The widely popular British free-to-air Channel 4 is geographically restricted, which means it is unavailable outside of the UK. If you're living in Australia or traveling there, you will have to find a workaround to watch Channel 4 outside of the UK.
A VPN is the best tool to maintain unrestricted content access wherever you go. The best streaming VPNs have thousands of servers worldwide that you can connect to and enjoy local content. In this case, you only have to find a reliable VPN with servers in the UK, connect to one, and watch Channel 4 as if you were there.
In this article, I'll show you how to watch Channel 4 in Australia and list the 3 best VPNs for streaming.
How to watch Channel 4 from Australia with a VPN
- Subscribe to a VPN with UK servers. I recommend NordVPN, now 74% OFF
- Download the app and install it on your device
- Connect to a server in the UK
- Go to channel4.com or get the All 4 app
- Create an account using a UK postal code and start streaming
- Note: You can use Google Maps to find a legitimate UK postal code to sign up. You can also use random postal code generators, but it may take a few tries to get a working one.
Why do you need VPN to watch Channel 4 in Australia
Due to content licensing agreements and copyright laws, streaming services like Channel 4 are geographically restricted. This channel is available only in the United Kingdom, and you will get the “Channel 4 is only available in the UK” error message if you attempt to stream it from abroad.
A VPN easily solves this problem by providing servers in the UK. Whenever you connect to a UK VPN server, you are assigned a local IP address. This way, Channel4 identifies you as a local resident and will display previously blocked content.
But there is more to VPNs than just a streaming companion. A VPN also encrypts your online traffic, protecting your privacy from surveillance. The best VPNs also block ads and disable trackers, and some even monitor the dark web for personal data leaks.
Best VPN to watch Channel 4 services in Australia
- NordVPN – best VPN to watch Channel 4 in Australia
- Surfshark – Australia VPN with unlimited concurrent connections
- PureVPN – Channel 4 VPN with dedicated streaming servers
Some VPNs are more optimized for streaming than others. We have tested dozens of VPNs to help you choose the best one for streaming Channel 4 outside of the United Kingdom. An ample number of servers in the UK, excellent connection speed, streaming-friendly features, and modest pricing were our main evaluation criteria.
1. NordVPN – fast and secure VPN for Australia
| Based in: | 111 countries |
| UK servers: | 440+ |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Coupons: | NordVPN coupon 74% OFF |
NordVPN is the best VPN to watch Channel 4 in Australia. It has 440+ speedy servers in the UK that all use the SmartPlay technology to unblock more streaming content.
Servers and streaming. Outside of the UK, NordVPN has a large fleet of 6900+ servers worldwide. Alongside Channel 4, it effortlessly unblocks Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and other popular streaming services.
Security. You will also benefit from numerous cybersecurity features. AES-256 encryption with a genuine no-logs policy protects your online privacy. There's a dark web monitor for data leak alerts, and the Threat Protection Pro defends against malware.
Speeds. Our NordVPN tests show that it never goes below 85% of the initial connection speed. We even noticed a recent UK server speed improvement, so you can watch Channel 4 from Australia without buffering.
Price. NordVPN starts at $2.99/month (around AU$4.60/month) for a 2-year plan, with 3 bonus months for free and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark – family-friendly VPN to stream Channel 4
| Based in: | 100 countries |
| UK servers: | 212 |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Coupons: | Surfshark coupon 87% OFF |
Surfshark is a top-notch VPN for streaming Channel 4 from Australia. Although it has fewer servers than NordVPN, it supports unlimited simultaneous connections to watch movies with family and friends.
Servers and streaming. This VPN has 3200+ servers in 100 countries, including 212 in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh in the UK.
Security. Surfshark offers a cutting-edge WireGuard protocol that ensures a speedy and secure connection. Additionally, it provides Camouflage Mode for private browsing and CleanWeb to disable ads and block malicious websites.
