Best VPN service that works with Hulu

Hulu is one of the most popular streaming video providers available, second only to Netflix. Hulu was founded by three major US television networks—Fox, ABC, and NBC. It also features programming from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, FX, SyFy, PBS, Style, and Cartoon Network. However, since Hulu is region-locked, you will want the assistance of a VPN to access Hulu when traveling overseas.

If you want to access the greatest amount of Hulu content from any location, you’ll need a VPN—but most of them will not function with Hulu.

Hulu’s VPN prohibition is more sophisticated than Netflix’s firewall. A VPN, or virtual private network, encrypts all internet data between your computer and a VPN server in a location of your choice. This may fool Hulu into believing you are in the United States, granting you access to all the programs.

However, Hulu, like many other online streaming providers, has begun blocking connections from recognized VPN servers. These servers share IP addresses with dozens, if not hundreds, of concurrent users. This provides an additional degree of privacy but makes it rather clear to Hulu what is going on. Trying to stream Hulu through a standard VPN will result in the following message:

“Based on your IP address, we’ve determined that you’re attempting to access Hulu using an anonymous proxy service. Hulu is presently unavailable outside the United States. If you live in the United States, you must deactivate your anonymizer in order to watch films on Hulu.”

As a result, not just any VPN service will suffice. Most VPN services are unable to circumvent Hulu’s tight firewall requirements. The best VPN for Hulu often offers a small number of servers that are capable of circumventing the proxy block. Simply contact customer service to inquire about which servers are capable of accessing Hulu.

We’ve suggested the top Hulu VPN based on the following criteria:

  • Can access Hulu from outside the United States of America.
  • Rapid accelerations.
  • US servers with no logs.
  • Customer service that is prompt.
  • Connection that is secure and dependable.

We will discuss our testing methodology for the best Hulu VPN in greater detail later in this article.

Best VPN for Hulu

The next section provides an in-depth examination of the top Hulu VPN and the privacy and unblocking capabilities they provide.

NordVPN

NordVPN includes its patented SmartPlay DNS, which enables it to unblock a wide variety of multimedia sources, including Hulu. Which servers to connect to may be determined by browsing the official NordVPN knowledge base or contacting live chat support. NordVPN is also compatible with Netflix in several countries, including the United States, as well as other streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and HBO. This is one of the quickest VPNs we’ve tested, so you’re almost certain to have an uninterrupted streaming experience.

Due to robust encryption and a real zero-logs policy, online security is impenetrable. Additionally, the firm offers dedicated servers for certain use cases, such as anti-DDoS, ultra-fast streaming, dual VPN, and Tor over VPN. A single subscription enables the simultaneous connection of multiple devices.

Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android applications are available.

How to view Hulu when traveling overseas with a VPN

You may use a VPN to disguise your virtual location and fool Hulu into believing you have an IP address from another country. Unblocking Hulu with a VPN is simple once you know which server to connect to.

The steps on how to view Hulu with a VPN are as follows:

  1. Subscribe to and download a VPN compatible with Hulu. The most dependable choice is NordVPN.
  2. Install the VPN client directly from the provider’s website or official app store.
  3. Launch the VPN application and choose a server or server region that can unblock Hulu. If in doubt, contact your VPN customer support or visit its website.
  4. Start watching with Hulu via a web browser or the Hulu app!

If you continue to see an error message, you may need to adjust certain device settings. IPv6 leaks are a frequent occurrence. Below are methods for disabling IPv6 on Mac and Windows. Additionally, you may try clearing your browser’s cookies and cache. Other difficulties should be sent to your VPN customer support.

Can I watch Hulu with a free VPN?

While you may be fortunate and stumble into a free VPN service with a VPN server that unblocks Hulu, the only way to unblock it reliably is to use the VPN suggested. When free VPN companies are banned by a site like Hulu, they lack the means to alter their VPN server IP addresses and domains. Therefore, even if you discover a wonderful free Hulu VPN, it is unlikely to persist for long.

Additionally, free VPN companies often use sluggish, busy servers. Expect significant buffering and probable service interruptions. Numerous free VPN companies include a restriction on the maximum bandwidth or total data provided per day or month, which means you may be cut off during a performance.

Finally, there is no such thing as a fully free VPN. Numerous free VPNs monitor and mine users’ online traffic, insert advertisements, install tracking cookies in your browser, and sell the data they collect to advertising businesses. Some have even been detected leading customers to malicious websites in an attempt to earn fast money. According to the proverb, if you do not purchase the thing, you become the product.

How to circumvent the Hulu problem with your home location

Hulu requires customers to create a home network within 30 days after signing up for the service to prevent account sharing and to get access to local channels. Additionally, it restricts the sorts of devices that will operate when you attempt to view from outside your house.

