I tested over 60 VPNs and ExpressVPN ranked as the top choice for watching Hulu on-demand and live. I was impressed by the blazing-fast speeds on its US servers, which resulted in no buffering or lag while streaming. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free. If you change your mind, you can easily get a refund without any hassle. I tested this myself and it only took a couple of minutes to get my refund approved over the 24/7 live chat service. The money was returned to my account in 4 days. Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free
Quick Guide: Best VPNs for Hulu in 2023
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The Best VPNs for Hulu (Tested in 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — Excellent Speeds for Streaming Hulu in HD
Key Features: ExpressVPN offers the best speeds for Hulu of any VPN I tested. I connected to multiple US servers and impressively, my speed only slowed down by a tiny 5% on average. This is an unnoticeable difference. All Hulu streams loaded in under 4 seconds without further buffering during the entire video. You don’t even have to connect to a specific server — any server in the US worked during tests. In fact, ExpressVPN has very user-friendly apps for Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, routers, and other devices (plus a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox). I could even create a Hulu shortcut within the desktop app. This unique feature allows for fast access to the streaming platform as soon as you set up a US server connection. There’s also a MediaStreamer feature that lets you set up ExpressVPN on smart TVs and game consoles. Once installed, you can watch Hulu on those devices. ExpressVPN offers a great value for money you won’t get with many other services. Plus, you can currently save up to 49% when you choose the 1-year plan. You can get ExpressVPN with confidence as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. The policy lets you use ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free and get a refund if it doesn’t satisfy your needs. The refund process takes less than 2 minutes. After connecting to the 24/7 live chat, the ExpressVPN agent approved my request without trying to convince me to keep my account. I received my money back in my bank account within 4 days. Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free
2. CyberGhost — Servers Optimized for Guaranteed Access to Your Hulu Account
Key Features: In tests, I found that CyberGhost’s streaming servers have great speeds for watching Hulu with minimal buffering and no lag. My traffic was only 12% slower than my base network when I connected to the Hulu servers, which is low enough to avoid in-stream interruptions. To find the Hulu-optimized server, click on the For Streaming tab and type “Hulu” in the search bar. You’ll see all the streaming servers displayed in a list. Double-click on a server and you’ll connect in a few seconds. To avoid manually searching for the server next time, I suggest you add the Hulu-optimized server to your Favorites list. The 2-year + 3 months plan offers the best value for money at only $2.11 per month. You don’t have to worry about being locked into a subscription either as you can take advantage of the money-back guarantee and try CyberGhost with Hulu risk-free for 45 days. The 45-day money-back guarantee lets you get a refund without a fuss (as long as you reach out to customer service before the end of the 45 days). I watched an entire season of Modern Family before asking a CyberGhost live chat agent for my money back. The agent didn’t ask me to explain why I wanted to cancel and I received the refund a week later. Try CyberGhost with Hulu risk-free
3. Private Internet Access — Huge Server Newtork in the US to Avoid Slowdowns on Hulu
Key Features: Private Internet Access (PIA) has over 5500 servers in the US and 35,000+ servers worldwide. I found that Washington DC servers provided me with the best speeds that allowed for streaming at FullHD resolution. Other US connections, like New York and LA, also have zero issues with providing seamless Hulu streams. You can download plugins for Chrome and Firefox to access Hulu within your browser. The extensions come with an extensive server list in the US and all connections provided me with good speeds. This is useful if you don’t want to change the IP address on your whole device, but still wish to use your Hulu account with minimal interruptions. You can choose between a 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscription, although the 2-year + 3 months subscription gives you the lowest monthly price. It comes down to just $2.11 per month, which makes PIA an extremely affordable premium VPN. It’s risk-free to put PIA to the test with Hulu on your devices with its 30-day money-back guarantee. As long as you explain why you want to cancel (I said I couldn’t afford the subscription anymore), the live chat agent will approve your refund in less than 30 seconds. I received the money back within 10 business days. Try PIA with Hulu risk-free
4. NordVPN — Premium VPN With Cheap Prices on Long-Term Plans
