Hotstar is the largest Indian streaming platform, now under the ownership of Disney+. This platform is known for a variety of Bollywood movies and shows that Indians and people abroad find very charming. Unfortunately, Hotstar is very hard to access if you don’t live in India.
The platform is known for harsh geo-restrictions that make it available only in a few selected countries – to be precise, only three. Users in India get a full-fledged version of the platform, while those in the US and Canada get a watered-down version with very few shows and movies.
So if you’re not located in South Asia and you’re hell-bent on accessing this platform, how to watch Hotstar outside of India? That is the question that I’ll answer today, as I show you an easy way to unblock Hotstar abroad and watch it no matter your location.
How to Watch Hotstar Outside of India?
Let’s start off this guide by talking about the very subject of this article and that is how to watch Hotstar outside of India. To do that, you’ll need to trick the platform into believing that you’re located in this country, which can be done by changing your IP address to India.
Something like this can only be done with a VPN, though. A VPN or Virtual Private Network will help you change your online location to another country and bypass geo-restrictions such as this one, but beware that not every VPN will work with Hotstar for the reasons that I’ll discuss later.
For now, let me give you a few small steps that will allow you to access Hotstar abroad.
1. Get a VPN Subscription
If you want to make sure this solution works, I recommend going for a high-quality, premium provider like ExpressVPN. Despite having virtual servers in this country due to India’s new data-collection legislation, it still works with Hotstar with no issues.
You can subscribe to ExpressVPN by using the button below, which will let you claim a 49% discount and 3 months free for the 1-year plan. You’ll even get a 30-day money-back guarantee allowing you to get a full refund if you’re not satisfied.
Simply use the button above, choose the plan, and select the payment method. Proceed to the next step.
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2. Install a VPN on Your Device and Sign In
All you have to do now is install the app on your device. I’m using my Windows PC but ExpressVPN works even on mobile platforms where the steps are exactly the same. Once you install the app by following the steps from ExpressVPN, sign in.
This can be done by using the provided email/password or by using the activation code you get after the subscription process. Once you do all of that, you’ll get to the dashboard that looks like this:
3. Connect to a VPN Server in India
From here, it’s easy to connect to a VPN server in India and watch Hotstar overseas. Open the server list, click on All Locations, and choose Asia Pacific. You’ll see India below. Double-click on it and ExpressVPN will connect you to the server in two seconds.
You now have an Indian IP address which should trick Hotstar into believing that you’re really located in this country.
4. Watch Hotstar Outside India
To make sure this is the case, visit Hotstar and see what happens. In my case, as you can see, I managed to access the platform without problems even though I’m located in Europe.
Best VPN to Watch Hotstar Abroad: Top 3 for 2024
While not as difficult to unblock as Netflix or Hulu, Hotstar can still detect a majority of VPNs and prevent your access in return. Not many providers can reliably unblock Hotstar outside of India, but with these 3, you shouldn’t have any issues.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN removed its physical servers from India as soon as the country announced that all providers in the country should keep user information. However, it quickly came back with virtual servers that allow you to get an Indian IP address while being located somewhere else. It is anything but a coincidence that many consider it the best VPN in India.
Currently, the provider offers two virtual locations that are a part of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries. ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN you can get as well, which is essential for smooth streaming without long buffering, stuttering, and other interruptions.
Its unblocking capabilities are awesome. It’ll work not only with Hotstar outside of India but also with Disney+ (see our list of VPNs that work on Disney+), BBC iPlayer, Peacock TV, and Hulu abroad. In addition, it offers easy-to-use apps for all systems, allowing you to watch Hotstar on macOS, Android, iOS, or any other platform.
ExpressVPN’s users can enjoy impenetrable security thanks to 256-bit encryption, an automatic kill switch, and a certified no-logging policy. The provider comes with 5 simultaneous connections and offers 24/7 live chat support if any issues arise.
That shouldn’t happen, as ExpressVPN’s reliability is at the highest possible level. While not the most affordable, you can still lower its price significantly with a 49% discount and 3 free months for the annual plan that you can get below.
Take a look at our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.
2. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is ExpressVPN’s brother as they both reside under the Kape Technologies umbrella. Much like ExpressVPN, it has 29 virtual servers in Mumbai that will work flawlessly with Hotstar, Voot, and other Indian TV channels and platforms.
In its app, you can find dedicated streaming servers in India, too. They’ll allow you to unblock Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix India just in case you want to expand your streaming capabilities further. Additionally, it has solid performance and comes with the WireGuard protocol for more stable connections.
CyberGhost stores no logs and publishes transparency reports every 3 months. I also like its ad blocker that works perfectly, along with IPv6/DNS leak protection for preventing unwanted leaks. Unlike ExpressVPN, it comes with 7 simultaneous connections which is one less.
Granted, its desktop app isn’t as intuitive and I would like it to be able to work in China. However, this is the cheapest provider on this list, with a 2-year plan that’ll cost you less than $2.5 a month. Heck, you even get a 45-day money-back guarantee for all long-term plans!
Don’t hesitate – try it risk-free for 45 days. For more information, check out our full CyberGhost review.
