However, there’s an easy solution — using a VPN. A VPN is a simple app that can change your virtual location to make you appear to be in Ireland, so you can watch RTÉ from anywhere. My team and I tested 30 VPNs, and I recommend ExpressVPN for watching RTÉ. It has servers in Ireland that unblock all of its content and has speeds that offer bufferless streaming. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free yourself. If you find you’re not entirely happy, it’s extremely easy to get your money back. Start Watching RTÉ Today
Why You Need a VPN to Watch RTÉ
RTÉ is only available in Ireland. Due to licensing restrictions, RTÉ uses geo-blocking to prevent people outside of Ireland from watching its content. If it sees you are outside of Ireland, you won’t be able to access anything. To bypass this, you need to appear to be in Ireland. RTÉ reads your IP address to determine your location, but you can change it with a VPN. A VPN is a simple app that replaces your IP address with one from a different location. To do that, you just need to connect to an Irish server. Once you do, you appear to be in Ireland, so you can watch RTÉ from anywhere in the world. Not all VPNs can unblock RTÉ, and researching to find the right ones is frustrating. To reduce your time searching, I have compiled a list of the best VPNs that can. Try ExpressVPN Now
Best VPNs to Watch RTÉ From Anywhere in 2023
1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall to Watch RTÉ From Anywhere
Based on my tests, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for watching RTÉ because it can easily unblock all its content. You can choose from a vast library of box sets, including Irish originals alongside imports like Killing Eve and The West Wing. Alternatively, you can stream all 4 of RTÉ’s live channels to keep up with GAA Football and First Dates Ireland. I had no issues accessing any content during testing. As well as bypassing geo-restrictions, ExpressVPN has the fastest speeds I tested. I streamed Home and Away live on my smart TV and classic Frasier on my laptop. Both streamed in bufferless HD (1080p HD is the highest quality available on the RTÉ Player). I got just a 9.8% reduction on my base speed of 104.3 Mbps. The app’s interface is user-friendly and straightforward. Simply click the 3 dots on the server location button, select Ireland from the list, and hit on the power button to connect. That’s it! You’re ready to stream Irish TV. Use the live chat feature on ExpressVPN’s website if you run into any problems. I tested it myself, and it’s fast and friendly. ExpressVPN is my #1 choice, but sometimes the best costs a little more than the rest. A long-term plan costs $6.67/month. However, I was able to save 49% when subscribing. Also, there are often discounts available on the website. All of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try ExpressVPN risk-free with RTÉ. I checked out this claim for myself after I’d finished testing the VPN. I contacted its live chat asking for a refund, and after answering a few quick questions, they agreed with no quibbles. I got a full refund into my account within 3 days. Watch RTÉ With ExpressVPN Now
2. CyberGhost — Plenty of Servers in Ireland for Watching RTÉ
It’s reassuring to know that CyberGhost has over 60 servers in Dublin, Ireland, which ensures your speeds always remain fast. That’s because many users can slow a service down if it only has a small number of servers in a location. My download speed was just 14.1% lower than my regular base connection of 104.3 Mbps during testing. This left me standing at 89. 5 Mpbs. That’s fast enough to stream in HD, which is RTÉ’s maximum resolution. The app is straightforward to use — it only took 2 clicks and a few seconds to connect to a server in Ireland. That makes CyberGhost a good choice if you’re new to VPNs. All you need to do is go to the “All servers” menu and search for “Ireland”. To connect to the server location, you can just double-click on it. However, you can’t choose which server you connect to. Once you select Ireland as your location, CyberGhost automatically connects you to an available Irish server. All the servers I tested unblocked RTÉ without a problem, and there was no buffering with anything I watched. It was just like being back in Ireland. Its prices start at $2.11/month — a good deal for a top-quality VPN. With most VPNs, the longest plan is also the cheapest. But if you read the small print, many providers actually charge significantly more once your plan has ended. CyberGhost is the exception — even after your 3-year plan expires, you will continue paying the same rate. On the downside, its 1-month plan is the most expensive on my list. CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee with its long-term plans, so you can try it risk-free. I contacted customer support to ask for a refund. After a quick chat, they authorized my request with no problems. My money was back in my account after a couple of days. Watch RTÉ With CyberGhost Now
