Disclosure: We research and test the best streaming options for viewers in Canada. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
RTE Player is a free-to-watch Irish VOD service that offers live and recorded RTÉ television programs, material exclusive to the player, and content from other foreign broadcasters for free.
The RTE Player service has two versions, one for Ireland and one for International audiences such as Canada. Most of the content is restricted to Ireland while only limited content is available to an international audience.
The only way to watch RTE Player in Canada is by connecting to the Irish Server with the help of a reliable VPN.Â
Due to geo-restrictions, if you try to watch a show that is only available to the Irish audience, then you will see an error that says:
“This programme cannot be streamed due to the rights restrictions”
I was able to unblock the RTE Player from Canada with the help of ExpressVPN. It bypasses the geo-restrictions and gives access to the channel.
Our Recommended VPN – ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is our recommended choice when it comes to unblocking RTE Player in Canada as it easily bypasses its geo-restrictions.
Get yourself ExpressVPN today and enjoy 3 extra months for free. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.Â
How to Watch RTE Player in Canada For Free
RTE Player International offers a lot of free content worldwide, including in Canada. To get full content free of ads, you need a monthly subscription of €8.99 ($8.99/£6.99).
Moreover, you can access exclusive content for free that is restricted to Ireland only with the help of a VPN like ExpressVPN.Â
Here are the steps to watch RTE Player in Canada:
Step 1: Subscribe to a good VPN service (ExpressVPN is our #1 choice)
Step 2: Download the ExpressVPN app and install it on your device
Step 3: Connect to an Ireland server
Step 4: Go to the RTE Player website and scroll down to choose the content
Step 5: Select the content you want to stream! (e.g Fair City)
Step 6: Start streaming!
3 Best VPNs to Watch RTE Players in Canada
We tested 35+ VPNs to find out which VPN works the best to watch RTE Player in Canada. However, only 3 of them worked efficiently. Those are:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a great choice if you need a VPN that is both easy to use and relatively speedy (88 Mbps out of 100 Mbps).
It is a VPN service with over 3000+ servers in 100+ countries, including Ireland. The service’s interesting qualities—including AES-256 encryption, a kill switch feature, DNS leak protection, etc
Moreover, ExpressVPN provides a stable connection for accessing countless other streaming services and channels, such as Channel 4, American Netflix, BBC iPlayer, etc.
Plus, it works with a wide variety of devices, allows for simultaneous usage of five different logins, and maintains blazing-fast speeds and excellent video quality.
Costing just $4.99/month, this VPN service comes highly recommended and with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark
Surfshark provides superior functionality at an affordable price. It works with practically every OS, including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
It’s easy to use and doesn’t create any headaches because of its intuitive interface and simple controls. It has 3200+ servers located in 100 different countries, including a server in Ireland
It provides fantastic streaming quality with lightning-fast speeds(83 Mbps out of 100 Mbps). As a bonus, it alleviates buffering problems.
It’s affordable, costing only $2.69/month, and you may cancel within the first 30 days if you’re not satisfied.
3. NordVPN
Our third suggested VPN is NordVPN to access RTE Player from within Canada because of its high level of security with its Kill Switch, No-logs policy, and DNS protection
In addition, to the fast speed i.e. 82 Mbps out of 100 Mbps, NordVPN leads the pack with 5000+ servers in 50+ countries,Â
As there are now more than 50 servers located in Ireland, viewers from there will have a great time watching RTE Player and other services like BT Sports and HGTV, Prende TV, Channel 4, etc.
Also, you can use it on 6 devices simultaneously. You can buy NordVPN for $3.79/month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Why do I need a VPN to Watch RTE Player in Canada?
RTE Player has a restriction that all of its content will be for those in Ireland while limited for international users. This is why most of the content is blocked in Canada.
The restriction is known as geo-restriction and it is there as a result of licensing agreements and copyright laws.
On the Internet, a series of numbers known as IP address depicts your real location i.e. whether it is Ireland or abroad.Â
When you open RTE Player, it can see, through your IP address, that you are an international user. Hence, allowing you access to only the RTE player international version.
However, you can mask your IP address easily through ExpressVPN. When you connect to an Ireland server, the VPN will assign you an Ireland IP address.
ExpressVPN is our #1 choice to access the RTE player after connecting to an Ireland server, the RTE Player will believe you are a national user, hence granting you access to the full content of the RTE Player.
What to Watch on RTE Player in Canada
You can watch original programming, box sets of several popular RTÉ programs, simultaneous live streaming, and extended catch-up on RTE. Some of the popular shows RTE player offers include:
- The Great House Revival
- Kin
- The Late Late Show
- Year to The Ground
- The Meaning of Life
- Fair City Capsule
- 12 Years a Slave
- Claire Byrne Live
- Underdogs
- NuachtThe Late Late Show
In addition to the above, you can watch different Irish channels on the RTE player. The channels include:
- RTE One
- RTE2
- RTE3
- TG4
- Be3
- RTE News Now
How to Watch RTE Player in Canada on Mobile
If you want to stream RTE Player on your mobile in Canada you need to download the app from the Play Store with the help of a VPN.
To watch RTE Player in Canada on your mobile, you’d need to follow the following steps:
Step 1: Install ExpressVPN app from the Google Play store.
Step 2: Choose Ireland Server in the “location” setting and press “Connect“
Step 3: Go to the Google Play Store and Install the RTE Player app.
Step 4: Scroll and Choose the content you want to stream.
Step 5: Click on the Play Icon.Â
Step 6: Start Streaming!
Other Services/Channels to watch in Canada.
You may enjoy much more than RTE Player after connecting to a VPN like ExpressVPN. You may also access the following streaming services:
- Watch Epix in Canada
- Watch 7Plus in Canada
- Watch Arte TV in Canada
- Watch Zattoo in Canada
- Watch BBC Iplayer in Canada
- Watch Prende TV in Canada
- Watch Discovery+ in Canada
FAQS- RTE Player
Can I use a free VPN to access RTE Player?
Free VPNs could damage your privacy by selling personal information or exposing you to viruses in addition to the cyber dangers that often go along with free services. They are unlikely to be able to bypass RTE Player’s geo-blocks.
How much is RTÉ Player?
Users may access 100 hours of free material, updated daily, and the entire content offering of 500 hours can be viewed and watched without ads with a monthly membership of €8.99 ($8.99/£6.99) via the Apple Store.
ConclusionÂ
RTE Player is a free-to-watch platform that offers RTE television programming which includes live television and on-demand content.
However, most of its content is geo-restricted to Ireland only and the only way to watch RTE Player in Canada is by using a premium VPN.
You can watch RTE Player in Canada with the help of our recommended VPNs. ExpressVPN is our top choice along with the other two VPNs as they efficiently bypass the geo-restrictions and give access to the channel.Â
