How to watch ORF outside of Austria with a VPN

Like many popular streaming platforms, ORF is region-locked. While select titles can be watched on-demand from anywhere, the vast majority can only be accessed in Austria. If you attempt to watch anything from Germany or anywhere else abroad, you’ll see the following error: “Nur in Österreich verfügbar” (Only available in Austria) unless you first connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

If you use a VPN to connect to a server in Austria, you’ll be given an Austrian IP address, and ORF won’t be able to tell that you’re in another country. As a bonus, the best VPNs encrypt your traffic, preventing snoopers like your Internet Service Provider (ISP), employer, or government from seeing what you get up to online. Plus, you’ll be able to access other Austrian TV channels and streaming services while traveling abroad.

In this article, we explain exactly how to use a VPN to watch ORF outside Austria and list the best VPNs for the job. We’ll go into more detail about all the providers we recommend later on, but in case you’re in a rush, we’ll start with a quick summary.

Best VPNs for watching ORF from anywhere:

1. NordVPN: Our #1 choice for an ORF VPN. Over 30 high-speed Austrian servers, a no-logs policy, and excellent security features. It easily unblocks streaming services like ORF abroad. Includes a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for ORF.
2. Surfshark: The best budget option for streaming ORF. No connection limit. Servers in 100+ countries. Very high speeds and a fantastic security toolkit.
3. IPVanish: A lightweight yet powerful, easy-to-use VPN with no connection limit, steady speeds, and a great set of security and privacy features.
4. ExpressVPN: Fast speeds, excellent unblocking ability, and strong privacy protections, ideal for watching ORF-TVthek from outside of Austria.
5. CyberGhost: This VPN offers pre-configured security, user-friendly apps, fast connections, and over 400 servers in Austria. Further, it unblocks a wide range of services, including ORF.
6. PrivateVPN: This service is faster than most, includes strong security and privacy features, and boasts exceptional unblocking ability, allowing you to safely stream ORF from anywhere.
7. Hotspot Shield: A solid everyday service that works great with ORF. Impressive speeds. Takes your security seriously.

How to watch ORF outside Austria

With the right VPN, it’s simple to bypass regional restrictions and access streaming services like ORF in Germany or any other country. Just follow the steps below.

Here’s how to live stream ORF outside Austria with a VPN:

1. Start by signing up for a suitable VPN service. We recommend NordVPN.
2. Next, download and install the software. Most major services offer a variety of apps for different platforms, so make sure to get the right version for your devices.
3. Connect to one of your VPN’s Austrian servers, this will give you the Austrian IP address you need to bypass geographic restrictions.
4. Try loading one of ORF’s live streams. It should begin immediately, but if not, clear your browser’s cache and cookies, then refresh the page.
5. You should now be free to watch all your favorite content from anywhere, but if you’re still experiencing problems, try a different Austrian server or contact your VPN’s customer service team for more advice.

How we choose the top VPNs for ORF

The sheer number of different VPNs available can make it difficult to decide which one is best for any given task. This problem is compounded by the fact that not every VPN will have Austrian servers or help you watch ORF abroad. To help you narrow down the choice, we only recommend VPNs that meet the following criteria at a minimum:

• Reliable servers in Austria – the more the merrier
• Must consistently unblock ORF and similar streaming services abroad
• Provides reliable, high-speed connections
• Uses effectively uncrackable encryption and includes additional security features
• Keeps minimal logs, or better still, logs nothing at all
• Offers apps for the most popular devices and operating systems

This is just an overview, but you can read more about how we test VPNs and our ranking criteria in our methodology section below.

Best VPNs for watching ORF outside Austria: at a glance

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 watching ORF.

Best VPNs for watching ORF

We at Comparitech want to bring you the most helpful and accurate VPN advice possible. To do this, we regularly use and test every VPN before reviewing them for you. The following providers are the ones that consistently impress us.

Here are the best VPNs for streaming ORF outside Austria:

1. NordVPN

Nov 2024 UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

NordVPN is our top choice VPN for watching ORF outside Austria. It offers more choices than many of its rivals, with more than 5,400 servers in almost 60 countries (and over 30 in Austria alone). It’s capable of accessing popular streaming services like ORF, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix abroad, and its high-speed connections guarantee you’ll be able to watch your favorite shows without any interruptions. Further, NordVPN permits up to six simultaneous connections, so you can protect most of your devices with a single account.