3. Private Internet Access — Dedicated IP Addresses for Unblocked Access to RTÉ
PIA offers dedicated IP addresses. Like many streaming services, RTÉ blocks VPNs by detecting IP addresses. When a streaming server detects hundreds of users using a single IP, it knows something’s wrong and blocks it. By using an IP that’s unique to your account, makes it far less likely to be detected and blocked. It has over 90 servers in Ireland. The benefit of having so many servers is that your download speeds won’t drop, even when there are many users. I’m around 300 miles from PIA’s location in Ireland, and I found its speeds impressive during testing. I had just a 13.3% reduction on my base speed of 104.3 — still leaving me with 90 Mbps to work with. A minor issue is that the app is less user-friendly than others on this list because it comes with a lot of customization options. However, the app comes pre-configured with the best settings, so you can use it for streaming RTÉ right away. PIA’s long-term plan costs just $2.03/month, a great price for one of the biggest networks on the market. When I subscribed, I saved 82% and got 2 months extra for free. You can try PIA with confidence with its 30-day money-back guarantee. There are plenty of features to try to see if it’s the right service for you. If not, you can easily claim a refund. After testing the service, I contacted customer support to test this out. I gave them a simple reason for cancelling my account, and the agent asked no further questions. I got my money back by the end of the week. Watch RTÉ With PIA Now
4. IPVanish — Fast Speeds to Stream RTÉ Without Buffering
IPVanish has truly impressive speeds. While testing, I connected to its servers in Ireland and got 87.6 Mbps — a dropoff of just 16% on my base speed. I can watch RTÉ’s The Late Late Show every night without a moment of buffering. It has over a dozen servers at 1 location in Ireland, specifically in Dublin. You can click down the list to choose a server, or you can leave it set to Best Available City and Best Available Server, and IPVanish connects you to the best one. Streaming is a data-heavy activity, so having multiple servers is a big advantage. It means that even when many users are connected, there will always be a server with a low enough user load for streaming. A minor drawback with IPVanish is that it doesn’t have the best unblocking capabilities. I was unable to access Netflix Ireland and couldn’t get onto the login page. Similarly, I couldn’t access Netflix US. That might make it less appealing for some, but I was able to unblock RTÉ without any snags. IPVanish’s prices start at $2.49/month. You can choose between monthly and yearly plans. I found the best discount of 77% by purchasing the longest subscription available. There are no add-ons; your subscription covers everything. You can try IPVanish with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I tested this to make sure it works. With most VPNs, you have to contact customer support to request a refund, and you might have to answer questions. With IPVanish, you simply log into your account on the website, and hit the link that says, “I wish to cancel my subscription.” It’s as easy as that. Watch RTÉ With IPVanish Now
5. PrivateVPN — Simple App for Unblocking RTÉ
Setting up PrivateVPN couldn’t be more simple. The main app just has a connect button and a dropdown menu for servers. During testing, I simply selected Dublin, Ireland, from the server list and clicked on the big on/off button to connect. If you only want to watch RTÉ, you won’t even have to use the dropdown again because PrivateVPN will remember your last connection. It has only 1 server location in Ireland, but I was still able to consistently unblock RTÉ when I tested it. It also kept a stable connection the entire time and I only experienced a 19% drop in speed when connected. So even though it has a tiny Irish server network, you can still watch all of RTÉ’s content without buffering. The basic nature of PrivateVPN may be a flaw for some. It doesn’t have a great many features or settings, so it may not satisfy the more tech-savvy user. It doesn’t even have a premium protocol such as Lightway or WireGuard — which improve your speed and security. But if you just want a basic, low-cost service to access RTÉ, then PrivateVPN is actually a great choice. PrivateVPN offers highly competitive price plans starting at just $2/month. Its long-term plans are of excellent value. If you’ve moved away from Ireland and want to keep up with your favorite RTÉ shows, then a long-term plan makes a lot of sense. Keep an eye on the PrivateVPN website for offers and discounts; when I subscribed, I saved 85%. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. I tested this out myself. After reviewing PrivateVPN for just under 4 weeks, I contacted customer support to request a refund. The live chat support agent was very friendly and accepted my request. My money landed back in my account in 5 days. Watch RTÉ With PrivateVPN Now
Can I watch RTÉ Player online for free?
