Best Firestick VPNs of 2023

Just like your Firestick made your TV smart, getting the best Firestick VPN improves your entire streaming experience by eliminating throttling and giving you more access to streaming content. Like they do for other devices, a virtual private network (VPN) for Firestick encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address. This makes it impossible for your internet service provider (ISP) to know that you’re streaming, thereby eliminating the chance that they’ll throttle or slow your connection. And if you want to travel abroad with your Firestick, the best Firestick VPNs will let you access your favorite shows from home, no matter which hotel TV you plug into.

— Best Overall: ExpressVPN
— Best Budget: Surfshark
— Best for Streaming: NordVPN
— Best Security: ProtonVPN
— Best with a Free Trial: CyberGhost

How We Picked the Best Firestick VPNs

Wading through the scores of VPN providers out there isn’t an easy task. Finding the best one to work with a Firestick is even tougher, as not all providers support the device. We not only made sure a provider reliably worked with Firestick through a dedicated app, we drilled down to the ones that also provided the two things most users want when streaming with a VPN: private connections and access to remote content. 

Factors like speed and reliability also came into play, and each provider on our list has proven themselves in those departments. Finally, we looked at robust customer support, since finding the right server for your needs can sometimes be tricky. All but ProtonVPN had near-instant round-the-clock support, but the security offered by Proton earned it a place on the list. 

Best Firestick VPNs: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: ExpressVPN

Why It Made The Cut: A potent mix of reliable speed, 24/7 support, and streaming performance propels ExpressVPN to the top of the list.

Specs:

— Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
— Number of Servers: 3,000+
— Number of Locations: 94 countries
— Firestick Compatibility: Amazon Fire TV Stick 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and 4K, plus Fire TV 1st gen, 3rd gen, 4K, and Cube
— Device Limit: Five

Pros:

— Reliable, stable connections with servers in 94 countries
— Choose between different streaming protocols for the best connection
— Speedy 24/7 support helps with any streaming issues

Cons:

— More expensive than other VPN services

One of the biggest VPN services continues to be one of the best. We rated ExpressVPN as our top pick for best VPNs overall, and its performance on a Firestick pushes it to the top of the pack here too. The friendly and simple user interface ExpressVPN is known for translates nicely to the Fire TV app, with a big “on” button sitting center stage. It will connect you to an optimized server automatically, or you can switch to the country list to pick the server you want to use. 

Part of what makes ExpressVPN so great is its dedication to streaming — since you’re not typically accessing the internet at large with a Firestick, streaming freedom is probably your main focus. The service works with a laundry list of streaming services, including the heavy hitters like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Thousands of servers means you’ll rarely encounter slowdown due to crowding, and with servers in 94 countries, you’ll be able to see content from across the globe. 

Some services, like Netflix, get a little iffy when they detect you’re accessing their services with a VPN (and may block access). It might also be tricky to find the server that allows access to your preferred region’s content library. For these reasons, you may very well need some help with your VPN, which is where ExpressVPN’s service quality comes into play. Live help is available around the clock and their support people are experts at getting you out of the woods and into clear streaming.

Particularly helpful for a better streaming experience, ExpressVPN lets you switch between VPN protocols. While it’s a bit of an advanced feature, when it comes to speed and connection stability, switching out which VPN protocol you’re using on a given day can make a difference. ExpressVPN offers four: their own Lightway protocol (usually the best option), plus OpenVPN, L2TP, and IKEv2. You can easily swap between them using the settings menu in the options tab on your ExpressVPN app for Firestick. 

Their current promo puts the service at just below $7 per month for 15 months (billed all at once) or you can go month-to-month for $13 monthly. Either option grants you a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can see how it jives with your streaming proclivities, risk-free.

Best Budget Option: Surfshark  

Why It Made The Cut: With a sub-$3 monthly price for the 24-month plan and unlimited devices, Surfshark makes outfitting your Firestick with a VPN truly cost-effective. 

Specs:

— Jurisdiction: Netherlands
— Number of Servers: 3,200+
— Number of Locations: 95 countries
— Firestick Compatibility: Amazon Fire TV Stick 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and 4K, plus Fire TV 1st gen, 3rd gen and 4K
— Device Limit: Unlimited

Pros:

— Fantastic price with the two-year plan
— Unlimited devices covered under one account
— Multiple VPN protocols available

Cons:

— Customization limited in Firestick app

While they consistently lead the VPN parade with super fast speeds, Surfshark also makes the cost of entry super low with their two-year plan. Using the Firestick app is fairly straightforward, with an interface that mirrors the desktop and mobile apps. Features like favoriting your preferred locations and visual icons to show server load make getting connected to an optimized server extra easy. Of course, if you just want Surfshark to connect to the fastest or nearest server, that’s an easy one-click button. With over 3,200 servers in 95 countries, odds are your preferred location is covered.

