The best smart TV VPNs of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

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Using a virtual backstage network (VPN) connected your astute TV has galore advantages. It improves your privacy, allows you to entree geo-locked content, and blocks ads.

When you're looking for a astute TV VPN, you request to see however it volition interaction your streaming speed, whether autochthonal astute TV apps are available, the size of its server network, and whether the VPN supplier offers specialized servers for streaming and gaming. Our apical picks see NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark.

What is the champion VPN for your astute TV close now?

ZDNET's favourite VPN for astute TVs is NordVPN. This work combines fantabulous speed, server connections, security, and a plethora of ways you tin usage it with your Android-based TVs, Apple TVs, Amazon Fire Sticks, and gaming consoles. Subscriptions statesman astatine $3.09 per month.

Also: The champion VPN services: Expert tested

ZDNET writers person decades of experience testing and reviewing VPN software. We recognize however important VPNs tin beryllium successful improving online privateness and security. To supply the champion recommendations, we perpetually show the market, behaviour our ain investigations and tests, and instrumentality enactment of idiosyncratic feedback.

Read connected to find the champion astute TV-compatible VPNs successful 2025.

The champion astute TV VPNs successful 2025

Few astute TVs person autochthonal VPN enactment unless they are based connected the Android operating system. Therefore, we urge VPNs based connected speed, beardown connectivity, and multi-platform support. NordVPN rates good successful each of these categories.

The VPN provider's bundle is compatible with a big of systems and hardware, and NordVPN besides provides useful guides connected astute TV installation.

If you privation to usage NordVPN connected your astute TV, you person a fewer options -- download and instal autochthonal apps for Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV, instal the VPN connected your router, stock your net transportation done Ethernet cables, oregon acquisition a router with the VPN pre-installed specified arsenic the Privacy Hero 2.

Also: NordVPN review

NordVPN often earns the apical spot successful our VPN recommendations. It provides fantabulous speeds, a server enactment including 111 countries, and beardown stability. Customers similar the enactment connected connection and the ease-of-use.

A caller independent audit and penetration trial recovered that the VPN worked arsenic intended, portion respective high-level information vulnerabilities were discovered and patched. During our ain testing, we find this VPN to beryllium 1 of the fastest disposable alongside ExpressVPN, with fantabulous streaming capabilities, geo-circumvention, and coagulated connectivity.

It's besides 1 of the champion VPNs for accessing Netflix.

Our favourite astute TV VPN tin beryllium costly. The champion deals are with two-year contracts, starting astatine $3.09 per month. Alternatively, one-year plans statesman astatine $5 per month. One period of entree costs $13.

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ExpressVPN provided immoderate of the champion speeds -- and minimal velocity nonaccomplishment -- successful our tests. It is casual to usage and compatible with a scope of platforms and operating systems, making it the close VPN for 2nd spot successful our astute TV VPN recommendations list.

To usage this VPN with your astute TV, notation to ExpressVPN's guides for assistance. This VPN provides autochthonal apps for usage with systems including Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV. You tin besides instal the VPN straight onto your router, oregon you tin opt for an Aircove router with this VPN built in.

If you're inactive having trouble, you tin usage ExpressVPN's DNS-based MediaStreamer service. MediaStreamer improves streaming, but it won't supply the aforesaid extortion arsenic a VPN.

Also: ExpressVPN review

If pricing was much successful enactment with its competitors, ExpressVPN could person secured the apical spot. If velocity is king, you mightiness beryllium tempted to pay. Annual plans are priced astatine $5 per period during the company's existent promotion. Four months of escaped entree are included.

If you privation to motion up for a six-month contract, you volition wage $6.67 per period with 3 months free. One period of work costs $12.95. ExpressVPN present besides offers student deals.

ExpressVPN features: Simultaneous connections: 8 | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Linux, Fire TV, Android TV, tvOS, and routers | Countries: 105 | Logging: No browsing logs, immoderate transportation logs | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Trial: Seven days connected Android and iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.2 | Google Play rating: 4.4 | App Store rating: 4.7

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Surfshark often ranks among our recommendations arsenic 1 of the champion and astir consistently affordable VPNs. It's fantabulous worth for wealth and provides a coagulated server network, user-friendly mobile apps, and unlimited simultaneous connections.

Like its competitors, Surfshark has provided broad guides for mounting up the VPN with astute TVs. Native apps for systems including Android TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV are available, arsenic good arsenic Roku and Chromecast.

You tin besides acceptable up Surfshark connected your router if you similar broad VPN sum successful your home, including your TVs.

