Why does Hulu block VPN? [Updated 2023]

Similar to Netflix and other streaming services, Hulu is also constrained by content licensing issues. Since Hulu itself doesn’t produce a whole lot it owns shows and instead hosts copyrighted shows and movies from corporate content creators, Hulu can only distribute its content in limited regions or countries. 

Because Hulu can mostly be accessed in the US, most users simply use VPNs to bypass geo-restriction blocks. While it’s convenient for anyone looking to stream their favorite shows or movies, blockbuster giants who spend tens of thousands of dollars in production, lose a ton of money simply because of illegitimate content distribution.

This is why streaming services like Hulu go to great lengths to block VPNs. This strategy prevents users in unsupported regions like Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and others to access Hulu even with the help of most VPNs.

The way Hulu detects that you’re using a VPN is by detecting your IP address. Since VPN providers offer shared IP addresses by default, it makes it easier for Hulu to block VPNs. Hulu basically blacklists IP addresses associated with VPN servers. If you happen to use a blacklisted IP, Hulu will immediately prompt you to a proxy error message.

What VPNs Can Unblock Hulu Effectively?

The most basic requirement for a VPN service is to unblock geo-restricted content. But if it can’t help you do that, you need to get a reliable VPN like Surfshark.

We have covered extensive VPN comparisons so you don’t have to test VPNs yourself. After our thorough testing following are some of the VPN services that work great with Hulu in 2023.