How to Watch Sky Go Online With a Free VPN in 2024
- Quick Guide: How to Watch Sky Go With a VPN in 3 Easy Steps
- Best Free VPNs to Watch Sky Go in 2024
- ExpressVPN — Overall Best Sky Go VPN With Multiple UK Servers and Fast Speeds
- CyberGhost — Sky Go Optimized Server for Reliable Streaming
- Hotspot Shield — 7-Day Free Trial Lets You Stream Sky Go From The UK
- Avira Phantom VPN — Free UK Server on Mobile Devices to Test With Sky Go
- hide.me — 10GB of Data for Hours of Uninterrupted Streaming
- Tips on Choosing the Best Free VPN for Sky Go
- FAQs on Watching Sky Go With a Free VPN
- Watch Sky Go With a Free VPN
If you want to watch various sports highlights, movies, and news in the UK, both live and on demand, Sky Go is the TV channel to turn to. Due to broadcasting restrictions, Sky Go is only available in the UK and Ireland, so you would need a relevant IP address to watch it.
Theoretically, a free VPN can let you watch Sky Go from outside of the UK, but you should know that doing so could go against the platform’s Terms of Service and you’d be breaking copyright laws. However, low-cost VPNs are still a good way of keeping your data secure while streaming from the UK. Unfortunately, free VPNs are notorious for their unreliable security features.
My top choice for securely streaming Sky Go is ExpressVPN, due to its high connection speeds. Although it's not completely free, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free, since it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Quick Guide: How to Watch Sky Go With a VPN in 3 Easy Steps
- Get a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because it is the fastest VPN to stream Sky Go from the UK, and you can try ExpressVPN risk-free.
- From the UK, connect to a nearby server. Choosing a server closest to your location will give you the best speed for uninterrupted streaming.
- Start Watching. Load Sky Go and watch your favorite shows.
Best Free VPNs to Watch Sky Go in 2024
1. ExpressVPN — Overall Best Sky Go VPN With Multiple UK Servers and Fast Speeds
Tested April 2024 Try Risk-Free for 30 Days
Server Network | 3,000 servers in 105 countries, including 5 in the UK |
Speeds | Very fast |
Compatible With | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, smart TVs, routers, and more |
Free Trial | 30-day money-back guarantee |
ExpressVPN has multiple UK servers spread across 5 locations. You can connect to any of these from your UK location and reliably stream shows on Sky Go. During my testing, I connected to servers in East London and Docklands from my location in Brighton and could watch my favorite channels in HD. The connection time itself was always under 2 seconds, and I watched an entire episode of The Idol without interruptions.
You get unlimited data and fast speeds for streaming Sky Go without slowdowns. While speed testing its Dockland and Wembley servers, from the UK, I got above 108 Mbps against a base connection of 115 Mbps. This is more than enough speed for streaming in UHD (only 25 Mbps is required).
Its Lightway protocol improves performance — it’s more lightweight than traditional protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2 and puts less strain on your device, giving you better speeds overall. It also reduces your connection time considerably and was by far the fastest when I used it. ExpressVPN developed Lightway, so you won't find it with any other VPN service.
ExpressVPN isn’t completely free, but there aren't even many premium VPNs (never mind free ones) that can securely stream Sky Go from the UK, so it's well worth the small price tag. You can also try ExpressVPN totally risk-free since it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It only took me 5 minutes to get a full refund when I tested this policy myself.
Useful Features
- Easy to use app: ExpressVPN offers a user-friendly app that makes it simple to connect and watch Sky Go securely. Its intuitive interface allows you to quickly navigate and select server locations for a hassle-free streaming experience.
- App shortcuts. You can add shortcuts to your favorite streaming apps directly to ExpressVPN's home screen. Just connect to a nearby UK server and open Sky Go directly from the ExpressVPN app.
- Split tunneling: This feature allows you to choose which websites and apps use the VPN. This can minimize delays since not all your traffic gets encrypted.
2. CyberGhost — Sky Go Optimized Server for Reliable Streaming
Server Network | 11,690 servers in 100 countries, including 3 in the UK |
Speeds | Very fast |
Compatible With | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, smart TVs, routers, and more |
Free Trial | 45-day money-back guarantee |
CyberGhost has specialized servers optimized to reliably work with Sky Go. CyberGhost maintains this server to ensure it always works with the platform. During my tests, I was able to watch Sky Go channels without buffering while keeping my connection secure, from my location in Brighton. As a plus, it also offers optimized servers for other popular UK platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITV, Amazon Prime UK, Channel 4, and Netflix UK.
