How to Watch PBS From Anywhere in 2024
I am a big fan of PBS but I find it doesn’t offer as much content in Canada (my location) compared to the US. After trying various workarounds, I learned that the only way to watch PBS from anywhere is with a VPN. While many VPNs claim to unblock PBS, my tests proved otherwise — of the 25 VPNs I tested, only 3 work consistently!
Of these 3, ExpressVPN has the most reliable connections and the fastest speeds for watching PBS in HD and without buffering. Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Guide: 3 Simple Steps to Watch PBS From Anywhere
- Download a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN since it has top speeds for watching PBS with no buffering. You can also try ExpressVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Connect to a server in the US. All 3 VPNs on the list can automatically find the fastest connection for you, so you’ll only have to select the right country.
- Log in to PBS and start watching your favorite dramas, documentaries, and independent films!
Why You Need a VPN to Watch PBS From Anywhere
PBS is blocked outside of the US and select parts of Canada and Mexico because it is a publicly-funded broadcaster that lacks the rights to stream its content elsewhere.
By connecting to a VPN server in a different country, your location and IP address are masked and replaced with information from the server. To PBS, this makes it look like your device is in the same country as the VPN server. This way, you can bypass any geoblocks and stream without restrictions.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for watching PBS programming. It offers blazing-fast streaming speeds and reliable connections, so you can watch all your favorite PBS movies and shows from anywhere!
3 Best VPNs to Watch PBS in 2024
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN With Blazing-Fast Speeds to Watch PBS
Key Features:
- 3,000+ servers in 105 countries for reliable connections around the world
- Fast speeds for streaming in Ultra-HD
- Supports up to 5 simultaneous connections
- 24/7 customer service with live chat and email support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN is great for watching PBS in the highest resolution and interruption-free with incredibly fast streaming speeds. Its standard OpenVPN protocol gave me reliable speeds that remained above 40Mbps. When I switched on the Lightway protocol in “Settings,” my speeds were even faster, at around 60Mbps. I never had to wait for the video to load or buffer!
To make it even easier, ExpressVPN lets you create shortcuts within its app which allowed me to unblock PBS right after setting up my connection. It saved me the additional couple of minutes I would’ve spent on opening my browser and logging into the PBS app manually.
Better yet, ExpressVPN easily found the best connection for me by automatically choosing the fastest server available in the country of my choice. If I found a particularly quick server while watching PBS, I could add it to my favorites by clicking on the star next to it. This meant I could connect to it again in just a few seconds next time I wanted to continue watching PBS.
If you make the most of ExpressVPN using its 30-day money-back guarantee, you’ll be able to unblock Downton Abbey and other Masterpiece dramas on PBS for free for 4 weeks. ExpressVPN is the only service on the list with “no questions asked” refunds, so you won’t have to explain why you’d like to close your account. My request was processed in less than a minute after connecting to live chat and my refund was sent back into my bank account only 4 days later.
ExpressVPN works with: Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, routers, Chrome, Kindle, Firefox, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Smart TVs.
ExpressVPN unblocks: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, YouTube TV, ESPN, and more.
Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
2. CyberGhost — Watch PBS With Optimized Streaming Servers Without Interruptions
Key Features:
- 11,800+ servers in 100 countries for fast global connections
- Dedicated streaming servers to quickly get best streaming quality
- Supports up to 7 device connections at the same time
- 24/7 customer service with live chat and email support
- 45-day money-back guarantee
CyberGhost has a range of servers optimized specifically for streaming shows and movies in high quality. Although there isn’t one specifically for PBS, the Netflix US server still gets you top speeds for watching shows and movies on streaming site. I was connected in less than 10 seconds and had stable streaming speeds at 27Mbps on average. This was fast enough for me to watch Sherlock in high definition without lags or buffering.
Despite the many available servers, I could easily find the Netflix US server by selecting the ‘For streaming’ tab and typing in ‘Netflix’ in the search bar. The app immediately displayed all of its servers in various countries I could connect to. All I had to do was double-click on one of these options.
Should you find that the optimized servers are all full, don’t worry — connecting to regular servers will still help you watch PBS without interruptions. As these locations are a bit slower, I only had to deal with an extra 15 seconds of loading time at the beginning of my stream.
You can use CyberGhost risk-free for 45 days — more than enough time to test it yourself. It’s a risk-free policy as long as you request a refund before 45 days are up. After testing CyberGhost for 4 weeks, I requested a refund and got my money back in only 4 business days.
CyberGhost works with: Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, routers, Chrome, Firefox, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.
CyberGhost unblocks: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, YouTube TV, Sling TV, ESPN, fuboTV, and more.
Editors’ Note: CyberGhost VPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
3. IPVanish — Watch PBS on Unlimited Devices
Key Features:
- 2,400 servers in over 55 countries for fast connections around the world
- Consistently fast speeds even with multiple devices connected
- Supports an unlimited number of devices
- 24/7 live chat support for any questions
- 30-day money-back guarantee
IPVanish is the only VPN on this list that offers unlimited connections. I was able to share a single subscription with all of my family and friends so that everyone could watch PBS at the same time. I tested this myself by connecting 4 PCs and 4 phones simultaneously — I was impressed that all the devices connected without any issues.
Though I doubted IPVanish would unblock PBS due to its low price, I had no problem watching my shows and movies with its servers. Better yet, I found that IPVanish works seamlessly on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and routers. It even has a native app for Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick — this meant that I could watch PBS on the big screen without any issues!
Even without extensive tech knowledge, you’ll find that IPVanish has a user-friendly app for all the devices it supports. It took me less than 5 seconds to connect to IPVanish servers in the U.S. and start watching Sherlock on PBS.
Though it offers some of the cheapest subscriptions, you can watch PBS risk-free using IPVanish and its 30-day money-back guarantee. If the service doesn’t meet your expectations, simply request a refund before your trial ends. A rep initialized my refund process after a couple of minutes, and I got my money back within 7 days.
IPVanish works with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chromebook, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and Android TV.
IPVanish unblocks: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, YouTube TV, Sling TV, ESPN, fuboTV, and more.
Start Watching PBS From Anywhere Today!
A reliable VPN can help you unblock PBS from anywhere. However, not all VPNs will work. Only the best providers — like the 3 on my list — can give you guaranteed access to PBS content with high-quality video and perfect streaming speeds.
ExpressVPN is my top choice for watching PBS due to its large selection of high-quality servers and advanced unblocking technology that works with the platform every time. Try ExpressVPN yourself risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee and unblock your favorite TV shows, movies, and documentaries.
