How to watch Hulu in the UK (Simple Solution in 2023)

With more than 46 million subscribers in the US alone, Hulu is certainly one of the best streaming services around. The reason is simple – it offers a huge selection of classic movies, TV shows, and Hulu originals. In short, this is a streaming platform worthy of your time.

But if you want to watch Hulu in the UK, there is one big problem. Right now, Hulu is only available in the US, Puerto Rico, and Japan due to numerous licensing and geo-blocking laws that are restricting access for the rest of the world. This means that even if you have a paid subscription, Hulu will become unavailable once you leave these 3 countries and visit the UK. This is quite annoying since this streaming service offers such a huge variety of content.

This leads to a question: “Is there anything I can do about this issue?” Luckily, the answer is yes. With the help of a virtual private networks (VPN), you can bypass these restrictions and start streaming Hulu in the UK today.

How do VPNs work?

VPNs allow you to change your IP address by connecting you to servers outside of your country. By choosing a US server, you will be able to access Hulu from anywhere in the world, exactly as if you were in the United States. And yes, using a VPN service is completely legal.

So far so good, but things get more complicated as not every VPN is created equal. Thats why you will want a VPN with fast speeds, huge server networks, and unlimited bandwidth. Also, this service has to be constantly updated, as Hulu is actively working on ways to stop unauthorized streaming.

As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts, which makes it difficult for casual users to figure out which VPN is worth their time. To save you the trouble, we have tested and compared the most popular premium VPN services. After the dust had settled, we found 3 VPNs that clearly stood out.

---

---

---

This article will cover them all in depth. But first, there are a couple of things that we need to resolve.

How much does a Hulu subscription cost?

Let’s not forget that Hulu is a paid service, and there is no way to use it without subscribing. Hulu lets you choose between 5 subscription plans and we will cover them from the least to most expensive.

1. Hulu Basic

This is the most popular subscription, due to its low price point. With it, you will get access to the whole library of classic movies and great TV shows. Hulu Basic lets you make 6 profiles and stream on 2 devices simultaneously. The drawbacks are that you won’t be able to download any content and will have to sit through occasional ads. If that sounds good, you can get this plan for $7.99 or £6.89/month.

2. Hulu (No Ads)

If you are looking for an adless experience and a way to watch Hulu in the UK while offline, this one’s for you. This plan will cost you $14,99/month or £12,96/month.

3. Hulu + Live TV

If Hulu is not enough to satisfy your appetite for binging, you can always add 75+ live channels into the mix. They cover everything from sports to news and entertainment.

On top of this, you’ll also get 50 hours of cloud storage, so you can save your favorite shows for later. You can purchase this plan for $69,99 or £60,41/month. Unfortunately, it also contains ads.

4. Hulu + Live TV (No Ads)

This is the priciest option and includes all of the benefits listed above but without any ads. It will be yours for £65,55/month aka $75.88.

5. Hulu Bundle

Hulu, ESPN+, and Disney Plus are all owned by the same company, so it makes sense that they would combine their services into one plan. The Basic Bundle costs £12.09/month, the no-ads plan is £17.27/month or £65.62/month if you want to include a Live TV plan.

!Note: Hulu Basic and Hulu (No Ads) plans offer a 30-day free trial. Both Hulu + Live TV plans can be tested for 3 months at a lower price – £50/month.

How to purchase a Hulu subscription to watch Hulu in the UK?

Unfortunately, just changing your IP address with VPN won’t be enough to get a subscription if you are a non-US resident. The reason? The way in which Hulu processes payments.

You will have to pay for your subscription with a credit card, and since it is not registered in the US, Hulu will automatically block you. So, what can you do? Here are 3 solutions to this problem.

1. Subscribe from the US

If you have a friend or family in America, this will be the easiest solution. All they need to do is visit Hulu, register with their credit card, and send you the login info. Keep in mind that you still need to use VPN.

2. Buy a gift card to start streaming Hulu in the UK

They are readily available online, so this is your best next bet. What you need to do is …

1. Visit PayPal, Gamivo, or MyGiftCardSupply and buy a Hulu gift card 
   
   You will then get a code via email that you’ll have to use to activate the subscription.
   
