If you’re seeing the error message “Geoblocked: Access is not available in your area.” when trying to watch 9Now with a VPN, it means 9Now has managed to detect and block the IP address of the specific VPN server you’re using.
This means you only have two options available. First is to figure out whether your VPN and device configuration is the problem – I’ll take you through the steps to try below. If that doesn’t work, you have to upgrade your VPN to access 9Now through a VPN again.
“Geoblocked: Access is not available in your area.”
9Now not working with a VPN: Quick Guide
- Delete your cookies on your browser or apps
- Cycle through all your VPN’s servers in Australia
- Contact your VPN’s Support team and ask for a specific server number that works with 9Now
- Go into your VPN’s settings and cycle through the different VPN protocols that are available
- Try accessing 9Now with your VPN on a different
- Upgrade your VPN
If the steps above don’t work, you will need to upgrade your VPN to get 9Now working again from outside of Australia. I’ve been using NordVPN ($3.19/month) and ExpressVPN (6.67/month) for over 7 years, and I wouldn’t recommend any other provider for streaming via a VPN.
Why does 9Now stop working with VPNs?
9Now tries to block all VPNs. There are a couple of different (known) reasons why your VPN could have been blocked by 9Now. These are:
If you’re using a cheap VPN, then it’s likely that too many users were accessing 9Now from the same server and IP address. 9Now requires users to sign in to access its content. When it notices too many accounts logging in from the same IP address, its technical team will blacklist this IP address (even though it’s an Australia IP address) and won’t whitelist it again until it’s satisfied that it’s a legit IP and not a VPN server. Which, of course, won’t happen.
Streaming services like 9Now also use databases that they can host on their servers to check for known VPN IP addresses. If you’re a bit geeky, like me, you can read more about it here on this page from ipap.is – but the tl;dr is that it allows streaming platforms to automatically block VPN IP addresses that have been identified by a specialist third parties IP databases.
Why does 9Now block VPNs?
9Now is an English-language free-to-air broadcaster. This makes it a magnet for users from all over the world to use cheap VPNs to access Live Sport and TV shows for free.
From a theoretical level, 9Now might be okay with the extra eyeballs on its ad-supported content, but the rights holders of the content 9Now is broadcasting will not be.
Take test cricket as an example. Free-to-air coverage of test cricket in Australia is a given, however, in many of Australia’s touring cricket team’s home nations it definitely isn’t.
When England are touring, for example, English cricket fans could avoid paying their local pay-TV broadcaster – Sky Sports – a subscription fee (£34.99 / $67.49 AUD per month) and watch coverage of the test match for free using a cheap VPN and 9Now.
If broadcasters like 9Now allowed this to happen without trying to ban VPNs, it would impact the amounts Cricket Australia and the ECB (England Cricket Board) could sell future broadcast right for. Probably resulting in them asking broadcaster for a higher price.
How to fixed 9Now not working with VPN
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Check if your VPN works on another device
If your VPN works with 9Now on your computer, but not your phone, then you know VPN isn’t the problem – jump to Step 3.
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Contact your VPNs’ Support Team
Find your VPN’s Live Chat feature or Contact page and ask for a specific server number that works with 9Now.
If they can’t point you towards a server that works with 9Now, then you know your VPN is having issues with 9Now.
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Delete your cookies
Deleting your cookies can potentially fix VPN. Accumulated or corrupted cookies in a browser might interfere with websites and streaming apps – especially when using a VPN.
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Cycle through ALL of your Australian servers
Changing to a different server will give you a different IP address, and if that one hasn’t been blocked, NordVPN will work with Peacock again.
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Reinstall or update your VPN
Removing your VPN and its settings from your device and starting again is a good way to get the most up-to-date settings configured on your devices without much effort.
Note: If you don’t want to reinstall the software, you can always check to see if there’s an update available to download any fixes your service may have introduced.
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Switch VPN protocols
VPN protocols determine how a VPN works. When you use a VPN, the protocol is networking technology used for hiding your data and rerouting it via VPN servers.
If 9Now isn’t working with your VPN, it *might* be because the protocol you’re using.
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Upgrade your VPN
The good news is that some VPNs are more sophisticated than streaming services and can beat the VPN bans.
NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the only two VPNs I’ve used that consistently beat major streaming services’ VPN bans. If all of the above fails, you should consider upgrading to a high-end VPN.
Which VPNs work with 9Now?
This changes on a daily/weekly basis. There are literally hundreds of different VPN providers on the market now. I’ve tested scores of them! The majority of them share off-the-shelf app designs and back-end infrastructure from VPN software wholesalers. And at some point, all of these VPNs would have worked with 9Now, until they’re IP addresses were detected and blocked.
However, like most technologies, there are now only two brands that are worth going with. These are ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Below I’ve created a list of five of the most popular VPNs and highlighted some areas of note about each one.
Please don’t put too much faith in figures that state how many servers a brand has in a particular country. A lot of blocked servers and IP addresses is useless if these all recycled blocked IPs.
If you have any questions, leave a comment at the bottom of the article and I’ll answer any questions you have.
