The Roku Channel is a dream come true for many cinematography fans. It offers FREE access to thousands of TV shows, movies, and 40+ TV channels with diverse content. The issue? It’s locked to the United States, making it impossible to watch The Roku Channel abroad.
However, you don’t have to live in misery if you’re outside the US borders. Many people online have found a way to access The Roku Channel outside the USA. As a result, they can still access their favorite content despite being thousands of kilometers from their homeland.
Today’s guide will cover a lot of ground to explain the workaround thoroughly. We’ll see how to access the channel abroad, analyze its optional subscriptions, and see what kind of content you can find on The Roku Channel. Stay tuned. It’s going to be interesting.
Why Is The Roku Channel Blocked Outside the USA?
We first must explain the problem for people abroad. If you Google-search this channel and right away click on the first search result, you’ll be met with the following screen:
The self-explanatory message tells you everything; you can’t watch The Roku Channel outside the USA. As the channel currently isn’t available in your region, it can only mean certain conditions aren’t fulfilled. Usually, we’re talking about licensing agreements.
The Roku Channel doesn’t own all of the content, so copyright holders dictate its handling. They tell if the channel can or can’t broadcast the content abroad. As things stand, it works only in the USA and to enforce the restriction, The Roku Channel works by picking up your IP address.
Having an IP from the USA means you can access the channel. However, if an IP address is from a country abroad, the error message from above will hit you in the face. Therefore, the condition is that you’re from the United States or AT LEAST have an American IP address.
With this in mind, people online have found a simple workaround. By changing their IP address using a VPN, they could access The Roku Channel outside the US. With a connection to the US VPN server, the same IP can be obtained, allowing prompt access to the channel.
According to people online, NordVPN was frequently the #1 choice. Users have reported that its 1,970+ US servers were capable of unblocking The Roku Channel abroad. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain how it works for those who haven’t used it.
Watching The Roku Channel Outside the US With a VPN
Our team of experts doesn’t condone accessing geo-restricted content with a VPN. We say this because the channel is region-locked for a reason. The reason, as said, stems from licensing agreements and copyrights, both of which limit the channel to the USA.
However, if you want to mimic the footsteps of other people online, you’ll need a VPN. They’ve reported that NordVPN works particularly well. It’s no secret that this is quite a popular VPN in the US and around the world, which explains why it was used. NordVPN has over 6,500 servers globally.
It’s a premium provider, which means it sports unlimited bandwidth and fast speeds for streaming. Additionally, people adore its 30-day money-back guarantee. This allows them to temporarily use the VPN and obtain a refund if they don’t need it anymore.
So, how to watch The Roku Channel anywhere?
Simply get NordVPN first. You can subscribe to its 2-year plans to save the most or pick the monthly plan if you need it for a few weeks. After you pick the plan, you’ll have to provide your email and select the payment method. Pay for the VPN and follow the steps.
They involve password creation and setting up the VPN on your device. NordVPN’s apps are identical on all devices and the image below shows the VPN on Windows, serving as a demonstration of the app’s look. The steps are the same on any other device.
As explained previously, the key is to connect to a US server.
You’ll have to open the server list, click the United States, and wait for a few seconds.
After your US IP address is set, go to The Roku Channel, sign in or register, and start watching. We won’t do this here for the reasons stated above.
How to Subscribe to The Roku Channel Outside the US?
We’ve made it abundantly clear that this channel is free and functions the same as Pluto TV which can also be accessed abroad with the same trick. Both channels are, however, ad-supported, which allows their owners to earn “inadvertently.” So, you only need to sign up.
This process requires you to provide your email, create a password, and verify the account. Everything takes a minute or so. Now, The Roku Channel also lets you subscribe to specific services if you wish to expand your horizons. In our book, that’s unnecessary, as the channel already offers some great TV shows and movies.
If you opt for Paramount+, you’ll be able to select from two options:
- Paramount+ Essential. The cheapest add-on at $7.99/mo with a 7-day free trial. It includes even more movies and shows, fewer ads, 24/7 live news, and NFL live streams on CBS.
- Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. This plan offers everything for $12.99/mo in Essential but with no ads, except for live TV and a few shows. Additionally, users gain full access to SHOWTIME’s sports, movies, and series, with a local CBS station with College Football.
