How to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in Australia [2024 Guide]

The simple method to watch Hotstar Australia is to use Virtual Private Network. Yes, with a VPN you can easily watch Disney Hotstar in Australia.

There’s more to it, though the step-by-step process. If you don’t follow it, you’re busted, mate.

What is Disney Plus Hotstar and Why it is not Available in Australia?

Launched in 2015 originally as Hotstar, it was relaunched in April 2020 as Disney+ Hotstar when Disney started operating outside the US. It’s still shortly referred to as Hotstar.

However, this partnership between Star India and Disney garnered the entire content both these giants individually produced to a single platform. The content streamed on Disney+ Hotstar now includes movies, TV shows, live media, sports events like IPL, and extras.

With over 300 million active and about 18.5 million paid users, Hotstar is one of the world’s most significant VoD streaming services.

How to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

Although Hotstar is available in many countries, Disney+ Hotstar (the Indian version) is geo-restricted to India only.

To watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia you need two things:

• A reliable VPN that offers dedicated Indian servers for streaming.
• Disney Plus Hotstar subscription.

How to Watch Disney+ Hotstar in Australia

Follow these simple steps to watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia.

• Get a VPN that offers an Indian IP address. We recommend ExpressVPN.
• Install the VPN app on your device and sign in.
• Connect to an Indian server from the list.
• Open the Disney Hotstar account or create a new one.
• Now start streaming Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Once you subscribe to a VPN, it’s time to sign up for Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

How to Sign Up for Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

Here’s how you can sign up for Disney+ Hotstar in Australia:

1. Connect to the Indian server using a VPN.

2. Visit “Disney+ Hotstar” and click on the “Subscribe” button.

3. Now select any plan and click “Continue” to proceed further.

4. Sign up with your email ID but don’t use your Facebook account as it has a very less success rate.

5. For Indian number, head to “receive-sms.cc“, scroll down, and click on “RECEIVE SMS ONLINE” under any Indian number mentioned on the website.

1. Now copy the phone number and enter it on the Disney Plus website and click “Continue”. 
2. After entering the number, it will ask for the verification code. refresh the page from where you copy the number and scroll down to see the new message from Disney.
3. Copy that code and enter it on the Disney Plus Hotstar website.
4. Now click on “FIND SOMETHING TO WATCH” and start streaming in Australia. 

Note: To get full access to the Disney Plus Hotstar content, Hotstar Australia fans need an Indian credit card to pay for the subscription. Without an Indian credit card, they cannot subscribe to Disney+ Hotstar even with a VPN.

We would suggest asking their friend or family member to get a Disney+ Hotstar premium subscription who lives in India.

Now let’s discuss how to download Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on different devices.

On What Devices I Can Watch Disney Plus Hotstar?

Here is the list of devices where you can watch Disney Plus Hotstar:

1. Laptop/PC (Mac & iOS)
2. Android tablets, smartphones, and smart TVs
3. iOS (iPhone/iPad)
4. Apple TV (4th Gen or above)
5. Roku
6. Amazon Firestick/Fire TV
7. Samsung Smart TV (2018 models and onward)
8. LG Smart TV with Web OS (4 and above)
9. Google Chromecast Gen 2 for casting (Physical devices only)

You require a VPN to watch Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on these devices. Let’s see how you can download the Disney+ Hotstar app on mentioned devices in Australia.

How to Download Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

How to Get Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia on iPhone/iPad?

Here’s how to download Disney+ Hotstar on your iPhone/iPad in Australia:

1. First, go to “Settings” on your iOS device, and click on your profile.
2. Now tap on “Media & Purchases”, then tap on “View Account”. It will ask for your “Passcode” or “Touch ID” for verification. Enter your “Passcode” or “Touch ID”.
3. Now tap on “Country/Region” -> “Change Country or Region”, then select India as your country.
4. Once you select the United States, the “Terms and Conditions” page will open. Select “Agree” to proceed.
5. Now enter all the required details. In the address section, you need to provide an Indian address and postal code that you can easily find on Google.
6. Now enter “Done” and wait for the process.
7. Once the process is complete, now your App Store region is changed to India. Go to App Store and download the Disney+ Hotstar app.
8. After downloading the Disney+ Hotstar app, open the VPN app, connect to the Indian server, and start watching!

How to Get Disney Plus Hotstar Australia on Android?

