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Where to Watch The West Wing

How & Where to Watch The West Wing for Free in 2024

The West Wing was a big sensation in its day and if you’re looking for a way to relive the early days of the golden age of television by revisiting the White House drama, the first thing you’ll need to figure out is where to watch The West Wing. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, so keep on reading to learn all the options.

Aleksander HougenJackie LeavittJasna Mishevska

Written by Aleksander Hougen (Co-Chief Editor)

Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Co-Chief Editor)

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

Last Updated: 2024-10-03T20:34:12+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing.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

Key Takeaways: Stream The West Wing Online

  1. Subscribe to NordVPN for up to 73% off on the first two years.
  2. Download and install the VPN Client. Connect to a U.S. Server.
  3. Log in to Max and start streaming The West Wing.

Best VPNs for streaming The West Wing:

  1. NordVPN — Top-tier VPN with uncompromising performance. Explore NordVPN’s features with a 30-day return policy, and grab extended plans at a 73% discount.
  2. Surfshark — Budget-friendly VPN with unlimited connections. Get 86% off the first two years with Surfshark, covered by its 30-day money-back guarantee.
  3. ExpressVPN — Intuitive protection for VPN newcomers. Sign up now to get [text-var id=”8428″ slug=”discount”] off the first year.

Facts & Expert Analysis:

  • You can stream The West Wing on Max in the U.S. (and other supported countries) or for free on All 4 in the U.K. (with ads). 
  • If you live outside the U.K. and Ireland, you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN) to watch The West Wing online.
  • NordVPN and Surfshark are the best VPNs to access either streaming service, but if you want to watch The West Wing completely free of charge, PrivadoVPN is the best free VPN that has U.K. servers.
Best VPN for streaming The West Wing

If you’re feeling wistful for an imagined past where public figures worked together and compromised to get things done, all while delivering eloquent quips and clever wordplay, chances are you’re just nostalgic for The West Wing. Keep reading to learn where to watch The West Wing and scratch that itch, all these years down the road.

Unfortunately, The West Wing (starring Martin Sheen as Jed Bartlet) isn’t available on any global (or near global) streaming service such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, which makes finding it online potentially tricky, depending on what country you live in. 

Luckily, there’s an easy way around this, as all you need to do is use a VPN with the ability to trick any streaming service into thinking you’re somewhere else. Keep reading for an easy step-by-step guide to stream The West Wing for free using a VPN.

Not available in your country?

Watch The West Wing now on HBO Max and other streaming platforms.

Status checked 2024/09/26:

  • 09/30/2024

    We recalibrated the VPN positions after thorough reassessment of each service.

Where to Watch The West Wing

The West Wing originally aired on NBC, but it was made by John Wells Productions for Warner Bros. Television. This is why the series isn’t on Peacock (NBC’s streaming service), but rather on Max (formerly HBO Max) in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K. You can also purchase or rent all seven seasons on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV and Vudu.

Which Streaming Services Have The West Wing?

All seven seasons of The West Wing are available for streaming on Max (in the U.S. and other supported countries) and on All 4 in the U.K. and Ireland. 

There’s no trial for Max, and you need a payment method from an associated country to create an account. If you don’t already have an account, you can check out our guide on how to watch Max to learn how to get around that requirement.

In the case of All 4, The West Wing is available free of charge, provided you’re located in Ireland or the U.K. (or connected to a VPN server in one of those countries). That said, the free accounts are ad-supported, which means four ads per episode of The West Wing

Note that the 2020 reunion special recreating the season 3 episode “Hartsfield’s Landing” is only available on Max.

How to Watch The West Wing for Free

If you want to watch The West Wing for free and don’t mind watching a few ads, you can do so with a combination of Windscribe (or any quality free VPN with U.K. servers, such as TunnelBear) and the All 4 streaming service. You can also use a premium VPN, like NordVPN, using the 30-day money-back guarantee.

  1. Download Windscribe

    Go to Windscribe’s website, click on the green button that says “download Windscribe,” choose your operating system and run the file that downloads. Click “install,” wait for the installation to finish and then click on “get started,” which will take you back to the browser.

    get windscribe
  2. Sign Up for a Windscribe Account & Log In

    Fill in your desired username, password and email address, choose whether you want to enable R.O.B.E.R.T. (Windscribe’s ad and malware blocker) and click on “create account.” Go back to the VPN application and enter your username and password to login.

    windscribe registration
  3. Connect to a U.K. Server

    Find a U.K. server in the list and click on it to connect.

    windscribe step three uk
  4. Go to Channel 4’s Website

    Go to channel4.com, click on “search” in the top-right corner of the website and search for The West Wing. Click on it and start streaming.

    windscribe step four

How to Watch The West Wing Without Ads With a VPN

If you’d rather not deal with the ads, or already have an HBO subscription, then you can watch The West Wing on Max instead. However, you’ll still need to use a VPN if you’re located outside HBO’s service area. For this example, we’re using NordVPN, but any of the best VPNs for Max will do the trick.

  1. Sign Up for a VPN

    Go to NordVPN’s website, click on “get NordVPN” and choose the plan that’s right for you. Then, fill in your payment details and email address to complete your registration.

    nordvpn step 1
  2. Download & Install the VPN Client

    Go to NordVPN’s download page and choose the correct client for your operating system. Run the installation file that downloads and follow the instructions on the screen. Once it’s finished, log in to the account you just created in the previous step.

    nordvpn step 2
  3. Connect to a U.S. Server

    Select a U.S. server from the server list and click on the a server button to connect to it.