You get fast streaming speeds for Sky Go with CyberGhost, too. I got an average download speed of 102 Mbps on the Sky Go (and regular London and Manchester) Servers, while testing from my UK location. This was only an 11% drop from my base speed, so I could stream in HD without issues.
The biggest issue with CyberGhost is that it’s not completely free. However, it offers a money-back guarantee with all plans. If you sign up monthly, then you get a 14-day refund guarantee period. For long-term plans, you get a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.
Useful Features
- Free trial. CyberGhost offers a 24-hour free trial for Windows and Mac, so you can get a quick glimpse of how it performs with Sky Go for you.
- 7 device connections: You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously, which is nice since Sky Go allows 2 devices at the same time. During my testing, I streamed Sky Go on my Windows laptop and Macbook simultaneously while my roommate streamed Netflix and BBC iPlayer. I didn’t experience any performance issues.
3. Hotspot Shield — 7-Day Free Trial Lets You Stream Sky Go From The UK
Server Network | 3 free servers, including 1 in the UK |
Speeds | Fast |
Compatible With | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, routers, and more |
Free Trial | Free-forever plan, 7-day free trial, 45-day money-back guarantee |
Though this VPN has a free version, you can get a 7-day free Hotspot Shield trial and test all its features when you download its free apps. This lets you use the Coventry and UK Streaming servers that are offered on its premium plans — these worked great with Sky Go during my tests from London. And if you want to try it even longer, you can take advantage of its 45-day money-back guarantee.
Although its free-forever plan also includes a UK server, it didn’t reliably work with Sky Go during my tests from London. The good thing is VPNs can ebb and flow in their cabilities — so since it does have a free UK server, it doesn’t hurt to try.
Useful Features
- Proprietary Hydra protocol. This protocol is designed for fast speeds, so it will keep your personal data secure while enabling you to retain high connection speeds needed for streaming. From London, I averaged a speed of 105.49 Mbps on its UK servers, only a 9% drop from my base speed.
4. Avira Phantom VPN — Free UK Server on Mobile Devices to Test With Sky Go
Server Network | 34 free servers on mobile, including 2 UK servers, 1 free server on desktop (nearest location only) |
Speeds | Average |
Compatible With | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, and more |
Free Trial | Forever-free plan and 7-day free trial |
Avira Phantom has a UK server on its free mobile app, but I had unreliable results trying to watch Sky Go with it from the UK. Although, during my tests, its mobile apps were reliable enough to let me watch Netflix UK in HD, during my tests from London.
To put it another way, you always have the option to try its UK server from within the UK with Sky Go to check for any changes. The free desktop application it offers will automatically link you to the closest server location, but a full 7-day free trial is available to explore the entire server network.
Bear in mind, it has a limited data allowance of 500 MB per month, which won’t even cover an hour of HD streaming. If you opt for SD-quality content, you may be able to stretch this to a few hours.
Useful Features
- Decent speeds. Nearby servers are fast, but you might feel a slight slowdown on far-away servers. My speed was 69 Mbps speed on its UK server, testing it from Lonon, this was a 40% drop.
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections. You can cover all your devices with Avira Phantom’s free plan, but only its mobile apps let you select your server.
5. hide.me — 10GB of Data for Hours of Uninterrupted Streaming
Server Network | 8 free servers, including 1 in the UK |
Speeds | Fast |
Compatible With | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, routers, and more |
Free Trial | Forever-free plan |
hide.me provides a substantial 10GB data limit per month on its free tier, translating to approximately 4 hours of HD streaming. Although this is quite abundant for a free VPN, it's still insufficient to stream an entire season of your preferred series.
Unfortunately, like the other completely free VPNs, I couldn’t get reliable speeds watching Sky Go with its free UK server, when testing it from a nearby UK location, but it’s worth trying again at a later time. However, it did have more reliable speeds with Netflix. Also worth noting, it limits you to only 1 device connection at a time.
Useful Features
- 24/7 customer support. hide.me offers 24/7 online customer support, a rarity for free VPNs. Their support team is available at any time, so I recommend taking advantage of this and asking if they have any tips for staying secure while watching Sky Go from the UK.
