Is iQIYI free outside Asia?

Yes, the ad-supported free tier is reachable from most countries and only needs a signup. The full slate of new releases and paid checkout, though, target 9 mostly Asian markets. To unlock the complete library, connect through ExpressVPN to a server in an iQ.com home country. The free version is fine for testing the waters; regular viewers will want an ad-free paid plan.

Which VPN works best with iQIYI?

Look for a provider with fast servers in Singapore, Malaysia or Taiwan and a solid track record against geo-blocks. ExpressVPN is a reliable pick and comes with a money-back guarantee, so you can confirm it works risk-free. Smart DNS also works with iQIYI, but a full VPN adds encryption and a wider choice of server locations.

What resolution does it stream in?

The free and Standard iQIYI tiers usually run in HD. The Premium plan unlocks up to 4K, plus Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on select titles. The exact quality depends on your device and the show’s licensing, so not every title is offered in 4K. Budget a stable connection of around 25 Mbps for smooth playback.

What plans are available?

The international iQIYI service runs on a freemium model: a free ad-supported tier, Standard and Premium. Standard adds downloads and two simultaneous devices; Premium unlocks 4K, Dolby and four streams at once. Annual billing usually beats monthly. Prices vary by region, so connecting through ExpressVPN shows you the tariffs of a given country.

Is watching via VPN legal?

Using a VPN is legal in most countries. Bypassing geo-blocks may breach iQIYI’s terms of service, however, so it is a personal risk rather than a crime. We suggest paying for a proper account and treating ExpressVPN as a way to reach iQIYI content you legally subscribe to. Skip pirate streams entirely.

Do the shows have English subtitles?

English subtitles arrive on most new iQIYI releases almost immediately after the Chinese premiere, which is exactly why many international fans pick iQIYI over rivals. Spanish and major Asian languages follow on the biggest hits. If a subtitle track is missing, the English option is the most widely available. Services like Viki cover some of the same C-dramas but with a smaller direct-from-China slate.

How many devices can one account use?

It depends on the plan. Standard typically allows two simultaneous devices, Premium up to four. A single account supports up to five profiles, including a kids profile with parental controls. iQIYI is less strict on password sharing than some rivals, but concurrent streams are capped by your tier. With ExpressVPN you can sign in from abroad on every supported device.

Does iQIYI work on a smart TV?

Yes. The app is on Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Android TV, Apple TV and Sony Bravia, plus Chromecast and Fire TV. A VPN is fiddlier to set up on a TV, so it is often easier to run ExpressVPN on your router instead. That covers the whole household at once, and iQIYI sees an Asian IP on the TV without needing a dedicated VPN app.

Hybrid VODWorks with VPNUpdated June 8, 2026

Reviewed by Vladimir Uhlik · Affiliate Disclosure

How to Watch iQIYI outside Asia: VPN Guide 2026

The moment a buzzed-about C-drama drops in Beijing, watching iQIYI outside Asia shouldn’t mean waiting for a Western platform to license it months later. The international iQ.com service streams wuxia epics, palace dramas and variety formats with English subtitles, often hours after the Chinese broadcast. The catch is geography: the full catalog and paid plans only switch on in 9 home markets, mostly across Southeast Asia.

Outside those regions the app quietly trims its library or flags a title as unavailable. A reliable VPN such as ExpressVPN fixes that by giving your connection an Asian IP address. Pick a server in Singapore or Taiwan and the home catalog reappears, paid tiers included. The free ad-supported tier stays open, while Premium adds 4K, Dolby and extra simultaneous streams. You can then stream every new release at up to 4K.

10,000+

Total titles

Countries

4K HDR

Max quality

4 of 7

VPNs work

2-3 min

Ready in

Quick answer

Is iQIYI available outside Asia?

Partly. The free, ad-supported layer runs almost everywhere, but the full catalog and paid checkout only unlock in 9 markets, most of them Asian. Outside those regions the app strips back its library. A VPN like ExpressVPN is the clean fix: connect to a server in an iQ.com home country, pick up a local IP, and the dramas plus Premium plans reappear. Streaming runs at up to 4K.

VPN Compatibility

Best VPN for iQIYI

Tested weekly by our team. Green: works, amber: partial, red: blocked.