Also: Surfshark VPN review

Customers similar the VPN's idiosyncratic interface and easiness of use, and we agree. While archetypal connections tin beryllium slow, erstwhile you're connected to a server, this is simply a set-and-forget VPN. There is besides a utile intermission relation if you privation to entree a work temporarily without a VPN connection.

The cheapest Surfshark subscription is 2 years for $2 per period during Surfshark's day promotion. Alternatively, you tin motion up for 1 twelvemonth and wage $3.19 per period oregon wage $15.45 for conscionable 1 period of access. One- and two-year contracts besides supply you with 3 months of escaped access, added to the magnitude of the contract.

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Private Internet Access, besides known arsenic PIA, is 1 of our favourite open-source VPNs that puts information and privateness first.

While PIA's interface could bash with an update, it works good connected the large surface and tin beryllium utilized with astute TVs done your router, autochthonal apps for Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV, oregon by sharing your PC's net connection.

This VPN stands retired arsenic an unfastened root option, which benefits information conscious users. Adopting an unfastened root attack means that 3rd parties tin analyse the VPN's codification for information issues oregon weaknesses that whitethorn interaction idiosyncratic privacy.

Also: Private Internet Access review

During our velocity tests, PIA performed reasonably well, and we liked the usability and flexibility of this VPN service. Customers applaud its Linux enactment and besides enactment PIA's open-source attack arsenic a benefit.

The champion woody close present for PIA entree is simply a two-year contract, which costs lone $2.03 per period and comes with 4 months of escaped service. You tin besides motion up for six months for the equivalent of $7.50 per month. A 30-day money-back warrant is available.

Private Internet Access features: Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, tvOS, routers, Fire TV, and NAS | Countries: 91 | Logging: No-logs argumentation | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Trial: Seven days connected Android and iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.3 | Google Play rating: 4.4 | App Store rating: 4.7

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IPVanish is different large enactment for astute TV use, particularly if you're a fond console oregon PC gamer. When you prime a server to link to, you tin easy entree latency and ping statistics. This reduces lag and ensures privateness without disrupting your gaming session.

IPVanish works champion connected Android TV and Amazon Fire TV, but an Apple TV autochthonal app is besides available. You tin besides instal the app connected your router oregon stock your net transportation via a PC oregon hotspot done a mobile instrumentality with the VPN installed.

If you request help, you tin notation to IPVanish's setup guides, though the website could bash with amended enactment astir navigating them.

Also: IPVanish review

We similar IPVanish's highly customizable service, which allows you to take from assorted encryption protocols and different configuration settings.

The institution has precocious expanded its server network, putting it connected par with competitors including NordVPN and ExpressVPN, and has besides launched a new Trust Center. IPVanish's latest audit has backed up its no-logs policy.

Customers accidental they admit the nonrecreational work and lawsuit support.

IPVanish is an affordable VPN arsenic agelong arsenic you are consenting to motion up for a two-year contract. If so, you volition wage lone $2.19 per month. The yearly program is besides comparatively inexpensive astatine $3.33 per month. If you lone privation 1 period of VPN service, expect to wage $13 oregon instrumentality vantage of the IPVanish 30-day money-back guarantee.

Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company. For much information, spot our Editorial Guidelines.

IPVanish features: Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, tvOS, Kodi, and routers | Logging: None, but billing information | Locations: 108 countries | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Trial: Seven days connected Android and iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.2 | Google Play rating: 4.5 | App Store rating: 4.6

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Also: The champion streaming VPNs: Expert tested

Smart TV VPN	Compatibility	Server web (countries)	Price
NordVPN	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, tvOS, routers	111	$3.09 per month
ExpressVPN	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Linux, Fire TV, Android TV, tvOS, routers	105	$5 per month
Surfshark	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, tvOS, routers	100	$2 per month
Private Internet Access	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, tvOS, routers, Fire TV, NAS	108	$2.03 per month
IPVanish	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, tvOS, Kodi, routers	103	$2.19 per month

VPN services are designed to amended your online privacy. VPNs make encrypted tunnels betwixt your instrumentality and net services, masking your IP code and making it much hard to eavesdrop and show you. The programs aren't a metallic slug for information but inactive an important instrumentality successful our arsenal.

For astute TVs, a VPN tin halt your net work supplier (ISP) from monitoring what you are streaming, and wherever from, and tin besides beryllium utilized to alteration your location. In immoderate cases, this tin assistance you debar throttling oregon springiness you the quality to bypass geolocation blocks -- though the second is simply a legally grey area.

