US TV in Brazil: How to Watch American Channels in 2026

The simplest way to watch US TV in Brazil is to connect a VPN to Miami, the closest US server location to Brazil. Once the VPN connects, PBS, NBC, and the free news streams from CBS, ABC, and Fox play without a US account. Brazilian Netflix accounts show the American catalog on the same connection. NordVPN is the VPN we’d pick, though Proton VPN and ExpressVPN also unblocked every channel we tried.

Miami or New York: Which US Server to Use

Connect to Miami first. NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN list it among their US servers. A shorter distance to the server usually means lower ping than a connection through New York or Los Angeles. In our October tests, each VPN’s Miami server unblocked Netflix US and every free US channel we tried. New York works as a backup when a Miami server is busy.

One exception came up in earlier tests: CBS News 24/7 detected the VPN on Proton VPN’s and ExpressVPN’s New York servers, and only NordVPN played it there. For CBS on those two VPNs, stay on Miami. If a region error still appears after connecting, clearing that site’s cookies usually fixes it. Our guide to fixing region errors on video sites covers other causes.

Free US Channels and Airtimes in Brazil

Five US networks stream free on a US server: CBS News 24/7 and ABC News Live for news, PBS and NBC.com for shows, and LiveNOW from FOX for Fox’s live coverage. None of them required signing in. For the full CBS schedule, our guide to watching CBS outside the US covers the paid ways to stream it. The time difference is small.

Brasília time, which São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro follow, is one or two hours ahead of US Eastern time. Brazil no longer uses daylight saving, so the difference changes only when US clocks move:

• March to early November: one hour ahead, so an 8 p.m. show in New York starts at 9 p.m. in São Paulo
• Early November to March: two hours ahead, so the same show starts at 10 p.m.

So US prime time and evening sport air during the Brazilian evening.

Netflix’s US Library and Paid US Services

Netflix chooses the catalog by the country of the IP address. A subscription paid in Brazil therefore shows the American library on a Miami server. Our tests confirmed it on NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN. Hulu, Peacock, and YouTube TV don’t sell subscriptions in Brazil, and their checkout fails with a Brazilian card.

US subscribers who move to Brazil can keep using their existing accounts over the VPN. Results from our streaming tests on US servers:

• NordVPN: Hulu, HBO Max, and Peacock unblocked
• Proton VPN: HBO Max and Peacock unblocked, but it couldn’t unblock Hulu
• ExpressVPN: Hulu, HBO Max, and Peacock unblocked

Our streaming VPN rankings have the full results. For sports, see our guide to ESPN streaming from abroad.

Is Using a VPN Legal in Brazil?

Yes. VPN use is legal in Brazil, and watching US TV through one breaks only the service’s terms of use. Our overview of where VPNs are legal covers other countries. The one recent restriction involved X. In August 2024, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered X blocked nationwide.

His order set a fine of R$50,000 a day for people using a VPN to access it. The block ended in October 2024, and the fine applied to X only. For other reasons to use one, see our guide on why people use a VPN.

Top VPNs for American TV in Brazil

1. NordVPN: Best for Smart TVs and Streaming Boxes

NordVPN recorded 154.67 Mbps on its Miami server, an 18.7% speed loss and the fastest result in our Miami tests. Its Smart DNS sets a Samsung or LG TV to a US location through the TV’s network settings. US channels then play on the big screen without a router setup. The map view, specialty servers, and settings menu take a little time to learn.

For US TV, though, a first-time user only types Miami into the search bar and connects. NordVPN’s Basic plan is under $3.50 a month on its longest term, rising to about $11.60 a month once it renews.

Visit NordVPN

2. Proton VPN: Best for Privacy on a Budget

Proton VPN’s Miami server tested at 114.82 Mbps, a 39.7% speed loss that put it behind NordVPN and ExpressVPN. That’s still more than seven times what Netflix recommends for 4K, and every free network we tried, plus Netflix US, played normally. Samsung and LG televisions can use Proton VPN only through a router, because it has no Smart DNS.

Apple TV and Android TV boxes support its app directly. A two-year VPN Plus plan averages about $3 a month, and renewal is about $7 a month, lower than NordVPN’s and ExpressVPN’s renewal rates.

Visit Proton VPN

3. ExpressVPN: Best for Plug-and-Play Setup

ExpressVPN came in at 150.23 Mbps in Miami, a 21.1% speed loss and close to NordVPN’s result. It connects with nothing to configure first. The trade-off is a short settings menu, and split tunneling is restricted while Lightway Turbo is enabled. The Basic plan costs less than $3 a month across its 28-month term, and yearly renewal comes to roughly $8 a month. Our full ExpressVPN review walks through each of its apps.

Visit ExpressVPN

Conclusion

On Miami servers, each VPN we tested unblocked the free US channels and Netflix US. NordVPN is our first choice, with Hulu unblocked and Smart DNS for Samsung and LG TVs. Once the VPN connects to Miami, US news, network shows, and Netflix’s US library play in Brazil as they do in the US.

Hulu, Peacock, and other paid US services still require a US account. With Brasília an hour or two ahead of New York, live US broadcasts also air in the Brazilian evening.

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FAQ About US TV in Brazil