How to Watch National Geographic From Anywhere in 2023

I love watching documentaries on National Geographic — but when I travel outside the US to visit family, I get error messages if I try to log in. It’s not fair that even though I pay a ton of money for a subscription to watch Nat Geo on Hulu, I can’t keep up with my favorites like Genius and Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted.

Whether you pay for Hulu, Disney+, or another service that offers National Geographic, you can use a VPN to log into your account and watch even while you travel abroad. However, since most VPNs aren’t powerful enough to get past filters on streaming sites, I had to test 20 providers before finding the 3 best for logging in to your paid National Geographic account and watching with no restrictions.

Of every VPN I tested, ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds for bufferless National Geographic content in HD. It unblocked every live TV service I tested it with, and had reliable servers to watch with zero interruptions. Since it’s backed by a 30-day guarantee, you can buy in confidence and try ExpressVPN to watch National Geographic.

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

 Quick Guide: Watch National Geographic Without Cable in 3 Easy Steps

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

 How a VPN Helps You Watch National Geographic From Anywhere

Due to copyright restrictions, the National Geographic channel is only available in the US. Even if you pay for cable or a live TV streaming service, streaming sites use your IP address to see your geographic location and block you from watching if you’re outside the country. Since you can’t watch top National Geographic shows like Genius whenever you want, you’ll be losing money on your TV subscriptions.

A VPN gives you a new IP address to get past these blocks and watch the National Geographic shows and documentaries you pay good money for. When you connect to a VPN server in the US, streaming sites with National Geographic will think you’re watching from home and let you log into your account.

However, few VPNs are advanced enough to unblock TV streaming sites that have the National Geographic channel. During my tests I found 3 of the top providers that unblock National Geographic on Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and other devices. ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds of them all, letting me watch my favorite nature and science shows in full HD with no lag at all. Since it has a 30-day guarantee, you risk nothing if you try ExpressVPN to stream National Geographic and make sure you like the results. If you aren’t happy with it, you can get your money back.

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

 The Best VPNs to Watch National Geographic in 2023

1. ExpressVPN — Mega-Fast Speeds to Watch National Geographic in HD with Zero Buffering

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	3,000+
📱Devices	8
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

With the fastest speeds on any VPN I tested, ExpressVPN gave me reliably lag-free live National Geographic streams in HD. I tried servers all around the world and I always got speeds of at least 90Mbps — easily fast enough to stream in 4K on multiple devices.

ExpressVPN has hundreds of servers in the US (and they’re all optimized for streaming). That’s why I had no problem finding an ExpressVPN location that unblocked my Hulu account and let me watch National Geographic. Every server I tried unblocked Hulu instantly, letting me navigate to “TV” and watch the live broadcast. I could also select a rerun of one of my favorite shows by browsing the library. After some further testing I found that ExpressVPN unblocked every live TV streaming service with National Geographic channel including Sling TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Vidgo, and AT&T TV. No matter which of my accounts I logged into, National Geographic loaded right away and played in HD without interruptions. For example, using ExpressVPN to watch YouTube TV gave me a totally lag-free episode of Running Wild With Bear Grylls.

ExpressVPN even unblocks National Geographic from China. While only a few VPNs will work on the Chinese mainland due to strict censorship, ExpressVPN’s obfuscation technology can bypass government filters and unblock the open web. ExpressVPN unblocks your live TV streaming accounts even if you travel in countries with a firewalled internet. Just keep in mind that due to time zone differences, live shows won’t broadcast at the usual times of day. However, keep in mind that you can get into trouble for doing this — I don’t condone breaking any laws, and am only including this detail for educational purposes. Always check local rules and regulations before using a VPN in a foreign country.

A speed test tool built into ExpressVPN helps you find the best server for National Geographic almost instantly. Just choose “Speed Test” in the settings and choose “Recommended Locations.” ExpressVPN will show you the fastest servers near you. Double-click to connect, and you’ll be able to watch live shows on National Geographic without missing a single heart-pounding moment.

If you’re like me and prefer to test things out for a while, you can try ExpressVPN with no risk since it puts its reputation on the line with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I checked the policy personally by asking for a refund via live chat when I was done testing ExpressVPN to watch National Geographic. The agent put my request through with no questions asked, and I had my money 2 days later.

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

2. CyberGhost — Servers Optimized for Lag-Free National Geographic on TV Services Like Hulu, Sling TV, and More

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	9,600+
📱Devices	7
💰Refund	45 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

CyberGhost comes pre-loaded with servers optimized for lag-free streaming on TV services that include National Geographic. I was able to use the Hulu server to log into my paid account and start watching the National Geographic channel live with no buffering at all. Aside from 2-3 seconds of initial loading time, I was able to watch shows like Wicked Tuna in HD.

While it’s rare, CyberGhost’s streaming servers do temporarily go down on occasion. You also might subscribe to a service that CyberGhost doesn’t have an optimized server for, like AT&T TV. That’s why I decided to see if its regular location-based servers would be able to unblock National Geographic. I tested locations throughout the US, and not all of them worked — for example, I couldn’t get the National Geographic channel to load on Hulu when I tested the Washington DC, server. However, I had no problems watching Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted using CyberGhost servers in Chicago, Phoenix, New York, and others. These same servers worked with Sling TV, YouTube TV, and AT&T TV as well, so you have plenty of options if there are issues with the streaming servers.