VPN Service	Price	iQIYI	Tested	Action
ExpressVPNBEST	From $2.79/mo	✓ Works	July 6	Try it
NordVPN	From $2.99/mo	✓ Works	July 4	Open
Surfshark	From $1.78/mo	✓ Works	July 6	Open
Private Internet Access	From $1.79/mo	✓ Works	July 5	Open
CyberGhost	From $1.75/mo	~ Partial	June 30	Open
IPVanish	From $2.19/mo	~ Partial	July 3	Open
ProtonVPN	From $3.59/mo	~ Partial	July 6	Open

Tested July 6

Tested July 4

Tested July 6

Private Internet Access

Tested July 5

Tested June 30

Tested July 3

Tested July 6

Tested on July 6, 2026 · 7 VPNs, 4 working · residential IP from China · iQIYI updates detection continuously, results may change.

Streaming service blocking your VPN? Just disconnect and hop onto a different server in the same country. Stick to the ones labeled “streaming” or “optimized” because they’re literally built for this.

How-to

How to Unblock iQIYI with a VPN

Takes about 2 minutes. Works on your phone, tablet, TV, PC, or laptop.

Choose a reliable VPN
Pick a provider with fast Asian servers, like ExpressVPN. Prices start at $2.79 a month on longer plans, and a money-back window lets you test it risk-free.
Aim for servers in Singapore, Malaysia or Taiwan, where iQ.com serves its full catalog.
Connect to an Asian server
Launch the VPN and select a country where iQIYI runs unrestricted. Your IP is rewritten to a local one, so the app treats you as a regional viewer.
Sign in to iQIYI
Open iq.com or the app and log in. A free account is enough to start, while a Premium plan removes ads and unlocks higher quality and same-day releases.
Start streaming
Pick a series, confirm the resolution in settings and stream at up to 4K. If playback stutters, switch to a closer Asian server.

Ready to watch iQIYI without borders?

ExpressVPN: risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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Ratings

Our verdict

8.0

Overall

9.0

Value

8.0

Reliability

7.0

Works with VPN

Availability

Which countries is iQIYI available in?

iQIYI works in 9 countries, including in China, in Indonesia, in Malaysia, in the Philippines and in Singapore. In 181 more it is blocked, and outside available regions you will need a VPN.

Available in 9 countries No VPN needed

China Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand Vietnam

iQIYI works without a VPN in China, in Indonesia, in Malaysia, in the Philippines, in Singapore, in South Korea and in Taiwan, plus in 2 more countries.

Partially available in 4 countries VPN required

United States United Kingdom Australia Canada

iQIYI also works in the United States, in the United Kingdom, in Australia and in Canada, but with limited content compared to fully available countries. ExpressVPN unlocks full access.

Blocked in 181 countries VPN required

New Zealand Ireland Germany France Japan India Netherlands South Africa Brazil Afghanistan Albania Algeria

Show all 169 more countries

Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana

British Virgin Islands

Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Chile Colombia Comoros Congo Congo (DRC)Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Fiji Finland Gabon Gambia Georgia Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland Iran Iraq Israel Italy Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and Grenadines Samoa San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu UAE Uganda Ukraine Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

iQIYI is blocked in New Zealand, in Ireland, in Germany, in France and in Japan, plus in 176 more countries. To access it, use a premium VPN like ExpressVPN.

Available

Partial

Blocked / unavailable

Last tested: June 20, 2026

Steer clear of free VPNs. Most of them actually collect and sell your data, lack proper security audits, and can even expose you to malware. They’re also useless for streaming. Platforms block them instantly, leaving you with more headaches than solutions. Stick to paid VPNs with verified audits, like ExpressVPN, if you want something that actually works.

Pricing & Plans

How Much Does iQIYI Cost?

Free / Guest

Free

/month

Up to 720p
1 simultaneous stream
With ads
No offline downloads

Standard

$6.99

/month

7-day free trial

Up to 1080p
2 simultaneous streams
Ad-free
Offline downloads

Premium

$8.99

/month

7-day free trial

Up to 4K
4 simultaneous streams
Ad-free
Offline downloads
Dolby Atmos

Regional pricesCZK 149€5.99£5.99MYR 16.90THB 119

PoliciesNo refund guaranteeAccount sharing allowedTwo-factor authenticationGDPR compliant

Ready to subscribe to iQIYI?

Go to the official website: no VPN needed if you’re in a supported country.

Go to iQIYI Get ExpressVPN first

About the platform

Who’s behind the service?

iQIYI

Founded 2010 · iQIYI, Inc. (Baidu)

Wikipedia Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok Reddit

What is iQIYI

iQIYI, owned by Baidu, is one of China’s three dominant streaming platforms, but outside Asia it serves a narrower purpose: giving international viewers legal access to C-dramas, wuxia series and variety formats that almost never reach Western catalogues. Subtitles arrive in English quickly, plus Spanish and major Asian languages. The global service, branded iQ.com, operates under a freemium model with two paid tiers.

