Let’s face it, we all love nice binge sessions and if there is a streaming service provider like Hotstar offering premium content, we can’t say no to getting a piece of it.
But what happens when you can’t access this Hotstar content because it isn’t offered in Australia? Here is where the issue begins.
How To Access Hotstar in Australia?
Lucky for you we have a solution and it is simple and straightforward. Simply use a VPN to access it. This is what I recommend:
 |
|
 |
What is Hotstar?
Hotstar is a fully-packed over-the-top video service that provides lots of TV content and live sports action, mainly in the Indian market. It is much like Netflix except that it specialises in Indian content.
Hotstar’s compatibility with a wide range of devices and operating systems makes it a favourite for TV shows, movies, and sports lovers. Supported operating systems include such as Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. You can watch Hotstar on the following devices Android phones, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Chromecast, PC, and Mac.
Is Hotstar available in Australia?
Initially, Hotstar was meant to be an Indian-only service, but due to a high demand overseas, it expanded to other regions like Canada, the UK, and the US. At the moment, the service isn’t directly available in Australia yet.
Why is Hotstar not available outside India?
Hotstar content is not available in your country? Use a VPN to fix the issue.
It is a frustrating experience when you are hyped to watch a TV show, movie or even sports event by your friends only to find out the content isn’t available in your region. Unfortunately in most of these cases, there is hardly a thing you can do because that is how the streaming industry works.
As you’ve probably guessed, the unavailability of Hotstar content outside India has to do with money. Streaming services usually sign contracts with content producers to get the rights to air the content.
These contracts often have clauses that allow the content to be aired in a specific region. As such, streaming services are not allowed to offer this content in regions outside those stipulated by the contract. If streaming services violate this agreement, they get fined.
To offer content in several regions, they need to pay a huge sum for those rights. From a business standpoint, it can be impractical as the content doesn’t bring them enough revenue to sustain the multi-region project.
This is why most streaming services including Hotstar prefer to limit their content to specific regions. There are also other reasons such as competition from already established providers in those regions and the absence of a target audience suitable the content.
What happens when you try to watch Hotstar in Australia?
If you try watching Hotstar from the comfort of your house in Australia, you will get an error message saying something in the lines of:
“This content is not currently available in your region” or “We are unavailable at your location.”
You can try refreshing the site or even restarting your device, but that won’t change a thing. You’ll still receive the same error message.
That, however, doesn’t mean you can’t get access to Hotstar content in Australia. With the right tricks, you can catch the hottest and latest content on Hotstar without worrying about any geo-restriction hitches.
How can I watch Hotstar in Australia?
What you need is a virtual private tunnel that will reroute (& encrypt) your traffic and make it appear like you’re accessing Hotstar from India.
Here is the thing, Hotstar offers content by tracking the users’ locations through the IP address of their traffic. Netflix and Hulu use a similar approach to determine which library to offer in a region.
If a user tries to access Hotstar using an IP address that doesn’t correspond to the regions it is available, the system denies that user access. The system then sends an error message that informs the user that Hotstar content isn’t available in their region.
A VPN lets you turn the tables and access the content without the system realising you’re not based in the regions it is available.
All you need to watch Hotstar is a VPN, but finding a reliable one can be tricky. You need a VPN that can unblock geo-restricted content and also offer a stable internet connection. The VPN you choose should also have a zero-log policy – crucial for anonymity and privacy.
Another factor to consider when choosing a VPN is the number of simultaneous connections it supports. You want a VPN that supports multiple simultaneous connections, which will allow you and your friends or family to watch your favourite shows and movies at the same time.
Most importantly, the VPN should have different servers within India to guarantee that you will find a good server to connect to when you want to watch Hotstar.
We’ve tried several VPNs in the market and here are two we recommend as reliable and perfect for the job.
Best VPNs to unblock Hotstar
ExpressVPN
With an extensive server network and fast speeds, ExpressVPN is arguably the best VPN and the best choice to unblock Hotstar. It supports a maximum of 5 simultaneous connections, which should be enough for you and your family.
ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you can ask for a refund if you’re not pleased with it, but you probably won’t need to since it is an excellent VPN. The VPN also provides unlimited bandwidth.
Surfshark
Surfshark as another great choice for unblocking Hotstar mainly because of its top-notch quality and affordability. It also has three optimised server locations in India, which means you’ll have options to choose from at any given time.
Surfshark has no limit when it comes to simultaneous connections, which is a good thing if you want to share it with your friends. Like ExpressVPN, Surfshark maintains a no-logs policy and features a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also has exceptionally competitive pricing that gives you the best value for money.
How to watch Hotstar in Australia using a VPN
Here is how to access Hotstar content
- First, choose the VPN you want to use and then signing up with the VPN service provider. Remember, not all VPNs work with Hotstar and that is why we prefer ExpressVPN or Surfshark as they are proven
- Get a subscription of the plan that suits you and then download the client app on your device
- Install the application and launch it. Sign in to your account using your credentials.
- Choose a server-based in India from the wide range of server options provided and connect to it
- Move to Hotstar and launch it as well
You should now be able to watch any Hotstar content you want without getting an error message.
Hotstar packages
Hotstar offers two different types of paid accounts to its users i.e. VIP account and Premium account. Beyond the two plans, there is a third option that allows you to stream content for free as long as you have a stable internet connection.
The VIP and freemium plans offer content in the local Indian languages. This means if you are not Indian or can’t understand the Indian languages, the two are unsuitable. Indian natives residing in Australia can, however, enjoy the two plans.
Aussies can stream Hotstar content in English using the premium account. You can choose the billing cycle that suits you between monthly and yearly. We recommend the second option as it gives you a discount.
Creating a Hotstar premium account in Australia can be challenging since Hotstar requires users to have an Indian phone number, credit card, and a local address. That should not be a problem, however, as you can use third-party platforms to meet those requirements.
How much does Hotstar cost for Aussies?
The only viable Hotstar plan for Aussie is premium. On top of the subscription fee for this premium plan, you’ll also have to factor in the VPN subscription fee. These are the two main expenses that you’ll incur to set up and watch Hotstar in Australia.
Some of the TV shows you can watch in Hotstar are True Detective, The Wire, Chernobyl, The Mandalorian, Watchmen, and Modern Family. You can also enjoy movies like Bad Education, Coco, All the Way, Bambi, Ready or Not, and Hidden Figures.
How many devices can you stream Hotstar on?
Hotstar recently launched a multi-screen support feature. You can watch Hotstar content on two different screens at the same time. However, this feature is limited to only subscribers that use the Premium plan.
Conclusion
The best way to watch Hotstar in Australia is by using a VPN. However, not all VPNs will allow you to watch Hotstar, so you need to be careful when choosing a VPN to use. Some VPNs may claim to unblock geo-blocked content but offer slow speeds.
To avoid such bad experience, you can subscribe to ExpressVPN of Surfshark and enjoy endless hours of Hotstar content at any time you want.