    NordVPN US
  4. Start Streaming The West Wing

    Open the Max app or go to the website, search for The West Wing and start streaming any season or episode.

    stream the west wing on max

The Best VPNs for Watching The West Wing

The best VPNs for watching The West Wing are the best VPNs for Max if you’re watching it there, or the best free VPNs with U.K. servers if you don’t want to spend any money. Here are some of the top options, starting with NordVPN.

1. NordVPN — Best VPN for Streaming

nordvpn user interface
NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market, which is a great benefit if you’re using it to stream.
Best VPN for Streaming The West Wing

Pros

  • Extensive security features
  • User-friendly desktop UI
  • Fast download speeds

Cons

  • macOS lacks split tunneling
  • Few servers in Africa
  • High latency on distant servers

Experience unrestricted streaming — get NordVPN with 73% off and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download
89 Mbps
Very Fast
Upload
9 Mbps
Very Fast
Latency
7 ms
Very Fast
Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 09/07/24 to 10/05/24
Data for region:

NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming. It has most of the features offered by ExpressVPN and can also unlock almost every major streaming service, though it sometimes gets hung up with BBC iPlayer. 

Plus, it usually has even better speeds and latency, provided you’re not connecting to a very distant server. Unfortunately, there’s no split tunneling on macOS, which is a significant weakness if that’s your platform.

One of the best parts of NordVPN is its price. The Standard plan, which includes just the VPN, costs just $3.09 per month on the two-year plan, and there’s still a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re feeling unsure. Check out our NordVPN review to learn more. 

Basic
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 10
  • Yes
Plus
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 10
  • Yes
Ultimate
  • *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 10
  • Yes

2. Surfshark — Best Budget VPN for Streaming

surfshark interface

Pros

  • Strong security suite options
  • Solid security
  • Excellent speeds

Cons

  • Site may collect your real IP
  • High latency on close servers
  • No Mac/iOS split tunneling

Stream like a local anywhere — get Surfshark’s 86% off deal with a 30-day refund policy.

Download
96 Mbps
Very Fast
Upload
9 Mbps
Very Fast
Latency
110 ms
Good
Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 09/07/24 to 10/05/24
Data for region:
Surfshark Starter
  • Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $231.75 for one year, $417.15 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: $239.25 for one year, $430.65 for two years.
  • Unlimited GB
  • Unlimited
Surfshark One+
  • Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $269.25 for one year, $404.65 for two years
  • Unlimited GB
  • Unlimited

3. ExpressVPN — Best Easy-to-Use VPN for Streaming

Expressvpn usa dallas
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming, regardless of what streaming service you’re using.

Pros

  • Extensive server network
  • Very fast speeds
  • Unblocks all streaming services

Cons

  • Expensive
  • No anonymous payment methods
  • Owned by Kape Technologies

Watch what you want, where you want — get ExpressVPN now with a 49% discount.

Download
91 Mbps
Very Fast
Upload
9 Mbps
Very Fast
Latency
5 ms
Very Fast
Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 09/07/24 to 10/05/24
Data for region:

Best Free VPN for Streaming The West Wing PrivadoVPN

windscribe uk
Windscribe is the best free VPN for streaming The West Wing, as it has all the tools you need on its free plan.

Pros

  • No-logs policy
  • Generous free plan
  • 10 device connections

Cons

  • No ad or malware blocker
  • Lacks advanced features
  • Weak customer support
Free
  • 10GB
  • 1
Premium
  • *Billed $44.85 for the first 15 months, then $59.88 every 12 months. *Billed $53.73 for the first 27 months, then $95.76 every 24 months.
  • Unlimited GB
  • 10
  • Yes

Plot, Cast & Characters: The West Wing

Created by Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing follows the professional and personal lives of the members of the administration of fictional Democratic president Josiah “Jed” Bartlet (Martin Sheen). 

Aside from the president and Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), the classic drama series follows characters like Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff) and Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney).

For a full list of series regulars, see the list below.

  • Martin Sheen as Josiah “Jed” Bartlet
  • John Spencer as Leo McGarry
  • Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
  • Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
  • Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
  • Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
  • Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
  • Janel Moloney as Donna Moss
  • Stockard Channing as Abbey Bartlet
  • Moira Kelly as Mandy Hampton
  • Joshua Malina as Will Bailey
  • Mary McCormack as Kate Harper
  • Jimmy Smits as Matt Santos
  • Alan Alda as Arnold Vinick
  • Kristin Chenoweth as Annabeth Schott

Final Thoughts

That brings us to the end of our West Wing streaming guide. Max subscribers in the U.S. and other supported countries already have everything they need to watch the series, but everyone else will probably need a U.S. VPN server to access the streaming service. 

If you don’t mind a few ads in exchange for paying nothing, you can use a U.K. VPN service to watch The West Wing for free on All 4. NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming, but PrivadoVPN offers a free plan. Trying NordVPN for a month is completely risk-free, as you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee if you end up not liking it.

What did you think of our guide? Did you manage to stream The West Wing on either Max or All 4? What do you think of the show? Do you enjoy the fast dialogue and quips as the members of the Bartlet administration tackle their professional duties, or do you find Sorkin’s writing style annoying? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.

FAQ

  • You can watch all seasons of The West Wing on Max or All 4. You can also buy them on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.

  • No, The West Wing is not available on Netflix in any country.

  • The West Wing is available on Amazon Prime for purchase and rent, but not as part of the regular Amazon Prime Video library.

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