Showtime is getting ready to launch a stand-alone online streaming service. Unlike Showtime Anytime you will not need a cable or satellite subscription to enjoy the service. It will compete directly with HBO Now. Showtime is pricing their service well below HBO at $10.99 a month. When it launches in July they will be offering the first month free. Showtime is partnering with Apple to launch in the United States. You can use a VPN to access the service from other countries. Take a look at our list of the best VPNs for Showtime.
Rank | VPN Service | Price | Visit | Server Locations | No Logs | Browser Extensions | Smart DNS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | $6.67 | 160 | |||||
2 | $3.49 | 87 | |||||
3 | $2.19 | 110 | |||||
4 | $3.99 | 73 | |||||
5 | $3.66 | 46 |
What can you expect from the new Showtime streaming service? If you have any experience with Showtime Anytime the experience should be the same. The difference is that Showtime Anytime requires a cable or satellite subscription while the new streaming service will not. You simply sign up on the sho.com site and pay $10.99 a month. Membership will give you access to popular Showtime originals like Ray Donovan, Homeland, Masters of Sec, Penny Dreadful, and House of Lies. Along with some other favorites including Dexter, Weeds, the L Word, and Californication. You will also have live streaming access to Showtime.
Why would you need a VPN to stream Showtime original shows and movies? If you plan to always be in the USA then you won’t unless your ISP throttles your connection. However, if you plan to travel outside the US the service will not be accessible. Like other popular online services Showtime will geo-block access to the service based on IP address. The best solution to this problem is a VPN. You can connect to a VPN server in the United States from anywhere. Doing so will give you an IP address in the US. From there you are free to watch popular services like Showtime, HBO Now, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant.
Let’s jump right in and take a look at the best VPNs for Showtime.
1. ExpressVPN
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If you are a gamer, there is something cool you can do by connecting to a VPN server with ExpressVPN. One of the biggest gaming platforms in the world is Steam. It is prevalent and accessible everywhere. What you may not realize is that games have different prices, depending on what country you are in. You can connect to another country where your favorite game is cheaper. That way, you can get the best value for your money. Some countries to try for lower pricing include Brazil and India.
One of the high-security features of ExpressVPN is the VPN kill switch. While it is not unique to the provider, it is certainly important. What that does is literally “kill” your internet connection while you are disconnected. While some people may not care for that feature, others realize that if their VPN connection drops, they are vulnerable to being identified online. ExpressVPN will make sure you are protected by shutting down your internet connection until you reconnect. Doing so will help you stay safe.
ExpressVPN is the #1 rated VPN on our site. We have had the opportunity to compare hundreds of VPN services over the years and ExpressvPN is our favorite. Whether you want to protect your privacy on WiFi networks or unblock streaming services in other countries, ExpressVPN is a good choice. Best of all, you can sign up for 12 months of unlimited VPN access and get 3 months free during our current promotion. The ExpressVPN 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to test the service.
2. NordVPN
For all the sports fans out there, it can sometimes be challenging to watch your favorite event, match, or game. If you travel abroad, that can be a big problem. The solution to that, however, is to connect to a VPN server from NordVPN. To do so, all you have to do is choose the proper location. An example of that is if you have an ESPN account and are outside the US, connecting to an American VPN server would allow you to view it with no issues.
Sometimes, you need the protection of a VPN but the safety of knowing that you will have the same IP address every time. If you are looking for a provider that will give you a dedicated IP address, NordVPN has you covered. The advantages of doing so include the ability to secure your online payments, skip captchas and blacklists, and secure access to business servers. Keep in mind, though, that getting one will make you a bit easier to track, and you can only use it on two devices at the same time.
3. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access offers apps for a whole host of custom apps that you can install, depending on which device or operating system you have. Those include Windows 32 and 64 bit, macOS (64-bit), Linux (64-bit), Android, and iOS. Additionally, they have extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and the Opera browser. If there is not an app for it, they have quite a few setup guides to help you configure several different types of routers like PfSense, Tomato, DD-WRT, and more.
As more and more TV users cut the cord, many of them still want the ability to watch their favorite sports team in action. With a VPN from Private Internet Access, you don’t have to miss out. Unfortunately, licensing rights to the team will consider you to be “in-market” if you try to watch online. That means you would typically miss out unless you chose a VPN server located outside the region. Simply connect to a VPN in a different area, and you will be able to enjoy it.
4. IPVanish
Sports fans around the world often like to support their hometown team. If you are in some of those cities, however, you may be limited to what you can watch online. For those that want to watch their team online, you can’t do that due to licensing restrictions. Fortunately, there is a way around that problem. By connecting to a VPN from IPVanish, you only need to connect to a server in another city. That causes the blocking software to see you as “out-of-market” so you can watch your team on your favorite device.
For everyone concerned that the setup for your IPVanish account is going to be complicated or you will not be able to get it quickly and easily established, they offer several different apps to use. Those include apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, Linux, and Chrome OS. Additionally, you will find easy setup guides for your router. Of course, you will find others available as well. As you can see, IPVanish has you covered, so whichever system you use will be smooth.
5. StrongVPN
StrongVPN is one of the VPN providers that offer their users the option of WireGuard. Often, it is referred to as “Next Generation Encryption.” If you are not familiar with it, many consider it to be the wave of the future. The experts like it because it offers advantages over traditional protocols like OpenVPN. It is available across all major operating systems, has lower encryption overhead, and requires fewer resources than others. You will also love the higher speeds associated with it. If you are looking for a provider with WireGuard, StrongVPN has you covered.
If you use major gaming platforms like Steam, Origin, or others, you may be aware that games are different prices. You can take advantage of the price difference by connecting to a VPN server from StrongVPN. The way that works is simple. You find a country that has your target game for a lesser price and connect to a VPN there. By doing so, you will make the software think you are there. Then, just use a prepaid card, and you can get your game at the price you want.