For instance, a Firestick or gaming console may be limited to streaming Hulu while connected to your home network. If you share your password with a family member who lives in a different house, they will be unable to stream content on their game console or Firestick.

Rather, they may see an error message similar to this:

“With your Hulu membership, you are only permitted to use this kind of device on your home network. If you’ve relocated or changed your internet service provider, please adjust your Home Location in your Hulu Account settings on a computer.”

Alternatively…

Video not available at this location.

These failures may also occur for a variety of other reasons, including Hulu’s inability to recognize your current network, your use of a shared wi-fi network, your failure to check in on your smartphone, or your use of an incompatible VPN.

You must upgrade your home network to resolve this problem. This may be especially hard if you’re using a VPN, since your IP address will almost certainly change each time you connect to the VPN. If your VPN offers a dedicated or static IP address, choose it since it will not change.

Once connected to a network or VPN server from which you want to view Hulu:

  1. Exit Hulu.
  2. Re-enter your username and password on a streaming device such as a Firestick, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, smart TV, or game console.
  3. Open the Hulu app or desktop website and navigate to your Hulu account page.
  4. Select Privacy and Configuration.
  5. Set or Change Home to configure your new network.

If you attempt to view Hulu while away from home, such as on a laptop or mobile device, you may receive the same issue. You may be required to check-in with Hulu to verify that you genuinely live where the account holder does and are not just using a friend’s account. You may log in to Hulu by logging in using your Facebook credentials while connected to your home network.

Keep in mind that you are only allowed to modify your home network four times per year.

Hulu + Live TV is a single-home service, which means that it cannot be used outside of the house.

Methodology for Hulu VPN testing

PrivacyExplore’s mission is to produce the most extensive, reliable, and helpful VPN evaluations and recommendations available on the web. To accomplish so, we assess each VPN against a set of criteria that includes real-world use, expert analysis, and a battery of tests.

Regarding Hulu VPN, we focus on the following:

  • Capacity to unblock Hulu from abroad: This year alone, our worldwide team of testers conducted over 2,000 real-world streaming tests to determine which VPN can consistently unblock Hulu on both desktop and mobile devices from overseas.
  • Speed: To watch videos in high definition or 4K without buffering, you’ll need a fast VPN. We do speed tests on VPN connections to server locations across the globe.
  • Protection against IPv6 leaks: Windows 10 users in particular are subject to IPv6 leaks, which may expose your true location and IP address, alerting Hulu to your true location. We examined each VPN for IPv6 compatibility, WebRTC compatibility, and DNS leaks, among other things.
  • Customer support: As a secret shopper, we called each suggested VPN customer care center to see response times and quality.

Additionally, we evaluate each VPN’s encryption protocol, data retention policy, and capacity to unblock other streaming services.

FAQs on unblocking Hulu through a VPN

Which VPNs are incompatible with Hulu?

As of the time of writing, the following VPNs do not function with Hulu:

  • Zenmate
  • PureVPN
  • Hotspot Shield
  • Hola
  • IPVanish
  • Tunnelbear
  • CactusVPN
  • Private Internet Access (PIA)
  • IronSocket
  • Unotelly
  • CactusVPN
  • Buffered

Does Hulu permit the use of VPNs?

Although Hulu’s terms of service do not directly reference VPNs or proxies, they do contain the following, which might be interpreted to include VPN services:

You may not remove, alter, bypass, avoid, interfere with, or circumvent any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices marked on the Content or any digital rights management mechanism, device, or other content protection or access control measure associated with the Content, including geo-filtering mechanisms, directly or through the use of any device, software, internet site, web-based service, or other means.

Hulu continues by stating that if you violate this regulation, the firm will alert you and deactivate your account. As far as we can tell, there is no mention of account cancelation or suspension. To our knowledge, no Hulu customer has been punished for utilizing a VPN other than the aforementioned error warning in the video player. VPNs are completely legal in practically every country.

How can I get the Hulu app from outside the United States?

Hulu is only accessible in United States of America app stores, so if your device is registered in a shop outside of the United States, you must perform one of the following:

  • Modify the location of your App Store account.
  • Create an account with the US app store.
  • Obtain Hulu APK from a third-party source (Android only).