Another plus of CyberGhost is its free browser extension. Combined with the ability to connect 7 devices at once, you can organize a viewing party with friends or family who love the same National Geographic shows as you. I logged into my streaming account with a group of 5 friends, and we all connected to CyberGhost servers in the US. We were able to watch an episode of The Hot Zone with only 15 seconds of initial lag and no interruptions.

To try CyberGhost risk-free before you commit to anything, you can take advantage of its 45-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like it, just ask for a refund using 24/7 chat. I asked for my money back after I finished testing it to watch National Geographic, and the agent put my refund through without even asking why I wanted to cancel. The money was in my account 3 days later.

Watch National Geographic with CyberGhost

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — The Most Servers in the US to Watch National Geographic Uninterrupted

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	35,000+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

With more servers in the US than any other VPN on this list, Private Internet Access gave me super-reliable live TV connections to watch National Geographic without drop-outs. It even has a US-streaming optimized server that unblocked Hulu instantly. While not all other US-based servers unblocked Hulu, I found that the US Atlanta and US Washington DC servers worked best.

Once I found a working server, I never lost my connection unexpectedly. Not once did I encounter any lag in the middle of shows like Running Wild With Bear Grylls. Best of all, my video quality never became suddenly pixelated (which happens on VPNs with small networks, when their servers slow down due to overcrowding).

You can use PIA on up to unlimited devices at once (more than my other 2 top VPNs for National Geographic). While my Hulu account only allows me to stream on 2 at once, I played live streams on YouTube and Twitch on 4 other devices (for a total of 6). I was never interrupted by buffering even on 6 devices. While I did have to wait an extra 5 seconds for the streams to begin, they played perfectly once they got started.

If you’re on a budget, PIA is also the most affordable VPN on this list. Since I pay for so many TV and movie streaming sites, I appreciate a provider like PIA that’s really affordable. Signing up for longer-term plans gives you an even lower price. Plus, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try PIA without risking anything and get the full amount back if you aren’t pleased. I had to open a support ticket to cancel, but an agent replied in under 5 minutes and told me my refund was being processed. He said to expect the money in 7-14 days, but I had it back that same week.

Watch National Geographic with PIA

 How to Sign up With Hulu + Live TV to Watch National Geographic

You can sign up for Hulu using a gift card or regular US-based credit and debit cards. Remember that you need to sign up before you travel out of the country, because signing up for National Geographic abroad could breach its terms and conditions (even if you use a VPN).

Gift Card Method

Credit Card Method

Watch National Geographic on Hulu with ExpressVPN

 FAQs on Watching National Geographic With a VPN

What National Geographic shows can you watch on Disney+?

Disney owns National Geographic, so you can watch lots of Nat Geo movies (like Free Solo) and shows (like Genius and Brain Games) if you have Disney+. Here are some of the most popular shows you can watch with a Disney+ account:

Movies:

Series:

You can subscribe to Disney+ using a VPN on this list and a US-based payment method. While there’s no free trial, you can choose between monthly and annual subscriptions.

What shows are on National Geographic?

After you sign up for a live TV streaming service, you can watch all the most popular Nat Geo shows like:

Can I use The Nat Geo TV app with a VPN?

Yes — every VPN I tested works on mobile devices and unblocks Nat Geo TV. You can download your selected VPN’s mobile app and connect to a server in the US, then download Nat Geo TV. Now you can bypass location blocks and watch content on your premium Nat Geo TV account any time you want. Better yet, the best VPNs (which are all on this list) also unblock other American streaming sites like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and others.

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

Where can I stream National Geographic online?

To watch the National Geographic channel live (and browse for reruns of your favorite shows), you can use a US-based credit card to sign up to one of these TV streaming services:

Other TV blogs have outdated information, listing services that either no longer exist or don’t offer the National Geographic channel. Despite what these sites say, you can’t watch Nat Geo on Philo, Playstation Vue, or TVision.

What devices can I watch National Geographic on?

National Geographic is available on streaming sites that work with all the most common devices, including:

My top VPNs work with all or most of these devices as well. That means you don’t have to worry about cross-compatibility between your VPN, your chosen streaming service, and the National Geographic channel. IPVanish is one of the few providers I’ve tested that allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can watch on all your devices and share your account with friends or family.

Watch National Geographic with IPVanish

 Start Watching National Geographic From Anywhere Today

I’m a paying Hulu + Live TV customer, so it’s unfair that I can’t watch National Geographic when I travel outside the US to visit family. If I pay for a live TV service, I should be able to watch it no matter when I want — and with a VPN, I can.

Since most VPNs can’t get past the blocks on streaming sites that have Nat Geo, it can take forever to find one that works. Out of the 20 I tested, ExpressVPN had the best unblocking abilities and the fastest speeds to watch Nat Geo in HD with no buffering whatsoever. It’s backed by a tried and tested 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try ExpressVPN with zero risk and make sure it works. If ExpressVPN can’t unblock National Geographic on your paid TV streaming service, it’s easy to get a refund.

Watch National Geographic with ExpressVPN

Summary — These Are the Best VPNs to Watch National Geographic in 2023

Rank

Provider name

Our score

Price

Top Choice

1.

9.8

         

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$6.67 / month Save 49%

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2.

9.6

         

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$2.11 / month Save 84%

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3.

9.4

         

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$2.11 / month Save 82%

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