Unfortunately, British TV broadcasters like Channel 4 restrict their online services to UK residents only. However, by using a VPN, you can watch Channel 4 abroad. This includes both live and catch-up TV on All 4.
VPN services allow you to conceal and change your IP address as well as encrypt all of your internet traffic. This allows you to unblock websites that aren't available in your location. VPNs also improve your online privacy and security.
In this guide, we list the best VPN services for Channel 4 and give you some tips on how to unblock your favorite Channel 4 shows from anywhere in the world.
What are the best VPNs for All 4?
We have listed the best Channel 4 VPN services below. If you need more information about any of the services in this list, scroll below to see an in-depth analysis of each VPN service.
- ExpressVPN - The best Channel 4 VPN. Lightning-fast, with servers in 4 different locations in the UK and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - The best value VPN for Channel 4. With superb apps for all platforms and servers around the globe, and super-fast speeds.
- Surfshark - The cheapest VPN for Channel 4. It's loved by its users, has fast servers based in the UK, and it's packed with features.
- Private Internet Access - The best secure VPN for All 4. It has customizable apps for popular platforms, fast connections, and servers in three UK cities.
- PrivateVPN - An excellent all-round Channel 4 VPN. It has servers in 2 UK locations and it lives up to its name with robust encryption.
To ensure you get the most out of your Channel 4 VPN service, we have chosen services that offer the following features:
- Plenty of UK-based servers
- Fast connection speeds
- The ability to unblock other streaming services
Best Channel 4 VPNs – In-depth Analysis
We take a closer look at the best VPN providers for Channel 4 below. If you need more information about any of the services we're recommending, why not check out our detailed VPN reviews?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Channel 4. It's one of the fastest services out there, making it perfect for streaming 4OD in HD, and has servers in 4 UK cities. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a popular choice for consumers looking to access foreign streaming services, and the great news is that this well-respected VPN provider works with Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, Channel 5, ITV, and any other UK TV service you can think of! In addition, it can unblock other channels and streaming services from across the globe, such as Netflix UK and US, HBO Max and more to let you watch even more content on your account. ExpressVPN has a choice of super-fast UK servers - which means you will always be able to avoid congestion and get fantastic speeds - essential for streaming HD content. Where privacy is concerned, this VPN is an industry-leading service. It is a trustworthy no logs VPN with robust OpenVPN encryption. It also has apps for all major platforms with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation (stealth mode). This makes it great for bypassing censorship or geo-blocks in complete privacy, or for torrenting without being monitored. We love that this VPN has a server network in over 94 countries
, which makes it extremely versatile for unblocking content. And you can always get help thanks to this VPNs 24/7 live chat support. A superb service that customers come back to time and time again. You can test it risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN is the best value VPN for Channel 4. Able to unblock UK streaming services with ease and can keep up with HD streaming, regardless of where you live! Nord Demo NordVPN is a provider from Panama that is perfect for unblocking British TV channels online. It is a service that has excellent security features, which often makes it the choice for people who want watertight privacy. It has fast servers in the UK that are perfect for streaming 4oD, as well as servers around the globe for all your unblocking needs. It also works with Netflix UK, iPlayer, and ITV Hub. The software is available for all platforms and is easy to use. And it can be used on six simultaneous devices, which makes it great for families. NordVPN has outstanding customer care with 24/7 live chat and also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. A VPN that represents tremendous value for money. Surfshark is the cheapest All 4 VPN. It's loved by users and regularly praised for its high level of service. It has fast servers in the UK, excellent for streaming All 4. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is a fully-featured VPN service that comes with an impressively low price tag. Fans of the UK’s Channel 4 can catch up on shows or stream live TV by connecting to its UK servers in London, Glasgow, and Manchester. Plus, this VPN can access BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, Hulu, YouTube TV, Netflix UK, US, and more Netflix catalogs from around the world than just about any other VPN on earth. Surfshark offers great technical security, keeps no logs, and offers 24/7 live chat support. Its professional software features advanced VPN settings like kill-switches, a full smart DNS service, ad-blocking, MultiHop VPN, and split tunneling. This makes the VPN extremely versatile and great for torrenting. We love that this VPN allows subscribers to install the service on an unlimited number of devices, which makes it perfect for large families or people with a lot of devices. It's well worth testing using its no-quibbles 30-day money-back guarantee – an absolute bargain! Private Internet Access is the most secure VPN for Channel 4. It has fast servers in London, Southampton, and Manchester, and a proven no-logs policy. PIA Demo Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based VPN that is highly respected. It is a service with advanced apps for all platforms that provide high levels of privacy and security. The VPN has a large choice of features including a kill switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, OpenVPN encryption, port forwarding, split