This service places major emphasis on your security. It provides 256-bit encryption, a customizable kill switch, automatic ad-blocking, malware scanning, and protection against DNS, WebRTC, port forwarding, and IPv6 leaks. This provider also recently added its own WireGuard-based protocol, named NordLynx. NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it can’t reveal details of your activities even if asked to. Live, chat-based customer support is available 24/7.

NordVPN has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Manual installation is required for supported routers.

BEST VPN FOR ORF:NordVPN is our #1 choice. Has a wealth of advanced security features and keeps no logs whatsoever. Further, with high speeds and strong unblocking ability, it allows you to watch ORF live online wherever you are. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

Surfshark has decent speeds and offers access to 3,200 servers in around 100 countries. This makes it a natural choice for anyone looking to use platforms like Netflix and ORF abroad. What’s more, unlike many other providers, Surfshark has no connection limit. As such, it’s a fantastic choice for families or those with lots of devices to protect.

Users are well-protected by 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. That said, there’s also a strict zero-logs policy in place, as well as a feature that blocks ads, trackers, and malware automatically. Surfshark can even check to see if your password has been leaked online. Need help? 24/7 support is on hand over live chat and email.

Surfshark apps are available for iOS, MacOS, Android, Linux, and Windows. It recently received full M1 chip support too, so Mac users should notice a performance increase. This VPN must be manually installed on supported routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is the best way to stream ORF on a budget. It’s quick, versatile, and security-conscious, with a true no-logs policy. Further, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and lets you secure every device you own.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

IPVanish is a fantastic general-purpose VPN. It has around a dozen servers in Austria, with 2,000 or so spread across 90+ locations. This provider recently improved its network infrastructure to provide even faster speeds. Of course, it was already fast enough for live streaming, so you shouldn’t have any issues while watching ORF. As there’s no connection limit, users can protect all of their devices at the same time.

This provider uses 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPV6 leak protection, and a kill switch to keep you safe online. It also offers the ability to scramble your OpenVPN traffic and hopes to add WireGuard support in the near future. IPVanish is a zero-logs provider, meaning it can’t divulge details of your activities under any circumstances.

IPVanish has Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows apps. You’ll have to follow manual setup instructions to get it working on Linux systems or supported routers, though.

WATCH ON ANY DEVICE:IPVanish lets users secure every device they own, and works with popular platforms like ORF and Netflix. Further, it offers solid speeds, good multi-platform support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full IPVanish review.

4. ExpressVPN

UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

ExpressVPN offers more than 3,000 servers in 100+ countries, including Austria. This service is perfect for watching online video: it’s fast enough to stream live 1080p content without any issues. It can access not just ORF, but other major platforms like BBC iPlayer and Netflix US, from anywhere in the world, allowing you to watch your home libraries while traveling.

This VPN keeps your activities private at all times using 256-bit encryption, perfect forward secrecy, protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, and a kill switch (in desktop apps), which stops all traffic if you lose connection suddenly. ExpressVPN doesn’t log any personally identifiable information, but you can pay with Bitcoin if you’d like additional anonymity. If you have any issues, you can contact customer support over live chat 24/7.

ExpressVPN apps are available for Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, and Linux. There’s also custom firmware which simplifies the process of installing it on select home routers. This recently received an update, making it faster and more reliable.

FLAWLESS STREAMING:ExpressVPN is extremely fast and versatile, with a wide range of security and privacy features. This makes it ideal for streaming ORF abroad. Best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. CyberGhost

UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

CyberGhost has a vast network of over 10,000 servers spread across 100+ countries, including over 400 in Austria, making it super easy to access ORF from anywhere. Part of this VPN’s appeal is its ease of use: it offers high speeds, simple apps, and, best of all, servers clearly state which streaming service they’re designed to unblock. CyberGhost permits up to seven simultaneous connections, meaning you can stream ORF safely without worrying about leaving one of your other devices unprotected.