Speeds. During our Surfshark testing, it retained 75% on average, with better results of 90% in the US. This makes it perfect to unblock Channel 4 in Australia and popular US streaming sites simultaneously.
Price. Surfshark is one of the more affordable options, starting from AU$2.89/month for a 2-year plan. Similarly to NordVPN, there are 3 extra months and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. PureVPN – streaming VPN for worldwide content access
| Based in: | 65 countries |
| UK servers: | 600+ |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Coupons: | PureVPN coupon 83% OFF |
PureVPN efficiently unblocks Channel 4 from Australia with its network of 600+ UK servers located in London, Maidenhead, and Manchester.
Servers and streaming. PureVPN lets you connect to specialty servers dedicated to streaming to unblock Channel 4. Globally, it has 6000+ servers in 65+ countries for worldwide content access.
Security. This VPN has all cybersecurity necessities, like a kill switch, which is enabled by default, split tunneling for traffic distribution, and obfuscation for an extra layer of online privacy.
Speeds. PureVPN uses the WireGuard protocol to maintain above 80% of the initial connection speed. In the UK, it retains 83%, which is slightly below NordVPN but sufficient for buffer-free streaming.
Price. The pricing starts at $2.14/month (around AU$3.19/month) for a 2-year plan. You also get 2 free months and a 31-day money-back guarantee.
Comparison of best VPNs to watch Channel 4
Any of these 3 VPNs for streaming will unblock Channel 4 from Australia. However, they differ in cybersecurity features, streaming capabilities, and pricing. Take a look at the table below for a concise comparison.
| VPN | Rating | Price | Servers | Servers in UK | Speed retention |
| NordVPN | $2.99/month (around AU$4.60/month) | 6900 | 440+ | 90% | |
| Surfshark | AU$2.89/month | 3200 | 212 | 86% | |
| PureVPN | $2.14/month (around AU$3.19/month) | 6000 | 600+ | 67% |
VPN not working when trying to watch Channel 4 in Australia
A few issues may block Channel 4 even if you are connected to a VPN UK server. Here's how to fix the most common VPN streaming problems:
- IP address leak. This happens when your device exposes your actual IP address, even if connected to a VPN server. Connect to a different server and turn on a kill switch to prevent future IP leaks.
- VPN detection error. Some streaming services mark down identified VPN servers and block them. In this case, simply connect to a different server in the UK and reload the Channel 4 website or app.
- Cache and cookie leak. Browsers store user information in their cache and cookies, which can include location details. Try clearing the browser cache and cookies and reload Channel 4 to verify that access issues are resolved.
- Contact customer support. If none of the above solutions work, contact your VPN’s customer support to investigate the issue further.
What can you watch on Channel 4?
Channel 4 is massive and has all kinds of content. Overall, it has 2000+ shows in comedy, documentaries, drama, sports, and other categories.
There's the hard-to-resist Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares that's been going on since 2007. Just as popular on Channel 4 is the Great British Bake Off show to satisfy your culinary streaming needs.
If you're into classics, check out the office drama Ally McBeal or the sitcom Frasier, which dominated the TV screen in the 1990s. You will also find The Big Bang Theory and the more recent Young Sheldon.
In documentaries, you will find ample true crime content alongside real-life footage of ER workers and politician histories. Channel 4’s film category includes Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Scorsese's The Departed, and American Pie comedies. The content repository is extensive, so I can only recommend grabbing one of the VPNs and diving into top-notch entertainment.
Final thoughts
The VPNs I listed above efficiently unblock Channel 4 from Australia. What's more, because Channel 4 is a free service, you won't have to pay anything besides the VPN subscription for hundreds of immersive shows.
I recommend NordVPN as the best Channel 4 streaming VPN. It came out as the fastest during our tests and also uses SmartPlay technology to broaden access to geographically restricted content. The user-friendly app lets you access Channel 4 from Australia within a few clicks.