Key Features: NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market — and you can get super cheap prices when you sign up for a long-term subscription. One thing to note, however, is that when it’s time to renew your subscription, prices do increase quite significantly. I did, however, have issues with using NordVPN’s native Fire TV app. Although it worked and unblocked some streaming services, it sometimes had issues unblocking Netflix US and kept crashing. I also found that NordVPN’s user interface for desktop devices was less user-friendly than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. NordVPN has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryptionkill switch that cuts your internet access if your connection to a VPN server drops suddenlybuilt-in ad and malware blocker, so you don’t need a third-party ad blockerfully audited no-logs policy (audited by PwC) – NordVPN doesn’t store any personal or identifying data while you’re connected to the VPN
In addition, NordVPN includes Threat Protection that protects you from viruses, infected websites, and trackers – and it works whenever you have the NordVPN app open, even if you’re not connected to a VPN server. With plans that cost as little as $3.49 per month, it’s easy to find a NordVPN subscription plan that suits your needs. You can also stream, torrent, and browse for free for up to 30 days with its money-back guarantee. I tested this to ensure that you’ll really get your money back. At first, the support team tried to give me an extended trial period — but they initiated my refund right away after I told them I wasn’t interested in the extension. I got my money back in 6 business days. Get NordVPN today NordVPN works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Chromebook, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire Stick, and Android TV
5. Surfshark — Best Value for Money with Unlimited Device Connections and Fast Speeds
Key Features: Surfshark offers the best value for money out of every premium VPN on the market. You can connect an unlimited number of devices with a single subscription, which means you can use Surfshark on all your devices without getting logged out. I tested Surfshark’s simultaneous connections on 2 PCs, 2 phones, a Fire Stick 4K, and an iPad. My connection remained reliable on all 6 devices. Even while I was actively streaming on all my devices, my average speed was 112 Mbps — fast enough for UHD quality. When I saw the price of this service, I thought it couldn’t possibly have top-grade security features for such a low price, but I was pleasantly surprised. Surfshark has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption on all devices, with ChaCha encryption available for Android usersWireguard VPN protocol enabled by defaultdiskless, RAM-only servers to protect your privacy (no data can be physically extracted from any servers)kill switch (although this isn’t enabled by default)IP and DNS leak protection
Surfshark offers two-factor authentication (2FA) on your account. This feature requires you to enter an extra code before you can log in to ensure that only you can access your account. While Surfshark does have slightly fewer global servers than rivals such as CyberGhost and PIA, I didn’t experience any issues during my tests. I easily connected fast working servers every time, and I had excellent speeds for streaming Netflix in UHD, downloading torrents, and browsing the internet. You can try Surfshark for yourself with the 30-day money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $2.39. Requesting a refund is easy with Surfshark’s live chat feature. Although the support team asked why I wanted to cancel my subscription, I had no problem getting my money back (and it only took 4 days!). Get Surfshark today Surfshark works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire Stick, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, Android TV, Kodi, and selected routers
6. PrivateVPN — Cheapest VPN for Watching Hulu Shows
Key Features: PrivateVPN is the most budget-friendly VPN for Hulu. However, speeds are slower due to PrivateVPN’s small server network. This can also limit which local TV channels you can watch live on Hulu, since not all regions in the US are covered by the server network. Luckily, this doesn’t have any impact on what on-demand content you can access. My team and I tested Hulu with PrivateVPN’s US servers, and it worked every time. It’s easy to start watching Hulu straightaway with the user-friendly app. The app has a Simple View option, which allows for only 2 buttons to appear on the main interface. First, select your server, then tap the On button to set up your connection. PrivateVPN chooses the best settings for you as your connection is turning on. PrivateVPN is the most affordable VPN on the list at only $2.00 per month on the 3-year plan. There are also short-term plans available and PrivateVPN has one of the cheapest monthly plans on the market. Since it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can stream Hulu from anywhere with PrivateVPN risk-free and get a full refund if you don’t like it. When I tested this myself, the support agent approved my refund in 5 minutes and the money was back in my bank after 6 business days. Try PrivateVPN with Hulu risk-free PrivateVPN works on: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, smart TVs, routers, and more.