3. Surfshark
Talking about cheap VPN providers, let me tell you more about Surfshark. It’s a highly-secure VPN that will allow you to watch Hotstar outside of India thanks to many virtual servers in the country. They are a part of 3,200+ servers in 100 countries which makes for a fairly impressive server network.
Surfshark lacks the performance of ExpressVPN and CyberGhost but it’s still enough to enjoy a great streaming experience on Hotstar, Netflix, or any other platform. It’s very easy to use and comes with useful additions like MultiHop and a kill switch for added security.
The provider supports WireGuard as well and offers unlimited simultaneous connections for protecting as many devices as you want at no additional cost. Surfshark also has a great VPN app for Android TV and Fire TV Stick, which allows you to watch Hotstar abroad on a big screen.
As said, it’s pretty cheap and that applies to its 2-year plan that sports a 30-day money-back guarantee with no conditions. As always, you can get the cheapest deal below and enjoy some of the best Bollywood content on the planet from anywhere.
Check out our Surfshark review to learn more about this service.
Will Any Free VPN for Hotstar Work?
Unfortunately, they won’t work. Free VPNs for Hotstar don’t even exist given that free providers have NO servers in India. Now, you’ll say that some of them have servers in the US and Canada which is true, but even in this case, Hotstar always seems to detect free VPNs and block them.
On top of that, the US and Canadian versions of the site are severely cut-down so I don’t recommend bothering with them. Not to mention that free providers come with monthly bandwidth limits and slow speeds, none of which will better your streaming pleasure.
In addition, many free providers are not secure and some of them are known for collecting and selling your personal info to third parties. With so many compromises, getting a free VPN for Hotstar is pointless and isn’t going to work at all.
But I always say that I recommend you do the testing, so get yourself some free VPN providers and go for it. In 10 minutes, you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Hotstar Not Working With a VPN
If Hotstar isn’t working with your VPN, you’re doing something wrong. You might be using a VPN that’s not on our list, one that isn’t guaranteed to work. Hotstar most likely detected that you’re using it and gave you an error message like this:
This happens if you use a Virtual Private Network that isn’t working with the platform, which could also imply that you’re using a free VPN. Also, you can experience a problem like this, where the website fails to load, it doesn’t function, and stays like this infinitely:
Whatever the case, it means that you’re not located in India or other eligible countries, either because you’re not using a VPN or because you’re using one that’s detected.
The solution? Quite simple – use a VPN that REALLY works with Hotstar!
If you use a provider from our list and you encounter a similar error, make sure you change the server and try again. Sometimes, it’ll help to clear out the browser cache as it contains information about your real location.
Or perhaps, you can try switching to another browser, which often helps me as well. When switching from Chrome to Edge, I managed to unblock some platforms like BBC iPlayer and Netflix with no problems.
Summary
Watching Hotstar outside of India isn’t very hard after all. VPNs like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Surfshark will work with no issues thanks to their ability to give you an IP address from India. You should avoid free providers that aren’t capable of unblocking streaming platforms like this one.
However, you can also use the providers I mentioned for free for a limited period of 30 or 45 days (CyberGhost). This way, you can watch all your favorite shows and movies on the platform and get a refund if you don’t want to pay for a VPN anymore.
Although to be honest, many people avoid getting a refund knowing that these providers offer impeccable security, safe torrenting, secure gaming, and many more useful benefits.
FAQ
Let’s discuss a few more questions related to watching Hotstar outside of India.
Is Hotstar free?
To make it clear, this is primarily a premium streaming service, which requires a monthly subscription. However, if you’re in India or you have an Indian IP, you can opt for a free version. This version is riddled with ads, of course, and you can’t watch all the content on the site.
The good news is that even the free version is decent for many, as you can still access plenty of Bollywood’s finest movies and shows. This free version is accessible through the VPN the way we explained – by connecting to an Indian server.
Now, there’s also a paid option in this case. The Super plan starts at ₹899 and offers up to 1080p video quality, Dolby 5.1 audio, and up to 2 logged-in devices simultaneously. A better plan is called Premium, which costs ₹299 a month or ₹1,499 a year.
It comes with the option for 4 simultaneous log-ins, Dolby 5.1 audio, and 4K quality. Bear in mind that it also includes Disney+ content, which is discussed below.
Does Disney+ Hotstar offer different content than Indian Hotstar?
Yes, it does. Hotstar doesn’t exist anymore the way it did before. Disney+ now owns it and it’s rebranded as Disney+ Hotstar. This means you’ll be getting classic Indian content in combination with Disney+ movies and series on a single website with a premium plan.
If you’re stuck with a free plan, you can access limited content and can’t watch Disney+ movies/series.
Can I watch Hotstar with NordVPN?
Unfortunately, you can’t. NordVPN removed its physical servers from India a long time ago because of Indian data logging and censorship laws. It doesn’t offer any virtual servers either, so the company will be absent from the country in 2024.
ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Surfshark have virtual servers in this case. They’re not in India but rather somewhere else, and they’re just “simulating” your Indian IP. Still, it’s enough to unblock Hotstar abroad and let you watch it without limits.
