With the plethora of streaming services and apps to choose from, it seems there is nothing holding consumers back from enjoying their favorite content. But while streaming has made access to the most popular shows and movies easier than ever, it does come with some limitations. One of the biggest is regional locks, which prevent s from accessing content from a different nation. While VPNs can be used to spoof IP addresses and by regulations, streaming providers can just as easily block s who try that.
Thankfully, there are some great streaming services that are dedicated to hosting international content. Below are ten of our favorites.
Acorn TV: $4.99 a Month
One of the oldest and most well-regarded entries on this list, Acorn TV features content from the United Kingdom, as well as nations in the British Commonwealth, including Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Originally launched as a physical media company, Acorn went all digital in 2011 and has since become a favorite among lovers of all things British.
The service is best known for hosting critically acclaimed comedies and dramas, including Doc Martin, Foyle’s War, and the Australian historical series A Place to Call Home. The service is available on most major platforms, including some smart TVs.
BritBox: $6.99 a Month
Created as a collaboration between the BBC and ITV, BritBox is another great streaming service for English content. While it features some of the same shows that are also on Acorn, the service benefits from its backing to the two largest broadcasting systems in Great Britain. This allows BritBox to host a rich variety of content, old and new, from throughout British television history.
In addition to classics like Midsummer Murders, Are You Being Served? and the original Dr. Who, BritBox also hosts news, talk, and game shows from across the UK. Like Acorn, the service is ubiquitous across all major platforms.
Kanopy: Free
We’ve talked about Kanopy before, and for good reason. Not only does it have one of the largest collections of classic and independent films, but it’s also completely free with a library card. Fans of foreign cinema would love Kanopy, as it stocks hundreds of movies from across the world, much of which aren’t available anywhere else.
From chilling horror movies and wacky experimental films to the works of Ingmar Bergman and Jean-Luc Godard, Kanopy has it all. It even has all the latest and greatest of modern world cinema, including Ida and The Girl that Walks Home Alone at Night.
Criterion Now: $10.99 a Month
Another streaming service geared towards the cinephile mindset, Criterion Now is the digital arm of the Criterion Collection. Anyone who’s serious about movies knows Criterion has built a solid reputation for their film restoration process, and for bringing old and forgotten movies back into the limelight. And of course, much of its collection is dedicated to world cinema.
Simply put, if the Criterion Collection released something on DVD or Blu-Ray, it’s on Criterion Now. While much of the collection is also on Kanopy, Now unleashes the full power of the collection, with everything from the French New Wave to the works of Akira Kurosawa. Plus, it now has every movie in the Godzilla Showa series, if it wasn’t already tempting enough.
eTVnet: Between $25-$40 a Month
More of an internet cable and video-on-demand package, the Ethnic Television Network, or eTVnet for short, is a Russian streaming service that’s catered to Russian-language audiences. The service offers a huge selection of Russian and Eastern-European content, including dramas, reality TV, sports and talk shows.
In addition to modern programs, eTVnet also features classic shows from the Soviet era, much of which is unavailable anywhere else. That said, because the service is intended for Russian audiences living abroad, non-Russian speakers may have difficulty using it. The service is still growing in availability, and currently s Amazon Fire TV and some smart TVs, and they even make their own Android TV set-top-box.
Crunchyroll: $7.99 a Month
A service dedicated to all things anime, Crunchyroll is one of the leading streaming cites for Asian content. The cite boasts hundreds of shows and movies, from obscure gems to modern classics, much of which air within an hour of their Japanese premiere.
The service, which is now owned by telecom giant AT&T, is available on nearly all major platforms and offers a free version. However, serious fans are better off paying for the subscription, which offers more content that’s free of ads.
Viki: $4.99 a Month
A leading voice in world television, Viki specializes in Asian TV, including shows from China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. The service differs from other sites in that it uses a network of volunteers to add subtitles to each and every show, ensuring that the content can be enjoyed by anyone around the world.
Viki allows s to browse by country and genre and features original content alongside imported titles. The site has a free option with ads, alongside the optional subscription. It is available on Roku, Chromecast, and other major app stores.
Hotstar: $9.99 Per Month
Hotstar is an Indian streaming service that features television, movies, live sports, and news. In addition to Hindi content, the service also hosts works in other major languages in the nation. Hotstar is perhaps best known for broadcasting professional cricket matches, among other popular sports, and even steams select channels within the company’s network.
Hotstar also features translated versions of Hollywood films, intended for Indian audiences, but there’s enough content here to satisfy fans of Indian entertainment from all over the world. It’s on iOS and Android, along with an app for Roku.
Mubi: $5.99 Per Month
Like Criterion Now and Kanopy, Mubi only distributes films, though its focus is strictly on world cinema. The service uses a novel approach to their film selection, in that they only have thirty films, each made available for thirty days, with a new one added every day. While this may be discouraging to s who don’t have a lot of time to watch movies, it does encourage viewers to stay on their toes and keep up with all the latest releases.
Mubi’s app is readily available on most platforms, and it even s Playstation consoles. The service can be streamed unlimited for a monthly fee, but customers are able to rent titles individually.
MHz Choice: $7.99 Per Month
Perhaps the largest depository for European television, MHz Choice is one of the leading distributors of foreign-language entertainment in North America. While the site doesn’t list a main preference, it seems to focus on shows from central Europe and Scandinavia. Shows include the new Norwegian drama Twin, which stars Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju, among other top-tier shows.
MHz Choice has apps for most major platforms, and even one Xbox One and Xfinity F1. And for collectors, MHz also sells physical copies of many of their shows.