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How to Watch Spanish TV in the US and Abroad

How to Watch Spanish TV in the US & Abroad With a VPN in 2024: Stream Antena 3 & Other Spanish TV Channels From Anywhere

When you’re looking for TV shows, movies and live TV programming from your home country while overseas, it can be tricky knowing where to start. This post explains how to watch Spanish TV content in the U.S. and abroad.

Kit CopsonSandra PattisonJasna Mishevska

Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)

Reviewed by Sandra Pattison (Editor)

Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)

Last Updated: 2024-02-24T11:10:32+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing.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

If you’re looking for Spanish content, whether you’re a language learner or an expat yearning for a touch of home, you’ll be pleased to know that there is an abundance of ways to watch Spanish TV online in the U.S. and abroad. This guide explains your options and how to access content from Spanish TV channels and streaming services.

Key Takeaways: Watch Spanish TV Anywhere

  • There is a wide variety of streaming services and platforms hosting Spanish content in the U.S., but you can access several free Spanish TV channels in the U.S. via the channels’ websites by using a VPN. 
  • Some of the best Spanish TV streaming services based in Spain include RTVE Play and ATRESPlayer, both of which host free and premium content. ARTE en Espagnol, a French-German channel, is another great option for free content. 
  • ExpressVPN is the best VPN provider for streaming Spanish TV sites from outside Spain. 

In the U.S., several streaming platforms host Spanish TV shows, sports events and movies, but these services often require a paid subscription. If you’d like to watch Spanish content for free, you can do so by accessing a free platform based in Spain, but sometimes these sites are regionally restricted, which means they’re not available outside Spain or, on occasion, Europe.

To get around this, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) that’s reliable with streaming services, like ExpressVPN. Read on to find out which Spanish TV channels you can access online and how to use a VPN to evade the geoblocks. 

How to Watch Spanish TV: Where Can I Find Spanish Content Online?

Let’s start with the subscription services you can use to watch Spanish content online before we get into the free options. Streaming platforms and channels available in the U.S. that host Spanish content or content from Spanish TV channels like Antena 3 include Sling TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV and DIRECTV.

Netflix (Spanish library — more on this farther down), Peacock and Max are on-demand streaming service options with Spanish movies and shows. On Max, you can access a variety of worldwide content and adjust the language settings to watch in Spanish. 

Pluto TV, which has a free plan, also hosts Spanish content, and there are various Spanish Roku channels available, both free and paid. ViX Plus, a free service with premium content, is yet another option for those in America, as is Estrella TV, which is headquartered in California. 

Moreover, you can access sports content like La Liga matches on various platforms, including ESPN+/Deportes and DAZN. In Spain, the matches are on Movistar Plus. Bear in mind that some of the services mentioned have Spanish-language packages, often called “Latino” packages, so be sure to check out all the available packages to see which one works best for you. 

How to Watch Spanish TV Online Free?

As there are so many Spanish TV streaming sites, we’ve compiled the table below to keep things simple. The channels in the table are the free live TV streaming services hosting content from Spanish language channels (i.e., livestreams of programming) you can access with (or, in some cases, without a VPN). Some of the channels are from Latin America and the U.S., but most are based in Spain. 

Many of these free platforms are ad-based. Furthermore, if you want to watch the channel’s livestream as it appears on TV, click “en directo,” which is usually somewhere on the top-left or right corner of the channel’s site.

