Only 3 Steps (Quick + Easy) to Watch Hotstar From Anywhere in 2023:
- Step 1: Install a VPN that works with Hotstar. I recommend ExpressVPN thanks to its consistently fast speeds.
- Step 2: Connect to a server in India. Open your VPN’s server menu and connect to a server in India.
- Step 3: Sign into your Hotstar account. Visit Hotstar, log into your account, and enjoy watching TV shows and live sports.
Hotstar has tons of great content, but you often lose access to it when traveling abroad. For example, my colleague from India always complains to me how he can’t access his favorite titles when he’s outside India — even though he has an active Hotstar subscription. Hotstar is available in a few other countries, including the UK and Canada, but it doesn’t offer the same content library as Hotstar in India.
Thankfully, there’s an easy solution to this issue — just use a VPN. This is a service with servers located all over the world. When you connect to a VPN server, the VPN replaces your actual IP address with an IP address that matches your new server location. This way, websites will think you’re located in the country where the VPN server is based. So, if you connect to a server in India, the VPN will give you an Indian IP address, allowing you to easily access sites like Hotstar while traveling abroad.
All of the VPNs mentioned in this article work with Hotstar without issues. ExpressVPN is my #1 pick — it has servers in India, provides the fastest speeds out there, and is one of the most user-friendly VPNs on the market.
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Best VPNs for Watching Hotstar Content in 2023
- 🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for watching Hotstar in 2023.
- 🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for accessing Hotstar on mobile.
- 🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Reliable dedicated streaming servers for Hotstar.
- 4. Surfshark — Good VPN for beginners.
- 5. NordVPN — Good for accessing other Hotstar libraries.
- Comparison of the Best VPNs for Watching Hotstar in 2023.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Watching Hotstar in 2023
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming Hotstar while traveling abroad. It works 100% of the time with Hotstar, has the fastest speeds in the industry for streaming, and offers some of the most intuitive apps out there.
The provider has 2 virtual Indian server locations — virtual servers are not physically located in their corresponding country but still provide you with an IP address from the country you actually want to connect to. My colleague tested each ExpressVPN Indian server at different times of the day, and he always had an Indian IP address and never had an issue accessing his Hotstar account.
It’s so easy to connect to an Indian server with ExpressVPN. All server locations are split into different regions, with India in the Asia Pacific menu. There’s a search bar so you can narrow your search, and ExpressVPN lets you pick your favorite servers for instant access. Also, I really like ExpressVPN’s Shortcuts feature, which allows you to choose up to 5 apps and sites to appear under your connection window so you can quickly launch them with a single click (you can add Hotstar to your Shortcuts).
What’s more, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming. It works with 100+ other streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. ExpressVPN also includes split-tunneling, which is a convenient feature that lets you choose which apps should use a VPN connection and which apps should connect directly through your internet service provider (ISP).
ExpressVPN’s security features are some of the strongest you can find on the market. It has a strict no-logs policy that’s been independently verified by auditors, and it uses RAM-only servers, which means your data is completely erased each time the server is rebooted. Also, it has perfect forward secrecy (changes your encryption keys to prevent past and future keys from being hacked) and includes full leak protection — I ran multiple IP leak tests and ExpressVPN reliably prevented IP leaks each time.
ExpressVPN has plans that start at $6.67 / month — these prices are a bit expensive, but it’s totally worth the extra cost because it’s the best VPN on the market in 2023. All ExpressVPN plans are backed by a no-risk 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Accessing Hotstar on Mobile
Private Internet Access (PIA) has fast speeds, robust security, and customizable mobile apps. PIA offers virtual servers for India — and these work reliably with Hotstar.
PIA is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve ever tested. My colleague was able to stream live cricket matches in HD with no delays, and 4K videos played after only a few seconds of initial buffering — but it was still slightly slower than ExpressVPN. I also like that PIA displays the latency of each of its servers (a measure of how long it takes the internet signal to travel from your device to the server) to help you select the fastest server.
PIA’s mobile apps offer extensive customization options. With its iOS and Android apps, you can change many preferences, including encryption levels, VPN protocols, and your public Wi-Fi connection preferences. My colleague managed to get a 15% speed boost by using a combination of 128-bit AES encryption plus the WireGuard protocol for faster streaming speeds for watching shows on Hotstar.