Follow these steps to download Disney+ Hotstar app in Australia on your Android devices:

1. First, open the VPN app on your Android device and connect to the Indian server.
2. Now open the Play Store app and tap on the 3 bars located on the top left of the screen.
3. Go to the “Account” section where you will find your name and country.
4. Now select India as your country and enter all the required details.
5. Once your region changes to India, you can download the Disney+ Hotstar app and start streaming in Australia.

How to Get Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on Amazon Firestick/Fire TV?

Here’s how you can download Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on your Firestick/Fire TV device:

1. Visit the Amazon website and log in to your existing account.
2. Now click on the “Accounts & Lists” option and then click on “Your Accounts and Content.”
3. Now change your region to India from Australia.
4. Connect your Amazon Firestick device with your TV and then click on “Settings”.
5. Log out or deregister your account and then sign in back.
6. Now download the Disney+ Hotstar app and VPN app from App Store.
7. Open the VPN app and connect to the Indian server.
8. Open the Disney+ Hotstar app and start watching in Australia.

How to Get Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on Roku, Apple TV, and Smart TV?

Using a VPN is a bit complex with streaming devices that do not support VPN apps such as Roku, Smart TVs (without Android), and Apple TVs.

There are three ways to get Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on one of these devices. First, you can set up a Smart DNS on these devices and watch Disney+ Hotstar on these devices in Australia.

Or set up a VPN on your home router and then connect the home internet to stream Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Or as a Disney+ Hotstar Australia aficionado, you can make your Desktop/PC virtual router and stream Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on these devices.

We highly recommend ExpressVPN to get Disney+ Hotstar in Australia on all of these devices that do not support VPN native apps.

However, if you want to avoid getting into this VPN setup hassle, you can cast through Chromecast, AirPlay, or use Amazon Firestick to stream Disney+ Hotstar on a big screen in Australia.

Testing Criteria For Choosing the Best VPN to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

With that said, we’ve established that there’s no way forward without a premium VPN service.

However, the problem is: There are several paid VPN services that claim to be best for watching Disney Plus Hotstar but very few of them can actually do this job flawlessly.

This is why to find the best VPN to stream Disney+ Hotstar in Australia we tested 21 top VPN services on specific criteria.

Let’s now look at some specific criteria of our top VPN for Disney+ Hotstar Australia (the must-haves):

• Offers 1000+ fast and dedicated servers for streaming with excellent unblocking capability to access popular streaming services like Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, SonyLIV, Channel 4, YouTube TV, HBO Max, and French TV in Australia.
• Encrypted, secure, and fast data transmission to prevent hacking attacks and buffering when streaming Disney+ Hotstar in Australia
• Provides dedicated apps and software support for all mainstream devices including Windows, Mac, Amazon Firestick/Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, iOS, Android, and Smart TVs.
• Gives at least four simultaneous connections per account to watch on different devices at the same time.
• Strong security protocols such as military-grade encryption, kill switch, IP, and DNS leak protection to keep user’s online activities anonymous and safe from data theft and cyberattacks.
• Active live chat support and at least a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Best VPNs to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia

So, which VPN is the best to stream Hotstar in Australia? Based on the above-mentioned criteria, I’ve got four options for you, all excellent and tried. Have a look at them:

1. ExpressVPN – Recommended for Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia

ExpressVPN is the market leader and the choice of every VPN-educated person out there. 

What makes it stand out is the most comprehensive yet organized network of servers. With the highest and most secure level of encrypted data transmission, it dominates the market deservingly. 

Other than Disney+ Hotstar, you can also stream Indian geo-block streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, Sling TV, Voot, Sonyliv, and Zee5.

The only snag is the pricing which is relatively higher than other VPNs. But given the amount of security, it’s a small price to pay.

2. NordVPN – Pocket Friendly Choice to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are like Ronaldo and Messi – far ahead of everyone, the GOATs. Nord, alongside ExpressVPN, provides the rich performance we all crave. The videos load super fast; the security is unbelievable.

The streaming services you can unblock using NordVPN in Australia are Netflix USA, HBO Max, Paramount+, YouTube TV, Peacock TV, ESPN+, etc. The price is where it completely takes the lead. NordVPN is highly affordable. 

3. Surfshark – User-Friendly VPN to Stream Hotstar in Australia

Second to none, Surfshark is a king in its realm. Surfshark is known for its P2P sharing servers that allow fast torrenting. Surfshark is the perfect pick if you’re looking at affordability, with the lowest monthly costs at $2.30/mo.

The streaming services one can watch using Surfshark are DStv, TV Player, and TVNZ in Australia.

How a VPN Lets You Access Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

Streaming platforms like Disney+ Hotstar need to follow content distribution policies and streaming rights to provide their services.