Browsing rows of titles inside the iQIYI catalog — Rows of films and shows inside the iQIYI library.

Company and history

Previously known as

Qiyi

Major changes

April 2010Baidu launched the Qiyi video portal in Beijing; it was soon renamed iQiyi and grew into one of China’s three dominant streaming services.
March 2018iQIYI went public on the NASDAQ under the ticker IQ, raising billions of dollars to fund content production and technology.
June 2019The international iQ.com service launched with a multilingual interface and subtitles; the same month iQIYI announced it had passed 100 million paying members.
August 2022The fantasy drama Love Between Fairy and Devil became iQ.com’s most-watched title just four hours after its premiere, proving the reach of its global distribution.
April 2025At its World Conference in Beijing on April 23, iQIYI declared a year of short-form content: thousands of micro-dramas, shorter series and over 400 new titles with an AI Skip Watch feature.
November 2025In Q3 2025 iQIYI’s overseas membership revenue grew more than 40% year over year, with Spanish-speaking markets, Brazil and Mexico roughly doubling.

Trust signals

App Store

4.8 / 5

Google Play

4.7 / 5

Content & Catalog

What to watch on iQIYI?

10,000+

Total titles

~50

New titles/month

Max offline downloads

Content TypesMovies · Series · Anime · Documentaries · Kids · Originals · Offline

SubtitlesEnglish · Czech · German · Spanish · French · Chinese · Korean · Thai · Vietnamese · Indonesian · Malay

DubbingChinese

Payment methodsCredit card · Debit card · PayPal · Apple Pay · Google Pay · Gift card · Carrier billing

Offline downloadsUp to 1080p offline · Download expires after 7 days

Top titles right now

#1TV

Khemjira

★ 9.22025

#2TV

Revamp: The Undead Story

★ 7.92025

TMDB

Still can’t open iQIYI where you are?

Connect ExpressVPN, pick a supported country, and you’re streaming iQIYI in minutes, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Try ExpressVPN

Devices & Quality

Watch on all your devices

Supported devices

Browser

iOS

Android

Smart TV

Chromecast

Fire TV

Apple TV

Video quality

4KHDRDolby VisionDolby AtmosSmart DNS

UX features

Skip introContinue watchingPlayback speed controlParental controls

Accessibility

Insider Tips

Tips & tricks you should know

5 tips from our iQIYI testing team · Updated June 20, 2026

Pay yearly instead of monthly: in the US, Standard VIP is $89 a year while Premium runs $119, a clear saving over the monthly rate.
Only Premium VIP unlocks 4K and Dolby Audio with up to four simultaneous screens; Standard caps you at HD and two devices.
Much of the mainland Chinese catalogue is locked to China, Taiwan and Malaysia, so connect ExpressVPN to a server there to reach it from abroad.
New accounts get Standard VIP for $1.99 for the first month, an easy way to binge a few C-dramas before committing.
New here? iQ.com often runs a discounted first month (around $1.99) before the regular VIP rate, a cheap way to binge one drama without committing to full price.

Alternatives

Other services you can watch

Not the right fit? Here are services in the same category you can compare.

Written and tested by

Vladimir Uhlik

Security & Privacy Analyst · StreamFix

Reads audits, not marketing copy. Goes through reports from PwC, Deloitte, and Cure53, verifies encryption, kill switch, and leak protection on every VPN we recommend. Tracks transparency reports, jurisdiction shifts, and policy updates. What he finds shapes which providers make the cut.

No-logs auditsEncryption protocolsPrivacy policiesVPN jurisdictionsTransparency reportsDNS and IPv6 leak detection

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before subscribing to iQIYI.

Ready to watch iQIYI without borders?

ExpressVPN unlocks iQIYI from anywhere in the world. Risk-free 30-day money-back.

Part of the iQIYI, Inc. (Baidu) family.

Try ExpressVPN

Is iQIYI available outside Asia?

VPN Service

Price

iQIYI

Tested

Action

ExpressVPNBEST

From $2.79/mo

✓ Works

July 6

Try it

NordVPN

From $2.99/mo

✓ Works

July 4

Open

Surfshark

From $1.78/mo

✓ Works

July 6

Open

Private Internet Access

From $1.79/mo

✓ Works

July 5

Open

CyberGhost

From $1.75/mo

~ Partial

June 30

Open

IPVanish

From $2.19/mo

~ Partial

July 3

Open

ProtonVPN

From $3.59/mo

~ Partial

July 6

Open

How to Watch iQIYI outside Asia: VPN Guide 2026

Is iQIYI available outside Asia?

Best VPN for iQIYI

How to Unblock iQIYI with a VPN

Our verdict