Subscription VODWorks with VPNUpdated June 8, 2026
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How to Watch Starz / Lionsgate+ from Anywhere: VPN Guide 2026
In May 2025 Starz cut ties with the Lionsgate studio and started trading on Nasdaq on its own under the ticker STRZ. Overnight a network that once chased subscribers across four continents became a focused North American player, closing 2025 with 17.6 million subscribers and leaning hard on Outlander, the sprawling Power universe and the revived Spartacus saga. Watching Starz abroad, outside that footprint, is where the wall goes up.
The old Lionsgate+ brand that served Europe and Latin America has been switched off, so the catalog now lives only in the US, Canada and a cluster of Caribbean markets. Fire up the app in London or Berlin and Spartacus: House of Ashur simply refuses to load. The fix is a reliable VPN like Surfshark: connect to a US city and the player treats you as a local, restoring the full library in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound. Starz currently runs in 17 countries, and the steps below get you in.
569+
Total titles
17
Countries
4K HDR
Max quality
4 of 7
VPNs work
2-3 min
Ready in
Quick answer
Can I watch Starz outside the US?
Not directly, since the service only operates across North America and the Caribbean. With a VPN you can: switch on Surfshark, connect to an American server, and Starz loads as if you were in Chicago. A handy bonus is smart DNS, which Starz tolerates, so streams hold 4K without much buffering. You will need a US payment method or gift card to open an account first.
VPN Compatibility
Best VPN for Starz / Lionsgate+
Tested weekly by our team. Green: works, amber: partial, red: blocked.
Tested on July 6, 2026 · 7 VPNs, 4 working · residential IP from the United States · Starz / Lionsgate+ 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 Starz / Lionsgate+ with a VPN
Takes about 2 minutes. Works on your phone, tablet, TV, PC, or laptop.
1
Pick a reliable VPN
Go with Surfshark, which keeps fast US servers and unblocks even the stricter players. It runs from $1.78 a month on a longer plan, so it pays for itself fast.
Annual billing undercuts the month-to-month rate by a wide margin.
2
Connect to a US server
Choose a specific city such as New York or Los Angeles. Starz reads your location from your IP address, so a stateside server is the key that unlocks the library.
3
Sign in to Starz
Open the Starz site or app and enter your credentials. No account yet? Register with a US card, or bolt Starz on as an add-on channel through a partner like Hulu or Prime Video.
4
Hit play and check the picture
Start an Outlander episode and dive into the quality settings. On a fast connection Starz serves up to 4K with Dolby Atmos sound.
Ready to watch Starz / Lionsgate+ without borders?
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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.
8.0
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.
7.0
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 Starz / Lionsgate+ available in?
Starz / Lionsgate+ works in 17 countries, including in the United States, in Canada, in Antigua and Barbuda, in the Bahamas and in Barbados. In 160 more it is blocked, and outside available regions you will need a VPN.
Starz / Lionsgate+ works without a VPN in the United States, in Canada, in Antigua and Barbuda, in the Bahamas, in Barbados, in Belize and in Dominica, plus in 10 more countries.
Starz / Lionsgate+ also works in Brazil, in Argentina, in Bolivia, in Chile and in Colombia, plus in 12 more countries, but with limited content compared to fully available countries. Surfshark unlocks full access.
Starz / Lionsgate+ is blocked in the United Kingdom, in Australia, in New Zealand, in Ireland and in Germany, plus in 155 more countries. To access it, use a premium VPN like Surfshark.
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 Surfshark, if you want something that actually works.
Starz (rebranded outside the United States as Lionsgate+) is the premium streaming service operated by the Lionsgate film studio. The brand is defined by its originals, Outlander, Power and its various spin-offs, plus Spartacus, paired with a deep library of Lionsgate theatrical releases. The tone skews distinctly adult, and the service is often most useful as an add-on via cable or a partner platform.
The first screen you see when you open Starz.
Company and history
Previously known as
StarzPlayLionsgate+
Major changes
Starz launched as a premium cable channel under Encore Media, offering recent theatrical films to American households without commercial interruption.