How to acceptable up a astute TV VPN

Once you've chosen the astute TV VPN you want, you should cheque whether a autochthonal app is available. The astir communal TV operating strategy with autochthonal apps is Android TV, though you tin often usage a VPN connected your Amazon Fire TV Stick or Apple TV.

Find your app successful your TV's repository, typically successful its centralized astute hub. After installing the app, unfastened it and log successful to the work with the username, email, and password you created erstwhile you subscribed. Alternatively, immoderate VPNs let you to log successful done a QR codification oregon a one-time passcode.

Once your VPN has been installed, prime a state oregon preferred server, and you're done.

If the VPN you privation to usage is unavailable for your TV, you whitethorn person to acceptable up a VPN work connected your router instead. Most VPN providers person extended FAQ sections connected their sites detailing however to implicit a manual setup.

Many providers recommended successful this database person been taxable to in-depth investigating and reviews by the ZDNET team. We've been talking astir VPNs for years, spoken with their absorption and their users, and developed a mostly favorable impression.

ZDNET tests VPN services from aggregate locations, but we can't trial from each locations. Every home, community, section ISP, and federation has a antithetic infrastructure.

We analyzed the champion VPNs for astute TVs utilizing the pursuing criteria:

Performance: Our apical VPNs indispensable person a minimum level of performance. After all, there's nary constituent successful utilizing a VPN portion streaming if your transportation continually drops oregon lags.
Simultaneous connections: Many VPNs bounds the fig of devices you tin link done a work simultaneously. If you person a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, oregon astute TV you privation to usage with a VPN, you request a work that allows astatine slightest 5 oregon six simultaneous connections.
Security: There's nary constituent successful utilizing a VPN unless its information protocols and encryption levels are up to scratch. We besides ensured the improvement squad down each recommended VPN cares astir improving information and patching reported bugs.
Kill switch: A termination power prevents you from having an unprotected connection. It is an important diagnostic for a VPN, arsenic it protects you by preventing a instrumentality to a default Wi-Fi transportation should your net transportation unexpectedly drop.
Geo-blocks and streaming: VPNs tin beryllium cardinal to accessing section contented and services portion you're distant from home. We ensured that our apical recommendations performed good fixed these factors and are improbable to dilatory down your transportation portion streaming, including erstwhile you are moving a VPN connected your TV.
Platforms: What systems and devices tin you tally the VPN on? Our astute TV VPN recommendations people person to connection easy-to-use and intuitive apps suitable for this hardware. In particular, we ever look for Android TV and Fire TV compatibility.
Support: As with immoderate subscription software, you whitethorn brushwood problems with installing apps, utilizing the service, renewing, oregon canceling. We database VPNs with an disposable enactment team.
Countries and servers: In however galore antithetic countries does the VPN person servers? This tin see carnal and virtual servers, and whether determination are capable -- astatine slightest 50 oregon truthful -- to supply variety.
Trial magnitude and price: Each VPN we urge has a coagulated money-back guarantee.

For a much extended breakdown, cheque retired our broad VPN investigating methodology page.

Choose this VPN...	If you want...
NordVPN	The champion astute TV VPN overall. NordVPN is compatible with a assortment of TV platforms and provides you with precocious speeds, security, and stability. You besides person an fantabulous enactment of servers to take from.
ExpressVPN	A speedy astute TV VPN. While it is much costly than galore competitors, this multi-platform enactment volition springiness you fantastic speeds for streaming. We'd similar to spot ExpressVPN connection unlimited simultaneous connections, but it's inactive capable to support galore of your devices.
Surfshark	An affordable astute TV VPN. Surfshark has consistently debased pricing, decent speeds, and an charismatic idiosyncratic interface. It's not rather arsenic accelerated arsenic immoderate of its competitors, but Surfshark provides fantabulous worth for money.
Private Internet Access	An open-source astute TV VPN. Private Internet Access has an unfastened and transparent attack to information for protecting your devices. Unlimited simultaneous connections are connected connection and truthful you'll ne'er person to interest astir simultaneous usage restrictions.
IPVanish	A gaming-ready VPN. IPVanish offers tenable speeds for a tenable terms and provides server accusation that allows you to prime the close enactment to trim lag. You tin besides support an unlimited fig of devices simultaneously.

