Perhaps the most well-known aspect of Hotstar is its live cricket coverage. Nonetheless, it has swiftly expanded its content library in recent years, and currently provides a diverse range of films, television episodes, sports, and music.
Regrettably, the service is geo-restricted, with a library of content that varies by region. The most extensive library is available only to individuals with an Indian IP address. If you’re traveling internationally and want to access the Hotstar service in the United States, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, or Australia, your best chance is to first sign up for a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Not all VPNs, however, will work with Hotstar.
How to access Hotstar from abroad using a VPN
While setting up VPN software may seem hard, it is rather simple. Simply follow the steps below and you’ll be able to watch Hotstar from anywhere in the world in no time.
- Install a VPN that is compatible with Hotstar. The most dependable choice is NordVPN.
- Open your VPN and connect to an Indian server.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies to delete the previous session’s location data.
- Open Hotstar and begin streaming your preferred content from any nation.
A VPN works by encrypting all internet traffic that flows to and from your device. Most commercial VPN companies provide a diverse selection of server locations; it is up to you to pick which server your traffic will be routed through. If you choose an Indian server, the Hotstar website and mobile app will treat you as if you are physically in India and provide you with access to premium content. Additionally, using a VPN significantly complicates the monitoring of your digital footprint by your internet service provider (ISP), hackers, government surveillance organizations, and others.
Methodology for evaluating VPNs for use with Hotstar
While there are hundreds of VPN providers available, not all of them offer similar offerings. When you consider elements such as network size, security, speed, dependability, and customer assistance, there is a great deal of difference. We investigate these aspects and rate our suggested VPN using a variety of measures. The following are the primary factors we considered to rank the top VPN for Hotstar.
- Streaming capability – A VPN must have good streaming skills to properly stream Hotstar from overseas. The VPN we suggest provides safe access to a variety of streaming providers.
- Servers in India – Any VPN that wants to unblock Hotstar must operate servers in India (or provide virtual servers with an Indian IP address).
- Security – Strong encryption guarantees that other parties cannot eavesdrop on the VPN user’s behavior. A VPN kill switch and DNS leak prevention are required to guarantee that no personally identifiable information escapes from your computer or mobile device.
- Logging policy – A secure VPN service must be logless, which means it must not record or store your activities. Additionally, IP addresses are not recorded. In an ideal world, the provider gathers no information and so cannot be hacked or blackmailed into disclosing client information. More information on each VPN’s logging policy may be found here.
- Bandwidth restrictions – Specific VPNs impose data quotas or bandwidth restrictions, which impede or prohibit downloads over a certain threshold. We’ve chosen only a VPN that provides unlimited bandwidth, ensuring that you may watch Hotstar to your heart’s delight.
- Speed – This VPN performs above average during our speed testing for continuous streaming.
Best VPN for Hotstar
NordVPN
NordVPN is a VPN industry veteran, having been around for well over a decade. Around 5,000 servers are dispersed across several countries, including more than 30 in India. The best part is that this is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, which means you won’t experience latency or buffering when streaming Hotstar from overseas.
NordVPN comes with 256-bit AES encryption, as well as DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leak prevention, as well as a programmable kill switch. The business maintains a zero-logs policy and offers live chat support 24 hours a day.
Apps for Android and iOS are available, as are desktop clients for Windows, Linux, and MacOS. A single premium account supports multiple concurrent connections, beyond the industry norm of five.
Do you need to use a free VPN to access Hotstar?
There are several free VPN services accessible, and the cost-free aspect is appealing. However, it is often where the allure ends.
Paying for a VPN is really about ensuring that you have access to servers that are designed for speed, security, and dependability. Free VPNs scrimp on this feature; they often provide just one or two server locations and frequently impose bandwidth restrictions and usage limitations. Expect substandard encryption standards that do nothing to secure your online privacy. Additionally, you incur the genuine danger of your data being stolen and sold to third-party advertising in certain instances.
At PrivacyExplore, we do not advocate using a free VPN to access Hotstar since the experience will be much worse than a commercial VPN service.
How to resolve the Hotstar VPN detected issue
If you are attempting to access Disney+ Hotstar from outside the United States, you will see the following error: “This content is not currently accessible in your area.” Similarly, in the past, if Hotstar detected that you were using a VPN, it would show the following error: “Uh-oh, due to regional constraints, we are unable to replay. Disable VPN if it has been mistakenly activated.”
Nowadays, the service will simply refuse to display any information without explaining it. This might be perplexing, particularly when the page seems to load indefinitely.
