Using a VPN on your Android TV helps to safeguard your privacy and allows you to access blocked content from different parts of the world. However, finding a good Android TV VPN can be tricky, with numerous VPN services available today. This article highlights the five best VPNs for Android TV.
To come up with the best Android TV VPNs, we assessed the speed, server network, and security of these providers. We also looked at their ability to bypass geo-restrictions. These are our results:
- NordVPN: Best overall VPN for Android TV
- Surfshark: Best budget VPN for Anrdoid TV
- ExpressVPN: Fast, beginner-friendly VPN for Android TV
- CyberGhost: Android TV VPN with an extensive server network
- IPVanish: Privacy-focused Android TV VPN with decent speeds
Continue reading to learn more about the best VPN for Android TV, and how to set one up on your device.
The Android TV opens up a wide range of entertainment options, but your access is limited by geo-restrictions. It can be frustrating to find that a movie, TV show, or game you want to stream is unavailable in your location. We have a solution — use a VPN!
A virtual private network (VPN) allows you to spoof your location and access content from just about any part of the world. VPNs also encrypt your internet traffic, hiding it from the intrusive eyes of hackers, the government, and even your internet service provider (ISP).
Looking for the best VPN for Android TV? We tested several VPNs to come up with our top five list below. Read on to discover a VPN to unlock the full potential of your Android TV.
The Best VPN for Android TV: Our Top 5
There are many factors to consider when choosing an Android TV VPN. Of course, the VPN should be compatible with Android TV, but it must also offer fast speeds to support streaming and a wide network of servers, among other things. All five VPNs below meet these criteria.
| FEATURE | NordVPN | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | IPVanish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of servers | 5600+ | 3200+ | 3000+ | 9000+ | 2000+ |
| Number of countries | 59 | 99 | 94 | 91 | 75 |
| Protocols | OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), NordLynx, and IKEv2/IPSec | OpenVPN and WireGuard | OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, and Lightway | OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard | OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, WireGuard, and more |
| Price per month (USD) | $3.69 | $2.49 | $6.67 | $2.19 | $3.99 |
| Purchase | Get NordVPN | Get Surfshark | Get ExpressVPN | Get CyberGhost | Get IPVanish |
1. NordVPN: Best overall VPN for Android TV
Features at a glance:
- 5,000+ servers in 59 countries
- Dedicated Android TV app
- Lightning fast speeds
- Military-grade security
- 24/7 live chat support
NordVPN is known for its superfast speeds, excellent security, and massive network of servers. It also excels at the one thing Android TV users need from a VPN — getting past geographic restrictions.
NordVPN’s dedicated IP address is handy for unblocking content online. Using a dedicated IP address makes it much harder for streaming services like Netflix to detect you’re using a VPN.
Thanks to the NordVPN SmartPlay feature, this provider can unblock content that other VPNs can’t. We tested NordVPN and found that it can unblock Netflix and many other streaming services without any issues. We could stream HD video with this VPN service.
NordVPN is the best VPN for Android TV. And there’s a NordVPN app for Android TV. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can request a refund if you’re unsatisfied with the service.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
2. Surfshark VPN: Best budget VPN for Android TV
Features at a glance:
- 3,200+ servers in over 99 countries
- User-friendly Android TV app
- Top-level security
- Fast speeds
- 24/7 live chat support
Surfshark is a fast, reliable, and affordable Android TV box VPN. This provider offers industry-standard security, decent streaming speeds, and more for just $2.49 monthly.
Surfshark is one of the fastest Android TV VPNs available today. Thanks to its 1 GBit ports and plenty of servers spread out across the world; you won’t have to deal with long buffering times. We could successfully unblock content on Netflix and just about any streaming service with Surfshark.
The Surfshark Android app is compatible with almost every Android TV box. Also, the app supports SmartDNS, which significantly increases your chances of being able to access foreign streaming platforms without any hiccups.
Note: Only use SmartDNS when connecting to trusted services.
Surfshark has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service at no cost before committing to it.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
3. ExpressVPN: Fast, beginner-friendly VPN for Android TV
Features at a glance:
- 3000+ servers in 94 countries
- Easy to use
- Compatible with Android TV
- Excellent speeds
- 24/7 live chat support
ExpressVPN is arguably the best VPN for Nvidia Shield and other Android box TVs. It posted impressive results in our tests. We could easily unblock and stream content on Netflix and other platforms without lags.
ExpressVPN is designed to promote anonymity online. Its TrustedServer technology ensures there are no logs of your internet activity. It also comes with obfuscation and solid encryption to protect you from censorship and snooping eyes.
Installing the ExpressVPN app on your Android TV is relatively easy. It is very beginner-friendly. This provider may have the best VPN app for Android TVs.
Starting at $6.67 monthly, ExpressVPN is more pricey than most top VPNs. Thankfully, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- 3,000+ servers in 94 countries
4. CyberGhost: Android TV VPN with an extensive server network
Features at a glance:
- 9000+ servers in over 91 countries
- Dedicated Android TV app
- Full HD streaming
- Fantastic speeds
- 24/7 live chat support
CyberGhost allows you to unblock content on all the top streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. This provider has more servers than the average VPN, so you can access content from different parts of the world. While its speeds are not stellar, it’s fast enough to stream smoothly.
CyberGhost’s dedicated IPs allow you to unlock all your favorite entertainment platforms with a significantly lower risk of getting blocked.
The CyberGhost Android VPN app is easy to install, and its subscription is relatively cheap — if you go with the three-year plan. CyberGhost also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you have a long time to test the service before deciding on it.
