How to Watch Hotstar in the USA/UK (Unblock Outside India): This guide will show you how to access Hotstar in the USA or any other country. I’ll help you stream Indian entertainment content, including sports like cricket, on Hotstar outside of India. The article covers how to access Hotstar on FireStick, Android, and iOS devices via the app, as well as on computers using the official website.
If you’re looking to watch movies, shows, and sports content from India, Hotstar is an excellent choice. Hotstar is an online streaming service that offers live TV and on-demand content from India, as well as select movies and shows from other countries like the USA and the UK. Think of Hotstar as the Indian equivalent of Netflix. With over fifty thousand hours of streamable content, it’s a vast platform for entertainment.
Hotstar Streaming 2025 Guide
Additionally, Hotstar has partnered with Disney and is now streaming the full range of Disney+ content in India.
Hotstar is extremely popular in India for live streaming cricket events like the IPL (Indian Premier League) and the ICC World Cup. While it is best known for cricket, the service also offers coverage of other sports such as football, tennis, hockey, boxing, and more. Owned by STAR India, one of the largest media networks in the country, Hotstar streams much of the content broadcast on Star Sports, which is part of STAR India’s sports portfolio.
Though Hotstar is officially available in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, much of its Indian content is geo-restricted. But don’t worry! In this guide, I’ll show you how to access the full range of content from Hotstar India no matter where you are in the world.
Watch Hotstar in the USA or Anywhere in the World
Hotstar is an Indian entertainment app, and a large portion of its movies, shows, and sports content is restricted to India. Even though it’s officially available in some countries like the USA and the UK, the content is limited. Additionally, Hotstar services are significantly more expensive outside of India.
In India, a Hotstar annual subscription costs about $19 for unrestricted access to all premium content. However, in the USA, it costs $99.99 annually—nearly five times the price of the Indian subscription—and it doesn’t offer the full content library.
Fortunately, you can still enjoy all the Indian content on Hotstar at the same price as those in India by using a VPN. A VPN allows you to virtually connect to an Indian server, granting you access to the Indian version of Hotstar. Additionally, it ensures that your online activities are secure and masked.
Having used several VPN services, I highly recommend ExpressVPN, which I’ve been using for a while now. It’s fast, reliable, and has almost 3,000 servers worldwide. Plus, for a limited time, ExpressVPN is offering 61% off plus 4 extra months on its 2-year plan.
Here’s how you can watch Hotstar in the USA or any other country with ExpressVPN.
Connect to an Indian Server to Start Watching Hotstar Outside India
To begin watching Hotstar from outside India, follow these steps to connect to an Indian server using ExpressVPN:
- Step 1: Click here to get ExpressVPN. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied (which is unlikely), you can request a full refund within the first 30 days.
- Step 2: Download and install the ExpressVPN app from this link.
- Step 3: Open the ExpressVPN app and connect to one of the available Indian servers. To do so, click the “Choose Location” button on the app’s main screen.
Now you’re ready to access Hotstar and enjoy all the content as if you were in India!
Sign Up for Indian Hotstar in the USA or Any Other Country
Note: Hotstar offers a lot of free content that you can watch without needing to sign up or log in. So, if you’re just looking to enjoy free content from Hotstar India, simply connect to the Indian server via a VPN (as shown earlier), visit Hotstar.com, and start streaming your favorite movies and TV shows.
However, if you want to access premium content like Cricket tournaments, you will need to follow the steps below to register for an account and subscribe to the services.
Important: The sign-up process outlined below only works if you have an Indian credit/debit card. Hotstar India does not accept cards issued outside of India. If this is an issue for you, you may want to seek help from someone in India who can make the payment on your behalf. There are also services on platforms like Fiverr that offer assistance with making payments in Indian currency, though I am not affiliated with any of those services.
Once the payment is completed, simply turn on your VPN and start streaming Hotstar India.
Step 1: Open a web browser and go here.
