How to Watch PBS in South Africa [Updated Dec 2024]

Launched in 1970, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American television broadcaster and distributor. This non-commercial, free-to-air television network is home to shows like Masters, BBC World News, PBS NewsHour, Nature, and many more. Not only that, but PBS has its own network, such as PBS HD, Sprout, and PBS Satellite services.

However, you can’t watch PBS in South Africa because of the geo-restrictions. If you try to access PBS in South Africa, you’ll see this error message:

We’re sorry, but this video is not available.

To bypass geo-blocks, you will need a VPN.

But which VPN to get?

Well, ExpressVPN costs only $6.67/mo (49% discount – 1 year + 3 months free) and offers 3000+ servers in 94 countries. It can also easily unblock geo-blocked services like Netflix US and Hulu with ease. Tested to offer speeds of up to 88.44 Mbps (100 Mbps standard connection). Supports five devices connections and also offers a full 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read along to learn how to use VPN to watch PBS in South Africa while traveling.

How Do I Watch PBS in South Africa With a VPN (Quick Steps)

To watch PBS in South Africa, just follow the 4 super easy steps below.

1. Get yourself ExpressVPN for just $6.67/mo (49% discount – 1 year + 3 months free).
2. Download the VPN app on your device and sign in.
3. Connect to a US server. 
4. Visit the PBS website or use its app to watch this channel in South Africa.

Unblock PBS in South Africa with ExpressVPN

Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch PBS in South Africa?

Most streaming services today don’t stream their content worldwide because of the licensing issues and restrictions imposed by different production companies. That’s why you encounter an error on the screen when you try to access PBS in South Africa.

However, don’t worry, a VPN can resolve the issue by bypassing the geo-blocking imposed by PBS. In addition, a VPN offers a secure connection that protects your online identity and doesn’t log your online traffic or identity. It’s because a VPN masks your IP address while redirecting your online traffic via the selected server.

For instance, when you select the USA server to watch PBS, the VPN encrypts your actual IP address and tricks the PBS to consider your current location within the USA. That’s why when you open the PBS website or app, you don’t encounter any errors. Lastly, you can enjoy ultra-fast speed and unlimited bandwidth to stream your favorite shows and movies.

Quick Overview of the Best VPNs to Watch PBS in South Africa

Best VPNs to Watch PBS in South Africa

1. ExpressVPN: Overall Best VPN to Watch PBS in South Africa

On number one we have ExpressVPN. It is my top recommendation for unblocking PBS in South Africa. ExpressVPN is the best VPN for PBS because it is capable of offering fast connection speeds of up to 88.44 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. Needless to say, it can provide you with a smooth and enjoyable streaming experience.

Aside from fast speeds, ExpressVPN offers amazing apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Fire Stick devices, and more with easy one-click connectivity. 

ExpressVPN boasts an impressive collection of servers with a total count of over 3000 servers operating in over 94 countries. It even offers multiple servers in USA. With various servers available in multiple US cities, ExpressVPN guarantees that you can enjoy uninterrupted streaming on PBS in South Africa.

When I tried streaming “The Miniaturist”, I was able to watch the entire show in HD quality. Not once did I encounter any issues or disconnections. 

Though the service is on the pricey side, its features and performance more than compensate for it.

Speaking of pricing, ExpressVPN costs $6.67/mo (49% discount – 1 year + 3 months free) which is totally worth the cost. The best thing about ExpressVPN is that it comes with a full 30-day money-back guarantee and offers 5 multi-logins.

Overall, ExpressVPN is super fast than any other VPN on the market that provides top-tier unblocking performance.

Watch PBS in South Africa with ExpressVPN

2. Surfshark: Affordable VPN to Watch PBS in South Africa

Next, we have Surfshark, an affordable VPN for unblocking PBS in South Africa. Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN for PBS which costs only $2.29/mo (85% discount – 2 years), it is light on the pocket and provides amazing services in lower price.

With over 3200 servers operating in 65+ countries, there is no shortage of servers to unblock PBS in South Africa. It offers multiple servers in different US cities, so you can always find a server to access PBS.

Surfshark also offers super-fast speeds. If we talk about numbers, when I tested it, Surfshark managed to reach speeds of up to 84.24 Mbps on my 100 Mbps connection.

