However, you can access it in Australia with a VPN. A virtual private network will hide your Australian IP while channeling you to a server in America.
 |
|
 |
There are thousands of virtual private networks available online. A popular option that would bypass Hulu’s geo-block would be NordVPN or ExpressVPN. We’ve run through how you can access the streaming service with it and more, so keep reading.
With a VPN you can unlock more services (not just Hulu) including Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
Is Hulu Available in Australia?
Hulu is not officially available in Australia. Normally, you can access the service from the US only. However, you can use a VPN (like the one recommended above), to access it from Australia without problems.
How Do You Access Hulu in Australia?
How do you access the streaming service with Express? You’ll have to follow 3 easy steps.
- Download ExpressVPN on your PC or mobile. You’ll have to create an account before using it. Yes, you’ll have to pay for a subscription as well.
- Connect to a US server. The software contains multiple servers across the US (more on this below). As mentioned, your real IP would be hidden and you’d have an American address. Make sure to connect to the fastest server available.
- Access the Hulu website. You’ll have to pay for an account to start streaming. There are different monthly Hulu plans to choose from.
Why ExpressVPN?
Express is one of the most popular virtual private networks in the game for a reason. Not only does it unblocks Hulu, but it’s strong enough to bypass China’s Great Firewall.
Price
The program is not very expensive. There are three subscriptions to choose from – the 1-month plan costs AUD 16.89 a month, the 15-month option costs AUD 8.70 every month, while the 6-month option costs AUD 13.03.
You’d be pleased to know that there is a 30-day free trial. Express also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
There are several ways you can pay for your subscription, not just through e-wallets, credit, and debit cards, but through BitCoin too.
Servers
The best thing about Express is that it has one of the largest server pools around. There are currently over 3,000 servers in 160 locations across 94 countries. Hundreds of them are in the United States alone.
The VPN service is popular because they offer 160 locations in some of the most diverse areas around the world. A lot of their competitors don’t have as many servers in Africa or South America.
Customer Support
If you’re having an issue using the software, you can get help easily. It offers 24/7 customer support through live chat. You can also reach out to the support team in several other ways.
Privacy & Security
You probably won’t be using the program just to access Hulu. Virtual Private Networks are used to make your time online more secure. Your IP will be bounced back, so websites won’t know your real address. The VPN will tunnel your data to a server of your choice.
The data is encrypted, there won’t be any sites tracking your activity either. Express uses military-level encryption, making your connection highly safe. When using a private network, your privacy is also ensured. The team has made several claims that they don’t keep logs of users’ activity.
Features
If you’re watching Hulu and your VPN happens to go offline, it’ll disconnect your WIFI along with it. This will prevent the streaming service from knowing that you were bouncing your IP, which could get you banned. This feature is called the kill-switch.
Express also has a neat security feature, where your connection is encrypted twice instead of just once.
You can connect to ExpressVPN from 5 different devices at the same time. Your whole family will be able to stream content no matter where they are.
How Do You Pay For a Hulu Account?
You now know how to access the streaming service from Australia. But how do you pay for its services? This can be a bit tricky, but we’ve got you covered.
An American Credit Card
The easiest way would be through an American credit card. You may have friends or family in the US that can give you their card details to sign up with.
You can PayPal the cashback to them. Of course, this means signing up can only be done using the details of a person you’re very close to.
Once you’ve included the card details, you’ll have to include information on your billing address. You can google American zip codes since you’d get caught if you include an Australian one.
A Gift Card
Although an American credit card would be the easiest way of signing up, you may not know anyone in the US. What do you do then? You can pay for a subscription using a Hulu gift card.
You can buy them online – there are many sites to work with. When redeeming your code, make sure that the VPN is on and connected to the US.
Why Is Hulu Not Available In Australia?
We mentioned geo-blocking earlier, but do you know why it’s in place? This is when IPs outside a certain region can’t access a site. They may be blocked due to their geographic location, which is a major drawback.
Hulu isn’t the only streaming service that makes use of geo-blocking. Disney+, BBC iPlayer and several of its competitors do so as well (for example HBO Max).
The reason for this is due to copyright laws. Shows on Hulu may only have licenses to be played in the US. If you’ve ever wondered why Netflix has different content libraries depending on the country you’re in, this is the reason.
Why would Hulu prevent some shows from being licensed outside the US? Well, it’s not up to the platform to decide. It’s entirely the doing of the production company that creates the movies or shows. These entities may not try to extend the licenses due to financial or cultural reasons. Perhaps they assume the shows won’t be well-received outside America.
Is A VPN Legal in Australia?
Considering how they work, many people think virtual private networks aren’t legal. After all, IPs are blocked and you’re given a new one. However, know that they are completely legal in Australia and most parts of the world. In certain cases, governments can do some digging and figure out that your IP is hidden through a private network.
Former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull once touched on the legality of VPNs. He mentioned that the copyright act allowed citizens to make use of the software to “circumvent geo-blocks”.
In some countries, the software is illegal. China, Russia, and Belarus are three such examples where VPNs are banned. As mentioned, Express is strong enough to bypass China’s block.
Can Any VPN Access Hulu?
You won’t be able to access the streaming service if your VPN is free. Free Virtual Private Networks don’t have the largest pool of servers. A lot of the time, the servers are shared between several sites. Hulu often goes on the hunt for servers and blacklists them. This means that free VPNs are unable to bypass its geo-block.
You’re better off avoiding the free options altogether. Since they don’t charge for their services, they have to make their money elsewhere. In many cases, free VPNs may be tracking what you do online, and selling your data to third parties. You might get hit with a lot of ads too, many of which would be inappropriate or malicious.
Even if the VPN you’re interested in isn’t free, it might not be able to unblock Hulu. Only the very best ones can do this. From the list, Express reigns supreme. Several users prefer it to other top names due to its immense IP pool and how secure your time online would be.
What Devices Can You Watch Hulu On?
We mentioned above that you can connect 5 accounts to Express at a given time. What kind of devices does Hulu let you stream on? Quite a few.
- Windows
- Mac
- Android
- iOS
- Apple TV
- Samsung Smart TV
- Amazon Fire TV and FireStick
- Fire Tablets
- Chromecast
- Nintendo Switch
- Vizio Smart Case TVs
- Xbox One and Xbox 360
In conclusion, Hulu is a leading streaming service, attracting thousands of users from around the world. It offers exclusive content that cannot be found on rival services. Unfortunately, the platform is only available in the United States. This is due to licensing and copyrights.
However, if you want to access all its content, you can bypass the geoblock in Australia by using a VPN. Out of these, the one that would be most worth your time is ExpressVPN. Your IP would be well-hidden, and a new one from America would be shown. It’s completely legal, and the former Australian Prime Minister even touched on the legality of virtual private networks.
You can’t pay for Hulu with your Australian card, though. You’ll have to register with a card number from the United States. Hopefully, you have a loved one living there that can help you. If not, you’ll have to purchase a gift card and redeem a subscription to the streaming service.