2. Start your VPN and connect to the US server
   
3. Visit Hulu
   
   Now, simply follow the sign-up process and enter the code when needed.

Note: MyGiftCardSupply accepts a dozen of non-US payment methods, including Bank Vire, Oxxo, Bitcoin, Perfect Money, and Western Union.

3. Create an American Virtual Credit Card

A digital prepaid card can be used for many American services, so this will be an even better option for some. We’d recommend using US Unlocked, as it is one of the most popular and reliable virtual credit card services.

1. Connect to a VPN of your choice, download the app, then select a US server
   
    It’s best to use New York as it’s usually the closest (from the UK).
   
2. Visit US Unlocked and Sign Up
   
   Keep an ID or passport handy as you’ll need to confirm your identity. Enter our credit card info to finish this process.
   
3. Go to Hulu …
   
   and fill in the details until you reach the payment section. Visit your US Unlocked profile and copy the credit card info, address, and zip code.

Congratulations, now you are subscribed to Hulu!

Now let’s examine the best VPNs for watching Hulu from the UK.

Nord VPN – Best option for streaming Hulu in the UK

NordVPN is an impressive app, even among the competing premium VPNs. With nearly 2000 servers in the US alone and its high-speed bandwidth, you can easily use it to watch Hulu in the UK.

NordVPNs servers run on RAM, meaning they don’t collect or log any user activity. This level of privacy is a gold standard in the world of VPNs. NordVPN is also a no logs VPN service that has passed independent third-party audits. The company can continue to operate as a no logs service as it is based in Panama and is not required to retain user data.

NordVPN also claims to be one of the fastest VPNs on the market due to its custom-made NordLynx protocol. This is an improved version of the Wireguard VPN protocol, which is known for its impressive bandwidth speeds and fast server connections.

For those with a healthy dose of skepticism, we’ve decided to check if NordVPN does indeed have the edge over the competition. The answer is yes, especially when used for streaming Hulu in the UK. You can find out more in our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison, and below you can see the download speeds we achieved when streaming from a Seattle server.

By the way, you shouldn’t worry if this is your first time using a VPN. NordVPN’s user interface is as intuitive and straightforward as it gets.

The app also comes with many features that will ensure your privacy and security remain intact. Let’s quickly run through them.

• Threat protection – a powerful anti-malware tool that works in real-time
• Obfuscated servers – hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, which is important if you live in a country with restricted access to the web (useful if you need a VPN for UAE or China).
• Double-VPN servers – a tool that directs your traffic through two VPN servers for extra protection
• Dedicated IP address – your IP address is exclusive and not shared with other users
• Tor-over-VPN servers – this tool provides you with the highest level of anonymity and security available. However, this comes at a price. These servers can be slow (thanks to the Tor network) and should not be used for streaming.

NordVPN is available on a wide variety of modern devices. Aside from your regular Smartphones, PCs, and Smart TVs, you can use it on Roku and Chromebook as well. Actually, it’s among the top VPNs for Firestick. This may not be the cheapest service on the list, but one subscription will let you connect with 6 devices simultaneously.

And one shouldn’t forget their amazing customer service, available 24/7 via live chat through the official website. If you somehow end up dissatisfied, the 30-day refund guarantee will let you try the service without any risk!

If you want to learn more, check out our NordVPN review.

---

Surfshark – A solid budget-friendly VPN for Hulu streaming

Next, we have an underdog coming all the way from the Netherlands. Surfshark has been on the market for only four years, but in that time it has cemented itself as one of the best VPNs around. This was by no means an accident.

To start, all of Surfshark is one of the few VPNs that gives you an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. This means you can connect every single device in your house to the VPN service, at the same time. It is also one of the best cheap VPN services that has been independently audited and also offers premium features.

Surfshark has 600+ US servers you can use to watch Hulu in the UK. They are reliable and allow fast bandwidth speeds, which is perfect for streaming Hulu shows in full HD or even 4K from the UK.

Surfshark is built with casual users in mind, which is evident from its intuitive user interface. Just select the closest US server, such as New York, connect to it, and you are good to go.

This VPN has 7 advanced features that will improve your privacy, security, and speed.

