Subscription VODWorks with VPNUpdated June 8, 2026
Reviewed by Vladimir Uhlik · Affiliate DisclosureOur website contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
How to Watch NOW TV from Anywhere: VPN Guide 2026
NOW is Sky’s no-contract streaming service under Comcast, sold as month-to-month memberships you can cancel any time. Three passes split the NOW catalogue: Entertainment, built on Sky Atlantic box sets; Cinema, with Sky Cinema premieres; and Sports, carrying every Sky Sports channel, the Premier League, the EFL and Formula 1. NOW is licensed across 3 markets, with the UK and Ireland as its home. Watching NOW from anywhere runs into one of the toughest geo-blocks in British streaming: step outside the country and the app cuts you off, membership or not.
A VPN is the fix. Connect to a UK server, NOW reads you as a local viewer, and your passes plus the Boost tiers play just like at home, in Full HD on Boost and 4K through Ultra Boost. NOW polices VPNs hard, so you want a dependable Surfshark with fresh UK IPs. The VPN only changes your location: you keep paying your own NOW membership, from ≈ $13.35, and it unlocks nothing for free.
3
Countries
4K HDR
Max quality
7 of 7
VPNs work
4+ min
Ready in
Quick answer
Can I watch NOW TV abroad with a VPN?
Yes, but only through a VPN. NOW is licensed mainly for the UK, so NOW blocks you the moment you leave, even with an active membership. Surfshark drops you onto a UK server, NOW treats you as a local, and your Entertainment, Cinema and Sports passes load in Full HD, or up to 4K with the Ultra Boost add-on. NOW is one of the stricter services, so you need fresh UK IPs. The VPN only restores your location: you still pay your own NOW membership.
VPN Compatibility
Best VPN for NOW TV
NOW TV actively blocks VPNs. Only certain providers reliably bypass the detection.
Tested on July 6, 2026 · 7 VPNs, 7 working · residential IP from the United Kingdom · NOW TV 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 NOW TV with a VPN
Takes about 2 minutes. Works on your phone, tablet, TV, PC, or laptop.
1
Pick a reliable VPN
Go with Surfshark. NOW blocks VPN servers aggressively, so you want fresh UK IPs and steady speeds for smooth HD. Plans start at $1.78 per month.
Free VPNs run a handful of IPs that NOW flags within minutes, so skip them for streaming.
2
Connect to the UK
Choose a server in the United Kingdom, where your NOW account lives. That hands you a British IP and marks you as a local viewer.
3
Open NOW
Sign in at nowtv.com or in the app with your usual account. The service now loads your memberships and the full UK catalogue.
4
Start streaming
Pick a show and watch on your phone, smart TV or console. Boost adds Full HD and 5.1 sound, while Ultra Boost steps up to 4K with Dolby Atmos.
Ready to watch NOW TV without borders?
Surfshark: risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee
This overall 1-10 score combines value, reliability, and VPN compatibility into one editorial verdict. Higher = better overall experience.
6.0
Value
This 1-10 score rates the value for money: content and features vs. price. Higher = better deal. 10 = outstanding offer. 5 = market average.
9.0
Reliability
This 1-10 score rates the reliability of streams, apps, and the service overall: higher = fewer technical issues. 10 = no outages. 5 = occasional minor glitches.
5.0
Works with VPN
This 1-10 score shows how easily the platform unblocks with a VPN: higher is better. 10 = works with any service. 5 = you’ll need a premium VPN from the table above.
Availability
Which countries is NOW TV available in?
NOW TV works in 3 countries, including in the United Kingdom, in Ireland and in Italy. In 191 more it is blocked, and outside available regions you will need a VPN.
NOW TV is blocked in the United States, in Australia, in Canada, in New Zealand and in Germany, plus in 186 more countries. To access it, use a premium VPN like Surfshark.
Available
Blocked / unavailable
Last tested: June 21, 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 Surfshark, if you want something that actually works.
NOW is the Sky Group’s streaming alternative to its traditional satellite package, priced as month-to-month passes with no long-term contract. Three core memberships carve up the catalogue: Entertainment (Sky Atlantic, HBO imports), Cinema (Sky Cinema premieres) and Sports (every Sky Sports channel, also available as a day pass). A paid Boost add-on unlocks 1080p and 5.1 audio. Availability is limited to the UK and Ireland.
The NOW home screen with its catalog and navigation.
Company and history
Previously known as
Now TV
Major changes
Sky launches Now TV as its first no-contract internet service, starting with films and aimed at viewers who do not want a Sky satellite subscription.
Now TV expands beyond films: after adding sport in spring, autumn brings the Entertainment pass with Sky Atlantic box sets, turning it into a full TV service.
The service launches in Ireland, adding a second home market alongside the UK and taking NOW beyond Britain for the very first time.
Now TV drops the "TV" from its name and becomes simply NOW, pairing the rebrand with a new logo and a fresh visual identity.
NOW launches the Ultra Boost add-on, offering 4K Ultra HD with HDR and Dolby Atmos sound for the first time and closing the quality gap with bigger rivals.
NOW migrates to NBCUniversal's global streaming platform, the same tech behind Peacock and SkyShowtime, bringing a redesigned menu and smarter recommendations.
NOW folds the full HBO Max into the Entertainment pass at no extra cost, giving subscribers HBO series and Warner Bros. films inside a single app.
Content & Catalog
What to watch on NOW TV?