The premiere of Outlander kicked off the era of marquee originals. The time-spanning romance became the network flagship and still anchors the lineup today.
The Lionsgate media group completed its acquisition of Starz. Pairing a studio with a premium network later shaped the entire streaming strategy.
Lionsgate rebranded its international service Starzplay as Lionsgate+ while announcing a sweeping review of the entire overseas business.
Lionsgate+ shut down in the UK, closing the European chapter after earlier exits from Germany, France and Spain. Starz pulled back to its North American core market.
Starz separated from the Lionsgate studio and began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker STRZ as a standalone company led by CEO Jeffrey Hirsch.
The prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood premiered, following the parents of the lead couple and extending the network most successful brand with a fresh storyline.
Spartacus: House of Ashur arrived on Starz, reviving the bloody gladiator saga and bringing Nick Tarabay back as Ashur. The network later canceled it after a single season.
Following the breakout success of the song 'I Can Only Imagine', MercyMe's Bart Millard is living the dream, sold-out arenas, a devoted fanbase, and a thriving career. But behind the spotlight, Bart's past threatens the family he's built, especially the fragile bond with his son Sam. When hopeful newcomer Tim Timmons joins the band for their biggest tour yet, he unknowingly brings a renewed gratitude to Bart's life through their unlikely friendship. Bart soon discovers that Tim carries hardships, and secrets, of his own, forcing him to face his past and repair his relationships with Sam and his wife Shannon before fame costs him what matters most.
I Can Only Imagine 2
★ 8.22026
#2
Tethered by a frightening conclusion, Maya and the Strangers are locked on an unavoidable, unforgiving collision course, a showdown that proves they’re far from strangers now.
The Strangers: Chapter 3
★ 5.92026
#3
A man living in self-imposed exile on a remote island rescues a young girl from a violent storm, setting off a chain of events that forces him out of seclusion to protect her from enemies tied to his past.
Shelter
★ 7.72026
#4TV
25-year-old Amadeus arrives in Vienna, unemployed after his father’s death. He allies with singer Constanze Weber, who helps bring him into the orbit of court composer Salieri, igniting a rivalry that defines their legacies.
Amadeus
★ 4.52025
#5
Trying to escape her past, Millie Calloway accepts a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina and Andrew Winchester. But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous, a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power.
The Housemaid
★ 7.32025
#6TV
Lukas, a former mercenary haunted by PTSD, roams the city as a waste picker with his trolley. At the homeless shelter where he lives, he salvages scraps to help others. Using his metalworking skill, he crafts statues and sells them to raise funds, quietly battling the violent past he longs to escape.
The Nowhere Man
★ 8.02025
#7
Young married couple Zach and Emmy decide to take a hot air balloon trip across the Italian Dolomites to rekindle their relationship. When they and pilot Harry are joined by a third passenger, Julia, events unfold in ways they could never imagine five thousand meters in the air.
Turbulence
★ 6.62025
#8
The original Four Horsemen reunite with a new generation of illusionists to take on powerful diamond heiress Veronika Vanderberg, who leads a criminal empire built on money laundering and trafficking. The new and old magicians must overcome their differences to work together on their most ambitious heist yet.
Now You See Me: Now You Don't
★ 6.52025
#9
A non-binary teen is kicked out of their North Carolina home after coming out to their ultra-religious parents. As a result, they move in with their estranged sister and her husband. Though the two are welcoming, they continue to struggle with anxiety further exacerbated by their parents' rejection. As such, they try to keep a low profile at school. However, after they meet a proudly bisexual classmate, their life begins to look a little more hopeful.
I Wish You All the Best
★ 5.52025
#10
A well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy capitalist.
Good Fortune
★ 6.92025
#11
After learning that one of their victims, Maya, is still alive, The Strangers return to finish the job. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya soon finds herself in a brutal fight for survival against psychopaths more than willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.