- Very user-friendly
- High quality for a low price
- Torrents and Netflix possible
5. IPVanish: Privacy-focused Android TV VPN with decent speeds
Features at a glance:
- 2000+ servers in 75 locations
- Compatible with Android TV
- Decent speeds
- Excellent security
- 24/7 live chat support
IPVanish is the best VPN for Android TV if you’re primarily concerned about privacy. With over 40,000 IP addresses to choose from, it’s clear that the focus is on helping you to stay anonymous online.
While IPVanish is not as fast as the other VPNs highlighted above, we could unblock and stream content on Netflix and other platforms. But there was a bit of lagging when we connected to distant servers.
IPVanish allows you to choose between using its VPN or its SOCKS5 proxy. The main difference is that the former doesn’t encrypt your data.
IPVanish offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can ask for a refund if you feel it’s not worth the price.
How We Picked the Best VPNs for Android TV
In the quest to find the best VPNs for Android TV, we first created a shortlist of top-rated VPNs that are compatible with Android TV boxes. Then we assessed their speed, security, anonymity, and ability to help you bypass geo-restrictions.
- Speed: This is the number one requirement for picking a VPN. All the VPNs we’ve highlighted performed remarkably well in our speed tests. While some posted better results than others, these are some of the best Android TV VPNs for streaming.
- Bypass geo-restrictions: For many people, bypassing geo-blocks is the main reason they opt for a VPN. We tested these VPNs to find out if they could successfully skirt the restrictions of streaming companies, and impressively, they could all unblock Netflix and other major streaming platforms.
- Server network: The server network of a VPN provider determines how much content you can unblock. These providers have a vast network of servers that allow you to access content from different parts of the world.
- Security: We value privacy, so we only settle for VPNs with high-level security. The VPNs we highlighted above come with solid encryption and VPN protocols, which makes it difficult for anyone to spy on your online activities. This inadvertently also helps to prevent data throttling.
- Anonymity: It’s important to be able to access the web anonymously without being tracked. We assessed the privacy of these VPNs and found that they all change your IP address. Also, they do not log any data that can be used to identify you.
How to Install a VPN on Android TV
Installing a VPN on your Android TV is pretty easy. You can choose to download the VPN app from the Google Play Store or get it from the provider’s website.
Installing an app from Play Store is straightforward — follow the on-screen instructions. If you choose to download it from the manufacturer’s website, you’ll usually find instructions on how to set up the VPN app on your Android TV device.
There’s a third option — sideloading the app. We don’t recommend this option unless you can be sure you’re getting the app from a trusted source.
Installing a VPN app on your Android TV box is not your only recourse. There are different ways to set up a VPN for your Android TV. Here are your options:
- Install the VPN app on your Android TV device. This protects all the traffic from your Android TV to the web.
- You can also choose to install the VPN on your router. This protects the traffic from every device connected to your router, including your Android TV box.
- A third option is to install the VPN app on your smartphone or laptop. Then, turn on the hotspot and connect your Android TV to that device.
Do you need assistance setting up a VPN on your Android TV? Our article on installing a VPN on your Android TV contains step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process.
Free vs. Paid VPNs for Android TV
Free VPNs can be enticing. After all, if you can get a service for free, why pay for it? Unfortunately, the features and performance of free VPNs pale compared to their premium counterparts.
Installing a free VPN on your Android TV may leave you feeling infuriated as you may be unable to unblock content from other countries or stream without constant buffering.
Generally, free VPN providers are not suitable for streaming content due to their slow speeds and data cap. Many free VPNs also have a limited number of servers, which means you may be unable to access some content.
If you still want to experiment with a free VPN, our article on the top free VPNs contains some excellent suggestions. On the other hand, if you’re interested in an affordable premium VPN, check out our guide to the best cheap VPNs.
VPNs to Avoid
Some VPNs aren’t suitable for Android TVs due to their slow speeds, limited server network, or compatibility issues. Below, we’ve listed a few VPNs to avoid.
| VPN Provider | Why You Should Avoid It |
|---|---|
| Google One VPN | Can’t unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms |
| SwitchVPN | Can’t unblock the US Netflix library |
| Betternet VPN | Inconsistent speeds and can’t unblock Netflix |
| Celo VPN | Slow speeds, a small server network, and can’t unblock Netflix. |
| Tuxler VPN | Slow speeds and can’t unblock Netflix |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of the VPNs to avoid. We recommend you stick with one of the VPNs we recommend above or find other options in the VPN reviews section of our website.
Final Thoughts: The Best VPN for Android TV
A VPN allows you to make the most of your Android TV. You can bypass geographical restrictions and access content that is usually only available in specific countries.
VPNs also keep you anonymous online, safeguarding your privacy. We recommend using NordVPN or any of the VPNs we’ve listed above for your Android TV.
If you’re looking to install a VPN on your other devices, these insightful articles can help you get started:
- Best VPN for Android
- Best VPN for iPhone
- Best VPN for Mac
- Best VPN for Windows
- Best Free VPN for Linux
- Best VPN for Xbox
Do you have a question about the best VPN for your Android TV? Click on one of the questions below to see the answer.
NordVPN is our top pick. This VPN is fast, secure, user-friendly, and has a zero-log policy. The speed and extensive server network of NordVPN make it the perfect choice for Android TV and other smart TVs.
Curious about other VPNs that work well with Android TV? Take a look at our top five best VPNs for Android TV.
We do not recommend using a free VPN for your Android TV. Many free VPNs are slow and have data caps, which makes them unsuitable for streaming. Thankfully, there are many affordable, premium VPNs. If you still want to try a free VPN, we recommend ProtonVPN or PrivadoVPN.
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and safeguards your privacy. A VPN also allows you to bypass geographical blocks and access more content on streaming platforms like Netflix.