tunneling, and a SOCKS5 proxy. This makes it great for bypassing censorship, torrenting, or other sensitive online tasks that require watertight privacy. PIA has servers in over 47 countries, and those servers are impressively fast. This makes it great for streaming UK TV, or Netflix US. It is also a service that has live chat support to help you when you need it. Admittedly, the server network is much smaller than our top-recommended VPN. However, its servers are very well placed, and will let you access the things you desire. Finally, this VPN provides strong encryption that is more customizable than the other VPNs we have recommended - which makes it desirable to techier users in need of advanced settings and controls. You can also install this VPN on up to 10 devices simultaneously, which makes it good value for money. You can test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee. PrivateVPN is an excellent all-round VPN that unblocks Channel 4. It's a fast VPN that provides data privacy, freedom of access, and UK servers in London and Manchester. PrivateVPN Demo PrivateVPN is a VPN that many consumers come back to time and time again It is an easy-to-use service that provides all the necessary features for unblocking All 4. The VPN has software for all platforms and it runs excellently on all devices. Servers are located in over 63 countries
, and all those servers are lightning-fast for streaming in HD. It has a zero-logs policy and provides excellently implemented OpenVPN encryption. It also has a kill switch and obfuscation, which means you can gain privacy and security both at home and on public Wi-Fi. We love that this VPN has live chat support. And we are always impressed by the speeds we get on this service. Plus, this VPN can unblock Netflix US, hulu, Prime Video, and tons of other desirable services from around the world. Why not try it for yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee? 1. ExpressVPN
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Why do I need a VPN to stream Channel 4?
A VPN is an awesome, multi-functional online service useful for gaming, streaming media, and securing your online traffic. By allowing subscribers to pretend to be in a different country, a VPN lets people overcome all sorts of restrictions. Some people use VPNs to overcome local censorship, while others just want to unblock All 4 while they are on holiday or to watch Channel 4 from abroad after becoming ex-pats.
No matter why you want to watch All 4 outside the UK, a VPN is the solution, allowing you to watch Channel 4 TV shows from anywhere in the world. For example, with a VPN you can stream The Great British Bake Off outside the UK!
Can I use a free VPN for Channel 4?
We would not recommend the use of a free VPN for a number of reasons. Free VPN offerings are usually limited in nature. They exist mainly to showcase the potential of their premium counterparts, like a sample platter, in an effort to entice people to upgrade. As a result, these VPN services often have the following limitations:
- A smaller number of servers - free services often limit the number of servers available on their free plans.
- Bandwidth limits - slow down your internet connection when using the VPN.
- Data caps - free plans often restrict users by putting a limit on the amount of data they can download with the VPN.
Free services that promise the world are often lying through their teeth. Many supposed "free" services instead make you pay with your personal information by collecting and selling data to third parties. At worst, some of these free VPN services aren't even really VPNs at all, but just ways to fill your machine with malware that'll steal your files and data.
How to watch All 4 outside the UK – Quick guide
You can easily unblock All 4 from anywhere around the world! Just follow these simple steps:
- Select a VPN from this guide. To watch Channel 4 online, we recommend ExpressVPN because it has a choice of reliable and fast servers in England. In addition, it's highly secure.
- Click through to the provider's website, choose your subscription plan, and download the software to your device (make sure you get the right version for your platform).
- Install and run the software. After that, it will ask for your login and password.
- Select your preferred VPN encryption type. We recommend OpenVPN, as it is the most widely used and battle-tested protocol.
- Connect to a server within the UK.
- Navigate to the All 4 website and register. Remember to use a fake name and a valid UK address (you can look one up online).
As soon as you have connected to a UK server location, you will appear to be in the UK. That means you can check out All 4, BBC, or any other geo-restricted UK streaming services and websites.
How does a VPN unblock Channel 4?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a versatile online subscription service that provides its users with digital privacy and online freedom. A VPN works by encrypting your internet traffic, preventing your ISP, local network administrators, workplaces, schools, Wi-Fi hotspot providers, or nosy government agencies from snooping on your online web browsing habits.
When you connect to a VPN server, your home IP address is concealed behind the VPN server. This prevents websites you visit from tracking you each time you use their service. It also allows you to pretend to be in a different country. When you connect to a VPN server in the UK, you appear to really live there, which means you can watch All 4, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, or Netflix UK no matter where you are in the world.
This geo-spoofing function also allows you to bypass censorship imposed by the government or local network administrator (such as an employer or a school). This is why a VPN is so versatile! The VPNs recommended in this article are ideal for unblocking Channel 4, as well as other sites and services that might usually be inaccessible to you.
These VPNs all have fast servers located in the UK that work with British TV streaming platforms without buffering or frustrating lag.
Which VPN should I use to unblock All 4?
