How to Sign Up With American Streaming Services without US Credit Card?

Getting around geo-restrictions and accessing channels from abroad has become a popular task for most internet users. However, most of them get stuck when a channel is subscription-based, i.e., requires payment. Since most top streaming services require local payments, many people cannot sign up due to restrictions placed on them based on their location. Well, that’s about to change now as we have a solution that allows you to get a US billing address and pay for your favorite US-based digital services. Follow this guide and learn everything there is to it.

Virtual Debit Cards 101

Normally, subscribing to American streaming services requires a US billing address and is almost impossible to do while abroad. However, thanks to advanced technology, we now have what we call Virtual Debit Cards. These represent money-cards that can be accepted on a global scale. Once users sign up for these services, they can purchase items, subscribe to services, and book anything from online stores in different countries.

But it’s not that simple as they have to go through a verification process first. It doesn’t take long, actually. These services ask for certain documents to verify that whoever is opting for their services is a registered citizen on this planet with a valid residential address and, of course, a bank account.

Once verified, they can use their own money by uploading funds via their allowed methods such as local bank transfer, local Credit/Debit card, or PayPal.

Finally, they can use their new virtual credit card to purchase anything in other countries, no matter where they are.

Before We Begin – Here’s The Issue

You’re here because you got blocked or your credit card information was rejected by a certain streaming service. For example, HBO Max is one of the top services in the US now, with over 12.6 million activations. If you manage to visit HBO Max’s website (Which needs a couple of steps to do), you’ll still need a US credit card to subscribe.

If you enter any other credit card credentials, this error message will appear:

“Sorry, we only accept cards from banks and financial institutions based in the U.S.”

We’re going to be fixing that later on, but first, along with the error presented above about HBO Max, you’ll see these errors from other services:

• ESPN+: There is a problem with a payment instrument on your account. Please contact customer service.
• Hulu: We could not complete your request right now. Please try again later.
• NBC Peacock: Whoops sorry there’s been a problem, please try again.
• Apple TV+: Debit cards are not supported for verification.
• AT&T Now: 31111: Sorry, there seems to be an issue with your payment. Please make sure your info is correct. If the issue persists, please contact your bank.
• Vudu: Unable to validate address. We are not able to validate address, please try again.
• CBS All Access: Your transaction was declined. Please use a different card or contact your bank.
• Youtube TV: Correct this card info or try a different card.

StatesCard – The Ultimate Way for Getting a US Subscription

One of these methods is StatesCard. It’s an effective method to subscribe to US streaming services and comes with a US billing address. It’s a virtual prepaid debit card that comes with a US billing address and allows shopping on US online stores with ease.

Despite topping up with your own money, StatesCard requires a monthly subscription and a one-time membership fee, paid the first time you subscribe.

StatesCard will cost customers $3.95 a month. But before they get to that, they have to shell out $14.95 to complete the signup process. Once everything is in place, users can visit their account and fill in their new virtual card with a minimum amount of $50.

Once filled up, users can subscribe to any US streaming service they’ve been craving for this whole time. It looks easy, but a few steps should be taken in order to create the card and sign up for a streaming service.

That’s why we created this tutorial to guide you through every single detail. Let’s kick it off:

1. Creating Your Virtual Credit Card

The first thing we need to do is create a StatesCard account, along with the virtual credit card itself. It does take a few steps to complete, but the end result is rewarding. Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, you have to head over to StatesCard’s official website.
2. Next, click on Sign Up Now.
3. On the next page, you have to enter your email address, along with the password for the new account.
4. An email will be sent to the address you provided in order to verify the account. You have to click on the link included in the email.
5. Once you click on the link, the opened page will notify you that the activation is successful and ask you to sign in.
6. Enter your email and password once more, and hit Login.
7. At this point, you’re going to have to fill in some personal information about yourself (Name, Age, Country, etc…).
8. Once you fill in the details in the image above, you’ll be redirected to the verification page. You have two ways to verify yourself: Documents and a short selfie video. (Both are required).
9. During this process, you’ll have to submit personal identification documents such as Passport, National ID, or Driver’s License. Any of these should be in the form of an image.
10. Provide StatesCard with the documents they need.
11. Once done, record a short selfie video and upload it to the page. If successful, click on Done.
12. It’ll take a few minutes, so be patient.
13. Please note that some signing up processes might go through manual verification. This may take up to 24 hours to complete.
14. If that’s not the case, you can now proceed to the page where you can add funds to your new StatesCard.
15. In that section, you’ll need to click on Load Card so that you can choose the payment method.
16. Choose the payment method you prefer. You can use either PayPal or your personal Credit Card. Note that the minimum amount should be $50.
17. Start paying for all of those US streaming services you couldn’t access before.

