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How To Watch Doctor Who Online in 2024

If you’re abroad but don’t want to miss out on your favorite British science fiction series, this guide explains how to watch Doctor Who online free.

Kit CopsonJackie Leavitt

Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)

Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Chief Editor)

Last Updated: 2024-01-15T09:00:12+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

Doctor Who is one of the most beloved series to ever come out of British TV. The series is centered on the exploits of The Doctor, a multifaceted Time Lord who hails from the planet Gallifrey. Doctor Who’s popularity is such that netizens the world over want to know how to watch Doctor Who online free. 

Key Takeaways:

  • If you go abroad, you can still watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer or BBC America with a VPN, though only BBC iPlayer has all seasons. 
  • ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Windscribe are great choices for streaming online content. 
  • A VPN is also great for unblocking other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Max. 

If you’re in the U.K. or U.S., it’s pretty easy to stream and watch Doctor Who online free. You can visit BBC iPlayer or BBC America to indulge in the latest season or step into the TARDIS and revisit earlier ones. If you’re traveling abroad, there is a way to continue watching Doctor Who free of stress using a VPN, for example ExpressVPN. Read on to find out how.

Not available in your country?

Watch Doctor Who now on Amazon Prime Video and other streaming platforms.

Status checked 2024/03/11:

  • 12/11/2021 Facts checked

    Cloudwards.net updated this article with up-to-date information.

How to Watch Doctor Who Online Free

Depending on where you’re located, there are a few ways to watch Doctor Who online free. 

Where to Watch Doctor Who Online: BBC America & More

doctor who bbc america
If you’re in the U.S., you can watch Doctor Who season 12 and 13 on BBC America. 

Doctor Who season 12 and season 13 are available on BBC America. To use this site, you must sign in with your TV provider, such as DirectTV, YouTube TV or Philo. You no longer need cable for this. You can also watch online or purchase Doctor Who on the following:

  • BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
  • ABC iview (Australia)
  • Max (U.S.)
  • FuboTV (U.S.)
  • Google Play (U.S. store — purchase only)
  • Britbox (U.K. and U.S. — Classic Doctor Who seasons1963 – 1989)

How to Watch Doctor Who for Free From Anywhere With a VPN

If you’re traveling outside the U.K. or U.S., you can continue to use BBC iPlayer or BBC America with a VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN, which has a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you want to watch all Doctor Who seasons, your best bet is BBC iPlayer. Follow these steps to sign up and connect.

  1. Download ExpressVPN

    Download ExpressVPN on your device. Then, follow the instructions in the setup wizard to complete installation.

    download express vpn
  2. Connect to a U.K. Server

    Open the ExpressVPN app. Then, tap the three horizontal dots to select a U.S. or U.K. server. Finally, tap the “on” button to connect.

    expressvpn uk server
  3. Sign up for a BBC Account

    Sign up for your BBC account on the U.K.’s BBC website. When prompted, enter a U.K. postcode. If you don’t have a U.K. postcode, you can google any postcode in the U.K. 

    register bbc
  4. Play Doctor Who on iPlayer

    Go to BBC iPlayer and search for Doctor Who. When you press “play,” you will be asked if you have a TV license. Click on the option “I have a TV license.” Your content should begin to play.

    tvlicence

Best VPN to Watch Doctor Who Online

We recommend ExpressVPN to stream movies and TV series online, whether that’s via livestream or on demand. Let’s explore the best options for watching Doctor Who and more from overseas. Although these are our top three, check out our guide to the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer for a more complete list.

1. ExpressVPN

expressvpn homepage
ExpressVPN’s blazing-fast speed makes it a great VPN for streaming abroad. 

ExpressVPN is capable of getting into a variety of streaming services, including channels with streaming sites like BBC iPlayer in the U.K. With its unmatched speeds, it’s also the top choice for streaming abroad. If your goal is to get through full episodes of Doctor Who without interruption, check out ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our ExpressVPN review for more.

2. NordVPN

nordvpn homepage
NordVPN is a fast and reliable VPN service with 5,100 servers in 60 countries. 

Our second contender for helping you keep up with The Doctor’s shenanigans is NordVPN. Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN is great at getting into streaming services. Plus, its P2P servers are a great option if you want to torrent Doctor Who instead. Check out our NordVPN review for more. 

3. Windscribe

windscribe homepage
Windscribe is a free VPN that’s more than capable of getting around geoblocks. 

Windscribe is a VPN with a free plan of up to 10GB, which should see you through most of season 13 at least. If you want unlimited data to stream Doctor Who on a regular basis, you can upgrade to one of Windscribe’s paid plans. Check out our Windscribe review for more information.

Final Thoughts

If you’re going to be outside of the U.K. or U.S. for some time, keeping up with your favorite Time Lord shouldn’t be an issue. A VPN makes continuing streaming seasons of Doctor Who easy. It also takes away the need for you to sign up for new streaming services abroad.

If you want to watch all seasons of Doctor Who in the U.S., you can do so on BBC iPlayer. We have a comprehensive guide on how to watch BBC iPlayer in the U.S.A.

For our money, ExpressVPN is the best option to watch Doctor Who from abroad. Plus, if you love Amazon Prime TV shows, ExpressVPN will help you watch Mad Men, Grimm, The Marvelous Mrs. Maise, and Billions without interruptions.

Beyond that, ExpressVPN is the best VPN to watch Love Island U.K. or Love Island USA regardless of your location. If you have a Netflix account, you can access the French library to watch all six seasons of House of Cards.

Have you watched Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer or BBC America from abroad? Have we missed any ways to watch Doctor Who for free apart from using a BBC network? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading! Check out our entertainment library to learn where to watch other movies and TV shows.

FAQ

  • You can watch Doctor Who on a few sites including BBC America and BBC iPlayer.

  • Yes, if you use BBC iPlayer or BBC America.

  • Every Doctor Who season is available on BBC iPlayer, including Doctor Who season 13.

  • Doctor Who moved from Amazon Prime Video to Max.

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