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ESPN+ is a US-based streaming platform that’s only available for US residents right now. It’s currently geo-blocked for the rest of the world, including Canada. This means that even if you're already an ESPN Plus subscriber, you won't be able to use the service while traveling in Canada.
There are even content restrictions within the US due to blackouts, so certain events might not be offered in some states. Luckily, you can get ESPN Plus in Canada with a VPN. Once you connect to a US server, your real IP address is hidden and replaced with an American one. That lets you access any US streaming services from anywhere in the world.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch ESPN Plus in Canada, why you need a VPN to do so, and which VPNs work well for the job. We'll also share how much the streamer costs, how to pay for its subscription, and how to get ESPN+ on any of your desired devices. Furthermore, you'll get answers to some FAQs.
The first thing you have to do if you want to stream ESPN+ in Canada is connect to a US-based VPN server. Once you get a US IP address, you can watch your favorite sports without restrictions. Here’s what to do:
Keep in mind that you must have a payment method with a US billing address to get ESPN Plus in Canada - either a US debit/credit card or PayPal account. If you don't have one of those, you also have the option of paying with an Apple gift card, Google Play gift card, or virtual prepaid credit card. We cover these methods in detail later in the article.
Yes, if you want to watch ESPN Plus in Canada, you need a VPN to get around geo-restrictions. Since ESPN+ is only available in the US, you can’t access it with a Canadian IP. A VPN is the easiest way to get a US IP address.
If you try to access ESPN Plus outside the US without a VPN, you’ll receive an error message before browsing the site. The error message at the bottom of your screen might look like this: “We're sorry, an unexpected error occurred.”
The URL you’ll see will also show that your access has been denied because of the geo-blocks. To make the streaming service think you're in the US, you must change your IP address. With a VPN, you can connect to a US server and hide your Canadian address. This will give you an IP in the United States, which will allow you to access ESPN Plus away from home.
However, keep in mind that many VPNs don’t work with ESPN+. Along with unblocking the platform, the best VPN for ESPN Plus also needs fast speeds for a smooth streaming experience. Because of this, we suggest using NordVPN. It has thousands of blazing-fast US servers and SmartPlay for easily bypassing geo-restrictions.
To find the right VPN, you need to look out for specific criteria. The most important thing is to get a VPN that unblocks ESPN Plus and other streaming platforms. So, you’ll need to choose a provider with plenty of servers in the US (and worldwide) to avoid slow speeds and overcrowding.
Secondly, you need a VPN that offers high-quality performance and super-fast speeds so you won’t experience lag. Another important thing is to make sure that you get access to important privacy and security features. The VPN should have a kill switch, obfuscation (a feature that hides your VPN traffic), strong encryption, a no-logs policy, and secure protocols.
Last but not least, make sure you can stream ESPN on multiple simultaneous connections (like on your smart TV or phone). Plus, check that the VPN has apps for all your devices. The VPN should also be priced reasonably and offer a money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.
Based on the criteria explained above, these are the 4 best VPNs to unblock ESPN+ in Canada:
NordVPN is the best VPN for watching ESPN+ in Canada. It unblocks ESPN+ easily and gives you access to many other streaming services, too. This is thanks to its 6,300+ servers in 111 countries. It also has 1,970+ servers located in 16 US locations.
NordVPN provides excellent speeds and stable performance. In our tests, we could always stream ESPN without noticing any lags. This was consistent regardless of whether we connected to a server close to us or further away. Also, most of its servers are obfuscated (make sure to use the OpenVPN protocol for those servers to appear), but its other kinds of servers work with ESPN just fine, too.
When it comes to security and privacy, NordVPN has high-end features to protect your data and devices. This includes a kill switch to cut your Internet if the VPN connection has any issues. It also has an audited no-logs policy, strong protocols (OpenVPN, NordLynx, and IKEv2), and military-grade encryption (AES-256-GCM or ChaCha20 depending on the protocol you choose).
NordVPN offers 10 simultaneous connections and works on all popular streaming devices, such as smartphones, computers, tablets, smart TVs, and more. It can also be configured on routers to protect devices that don't support VPN installation, like game consoles.
This provider is pretty affordable, with a 2-year plan that costs as little as $3.09 per month. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it without any risk. If you have any questions or need help with anything, you can contact their 24/7 live chat customer support.
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Surfshark is another impressive VPN that can effortlessly access ESPN Plus in Canada. It also works well with any other streaming services. This is due in part to its 3,200+ powerful servers in 100 countries, including 600+ servers in 25 US locations.
This VPN has blazing-fast speeds across its network and dependable performance on both nearby and distant servers. Also, Surfshark's entire network has automatic obfuscation, which comes in handy if you're on restricted Internet.
Security and privacy issues won't be a concern if you have Surfshark. It offers a powerful kill switch to prevent data leaks if the VPN has a connection error. Moreover, it employs AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption, an independently audited no-logs policy, and robust tunneling protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2.
Surfshark allows you to have unlimited simultaneous connections, which makes it a great choice for big households with a ton of streaming devices. It works with any popular streaming systems, including computers, smartphones, smart TVs, and more.
On top of that, it's very inexpensive, with a 2-year plan ringing up at just $2.29 monthly. It also comes with a 30-day refund period to test its services, and customer support is available 24/7 to assist with anything you might need.
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ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN services on the market and bypasses ESPN+ geo-blocks with ease. You can also use it for accessing other streamers. It has thousands of servers in 105 countries, of which 24 server locations are in the US.
