setup is required. At a price of over $2.2 a month for the 2-year plan, you’re getting an affordable product that screams quality at a deafening volume.
My VPN Can’t Unblock ESPN+ Abroad: What Can I Do?
Picking one of the three providers we presented will ensure everything goes to plan. If you’re using another provider outside of this list, consider replacing it with NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark. Let’s say you use one of these three and things aren’t as they should be.
What then?
Here are a few solutions that we tested and have worked for us:
- Disabling your ad blocker.
- Using a VPN browser extension (NordVPN in particular)
- Clearing your cache and cookies. This is VERY important because these store information about your original location, which contradicts the VPN.
- Using an incognito browser window.
- Switching to another server in the USA. We also found this effective because some servers work better than others for streaming and accessing ESPN+ abroad.
- Enabling obfuscation (obfuscated servers in NordVPN or NoBorders in Surfshark)
- Contacting customer support. This worked for us many times because the support team explained which server to use and what to do to unblock specific streaming sites. NordVPN helped us with ESPN Plus by explaining that its browser extension with geo-spoofing works.
Summary
In summary, finding a VPN that works with ESPN+ is extremely hard. Not to mention free providers that are a total no-go because NONE of them work with this streaming service. The three we found and tested are currently your best options that work reliably.
NordVPN’s browser extension is particularly good, as long as geo-spoofing is enabled. ExpressVPN and Surfshark work directly from their apps, for example. All three offer sufficient performance and speed to display Full HD sports live streams without buffering.
That said, if you’re determined to regain access to your favorite sport-streaming service, you know what to do and which tools to use. Go ahead and give it a shot.