Best VPN for Firestick and Fire TV (3 Work Well in 2023)

As online streaming continues to grow in popularity, more people than ever are using Firestick and Fire TV to watch their favorite shows. The Firestick (or Fire TV Stick) and Fire TV models remain the best option for streaming by giving you instant access to a huge library of content and numerous streaming services.

Using the a good VPN for Firestick gives you the best streaming experience possible, with unlimited access to all content. However, there’s a catch.

Many VPNs advertise compatibility with Firestick — but they don’t actually work well. In fact, many VPNs have no dedicated app for Firestick and Fire TV. Another problem we have identified with many popular VPNs is that they are too slow for streaming, which results in playback issues and interruptions.

At the end of the day, you need a fast and reliable VPN that works well with Firestick and Fire TV — and not just any VPN will work. We have tested all of the most popular VPNs to see how they work with Firestick and narrowed it down to the top three choices below.

Top VPNs for Firestick and Fire TV

1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Firestick with the fastest speeds, secure and reliable apps, large server network, and the best support for streaming services (with a 68% off coupon)
2. Surfshark – Secure and budget-friendly VPN for Firestick
3. ExpressVPN – Reliable and user-friendly VPN for Firestick

Do you need a VPN for Firestick?

If you want to maximize your Firestick streaming experience, then you will need a good VPN service. Simply put, a VPN is essential for Firestick users to get unlimited access to the widest selection of content, without getting restricted by your ISP.

If you are not using a VPN with Firestick, you will likely experience these problems:

• Content restrictions – Content is often restricted to certain geographic locations. If your IP address is not in this location/country, then you will be blocked. This is called geo-blocking and a VPN allows you to break through by changing your IP address and making you appear to be in the country you want.
• ISP throttling – This growing trend is when your ISP (Internet Service Provider) throttles or limits your connection speed. This is done for various reasons, but it ultimately results in a headache and streaming problems. (A VPN gets around ISP throttling and encrypts all traffic, making your activities invisible to your ISP.)
• Privacy concerns – As we have covered before, there is a growing concern about online surveillance, privacy, and data security. By encrypting your internet traffic through a VPN, you achieve a higher level of privacy and security online. Your ISP and other third parties will no longer be able to see and record your online activities with your VPN connection active.
• Legal troubles – Streaming from unauthorized sources and using third-party add-ons and websites is becoming a legal issue in some areas, particularly the United States and Europe. While we do not condone any illegal activity, a VPN will add a layer of protection by concealing your IP address and location from third parties.

As you can see, any savvy streamer in today’s world will use a VPN to maximize streaming options, while also staying private and safe online. While online streaming continues to grow in popularity around the world, people are also being careful with how they spend their money. A VPN will help you get the most out of your streaming budget, wherever you are located.

Interest in using a VPN for Fire Stick and Fire TV also continues to grow over time for all the reasons mentioned above. So without delay, let’s examine the best VPNs for Fire Stick and then discuss installation options and other FAQs further below.

Ranking the best Firestick VPNs in 2023

Here are the criteria we used to rank the best VPNs for Fire Stick and Fire TV:

1. The VPN offers a dedicated app on the Amazon App Store for Fire TV devices
2. Excellent performance on servers throughout the VPN network to give you the best speeds for streaming on your Fire TV stick (with no buffering).
3. Reliability with VPN servers, apps, and all factors that can affect your streaming experience.
4. Compatible with Kodi add-ons to give you more streaming options.
5. Can unblock geo-restricted content with numerous services, including Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu.
6. Located in a safe privacy jurisdiction, outside of the US and other dangerous areas (Five Eyes) for surveillance and data requests.
7. Reputable VPN service with a good track record. (IPVanish was caught logging users and providing data to US government agencies, but many sites still recommend it.)