Occasionally, VPN services offer dedicated servers dedicated to unblocking a certain website. If this is the case, the customer support staff at your VPN provider should be able to inform you which servers are compatible with Hotstar. Unfortunately, if this fails, your options are limited to waiting for a fix or switching to a different provider.
What else may a VPN be used for?
Utilizing a VPN expands your possibilities and use cases significantly. This post will demonstrate how to use a VPN to disguise your location to access Hotstar, but a VPN can also be used to safely access Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and ESPN, among other services.
Additionally, a VPN may be used to discreetly write online, use public wifi, and engage in torrenting.
How to stream Hotstar from an overseas VPN FAQs
Where can I access Hotstar?
Hotstar is now accessible in four countries: India, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Canada.
What is available on Hotstar?
Hotstar has a vast collection of sports, films, and television series. Even better, its information is accessible in a variety of languages (English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, and Kannada).
Here are some of the most popular TV series and movies on Hotstar:
- Aarya
- Chhappad Phaad Ke
- Kanpuriye
- City of Dreams
- Taare Zameen Par
- Geetha Govindam
- Superstars
- Bahut Hua Sammaan
Why is my VPN incompatible with Hotstar?
Occasionally, streaming providers improve their VPN detection capabilities. This may result in small periods during which a previously functioning VPN is unable to access them. However, such faults are often addressed within hours. If the issue persists, it’s recommended that you contact your VPN provider directly and inform them of the situation.
Can I access Hotstar using an Indian proxy server?
Hotstar has some quite sophisticated VPN detection methods, and many premium VPNs do not function with them. As a result, it is exceedingly improbable that a proxy server (particularly a free one) will operate. Additionally, these services contribute nothing to your digital privacy. Additionally, there is no way of knowing what they do with your browsing data; they may even sell it without your knowledge.
Can Hotstar terminate my account if I use a VPN?
In the worst-case scenario, you may be blacklisted for using a VPN. However, realistically, this is quite improbable. To begin with, VPNs are privacy tools that are used by millions of people worldwide; if Hotstar banned every user who kept their VPN on while streaming, the service would cease to exist. The most probable worst-case scenario is that you will be unable to stream until and after you disconnect from the VPN.
Is it legal to use a VPN to stream Hotstar in Europe?
Virtual private networks are legal in practically every jurisdiction on Earth. In other words, unless you’re utilizing one for malicious means, there’s no reason why you’d go afoul of the law. Additionally, although violating a streaming provider’s terms of service may be unlawful, utilizing a VPN to view geo-restricted content is not prohibited. This implies that you may legally watch Hotstar in Europe or anywhere else.
How fast is Hotstar streaming?
Although Hotstar’s website does not specify a minimum internet speed, we may make an educated guess based on what other streaming providers suggest. For example, Netflix recommended that users have a minimum of a 5 Mbps connection to watch HD content. This has also been confirmed by BBC iPlayer and NBC, so we may presume that this will be enough. Of fact, lowering the video quality may reduce the necessary speed to as little as 1.5 Mbps, so if you’re experiencing difficulty, it may be worth switching to standard definition playback.
Why does Hotstar have such a large buffer?
If you’re experiencing buffering troubles with Hotstar, you’re not alone. Typically, severe buffering is caused by sluggish or unpredictable internet rates, however, Hotstar viewers often find themselves waiting for a show to load despite having an excellent internet connection. To make things worse, Hotstar’s FAQ page only proposes a few simple remedies, such as resetting your router, even though the issue is on Hotstar’s end.
While there is no apparent explanation for why Hotstar buffers so often, there is a glimpse of optimism. The service was bought by Disney in 2019 and, as such, will almost certainly undergo a technical revamp in the following years to put it in line with other Disney-owned platforms such as Disney+ and ESPN+.
Is NordVPN included of the Hotstar subscription?
No, NordVPN does not include a Disney+ Hotstar membership. NordVPN is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service that enables you to access Hotstar from any location on Earth. It has over 30 servers in India, which means you may watch Hotstar while traveling. Additionally, NordVPN offers a money-back guarantee. This means you can test it risk-free with Hotstar and, if you’re not happy, receive a complete refund.
Will using a VPN prevent my ISP from restricting my access to Hotstar?
Using a VPN encrypts and routes your internet traffic via the VPN’s servers, concealing your online activity. This implies that your ISP will not be able to monitor your online activity and will not limit your connection as a result. The benefit of this is that you will experience quicker speeds. Additionally, the fastest VPNs provide limitless bandwidth, which means you will encounter little latency or buffering when watching Hotstar.