How to watch Animal Planet online abroad (outside US)

Animal Planet content is region-locked and only available in the US. Furthermore, you’ll need to sign in with your participating TV provider to watch it. The good news is that you can unblock Animal Planet outside the US with a VPN, should you be traveling outside of America. What’s more, you can livestream Animal Planet without a cable TV subscription via select streaming services. Keep reading to find out about the best VPNs for Animal Planet and how to use them.

In case you’re wondering, VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. These encrypt your network traffic and route it through servers elsewhere in the world. During this process, your original IP address is hidden and replaced by that of the server. This means that you can connect to a server in the US to get a US IP address, allowing you to stream Animal Planet live from anywhere in the world.

Don’t have time to read the full details about each VPN you can use? Take a look at our quick summary of the best VPNs for Animal Planet.

Best VPNs for Animal Planet

1. ExpressVPN: Our #1 choice for unblocking Animal Planet. High-speed US servers for streaming Animal Planet. Very user-friendly apps and 24/7 support. Highly secure.
2. CyberGhost: Best budget option. Unlocks Animal Planet and Netflix US. Use on up to 7 devices simultaneously. No-logs VPN with plenty of security features.
3. NordVPN: Approx 1,500 US servers for use with Animal Planet. Easy-to-use service that protects your privacy with encryption and strict no-logs policy. 24/7 live chat support.
4. IPVanish: Works with Animal Planet. Good speeds for streaming. Secure as many as 10 devices at once. Uses encryption and no-logs policy to secure your data.
5. PrivateVPN: Smaller VPN provider with fast servers and unlimited bandwidth. Very beginner-friendly apps as well as live chat support. Strong security for peace of mind.
6. Surfshark: Good speeds for watching Animal Planet abroad.Unlimited simultaneous connections. No-logs service with user-friendly apps and 24/7 live chat support.

How to watch Animal Planet online abroad with a VPN

Not sure how to go about unblocking Animal Planet when traveling outside the US? Not to worry! We’ll take you through each and every step.

Here’s how to watch Animal Planet shows online from anywhere:

1. Sign up with a VPN that unblocks Animal Planet. We recommend ExpressVPN.
2. Download and install the app for the device from which you want to watch Animal Planet.
3. Open the VPN app and connect to a server in the US. You’ll then have a US IP address, allowing you to unblock Animal Planet abroad.
4. Go to Animal Planet and sign in with your cable TV provider. The content should play without restriction. If it’s still blocked, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies.

Don’t have a US cable TV subscription? You can still watch Animal Planet, albeit via one of the following streaming services: AT&T TV ($59.99 USD/month), Hulu + Live TV ($44.99/month), and Philo ($20/month). Note that while Animal Planet is also on PlayStation Vue, the service is shutting down in January 2020.

Our criteria for the best VPNs for Animal Planet

Wondering how we came up with our list of the best VPNs for Animal Planet? In order to be selected, each VPN had to meet the following key criteria:

• Servers in the US for unblocking Animal Planet
• Fast, consistent connections for streaming
• Security features that serve to protect your privacy
• Beginner-friendly apps for desktop and mobile
• Money-back guarantee for you to try it out risk-free
• Offers 24/7 live chat and email support

Best VPNs for watching Animal Planet online abroad

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for watching Animal Planet outside the US:

1. ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN is one of the fastest, most reliable VPNs available. This sets it apart from the competition, particularly when it comes to streaming. In total, it offers more than 3,000 servers in 93+ countries, including the US. It has strong unblocking ability and works well with Animal Planet as well as the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. With unlimited bandwidth, you don’t have to worry about lag or buffering.

You can use ExpressVPN on up to five devices simultaneously and 24/7 live chat support is available. Security is offered in the form of 256-bit AES encryption and DNS, lPv6, and WebRTC leak protection. A kill switch ensures your data isn’t compromised should the VPN connection drop unexpectedly. Anonymous signup is possible if you pay in Bitcoin and use a throwaway email address. It’s also worth knowing that ExpressVPN doesn’t log any identifiable information.