We’ll demonstrate how to download the Hulu app for iOS and Android from outside the United States:

On iPhone and iPad (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV)

  1. Connect to a server in the United States of America using your VPN.
  2. We suggest creating a new account rather than modifying an existing one, since this will have no effect on your current applications or transactions. In the United States, log out of your Apple ID and establish a new one.
  3. Alternatively, if you’re determined to change an existing account to the US, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > View Apple ID > Country/Region > Change Country or Region on your device.
  4. Select the United States of America as your nation.
  5. Select “None” as the payment method (you will still need a US payment method to pay for Hulu).
  6. Acknowledge and accept the terms and conditions.

On Google Android

  1. Connect to a server in the United States of America using your VPN.
  2. To start, go to payments.google.com.
  3. Select Settings > Edit.
  4. Change your mailing address to one in the United States. Find out if the zip code is the same.
  5. Accept modifications.
  6. Close the Play Store application on your smartphone.
  7. Locate the Google Play Store under Apps.
  8. Select Force Stop and Delete All Data from the menu.
  9. Reopen the Google Play Store and you should be able to download and install Hulu this time.

If your device lacks Google Play, you may follow a similar procedure to change your recorded location to the United States.

As a final option, you may download the Hulu APK file from a third-party website onto your Android smartphone. In your device’s settings, you’ll need to accept applications from unknown sources. However, use caution while using third-party APK sites since many of them include obsolete or dangerous versions of popular programs.

How do I subscribe to Hulu from outside the United States?

Hulu does not require you to have a US-based IP address. Payments must also originate in the United States. This might be problematic if you reside outside the nation and do not have a domestic credit card or PayPal account.

There are a few alternatives that seem to work, albeit, for the sake of transparency, we did not test any of them.

  • Gift card to Hulu.
  • A prepaid gift card purchased from this website is around $30. Please keep in mind that we have not used the linked service and that you may like to use another vendor that provides Hulu gift cards through email—so do your homework.
  • StatesPay is another issuer of virtual credit cards that charges $3.95 per month. In principle, you should be able to pay for the first month to establish an account and then make the following payments using Hulu gift cards. However, the site is not currently accepting new signups. You may have to wait a bit until the service becomes accessible again.
  • Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover prepaid cards that are connected to a US address.
  • Change your PayPal country of origin or open a new PayPal account located in the United States.

Can I use a VPN to access Hulu from my Smart TV?

Most likely, your smart TV does not support VPN applications. If that is the case, you must either stream from a device that supports VPN applications, such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick or configure your VPN on your router’s wireless network.

Will using Hulu with a VPN cause my connection to slow down?

All VPNs will significantly slow down your connection owing to the time required to transport data via the VPN server and encrypt and decode data in transit. Having said that, the VPN we offer gives us more than enough bandwidth to view Hulu, so the typical user will notice no difference. Free and low-quality VPNs are less likely to provide sufficient bandwidth for high-quality video streaming.

How can I get Hulu in Japan?

If you’re outside of Japan and want to view Hulu Japan, you’ll need to connect your device to a VPN server in the nation. Even if you did not sign up for Hulu in Japan, an account made in another country should still be able to view Hulu content that is available exclusively in Japan. The VPN we suggest has servers in Japan, however, please keep in mind that we only test VPNs with the Hulu version available in the United States.

Can Hulu be used to watch live sports?

If you have the Hulu Plus Live TV plan, you can watch live sports on Hulu. This membership costs $55 per month and adds live television channels to the basic on-demand streaming service. Among the sports networks are Fox Sports, ESPN, and NBCSN.

If you reside outside of the United States, you may stream Hulu Live TV in the same manner you would for on-demand Hulu: by connecting to a VPN server in the United States.

Why am I unable to connect into Hulu?

If you’ve registered for Hulu but are unable to log in, try the following:

  • Your email address and password are both valid.
  • Your subscription has not expired.
  • You’re either viewing Hulu from the United States or use the VPN mentioned before to connect to a US server.
  • Your payment method is still valid, e.g., your credit card does not have an end date.
  • If you’re using another streaming service or package to access Hulu, you may need to take additional steps to complete the activation process.
  • If you have a Live TV service, you must configure your Home network on the devices in your living room and check in at least once every 30 days. You can only stream to devices in your living room through your home network. Your home network may change no more than four times per year.
  • Your Hulu app has been updated.
  • Your device and/or browser have location services enabled.
  • Clear your browser’s cookies and cache.

I am unable to sign up for Hulu. What are the next steps for me?

Officially, Hulu is only accessible in the United States and Japan. To register for the US edition, you must use an American payment method, such as a credit card issued in the United States. If you are not in the United States of America or Japan, you will also need a VPN to change your device’s IP address and hence your location to one of those countries. You should have no trouble signing up for Hulu if you have a US IP address and a US method of payment.

What percentage of the streaming market does Hulu control?