Yes, you can watch RTÉ for free — but if you’re abroad, you need an Irish IP address. Due to geo-restrictions, RTÉ is only available in Ireland. RTÉ checks your IP address to see your location. If you’re not in Ireland, you won’t be able to access any content. You can easily get an Irish IP with a VPN. A VPN replaces you IP address with one from a different country. In this case, once you’ve chosen a VPN, simply connect to a server in Ireland to appear to be there. After that, you can access your RTÉ account again. I highly recommend using ExpressVPN to access RTÉ. It’s extremely fast, trustworthy, and has reliable Irish servers.
On which devices can I watch RTÉ?
You can watch RTÉ on any of these devices:
PCs: Windows, macOS, Linux Streaming devices: Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV Mobile devices and tablets: Android, iOS
However, RTÉ isn’t available outside of Ireland due to licensing regulations. So if you’re outside the viewing area, RTÉ won’t work on any device. You need an Irish IP address to access RTÉ from anywhere. RTÉ reads your IP address to determine your location. If it sees that you are not in Ireland, you won’t be able to watch anything. You can use a VPN to get an Irish IP address. A VPN will change your IP to look like you are in Ireland, allowing you to access your account from abroad. The good news is, all the VPNs I tested work on multiple devices.
Is it possible to watch RTÉ in the UK, the US, or Australia?
Yes, you can watch anywhere in the world with a VPN. VPNs unblock geo-restricted content such as RTÉ’s. RTÉ is only available in Ireland due to geo-restrictions that come from licensing regulations. Because the streaming site reads your IP address to see whether or not you’re in Ireland, you need an Irish IP address to access the site. A VPN can make you appear to be in Ireland. It replaces your IP address with one from a different country. In this case, when you connect to an Irish server, RTÉ will read that you’re there. That way, you can continue to watch your favorites on RTÉ from abroad.
What can I do if RTÉ blocks my VPN?
If RTÉ blocks a server you’re connecting to, follow this simple guide:
- Close your VPN app and restart.
- Clear your cookies and cache and try again.
- Try opening a browser window in Private or Incognito mode.
- Launch your VPN and connect to different server in Ireland. If that doesn’t work, speak to your VPN provider’s customer support team. Luckily, all the VPNs I tested reliably unblock RTÉ.
Can I watch RTÉ with a free VPN?
No, I tested multiple free VPNs, and none could unblock RTÉ. They don’t come with the technology, speed, or good server network needed to unblock RTÉ or any other streaming site. In my tests, I lost about 90% of my speed when using free VPNs. I couldn’t load basic web pages, much less stream any videos. Instead, I recommend using a premium VPN that comes with a money-back guarantee. They’re always faster, reliably unblock RTÉ, and have plenty of Irish servers. Try ExpressVPN Now
Start Watching RTÉ Now
RTÉ is free in Ireland — you don’t even need an account to watch it. However, it is not available outside of Ireland. The broadcaster uses tough geo-restrictions to prohibit IPs from abroad. To access RTÉ when traveling to another country, you need a reliable VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN for watching RTÉ abroad. Its lightning-fast speeds are great for streaming and it easily unblocks all of RTÉ’s content. I also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it for yourself without any risks. If you’re not completely satisfied, simply request a full refund.
To summarize, the best VPNs for watching RTÉ Player are…
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