So now let’s examine the results. Here are the best VPNs for Firestick and Fire TV:

NordVPN – Best VPN for Firestick and Fire TV

NordVPN is our pick as the best VPN for Firestick and Fire TV. It simply outperforms the other options while offering tons of features, a large server network, secure and user-friendly apps, along with excellent support. And to top it all off, it is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market, coming in under $4 per month.

Based in Panama, NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs and does very well with streaming, privacy, and security. It is a verified no-logs VPN service that has passed independent security and privacy audits.

NordVPN offers a dedicated Amazon app for streaming on Firestick and Fire TV. Setup is very easy — simply install the VPN app on your device and you’re good to go. If you do want or need help with setup you can follow the instructional guides on the NordVPN website, or get help through NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat support team.

We’ll talk more about NordVPN’s performance below, but you should know that this is the fastest VPN we have ever tested. We’ve clocked it at speeds as high as 445 Mbps on our 500 Mbps test network. This means that (assuming you have a decent internet connection) you can stream HD and 4K video content without problems.

Put all this together and you can see why NordVPN is the best VPN for Firestick and Fire TV devices.

But NordVPN is more than just the best VPN for Fire TV and Firestick devices. We consider it the best VPN available, period. Keep reading to learn what else you can do with NordVPN.

General VPN features

NordVPN is perhaps the most feature-rich VPN on the market. We test VPNs for a wide range of uses. And NordVPN tests out as one of the best VPNs for almost every use. We’ll use the rest of this NordVPN mini-review to show you why, starting with their wide range of VPN apps.

VPN apps

NordVPN provides a huge selection of apps for major operating systems, mobile devices, streaming devices, and web browsers.

Aside from the operating systems and web browsers shown above, NordVPN also works with Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and even routers. And their SmartPlay feature gives you unlimited access to your favorite streams, no matter what device you are using. Here is the NordVPN Windows app:

As you can see, NordVPN apps are attractive and easy to navigate. The map provides an alternate way to select the server location you want to connect to, and all the features of the apps are accessible from this one window.

NordVPN server network

NordVPN’s network consists of about 5,700+ servers in 60 countries. This server network delivers excellent speeds and reliability for not just streaming with Firestick but for any and all activities.

While other VPNs have servers in more countries than NordVPN (Surfshark has servers in 100 countries for example), for most of us, NordVPN has servers in all the countries we are likely to be interested in.

All the servers in the NordVPN network are RAM-only servers. This means that they do not contain disk drives, so no personal data can be stored on the servers. This is a great boost to your privacy.

In addition, this huge network of global servers allows NordVPN to provide specialized servers for many different needs:

• Double-VPN servers encrypt traffic with two separate VPN servers for an extra layer of security.
• Onion-over-VPN servers encrypt traffic with both the VPN server and the Tor network.
• Obfuscated servers conceal VPN traffic from internet censors allowing you to access sites and content that the censors don’t want you to see. This is an important feature in a VPN for China, Russia, the UAE, and any other heavily-censored locations.

• P2P servers are optimized for torrenting with excellent speeds (we rated NordVPN as the best VPN for torrenting)
• Dedicated IP servers give you to have a static IP address that is dedicated to your sole use, while still having the benefits of NordVPN’s privacy and security features.

See all features of NordVPN here>>

NordVPN privacy and security

For those concerned about privacy and security, NordVPN has a lot to offer. The engineers at Nord Security (the parent company of NordVPN) have created NordLynx, a VPN protocol that fully supports the WireGuard VPN protocol.

WireGuard is famed for its high speed. But it is also an extremely secure protocol that is generally considered to be more secure than OpenVPN, the previous leader in VPN protocols.

Note: NordVPN supports WireGuard with its ChaCha20 encryption as well as the OpenVPN and IKEv2 encryption protocols with their strong AES-256 encryption.