The Strangers: Chapter 2
★ 6.12025
#12
In a dystopian 1970s America, fifty teenage boys take part in a deadly annual walking contest, forced to maintain a minimum pace or be executed, until only one survivor remains.
5 tips from our Starz / Lionsgate+ testing team · Updated June 20, 2026
1
Pay for the annual Starz plan instead of twelve monthly charges if you plan to binge the full Power universe and Outlander.
2
Watch for the recurring $20 for 6 months deal (about $3.33 a month), which tends to land around Black Friday and the holidays.
3
Starz tops out at 1080p HD with no 4K, so you are not missing UHD value by skipping a pricier rival here.
4
Internationally the service runs as Lionsgate+, and in many countries it is now sold only as a Prime Video or Apple TV add-on channel rather than a standalone app.
5
Travelling and seeing a region block on Starz? Connect through Surfshark to a server back in your home country to unlock your usual catalog.
Alternatives
Other services you can watch
Not the right fit? Here are services in the same category you can compare.
When Netflix US drops a new series, she knows before the algorithm does. Tracks libraries on Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and regional platforms like Hulu and Peacock, logs geo-differences, and tests where a VPN actually unlocks access and where the promised unblock falls flat.
Streaming librariesGeo-unblock testingNetflix catalogsRegional platformsBBC iPlayer and HuluBroadcasting rights
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before subscribing to Starz / Lionsgate+.
Yes, Starz sits among the gentler services and smart DNS often slips through. Even so, Surfshark is the safer bet because it encrypts your traffic and masks location more thoroughly. Smart DNS, on the other hand, adds no speed penalty, so picture quality stays high. If one route stops working, the other is a reliable backup.
The Starz subscription itself costs $11.99/mo a month, and you add a VPN on top. An annual Surfshark plan works out to From $1.78/mo a month, so the combined outlay stays reasonable. You spend the least by buying both services on a yearly basis rather than paying month to month.
Usually yes, because Starz bills in dollars and tends to reject European cards. A US gift card or a payment service with a stateside address solves it. Alternatively, add Starz as a channel through Hulu or Prime Video, where signup is often simpler. A VPN like Surfshark then only handles the playback side.
Always pick a server inside the US, ideally in a major city like New York or Chicago. Canadian servers unlock only the Canadian catalog. Surfshark offers dozens of American locations, so if one gets congested you can hop to another and restore access in seconds without losing your place.
Yes, as long as your connection is fast and the server is not overloaded. Starz serves up to 4K with Dolby Atmos, and a quality VPN like Surfshark keeps the speed drop minimal. It helps to pick a US server that is geographically closer and to avoid the evening rush when traffic peaks.
A VPN is a perfectly legal tool in the US and most countries. Bypassing geo-blocks may clash with the Starz terms of service, though, so it is a contractual matter rather than a criminal one. Surfshark encrypts your data, the risk stays minimal, and in practice account holders rarely run into trouble.
Lionsgate+, formerly Starzplay, was switched off across most of Europe between 2023 and 2024. Starz retreated to its North American core, so European access now runs only through Surfshark. Titles like Power or Spartacus are no longer sold officially in the EU, leaving the US version as the single path in.
Yes, the app runs on smart TVs, Apple TV, Roku and consoles. The cleanest setup is a VPN on your router, since Surfshark then protects every device on the network at once. As an alternative, share the connection from a laptop where the VPN app installs easily and quickly.
It depends on the content. Hulu carries a broader general library, but originals like Outlander and Spartacus live only on Starz. Many viewers add Starz precisely as a channel inside Hulu or Prime Video. Either way, unlocking it from Europe still requires Surfshark and a US server.
Promotions shift over time, and in the US Starz occasionally runs a discounted first month. A permanent free tier, though, is not on the table. Before you commit to paying, test access through Surfshark on a US server to confirm the player and the picture quality suit you. You can usually cancel anytime.
Ready to watch Starz / Lionsgate+ without borders?
Surfshark unlocks Starz / Lionsgate+ from anywhere in the world. Risk-free 30-day money-back.
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