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How to Watch CTV Outside Canada in 2024
Last updated May 10, 2024
CTV is a Canadian TV service offering a large selection of movies and TV shows under its free channels called CTV Throwback and CTV Movies. To access other live channels and the latest titles, you need to sign in with a TV provider. Unfortunately, CTV is only available in Canada and parts of the Northern US, so if you’re traveling overseas, you won’t be able to stream it.
Fortunately, you can watch CTV outside Canada by connecting to a VPN. This will unblock the platform and give you access to a wide range of free movies and series, such as Planet of the Apes and MasterChef.
In this article, you’ll learn how to stream CTV outside Canada, why you need a VPN, which VPNs are the best for the job, how to watch CTV on different devices, and we’ll provide some recommendations on what to watch. In the end, there’s a round of FAQs as well.
How to Watch CTV Outside Canada?
To stream CTV outside Canada, you need a VPN to unblock it from anywhere. Simply connect to a server in Canada closest to your actual location and log in to your CTV Television Network account as usual. Here are the detailed steps:
- Get a VPN service that can unblock CTV (we recommend NordVPN)
- Download and install its native VPN app on your device.
- Connect the VPN to a server in Canada.
- Open the CTV website on your device.
- Stream free channels or sign in with your TV provider. That’s it!
Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch CTV Outside Canada?
CTV is geo-restricted outside Canada and only available to Canadian viewers so you will require a VPN to access the service. This is to comply with licensing agreements, copyright laws, and distribution rights with studios.
Primarily, CTV detects your location by checking your IP address. If your IP address is not from Canada, the platform determines that you’re trying to access it from another country and gives you an error message saying, “We’re sorry, this content is not available in your country.”
A VPN can help you bypass such restrictions by masking your IP and temporarily assigning you a different one from the country of your choice (in this case, Canada). Then, if you access CTV again, the platform will see your location as Canada and let you in.
Based on thorough testing of different VPN providers, we can say that NordVPN is our top recommendation for streaming CTV outside Canada. It unblocks CTV easily and has a widespread network of super-fast servers (480+ servers in Canada alone).
The Best VPNs to Watch CTV Online Outside Canada
Before picking a VPN to watch CTV online, you need to look for certain criteria. First, it should be able to unblock CTV outside Canada, regardless of location. To do this, it needs to have a wide server network within Canada and globally, allowing you to access other streaming platforms as well.
Since we’re talking about streaming, fast server speeds are essential. Apart from that, the VPN should also come with obfuscated servers and a kill switch. And, of course, VPNs are incomplete without good security and privacy features like a no-logs policy, robust protocols, and unbreakable encryption.
Also, look for a higher number of simultaneous connections and support for all major devices. All these features should be included in an affordable plan with a money-back guarantee. In addition, there should be 24/7 customer support via live chat.
Based on these criteria, here are the 3 best VPNs for streaming CTV outside Canada in 2024:
- NordVPN - Our #1-Rated VPN for Streaming CTV Outside Canada
- Surfshark – Watch CTV Online With Fast and Stable Servers
- ExpressVPN – Reliable Streaming VPN With Complete Obfuscation
1. NordVPN - Our #1-Rated VPN for Streaming CTV Outside Canada
NordVPN is the best VPN for watching CTV outside Canada because it seamlessly unblocks CTV from anywhere in the world, thanks to its 480+ Canadian servers. Since it has over 6,300 servers in 110+ countries, it can also unblock other geo-restricted platforms from other regions.
It also comes with blazing-fast server speeds. When testing its servers in Canada, we experienced almost no drop in speeds compared to our baseline connection, which allowed us to have a very smooth streaming experience.
This VPN provider also offers obfuscation on a select number of servers, along with a robust kill switch for added protection. Let’s not forget about its advanced security and privacy features, like an audited no-logs policy and secure protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and NordLynx with AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryptions.
With NordVPN, you can stream CTV on almost all devices as it supports all popular platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, Smart TVs, and more. And you can connect 10 devices simultaneously, which means that you can share it with friends and family.
The best part is its affordability. You can get it for only $3.09/month through its 2-year subscription plan, coupled with a money-back guarantee to test it risk-free. Lastly, you can contact its responsive 24/7 customer support via live chat if you ever face any issues.
PROS
- Connect 10 devices simultaneously.
- Wide server network in Canada.
- Unblocks CTV on the first try.
- Superfast speeds for 4K streaming.
- Affordable pricing plans.
- Strong encryption.
CONS
- No network-wide obfuscation.
2. Surfshark – Watch CTV Online With Fast and Stable Servers
Surfshark is a well-reputed VPN that unblocks CTV from anywhere in the world. It has a huge network with 3,200+ servers spread across 100 countries. Among these, there are 120+ servers within Canada, which makes it suitable for CTV and other Canadian platforms.
In addition, its servers have ultra-fast speeds. They’re capable of handling high-quality streams on CTV easily without any buffering delays. We also tested it with other platforms outside Canada, like Hulu, Max, and Disney+, and in all cases, the performance was exceptional.
