While the Canadian online space is pretty awesome and offers some great TV channels, I understand that many of you prefer US TV channels instead. With ABC, MSNBC, Fox, The CW, and many others, it’s easy to keep yourself entertained and informed.
However, it’s virtually impossible to watch US TV in Canada due to annoying geo-restrictions that often follow local TV channels and streaming platforms. In fact, wherever you’re located – if it’s outside the United States – you won’t be able to access any of the channels I mentioned.
So what is the solution? How to watch US TV in Canada? Well, I’m glad I can give you the answer to that question. I’m even more glad that I can provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to do that, making sure even the least tech-savvy person can apply my solution.
Why American TV Channels Aren’t Available in Canada?
When asking yourself how to watch US TV channels in Canada, the logical question would concern the reasons behind their unavailability. And the answer is pretty simple – it’s all about copyrights and broadcasting licenses!
Local TV channels in pretty much every country have the right to broadcast in their native countries. For example, if we take Japanese TV channels, we can see that they’ll work only in Japan, and the same applies to British TV channels or even those in Australia.
Broadcasting to foreign countries would violate copyright and put the TV channel company in big legal trouble. That’s why the majority of US TV channels have a geo-restriction in place that will prevent anyone outside of this jurisdiction to access its content.
Do you, in this case, need to travel to the United States to access ABC, Fox, or The CW? Yes, you can do that, but we have a much better solution that involves using a VPN – believe me, this one’s MUCH cheaper!
How to Watch US TV in Canada? With a VPN!
As said, the goal here is to bypass geo-restrictions put in place by the channels. These channels function fairly simply. Once you try to access them, they’ll check your IP address and if that IP isn’t from America, they’ll display a geo-restriction message and prevent your access.
But what if you somehow manage to get a US IP and hide your Canadian IP as a result? Well, that is possible only with a VPN! A VPN is here to change your IP address to another country and in return, provide you with access to any geo-restricted platform.
In this process, it encrypts your connection, making it untraceable by your internet provider. Even the channel that you’re trying to access can’t see your real IP, believing that you’re really located in the US, thus, giving you full access to the channel you want. If you are curious to know more about how such a service works, read our article explaining the meaning of the term VPN.
Here are a few simple steps that will explain how to watch US TV in Canada (live and on demand).
1. Subscribe to a VPN
Let’s start with the most important step, which is getting a subscription. To make sure this solution works, I recommend using ExpressVPN as the most reliable choice. Besides, it offers a 49% discount + 3 months free for its annual plan.
Even a 30-day money-back guarantee is here too, so you can get a refund at any time in the first 30 days. To get this cheapest deal on ExpressVPN, just use the button below and you’ll be taken straight to the website where you can do that.
Simply choose the plan you want, select a payment method, and proceed – it takes 2 minutes tops.
2. Download and Install a VPN
Obtaining a subscription gives you the right to download its application. In this tutorial, I’ll use my Windows PC, but rest assured, ExpressVPN works on all platforms and systems. This means that you can watch US TV in Canada even on your mobile devices!
Upon subscribing, you’ll be able to choose the platform you want and ExpressVPN will download either the setup file (desktop) or it’ll transfer you to the app store of your desired platform (iOS or Android) where you can complete the installation process.
3. Open the VPN and Sign In
Once that is done, open ExpressVPN and sign in. You’ll need to use the credentials you provided when subscribing, which can be your email and password. On mobile phones, you can sign in by using the activation code that ExpressVPN gave you during the subscription process.
Either way, the app will look like this:
4. Connect to a Server in the US
And from here, you’ll need to connect to a VPN server in the United States to watch US TV in Canada. Simply open the server list by clicking on the three horizontal dots, click on All Locations, and choose Americas.
The USA should be right there, so double-click on it, and you’ll establish a connection to a server in this country. As a result, you’ll have a US IP address that will allow you to watch any American TV channel abroad.
5. Watch US TV in Canada!
Finally, visit the channel of your choice and enjoy. It can be NBC, CBS, ABC, Peacock TV, or any other channel from this country – the possibilities are endless!
This allows you to follow your favorite programs on the channel of your choice. If you’re a tennis fan, for example, you can enjoy a live broadcast of the US Open from anywhere.
Best VPNs to Watch American TV in Canada (Live and On-Demand)
All VPNs have the ability to change your IP address to another country, but not many providers can successfully bypass geo-restrictions. Here are the three providers that are proven to work for the purpose of watching American TV channels in Canada:
6300 servers
111 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.8 /10
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
8 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
12000 servers
100 covered countries
45 days money-back guarantee
7 simultaneous connections
9.2 /10
1. ExpressVPN
By far my favorite provider here is ExpressVPN. It has servers in 160 locations, with 20+ locations in the US alone, making it extremely suitable for accessing US content abroad. Even better is the fact that this is the fastest VPN you can get, which is made possible by its Lightway protocol.
