How to watch Pluto TV in Australia


Pluto TV is a free American ad-supported television streaming service. It offers access to over 250 live TV channels and thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows. It's one of the most popular free-streaming platforms in the United States, but it can be challenging to view from outside the US.

However, with the right tools, you can easily watch Pluto TV from Australia or anywhere else in the world. All you need is a trustworthy VPN with servers in the US.

In this guide, I explain why you need an established VPN service and share a curated list of top VPNs that allow you to stream Pluto TV in Australia.

How to watch Pluto TV from Australia with a VPN

pluto tv australia
  1. Select a VPN with US servers. I recommend NordVPN, now 75% OFF
  2. Download and install your chosen VPN app on your device
  3. Connect to a US server
  4. Open Pluto TV on your browser
  5. Start streaming free Pluto TV from Australia

Why do you need a VPN to watch Pluto TV?

Because of the broadcaster’s programming rights, Pluto TV is only available in the US, Canada, Latin America, and some European countries. Therefore, if you try to access Pluto TV from Australia, you will get an error message: Pluto TV is not available in your location. Thanks for your patience.

plutotv-error

Luckily, I have a fix for that. With the best VPN software, you can connect to a US server and obtain a US IP address. This way, Pluto TV will think you’re physically located in the US and grant you access.

Please note that not all VPNs are made equal. For example, a free VPN might not be able to unblock geo-restricted content due to its weak security, lack of privacy, and limited performance. If your VPN is not capable of masking your location properly, Pluto TV might recognize that you’re using a VPN and not deny access to the site.

However, with a reputable VPN, like NordVPN, you will have no issues entering and watching Pluto TV in Australia. A premium VPN will not only effortlessly unblock Pluto TV but also bypass ISP throttling, block pesky ads, and secure your connection.

Best VPNs to watch Pluto TV in Australia

Together with our research team, I reviewed 41 VPNs to find the best ones with multiple US servers. I then narrowed down the list of VPNs that reliably allow access to Pluto TV from Australia, considering their US server fleets, geo-unblocking and streaming capabilities, security features, and pricing.

All of the VPNs below have dependable US servers that can easily bypass Pluto TV's geo-restrictions.

1. NordVPN – best VPN for Pluto TV in Australia overall

NordVPN banner
Number of US servers:1970+
Unblocks Pluto TV:✅ Yes
Supported devices:Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Best deal:Get 75% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free

NordVPN is the best VPN to watch Pluto TV in Australia. as it has over 1,970 servers in the US across 16 cities and offers excellent unblocking capabilities. The US server diversity is key for switching servers if you encounter IP-blocking issues or server congestion.

Servers and streaming. NordVPN has 9000+ servers worldwide, including a wide array of US servers that are fast, reliable, and secure. For me, Pluto TV streaming with NordVPN was smooth, of high quality, and without buffering.

Speed. Our NordVPN testing showed that NordVPN provides excellent speeds from Australia when connected to US servers. It lost only about 13% of the baseline speed. Overall, NordVPN shows great 87.8% speed retention on average.

Unblocking capabilities. NordVPN is excellent at seamlessly unblocking Pluto TV. I could also easily access multiple Netflix libraries, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and other streaming services.

NordVPN subscriptions start at $4.79/month (~AU$5.25/month) and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you don’t like the service.

2. Surfshark – most cost-effective VPN for Pluto TV

Surfshark banner
Number of US servers:600+
Unblocks Pluto TV:✅ Yes
Supported devices:Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Best deal:Now up to 85% OFF Surfshark + 3 months FREE

Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPNs and offers unlimited simultaneous connections. You can save even more with the Surfshark promo code "OFFCN", which makes it excellent for those on a budget. Surfshark has over 600 US servers in key US locations, making it a great choice for streaming Pluto TV from Australia.

Servers and streaming. With over 4500 servers worldwide, you can access a variety of streaming platforms with Surfshark, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, and, of course, Pluto TV.

Speed. Our Surfshark VPN tests indicated that Surfshark achieved around 80.6% speed retention on a US server from Australia. This is solid speed retention, which is enough to stream in HD with no lag. The average overall download speed retention of Surfshark was 93.3%.