7. IPVanish — Watch Hulu on All of Your Devices Without Extra Interruptions
Key Features: IPVanish lets you connect unlimited devices at once. This means you can use multiple devices at once — for instance, you can watch Hulu on your desktop while connected through a VPN server on your smartphone. It’s a great feature if you like multitasking while streaming your favorite shows and movies. IPVanish’s detailed interface shows ping and user load for each US location. It’s perfect for avoiding in-stream buffering and lag, especially if you’re watching Hulu during peak hours. There are plenty of plans on offer ranging from 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. However, the 2-year plan offers the best value as you can save 72% and pay only $3.33 per month. Unfortunately, prices jump up after your first subscription year. You can try IPVanish with Hulu risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t want to keep it, you can get a full refund by filling out an online form on the website. You don’t even need to speak to anyone. I got my money back in just 5 business days after I requested it. Try IPVanish with Hulu risk-free IPVanish works on: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, routers, and more.
Comparison Table: 2023’s Best VPNs for Hulu
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Warning! None of These VPNs Work With Hulu in 2023
Hulu regularly blacklists new VPNs (including top services on the market), so most VPNs don’t work with the platform anymore — even if they used to in the past. During testing, the VPNs below proved to lack the appropriate technology needed to compete with Hulu’s updates: Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps To Use a VPN to Watch Hulu
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Step-By-Step Guide: How to Watch Hulu and Hulu Live TV From Anywhere
How to Download the Hulu App Abroad on Your iOS Device
How to Get the Hulu App on Android When You Travel
Alternatively, you can download Hulu on Android through an APK file from a third party. Before you start, you have to enable downloads from unknown sources in your device’s settings — otherwise, Android will block the file. You should also never download Hulu APK files without an active VPN connection as many third-party APK sites contain malware that could expose your data. When the download finishes, tap on the file to prompt the app installation and start streaming Hulu exclusives. Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free
How I Tested and Ranked the Best Hulu VPN
Out of all the VPNs out there, only selected ones actually work with Hulu. To pinpoint the best services for Hulu, I tested over 65 top VPNs on the market against these strict criteria:
Big server network worldwide, with multiple servers in the US for accessing your local Hulu library without sudden slowdowns and quality drops. Secure and reliable access to Hulu, so you don’t have to deal with streaming errors when you travel for business or personal purposes. Fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth to watch as many shows on Hulu as you want in high quality and with no stuttering. Broad streaming device compatibility, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Firestick, routers, and more. Responsive 24/7 customer service for getting help with logging into Hulu whenever you need it. Money-back guarantee, so you can try the VPNs with Hulu without any risk.
Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free Try ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free If you somehow find a free VPN that works with Hulu, your streaming experience will most likely be very frustrating. Free VPNs have fewer servers than paid competitors, which results in overcrowded and slow connections. This leads to high stream pixelation, buffering, lags, and extended loading times. Worse yet, many free VPNs make a profit by collecting and selling your private information (including full name, address, and location). This practice can put you at risk of various scams, data theft, and cyberattacks. You shouldn’t pay for a free VPN with your personal data. Instead, I recommend you use CyberGhost to watch Hulu for free for 45 days. The money-back guarantee lets you get a full refund if you don’t like the VPN. Just connect to the 24/7 live chat and cancel your account before the policy runs out — it’s that simple! I had my money back within 7 business days. Even though Hulu is available in Japan, it operates as a separate service. This means that even if you have a US account, you won’t be able to use it without a VPN when you visit Japan. Vice versa, Japanese residents won’t be able to access their usual Hulu content without connecting to a VPN server in Japan when traveling through the US. It seems like you’re not at home. Your current ZIP code and IP address don’t match the location of your home. Due to streaming rights, watching on this device outside of your home network isn’t available. Using the same IP address every time you log in to Hulu minimizes the possibility of encountering the home error. Luckily, CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses at a small extra cost. Alternatively, you can fix the problem by changing your home network in your Hulu account. To do so, you need to log out of your account and use a streaming device (like a gaming console or a smart TV) to sign back into Hulu. Then, tap on Privacy and Settings and update your location in Set or Change Home Network. Hulu allows you to adjust your home location up to 4 times per year. Just remember you’ll need to change it back when you come back from your travels, so each trip will require you to update your network twice. It looks like you’re using an anonymous proxy or a VPN. You’ll need to disable it to watch Hulu. The streaming site also checks for discrepancies between your IP address and DNS servers. Depending on which VPN you use, it may struggle to assign you a DNS server that matches the location of your IP address. For example, connecting to a VPN server in the US gives you a US location, but you may still accidentally connect to a UK DNS server. It’s a clear indication that you’re using a service that alters your location, so Hulu immediately blocks your traffic. Both issues can be fixed with a reputable VPN for Hulu. All VPNs in the list protect their IP addresses by keeping them completely private. They also regularly check their servers and update available IPs and DNS connections to make sure you can always access your Hulu account. Plus, you can get ExpressVPN for Hulu in confidence as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you still can’t access Hulu, you should:
Reconnect to a different server. This will reassign your device with a new IP address that’s less likely to be blocked by Hulu. Delete your cookies and cache. These store trackers within your browser may sometimes reveal your original IP address when you try to open Hulu. Use ipleak.net to check for IP and DNS leaks. The website is free to use and it’ll instantly show you whether your VPN is leaking your location details. Get a VPN with IPv6 leak protection. This will ensure that your device won’t reveal your details outside of your server connection. You also won’t have to fumble with buttons to disable IPv6 in your device’s settings. Enable Smart DNS if your VPN offers it. That way you’ll be able to change your DNS server location to the US, so Hulu won’t be able to recognize you’re connecting from abroad. Reach out to your VPN’s customer support. A knowledgeable agent will walk you through all possible troubleshooting options and recommend specific servers that work with Hulu.