All its servers are obfuscated, and it has kill-switch functionality, which means your VPN usage and IP address will never be exposed. This is paired with top-notch security and privacy, as it comes with a true no-logs policy and secure protocols like WireGuard, IKEv2/IPsec, and OpenVPN. In addition to that, it offers military-grade encryptions (AES-256 and ChaCha20).
One unique thing about Surfshark is that it offers unlimited simultaneous connections. This means that you can share your subscription with as many people as you want. Plus, it supports a wide range of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, PCs, routers, and more.
The lowest you can pay for this provider is $2.29/month on its 2-year plan. A 30-day money-back guarantee also supports its packages, so you can test it without risks. In the end, it offers live, 24/7 customer chat support.
PROS
- Unblocks CTV from anywhere.
- 120+ servers in Canada.
- Reliable kill-switch.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections.
- 30-day refund policy.
- Friendly 24/7 chat support.
CONS
- It may take a while to connect.
3. ExpressVPN – Reliable Streaming VPN With Complete Obfuscation
ExpressVPN is a popular privacy-oriented VPN that unblocks CTV with ease. You can also count on ExpressVPN to unblock practically any other streaming service. It offers thousands of servers across 105 countries and 3 Canadian locations where CTV works.
Moreover, this VPN offers lightning-fast speeds and stable servers, which is essential for uninterrupted streaming. Count on smooth streaming even if you’re on the opposite side of the world from Canada.
It is interesting to note that ExpressVPN implements network-wide obfuscation with a robust kill switch. Since it is a privacy-first VPN, there’s also a no-logs policy guaranteeing your data’s safety. It also has exceptional security with military-grade encryptions like AES-256 and WolfSSL and secure protocols (Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec) for data transfer.
You can connect up to 8 devices simultaneously and install it on a wide range of devices due to its support for all major platforms, such as Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and more.
However, ExpressVPN is costlier than other providers, as the lowest you can pay for this VPN is $6.67/month on its annual plan. But since it does provide a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can test it risk-free. Lastly, all your issues will be promptly resolved if you reach out to its 24/7 live chat support.
PROS
- Network-wide obfuscation.
- Beginner-friendly apps.
- Supports all major platforms.
- Lightning-fast speeds.
- Widespread server network.
CONS
- Not the most affordable pick.
How to Watch CTV on Your Devices?
You can stream TV outside Canada on various devices by connecting to a VPN server in Canada and then accessing the streaming platform on your device.
You can watch it on devices running macOS 10.11+, iOS 14+, Android 7.0+, or Windows 8.1+. The CTV app also works on devices like Xbox, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, and Roku. Alternatively, Bell TV customers can get complimentary access to CTV via CTV GO on computers and iOS devices.
Here’s how you can watch CTV on different devices:
How to Stream CTV on Roku
To stream CTV on Roku, you first need to install a VPN on your router. Then, you can add the CTV app to your Roku device and start streaming. Here are the steps:
- Get a VPN that can unblock CTV outside Canada (we recommend NordVPN).
- Set up the VPN on your router to access it with Roku.
- Connect Roku to your router using Wi-Fi.
- Open the Channel Store on your Roku device.
- Add CTV to the device.
- Stream free channels or log in with your TV provider.
How to Stream CTV on Firestick
You can stream CTV on your Firestick by connecting to a Canadian VPN server. Since Fire TV Sticks natively support VPNs, you can install them directly from the Amazon App Store. Here are the detailed steps that you can follow:
- Subscribe to a VPN that unblocks CTV (we recommend NordVPN).
- Download its app from the Amazon App Store.
- Get the CTV app from the App Store as well.
- Connect the VPN to a server in Canada.
- Stream free channels without logging in (CTV Throwback, CTV movies, MTV).
- Log in with your TV provider to access live TV and the latest titles.
What to Watch on CTV?
Being the largest privately owned TV network in Canada, CTV offers a wide range of content, including movies, TV shows, and extras like podcasts, recipes, and more. At the same time, the movie category is spread across various genres like drama, comedy, reality, sci-fi, and lifestyle, including popular titles like The Devil Wears Prada, Ocean’s 8, and The Goldfinch.
Similarly, the TV shows category features a large number of popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Voice, Love Island, and more. The best part is that you can watch a lot of this content for free without creating an account.
However, to watch live TV, except for specific channels like CTV Throwback, CTV Movies, and MTV, you must sign in with a TV provider. That will give you access to premium channels like Animal Planet, Discovery, and more.
Here are some of the most notable titles found currently on CTV:
Final Thoughts
CTV offers a vast library of free shows, movies, and channels in categories like comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, reality TV, lifestyle, and more. Unfortunately, it is only available in Canada, and you’ll see an error message if you try to access it while traveling to another country. But there’s a way around it - you can watch CTV outside Canada by connecting to a VPN.
Based on our tests of many different providers, NordVPN is our top pick because it has 480+ ultra-fast servers in Canada that let you stream CTV (and countless other streaming services) without any difficulties. Plus, you can always get recommendations for the best servers by contacting its 24/7 live chat support.
We hope that this article answers all your questions about watching CTV abroad. Please remember to write to us and tell us about your experience in the comments below.