And the main reason for these policies and streaming rights is to limit the streaming service’s access within the country where they get the license to operate such as Disney+ Hotstar having the right to provide its services only in India.

To obey these policies Disney+ Hotstar uses an IP tracking system to block user’s access who try to stream their content outside India.

Now you wonder how Disney+ Hotstar knows you are trying to access from Australia. Well, the internet connection you use has your country’s IP address that is visible to everyone.

So when you visit Disney+ Hotstar in Australia, based on your Australian IP address, the streaming service blocks you immediately.

This is where a VPN can rescue you! A Virtual Private Network can mask your country’s IP address and change it with the country’s IP address of your choice.

So when you connect to an Indian server using a VPN and access Disney+ Hotstar in Australia, based on your Indian IP address, Disney+ Hotstar thinks that you are residing somewhere in India and allows you to access Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

Yes, you can use a free VPN to watch Disney+ Australia but it won’t work most of the time due to several reasons.

First, a free VPN offers a very limited number of servers that are already blocked by Disney+ Hotstar. This means that even if you are connected to an Indian server using a free VPN, you still can’t access Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Second, because of high traffic, free VPN servers are dead slow which leads to buffering and video lag issues while streaming your favorite content on Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Third, in case you get access to Disney+ Hotstar using a free VPN, keep in mind that they sell your online data to different marketing and social media companies to earn huge profits.

Because of all these reasons, we always recommend our users to use premium VPN services like ExpressVPN to watch their favorite streaming services like Disney+ Hotstar in Australia.

Cost of Getting Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia?

The cost of getting Disney Plus Hotstar in Australia is affordable compared to other popular streaming services like YouTube TV, HBO Max, Peacock TV, Hulu, and more.

Here is the list of Disney Plus Hotstar plans in AUD:

Factors	Free Subscription	Disney Plus Hotstar Super	Disney Plus Hotstar Premium
Price	Free	AUD 16.38/ year	AUD 27.32/ year
Content	1. Select Movies with ads2. Select TV Shows with ads3. 5 minutes of live cricket streaming	1. All content (movies, TV shows, specials, live sports)2. Ad-supported content3. Watch on up to 2 devices4. Dolby 5.1 Audio	1. All content (movies, TV shows, specials, live sports)2. Ad-free movies and TV shows (except sports)3. Watch on up to 4 devices4. Dolby 5.1 Audio
Simultaneous screens	1 screen at a time	2 screens at a time	4 screens simultaneously
Ad Free	NA	Personalized Ads	Ad-free subscription
Video quality	SD	HD	4K

Apart from these plans, Hotstar also offers a monthly subscription to Premium Package for AUD 5.45. Other than streaming service cost you also need to pay for VPN since Disney+ Hotstar is geo-blocked and not available in Australia.

A reliable VPN will cost you around AUD 12/month. This means the minimum cost of getting Disney+ Hotstar in Australia will be AUD 12 + AUD 5.45 = AUD 17.45 or US$11.49 or INR 957.58.

*All prices are in AUD.

Note: If you want to read a detailed article on the topic, read our Disney+ Hotstar Cost in Australia guide.

Best Disney Plus Hotstar Channels to Watch in Australia

What sets Disney+ Hotstar apart from Hotstar is the variety of content. On Disney+ Hotstar, you cannot only watch English and Hindi shows/movies, but you can also enjoy other content that has been very well-praised, like Tamil and Telugu films. 

Here is the list of channels that you can watch Disney+ Hotstar:

1. Star Plus
2. HBO
3. ABP News
4. 9XM
5. Star World
6. Star Sports
7. Hotstar Specials
8. Star Bharat
9. Star Parvah

Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Disney+ Hotstar

Following are the top TV shows and movies that you can stream on Disney+ Hotstar

Movies & TV Shows

1. Kingsman
2. Raid
3. Watchmen
4. Independence Day
5. Murder on the Orient Express
6. Koffee with Karan
7. Big Boss
8. Total Dhamaal
9. Big Little Lies
10. Black Swan

Watch these, and I promise you, you’ll know you’ve spent your money right. If you want more suggestions, let me know in the comments!

FAQs

Conclusion

We started from the bottom. Now we’re here!

At the beginning of this article, you were clueless if Hotstar could ever stream in Australia or not. But, now you know all the ins and outs. Feels great.

The content these industries are producing is excellent, and it’s painful to feel left behind when others can access it, and you’re not. To watch Hotstar in Australia, you can safely use VPNs and continue to access the web anonymously.