The mobile apps feature a neat and uncluttered interface. The main menu shows you the currently selected VPN server and includes a button to open the full list of available servers. Plus, it has quick connect buttons for your favorite servers, so you can instantly connect to its Indian server for Hotstar.
You’ll also like that PIA has great streaming support and works with many other top streaming services. Plus, PIA’s split-tunneling feature is even better than ExpressVPN because it lets you exclude apps as well as website IP addresses from the VPN connection — ExpressVPN can only exclude apps.
Like ExpressVPN, PIA also includes advanced security features like RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection (I never saw a leak in any of my tests). PIA’s no-logs policy also passed an independent audit, and all of its apps are open-source — this means anyone can inspect their code for cracks in security.
Private Internet Access’s plans start at $2.19 / month, making it one of the cheapest VPNs on the market. PIA backs all of its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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Read our full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Reliable Dedicated Streaming Servers for Hotstar
CyberGhost VPN is a beginner-friendly VPN with excellent streaming support. Its apps have a neat and clean design, which makes it easy to navigate, and its streaming servers are categorized so users can easily find the right server for Hotstar and other streaming sites they want to access.
My colleague said the dedicated Hotstar server worked on every attempt. It allowed him to stream videos in 4K quality with minor buffering and no other interruptions — the speeds were similar to Private Internet Access but slower than ExpressVPN.
CyberGhost VPN is one of my favorite VPNs in terms of ease of use. Setting up and using the app for the first time is very intuitive. I also appreciate that you can set specific servers as a favorite for a quick 1-click connection from the main menu screen. I also like its Smart Rules feature, which allows you to tinker with connection preferences — for example, my colleague set it up to automatically connect to the Hotstar streaming server as soon as he launched the CyberGhost app.
CyberGhost VPN has advanced security features, including RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection. Its no-logs policy has been independently audited and verified, and CyberGhost also publishes transparency reports, which disclose the number of requests it received for user data and how it never handed anything over.
CyberGhost VPN offers plans starting at $2.11 / month and covers its long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee (the shortest plan has a 14-day refund window).
Read our full CyberGhost VPN review
4. Surfshark — Good Hotstar VPN for Beginners
Surfshark’s apps are easy to use and simple to navigate, allowing someone who has never used a VPN to quickly connect to the Indian server and start streaming Hotstar content. The VPN window displays the last couple of servers you connected, to so it takes just 1 click to reconnect to one of them, and you also can set up multiple automatic connection preferences under the Settings menu.
This VPN provided my colleague with good streaming speeds, but it was still not as fast as ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN. Hotstar’s site loaded in less than 2–3 seconds for my colleague, and 4K videos took around 5 seconds to load and there was sometimes noticeable buffering at the start of the videos.
Beyond Hotstar, Surfshark supports many other streaming services. This includes Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer.
Surfshark is also good for securing your connections to Hotstar. It has advanced security features like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy. However, unlike ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN, it’s missing full leak protection (it only has DNS leak protection) — that said, I never experienced any leaks in my tests.
Surfshark’s prices start at only $2.30 / month, so it’s very affordable. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Surfshark review
5. NordVPN — Decent Option for Accessing Other Hotstar Libraries
NordVPN is a good pick for accessing other Hotstar libraries, including Hotstar Canada and UK. Unfortunately, it can’t access the Indian library since it’s the only VPN on this list that doesn’t have Indian servers.
The VPN also comes with a smart DNS and SmartPlay. The smart DNS lets you access streaming content on devices that don’t support VPNs, like certain smart TV models. Also, SmartPlay mixes smart DNS and VPN technology, making it harder for sites like Hotstar to detect your VPN connections — and SmartPlay is enabled across all of the provider’s servers.
I also like how user-friendly this VPN is. I asked my colleague from the UK to test the provider’s apps — he said it only took 2 minutes to install them on his devices, and just 5 seconds to find and connect to a server to start accessing Hotstar UK.
NordVPN has tier-based subscriptions with plans that start at $4.99 / month. It also backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Comparison of the Best VPNs for Accessing Hotstar in 2023
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How to Choose the Best VPN for Accessing Hotstar in 2023
- Pick a VPN that can consistently access Hotstar. All of the VPNs I recommend work reliably with Hotstar. My colleague from India never had an issue accessing his account at any time of the day while traveling abroad.
