How to stream RTE Player abroad (outside Ireland) with a VPN

Picture the scene: you’re traveling outside of Ireland and sit down to watch your favorite RTE Player shows. But when you hit play, you’re met with the following error: “This program cannot be streamed due to rights restrictions.” Luckily, there’s an easy way to continue streaming Irish TV abroad, you just have to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

VPNs work by encrypting your internet traffic, shielding your activities from ISPs, wifi hotspot owners, or anyone else who might be monitoring the network. They also send your data through servers in different countries, making it seem as though you’re somewhere else entirely. In short, by using an Irish VPN server, you can make it seem like you never left Ireland and unblock RTE Player anywhere.

If you’re in a rush, here’s our snapshot of the best VPNs to livestream RTE Player abroad. In-depth reviews of each are provided further down this article, along with a step-by-step guide for how to access RTE Player anywhere with a VPN.

Best VPNs for watching RTE Player outside of Ireland:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice for RTE Player. With 50+ servers in Ireland, NordVPN gives you plenty of options to acquire an Irish IP address. It also has a no-logs policy and excellent security. 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for RTE.
2. Surfshark: Best budget VPN for RTE Player. Strong on security, with no connection limit and generally high speeds.
3. IPVanish: This provider has a strong reputation for privacy and security, and has several Irish servers to choose from.
4. ExpressVPN:  A good choice thanks to its impressive speeds, top-notch unblocking ability, and strong privacy features.
5. CyberGhost: CyberGhost has dozens of servers in Ireland. It also ships with user-friendly apps, pre-configured security options, and extremely fast connections. It’s able to unblock lots of streaming sites, including RTE Player.
6. PrivateVPN: PrivateVPN has superior unblocking capabilities and comes with servers equipped for HD video streaming, allowing you to stream RTE Player from anywhere.

How to use a VPN with RTE Player

To stream RTE Player outside Ireland, such as in Spain or France, follow these simple but proven steps below.

Here’s how to watch RTE Player abroad:

1. Decide on a suitable VPN service – our top recommendation is NordVPN.
2. Once the payment has been successfully authenticated, proceed to download and install the relevant apps for your device. Use either the provider’s website or official app marketplaces.
3. Connect to a server in Ireland.
4. Try to access RTE Player. It should work straight away, but if it doesn’t, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies.

How we selected the top RTE Player VPNS

While there are plenty of VPNs available, picking the right VPN for RTE Player can be tricky. Not all VPNs are optimized for RTE Player, and to ensure that you sign up to a reliable service, we’ve based our recommendations on the following criteria:

• Must be able to unblock RTE Player and other streaming services
• Offers high-speed Irish servers with exceptional uptime
• Utilizes unhackable encryption parameters and other security features
• Doesn’t store user logs; no exceptions
• Offers apps for all major platforms, including iOS and Android
• Has support for simultaneous connections
• Is simple enough for complete beginners to use
• Has competitive pricing, including a money-back guarantee

You can read more about our testing process and see the results of those tests in the methodology section below. First, let’s take a closer look at the VPNs that make the grade.

Best VPNs for RTE Player outside Ireland: Our hands-on review

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for RTE Player.

Best VPNs for watching RTE Player

From our research, here’s our list of the best VPNs to watch RTE Player from anywhere in the world

1. NordVPN

Mar 2025 unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

NordVPN is our number one choice VPN for accessing RTE Player anywhere. While this provider has previously struggled to unblock RTE, we are happy to confirm that it now works flawlessly.

This veteran provider has a gigantic server network with over 7,000 servers spread across 100+ countries. Ireland hosts more than 50 servers so there are plenty of options for anyone hoping to access RTE Player. In fact, this service even works with platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix US, and Disney+. NordVPN allows 10 simultaneous connections with one account, so you can share with friends and family if needed.

This provider regularly places very high on our industry-wide speed tests, but we specifically wanted to see how fast and reliable its Irish servers were. To do this, we ran three tests at different times of day on a 250 Mbps connection. Let’s see how well it performed:

Overall, NordVPN delivered an average speed of 207.13 Mbps. That’s exceptionally quick and more than you’ll need for any day-to-day task. In fact, you could queue up over a dozen 4K videos and not even notice the slightest impact.