Like ExpressVPN, Surfshark lets you switch protocols from the settings function with three to choose from, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, and L2TP. There’s also a multi-hop function (something not always available on Firestick VPN apps) for those who really want to hide their activity, funneling your traffic through two servers instead of just one. Just watch out for lag times, as this function can slow things down. 

Support is handled through chat on their website, email, or through their social media presence 24/7, so you’ll find your way to streaming freedom if you ever get stuck. The two-year plan gets you coverage for about the cost of a drip coffee per month and with unlimited devices, you can hook up your Firestick, phone, tablet, desktop, or whatever else needs protection and encryption. Factor in the 30-day money-back guarantee and Surfshark is one of the cheapest VPNs for Firestick.

Best for Streaming: NordVPN  

Why It Made The Cut: NordVPN’s notable reliability and continued improvements combine with a proprietary protocol and streaming-specific features for one surefire way to see more content. 

Specs:

— Jurisdiction: Panama
— Number of Servers: 5,400
— No. of Locations: 59 countries
— Firestick Compatibility: Amazon Fire TV Stick 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and 4K, plus Fire TV 1st gen, 3rd gen, 4K, and Cube
— Device Limit: Six

Pros:

— A huge amount of servers for faster speeds
— Streamlined Firestick interface
— SmartPlay feature boosts access to streaming content

Cons:

— More expensive

A serious heavy hitter in the VPN landscape, NordVPN nearly always shows up on our VPN recommendation lists. Even your least techy friend has probably heard of NordVPN, thanks to their extensive marketing presence. But it’s not just fame that earns them their spot; they are constantly tweaking and refining their service to provide a better VPN experience, and that includes streaming over your Firestick. 

In addition to their huge number of servers, NordVPN runs their own protocol based on WireGuard, called NordLynx. With a simplified code, it was built to optimize speeds between servers, while keeping encryption levels high — that speed is important for streaming, but it’s not the only reason they win for the best streaming VPN. That reason would be SmartPlay. 

Most VPNs offer a smart DNS service, which uses a pool of IP addresses to send your initial connection request through a server in the country of your choosing. This helps getting around geo-restrictions. Taking it one step further, NordVPN’s SmartPlay service layers on VPN services so in addition to switching your DNS server, your connection is also encrypted and your IP address hidden. Basically, SmartPlay gives your Firestick unblocking super powers for streaming. And because you already have enough to think about, SmartPlay activates automatically when you use the service.

Best Security: ProtonVPN

Why It Made The Cut: With its audited open-source code, powerful encryption, and hardened data centers, all housed under Switzerland’s stringent consumer privacy laws, ProtonVPN is the most secure VPN for your Firestick. 

Specs:

— Jurisdiction: Switzerland
— Number of Servers: 1,700
— Number of Locations: 63 countries
— Firestick Compatibility: Firestick 3rd gen and 4K, Fire TV 4K, and Cube
— Device Limit: 10

Pros:

— Ultra secure VPN service known for its privacy measures
— Fast speeds with their VPN accelerator
— Super simple interface for ease of use
— Offers a free service

Cons:

— Streaming not available on the free service
— No live support

Journalists and activists in censorship-heavy countries rely on ProtonVPN for the highest security a VPN can buy. These guys believe so much in internet privacy, they even offer a pared-down free version. When it comes to putting ProtonVPN on your Firestick, it’s just as easy as with the other services. Once downloaded you get Proton’s easy, user-friendly interface.

The jurisdiction alone (based out of Switzerland) puts Proton above many other VPN services in terms of security, thanks to the country’s strict privacy laws. But even if the Swiss government did want a peek at ProtonVPN’s user data, there’d be nothing to give, thanks to the no-log policy. On top of that, ProtonVPN code is open source, meaning anyone can take a peek to see how they’re running things — they even hire independent auditors to do just that, and publish the results.

For streaming, ProtonVPN offers excellent speeds, up to 10 Gbps. Running on the fast and secure WireGuard protocol, the techies over at ProtonVPN put a lot of work into their VPN Accelerator, which can boost speeds by 400 percent. With servers in more than 60 countries, you’re likely to find the regional content you want, and Proton has been shown to work with all the major streamers. While they don’t have live support, their website is chock full of troubleshooting ideas.

Best with a Free Trial: CyberGhost

Why It Made The Cut: An industry-leading 45-day money-back option and seven-day, no-credit card free trial period make CyberGhost the best try-before-you-buy option. 