- Get a VPN with excellent streaming support. The VPNs on my list work with other popular streaming sites as well, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime.
- Look for a VPN with fast streaming speeds. VPN encryption always leads to a slower connection, but all the VPNs listed here minimize this speed drop due to an advanced server network. ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds in my tests.
- Select a VPN that’s easy to use. I only recommend VPNs that offer dedicated apps for multiple platforms, have intuitive interfaces, and work as intended without any errors or glitches.
- Opt for a VPN with strong security. I only recommend VPNs that include industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch (protects traffic leaks by shutting down your connection if the VPN disconnects), leak protection, and a no-logs policy that prevents the VPN from tracking your online activities.
- Choose a VPN that provides good value. All the VPNs on my list support at least 5 simultaneous connections, offer competitive pricing plans, and back each plan with money-back guarantees.
Access Hotstar with ExpressVPN Now
How to Watch Hotstar Content on Any Device
How to Watch Hotstar Content on Your PC or Mac Device
- Choose a VPN that works with Hotstar. I recommend ExpressVPN because it offers the best apps for Windows and macOS, and it maintains the fastest speeds for streaming services like Hotstar.
- Download and install the VPN. Just follow the instructions provided by the installation wizard (it takes less than 2 minutes).
- Connect to a server in India, and log into your Hotstar account. Have a good time enjoying your favorite content on Hotstar!
How to Watch Hotstar Content on Your Smartphone or Tablet
- Pick a good VPN for Hotstar. ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access both have great mobile apps and are consistently able to access Hotstar.
- Download and install the VPN. Simply download the VPN app from the Apple Store or Play Store. Follow the on-screen instructions in the apps to complete the setup on your device (only takes 1–2 minutes).
- Launch the VPN, connect to a server in India, and open the Hotstar app. Watch your favorite shows or enjoy Hotstar’s live coverage of sporting events.
How to Watch Hotstar Content on Your Smart TV
- Get a VPN that can access Hotstar. ExpressVPN works great for smart TVs, Android TVs, and routers.
- For Android TVs. Open the app store on your TV and download the VPN. Then, open the VPN and connect to your local server.
- For other smart TVs. Download and install the VPN on your router (ExpressVPN supports most routers via a dedicated router app). Connect the VPN to a server — now, all devices connected to your router will automatically be connected to the VPN.
- Launch Hotstar on your Android TV or smart TV. That’s it — you can start streaming your favorite Hotstar shows.
How to Watch Hotstar Content on Amazon Fire Stick
- Choose a great VPN for Hotstar. I recommend ExpressVPN because it has a user-friendly Amazon Fire Stick app.
- Download and install the VPN app from the app store. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the VPN to your Fire Stick.
- Open the VPN, connect to a local server, and launch the Hotstar app. You can now access your favorite content from back home anywhere in the world.
Access Hotstar with ExpressVPN Now
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best VPN for streaming Hotstar?
ExpressVPN is my top pick — it works with Hotstar 100% of the time, and it has lightning-fast speeds, excellent security features, and easy-to-use apps for all of your major devices.
Does Hotstar work in other countries?
Yes, but there’s a catch. Hotstar has an app in the UK, Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, but the Hotstar content library in each of these countries is different from the library for Hotstar India. A show that is available on Hotstar India may not be offered in another country.
So, if you travel outside India, you might lose access to your favorite titles. Luckily, you can use a VPN to fix this issue. My favorite VPN for Hotstar is ExpressVPN — it has virtual servers in India that provide fast streaming speeds.
Can I use a free VPN to stream Hotstar?
You can, but I advise against it — free VPNs typically don’t have servers in India, preventing you from watching Hotstar. For the few free VPNs that have servers in India and allow streaming, most don’t work with Hotstar, are slow, have strict data limits, and lack essential security features. Instead, I recommend getting a premium VPN like ExpressVPN — it has servers in India, can access Hotstar, and is very fast.
How can I access Hotstar India from the US?
You can access some Hotstar content in the US via Hulu and ESPN+, which are part of the Disney+ bundle. However, if you’re traveling to the US from India and want full access to all of the Indian content on Hotstar, then you’ll need a VPN that has servers in India and works with Hotstar. My favorite VPN for accessing Hotstar is ExpressVPN. It’s secure, fast, and easy to use across all platforms, plus it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