There are hundreds of consumer-facing VPNs on the market and very few of those services are suited to streaming All 4. Many VPNs are slow, which makes watching HD streams an exercise in sheer frustration. And other VPNs can't actually unblock UK streaming services because their IP addresses have been blocked.
Our VPN experts considered all these factors when curating this list. We only picked VPNs that we have confirmed still work with All4/4oD, and we've suggested services that offer fast enough speeds to let you stream shows in HD without buffering.
In addition, we picked only VPNs with solid no-logging policies and strong privacy and security features, to ensure you get a VPN that is versatile and can be used to protect your data as well as to watch streaming services from around the world.
All the Channel 4 VPNs in this guide have been selected because they have plenty of servers in the UK that work with All 4. That means you are free to pick the service that most takes your fancy.
Can you get All 4 in Australia?
Yes! You can access All 4 with a VPN from anywhere. Simply follow the steps on unblocking 4OD in the guide in this article.
What to do if your VPN isn't working with 4OD?
If you are having trouble watching All4 /4OD with your VPN, this probably means that the VPN server location has been blocked. Usually, this can be resolved by connecting to a different location in the UK. Alternatively, it could mean that you have accidentally chosen a VPN provider that does not work with Channel 4's online player. In this case, time to take advantage of the money-back guarantee of another service!
British TV providers like the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 actively block IP addresses that are known to belong to VPNs. This results in very few VPNs actually working.
As a result, connecting to a VPN server in the UK doesn't guarantee that you will be able to stream Channel 4. That said, it is worth checking with your VPN's customer support before you quit the service for another provider, because you might just be connecting to the wrong server.
In addition, some users have had to change the region settings on their device (or the geolocation in their browser) manually to ensure that GPS location data isn't giving their real-world location away. Thus, if you suffer any problems, it is worth considering changing these settings too.
The VPNs recommended on this page all unblock All 4 and other UK services such as ITV Hub and iPlayer. So, if you are already subscribed to one of our recommendations, contact your provider's customer support to find out what might be going on.
How to watch All 4 abroad on mobile devices?
For people who want to watch Channel 4 on an iOS or Android device, any of the VPNs in this guide are suitable. They all have software that will work on iOS devices.
What else can I do with a VPN for Channel 4?
The VPNs we've recommended in this guide are extremely versatile. They all have a good choice of servers, though the best is definitely ExpressVPN, with servers in 94 countries. Having said that, our recommended VPNs have servers in all the countries you are likely to need a server. That means you can unblock a wide variety of geo-restricted content from around the world.
This means you can watch sports competitions, TV shows, and movies, and use online services from a wide variety of nations – giving you huge amounts of online freedom. If there is a server, you can pretend to be there!
The VPNs in this guide also have world-class VPN encryption. This means that everything you do online is secure. Such digital privacy gives you the freedom to visit any website you please without worrying that your ISP or the government is snooping on your data.
Stay secure at home and on public Wi-Fi
Finally, a VPN is useful for those who often use public Wi-Fi hotspots. Public Wi-Fi in coffee shops and restaurants can put you at risk from cybercriminals. Hackers can attack people who are connected to public Wi-Fi, or even set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots that allow them to steal your data, log-ins, passwords, and even credit card details. The encryption that a VPN provides makes your data secure so that hackers can't access it.
Final thoughts
With a VPN, you can stream British TV from anywhere in the world. With Channel 4's exclusive shows and programming, there's plenty to choose from. Once you've set up your VPN, you can access the streaming service for free. Whether you're wanting to stream something new, or binge the classics, with a VPN, you can stream around the world and improve your overall privacy and security at the same time!
All the VPNs listed here will give you excellent speeds for streaming, robust security, and dedicated apps that are simple and easy to use – perfect for both beginners and advanced users. With the providers' money-back guarantees, there's no reason for you not to test one. Give it a go, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with us in the comments. For now, here's a quick reminder of the best VPNs for streaming Channel 4:
From $6.67/month
The best Channel 4 VPN. Lightning-fast, with servers in 4 different locations in the UK and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 10 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 5
- Server locations
- 160
- Free trial
- No
From $3.69/month
The best value VPN for Channel 4. With superb apps for all platforms and servers around the globe, and super-fast speeds.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.9 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 6
- Server locations
- 60
- Free trial
- No
From $2.30/month
The cheapest VPN for Channel 4. It's loved by its users, has fast servers based in the UK, and it's packed with features.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.8 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 100
- Free trial
- Yes
From $2.19/month
The best secure VPN for All 4. It has customizable apps for popular platforms, fast connections, and servers in three UK cities.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.7 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 84
- Free trial
- No
From $2.00/month
An excellent all-round Channel 4 VPN. It has servers in 2 UK locations and it lives up to its name with robust encryption.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.6 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Server locations
- 200
- Free trial
- No
Best Channel 4 VPNs FAQs