Channel:ContentUS VPNEnglish SubtitlesNotes
RTVE PlaySeries
Films
News
Live TV
LA 1
LA 2
Clan
Teledeporte 
24H
We were able to access some content without connecting to a Spanish server, but some content was restricted.
Spanish subtitles are available
ATRESplayerSeries
News
Documentaries
Films
Live TV
Antena 3
MEGA
Neox
La Sexta
Some content is available for free if you register, but some requires a premium subscription; there is an international version available 
CuatroSeries
Live TV
N/A
MiteleSeries
Films
Documentaries
Some content is only available via the PLUS subscription; an international version of PLUS is available.
Spanish subtitles are available, and the PLUS international version might have subtitles in other languages
TelecincoSeries
News
Live TV
No VPN needed if you sign up for mitele PLUS internacional
Caracol TelevisionSeries
News
Colombian TV
VPN needed for Colombian content
ARTE in SpanishFilms
Documentaries
Series
With few exceptions, a lot of Spanish content is available for free for U.S. viewers without a VPN. Six languages available
TV PublicaArgentinian TV
News
Some content is available on the YouTube channel.
FluentULanguage learningN/A
ViX/ViXPremiumU.S. TV with Spanish content
Content from Univision
Some content is free, some is only available with a premium subscription
Estrella TVU.S. channel with Spanish shows & filmsN/A

How Does a VPN Help You Unblock Spanish Content Online?

Due to licensing agreements, Spanish language content differs in terms of availability by country. For this reason, some of the content you want to watch might be blocked in the U.S., but a VPN can get you past the geoblocks. 

A virtual private network (VPN) is a type of online security software that allows you to connect to various servers located in different countries around the world. This assigns you a new IP address in the location you selected. 

For example, if you’re in the U.S. and want to stream Spanish TV on a geoblocked site, you can connect to a Spanish server on a VPN to get a Spanish IP address. Online, you would then appear as if you actually are in Spain, which allows you to unblock Spanish TV sites and streaming platforms. 

Bear in mind, however, that it’s crucial to choose your VPN carefully. Pick one that has an excellent security record and has Spanish servers — we’ll share our top recommendations farther down.  

How to Watch Spanish Shows & Movies on Netflix

Netflix is another service with regional restrictions in place, meaning the content library isn’t exactly the same everywhere. For example, some content is available in both the U.S. and Spain, but some is only available in Spain, and vice versa. 

If you have a Netflix account, you can use a VPN to switch from the American library (or the library of whichever country you’re in) to the Spanish library to explore more/other Spanish TV shows and movies, as some may not be available in the U.S. 

To do this, open your VPN’s app and connect to a Spanish server. Then, open Netflix and you should be in the Spanish Netflix library. Search for “Spanish movies” or “Spanish TV shows” to see what’s on offer. 

How to Watch Spanish Channels Online With a VPN

rtveplay restricted
Some content is widely available on RTVE Play, but some is restricted to Spain, so you may see an error message like this.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to watch restricted content on Spanish streaming service RTVE Play, but you can also use this method to access other streaming services and change Netflix libraries.

If you’re traveling outside the U.S. but usually watch Spanish content on an American streaming service, like Sling TV or YouTube TV, simply connect to a U.S. server. 

Some RTVE Play content is widely available, including in the U.S., but some is restricted to Spain. 

  1. Subscribe to a VPN

    Visit a reliable VPN’s website and choose a plan that suits you. ExpressVPN and many other quality providers offer 30-day money-back guarantees.

    get expressvpn
  2. Download and Install the VPN

    Each site will look different, but you might be prompted to download the VPN’s app after signing up for a plan. If not, find the “download” tab on the website to get started with the installation process.

    download expressvpn
  3. Connect to a Spanish Server

    Select a Spanish server from the server list within the VPN’s app and click the “connect” button.

    expressvpn spain
  4. Start Watching Spanish TV

    Open RTVE or your streaming site of choice and start streaming your desired content.

    ruptura rtveplay

The 3 Best VPNs for Watching Spanish TV

The best and safest way to get a Spanish IP address and watch live channels and on-demand content is to connect to a VPN with servers in Spain. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some reliable VPN options. 

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN app spain
ExpressVPN is an excellent streaming VPN with a selection of Spanish servers.

Pros:

  • Top security
  • Unlocks Spanish TV apps
  • User-friendly 

Cons:

  • Expensive plans

ExpressVPN, which takes the top spot in our overall best VPN recommendations roundup, is one of the most consistent and secure VPN services for streaming and general online activities. During testing, it worked very smoothly with Spanish content sites like RTVE Play and ATRESplayer, which made a world of difference to our streaming experience. 