Specs:

— Jurisdiction: Romania
— Number of Servers: 7,800
— Number of Locations:  91 countries
— Firestick Compatibility: Firestick 3rd gen and newer
— Device Limit: Seven

Pros:

— Massive server network
— Extra long money-back period
— Great 24/7 live customer support

Cons:

— Month-to-month plan only has 14-day guarantee 

Most VPN providers offer a money-back guarantee, but CyberGhost is one of the only ones that offer an actual free trial, no credit card required. (ProtonVPN’s free service can give you a feel for this.) CyberGhost is betting you’ll want to stick with them though, thanks to a suite of bonuses for VPN users. 

For better streaming, CyberGhost has a massive number of servers (over 7,000 at last count) in nearly 100 countries, so you’ll never get stuck with overcrowded servers. That also makes most of the major content libraries easy to access, and you can even access servers that CyberGhost has optimized for streaming. 

The Firestick app looks a lot like their desktop and mobile apps, with the cool gray Ghostie aesthetic and a simplified interface. CyberGhost customer service is fast and prompt, with chat and email support offered around the clock — necessary when trying to find servers for the best access to the content you want to see. 

You can cover up to seven devices on one account, which beats both NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Plus with their three-year plan, the price is among the lowest around.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Firestick VPN

Typically, you’d want to equip your Firestick with a VPN service for two reasons: to get around geo-restricted content blocks at home or when traveling with your Firestick, and to ensure your Internet Service Providers (ISPs) never throttles your connection. There are a couple things to know when you pick the best VPN provider for your Firestick. 

How a VPN Stops Throttling: ISPs have been known to employ a practice called throttling in order to save on bandwidth. That means they will slow down users who are connecting to streaming platforms, as those connections tend to be pretty bandwidth-heavy. Since a VPN completely hides your traffic, there’s no way for anyone to know you’re connected to a streaming service. Use a VPN and your ISP will have no idea you’re watching “NCIS” — or any other show — making throttling a thing of the past.

How a VPN Unblocks Geo-Restricted Content: Not only does a VPN obscure what you’re accessing on the internet, it also hides your IP address (which can identify your location) while routing your traffic through remote servers. This makes it appear as though you’re located wherever the remote server is, and nearly all VPN services give you the option of picking your server location. 

Since most streaming services restrict certain content to a specific region (ie, Netflix UK offers a different library than Netflix US), if you appear to be coming from within a specific location, you can typically access that region’s content. Take your Firestick with you when you travel abroad and you can still watch your favorite shows from home. Just plug your device into the back of your hotel TV’s HDMI port. 

FAQs

Q: Do all VPNs work on Firestick?

Not all VPNs work on a Firestick. The VPN provider has to have a compatible app, however the five VPN services we reviewed above all work well with a Firestick. Keep in mind that most VPN providers who support Firestick usage only support 2nd or 3rd generation Firesticks or newer. 

Q: How to install and use a VPN on Fire TV?

Install and use a VPN on Fire TV by following these steps: After you sign up for an account with your preferred VPN provider that supports a Firestick app (such as any of the above picks), you need to download the app. Navigate to your Fire TV home screen and search for the name of your VPN provider (just like you’d search for a movie or show). The VPN service should show up as an app. Download and install the app, follow the prompts, and sign into your VPN account. You should now be able to turn on your VPN. You can either allow the VPN app to choose an optimal server for you, or you can select a server in the location of your choice. 

Q: Can you get a Firestick VPN free?

You can get a Firestick VPN for free. While there are companies that offer free VPN services, the drawbacks of using a free VPN service far outweigh the benefits. Instead, we recommend using a paid service such as ExpressVPN, reviewed above. You’ll get more security and be able to access more servers for improved access to streaming content. If you want a super affordable VPN, go with Surfshark. 

Q: Is it worth getting a VPN for Firestick?

It is worth it to get a VPN for your Firestick if you plan to travel, or live somewhere that doesn’t offer your preferred streaming content. A Firestick equipped with a VPN will allow you to get around content that’s blocked due to your location. A VPN for Firestick is also a good idea if you’ve been dealing with high buffering, low-quality video, or slow streaming speeds from your ISP (it’s possible they’ve been throttling your connection to streaming sites). Since a VPN hides your online activity, your ISP can’t throttle you when you’re connecting to streaming sites since it has no way of knowing you’re even connected in the first place.   

Final Thoughts on Firestick VPNs

For reliability and streaming ease, we recommend ExpressVPN for your Firestick. It will protect your privacy and allow you to connect to a wide range of remote servers so you can access your home region’s content when you’re abroad. The addition of helpful and knowledgeable 24/7 support seals the deal as our top pick. 

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.