This VPN’s security features come pre-configured, so there’s no fuss. These include an always-on kill switch, 256-bit encryption, an ad-blocker, a malware scanner, automatic Wi-Fi protection, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. It also recently added a password manager and a feature that will inform you if your email address is breached. CyberGhost doesn’t log any data that could identify you. While this service is perfect for novice users, you can reach customer support 24/7 over live chat in case of any issues.

CyberGhost offers apps for macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. It works on select internet routers but must be configured manually.

400+ AUSTRIAN SERVERS:CyberGhost is ideal for beginners and fast enough to stream ORF without any buffering. It unblocks various platforms abroad, and its security features are all enabled by default. Further, this service comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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6. PrivateVPN

UNBLOCKS ORFTested Nov 2024

PrivateVPN recently expanded its network to around 200 servers in over 60 countries, including Austria. This isn’t as large as some of its rivals, but PrivateVPN makes up for it with better-than-average speeds and excellent unblocking capability. It works effortlessly with major streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and of course, ORF. Plus, with ten simultaneous connections allowed, you’re free to stream at home and on the go.

This service uses 256-bit encryption, a kill switch (Windows only), and IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection to keep your traffic secure at all times. Although PrivateVPN doesn’t keep any logs, you can sign up almost completely anonymously by paying with Bitcoin and using a throwaway email address. If you have any problems, you can contact support via live chat most hours of the day.

PrivateVPN provides Android, Linux, iOS, Windows, and macOS apps. It has to be manually installed on wireless routers.

STREAM SAFELY ANYWHERE:PrivateVPN offers consistently high speeds, a no-logging policy, strong security features, and the ability to watch ORF live whenever and wherever you’d like. This VPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

7. Hotspot Shield

Unblocks ORFTested Nov 2024

Hotspot Shield has roughly 1,800 servers in 80+ countries, so it’s a great option for anyone looking to access geo-blocked content from around the world. It’s a particularly speedy VPN and works reliably with not just ORF but also major international platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. Users are permitted to connect up to five devices at once.

There’s a strong security and privacy focus, too, with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks all built-in. Further, Hotspot Shield recently added support for IKEv2 connections, giving you more freedom in how you use the service. This provider doesn’t keep any logs that could be traced back to you and offers around-the-clock support over live chat.

Hotspot Shield has apps for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS. It can also be manually installed on supported network routers.

SPEEDY AND SECURE:Hotspot Shield has plenty of admirable qualities: its above-average speeds, powerful security tools, and large network, for instance. Not only that, it works well with ORF and offers a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Hotspot Shield review.

Finding the best VPNs for ORF: our methodology

Every VPN is different, and while this means that there’s a service for every situation, it also makes it tricky for newcomers to decide which one to use. That’s where we come in: we’ve carefully considered the most important things a VPN should offer for streaming ORF from outside Austria. We used this criteria to filter out unsuitable services until only the best were left:

• Servers in Austria: Without Austrian servers, you won’t be able to gain an Austrian IP address or access ORF. So the more that your VPN has, the better.
• Streaming ability: Our team tests VPNs not just with ORF but against a whole range of platforms, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus, to see which are the most consistent for streaming.
• Speed: A quality VPN must be fast enough to let you stream without buffering and lag. We run hundreds of speed tests and only recommend VPNs that are fast enough for uninterrupted HD streaming.
• Security and privacy: Every VPN above has a strong security toolkit that includes DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, 256-bit encryption, and a no-logging policy.
• Ease of use: You shouldn’t have to be a tech expert to protect yourself online. All the VPNs we recommend are user-friendly and feature a large quick-connect button. Some even have specific servers for streaming, while others allow you to secure all of your devices at once. Plus, our top VPNs offer apps for all the most popular devices and live chat-based support should you need it.
• Value for money: When we rank VPNs, we consider value for money. This doesn’t always mean the cheapest price, we look at what you get for your money, including features and simultaneous device connections. We also consider money-back guarantees and free trials when assessing value.

Interested in finding out more about Comparitech’s testing process? Check out our post detailing our scientific testing methodology.

Watching ORF with a VPN: FAQs