In addition to being both fast and highly secure, ExpressVPN has a straightforward user interface and a good selection of Spanish servers to choose from. Unfortunately, it’s one of the pricier options, but you can give it a go with its 30-day money-back guarantee. Take a look at our ExpressVPN review to learn more about why we consider this service to be the best. 

2. NordVPN

NordVPN app spain
NordVPN has great speeds and a user-friendly desktop interface.

Pros:

  • Excellent speeds
  • Works well with Spanish sites
  • Affordable long-term plans 

Cons:

  • Finicky mobile interface

NordVPN was another service that worked efficiently with Spanish TV sites, which didn’t come as a surprise given NordVPN’s excellent speeds. We’re also especially fond of NordVPN’s desktop interface, which is easy to navigate, and its reasonable two-year plans. There are multiple plan options too, so it’s easier to pick a plan based on what you do and don’t need. 

On the other hand, NordVPN’s mobile interface can be a bit of a pain to navigate due to its world map design. While this works well on a big screen, it’s harder to use on a small screen. Nevertheless, this is a pretty minor inconvenience. Find out more in our NordVPN review and check out how the service performs for yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Basic
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 6
  • Yes
Plus
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 6
  • Yes
Complete
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 6
  • Yes

3. Surfshark

Surfshark app spain
Surfshark is an inexpensive VPN provider with servers in Spain.

Pros:

  • Inexpensive
  • Reliable stream unblocking
  • Unlimited device connections

Cons:

  • High latency on U.S. servers 

Surfshark is one of the best cheap VPNs on the market. Though relatively new, Surfshark’s pocket-friendly two-year plan combined with its array of features, strong streaming performance and decent speeds make it a popular alternative to veteran services like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. 

All that said, though Surfshark’s worldwide upload and download speeds are good on average, it has shown higher latency on U.S. servers than its competitors. This is just something to be aware of if you plan to use U.S. servers for gaming. Like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, Surfshark has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can dive into more details in our full Surfshark review

Surfshark Starter
  • Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
  • Unlimited GB
  • Unlimited
  • Yes
Surfshark One
  • Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $191.40 for one year, $380.80 for two years.
  • Unlimited GB
  • Unlimited
Surfshark One+
  • Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $215.40 for one year, $430.80 for two years
  • Unlimited GB
  • Unlimited

Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Spanish TV Online?

Unfortunately, neither of our top two free VPN recommendationsProton VPN and Windscribe — have free servers in Spain. One option you can try is TunnelBear, which gives you access to all its servers on the free plan, but the data limit per month is only 2GB, so you won’t be able to use it for free for very long. Instead, you might want to consider a VPN with very cheap plans, like Surfshark. 

Final Thoughts

Finding Spanish language content online, even for free, is pretty easy with a VPN and a bit of know-how. The great thing about Spanish content is that there are so many options and ways to access it.

You can get an account with a U.S. service hosting Spanish TV shows, movies and live TV (and continue to use it with a VPN while traveling) or simply connect to a Spanish server on a VPN and see what’s on offer on actual Spanish sites. 

Whatever you decide to do, having a reliable VPN up your sleeve can really open up your streaming world for the better. Are you a language learner looking for Spanish content to learn from? Or do you just love Spanish television and want to access it from outside Spain? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

FAQ

  • Univision and Telemundo are available via U.S. livestreaming services DIRECTV, YouTube TV and fuboTV. You can also watch Telemundo content on Peacock and Hulu with Live TV and Univision content on ViX.

  • Amazon Prime Video doesn’t have Spanish TV channel programming like a live TV streaming service would, but it does offer a selection of Spanish TV shows and movies on demand.

  • Yes, Roku has both free and paid Spanish channels and content, including Espacio Latino on The Roku Channel and ViX.

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