Security features are impressive. NordVPN uses 256-bit encryption, an internet kill switch, ad-blocking, malware protection, and support against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks. It also has a strict no-logs policy, meaning no actual customer data is recorded on its servers. Customer support is available around the clock, and apps are available for all major platforms: iOS, Windows, Linux, MacOS, and Android.

BEST VPN FOR RTE PLAYER:NordVPN is our top VPN pick for accessing RTE Player from outside Ireland. It has strong security and privacy protocols, super fast speeds, and comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

Surfshark provides access to more than 3,200 servers in 100+ countries, Ireland included. Further, it boasts solid speeds and unlimited bandwidth, allowing you to stream RTE as much as you like in the highest possible quality. Best of all, this service lets you secure every device you own with a single account.

Despite its low price point, Surfshark has historically performed very well in our speed testing. Of course, we had to make sure that its servers in Ireland were quick enough for streaming, so we ran multiple tests (one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening). Check out the chart below to see how well it did:

Surfshark’s average speed was an impressive 198.47 Mbps. This means that it’s the second-fastest VPN we tested and just slightly below NordVPN. In other words, even if multiple people are using the internet at the same time, you’ll still be able to watch RTE Player without any stuttering, buffering, or lag.

Security-wise, Surfshark is an excellent choice. It includes 256-bit encryption, protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, and a kill switch, plus a NoBorders mode capable of bypassing even the strictest geo-blocking. This no-logs service accepts three cryptocurrencies and operates a 24/7 live chat help desk, just in case you need any assistance.

Surfshark provides apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, and Linux. Manual configuration is required for supported routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is our favorite low-cost VPN It boasts solid speeds, fantastic unblocking ability, and impressive security features. Protect all of your devices at once. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our full Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

IPVanish has long been a favorite of streamers thanks to its top-tier speeds and strong unblocking ability. There are over a dozen Irish servers to choose from, and users can connect as many devices as they like simultaneously. As well as RTE Player, this VPN works with platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu.

We’ve seen IPVanish deliver impressive results before, partially thanks to its WireGuard support and partially due to its 10 Gbps servers. To make sure its Irish servers were up to the task of watching RTE abroad, we performed multiple tests throughout the day. Let’s see how it did:

IPVanish provided an average speed of 189.85 Mbps. That’s impressive on its own, but when you consider that there was less than 2 Mbps of variance across three tests, it’s truly exceptional. That’s a level of consistency most other VPNs can only dream of and ensures that you’ll get top-tier performance even during peak times.

IPVanish has recently expanded its server network by more than 50 countries, meaning it now has 2,200+ servers in over 100 countries, Ireland included. So, as well as helping you access RTE Player, IPVanish can help you get an IP address from all over the world. Another improvement is the addition of the Advanced Tier, which comes loaded with 1TB of cloud storage and access to a secure browser, for only around $1 more a month than the long-term standard plan.

It’s headquartered in the US but declines to store any logs that contain personally identifiable information. What’s more, it owns and operates all the servers in its network, giving it a lot more control over user traffic as compared to other providers. Security features include 256-bit encryption, perfect forward secrecy, DNS leak protection, and an internet kill switch.

Apps are available for Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS, plus there’s 24/7 live chat customer support. Manual installation is needed for Linux systems and supported routers.

VERSATILE VPN:IPVanish does its job very well as it comes with superior cloaking ability and extremely fast speeds. Try it with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers in 100+ countries, including Ireland. It’s well-suited for streaming 1080p online video and is able to do just that without any noticeable buffering or lag. This provider works well with RTE Player as well as other services like Netflix US, Hulu, ESPN, and more.

This VPN is known for its impeccable performance and high degree of consistency. However, providers are constantly making adjustments to their network, so it’s vital to retest regularly. Our experts ran multiple speed tests on ExpressVPN’s Irish servers and recorded the results in the chart below:

ExpressVPN achieved an average speed of 151.54 Mbps. That’s not the highest we’ve seen, but it is more than you’ll need for everyday browsing, even if you do data-intensive things like streaming or torrenting. There was minimal speed difference at busy times of day too, which is a huge plus.

