If you’re struggling to watch SBS live outside of Australia, you’re one of many people abroad. Sadly, SBS is region-locked to its native country, with streaming rights prohibiting its content from leaving Australian borders. What can you do?
Well, a good start would be to read this guide. Users can unblock SBS overseas and watch it live by getting an Australian IP address. This would, in return, trick the site into “thinking” you’re in this country, allowing you to access all of its content.
You’ll need a reputable VPN service with Australian servers to do this. In this guide, we’ll review the 3 best VPNs for this case and see how to use them to watch SBS outside Australia (live and on-demand). The guide will apply to all devices and locations as well.
Best VPNs to Watch SBS Outside of Australia in 2024
Finding a great VPN to unblock SBS abroad isn’t a hard feat now that you’re here.
Not all providers are suitable for streaming, however, so not all can help you access SBS. Our experts tested dozens, as always, and we concluded that these three work really well.
1. NordVPN
Pros
- The fastest VPN out there
- 10 simultaneous connections
- NordLynx protocol
- Double VPN
- Easy-to-use apps
- Works on a wide variety of streaming platforms
Cons
- Its monthly plans are slightly expensive
- Value-added taxes in some countries
So NordVPN is the absolute #1 in this regard. With hundreds of Australian servers, it can instantly unblock SBS overseas. Even better, NordVPN is considered the fastest VPN for Australia. This can be attributed to the NordLynx protocol – WireGuard’s improvement.
NordVPN ensured its 10 Gbps servers work like a charm. These are based on RAM and with unlimited bandwidth, you’ll enjoy the top-tier performance. We love NordVPN’s versatility with all of its unique features. One of them is Meshnet – great for remote control.
Another perk is the Double VPN. This feature routes your traffic through two servers in different countries, boosting your security tremendously. We’ll also mention its Threat Protection, which blocks ads and trackers that you’ll likely encounter on SBS.
Apart from letting you watch SBS live outside Australia, NordVPN also keeps no logs. It also uses Private DNS servers to prevent your DNS queries from being handled by third-party DNS services. NordVPN is compatible with all devices, which is a huge relief.
Above everything, it has 10 simultaneous connections – way more than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. We’ll also praise its amazing Firestick VPN app as well as native support for tvOS, which Apple TV users will appreciate. Generally, this is the most impressive VPN here.
However, it’s also inexpensive, which sounds awesome. NordVPN’s 2-year deal is on a juicy 60+% discount with 3 free months.
With a 30-day money-back guarantee, this becomes a risk-free VPN to watch SBS outside Australia or anywhere in the world.
2. ExpressVPN
Pros
- RAM-based servers
- Unlimited monthly bandwidth
- Streaming/P2P optimization
- It can block ads and trackers
- No-logging policy
Cons
- Not the most affordable
- It lacks Double VPN servers
ExpressVPN is NordVPN’s fiercest competitor. Offering staggering speeds, unlimited traffic, and a powerful Lightway protocol, this provider is not to be messed with. ExpressVPN has multiple locations in Australia, all capable of unblocking SBS abroad.
We tested its other servers too and can report they also work with Netflix Australia. Apart from streaming, ExpressVPN’s torrenting support is impeccable. All 3,000+ servers in 105 countries are P2P-optimized, allowing for smooth and safe torrenting.
Our team loves its Parental Control that blocks adult sites. Moreover, there’s Advanced Protection against ads, malicious sites, and trackers. ExpressVPN’s Network Lock is a state-of-the-art kill switch, ensuring total IP leak protection for more privacy.
Speaking of that, ExpressVPN doesn’t store logs and uses strictly RAM servers. You’ll love its simple apps too because they let you watch SBS live outside Australia with one click. Users can enjoy 8 simultaneous connections too, which sadly isn’t more than NordVPN’s 10.
On the brighter side, ExpressVPN works on all operating systems, including iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows, and Android. We don’t like its lack of MultiHop, which would’ve been welcome. However, ExpressVPN is still among the safest and most respectable services.
It’s a tad more expensive than NordVPN, while not necessarily better, which is why it’s our second choice. Like with NordVPN, you can snatch a 49% discount thanks to 3 free months for the annual plan. More information about ExpressVPN’s discount is here.
3. CyberGhost
Pros
- Servers optimized for watching SBS abroad
- Cheap 2-year plan
- WireGuard offers excellent performance
- It works with Netflix Australia
Cons
- Doesn’t offer obfuscation
- Slower OpenVPN speeds
- Slightly confusing Windows app
CyberGhost is optimized for streaming and unblocking SBS outside of Australia swiftly. It offers a litany of Australian servers, some of them labeled with “SBS.” One-click on an SBS-dedicated server allows you to access this channel even on another planet.
We like its speed when using WireGuard, which is handy for HD and Full HD streaming. Additionally, CyberGhost offers unlimited bandwidth and sports P2P servers in 70+ countries, so if you’re looking for anonymous P2P, this is a good option.
Our team likes CyberGhost’s ability to unblock Netflix, MAX, and several other platforms. Like other VPNs, it includes an ad blocker but also Split Tunneling that routes only specific domains through the VPN tunnel. We explained Split Tunneling in another article.
CyberGhost uses 256-bit encryption to secure your traffic. It’s accompanied by Perfect Forward Secrecy, a feature that assigns unique encryption keys to each connection. CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers are awesome too, as this company owns them.
