iQIYI Outside China
If your question is how can I watch iQIYI in China, then, let us inform you that iQIYI is a popular streaming service restricted in other countries. To watch it anywhere outside China, you’d require a VPN like ExpressVPN.
iQIYI is an amazing subscription-based Chinese online video streaming service with over 500 million monthly active users.
Dubbed the “Netflix of China,” iQIYI offers popular shows like Story of Yanxi Palace, Idol Producer, The Rap of China, and more that have specifically been produced for the Mandarin streamers living outside the country.
That being said, iQIYI is sadly blocked outside of China due to the infamous Great Firewall. So if you try and access iQIYI from anywhere other than China, you’ll see this error message:
由于版权限制,该视频在您所在的地区不可用
But, getting past the Great Firewall is fairly easy. All you need is reliable VPNs that work with Chinese IP. But, which VPN works with iQIYI? ExpressVPN is a fantastic choice for watching iQIYI in China as it offers an extensive server network, great unblocking capabilities, and fast speeds.
ExpressVPN would spoof your actual IP address and allow you to connect to a Chinese IP, so you can bypass the geo-restrictions of iQIYI and enjoy a vast variety of Chinese dramas easily.
How to Watch iQIYI outside China [Quick Steps]
Follow these four easy steps to watch iQIYI outside China from anywhere in 2022:
1. Subscribe to a VPN service and download it (We recommend ExpressVPN).
2. Then, launch the VPN app and sign in.
3. Connect to a Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Macau server from the list.
4. Visit the iQIYI site, log in, and start streaming.
Best VPNs for watching iQIYI outside China
Since iQIYI is geo-restricted outside China, even if you have a valid iQIYI subscription, you still won’t be able to watch any iQIYI content outside the country. Now, if you’re thinking, how can I watch Chinese dramas outside China, then let us tell you that you can do this with the help of the best VPN.
Here’s a list of some of the best VPNs that I use to stream iQIYI in Singapore:
- ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN in the industry with five blazing-fast VPNs in Hong Kong.
- Surfshark – offers multiple servers in Hong Kong and a nifty Ad-block feature.
- PIA VPN – Offers 12 Chinese server for just $2.19/mo .
1. ExpressVPN ( $6.67/mo (Save 49% and get 3 extra months FREE with 12-month plan))
First up on the list, we have ExpressVPN. If you want to watch iQIYI in HD video quality, then ExpressVPN is just what you need. Even though ExpressVPN doesn’t offer Chinese servers, with its two Hong Kong servers, you can stream iQIYI outside China and anywhere.

The Hong Kong server of ExpressVPN was quite fast when tested.
Aside from servers, ExpressVPN offers an awesome MediaStreamer feature that can be configured on routers to achieve fast streaming speeds. You can also unblock other streaming services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
If we talk about pricing, ExpressVPN is a bit expensive and costs $6.67/mo (Save 49% and get 3 extra months FREE with 12-month plan). However, you do get the freedom to secure five devices simultaneously and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is also one of the most popular VPNs for Hong Kong with multiple servers in the country for iQIYI.
2. Surfshark ( $2.30/mo (Save 81% on 2 Years + 2 Months Free Plan with Surfshark Antivirus))
Another affordable VPN that can help you stream iQIYI outside china is Surfshark. This VPN service only costs $2.30/mo (Save 81% on 2 Years + 2 Months Free Plan with Surfshark Antivirus) and offers plenty of servers in Hong Kong.

Surfshark’s speeds were quite reliable while streaming iQIYI.
While Surfshark is not necessarily better than ExpressVPN, it is still quite powerful. I’ve used Surfshark to stream iQIYI in Malaysia, and it worked flawlessly. Aside from being affordable, Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
So, if you’ve been wondering: How can I watch Chinese drama outside China, then, well, just do it with Surfshark.
This VPN is not efficient for iQIYI only. However, it also lets users easily access other streaming services platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, DAZN, and many more.
3. PIA VPN ( $2.19/mo )
Similar to Surfshark, PIA VPN is also quite affordable and only costs $2.19/mo . However, unlike Surfshark, PIA VPN offers 12 servers in China. This is great if you wish to unblock iQIYI and other geo-blocked streaming services like QQ, Baidu, and more.