Here are some of the other security and privacy features you get with NordVPN:

• Strict no-logs policy that has been audited multiple times by third-party experts, including PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland, and Deloitte.
• Built-in leak protection (VPN kill switch) with all apps to secure traffic with no data leaks.
• Colocated VPN servers that are housed in third-party data centers, but owned and managed by NordVPN personnel. Most VPNs lease third-party servers that are owned and operated by the data center operators.
• Threat Protection blocks ads, trackers, and malware domains. It can also scan downloaded documents for malware (before you open them) and does not require an active VPN connection to function. Threat Protection is available in NordVPN’s Windows and macOS desktop apps.
• Threat Protection Lite blocks ads, trackers, and malware domains. It cannot scan downloaded documents for malware, and can only protect traffic passing through a VPN connection. Threat Protection Lite is available for Linux, Android, iOS, and in NordVPN browser extensions.
• Private DNS passes your DNS queries through the encrypted VPN tunnel to a secure DNS service. This prevents your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and other snoops from tracking your online activities by recording your DNS queries.

Streaming and torrenting with NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for streaming, giving you access to a large library of content. It currently provides access to 15+ Netflix regions. In the following image we are physically located in Europe and using a NordVPN server in the United States to stream US Netflix. Everything worked perfectly.

NordVPN is also an excellent VPN for BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more.

NordVPN is an ideal choice for torrenting. It is extremely fast and extremely secure. You want speed to complete uploads and downloads as fast as possible. You need security to avoid accidentally getting caught up in copyright enforcement actions conducted by major corporations and other pests. With NordVPN you get both.

How to use NordVPN with Amazon Firestick and Fire TV

Using NordVPN with Fire Stick or Fire TV is very easy because NordVPN offers a dedicated app in the Amazon store. Below we are using the dedicated NordVPN app that we downloaded to our Firestick.

Here is how to easily use NordVPN with your Firestick:

1. Grab a discounted NordVPN subscription here.
2. Download the NordVPN app from the App Store onto your Firestick or Fire TV.
3. Log in to your account.
4. Connect to a VPN server in the region you need.

Tutorial Video: There is also a tutorial video here from NordVPN showing you the exact steps you need to follow to get your Firestick or Fire TV device working with NordVPN.

This makes streaming on a Firestick with NordVPN very easy.

See the NordVPN review for more test results and information.

---

Surfshark – Fast, secure, and cheap VPN for Firestick

Surfshark is a streaming-friendly VPN service based in The Netherlands. It is a very well-rounded VPN that excels with streaming, privacy, and usability. Like our other top Firestick VPNs, Surfshark offers a dedicated app in the Amazon store. This allows you to easily set up and use Surfshark with Fire Stick or Fire TV in just a few minutes.

General VPN features of Surfshark

One of the biggest advantages of Surfshark is its performance. Like NordVPN, Surfshark now supports the WireGuard VPN protocol to deliver extremely fast speeds up to 397 Mbps in our tests.

As of now, Surfshark is the second fastest VPN we have ever seen, trailing only NordVPN. It even beat out other top VPN services in performance, streaming, and features, as you can see in the recent ExpressVPN vs Surfshark comparison.

Surfshark VPN apps

Whether you need a VPN for Mac, Windows, Linux, mobile phones, or streaming devices, Surfshark has you covered. Here’s the Surfshark VPN app for Windows:

As you can see, their apps have a different style than those of NordVPN, but they are still good-looking and easy to use. They also passed our leak tests with no problems, and have never given us any problems in the years we have been testing them.

Surfshark server network

Surfshark has a large network of VPN servers. At the time of this review, they had 3,200+ servers spread across 100 countries. If you want access to streaming services or other resources from countries that NordVPN doesn’t support, Surfshark could be exactly the service you need.

The service has moved to 100% RAM-only servers to better protect your personal data. They are also in the process of converting to 100% colocated servers

In addition to giving Surfshark users access to an impressive number of countries, the Surfhark network boasts several types of specialized servers. They include:

• MultiHop (Double-VPN) servers pass your traffic through a pre-defined pair of servers for greater security.
• Dynamic MultiHop servers pass your traffic through two VPN servers like regular MultiHop servers do. However, you get to specify the entry and exit location, giving you complete control over the path your data travels.
• Static IP servers give you the same IP address every time you connect to them. This address is shared with other users.
• Dedicated IP servers give you the same IP address every time you connect to them. This address is dedicated to your use and is not shared with other users.
• Camouflage mode is automatically activated on any Surfshark server you use whenever you select the OpenVPN protocol.