If that means anything to you, this VPN also doesn’t keep logs and even publishes transparency reports several times a year. CyberGhost’s downside is the lack of obfuscation which can be problematic in China or Iran. Another issue is the slow speed with OpenVPN.
However, this can be easily forgiven if you take into account the price. CyberGhost is the cheapest VPN for watching SBS live outside Australia. Its 2-year plan at around $2/mo is the best deal, offering a 45-day refund policy, which is more than other VPNs on the list.
How to Watch SBS Live Overseas?
We went over the best VPNs that allow you to access SBS live outside Australia. Now that we know what are the best picks, let us explain how to use them. You’ll see that everything is pretty simple and requires merely a few minutes of your time.
1. Get a VPN From Our List (Recommended: NordVPN)
If you haven’t decided yet, let us recommend to you NordVPN. This is our #1 option for its fastest speeds, a wealth of Australian VPN servers, and unlimited bandwidth. To get NordVPN, use the button below and you’ll be transferred to its website.
This allows you to snag a time-exclusive discount on the 2-year plan. There’s a 60+% price reduction with 3 free months on top. Users also get a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, which means they can watch SBS live outside Australia risk-free.
Select the plan you want, enter your email, and use one of many payment methods to pay. After that, NordVPN will send you a confirmation email where you’ll create a password and complete the account. Now, download its application to your device.
After installing it, sign in and you’ll be greeted by its modern-looking dashboard, which looks pretty much identical on all devices.
2. Connect to a VPN Server in Australia
To watch SBS outside Australia, you’ll need an IP address from this country. Get it by opening the server list, which you can do by clicking on “More connection options.” Australia should be nearly at the top of the list. Click on it once and wait for 2-3 seconds.
NordVPN will connect, displaying the green “Connected” message in the upper-left corner of the screen. You’ll also see a green dot on the world map in the location of your new IP address – in this case, Australia.
3. Watch SBS Outside Australia (Anywhere)
It’s time to go to SBS, sign in or sign up, and start watching. With your IP address from NordVPN, you can enjoy SBS abroad as much as you want thanks to uncapped bandwidth and excellent performance. The same steps apply to all other devices.
Also, all 3 VPNs for SBS function the same and the procedure is identical. Get a VPN – obtain an Australian IP – and watch SBS live outside Australia. Couldn’t be simpler.
Should I Go With a Free VPN?
Our team also tested free VPNs but they didn’t allow us to unblock SBS overseas. They mostly lack servers in Australia and if they have them, these VPNs are unoptimized for streaming. A good example is Hide.me, which has a few servers in this country.
It, however, lacks streaming optimization and is very slow. Proton VPN offers unlimited traffic but it doesn’t come with Australian servers. We also tested PrivadoVPN whose 10 GB of monthly bandwidth isn’t enough to watch SBS outside Australia limitlessly.
Free VPNs, as explained, suffer from slow speeds and limited bandwidth while being incapable of streaming. Another glaring problem is compatibility. They don’t allow for simultaneous connections, so you can protect one device at a time.
We also dislike their lack of privacy, which many free VPNs suffer from too. Hola VPN, which works with SBS, stores logs of your private information, such as IP addresses, browsing history, and even social media data. It later sells this data to third parties.
Some free providers lack proper 256-bit encryption while others don’t work on devices like Firestick TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. That said, you can’t have an outstanding experience when you’re constantly limited and always compromised in some way.
So what’s the conclusion? Paid VPNs are better than free VPNs overall, that’s a fact.
Summary
In today’s article, you’ve learned how to watch SBS live outside Australia. Unblocking it with a reliable VPN like NordVPN takes a minute, yet, you don’t have to be a tech expert. Once you get the VPN, you can watch SBS live anywhere in the world.
It takes 2-3 seconds to connect to one of 6,300+ NordVPN’s servers. From here, you can access any Australian TV channel promptly. If you want alternatives, consider ExpressVPN, alas, at a more expensive price. CyberGhost is the most feasible alternative in this case.
It’s a tad cheaper and has SBS-optimized servers for added accessibility. Regardless of your choice, we’re confident you’ll face zero issues.
FAQ
We’ll cover a few more subjects related to watching SBS abroad for more information.
VPN not working with SBS – what to do?
If you pick any of our top 3 picks, it’s very unlikely they won’t work. However, if you experience issues and you’re facing geo-blocks despite using a VPN, you can try several fixes, such as:
- Using another VPN server
- Clearing your browser cache/cookies (particularly effective!)
- Trying another VPN protocol (OpenVPN TCP)
- Enabling obfuscation (NordVPN)
- Switching to another web browser
- Updating your VPN application
- Reinstalling the VPN
- Contacting customer support for help
In our experience, clearing the browser cache yielded excellent results. Browser cache and cookies contain “leftover” information about your location, which can be divulged to SBS, which can then detect you despite the VPN IP address in place.
Once you clear cookies and cache, restart the browser and try again. If this isn’t working, consider using other fixes. You’ll eventually make it work.
Is it legal to watch SBS outside Australia?
Yes, it’s legal. SBS is against using VPNs to access its content, which is expected from a region-locked platform. However, while doing so is against its terms of service, you won’t breach any laws, and thereby, you have nothing to fear.
Not a single user got arrested for circumventing geo-blocks and streaming with a VPN. As long as you’re not performing anything illicit, fear not.
Can I access other Australian TV channels with a VPN?
Yes, you can access all of them, including Ten Play, ABC, Channel 7, Channel 9, and many others. Just connect to the Australian VPN server and enjoy all of them. If you want, you can also access American TV channels anywhere.