ExpressVPN will keep your web activity private by using 256-bit encryption, perfect forward secrecy, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and an internet kill switch in the desktop app. This feature swiftly blocks all web traffic if the connection becomes unstable, preventing any leaks outside the encrypted tunnel.

There are no user-identifying logs that are stored on its servers. For additional protection and control over your digital footprint, you can choose to pay with Bitcoin if you prefer. Customer support via live chat is available around the clock, and a single account allows for eight simultaneous connections.

Apps are available for Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and Linux. The provider also offers new and improved firmware, which can be installed on certain routers.

QUICK AND VERSATILE:ExpressVPN is a solid choice. It’s a versatile provider that has a wide variety of streaming and unblocking capabilities. Strong on security and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN Review.

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5. CyberGhost

unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

CyberGhost is one of the most user-friendly services out there and is specifically designed for newcomers to the VPN world. With over 11,000 servers in 100+ countries (including dozens in Ireland), it’ll seamlessly unblock RTE Player.

We’ve been testing consumer VPNs for years, so if a service has wildly varying speeds, it’s an immediate red flag. To check CyberGhost’s consistency, we performed several speed tests throughout the day. Let’s see how it did:

CyberGhost delivered an average speed of 145.59 Mbps, which is a solid result. For context, watching 4K video only requires about 25 Mbps, so you’ll have plenty of overhead. There was around 10 Mbps of difference between its highest and lowest results too, meaning it’s one of the more consistent VPNs on the market.

This provider offers fast speeds, well-designed apps, and servers tailored to unblocking streaming services. Security features include 256-bit encryption, an internet kill switch, an ad blocker, a malware scanner, automatic Wi-Fi protection, and prevention of DNS and IPv6 leaks. It also adheres to a policy of not storing any user logs or data.

A single account allows seven connections at the same time. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Customer support is available 24/7.

IDEAL FOR NEWCOMERS:CyberGhost is a secure yet easy to use option for those who want minimal fuss and aren’t looking for lots of customizability. It ships with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost VPN review.

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6. PrivateVPN

unblocks rte playerTested Mar 2025

PrivateVPN isn’t trying to compete on a numbers game – it only offers about 200 servers in 63 countries, including Ireland, but the service has superior speed and streaming ability. It’s able to help you securely access major streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and RTE Player. A single account allows for 10 connections at any given time.

PrivateVPN has never been the fastest service on the market but it does provide fairly decent speeds and reliable performance. All the same, we wanted to see what its Irish servers were capable of and, more importantly, whether they were suitable for streaming RTE Player abroad. Here’s what we found after three tests:

Overall, this VPN delivered an average speed of 46.18 Mbps. There was a bit of variance in its results depending on the time of day, but even at its slowest, PrivateVPN was fast enough for 4K streaming. That said, if you’re working with a pretty slow base connection, you may want to consider a different service.

Security comes in the form of 256-bit encryption, an internet kill switch for Windows, and protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This provider doesn’t store any user data logs and gives the option for anonymous signups by paying with Bitcoin. Support via live chat isn’t 24/7, but it is still useful and will help you in case you run into any problems. Representatives can give you remote assistance if you so desire.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Linux systems and some routers are supported, too, but must be configured manually.

STREAMING VPN:PrivateVPN is a small but mighty provider that’s primed for accessing and streaming HD video. Try it with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Private VPN review.

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Our Methodology: How we chose the best VPNs for RTE Player

Unfortunately, you can’t just choose the first VPN you see. Not all of them are able to unblock RTE Player for a start, and some of those that can might lack the speeds needed for live streaming. To find the best VPNs for the job, we created an extensive testing process that examines each service in five crucial areas. We’ll explain what we looked for and why each area matters so much below:

Speed

Speed isn’t the only thing you should consider when choosing a VPN but it does play a huge part. That’s because it governs everything from how quickly pages load to how stable your connection to the VPN itself is. Sluggish servers can cause all sorts of problems when streaming RTE, such as forced low-resolution playback, choppy video, and frequent buffering, all of which contribute to a poor user experience.