You now have a virtual credit card you can use to buy yourself a US streaming channel’s subscription, no matter where you’re located on the map.

2. Subscribing to Desired Streaming Service

You’ve got yourself a card that can work in the United States. You now have a US billing address and a way to subscribe to any desired US streaming service, no matter where you are.

However, you’re new to this, so we’re going to help you with the process. Follow the steps below and learn how to subscribe to any streaming service in America using StatesCard. (Note: We’ll be using Hulu as an example)

1. Visit Hulu’s official website and select the “Start Your Free Trial” option.
2. On the next page, select the plan you wish to sign up for.
3. Next, fill in the necessary details required by the service. That includes name, email address, password, and age.
4. Once you click on continue, you’ll be redirected to the billing section. Here’s where the magic happens. Head back to StatesCard’s website and log in with your account.
5. Now, click on the button that says, “Show Card Details.” Note them down (card details and zip code), so you can fill them up on Hulu’s website.
6. Return to Hulu’s payment section, choose Credit Card and submit the StatesCard information you’ve noted down. Once done, hit Submit.
7. You now have yourself a Hulu account wherever you may be.

Please note that the above steps work with any subscription channel you wish to sign up for in the United States. However, each channel has its own process, so some things might differ. Despite that, the end result is the same – a valid subscription abroad.

It’s Not Over Yet! Access US Channels Abroad

Alright, so you got yourself a US streaming service subscription abroad, but that doesn’t mean that your task is fulfilled. You still have to deal with geo-restrictions before you can start watching your favorite shows.

Most channels around the world apply what we call geo-blocking, which prevents users in specific locations from accessing their content. The channels examine your IP address to determine your current whereabouts.

If you’re not within their area of coverage, they’ll block you almost instantly. This is mainly for copyright reasons. Not to mention that some services don’t even allow you to subscribe to their services as they block you the moment you visit their websites.

For example, HBO Max doesn’t allow anyone outside of the United States to sign up for its service. Once you visit its website, this error will pop up instantly.

“HBO Max is currently only supported in the U.S. and certain U.S. territories.”

As for a service that you’ve already subscribed to, it will block you the moment you try to stream a video from within its library. Take Hulu; for instance, this is the error you get when you try to watch anything from the streaming giant.

“Video not available in this location. This video is not available to watch in your current location. Please select something else to watch. Error code: BYA-403-013.”

US streaming services require an American IP address. If you live overseas, that’s exactly what you lack. However, we already mentioned that we’re going to help, and help is what’s coming your way.

The Ultimate Solution: A Virtual Private Network

A VPN is an internet tool that helps enhance one’s privacy and security while browsing the web. Once you establish a connection, the VPN encrypts the data sent and received, making it next to impossible for any third-party to get their hands on it.

Moreover, a VPN hides your IP address, which gives you total anonymity while online. As it cloaks the IP, it replaces it with a temporary one based on the server you connected to.

For example, if the server is in the United States, you’ll obtain an American IP address. As a result, you’ll be able to subscribe to and stream any US streaming service no matter where you physically reside.

The Steps

Before you do anything, you have to download the channel’s application, which is not available on your app store in the region. You don’t have to do much.

If you’re downloading the app on your mobile device, just change your iOS or Android app store’s region to the US, and you’ll be able to get it.

As for the unblocking process, it is simple whether you’re trying to subscribe or stream. Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, sign up with a VPN service. We highly recommend ExpressVPN as it’s one of the leading providers in the industry.
2. Download and install the VPN application on your device. You’ll find clients on Android, iOS, PC, Mac, as well as FireStick.
3. Activate the VPN app, sign in with your VPN credentials, and open the server list.
4. Connect to an American server and wait a few seconds for the connection to establish. You can check your new IP using this tool.
   1. If the channel is blocking you from subscribing, you can now visit its website and sign up. Follow the steps above.
   2. If you’re already subscribed and want to stream content, launch the service’s app or website and sign in with your newly created account.
5. Start watching US content wherever you are.