When you are selecting your caller astute TV VPN, see the pursuing factors:

Price: You request to measurement the wide terms of your caller VPN plan. Try to instrumentality vantage of promotions, but disregard countdown timers -- they typically are conscionable selling tools. While top-notch VPNs tin outgo upwards of $10 per month, galore are disposable for lone a fewer dollars per month. Although, you volition apt person to wage upfront.
Apps: When selecting a VPN, effort it archetypal to guarantee you similar its accompanying TV app. Some VPNs, for example, person large desktop bundle but are lacking elsewhere, meaning they are not arsenic intuitive oregon casual to use. You mightiness beryllium capable to find a autochthonal astute TV app, oregon you whitethorn person to instal the VPN straight connected your router oregon third-party devices, specified arsenic the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Security: Choose a reputable VPN supplier that emphasizes idiosyncratic privateness and security. Frequent spot updates, transparent disclosure of information incidents, warrant canaries, and no-logs policies are each important factors. Open root VPN solutions tin besides beryllium fantabulous options.
Simultaneous connections: If you're paying for a VPN suitable for your astute TV, you mightiness inactive privation to usage it crossed aggregate devices, specified arsenic a desktop, a laptop, oregon a smartphone. We urge that you motion up for a program supporting astatine slightest six devices. Many paid VPN plans present connection unlimited connections.
Contract length: You indispensable besides determine however agelong you privation to usage a VPN. If you opt for a two-year term, you thin to unafraid the champion prices, but different options are besides available. After you've made a selection, you typically person a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Free VPNs: There are immoderate escaped VPNs that are compatible with astute TVs, but you volition request to judge limitations oregon restrictions. For example, adjacent if a escaped VPN program isn't throttled successful presumption of speed, you whitethorn beryllium constricted to a tiny enactment of servers -- and a dense postulation load volition interaction the velocity available.

If the lone crushed you privation to instal a VPN is to disguise your IP code and alteration your determination to entree a streaming contented room extracurricular your archetypal location, past possibly it is worthy it -- but you volition apt person to wage for the privilege. Considering however utile VPNs tin beryllium successful protecting your online privateness extracurricular of astute TV usage, we urge utilizing 1 connected your PC and mobile device.

While determination are free VPNs and escaped VPN plans, the bulk volition travel with dense restrictions connected velocity and server choice, and immoderate providers mightiness show ads oregon merchantability your information. Considering that you volition apt privation to entree contented specified arsenic TV shows oregon films, you volition request a VPN without velocity limits -- and these thin lone to beryllium disposable with paid subscriptions.

Free VPNs usually travel with caveats similar the merchantability of your data, highly constricted server networks, oregon throttled speeds. If you privation to usage a escaped VPN earlier taking the plunge and signing up for a paid service, the lone escaped VPNs we urge trying retired with a astute TV are Proton VPN, Windscribe, and Hotspot Shield.

Samsung devices person Knox, a built-in VPN lawsuit champion suited for concern use, arsenic it requires manual configuration and is highly basic. Most of the time, consumers volition opt for a paid third-party VPN work instead.

Most astute TV models bash not connection VPN services retired of the box, including those from Samsung. Instead, you volition request to find a VPN app successful an Android TV hub erstwhile disposable -- Tizen OS is improbable to person VPN apps -- instal a VPN connected your router oregon span the spread by utilizing a instrumentality connected to your TV specified arsenic an Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Yes, you can. One of the reasons VPNs are truthful fashionable is that they tin beryllium utilized to entree antithetic geo-locked contented libraries crossed streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.

Also: The champion VPN for streaming: Expert tested

Keep successful caput that this is simply a legally grey area. You whitethorn beryllium breaking a streamer's presumption of work by switching your determination to entree a room typically lone disposable successful different area. Furthermore, if they observe VPN usage, immoderate services bounds contented libraries to lone media disposable nether cosmopolitan licenses.

Yes, astute TV VPN services are ineligible successful the United States, but legality varies from state to country.

Check the laws of your determination earlier utilizing a VPN. Some countries, specified arsenic North Korea and Belarus, prohibition their usage outright, whereas others, including Russia and China, frown upon it.

For a database of countries wherever VPN usage is illegal, cheque retired NordVPN's guide.

To guarantee a harmless and reliable VPN experience, archetypal take a reputable vendor known to person a beardown information background.

Next, comparison your IP code earlier and aft enabling a VPN connection. You tin find this nether your device's settings -- typically nether Wi-Fi -- oregon by visiting whatismyipaddress.com. If they some show the aforesaid IP, your VPN whitethorn not beryllium moving properly.

You tin besides sojourn dnsleaktest.com to spot if immoderate domain sanction work (DNS) leaks are detected portion you are utilizing a VPN, which could beryllium a motion that your accusation is being leaked.

VPNs obscure your online enactment by encrypting your connection and masking your IP address. While it whitethorn beryllium much hard to observe amerciable streaming, nary VPN volition wholly fell your net beingness and determination whitethorn inactive beryllium consequences for amerciable activity.