Sky TV has now been a broadcast powerhouse in the UK for almost 40 years, providing a premium alternative to the country’s traditional channels and showing some of the best dramas, films, sports, comedies and factual TV shows of the last four decades.
Thanks to the broadcaster’s Sky Go app launched in 2011, all of these shows, movies and live sport have been available to subscribers across a multitude of platforms and mobile devices.
And while Sky’s content is only for people in the UK, there’s a simple and inexpensive way to get around the frustrations of having your access to Sky Go blocked when you’re traveling outside the country. Below we explain how using one of the best VPN services will keep Sky Go active when you want to watch it while on vacation or on business trips.
How to watch Sky TV subscriptions
Signing up to Sky TV for the first time can be quite a dizzying experience – there seems to be an endless range of options to consider.
The entry-level plan is Sky Essential TVwhich costs £15 per month (at the time of writing) and includes over 100 channels as well as access to Netflix and Discovery+. Pay £7 more per month and upgrade to Sky Ultimate TV to add Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hayu and around thirty additional channels.
Once you’ve chosen your base package, you then decide which additional premium channels you want. It’s here Aerial sports (from £35 per month) and Sky Movies (from £25 per month) enter.
But it doesn’t stop there. If you are also looking for a new TV, you can choose a sky glass package which includes a 43, 55 or 65 inch 4K television.
And you can further personalize your plan that works best for you and your family, with options to add UHD and Dolby Atmos content, skip adverts, availability on more screens, upgraded Netflix and even more channels like TNT Sports and Sky Kids.
You can sign up for your choice of Sky TV packages here.
What is the cheapest way to get Sky TV?
While we’d never describe Sky TV as cheap (especially for some Brits who still remember the days when all TV was free), there are ways to reduce your costs.
For starters, Sky frequently offers deals and discounts through its official website. So if you’re not in a rush to sign up to Sky, it might be worth waiting for prices to drop. Unsurprisingly, Black Friday and the January sales are prime times to get a good deal on Sky TV.
You can also save money if you also choose Sky as your broadband and mobile phone network provider. The company is offering lower prices on both to existing Sky TV subscribers. Or buy a Sky TV and broadband package from the start.
Another way to watch Sky content for less is to use Now, which offers entertainment, sports and cinema subscriptions on a more flexible basis. Just note that, although owned by Sky, Now is actually a standalone service and therefore doesn’t allow you to watch via the Sky Go app.
Use a VPN to watch Sky Go from anywhere
Why is a VPN a good option for watching Sky Go from anywhere?
Although Sky Go has brought the broadcaster’s huge mass of content to mobile phones, laptops and other streaming devices, it simply won’t work if you try to use it outside the UK. The app will load, but you’ll be faced with an error message the second you try to watch something live or on-demand.
Fortunately, you can overcome this obstacle by using one of the best streaming VPNs. The cybersecurity software also serves as a way to watch online content abroad and works wonderfully with Sky Go.
What devices and platforms are supported by Sky Go and NordVPN?
Amazon Fire TV
Android (7.0 and above)
Android Television (5.1 and above)
Apple TV (tvOS 13 and later)
Desktop app (Windows, Mac, Chromebook)
iOS (13 years and over)
Although you can’t run NordVPN directly on other devices, such as PlayStation and Xbox consoles, a simple solution is to run NordVPN on your smartphone or computer and set up a hotspot.
What shows can you watch on Sky Go?
Everything you would normally watch with your Sky TV subscription can be watched online with Sky Go.
Even the most affordable Sky Essential TV package includes access to Sky Atlantic, the provider’s channel for flagship dramas. Sky Atlantic has been the destination for America’s biggest shows such as Game of Thrones, The White Lotus, Succession And The last of us over the years, and co-produced hits like London gangs, sweet pea And The Day of the Jackal.
Essential hosts over 100 channels in total, meaning Sky Go also offers 24-hour streaming titles from Sky News and Sky Sports News, hand-picked favorites from Sky Mix, stations including TLC, Quest and Food Network, as well as traditional linear channels ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Note that no BBC content is available on Sky Go, so you’ll need BBC iPlayer to stream it online.
The upgraded packages make more channels available, with Sky Ultimate TV adding shows such as Sky One, Sky Docs, Sky Comedy, National Geographic and MTV to the Sky Go catalog. Sky One is a relatively recent reintroduction to the service and is set to welcome new Sky Originals such as Saturday Night Live United Kingdom And The dry cleaners’ caravan park.
Do you have Sky Movies as part of your subscription? This opens up a library of over 1,000 movies that you can watch on demand and was the first place to watch movies like Renaissance of the Jurassic world, The materialists and Oscar winner One battle after another outside of cinema in the UK.
Is there live sports on Sky Go?
Just a few! Again, everything shown on the provider’s 12 Sky Sports channels is also available to stream on Sky Go.
For starters, that means an enviable 215 Premier League games in each season under the current deal. Sky also has a surprising amount of other football, including coverage of the Football League, EFL Cup, Women’s Super League, Scottish Premiership and Bundesliga.
Apart from football, you’ll find hours and hours of other top sports on Sky Go. Cricket, for example, has found a regular home on Sky Sports, with England Internationals, World Cups, The Hundred, T20 Blast and India Premier League (IPL) all featuring.
Live coverage of all major golf tournaments, PGA Tour events and the Ryder Cup is the exclusive domain of Sky, who also broadcast all F1 Grand Prix, British and Irish Lions Rugby, Rugby Super League and all of the PDC’s biggest darts tournaments. Tennis fans can watch US Open and ATP/WTA Tour events.
Various coverage of the NFL and NBA across the Atlantic is also shown on Sky Sports, along with other selected boxing, MMA and motorsport events.
You can also enjoy…
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