With so many VPNs on the market, users who don’t know their way around might end up with the wrong one. Most US streaming services block VPNs, which is why you should know the ones that can bypass such a defense mechanism.

ExpressVPN is one of the few ones that can get the job done. With a huge server network, top security features, and a 30-day refund policy, you’ll get exactly what you need with this provider.

However, as grand as ExpressVPN is, it’s not the only service capable of getting you US streaming services in your country. There are other top VPNs that can do the job as efficiently as ExpressVPN, such as BulletVPN, Unlocator, and NordVPN.

A Smart DNS Alternative

Smart DNS is another way to change one’s location, but it works in a different manner than how a VPN does it. It’s a technology that reroutes chunks of the users’ traffic and tricks websites/channels into thinking that they reside within their area of service.

With Smart DNS, the IP remains intact, and it provides better speeds as no encryption is present in the setup process. Also, a VPN is limited to certain devices, depending on what the app supports.

However, Smart DNS can be configured on almost any device that has an internet connection, including Apple TV, Mac, PC, Xbox, SmartTV, routers, PS5, iPhone, and iPad, or any Android device.

Unlocator has been around for quite some time now, and it launched as a pure Smart DNS service. It can unblock more than 200 channels around the world, including top ones in the US such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more. To set it up on your platform, you need to go through the following:

1. First, sign up for a free Unlocator 7-day trial.
2. Head to their website and follow the setup guides based on the device you’re operating.
3. Restart your device.
4. Enjoy streaming your favorite channels with unrestricted access.

Unlocator has a 7-day free trial, which allows you to test their service without even having to submit your credit card information. All you need is an email address, and you’ll have full access for 7 days.

Also, the provider has both VPN and Smart DNS, but it does offer them separately when it comes to subscriptions. Once the 7-day free trial ends, you can also benefit from their 30-day refund policy.

What Are You Getting Out of This?

As mentioned, StatesCard is a solution for being unable to purchase a valid subscription to several US streaming channels. We’re talking big names with millions of subscribers in the United States.

So, once you get yourself a virtual credit card, fill it up with the right amount of cash, you get to subscribe to the following:

• Youtube TV
• Hulu
• HBO Max
• Sling TV
• NBC Peacock
• AT&T TV Now
• fuboTV
• Apple TV+
• Vudu
• ESPN+
• Paramount+

The streaming services above will give those abroad a hard time when subscribing as they only take US credit card payments. Now, with StatesCard, you can purchase yourself a subscription. Then with a VPN, you can actually stream everything these channels have to offer no matter where you reside.

Virtual Credit Cards – Not Everything that Shines is Gold

StatesCard is the ultimate way to purchase US subscriptions while living abroad. However, back in the day, it wasn’t the only service that provides such an important privilege.

The fact is, we had to state this because none of the previous services work now. Some of them have even shut down and no longer provide any kind of service. Here’s a list of Virtual Prepaid services that don’t work anymore in case you stumbled upon one of them upon your search:

• Payoneer
• Revolut
• Loadoo
• MyCard2Go
• Abine
• Entropay

There’s a service that goes by the name of US Unlocked, and it helps international shoppers to buy stuff from US stores. It offers two ways to pay for your stuff: Merchant specific and one-time use cards.

Users always prefer the one-time-use cards as they’re highly secure and close 2 minutes after the first use. It’s probably the only virtual prepaid card that does work nowadays aside from StatesCard, of course.

Subscribe to US Channels Anywhere – Final Words

Virtual prepaid cards are the best way to get around the limitations you have on what you get to purchase online. Your location dictates everything you do online, but that’s not going to happen anymore.

With StatesCard, Hulu, ESPN+, Apple TV+, and so many more are yours for the taking wherever you might be. You don’t have to worry about a US billing address, Zip Code, or any of the obstacles that might block your way.

Moreover, with a VPN, you get to actually access these channels in your countries. So, in other words, we solved your entire problem in one guide. Let us know if you need more help in the comment section below.