There are more subscription options, such as:
- Hallmark
- Fox Nation
- Britbox
- AMC+
- Out TV
- Discovery+
- Sundance Now, and more.
Obviously, these add-ons are hand-crafted for Americans. Those who watch The Roku Channel outside the US won’t have a local live CBS station. CBS only works in the US. Beware that you’ll need a US payment method to get these add-ons.
You can use PayPal or credit cards for instance.
However, both MUST be US-based. Americans abroad won’t have an issue with this because they likely have a corresponding payment method. Unfortunately for non-Americans, they’ll be locked to the free version of The Roku Channel. Still an awesome one; no worries.
What Can I Watch on The Roku Channel in 2026?
Unblocking The Roku Channel outside the USA opens up a wide content library. Having in mind the channel is free; albeit with ads, the number of movies and TV shows is impressive. For instance, this is a popular place to watch Miss Universe live every year.
However, apart from the most attractive women globally, you can enjoy movies like:
- Coraline
- Saints and Sinners
- A Quiet Place
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage
- Scary Movie
- Mr. Deeds
- Sherlock Gnomes
- Stone Cold
- Where the Heart Is
Those who prefer longer adventures and episodic releases will enjoy some of these series:
- Bones
- Charmed
- 2 Broke Girls
- NCIS Origins
- Strong Medicine
- The Block
- Naruto Shippuden
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Heartland
The Roku Channel’s variety also allows for streaming sports. You can access live sports like NBA, NHL, tennis, MLB, motorsports, boxing, and plenty more. These live streams are accessible without a subscription, so you won’t have to pay a dollar.
Will Free VPNs Unblock The Roku Channel Abroad?
People online have reported they had zero luck with them. We can understand because free providers usually aren’t suited for streaming. In a guide about streaming sports using VPNs, we explained that premium picks excel in performance, bandwidth, and unblocking prowess.
You need all three to watch The Roku Channel outside the USA. During our research, we found that a few non-paid providers can be used in a few instances. PrivadoVPN comes to mind, with fast US servers and great performance. Alas, it’s limited to 10 GB a month.
Windscribe’s 10 GB/mo limit is also crippling but the provider still works with some streaming services. Watching The Roku Channel outside the US is still the most effective with a premium provider. NordVPN is extremely popular but ExpressVPN is also a good pick.
Both have a 30-day money-back guarantee, which, in a way, makes them free. Getting a full refund in 30 days means you lose no money. Despite the upfront payment, you lose nothing in the end, which is ideal if you’re temporarily abroad and want to access Roku’s channel.
Summary
The principle we explained is the best and most effective one to watch The Roku Channel live outside the United States. While you don’t have to use NordVPN or even ExpressVPN, you will need a VPN to make it work abroad. We gave you a risk-free workaround.
A premium provider that can be used for free is a surefire way to enjoy success.
With it, you can enjoy the channel’s content anywhere, and once back in the US, get a refund to avoid losing money. We hope this guide was insightful enough and has simplified the process of unblocking The Roku Channel outside the US. The rest is up to you.
Watch The Roku Channel Abroad With NordVPN
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s address a few more typical questions related to the subject matter.
Is watching The Roku Channel abroad legal?
It is, technically. However, keep in mind that the region restriction is a result of copyrights and streaming rights. That said, you won’t be prosecuted for unblocking the channel. It’s just more a matter of going against its terms and conditions, which isn’t illegal.
We said the same about accessing MAX outside the USA. You can do it with a VPN but it’s not “ethical.” No one’s going to bat an eye, so decide for yourself.
Which devices can I use to access The Roku Channel?
Any device you have; obviously, not your fridge or LED strips. Every device that works with VPNs will allow you to enjoy this channel anywhere. The Roku Channel allows for up to 20 devices to be connected. We’re sure you don’t own more than that even in a large family.
VPN not working with The Roku Channel, what to do?
Switch to another VPN, no? If you’re struggling with NordVPN, try to access the service via an incognito window on your browser. Alternatively, clear cookies and cache, which will immediately alleviate the problem. You can also use NordVPN’s browser extension.
It’s free and comes with location spoofing for these situations. Enable this feature, refresh the page, and see if it works. This channel isn’t difficult to unblock and users online have stated that a quality VPN works ten out of ten times.