Step 2: Select one of the available plans (all currency Indian Rupees). The following three plans are available presently:
- INR 1499 (roughly $19): This is the YEARLY plan that allows you access to all the premium content including Disney+, sports, and entertainment for one year. This is the most cost-effective plan
- INR 299 (roughly $4): This is the MONTHLY plan that lets you watch premium entertainment and sports content for a month. The plan is automatically renewed every month unless you choose to cancel the subscription
Step 3: Enter your name, email address, and password to sign up. You can also sign up with your Facebook account instead
Step 4: Now, complete the payment process and follow the on-screen instructions to finalize your sign-up.
Changing Region to Download the Hotstar App Outside India
Depending on your location, you might need to adjust the region in your app store to download the Hotstar app.
Access Hotstar via Website
If you’re accessing Hotstar in the USA or another country (like the UK) on a computer through the website, you do not need to change your app store region.
Simply open the ExpressVPN app on your computer and connect to an Indian server. Then, open any browser and visit www.hotstar.com to sign in and begin watching your favorite content right away.
Hotstar Availability in the USA
Hotstar is officially available in the USA. Here’s a quick guide for various platforms and how to access the app:
Android: Hotstar is available on the Google Play Store in the USA. You don’t need to change the region to download it, and you can access it on smartphones and tablets.
Amazon App Store: You can also find Hotstar on the Amazon App Store in the USA, without the need to change your region. This allows you to install it on Amazon FireStick or Fire TV devices.
iOS: Hotstar is available on the iOS App Store in the USA as well. No region change is needed, and it’s accessible on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices.
Hotstar Availability in the UK
Hotstar is officially available in the UK, offering two subscription plans:
£59.99 per year (saving £84)
£11.99 per month
You can sign up for Hotstar UK at https://uk.hotstar.com/subscribe/get-started.
Hotstar UK offers Indian TV shows, movies, cricket, and more. You can download the Hotstar UK app from the Google Play Store, Amazon App Store, or iOS App Store without needing to change your region.
However, some Hotstar India content is restricted in the UK, so you might still prefer Hotstar India for a more extensive library. Plus, Hotstar India is significantly cheaper than its UK counterpart—its annual plan costs INR 1499 (around £15), which is much more affordable than the £59.99 yearly cost in the UK.
To access Hotstar India in the UK, simply follow the instructions in this guide.
How to Change the Region in Various App Stores
To access Hotstar in countries where the service is not officially available, here’s how to change the region in different app stores:
Google Play Store:
Go here and sign in with your Google ID.
Click the ‘Settings’ option on the left sidebar.
In the ‘Country and Profiles’ section, select ‘India’ and update your address with an Indian one (you can generate a random Indian address online).
Apple App Store:
For detailed instructions on how to change your Country/Region, visit the Apple Support page. Here’s a quick summary:Open ‘Settings’ on your iOS device.
Tap your name.
Tap ‘iTunes & App Store’.
Tap ‘View Apple ID’ and authenticate if prompted.
Tap ‘Country/Region’ and follow the on-screen instructions to change the region.
Amazon Store:
Go to Amazon and select the ‘Settings’ tab.
Click the ‘Change’ button under ‘Country Settings’.
How to Install Hotstar and Use it with a VPN
Once you’ve changed the region in your app store, you can easily download and install Hotstar in the USA, UK, or anywhere else. The process is the same for most platforms:
For Android: Download Hotstar USA from the Play Store.
For iOS: Download it from the Apple App Store.
Installing Hotstar on FireStick:
Here’s how you can install Hotstar on FireStick:
On the FireStick home screen, use the remote to select the search icon (lens icon) at the top-left corner.
Type in the name of the app (i.e. Hotstar) using the remote or any other input device you might be using
Select the Hotstar app from the search results underneath the onscreen keyboard
Now, click the Hotstar app icon on the next screen
Click the Download button. FireStick will start downloading the app. Once the app is downloaded, the installation will begin automatically.
Once the app is installed, you will see the ‘Open’ button on the screen.