If you go through all possible solutions and still can’t log in to Hulu, you should sign up for a new VPN that has proved to work with the platform. To not waste any of your time, I recommend you try ExpressVPN for instant access to your Hulu account. The VPN is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee too, so you can get a full refund if you change your mind. If your US credit card expires, gets lost, or is stolen when you’re working or traveling abroad, you can still pay for Hulu with:
A valid Hulu gift card purchased directly from the streaming platform or a third-party seller, like MyGiftCardSupply or GiftCards. A StatePay account, which will give you a virtual credit card for around $4 per month. However, sometimes the service doesn’t accept new subscribers, so you may not always be able to use it. Prepaid Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress, or Discover cards. You’ll need to use your US home address to set it up. Set up a US PayPal account. Even if your current account is linked to a different country, you can adjust it to your new US address in profile settings.
Luckily, all VPNs recommended above cause a rather insignificant speed difference that should still let you watch Hulu without problems. If your WiFi network isn’t very fast, I recommend you download ExpressVPN as it provided me with the smallest speed drop on its US servers. You can even test ExpressVPN with Hulu risk-free yourself. If your streams are still too slow, you have up to 30 days to request a refund. At first, this process seemed complicated, but I found that ExpressVPN has easy step-by-step instructions on how to use MediaStreamer — its own Smart DNS feature. This lets me select the correct guide for my device and configure everything in less than 3 minutes. As soon as it was done, I could use Hulu on Chromecast, AppleTV, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Firestick, Xfinity, Roku, LG TV, Samsung TV, and more. If your chosen VPN doesn’t come with Smart DNS, you can still try to use it to watch Hulu on Smart TVs or gaming consoles by installing it on your home router. However, your VPN needs to be compatible with router installation (which not many VPNs offer). This method also won’t work if you’re logging into Hulu from a hotel or airport as you won’t be able to change WiFi settings there. Only a few countries, like China and North Korea, ban VPNs — so you won’t be able to watch Hulu from there. Check local rules before you travel to make sure you’re not breaking the law. I used ExpressVPN’s built-in speed test to evaluate the speed of my internet connection. This convenient feature within the VPN app enabled me to perform quick checks and receive nearly instant results. I noticed that ExpressVPN consistently connected me to the swiftest server, eliminating the need for manual reconnections. You can test ExpressVPN’s servers for Hulu risk-free as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. That way you can get a refund if you’re not happy with its server speeds. If you don’t want to download a VPN app, ExpressVPN has a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox. You can connect to a US server directly from your browser and start watching Hulu.
Start Watching Hulu (+ Live TV) Today!
Hulu can be a bit expensive as a subscription service, so it can be quite frustrating when you’re unable to access the account you’re paying for while traveling abroad. It’s essential to find a VPN service that is both trustworthy and reliable, as not all VPNs are compatible with the Hulu platform. Without a dependable VPN, you might end up spending money on an additional subscription without getting the desired access. Fortunately, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Hulu and it has reliable US servers and fast speeds. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re not happy with it, you can easily request a refund.