Based on our speed tests, ExpressVPN delivers super-fast connections and reliable performance. Plus, all servers (including the US ones) are optimized for streaming and have automatic obfuscation.
ExpressVPN also offers excellent privacy and security. It has secure protocols (Lightway, OpenVPN, and IKEv2), an audited no-logs policy, and two encryption types: AES-256 and WolfSSL. Plus, it offers a kill switch to prevent data leakage in the event of a VPN disconnection.
ExpressVPN allows 8 simultaneous connections and supports any streaming devices, including smart TVs, computers, mobiles, and tablets. It has a unique router app that will make it easy to stream ESPN+ in Canada on devices like game consoles.
This provider is, unfortunately, on the pricey side, with an annual plan of $6.67 per month. That said, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat customer support to ensure customer satisfaction.
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CyberGhost VPN unblocks ESPN Plus thanks to its streaming-optimized servers, ensuring that watching your favorite shows is a smooth experience. You can also use CyberGhost for other streaming platforms. It has a large network of thousands of servers in 100 countries, of which 2,000+ are in 11 US locations.
Thanks to its medium-fast speeds and stable performance, we could stream videos smoothly without noticing any buffering. However, it did have some slowdowns on distant servers.
Even though CyberGhost lacks obfuscation, it's still very secure. It has a freshly audited no-logs policy, AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption, and strong protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPsec. Plus, its automatic kill switch will keep your data safe from leaks.
CyberGhost allows 7 simultaneous connections and has apps for many devices like computers, smartphones tablets, and smart TVs.
This VPN is also very affordable. Its 2-year plan costs as low as $2.03 per month. What’s more, if you subscribe to its longer plans, it has a generous 45-day money-back policy. Plus, if you have any questions, it has 24/7 live chat support and useful tutorials and guides on its website.
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ESPN Plus costs $10.99 (CAD 15.01) per month for its most affordable monthly subscription plan. Its price goes all the way up to $24.99 (CAD 34.13) monthly if you decide to create a Disney Plus bundle. You can also choose to pay annually for ESPN+ by itself, which costs $109.99 (CAD 150.21) per year. Keep in mind that ESPN+ includes ads on all its plans.
Since you might want to know the ESPN Plus price in both USD and CAD, check out the table below:
You’ll need a US debit or credit card to get an ESPN Plus subscription in Canada. If you don't have one, there are 4 different ways to pay: using an iTunes gift card, a Google Play gift card, a virtual prepaid credit card, or a US PayPal account. Below, you can check out more details about how to use each method.
If you’re using iOS or macOS, you can pay for ESPN Plus by using an Apple gift card and subscribing through the app. Here’s all you need to do:
Don’t have access to an American payment method? You can get a subscription using the ESPN Plus app in Canada via a Google Play gift card. Here’s what you need to do:
Because ESPN only accepts US-based payment methods, you can get a subscription by using a virtual prepaid card. Below, you’ll find the steps you need to follow:
If you're lucky enough to have a family member or friend who has a US PayPal account and is willing to let you borrow it, this is a great option. Here’s what to do:
It's a fairly simple process to install ESPN Plus on your devices if you want to watch it in Canada. Most importantly, since ESPN+ is not available in Canada, you’ll first need to get a VPN subscription. Here are some helpful guides for various devices, including iOS, Android, Firestick, and Roku.
You can install ESPN Plus for iOS very easily. Just keep in mind that you need a US Apple ID for this to work. Follow these steps:
The process for installing ESPN+ on Android can be completed in less than 3 minutes, but you will need a US Google Play Store account. Here's what to do:
It's very easy to install ESPN+ on Firestick with VPN protection, as most VPNs offer native Fire OS apps. These steps should simplify things for you:
Roku doesn’t natively support VPNs, and it's also not easy to change its region to the US. Your best bet is to use screen mirroring from a compatible computer or mobile device using AirPlay, SmartView, etc. This works on Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. Here are the steps to follow:
You technically can use a free VPN to watch ESPN+ in Canada, but we don't recommend free VPNs because we’ve never found one that works for unblocking streaming services. We also don’t recommend them because they often collect and sell your private data. Moreover, free VPNs usually come with limited bandwidth, so you can’t stream for long.
Most of the time, free VPNs only offer limited features and 1 device connection. In addition, they also have small server networks, so you risk connecting to overcrowded servers and having slower speeds. Plus, free VPNs lack important security features, so you might put your device(s) at risk. This is why we suggest opting for a free trial VPN instead.
To have a smooth streaming experience while watching ESPN+, you should go with NordVPN's free trial. It's available on Android for 7 days, or you can use it on other devices by taking advantage of its 30-day refund period. After the trial, we recommend choosing one of the best VPN providers for a long-term plan.
ESPN+ has tons of popular content like live boxing, MMA, college sports, documentaries, and more. Unfortunately, it's only available in the US, so you can't access it from Canada. Even if you have an account, you can't use it when traveling in Canada. Moreover, many games are only allowed in specific US regions, so the content you can access will vary. The best solution is to use a VPN to unblock ESPN Plus.
We choose NordVPN as the top VPN for watching ESPN Plus in Canada. It has thousands of US servers, excellent speeds, and bug-free apps for any device you might have. Moreover, its SmartPlay feature makes quick work of any geo-blocks you might encounter.
That's all for our guide on how to watch ESPN Plus in Canada. Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!