How to Watch PBS in Canada [7 Easy Steps | March 2024]

Monday, March 18, 2024

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PBS or ‘Public Broadcasting Service’ is a free-to-air American-owned streaming website that is only available in the US. You can easily watch PBS in Canada with the help of a reliable VPN and connecting to the US server.

Even though how easy it may sound, if you ever try to access PBS without a VPN in Canada or anywhere outside the US, you will receive an error that says:

“Request blocked. We can’t connect to the server for this app or website at this time. Try again later.”

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I was able to unblock PBS in Canada by using ExpressVPN and other best VPNs that I have mentioned in this guide. After that, I was able to choose a station and then was finally able to stream PBS.

Our Recommended VPN – ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN is our recommended choice when it comes to unblocking PBS in Canada as it easily bypasses its geo-restrictions and keeps your online identity safe while streaming.

Get yourself ExpressVPN today and enjoy 3 extra months for free. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee so use all of its features risk-free for 30-days.

Try ExpressVPN


How to Watch PBS in Canada

Step 1: Subscribe to a good VPN (ExpressVPN is our recommended choice)

Step 2: Download the ExpressVPN app and install it on your device

Step 3: Open the VPN app and connect it to a US server (e.g. New York)

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Step 4: Go to the PBS website and click on Live TV

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Step 5: It will confirm your State/Location and start streaming!

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Try ExpressVPN


What are the Top VPNs to Watch PBS in Canada?

We checked around 30+ VPNs to see PBS works outside the US, especially in Canada by connecting devices to the US servers. We found out that three of them formed the best connections with servers that did not break while using.

ExpressVPN is our recommended choice and some other VPNs were also included in our list of the best VPNs.

Here’s a list of the 3 best VPNs to unblock PBS in Canada:

  1. ExpressVPN
  2. Surfshark
  3. NordVPN

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the recommended VPN that helps you watch PBS in Canada. It offers blazing fast speed and has servers in 15 different US cities.

It has strong encryption i.e. 256-bit encryption which gives you amazing security and keeps your IP address protected at all times.

In addition to unblocking content on PBS, ExpressVPN can also easily unblock Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and a lot of other online streaming services from different countries.

A monthly subscription to ExpressVPN costs you around $6.67/month (3 Months Free) and you can connect it to 5 devices at a time. Moreover, you have 30 days to test their service.

The ExpressVPN app is very easy to use and has a kill-switch feature,  obfuscated servers, and also DNS leak security.

This VPN service has live 24/7 chat support. It can also unblock many other streaming services that are restricted in Canada.

Try ExpressVPN


2. Surfshark

Surfshark is based in the British Islands, which makes it safe out of the reach of different invasive jurisdictions e.g. the US and the UK. Surfshark has 3,000+ servers globally and 500+ servers in the United States.

This feature of Surfshark lets you remove the geo-restrictions imposed by PBS and you can watch its content in Canada.  It has a strict policy of zero logs which means Surfshark doesn’t store any records about what users are doing online when their device is connected to the VPN.

This feature makes Surfshark perfect for privacy purposes. Surfshark also has amazing security features e.g. DNS leak protection and a kill-switch.

It has P2P-friendly servers which makes it best for both streaming content restricted in your region and also for downloading from torrent websites.

Surfshark provides amazing speed and strong connections. It means that can stream all content on PBS without any buffering issues. Surfshark is offering a monthly subscription at very low rates and it will cost you around $2.49/month.

Surfshark also has another feature that allows users to connect unlimited devices at the same time. It also offers a 30-days refund policy.


3. NordVPN

NordVPN is our third recommendation to unblock PBS in Canada and other streaming services such as Disney Plus, BFI Player, TVPlayer, etc. It has more than 1,970 servers in the United States alone which works great with PBS.

NordVPN is offering super-fast and speedy connections which means you don’t have to face buffering issues anymore.

The service offers an encrypted connection with 256-bit encryption and doesn’t log your data. This feature ensures that NordVPN can’t see what you are browsing on the web. NordVPN is offering its monthly subscription for $3.29/month along with a 30-days refund policy.

You can use this VPN on six devices at a time. If you face any issue, you can always reach out to their amazing 24/7 customer support at live chat.


