How to Watch Stranger Things Online in 2020: Havoc in Hawkins

Will Byers went missing in the summer of 2016 and it’s been hard not to keep an eye on Hawkins, Indiana, since. Stranger Things was the answer to a question no one was asking, combining Stephen King-esque horror, synthwave and a lovable group of friends into a science fiction tale that screams of its influences. 

Unfortunately, though, it’s a Netflix exclusive, and ignoring the fact that not everyone can access Netflix, you’ll need to spring for a Premium subscription to watch in 4K resolution. That said, there’s no need to fret because we’re here to show you how to watch Stranger Things online using a few legit and some, well, not so legit routes.

Watch Stranger Things Online

As mentioned, Stranger Things is a Netflix exclusive, so if you want to watch it the way it was intended, you’ll need a subscription. Depending on where you live, though, that could pose an issue. If you live in a country that offers Netflix, you should be fine because the streaming giant has ensured its frontrunning show has adequate translations.

Unfortunately, not everyone is that fortunate. China, for example, has one of the strictest media bans in the world, as you can read in our internet censorship in China article. To get around those geoblocks, you’ll need a virtual private network, but not any ol’ VPN will work, as you can see in our Netflix proxy error piece.  

You’ll need to use our best VPN for Netflix, ExpressVPN. As you can see in our ExpressVPN review, it’s the fastest VPN around, comes with a no-nonsense interface and has plenty of features, to boot. Most importantly, though, it’ll get you into Netflix, so if you’re traveling abroad where Netflix doesn’t reach, it’s a safe bet. 

That said, Netflix’s reach is large, so you’re likely in a spot that can access the platform. If you don’t want to pay the $15.99 per month fee for a premium subscription, though, you’ll need to get more crafty to stream Stranger Things.

Watch Stranger Things Online for Free

Thankfully, there are ways to stream Stranger Things online for free. There are many, in fact. Because it’s one of the most popular TV shows, there are unofficial streams for Stranger Things on almost every TV streaming website. Glancing around, we found episodes on Couchtuner, New Episodes and Putlocker. 

Finding a free stream doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods, though. Those websites are prime targets for cybercrime, making a VPN all the more important. ExpressVPN took the crown in our most secure VPN guide, unsurprisingly, but TorGuard isn’t a bad option, either (read our TorGuard review). 

Outside of network snooping, those types of streaming websites pose a few issues to your computer, namely pop-ups and malware. Be sure to use one of our best pop-up blockers before landing on the website so you’re not bombarded with ads. Thankfully, most of them are free. 

An antivirus is also important because getting caught in a botnet or downloading ransomware while facing the Demogorgon isn’t ideal. Our best antivirus software guide is a good place to look because all the options will protect you from threats locally and online. We recommend Bitdefender (read our Bitdefender Antivirus review).

Watch Stranger Things with Kodi

Another way to watch Stranger Things for free is with Kodi. If you’re unaware, Kodi is a media center software that was developed for Xbox. Given its open source nature, though, it can be expanded with add-ons, many of which allow you to scrub online sources for TV shows and movies. 

You can learn more about Kodi in our Kodi guide and about add-ons in our best Kodi add-ons roundup. For Stranger Things, we found Poseidon has all episodes streaming, which we downloaded through the Kodil repository. 

Though Kodi presents a different face, you’re essentially going through the same process described above. Those add-ons don’t hold the content. Rather, they search multiple sources online for it and allow you to stream from there. Because of that, the same rules apply: use a VPN and antivirus software. 

That said, the VPN is most important because your machine isn’t opening the website. That channel is still open, though, so unless you fancy unencrypted connections or DMCA notices, you should hide your IP address. Our best VPN for streaming guide is a decent place to look, but we have a dedicated best VPN for Kodi article, too.

Watch Stranger Things Torrent

If you’re not too keen on streaming, you can watch Stranger Things locally by torrenting. A quick look at popular torrent websites, such as The Pirate Bay and LimeTorrents, shows that all episodes are available to download. Some websites, such as RARBG, have the 4K versions, too. 

Torrenting allows you to download tiny bits of a file from multiple places. That lets users keep files up longer because the file doesn’t contain the data, so you’re not technically downloading the file. You can read our what is torrenting guide for specifics, but, in short, it’s a crafty way to get around copyright infringement. 

That said, using a VPN is important. Though you might be able to squeeze a couple of downloads past your internet service provider, the fun won’t last long, and you’ll be hit with a copyright notice. Those notices can be intimidating because the ISP essentially says you’ll be at the mercy of the copyright holder if you continue.

If you’re not using your ISP’s DNS servers, though, they have no way of knowing what you’re downloading, and that’s what happens when you use a VPN. Our best VPN for torrenting guide is a great place to check because all the options will ensure that you have a fast connection for torrenting while keeping your data safe. 

NordVPN ranks at the top of the list thanks to its many specialty servers. Some of those servers are designed for torrenting, in fact, allowing you to fully use servers with a data-hungry peer-to-peer connection. Read our NordVPN review for specifics. 

The jury is still out on if torrenting is illegal — you can read our is torrenting illegal guide to see how complex it gets — but it’s best to stay on the safe side. Using a VPN will help you do that, and remain hidden from government collection initiatives such as PRISM in the process.

Final Thoughts

Stranger Things is one of the best shows currently airing, with a 95 percent from critics and watchers on Rotten Tomatoes. Given that its availability is limited to Netflix, though, not everyone has a chance to experience the strange happenings in Hawkins, which is a shame. 

Thankfully, there are ways to watch Stranger Things online, no matter if it’s by way of Netflix, Kodi, Couchtuner or torrent. If you’re interested in reading other guides like this one, check out our streaming archive. Recently, we published how to watch Westworld and how to watch Doom Patrol, so read those pieces if you’re interested in either show.

How are you watching Stranger Things? What are your thoughts on the show? Let us know in the comments below and, as always, thanks for reading.

Stranger Things FAQ

Where Is Stranger Things filmed?

The majority of Stranger Things is filmed in Atlanta and surrounding areas. You can find a list of iconic filming locations in the Stranger Things wiki. 

What Is Stranger Things about?

Stranger Things follows a group of young friends trying to find Will Byers after he goes missing. Throughout the journey, they uncover secret experiments and strange happenings that have been going on in the town of Hawkins, Indiana. 

Who Wrote Stranger Things?

Stranger Things was written and created by the Duffer Brothers, Ross and Matt. The show pays homage to the 1980s and is inspired by Stephen King, John Carpenter and Steven Spielberg. 

How Scary Is Stranger Things? 

Stranger Things is more creepy than scary. Though there are a handful of jump scares, the show focuses on creating a mysterious and fantastical atmosphere.