• Split tunneling
• Clean Web
  
  Blocks everything from ads to trackers and malware, so you can securely surf online and start streaming Hulu in the UK.
  
• Obfuscation
  
  By default, VPNs give you privacy. If you are using a good VPN, no one will know what you are doing, but your ISP will still be aware that you are using a VPN. Obfuscation provides you with much-needed anonymity by hiding your VPN traffic under the guise of HTTPS traffic. This is especially useful in countries where VPNs are in the gray zone, such as China, or outright illegal.
  
• Double-VPN servers
  
  Funnel your traffic through 2 servers to improve your encryption. While this is more secure, it might considerably slow down your bandwidth, so we wouldn’t use this tool for streaming Hulu in the UK.
  
• WireGuard
  
  WireGuard is a new VPN protocol that offers impressive bandwidth speeds and improved encryption.

Starting at £2.07/month, Surfshark is among the most affordable VPN services. This is impressive, considering you will get 24/7 live customer support and an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. With all this going for it, it would be hard to pass on Surfshark if you are looking for a budget-friendly premium VPN.

There’s a lot more to learn about the service, and you can start by reading our Surfshark VPN review.

---

Watch Hulu in the UK smoothly with ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the next best choice for streaming Hulu in the UK. The company is situated in the British Virgin Islands, which is another location that adheres to the no-logs policy. Add to this a strong network (500+) of fast US servers, and we’re off to a good start. There are 25 server locations in total, including Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and New York.

With a combination of 256-bit AES encryption and RAM disk servers, ExpressVPN makes sure that your privacy stays intact. Strong encryption is supported by a sophisticated Lightway protocol, which is a direct competitor to WireGuard.

The jury is still out on which one is better, but they both blew OpenVPN out of the water, in terms of speed. This is significant, since most VPNs still use OpenVPN protocol, making them a bit outdated. By the way, you can learn more about the performance difference between WireGuard vs OpenVPN here.

ExpressVPN supports many modern devices, including less popular ones like Amazon FireStick, Kindle Fire, Chromebook, etc.

This is important if you want to watch Hulu in the UK. One ExpressVPN account will let your whole family watch Hulu in the UK, as you can have 5 simultaneous connections. The service is also user-friendly, thanks to the clear-cut and intuitive interface.

But, this wouldn’t be a premium VPN if it didn’t come with a bunch of useful tools that will bring your privacy and security to a whole another level. Most importantly, we have …

• Split Tunneling
  
  Allow some of your apps to bypass VPN and connect directly to the Internet. This, in turn, conserves bandwidth and alleviates bottlenecks.
  
• Kill Switch
  
  Let’s say you’ve been streaming Hulu in the UK and suddenly your VPN stops working. If there’s no Kill Switch, your identity would immediately be compromised and Hulu would block your IP address. Basically, Kill Switch protects your privacy by disconnecting you from the internet if things go South.

It’s also important to mention that a 3rd party has successfully audited ExpressVPN. This means that their service is up to the highest standards of the industry.

Still have some doubts? You can test ExpressVPN for free, thanks to their 30-day trial period. If you aren’t impressed, just use the refund feature to get your money back. They also have a 24/7 live chat service which will address any question you might have. All in all, ExpressVPN is definitely a service to consider for streaming Hulu in the UK.

Learn even more about the service by reading our in-depth ExpressVPN review.

---

How to unblock and start streaming Hulu in the UK

Once you’ve picked your VPN and subscribed to Hulu, you can easily start streaming Hulu today. This straightforward and detailed guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions. To start streaming Hulu in the UK just …

1. Pick a premium VPN

When streaming shows, you’ll want to stick with a paid VPN service (we will explain why later). All of the services we mentioned above are intuitive, reliable, and backed by a huge network of US servers.

2. Install and open your VPN

ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark work perfectly on a wide variety of devices.

!Note: If you want to use a VPN on your mobile device, you will also need to put the US as your app store location. This is how you can do it on your iPad, while the setup for Android is pretty similar.

1. Visit Settings > Profile > Media & Purchases > View Account

Complete your verification by entering a password or using your Touch ID.