We enjoyed bufferless streaming on PIA’s China server.
Other than that, PIA VPN offers ten simultaneous connections and 30-day money-back guarantee.
Why do you need a VPN to access iQIYI?
On the very core, a VPN can help you access iQIYI from outside China. In addition, a VPN can help you access any blocked service and websites in China by spoofing your original geolocation. Here’s a list of a few perks you can achieve if you use a VPN in China.
Online Security & Privacy
A VPN having a Chinese VPN server not only allows you to access iQIYI outside China and Taiwan. Furthermore, it also improves your online security and privacy to another level. Through a VPN service of your choice from the above-given list, you can through alternate IP addresses.
Different Tunneling Protocols and Encryption
When you connect to a VPN service to access iQIYI, you are able to use various tunneling protocols. These various tunneling protocols are PPTP, IPsec, L2TP, OpenVPN, IKEv1, IKEv2, and so on. Luckily, the OpenVPN protocol uses 256-bit AES military-grade encryption by default.
Hence, you can protect your whole internet access traffic from the vicious eyes of the Great Firewall of China and other surveillance agencies.
Compatibility on Various platforms
The advantages of VPN are unlimited. Yes, you read it correctly. A VPN offers you the desired level of compatibility that enables you to opt for the service on your preferred devices. Thus, you can watch all your favorite movies or TV shows of iQIYI on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and others.
Internet access to regionally blocked content
After connecting to the VPN service, you can circumvent the issues like geo-limitations or region blocking instantly. Thus, you can access your favorite media stuff like movies or TV shows from anywhere.
Online Censorship
A VPN helps you to bypass online censorship imposed at different levels hassle-free. For example, with the help of a VPN that provides Chinese or Taiwanese servers, you can access iQIYI outside China and Taiwan straightaway.
We would recommend using a quality VPN for Taiwan, with plenty of servers for watching iQIYI abroad because there arent many VPNs that offer servers in China.
Popular movies and shows on iQIYI
Here are a few popular movies and TV shows to watch on iQIYI:
- The Writer’s Odyssey
- The Rescue
- Into The Dark
- Sweet Tooth
- Begin Again
- The Outlaws
- The Dude in Me
- The Wolf
- Fighting Darksider
- The Sniper
- The Warrior From Sky
FAQs
So now that you know exactly how to stream iQIYI from anywhere in the world, let’s go through some of the most frequently asked questions about iQIYI.
Is iQIYI available in USA?
No, iQIYI is not available in USA. But if you want to watch iQIYI in America, you can use a premium VPN service like ExpressVPN that offers twelve servers in Shanghai and Beijing.
Can I watch iQIYI in the US?
Yes, you can stream iQIYI in the US by using a VPN service that offers servers in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan.
How to watch iQIYI for free?
There’s no way to stream iQIYI for free since it is a paid subscription-based streaming service.
How to watch iQIYI in Singapore?
Since iQIYI is a geo-restricted China-only VPN service, so you’ll need a VPN with Chinese servers to watch iQIYI in Singapore.
How to watch iQIYI in Malaysia?
To watch iQIYI in Malaysia, you will need one of the best VPNs for Malaysia like ExpressVPN which offers servers in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
How to watch iQIYI outside China on an iPad?
Here is how you can watch iQIYI outside China on an iPad:
- Download a VPN after subscribing to it, and log in (We recommend ExpressVPN).
- Connect to a server in China.
- Get the iQIYI app on your device.
- Sign in using your credentials.
- Enjoy watching iQIYI.
How to watch iQIYI on Smart TV?
You can use the App Store of your TV to install the iQIYI app for Smart TV. For example, if you own an Android TV, then go to Google Play Store, search, and find the app.
Can I watch iQIYI on browser?
You can watch any entertaining video on iQIYI using your browser anytime you want. The streaming service doesn’t charge anything extra whether you enjoy iQIYI’s massive content library on your phone, TV, or computer. On a big screen, it offers HD quality and fantastic sound for an amazing experience.
How can I watch Chinese drama outside of China?
You can watch Chinese drama outside of China by getting yourself a VPN that has servers within China. However, you must double-check that the servers have reliable internet speeds for streaming the C-dramas, otherwise, it’d pointless.
Conclusion
iQIYI might be geo-blocked outside of China, but a reliable VPN can still help you easily obtain a Chinese IP address and access iQIYI from anywhere in the world. If you want a VPN without spending anything on it, then check out a free VPN for China.
I hope you found this guide informative. Do let me know which VPN helped you watch iQIYI outside China. Want to add something to the story? Share your comments in the section given below.
When you say log into the iqiyi account, is yours a month by month plan or an annual plan? I don’t see an annual plan offer on the iqiyi US website. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Hello,
Thank you for reading our blog, and even more for leaving us with your response.
At the moment, IQYI is offering premium monthly subscription for $7.99 and a premium 12 months subscription for $79.99.
Best Regards,
Abdul Rehman
VPN no longer work for iQiyi since mid May 2020. Tested with Hotspot Shield, PureVPN and ExpressVPN. Most content are blocked.
Hi William, apologies for that. You see, China constantly blocks VPNs. A VPN that might work today might not work tomorrow. Although PureVPN should work ideally, you can try Hola VPN as an alternative. It is free so there’s no harm in trying it out.