Unblocking capabilities. I had no issues accessing Pluto TV with Surfshark. Besides, I could access other streaming platforms from different locations, like Netflix Japan and Channel 4. What I really liked about Surfshark was that I could use it on as many devices as I wanted.

Surfshark prices start at a very affordable $2.49/month (~AU$3.08/month), and it offers a 30-day refund policy for your peace of mind.

3. IPVanish – secure VPN for streaming Pluto TV

IPVanish banner
Number of US servers:1100+
Unblocks Pluto TV:✅ Yes
Supported devices:Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux
Best deal:Now up to 83% OFF IPVanish

IPVanish is another great VPN for streaming Pluto TV in Australia. It has over 1100 US servers and offers great security features.

Servers and streaming. With 3400+ servers globally, including physical servers with WireGuard security protocol, I has a trouble-free experience with this VPN for Pluto TV.

Speed. IPVanish has a solid speed retention of 82.8% on US servers, which allowed me to stream HD-quality Pluto TV content with no lag. Overall, its average download speed retention was above 90%, which is a great result no matter where you are in the world.

Unblocking capabilities. IPVanish US servers were reliable and unblocked Pluto TV successfully. Besides Pluto TV, it’s capable of unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+, and other streaming platforms.

IPVanish comes at a very affordable price of $2.19/month (~AU$3.39/month), slightly more than Surfshark. IPVanish also gives a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Comparison of the best VPNs to watch Pluto TV in Australia

Below you’ll find a comparison table of our top three VPN providers, best for watching Pluto TV from Australia. We've given our top contenders our expert rating, listed their current prices, number of global and US servers, and speed retention scores.

VPNRatingStarting priceUS serversWorldwide serversCountries coveredAverage speed retention
NordVPN
4.9
~AU$5.25/month1970+9000+13087.7%
Surfshark
4.7
AU$3.08/month600+4500+10093.3%
IPVanish
4.2
~AU$3.39/month1100+3400+11391.8%

VPN not working when trying to watch Pluto TV in Australia

Pluto TV might stop working for several reasons, most of which are easy to address.

  • Your actual IP address might be exposed. Either you haven't connected to a VPN server in a region where Pluto TV is available, or your VPN is not secure enough and is leaking your IP address. Make sure to use a trustworthy VPN provider and connect to a server in a country where Pluto TV is available.
  • Your VPN server might be block-listed. Services like Pluto TV can sometimes detect VPN usage and block certain IP addresses. Try connecting to a different server within the same country to refresh your IP address.
  • Your browser’s cookies and cache could be revealing your location. Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies can remove stored location data that might interfere with Pluto TV access. Alternatively, try using incognito mode in your browser.

In case you still encounter issues, a good practice is to contact your VPN’s customer support service, as they may have some useful tips for accessing Pluto TV.

What can you watch on Pluto TV?

Pluto TV is a free, ad-supported streaming platform, known for broadcasting classic shows and movies, and of course, the fact that all of it is free. The content varies from live TV to movies, sports, and documentaries.

Movies and TV shows

On Pluto TV, you can stream classics like I Love Lucy, Matlock, and The Andy Griffith Show. You can also catch fan-favorite series like Criminal Minds and S.W.A.T. The content on the platform is often updated, offering a solid rotation of films and shows.

Documentaries

Pluto TV provides documentary channels like Science TV, Docu TV, and XiveTV, which show a range of fascinating docu-topics. You can even catch the NASA live stream to explore the universe.

Sports

Sports fans get channels dedicated to sports and sports events, such as the PGA Tour, Fight, World Poker Tour, and F1 channel. There's even a weekly series hosted in partnership with DAZN, bringing more dynamic sports content to the lineup.

Final thoughts

Though Pluto TV isn't available directly from Australia, you can use a trusted VPN service, like NordVPN, which can remove geo-restrictions. By connecting to a US server, you can enjoy Pluto TV's library of completely free content from Australia or, in fact, anywhere else in the world.

In addition to NordVPN, Surfshark and IPVanish also proved to be efficient in accessing Pluto TV outside the US. A reliable VPN will allow you to watch Pluto TV or any other streaming platform from anywhere and make your connection secure and private.

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