As such, you can expect a smooth and non-interrupted streaming experience. One thing I should mention is how capable of streaming it is. I mean, aside from US TV channels abroad, it will work with Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu, making it easy to access these platforms anywhere.
As a premium provider, it provides exceptional security and privacy. You get 256-bit encryption and a kill switch for preventing potential IP leaks in the case of connection loss. A no-logs policy is here as well, making sure ExpressVPN stores absolutely no logs of your activities.
The provider has easy-to-use apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android, but also for Smart TV and Fire TV Stick. Coupled with 5 simultaneous connections and its responsive 24/7 live chat support, this is a provider you’ll want to try ASAP.
2. CyberGhost
Another choice you’ll be interested in is CyberGhost. This affordable provider has all you need to watch US TV in Canada. It has a myriad of US-based servers in 10+ cities but also dedicated streaming servers for unblocking American TV channels.
You get servers for Sling TV, Fox, Crunchyroll, Paramount+, NBC, Comedy Central, ESPN+, and dozens more. Even better is the fact that its decent performance comes from the WireGuard protocol which also grants more stable connections for endless streaming.
CyberGhost includes an ad-blocker as well, just in case you want to avoid annoying ads, which you surely do. Security is top-notch here, as the provider offers the same features as ExpressVPN. It also stores no logs and publishes transparency reports every 3 months for added trustworthiness.
CyberGhost supports all platforms and can protect up to 7 devices simultaneously. I recommend getting the 3-year plan that is insanely cheap and offers a 45-day money-back guarantee – check it out below!
3. NordVPN
NordVPN is an awesome choice for unblocking US TV channels in Canada or anywhere else. It has nearly 2,000 servers in America, and thanks to its NordLynx protocol, you can be sure that bypassing geo-blocks and getting amazing performance is all but impossible.
This provider works with all TV channels in this country and allows you to unblock Netflix US and Hulu abroad. In addition, it’s a security giant and includes features like a kill switch, malware protection, and a Dark Web Monitor for a higher level of privacy.
NordVPN sports modern-looking apps for all devices and offers a crystal-clear no-logging policy audited by PwC two times and Deloitte one time. Simply put, it’s a great all-rounder that won’t disappoint you in any way, which especially applies to its affordable pricing.
It has a very affordable 2-year plan that won’t cost you a fortune, yet, it’ll give you an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee. As always, you can use the button underneath to save money on its cheapest deal.
Wrapping Things Up
When residing in Canada, you don’t have to limit yourself to Canadian TV channels if you don’t like them for any reason. With a VPN like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, or NordVPN, you can easily expand your horizons and access US TV in Canada by getting an American IP address.
Just to clear things up, this solution will work no matter where you’re located. Normally, if you live in the US, you don’t need a VPN to access these channels. However, if you’re in Canada or anywhere outside of America, this is your only way to access some of the greatest channels on Earth.
Don’t be afraid to test these providers out. After all, they offer many more benefits like online privacy, safe and secure torrenting, the ability to unblock Netflix, and even the possibility to save money on online shopping.
FAQ
Now that you know how to watch US TV in Canada, let’s make sure everything’s clear by addressing a few more questions.
Is it legal to watch US TV in Canada?
The question of the legality of the method we showed is legit. However, unblocking geo-restricted content is considered legal and won’t get you in trouble. Besides, if you check the websites of US TV channels, pretty much none of them have an anti-VPN policy.
And even if they did, this is just the website’s policy and it has nothing to do with anything “legal” that could get you in trouble. For example, Netflix has an anti-VPN policy and in many of our articles, we don’t recommend using a VPN, as it violates the platform’s terms and conditions.
For US TV channels, however, you don’t have to worry. You’re technically not violating anything and you’re not doing anything against the law. It’s another thing to unblock sites and platforms illegally in your country – in this case, you might get in trouble, especially with a non-secure VPN.
For instance, if gambling sites are illegal in your jurisdiction, you shouldn’t unblock them. While the ISP won’t see this because you’re using a VPN, it’s still illegal! It’s like killing somebody – it’s illegal either way, whether or not you’re caught.
Can I unblock American TV channels with a proxy?
Unfortunately, no. Proxies won’t give you the ability to choose your virtual location, plus they’re not meant for bypassing geo-blocks. You can test any free proxy and you’ll see poor results. They’re also slow and not secure, so you’re risking your privacy in this case.
We recommend reading our VPN vs proxy comparison for more information.
Which US TV channels can I unblock with a VPN?
Any channel you want! As explained previously in this article, you can access MSNBC, ABC, NBC, Fox, the CW, Paramount, and many others. All VPNs on the list will work with every channel, so all you need is a US IP address and you’ll be good to go.
Even if you’re in the US and you want to unblock Canadian TV, you can do so with a Canadian IP from any of these VPNs – pretty neat!