To get the most accurate speed test results, we ran three tests over the course of a day. Naturally, we used Irish servers (since you can’t access RTE Player with any others). Additionally, we ran these tests on a 250 Mbps connection, which is the average household broadband speed in the US. Here’s how our top VPNs compared:

NordVPN delivered the highest speeds, and so earned full marks. Surfshark was close behind, with IPVanish taking third place. PrivateVPN had the lowest score, yet remained a solid choice for most tasks.

Streaming ability

If streaming is a priority for you, you’re going to need a VPN capable of flying under the radar. That’s because most major streaming platforms have gotten very good at detecting signs of VPN usage and simply block any connections that seem suspicious. To find the best VPNs for streaming, we personally checked to see if they worked with services like ITVX, Amazon Prime Video, and All 4. Additionally, services lost points for requiring users to try multiple servers before finding one that worked.

Once we’d gathered all of our data, we assigned scores based on performance and normalized these to provide a final rating out of 10 for each provider. Take a look:

NordVPN was the most reliable option when it came to streaming, earning a near-perfect score of 9.7. Next up was Surfshark with 9.3 points and ExpressVPN with 9.2. PrivateVPN struggled a little bit here; while it was a reliable choice for RTE, it had some difficulty with other large streaming platforms.

Security and privacy

Even though your goal is to stream RTE abroad, it’s important to remember that the primary goal of a VPN is to keep your activities private. As such, any provider that fails to meet industry security standards is unworthy of a place on our list. Our experts checked for the presence of powerful safeguards like a kill switch, uncrackable encryption, and a no-logs policy, among other things. Here’s a list of all 16 criteria we considered when assigning security scores:

Once all testing was done, points were awarded, and the data was normalized, giving each VPN a score out of 10. You’ll find these in the chart below:

As you can see, competition was tight in this category. However, NordVPN and Surfshark both managed to achieve 9.5 points, tying for first place. We particularly liked the number of advanced features each offered and their continued commitment to improving customers’ privacy via first-class obfuscation.

Ease of use

Here at Comparitech, we prioritize VPNs that make day-to-day usage as simple as possible. This can be achieved in many ways, from providing 24/7 support in case something goes wrong to allowing users to protect every device they own. We also consider how reliably they can access geo-blocked services and whether their settings accurately explain what they do in a way that’s easy to understand.

Once again, NordVPN beat all of the competition, earning 9.6 points of a possible 10. That’s particularly impressive given that this service has released several features aimed at experts recently, such as its NordWhisper protocol to the MeshNet tool.

Value for money

You shouldn’t have to break the bank to keep yourself safe. Before recommending any service, our experts first make sure it’s priced fairly for what it offers. Next, we look at the lowest possible price, check whether there are savings for long-term subscriptions, and identify whether student discounts are available. There is one non-negotiable factor, though: providers must include a money-back guarantee so that you can try their service out without risking any of your hard-earned cash.

Surfshark was the top scorer in this category thanks to its budget-friendly price point, overall reliability, and total lack of connection limits. IPVanish came in second place for similar reasons, while NordVPN took third place.

This is actually just the first part of our VPN testing. We’ve got a whole post breaking down how we test VPNs at Comparitech if you’d like to learn more.

Using a free VPN to watch RTE

A free VPN for RTE is a tempting option because of the lack of any upfront payment needed. However, we don’t recommend using one due to several reasons.

Most free VPNs intentionally take on far more users than their servers can support, making it likely that you will experience frequent buffering as the video streams. Free VPNs generally offer a small choice of servers and unreliable connections. They’re trying to make money as well, which means you may be subjected to lots of invasive advertisements. Some free VPNs track user activity and sell the information to advertisers.

There have been instances of free VPNs selling user bandwidth to build botnet armies while others have knowingly injected tracking cookies to mine and harvest user data. At the end of the day, using a reputable VPN that puts customer interests first is your best option.

Streaming RTE abroad: FAQs