Best VPNs for 9Now
1. ExpressVPN
The fastest and most reliable VPN of 2024
- ✔Physical servers in 104 countries
- ✔Brilliant for unblocking streaming services
- ✔Very high-speed Lightway protocol
- ✔Available on almost any device
- ✔Very secure
- ❌Pricey
- ❌Only 8 simultaneous devices
- ❌No addons
Score: 99/100
TL;DR: This is the best VPN money can buy for streaming reliability and transfer speeds. It’s easy to use and will unblock all major streaming services. It’s the best VPN on the market.
Streaming: ExpressVPN shines at cracking geo-restricted walls, effortlessly streaming your favourites even in VPN-restricted regions. Expect NBA League Pass, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and more to work seamlessly.
Servers: With a massive network across 104 countries and dwarfing the 71-country average, ExpressVPN prioritizes real servers for rock-solid speed and reliability. With many servers based in the US, you can easily use it for NBA League Pass.
Privacy: ExpressVPN’s privacy measures include passing independent audits by cybersecurity firms like Cure53 and F-Secure, ensuring a strong level of security and no significant weaknesses in its macOS, Linux, and Windows apps. More details can be found in the audit reports available online.
Price: ExpressVPN offers three payment plans: a 1-month option at $12.95/month, a 6-month option at $9.99/month, and a 12-month option at $6.67/month. Payment methods include major credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, and other systems, accommodating a wide range of users.
Speeds: ExpressVPN maintains high download speeds with minimal drop-off, ensuring efficient performance. Tests showed a slight decrease in upload speeds, but download speeds remained fast across various server locations, including the US, UK, and Vietnam.
| Download Speeds (Mbps) | Upload Speeds (Mbps) | |
| VPN off | 937.07 | 520.93 |
| ExpressVPN US server | 824.62 | 6.96 |
| ExpressVPN UK server | 794.95 | 3.70 |
| ExpressVPN Vietnam server | 761.90 | 3.81 |
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
2. NordVPN
An excellent, affordable, and fast VPN option for 2024
- ✔Affordable pricing
- ✔Effective streaming access
- ✔Diverse server types
- ✔Solid speeds
- ✔Useful add-ons
- ✔Strong security
- ❌Limited server locations
- ❌No virtual servers
Score: 98/100
TL;DR: NordVPN is represents an exceptional choice for it’s price-point. It’s a premium VPN with a mid-range price. It’s the option I would recommend for most users who are not going to use their VPN everyday but still want a service that unblocks their favourite streaming services with fast transfer speeds.
Streaming: NordVPN unlocks the world of streaming, effortlessly bypassing geo-restrictions on NBA League Pass, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and more. It has shown consistent success in connecting to various streaming services without noticeable issues.
Servers: NordVPN’s 6,000 servers spans 60 countries, with many in the US. That’s ideal for NBA League Pass users. While this is below the average of 71 countries for the top 20 VPNs, you can still expect lightning-fast speeds and rock-solid stability thanks to its physical servers.
Privacy: NordVPN’s secure connection and no-logs policy have been verified via three independent audits, including one by Deloitte. The audits have confirmed NordVPN’s adherence to its no-logs policy, ensuring user privacy.
Price: NordVPN offers three pricing plans: Complete, Plus, and Standard. The 2-year plan for the Standard package is priced at $3.19/month, the 1-year plan at $4.99/month, and the monthly plan at $12.99/month. It accepts major credit cards and various payment systems.
Speeds: Below is a table showing the speeds tested for NordVPN. From our tests in New Zealand, NordVPN displayed very good speeds, although slightly behind ExpressVPN, but significantly faster than many other VPNs on the market.
| Download Speeds (Mbps) | Upload Speeds (Mbps) | |
| No VPN (New Zealand) | 937.07 | 520.93 |
| NordVPN US server | 710.90 | 6.98 |
| NordVPN UK server | 531.12 | 3.73 |
Read our full NordVPN review.
3. Private Internet Access
Affordable and secure VPN with wide device compatibility
- ✔Affordable pricing plans
- ✔Unlimited simultaneous devices
- ✔Extra features like ad blocker and email protection
- ✔Verified no-log policy
- ✔Compatible with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu
- ❌High use of virtual servers
- ❌Not as fast as top-tier VPNs
- ❌Lacks proprietary protocol options
Score: 70/100
TL;DR: Private Internet Access is owned by the same company as ExpressVPN (Kape). That’s where the similarities end. It’s “the best of the rest” and works well with streaming services a lot of the time, but it’s not as reliable as ExpressVPN or NordVPN for streaming. The cynic in me thinks Kape’s $95.5m USD purchase was a monopolist move to keep PIA a second-tier VPN and prevent it from taking market share from ExpressVPN – allowing it to continue to charge a premium price for its product.
Streaming: Private Internet Access excels with Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max, and works great with NBA League Pass. Though initial BBC iPlayer issues have been resolved, consider other options if that’s your priority.
Servers: PIA has over 35,000 servers in 84 countries, which is well above the average of 71 countries. That’s great news for NBA League Pass viewers. However, 50% of these servers are virtual, impacting reliability compared to VPNs with more physical servers.
