

It probably won’t work: From our tests, we’ve found that free VPNs struggle to get around Hulu’s VPN-blocking techniques, and subsequently don’t work with the streaming service.We don’t recommend using a free VPN with Hulu for a number of reasons:
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To stream Hulu, you need to upgrade to a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) that manages to stay ahead of Hulu’s checks.

This is because Hulu has been able to identify and blacklist all the IP addresses that those VPNs provide.

At the time of writing, IPvanish, Tunnelbear, PureVPN, Zenmate, Hotspot Shield, Hola, CactusVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), IronSocket, Unotelly and CactusVPN will not work. There are some VPNs that won’t work with Hulu. It’s essential that you use a VPN that still works with Hulu like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month). I stream Hulu from my home here in New Zealand daily. When too many people (more than an average household) connect via the same IP (VPN server), it is easy for Hulu to detect and blacklist the IP address. This is a problem, as each VPN server has its own IP address, just like a typical house or office would do. VPNs have a lot more customers than they do servers. If your VPN is using an IP address that’s on one of these lists you won’t be able to watch Hulu.įinally, Hulu will perform its own IP checks – and this is probably the test that caused your VPN to stop working – where it monitors the number of connections coming from the same IP address. Broadcasters use GeoIP databases, such as MaxMind to verify the IP address you’re connecting from. This is a simple test that all respectable VPNs *should* pass. The first is a routine check for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks. There are three primary checks Hulu performs to detect VPNs. Which is (obviously) a lot more expensive than just owning the American broadcasting rights. If, for example, Hulu didn’t police its digital border and allowed internet connections from all over the world to stream from its servers, then it would have to start paying for global licenses for its content. Like every other major broadcaster, Hulu has to block VPNs from accessing its content to protect its investments. Various broadcaster’s in other countries own the rights to this content in their regions. Hulu only has the rights to broadcast content – The Handmaid’s Tale, Castle Rock, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – in the US. Hulu has joined Netflix, HBO Max, CBS, NBC, BBC iPlayer – pretty much every major broadcaster – in blocking VPNs from accessing its content. Take a look at our ExpressVPN review to find out why we think it’s the best VPN on the market. If Hulu manages to block an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month), it will close that IP and open a new one, ensuring you can use the VPN to watch Hulu reliably wherever you are. That’s why ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) plays a game of cat and mouse with the streaming service. The best VPN for Hulu is ExpressVPN ($6.67/month).ĮxpressVPN ($6.67/month) has fast servers all over the world with thousands of servers in the US, and most importantly, it has measures in place that will stop all of its IP addresses from being blocked by Hulu.Įven the best VPNs for Hulu will have their IP addresses identified and blocked from time to time. Luckily, there is an easy way to get around these blocks, and that is by upgrading your VPN. This has happened because your VPN doesn’t have measures to ensure it stays one step ahead of Hulu. If changing to a different US server doesn’t fix Hulu not working with VPN, the streaming service has been able to blacklist and block all of the IP addresses your VPN can currently provide.