2. Go to Country/Region > Change Country or Region

My VPN won’t allow me to watch Hulu in the UK

Unfortunately, Hulu and similar streaming services will do their best to stop people from using a VPN. Remember, they have to do this because of numerous licensing and distribution rights. From a user perspective, this doesn’t make much sense, as you will still have to pay for the Hulu subscription.

Anyway, Hulu’s defenses are constantly improving, and more and more VPNs have trouble passing its restrictions. Here are a few things you should consider if your VPN doesn’t let you start streaming Hulu in the UK.

1. The cookies on your browser show your actual location

You can fix this by clearing all cookies and cache from your browser. We will show you how to do this with Firefox, but the process is similar if you are using Chrome or Brave as well.

• In the top right corner, open the drop-down menu
• Go to Preferences > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data section
• Tick both boxes and confirm the action by hitting Clear

Note: Doing this will erase your saved passwords and some preferences, so make sure that you’ve saved them somewhere beforehand. If the issue still persists, you should switch to another browser.

2. The new IP address and GPS location are not synced

While NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN all do this automatically, some VPNs require that you go to your device settings and manually change the location.

3. Your real IP address is leaking

To fix this, visit your VPN settings and check if the leak protection is turned ON.

4. The server your VPN uses has been blacklisted by Hulu

This is the worst-case scenario, but you still have some options. You can either switch to a different VPN (see above), or just wait to see if your VPN provider sorts this out. If you’re using a free VPN though, this might take a while, if it ever happens.

Note: If your issues persist, you should contact your customer support. The best VPNs will have 24/7 live chat on their official website.

What if my device doesn’t have VPN support?

Even today, there are still some devices that won’t let you install a VPN service. The only solution is to use a VPN router to connect your device to and start streaming Hulu in the UK. Some of them are subpar, but you can check our top picks of VPNs for Apple TV, which also work on Smart TVs and similar devices.

Luckily, a VPN router isn’t really that expensive and doesn’t require you to be a tech savant to set it up. This VPN router guide will show you how to easily do this.

Can I watch Hulu in the UK with a free VPN?

If you go to Google Play or the Apple App store, you will notice that they offer many free VPNs. So, the question naturally arises: “Why would I even use a paid VPN service?”

While you may be tempted, we don’t recommend using free VPNs to watch Hulu in the UK. There are many reasons.

Paid VPNs like NordVPN or ExpressVPN use a lot of money to provide the best service they can. Free VPN providers simply can’t compete with these giants as they lack resources. This is why free VPN services have to impose restrictions by setting up monthly bandwidth limits, throttling download speed, and limiting device support. Also, most of them lack a decent server network.

When brought together, these restrictions result in a terrible streaming experience when using a free VPN. I’m sure you can imagine it: you are excited to start streaming Hulu in the UK, only to find that your show keeps freezing. As if that’s not frustrating enough, you suddenly get informed that you’ve spent your monthly bandwidth.

Also, don’t forget that streaming services like Hulu do their best to detect and block VPNs. Numerous server domains get blacklisted daily, so VPNs have to constantly jump through hoops and adapt to new restrictions. The services we covered above can easily adapt, but free VPNs do not have a huge backlog of IP addresses at their fingertips. Because of this, they simply can’t compete with premium services.

And we still have not gotten to the best part…

The dangers of streaming Hulu in the UK with free VPNs

Basically, we believe that a vast majority of free VPN services actually jeopardize your privacy and security. This is backed by a study that was done on 250+ free mobile VPN apps. The statistics speak for themselves:

• 75% of VPNs contained tracking libraries 
• Over 38% of free VPNs hid malicious software
• Over 84% of free VPNs were linked with IP address and DNS leaks

Unfortunately, most of the free VPNs are the antithesis of their original purpose. These services will actually acquire your personal info which then gets sold to the ad companies. After all, they have got to find some way of earning their cash.

However, some free VPNs stay loyal to their original purpose. They may not be ideal for streaming Hulu in the UK, but they’re still your best free option.

List of devices supported by Hulu

As you can see below, Hulu is available on most modern devices.