25
Max offline downloads
Content TypesMovies · Series · Live TV · Live Sport · Documentaries · Kids · News · Originals · Offline
Unravel the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest, including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down.
FROM
★ 8.52022
#2TV
The Targaryen dynasty is at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins when King Viserys breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm.
House of the Dragon
★ 8.42022
#3TV
Explores WWII from Germany's invasion of Poland through the atomic age, examining pivotal battles, wartime leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the human cost of total war.
World War II with Tom Hanks
★ 7.92026
#4TV
A young and ambitious prison officer finds herself in the middle of a battle for the criminal underworld as crime lords try to evade justice. But in order to do that, she will have to learn quickly to put her faith in one of the very men she wants to put behind bars.
Prisoner
★ 5.52026
#5TV
Lindy and Les, a married writer and scientist, are forced to re-evaluate the power balances in their relationship after a freak accident shrinks Lindy down to 6 inches tall.
The Miniature Wife
★ 7.42026
#6TV
British incarnation of NBC's legendary late-night comedy showcase. Broadcast live each week, this UK version brings the high-wire, anything-can-happen energy that makes 'SNL' a cultural force, now reimagined through a distinctly British lens.
Saturday Night Live UK
★ 4.22026
#7TV
On a college campus, an author navigates a complicated relationship with his daughter.
Rooster
★ 7.42026
#8TV
Brilliant but controversial, lawyer Lorenzo Ligas fights for AC Milan's desperate cases alongside idealistic intern Marta, seeking justice and confronting his own shortcomings.
Ligas
★ 7.92026
#9TV
A love triangle among three adults experiencing middle-age malaise leads to one of them ending up dead.
DTF St. Louis
★ 6.92026
#10
From the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, comedian Chris Fleming bursts onto the screen with a fun and lighthearted blend of skillful storytelling and wild physicality in his first HBO stand-up special. A high-energy performer who seamlessly pivots from one everyday topic to another, from Trader Joe’s to Oreos, NPR, and dog breeds, Fleming bounds across the stage as he shares his unique takes on masculinity, conga lines, and more.
Chris Fleming: Live at The Palace
★ 7.62026
#11
Punk legend turned pop sensation Billy Idol bares it all in this electrifying documentary, revealing his rise to fame, battle with addiction and triumphant comeback that captivated millions of fans worldwide.
Billy Idol Should Be Dead
★ 6.82026
#12TV
Set in present-day suburbia, a young couple returns to the husband's childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbors move in across the street, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.
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 NOW TV.
NOW is sold as no-contract monthly memberships. Entertainment carries Sky Atlantic series, Cinema brings Sky Cinema premieres, and Sports holds every Sky Sports channel with the Premier League, the EFL and F1. The Boost add-on unlocks Full HD and 5.1 sound, while Ultra Boost adds 4K and Dolby Atmos. Exact NOW prices in pounds and euros sit in the plans section above, starting from ≈ $13.35. You can cancel any time, and there is no permanent free tier.
NOW is one of the stricter services and flags ordinary VPN servers quickly, so pick a provider with a large UK network and frequent IP rotation. Surfshark holds up well in our tests: connect to a British server, NOW reads you as a local, and the catalogue loads without a region error. If one server is blocked, hop to another UK node. Avoid free VPNs, which rarely beat the NOW geo-block and often sell your data.
It used to be the exclusive UK home of HBO shows, but that changed on 26 March 2026, when HBO Max launched as a standalone UK service. HBO Max is now bundled with NOW, not exclusive to it, so titles like Succession and The Last of Us also live on the dedicated app. From abroad you still reach the NOW catalogue through Surfshark on a UK server, because the licence is tied to the United Kingdom.
Officially no. Unlike the EU portability rule, which no longer covers British services after Brexit, NOW blocks playback outside its home market. Irish subscribers get an exception and may stream in another EU country for up to 30 days a year, but UK accounts do not. The dependable route is Surfshark on a UK server, which makes NOW treat you as a viewer back home rather than a traveller.
A standard NOW membership allows one simultaneous stream and a single profile, fewer than most rivals. The Boost add-on raises that to two devices and Ultra Boost to three. The app runs on smart TVs, phones, tablets, PlayStation and Xbox, Chromecast and Fire TV. Travelling abroad, every device needs the same UK IP, so installing Surfshark on your router is the cleanest way to cover them all at once.
Yes, with limits. The NOW mobile app lets you download selected films and series for offline playback, storing around two dozen titles at a time, and downloads expire after a while. You must verify from the UK at least once to download and to open an offline file the first time, so grab your titles at home or over Surfshark before you fly rather than relying on patchy hotel Wi-Fi.
NOW checks your IP address every time you press play and matches it against its licensed territory. The moment it sees an address outside the UK or Ireland, NOW blocks playback and shows a not-available-in-your-country message. It reacts the same way to known data-centre ranges. The fix is Surfshark with residential or fresh UK IPs that look like an ordinary home connection rather than a server.
NOW resells Sky content but as monthly passes with no dish to install and no long contract. Sky targets households on a fixed subscription with hardware, while NOW suits viewers who want flexibility, much like DAZN does for sport. The trade-off is a harder geo-block: a dish works wherever it is fitted, but streaming depends on your IP, so abroad only Surfshark connected to the UK gets you back into NOW.
Ready to watch NOW TV without borders?
Surfshark unlocks NOW TV from anywhere in the world. Risk-free 30-day money-back.