It depends on who you speak with. Streaming services seldom provide precise subscriber statistics, and a variety of alternative indicators may be used to determine Hulu’s market share. Having said that, Hulu’s market share of U.S. streaming subscriptions is predicted to be between 13% and 20% in 2021.

Does Hulu have a presence in India?

Hulu is not accessible in India at the moment. If you live in India and have a payment method from the United States, you may sign up for American Hulu and access it using a VPN.

Is Hulu accessible in the United Arab Emirates?

No, Hulu is not accessible in the United Arab Emirates. It is exclusively accessible in the United States of America and Japan. If you live in the UAE and have a payment method from the United States, you may sign up for Hulu and access it over a VPN.

Yes, it is legal to use a VPN with Hulu. The only exception is if you are in a place where VPNs are outlawed, which is a small number of nations worldwide. Using a VPN or another proxy, on the other hand, to circumvent Hulu’s location limitations does violate the service’s terms of service.

Thus, using a VPN to access Hulu from outside the United States violates Hulu’s terms of service, but is not legally illegal. Hulu may suspend or cancel a VPN user’s account, although this has never happened in the past. Rather, when a VPN connection is detected, Hulu attempts to prevent VPN users from watching.

What devices are compatible with Hulu?

Hulu is very accessible, which means that you may watch content from your Hulu account on a broad number of devices. We’ve provided a thorough list of devices that Hulu supports through its app below. On the devices indicated, the current Hulu app enables you to view live TV, on-demand videos, and premium add-ons.

  • Android phones and tablets
  • Android TV (select models)
  • Apple TV (4th generation or later)
  • Chromecast
  • Echo Show
  • Fire Tablets
  • Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
  • iPhones and iPads
  • LG TV (select models)
  • Nintendo Switch
  • Mac and PC browsers/apps
  • PlayStation
  • Roku (select model)
  • Samsung TV (select models)
  • VIZIO SmartCast TVs
  • Xbox
  • Xfinity Flex Streaming TV Box
  • Xfinity X1 TV Boxes*

How to turn off IPv6

Even if you use one of the VPN providers on our list, you may still get an error notice from Hulu ordering you to disable your “anonymous proxy.” This is because the great majority of VPN services do not protect against IPv6 leaks. While a VPN connection may redirect all traffic requests via its DNS servers and mask your IPv4 address, IPv6 addresses continue to be delivered unencrypted. IPv6 fulfills the same function as IPv4 but provides a much larger pool of potential IP addresses for internet-connected devices.

The answer is a crude but efficient workaround for Hulu’s VPN block: deactivate IPv6. We say it’s flawed because it would be preferable if everyone migrated to IPv6 instead of IPv4 since the IPv4 system is rapidly running out of unique IP addresses. Limiting oneself to IPv4 is detrimental to the internet’s long-term health, although it has little effect on other aspects.

How to turn off IPv6 on a Windows 10 computer:

  1. Disconnect and exit the VPN application.
  2. To open the Run prompt, press Windows Key+R.
  3. To open your Network Connections, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
  4. Locate the connection you’re using and right-click it to bring up the Properties menu.
  5. Uncheck the box next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” on the Networking or General tab.
  6. To save your changes and close the Window, click OK.
  7. Select the Command Prompt (Admin) using Windows Key+R, and then Yes when prompted to allow the application to make modifications to your computer.
  8. Type ipconfig/flushdns and press Enter on the command prompt (black window).
  9. Reconnect to the VPN and refresh the Hulu page to watch the video!

How to disable IPv6 on Mac OS X:

  1. Disconnect and exit the VPN application.
  2. Activate the Apple menu.
  3. Select System Preferences > Network > AirPort > Advanced from the menu bar.
  4. TCP/IP is selected.
  5. Select Off from the Configure IPv6 pop-up menu.
  6. Select OK and then Apply (to apply the change).
  7. Reconnect to the VPN and refresh the Hulu page to watch the video!

Is Hulu incompatible with your VPN? Consider the following:

If you have a VPN subscription that does not work with Hulu, there is a good chance that its servers have been blocked. Hulu is making a concerted effort to disable VPNs, which means that only a select few providers remain functional. To do so, you will need to cancel your subscription and replace it with our suggested Hulu VPN.

If you’re already enrolled in our suggested VPN for Hulu, you may get started by following the instructions below:

  1. Consult your VPN provider to determine which US server is optimal for viewing Hulu.
  2. Reinitialize your browser.
  3. Reinstall the VPN app using the most recent version.
  4. Restart your device and the VPN will relaunch. Now open the Hulu application.
  5. Clear your browser’s cookies and cache.
  6. Disable GPS tracking on your device or refresh your browser’s GPS location.
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