How to Watch PBS in Canada for Free

With USTVGO, you can watch PBS and 90+ other American Cable Channels for free. This free Live TV service can be watched on any device that has a web browser.

Since the service is absolutely free to stream, it is recommended that you use a VPN (such as ExpressVPN) while streaming.

Follow these steps to watch PBS live in Canada for free:

Step 1: Open the USTVGO website

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Step 2: Scroll down to select PBS

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Step 3: Click Play and start streaming!

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Try ExpressVPN


Why a VPN is Required to Watch PBS in Canada?

The reason why a VPN is needed to watch PBS in Canada is because of licensing issues. They do not have the right to stream content in Canada if the content owners do not show consent.

These online streaming services can’t provide their streaming services to any region or country without licensing. This is why they cannot broadcast the content in other countries without their permission.

It is the only reason that PBS is only available in the USA. This means that you can’t stream the exclusive content of PBS if you are living in Canada.

So to follow a set of these policies regarding content, these online streaming services e.g. PBS, uses a system that tracks your IP addresses.

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When you try to PBS on your mobile or your web browser, their tracking system traces your IP address and restricts its exclusive content if you are based in Canada.

You can stream PBS outside the United States by redirecting your current location by connecting your device to a US server with the help of a VPN (ExpressVPN is our recommended choice).

In this way, it changes your IP address and you have access to all the content of PBS in Canada.


What to Watch on PBS?

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PBS is an online streaming service that has a wide range of educational drama, children’s viewing, art, culture, documentaries, international shows, historical series, and thought-provoking viewing.

Here’s a list of top movies/TV shows you can watch on PBPBS:

  • The Great British Baking Show
  • Nova
  • American Experience
  • Prohibition by Ken Burns
  • Great Performances
  • Austin City Limits
  • American Masters
  • POV
  • Masterpiece
  • Finding your Routes
  • Antiques Roadshow
  • Independent Lens
  • Frontline
  • PBS News Hour

What are the Devices Supported by PBS?

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Here is the list of devices where you can stream the content of PBS in Canada

  • LG Smart TV
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android TV
  • Smart TVs
  • Roku
  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Apple TV
  • PC
  • Mac
  • Xbox One
  • Google Chromecast
  • Tablet
  • Android Phone
  • Web Browser

How to Watch PBS on Mobile Phone

In order to watch PBS on mobile, make sure you are connected to the US server of ExpressVPN. Now follow these steps:

Step 1: Download the PBS app for Android OR iPhone

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Step 2: Scroll down and click Download APK

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Step 3: Click Open

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Step 4: Click Dismiss

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Step 5: Select the Live TV option or any show

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Step 6: Click Play

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Step 7: Start streaming!

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Note: If it doesn’t start streaming, then change the station and stream!

Try ExpressVPN


Other Streaming Services to Watch in Canada

There are so many other online streaming services that are available globally restricted in Canada. However, you can stream them in Canada with the help of a VPN.

Some of these streaming services are as follows:


FAQs – PBS

Is PBS free?

Yes, PBS is free for everyone. It’s a free-to-air service that only works in the US. Outside the US, you will need to use a VPN and connect to the US server.

Is PBS free on Amazon Prime?

No, PBS LIVING costs around $2.99/month with an Amazon Prime subscription. PBS LIVING is also available on Apple TV at the same cost.

Is PBS available on Hulu?

PBS isn’t available on Hulu just yet but is available on another streaming service such as YouTube TV.

Is PBS available on Netflix?

There are tons of PBS content that is available on Netflix. Some of them include The Great British Baking Show, Prohibition by Ken Burns, etc.


Conclusion

PBS is a free online streaming service where you can stream your favorite shows and movies too. However, most of the content is only accessible to the people living in America.

So when you try to stream its content in Canada, you will not be able to stream the content that is exclusively available in the United States.

The only solution to stream PBS without any restrictions in Canada is with the help of a VPN e.g. ExpressVPN that can connect your device to the US server and change your IP address.

By doing this you will get access immediately and you won’t have to sign up for a free account to watch shows and movies. PBS is available on all devices and you can get access easily through a web browser.

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