- Fast speeds. hide.me lets you enjoy high-quality video content without frustrating buffering or lag. Unlike some free VPNs, hide.me doesn’t cap your speeds. When I tested its UK server from my place in London, I got speeds of 98 Mbps, only a 15% drop from my base speed.
Tips on Choosing the Best Free VPN for Sky Go
In selecting the top free VPN for Sky Go, several critical criteria should be emphasized. These are the primary factors I took into account when evaluating the best free VPNs for Sky Go:
- Works with Sky Go. It's crucial to choose a VPN that reliably works with Sky Go. When using a VPN's free version or money-back guarantee, make sure to test that it works when connecting to a server nearby in the UK.
- Lots of UK servers: A VPN with a diverse range of servers, including servers located in the UK, provides secure and reliable streaming of Sky Go no matter where in the UK you're located.
- Generous or unlimited data limit: You need a VPN that offers a generous or unlimited data limit. Having a higher data limit or no data restrictions will allow you to enjoy uninterrupted streaming on Sky Go without worrying about reaching your data cap.
- Fast speeds: Streaming Sky Go requires a VPN with fast speeds to prevent buffering and provide a smooth viewing experience. From the UK, I tested the speed of different VPNs to determine their performance while streaming Sky Go.
- Device compatibility: Ensure that the VPN you choose is compatible with the devices you plan to use to watch Sky Go. I tested the VPNs on various devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, to ensure they worked seamlessly.
- Value for money: While looking for a free VPN, it is essential to consider the value it offers. This includes features, server quality, and overall reliability. Based on my testing, I evaluated the overall value of each VPN.
- Excellent customer support: In case you encounter any issues with your VPN or need assistance, reliable customer support is crucial. I assessed the responsiveness and effectiveness of customer support services provided by the VPNs.
- Free trial or money-back guarantee: To ensure you can try the VPN risk-free and evaluate its performance with Sky Go, look for a VPN that offers a free trial or a money-back guarantee. I considered this factor while assessing the VPN options.
FAQs on Watching Sky Go With a Free VPN
What should I do if my Sky Go VPN isn't working?
Sky Go could potentially realize you’re using a VPN, even when you're streaming from within the UK using a UK IP address, and block you. There are a few things you can try if your VPN stops working with Sky Go. If you’re seeing the following error message, try the fixes below:
Sky Go is only available to users from within the UK or Republic of Ireland, unfortunately we cannot confirm that you are within these territories at the moment. Please retry later.
First and foremost, make sure you’re using a VPN that’s been tried and tested to work with Sky Go. Not many do. If you are, then there are a couple of easy things you can try to get it up and running again:
- Switch servers. Maybe Sky Go has recently blocked the VPN IP you’re using, even if you’re already in the UK. Try another UK server instead. Sometimes just disconnecting and reconnecting to the same server location will generate a new IP address, too.
- Make sure your VPN software is up-to-date. If you're using an old version of the app, then it's not going to work as well.
- Clear browser cache and cookies. Clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help resolve any conflicts or errors that may be interfering with your VPN connection.
- Contact your VPN’s support team. Another reason to go for a low-cost premium VPN is that you usually have access to 24/7 live chat support (you usually don’t get this with a free VPN). In many cases, they should be able to give you a list of servers known to be working, or help you troubleshoot the issue.
Is there a way to watch Sky Go for free?
Not really. You need to have a Sky TV subscription in order to stream the free Sky Go app. If you already have the Sky Go app and want to secure your data while you’re streaming, you can use a premium VPN to do it. By the means of a VPN, you can encrypt your connection, making it private and enabling yourself a worry-free streaming from the UK.
Can I use a free VPN to watch Sky Go on my Android or iPhone/iPad?
You can try, but it's highly unlikely since most of them don’t have UK servers at all. All the VPNs in this list have apps for Android and iPhone (and iPad) and you can try them at no cost. Keep in mind, it’s best to try a low-cost premium VPN for Sky Go — even free VPNs with UK servers come with severe data limits and slow speeds, so you can’t stream in high quality, or for more than a few hours per month.
Watch Sky Go With a Free VPN
You can get your daily dose of UK sports games, movies, and other channels through Sky Go platform. To securely stream Sky Go online from the UK or Ireland you need a VPN with good speeds and robust security features.
My top pick for streaming Sky Go in HD is ExpressVPN, because it offers the highest connection speeds, along with reliable UK servers to use from the UK. Since it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try ExpressVPN out risk-free.
To summarize, the best Sky Go VPNs with money-back guarantees are…
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