See all Surfshark features here >>

Surfshark privacy and security

Surfshark also offers some excellent privacy and security features. These include Bypasser (split tunneling), kill switches, private DNS, and CleanWeb which block ads, trackers, malware, and phishing attempts.

Surfshark encrypts OpenVPN and IKEv2 data with an AES-256 cipher and encrypts WireGuard data with a ChaCha2 cipher. It passed all of our leak tests as well, ensuring that your traffic is secure.

While Surfshark has long claimed to be a no logs VPN, they proved it recently when they passed an audit of their no-logs implementation conducted by Deloitte.

Streaming and torrenting with Surfshark

In the streaming category, Surfshark is also far ahead of most other VPNs. It is a great VPN to unblock Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and many other services. It consistently works great for streaming without problems or hiccups.

When you connect to a nearby server on your Amazon Fire device, Surfshark VPN will offer plenty of speed for HD streams. And as we pointed out in the Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison, both VPNs support a large variety of devices and operating systems.

The same reasons that NordVPN is a great VPN for torrenting also apply to Surfshark. It is very fast (second only to NordVPN right now) and very secure.

How to setup Surfshark VPN with Amazon Fire TV Stick

Like with the other best VPNs for Firestick, setting up Surfshark on your Amazon Fire device is very simple.

All you need to do to start using Surfshark VPN on your Firestick or Fire TV is:

1. Get a discounted Surfshark VPN subscription.
2. Go to the Amazon App Store on your Fire device.
3. Search for “Surfshark” and then download the official Surfshark VPN app.
4. Enter your login details from your subscription (username and password).
5. Connect to a VPN server and enjoy streaming on your Fire device.

Our Surfshark review has more info and test results.

---

ExpressVPN – A reliable and user-friendly VPN for Fire TV Stick

ExpressVPN is also one of the best Firestick VPNs that you may want to consider. Like our other top contenders, ExpressVPN offers a dedicated app for Amazon devices, allowing you to easily get everything set up in minutes.

General VPN features of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has always been one of the top VPNs for streaming. It is a great VPN for Netflix, while also giving you access to many other streaming services, including Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney Plus. Their large server network includes 160 server locations in 94 countries, which allows you to find a fast and reliable server near you.

I tested out the ExpressVPN Amazon app for a 2nd generation Firestick and it worked perfectly.  By default, it uses the “Recommended Server” which will offer the best performance based on your physical location and bandwidth availability. You can easily switch between servers and also VPN protocols right in the ExpressVPN Amazon app.

Lastly, ExpressVPN also does well in terms of security and privacy. It encrypts data using an AES-256 cipher combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec/L2TP). ExpressVPN is also a verified no logs VPN service that has passed an independent audit. Being based in the British Virgin Islands helps to ensure ExpressVPN can remain a true no-logs VPN service, free from outside interference and data requests. They have also launched the Lightway VPN protocol, which is very similar to WireGuard.

How to use ExpressVPN with Fire TV Stick

Like our other top Firestick VPNs, ExpressVPN is user-friendly and easy to get working with your devices. In addition to having a clean and minimal user interface, ExpressVPN also offers a huge selection of up-to-date tutorial videos and guides, along with 24/7 live chat support.

Here’s how to use ExpressVPN with Fire TV or Firestick:

1. Purchase an ExpressVPN subscription.
2. Go to the Amazon App Store on your Fire device.
3. Search for “ExpressVPN” and then download the official VPN app.
4. Enter your login details from your subscription.
5. Connect to a VPN server and enjoy streaming.

More details and test results are in the ExpressVPN review.