Privacy: PIA’s app is open-source, inviting third-party scrutiny and verification. It has also passed an independent no-log policy audit conducted by Deloitte, affirming its commitment to privacy.
Price: PIA offers three subscription options: 1-month at $11.95/month, 1-year at $3.33/month (upfront cost $39.95), and 3-year at $2.03/month (upfront fee $79). Payment methods include credit cards, PayPal, cryptocurrencies, and Amazon payments.
Speeds: Speed tests for PIA showed significant drops in download speeds across various servers. While using WireGuard protocol, speeds were faster than OpenVPN but still slower compared to top-tier VPNs like ExpressVPN.
| OpenVPN Download Speeds (Mbps) | OpenVPN Upload Speeds (Mbps) | WireGuard Download Speeds (Mbps) | WireGuard Upload Speeds (Mbps) | |
| VPN off (New Zealand) | 930 | 516 | ||
| PIA US server | 238.52 | 7.17 | 300.65 | 8.65 |
| PIA UK server | 245 | 3.77 | 315.78 | 7.23 |
| PIA Vietnam server | 445 | 6.55 | 489 | 8.24 |
Read our full Private Internet Access review.
4. Surfshark
Affordable and secure VPN with unlimited device policy of 2024
- ✔Attractive pricing for long-term subscriptions
- ✔Supports unlimited simultaneous connections
- ✔Robust security and privacy
- ✔24/7 responsive chat support
- ✔Extensive server network in 100 countries
- ❌Has trouble with services like Hulu
- ❌Lacks a unique proprietary protocol
- ❌App can be overwhelming
- ❌Not the fastest among competitors
Score: 60/100
TL;DR: Surfshark is another VPN without any real standout features. It shares a lot of the specs you’d expect to see in a paid-for VPN and does a reasonable job of ticking the boxes that matter most to customers from a technical perspective. However, my real-world tests (accessing streaming services) found it to be much less reliable at unblocking streaming services than NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Streaming: Surfshark’s NoBorders mode makes it a formidable option for streaming US Netflix in Mexico, as it’s specifically designed to overcome restrictions in regions with tight controls. Plus, its unlimited simultaneous connections mean everyone in the household can enjoy their shows.
Servers: Surfshark provides access to over 3,200 servers in 65 countries, including multiple locations in the US optimized for streaming, making it a solid choice for watching US Netflix in Mexico. Its unique feature, CleanWeb, ensures an ad-free streaming experience while bypassing geo-blocks efficiently.
Privacy: Surfshark emphasizes its commitment to privacy with successful DNS leak tests and independent security audits by Cure53, ensuring robust online security and privacy. You can find more about their security audits here.
Price: Surfshark offers a 1-month option costing $12.95/month, a 12-month option at $3.99/month, and a 24-month option at $2.49/month. It accepts major credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and various cryptocurrencies.
Speeds: Below is a table that gives you an idea of the speed performance when using Surfshark. From our tests, we observed decent speeds, suitable for general use, but not the fastest compared to some rivals.
| Download Speeds (Mbps) | Upload Speeds (Mbps) | |
| No VPN (New Zealand) | 940.55 | 520.24 |
| Surfshark US server | 775.9 | 6.15 |
| Surfshark UK server | 587.79 | 3.79 |
Read our full Surfshark review.
5. PureVPN
A mid-range VPN that balances performance and price
- ✔Affordable
- ✔Unblocks major streaming services
- ✔Use on up to 10 devices simultaneously
- ✔Streamlined user interface
- ✔No log audit verified by KPMG
- ✔Several free add-ons
- ❌Buffering on BBC iPlayer at peak times
- ❌Past concerns with “no log” policy
Score: 50/100
TL;DR: PureVPN is an easy to use VPN that looks like every other premium VPN on the market. It can unblock major streaming services like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+ etc, but it performs terrible when you’re trying to watch live TV via one of its servers. I can’t recommend this provider to anyone when it’s price is so close to NordVPN’s.
Streaming: PureVPN has stepped up its game, offering reliable access to major streaming services like NBA League Pass, Netflix, and Hulu. While BBC iPlayer had hiccups in the past, performance has improved, especially during off-peak hours.
Servers: PureVPN boasts an extensive global server network, with 6,000 servers in over 65 countries. Its server offerings are robust, allowing users to access various regions easily, such as NBA League Pass in the US.
Privacy: PureVPN has faced criticism in the past for its privacy policies. However, it has recently undergone a no-log audit verified by KPMG in the past 12 months, aiming to reassure users about its commitment to privacy.
Price: PureVPN offers three payment options: a 1-month plan at $10.95/month, a 1-year plan at $3.74/month, and a 2-year plan at $1.96/month. PureVPN accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and a variety of other digital payment options.
Speeds: Below is a table that gives you an idea of the speed performance you can expect when using PureVPN. The VPN has shown variable download speeds across different streaming servers, with some experiencing significant drop-offs during peak times.
| Download Speeds (Mbps) | Upload Speeds (Mbps) | |
| No VPN | 189.44 | 139.82 |
| PureVPN UK Server | 24.31 | 98.99 |
| PureVPN US Server | 49.83 | 106.52 |
Read our full PureVPN review.