With Surfshark, you will never experience any trouble unblocking any US content. When I tried streaming “The Paradise”, I was able to stream an entire episode without any buffering issues. 

Surfshark’s ability to provide unlimited simultaneous connections is one of its most notable features, allowing you to watch PBS on your smartphone, Smart TV, PC, laptop, firestick, set-top box, and even gaming consoles all at the same time. Moreover, this pocket-friendly VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Get PBS in South Africa with Surfshark

3. NordVPN: Reliable VPN to Watch PBS in South Africa With a Massive Server Network

Last up, we have NordVPN. With more than 5200 servers spread across 59 countries, including the US, NordVPN’s reliability never disappoints. It ensures a reliable connection while unblocking and watching PBS in South Africa.

NordVPN also offers amazing speeds. During testing, it offered a speed of 79+ Mbps / 100 Mbps. Furthermore, NordVPN makes streaming in HD quality without lag a breeze. I watched “Sanditon” and I was blown away by NordVPN’s performance. 

Furthermore, its apps are extremely simple to use and are compatible with a wide range of devices and operating systems, including macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Windows, Fire Stick, Linux, Firefox, and others.

So, subscribe to NordVPN’s 2-year deal at a cost of $3.09/mo, with a whopping 58% off. The cool thing about NordVPN is that you can use a single subscription on up to six devices at the same time. It also includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Access PBS in South Africa with NordVPN

How to Sign Up for PBS in South Africa

You can use VPN to sign up for PBS in South Africa by following these steps:

• First, you can select any of the three top-rated VPNs discussed in this review.
• After purchasing a VPN subscription, log in to your VPN account.
• Next, to watch PBS, you need to connect to a US server. 
• After the VPN connection is successful, visit PBS.org and click Sign In from the upper left corner.

• Click Create a PBS Account under the Sign in with PBS Account button.

• Fill in the blanks with your first name, last name, email address, and password. Your password must be at least 8 characters long and contain both letters and numbers.

• After that, click Create an Account.
• When you click Create an Account, an email with a verification code is sent to the email address you entered when you created your account.

• Open the email that you received from PBS.
• Take note of the six-digit code that appears.
• Return to the PBS.org sign-in page and enter the six-digit code into the textbox provided.

• Continue by clicking the Continue button.

• If the code is accepted, your account is verified, and you are redirected to a screen indicating that your login was successful. After a few seconds, you will be redirected to the PBS.org homepage.

That’s it, you can start watching any content on PBS with your brand-new account.

Worth Watching Content on PBS in South Africa

Confused about what to watch on PBS? Don’t worry as I’ve done all the hard work for you by listing some of the best movies and shows available on PBS.

FAQs – PBS in South Africa

Is PBS free?

Yes, you can watch PBS for free on your laptop or access the PBS Video app on your smartphone. Moreover, you can also watch PBS for free on partner streaming platforms, such as Apple TV, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video.

Can I use a free VPN to watch PBS?

Yes, you can, however, it’s not recommended because of the slow speeds and limited bandwidth. Furthermore, free VPNs aren’t secure and don’t guarantee your online privacy. 

What are PBS compatible devices?

PBS is compatible with Apple TV, Chromecast, Android smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and Amazon Fire TV.

Is there any other way to watch PBS without VPN?

Yes, you can use Smart DNS to unblock PBS. The Smart DNS service redirects your Internet traffic by changing your location and rerouting the traffic via a dedicated server. However, Smart DNS doesn’t offer encryption as VPNs do. 

Channels you can watch Other than PBS in South Africa

• Watch HBO Max in South Africa
• Get Stan in South Africa
• Unblock Starz Play in South Africa
• Watch DirecTV Now in South Africa
• Get SonyLIV in South Africa
• Unblock Crackle TV in South Africa

Wrapping Up!

This wraps up our easy guide on how to watch PBS in South Africa. Hopefully, you can now sign up for a PBS account and watch any content you like in South Africa.

I highly recommend getting ExpressVPN to unblock PBS or any other streaming service. It is the fastest VPN out there, starting from just $6.67/mo (49% discount – 1 year + 3 months free).

It offers 3000+ servers in 94 countries and can also easily unblock geo-blocked services like Netflix US and Hulu. To offer the best value for money, it supports 5 devices connections, and also offers a full 30-day money-back guarantee.