• Android phones & tablets – models running at least Android 5.0 and with a screen size of 800 x 480 px
• Android TVs – including devices like Xiaomi Mi Box and Nvidia Shield. If you are unsure, just visit the Google Play store to verify if your device supports Hulu.
• Apple TV – Hulu will work on the 4th generation and beyond.
• Chromecast
• Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, & Fire tablets – With Fire OS 5 or higher, you will be able to watch Hulu in the UK. You can also control Hulu with your voice if you pair it with an Alexa device like Echo Show.
• iPhones and iPads – Support for every Apple device with iOS 13.4 and higher.
• LG TV – Hulu comes preinstalled on all devices that run webOS 3.5.
• PC and Mac
• Playstation – works only on current and last gen Playstations (4 & 5)
• Roku devices – Roku Smart TVs and Streaming Stick with firmware version 11
• Samsung TV – available on most models starting from 2016. TizenOS is required.
• Xbox – works on current and last gen consoles (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/Series S.

What can I watch on Hulu?

Now that you’ve chosen your VPN, and done all the boring work of setting it up and making sure it functions properly, you’re finally ready to start streaming Hulu in the UK.

However, as there are thousands of TV shows & movies to choose from, you can easily get overwhelmed. How will you decide which ones are worth your precious time?

In this next section, we’ll recommend some of the best tv shows and movies, including a couple of impressive Hulu Originals.

Top TV shows

• Rick & Morty
• House of Dragon
• Ramy
• Reservation Dogs (Hulu Original)
• Future Man (Hulu Original)
• The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu Original)

Best Movies

• Petite Maman
• On the Count of Three
• All My Friends Hate Me
• Fresh (Hulu Original)
• Minding the Gap (Hulu Original)
• Prey (Hulu Original)

Best Alternatives to Hulu

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t watch Hulu the in UK, you might want to focus on other popular streaming services instead. Luckily, all of these alternatives are available without having to use a VPN service!

1. Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime has been making big waves in recent years. With originals like Good Omens, The Boys, Invincible, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, there is more than enough quality TV for you to enjoy. Add to this a sizeable movie library of over 24,000 titles and you will surely find something you’ll enjoy.

A Prime Video subscription will cost you £7.75 GBP/month. Before you choose to commit, you can use a 30-day trial to see if you vibe with it. (See the best VPNs for Amazon Prime here.)

Note: The subscription includes only Prime Video and none of the other Amazon Prime benefits.

2. Netflix

With 200+ million subscribers worldwide, Netflix is one of the oldest streaming services around. There are over 17,000 titles available, which is enough to last you several lifetimes. Let’s just mention a few of the most popular: Stranger Things, Peaky Blinders, Squid Game, and The Witcher.

However, some of its content is still geo-restricted. If you want to access the entire library, you’ll have to change your Netflix region.

Depending on the quality of the service you’d like, Netflix provides three subscription models. Basic (£8.61 GBP/month) still allows you unlimited access to the library but will limit you to streaming on 1 device in SD quality.

Standard (£13.35 GBP/month) lets you stream in HD quality on 2 devices simultaneously.

If you are looking for a plan that will suit your whole family, Premium (£17.22 GBP/month) will be the best. With it, you’ll be able to watch shows on 4 devices simultaneously in Ultra HD (4K) quality.

Note: Starting in early November, you can get a Basic plan with ads for £6.02 GBP/month. Both this and a regular Basic subscription will then be able to stream in HD quality.

See the best Netflix VPNs guide for more info.

3. Disney Plus

True, Disney Plus is a streaming service geared towards children, but you can also find shows made for a more mature audience. In particular, we are talking about Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, American Horror Stories, and Mandalorian.

Disney Plus has a single subscription plan that can be purchased for £7.60/month or £50/year. With it, you will be able to simultaneously stream on 4 devices, and all of the shows will either be in full HD or 4K quality. There’s also a 7-day trial, so you try it out without any risk. (See the best VPNs for Disney Plus here.)

Streaming Hulu in the UK FAQ

Conclusion on streaming Hulu in the UK

As you can see, setting up and streaming Hulu in the UK is fairly straightforward.

Now, you will be able to enjoy the full list of TV shows, movies, and Hulu originals that the service has to offer.

This guide to streaming Hulu in the UK was last updated on January 4, 2023.