ExpressVPN apps are available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. There’s also custom firmware for routers and browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

BEST VPN FOR ANIMAL PLANET:ExpressVPN is our #1 choice. Unblocks Animal Planet, Netflix, and Disney+. Servers are fast and consistent for streaming. Highly secure service offering 24/7 support and user-friendly apps. Try it risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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2. CyberGhost

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CyberGhost has well over 5,000 servers in 89+ countries. With over 1,000 of these servers in the US, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to unblocking Animal Planet abroad. With fast, consistent speeds and unlimited bandwidth, this is a great choice for streaming. CyberGhost can be used to unblock Netflix US, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, as well as Animal Planet. What’s more, you can secure as many as seven devices simultaneously under a single account.

Setting up CyberGhost couldn’t be simpler; the apps even offer the option of automatically connecting to the fastest available server. CyberGhost offers excellent overall security with 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch which is available in all versions. Your privacy is also protected with a strict no-logs policy and protection against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks. Further security features include an ad-blocker and the option to force the use of HTTPs for websites, when available.

A CyberGhost subscription gives you access to the apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire Stick, and Android TV. Chrome and browser extensions are offered while you can also configure CyberGhost to work with select routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:CyberGhost is an excellent choice for those on a budget. A high-speed service that lets you connect up to 7 devices. Very strong security includes encryption and a strict no-logs policy. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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3. NordVPN

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NordVPN is one of the largest VPN providers on the market, as evidenced by its impressive network of over 1,500 US servers. These servers span more than 14 cities including Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Needless to say, this VPN makes it easy to watch Animal Planet outside the US. In fact, NordVPN also unblocks Netflix, Disney+, and HBO. Special P2P-optimized servers are available as are Double VPN servers which offer even greater online security.

This VPN provider offers very good customer support, available 24/7 via live chat and email. NordVPN allows up to six simultaneous connections, giving you the chance to secure all of your devices. When it comes to security, NordVPN ticks most boxes. With 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and an automatic kill switch, you can browse and stream worry-free. A no-logs VPN headquartered in Panama, NordVPN isn’t subject to mandatory data retention laws.

You can download NordVPN apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Android TV. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions are also available. Manual installation is required for use with supported routers.

MULTIPLE US SERVERS:NordVPN makes it easy to unblock Animal Planet outside the US with its high-speed US servers. Also unblocks Netflix. Offers 24/7 live chat support and up to six simultaneous connections. No-logs service with Double VPN servers. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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4. IPVanish

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IPVanish allows up to 10 simultaneous connections and offers good, reliable speeds for streaming Animal Planet. It has a network of approximately 1,300 servers, hundreds of which are located across 14+ US cities. So many American servers mean IPVanish is well suited for use with US-based streaming services such as Netflix. If you encounter any issues, IPVanish offers 24/7 customer support via live chat and email.

The IPVanish apps make it easy to stay safe online with the ability to automatically connect to the best available server. However, you can also search by region and latency. This is a highly secure service that protects your privacy through its use of 256-bit AES encryption. Also included is DNS leak protection and a kill switch feature. Unlike many VPNs, IPVanish owns rather than rents its servers which means you don’t have to worry about unknown third parties. Most importantly, IPVanish keeps no logs whatsoever.

Signing up allows you to secure your devices with the IPVanish apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. While there are no apps for Linux or routers, IPVanish can be manually installed.

SECURE BROWSING:IPVanish works well with Animal Planet and lets you connect 10 devices simultaneously. Servers in 14+ US cities. Highly secure service thanks to its use of encryption and no-logs policy. 7-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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5. PrivateVPN

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PrivateVPN is known for its high-speed servers which can be found in around 60 countries worldwide. Its US servers are located across 8+ cities including Las Vegas and New York. This VPN unblocks all sorts of geo-restricted websites and services; aside from Animal Planet, you’ll be able to use Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, among others. A PrivateVPN subscription lets you connect up to six devices simultaneously.

The PrivateVPN apps include both simple and advanced menus, catering for users of all levels of ability. Live chat support is offered and lets you talk to the developers directly, making it much easier to resolve any potential issues. PrivateVPN is a no-logs service and includes 256-bit AES encryption and DNS leak protection. A kill switch prevents leaks by cutting your connection if you’re suddenly disconnected from the VPN. You can even sign up anonymously by using a burner email account and paying in Bitcoin.

PrivateVPN offers apps for desktop (Windows and Mac) and mobile (Android and iOS). Manual installation is necessary for use with Linux and routers.

UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH:PrivateVPN is a very fast VPN service for buffer and lag-free streaming. Unblock Animal Planet, Netflix, and more. Beginner-friendly apps and a high level of security with encryption and a no-logs policy. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

6. Surfshark

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Surfshark offers servers in over 20 US cities — more than many of the largest VPN providers. This means you can easily find a quick, consistent connection for watching Animal Planet abroad. However, you can also use Surfshark to watch Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. Surfshark allows torrenting and even offers servers specifically optimized for P2P use. However, one of the best features of Surfshark is that it lets you connect as many devices as you want simultaneously.

Security is one of Surfshark’s biggest strengths. It offers plenty of features that allow you to stay anonymous online. For starters, there’s 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. However, this VPN also follows a strict-no logs policy and offers MultiHop (Double VPN) servers for an extra layer of protection. You’ll also find a CleanWeb feature that automatically blocks ads, trackers, and malware.

A Surfshark subscription provides access to the apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions are also available, although manual setup is required in the case of routers.

STRONG UNBLOCKING:Surfshark unblocks Animal Planet, Netflix, and Disney+. Servers in 20+ US cities. Easy-to-use apps and 24/7 support. Secure to use with encryption, no-logs policy, and Double VPN servers. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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Testing methodology: Finding the best VPNs for watching Animal Planet

You have a lot of choice when it comes to the VPN you use to watch Animal Planet. However, not all of them are suitable for this purpose. In this section, we explain our testing methodology which we used to identify the best VPNs for watching Animal Planet.

• Servers in the US: Of course, it’s imperative that every VPN included in this post offers servers in the US. Without them, there’s no possibility of unblocking and watching Animal Planet online. All of the VPNs we’ve covered have servers in multiple US cities (some between one and two dozen cities).
• Fast server speeds: The faster your VPN’s speeds, the better the performance will be when streaming Animal Planet. The fastest VPNs use lightweight VPN protocols such as WireGuard and offer unlimited bandwidth. The result is high resolution streaming that’s lag and buffer-free.
• Reliable unblocking: When you travel abroad, you may well find you want to access other geo-restricted online content. It’s for this reason that we test each VPN against other websites and services too. We’re looking for those VPNs that are most consistent, particularly with tricky-to-unblock streaming platforms.
• Strong security: A VPN should secure your data from cybercriminals through the use of high-end encryption. We also only recommend VPNs that offer protection from DNS leaks. Many of the best VPNs we’ve recommended offer extras such as MultiHop servers or a malware blocker.
• Privacy protection: Aside from encrypting your data so that your IP address and location can’t be seen by hackers or snoopers, a quality VPN operates a no-logs policy. Unfortunately, some VPNs actually log and sell your browsing data. We studied 140 VPN logging policies to avoid recommending such VPNs.
• Ease of use: With the best VPNs for streaming Animal Planet, you can expect a quick and easy setup process. It’s possible to connect to a server in just a click or two and, if you have any trouble when using the VPN, you can get in touch with the VPN’s customer support via live chat or email.
• Value for money: In this post, you’ll find VPN discount coupons that allow you to get the best possible deal on your VPN subscription. Indeed, many of the VPNs that don’t offer all of the above work out to be more expensive in comparison! Last but not least, expect each VPN to offer a risk-free money-back guarantee of at least 30 days.

We provide a more in-depth explanation of how we analyze VPNs in our VPN testing methodology post.

Can I use a free VPN to watch Animal Planet?

While the VPNs listed above successfully unblock Animal Planet, we can’t say the same for many free VPNs. Unfortunately, free VPNs tend to have poor unblocking ability. Aside from struggling to unblock Animal Planet, the average free VPN can’t unblock Netflix, for example. Worse still, free VPNs offer very few servers while slow speeds make streaming and torrenting a headache.

However, an even bigger reason to avoid free VPNs is that they lack the security to keep you safe online. A quality VPN should encrypt your data and protect it from leaks. The trouble is that a lot of free VPNs simply fail to do this. In fact, many make their money by logging and selling your data or by bombarding you with spammy ads. In other words, they’re just not worth the risk!

What can I watch on Animal Planet?

Unsurprisingly, Animal Planet primarily broadcasts series and documentaries about animals. Here are some of the programs currently available on Animal Planet:

• Crikey! It’s the Irwins
• Amanda to the Rescue
• Lone Star Law
• The Aquarium
• Dodo Heroes
• The Zoo
• Extinct or Alive
• Pit Bulls & Parolees
• I Was Prey
• The Secret Life of the Zoo