How to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

Not sure how to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia? Let us point you in the right direction.

 

Nathan Lawrence
Feb 25, 2025
Icon Time To Read2 min read

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming service with some great TV show and movie options for your viewing pleasure.

Australia isn’t exactly short of streaming services though. Between Netflix, Stan, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and Paramount Plus, that’s not just a lot of content, but an ever growing monthly entertainment fee. Cue the entry of free-to-air catch-up services that offer a decent smattering of content.

BBC iPlayer is a great free-to-air streaming service with a catch: you have to be in the UK to access it. Or do you? Follow our guide to access BBC iPlayer content from Australia.

How to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia

You need two things to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia. The first is a virtual private network (VPN) that’s adept at sidestepping BBC iPlayer’s geoblocking. And the second is a BBC iPlayer account, which is free to create.

Admittedly, you are asked to tick a confirmation box to verify you live in the UK, so as long as you don’t mind operating in the grey with that answer—something we would, of course, never officially recommend—creating a free account is a straightforward process. Simply connect to a VPN server in the UK, log in to your BBC iPlayer account and pick the content you want to play.

VPNs that work great with BBC iPlayer

What VPNs work with BBC iPlayer?

Woman using a VPN for streaming on a computer

We’ve tested a lot of VPNs at Reviews.org and the good news is that most of them are fast to load the BBC iPlayer library and stream content. The best VPN for streaming is Windscribe VPN, which works well across BBC iPlayer as well as American and Australian streaming services. Here’s a look at the VPNs we’ve reviewed with the fastest streaming for BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer VPNs compared

Brand
Cheapest price
Simultaneous connections
Details
US$5.75/mth
US$69 1-year plan
Unlimited
US$7.99/mth
US$95.99 1-year plan
5

Alternatively, Proton VPN, VPN Unlimited and Surfshark VPN worked okay with BBC iPlayer, offering moderate buffering speeds for movies and TV shows.

BBC iPlayer popular movies and TV series

What can I watch on BBC iPlayer?

There’s some great content on BBC iPlayer that would otherwise require a subscription fee to stream in Australia. For example, His Dark Materials (on Binge) and Peaky Blinders (on Netflix) are two popular TV series available on BBC iPlayer.

If you prefer movies, you can find classics like Braveheart (on Disney Plus), Spider-Man: Homecoming (on Disney Plus) and Highlander (on Binge). Whatever your preference, there are hundreds of content choices across movies and TV series on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer Australia FAQs

A BBC iPlayer account is free to create in Australia, but you’ll need a VPN to bypass the geoblock and actually stream content. For fast streaming, go with Windscribe, ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

First, get a VPN that’s compatible with a smart TV, like NordVPN, ExpressVPN or Hotspot Shield. Next, connect to a VPN server in the UK. Finally, download the BBC iPlayer app and log in to your account. Alternatively, cast content from a compatible device like a computer or tablet with BBC iPlayer installed.

BBC iPlayer is free to watch content as long as you have an account and a VPN with UK servers (basically all of them) that can bypass the geoblock. We recommend using a VPN like Windscribe, ExpressVPN or NordVPN to stream BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Nathan Lawrence
Written by
Nathan Lawrence has been banging out passionate tech and gaming words for more than 11 years. These days, you can find his work on outlets like IGN, STACK, Fandom, Red Bull and AusGamers. Nathan adores PC gaming and the proof of his first-person-shooter prowess is at the top of a Battlefield V scoreboard.

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