Note: Don’t run the app yet. Before starting the app, make sure you run ExpressVPN and connect to an Indian server. This will make sure that Hotstar shows the Indian interface of the app.
Once you are connected to the Indian server through ExpressVPN, go to ‘Your Apps & Channels’ section and run the app from there.
If you have turned on Express VPN and chosen an Indian server (as we just discussed), this is what the home-screen of Hotstar will look like. Keep reading to learn how to use Hotstar in the USA with the Indian app interface.
Live Cricket and other content labeled as ‘Premium’ on Hotstar can only be accessed with a valid Hotstar subscription. If you’re wondering how to watch Hotstar outside India for free, you can still stream videos that are not marked as Premium. These free videos do not require registration to watch.
However, when I attempted to open a live cricket match without signing up, I received a message stating that I needed either the Sports plan or another premium plan to watch this content.
If you’ve already created an account and purchased a premium plan, simply click the ‘Sign In’ button to log into your account.
Here is the Sign In window. If you signed up using your Facebook account, log in with the same account. If you registered with an email address, go ahead and enter the email address and password and click ‘Login’ button.
How to Watch Hotstar in the USA Without a VPN
As mentioned earlier, Hotstar is officially available in the United States through the Play Store, App Store, and Amazon Store.
To get started, simply download the Hotstar USA app and open it. You’ll be prompted to either ‘sign in’ or ‘sign up’ at us.hotstar.com/activate, where you’ll need to enter the code displayed on the screen. Earlier, we discussed using Hotstar India services in the USA with a VPN. However, if you want to use Hotstar in the USA without a VPN, you’ll need to create a new account.
A new sign-up is necessary in the USA because the pricing, policies, and terms of service differ from those in India. For example, while Hotstar costs about $19 annually in India, the price in the United States is $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.
In my opinion, using a VPN makes more sense as it saves money and allows access to geo-restricted content. However, if you prefer to proceed with Hotstar USA, simply visit us.hotstar.com/activate and click the ‘Sign up’ link beneath the ‘Sign in’ button on the page.
You can either sign up through your Facebook account or with an email address. Enter the required details and click ‘Sign Up’ button on the bottom
Now, enter your credit card information and follow the onscreen instructions to sign up. As I already said, the monthly plan is $9.99. But, you also get One Week free trial.
Once you’ve completed the sign-up process, you’ll be automatically signed in. If you want to sign in later, you can do so at us.hotstar.com/activate.
After signing in, simply enter the code displayed on the Hotstar app screen on your device to complete the setup.
This is how you can access Hotstar in the United States without using a VPN.
How to Watch Hotstar Outside India for Free
While Hotstar is primarily a subscription service, it also offers a significant amount of free content. You don’t even need to register to access this free content. However, free content is typically available only in India. To watch this outside India, you’ll need a VPN.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Run ExpressVPN on your device and connect to an Indian server.
- If you’re watching on a computer, go to www.hotstar.com and open any free content (make sure it’s not labeled as ‘Premium’).
- If you’re using the Hotstar app, just open the app and start watching the free content.
It’s that simple! As long as you’re connected to a VPN, you can enjoy free Hotstar content from anywhere.
Hotstar Cricket Schedule
For cricket fans, Hotstar India is the go-to platform for live cricket streams. Here’s a glimpse of the upcoming matches on Hotstar:
- India vs Australia
- Indian Premier League (IPL)
- India vs South Africa
For more updates on ongoing and upcoming cricket tournaments, visit this Hotstar page.
Final Thoughts
That’s how you can watch Hotstar in the USA, UK, or any other country outside of India. The key component is a VPN. A reliable VPN service will help you virtually relocate your internet connection, enabling you to access geo-restricted apps, websites, movies, TV shows, and more. I personally recommend ExpressVPN, which I’ve been using for a while now. This guide will assist you in enjoying Hotstar in the USA or any other country just as you would in India. The best part is that unlike Netflix, Hotstar hasn’t blocked any VPN servers, so you can use almost any Indian server to access your favorite content without issues.
Related Articles