---

How to use a VPN on your Fire TV Stick

Using a VPN on your Firestick and Fire TV is pretty easy with a good VPN that offers an Android VPN app. Because Amazon Firestick and Fire TV run on a modified version of Android firmware, it is easy to set up a VPN in just a few minutes. There are two main ways to use a VPN on your Firestick and Fire TV:

1. Dedicated Amazon VPN app – This is the easiest method that we discussed above. Simply search for the VPN app in the Amazon App Store, download it, and you’ll be ready. These recommended Amazon Fire Stick VPNs have dedicated apps you can download right in the Amazon App Store:
   • NordVPN
   • Surfshark
   • ExpressVPN
2. Third-party apps – With this method, you can simply use a third-party VPN app and then load the VPN server file you want to use. Using a third-party app, such as OpenVPN for Android is free. But you will need to download the appropriate VPN server configuration file from your paid VPN service. Then you will connect to that server location through the third-party app.

Whenever possible, it is best to use a dedicated VPN app through the Amazon App Store. This makes setup very easy, while also giving you full access to all of the VPN server locations. The VPN service itself will also keep the app updated and can help you troubleshoot any issues. This is why we think the best VPNs for Firestick are those that offer dedicated VPN apps, which is why we only recommend the three VPNs above.

When you go with the second option, using third-party apps on your Amazon TV device, you will also need to download the VPN server configuration files. This can add to the hassle. Additionally, switching server locations will require you to download all the server configuration files you’ll want to use.

Having problems with installing VPN apps from the Amazon Store? Do this.

Sometimes people have issues downloading a VPN app from the Amazon App Store, even when using a Fire Stick or Fire TV that supports VPNs.

One potential solution is to use the “Downloader” app, and then load the APK file. Here’s how:

1. First, you must enable the “Apps from Unknown Sources” option in the settings. Go to Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options > and make sure that “Apps from Unknown Sources” is set to On.
2. Now search for and install the “Downloader” app.
3. Allow Downloader to have access to photos, media, and files on your device.
4. Enter the URL for your VPN’s APK file. (Contact your VPN’s support department to find out where this is.)
5. Select Go and install the file.

Note that this is a workaround solution if the VPN app from the Amazon App Store is not working for some reason.

Do VPNs work with all versions of Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV?

No, VPNs do not work with all versions of Fire Stick. Specifically, a VPN will not work on 1st generation Fire Sticks. Finding out you can’t use a VPN because of this would be annoying. But the odds of that happening are small. Your Fire Stick is likely not a first-generation model because the first-generation model was discontinued back in 2016. If in doubt, you can check the FCC ID code on the back of the Firestick.

• First Generation: FCC ID 2ABDU-0509 (does not work with VPN)

All newer generations of Fire Stick and Fire TV work with VPNs. Specifically, these versions of Fire Stick and Fire TV work with a VPN:

• Fire TV (all versions work with a VPN)
• Fire TV Stick 2nd generation and later

But if you do have a first-generation device, don’t panic. There is another approach that works even with first-generation Fire Sticks. That approach is to install a VPN on your router (we’ll explain this more below).

Going this route takes some extra work, but it also has an advantage. In addition to using your VPN on a Fire TV Stick, you can also use a VPN for Amazon Prime streaming.

How to use a VPN on all devices with a router

If you use a VPN on your router, it will apply to all devices that connect to the router. This effectively gives all devices on your network the benefits of a VPN, without having to install VPN software on every device.

In other words, all of the devices that connect to your VPN router will have the IP address and location of the VPN server that your router is connected to. This can allow you to use your Fire Stick with a VPN, without actually having VPN software on your Fire Stick.

The top VPNs for Firestick have specially designed apps that you can easily get from the Amazon Store. But, a lot of VPNs don’t offer specific apps for Firestick, making the setup process more complicated. In such cases, using a VPN router can be a great solution. It eliminates the need to set up the VPN on your Firestick directly. All you need to do is connect to the VPN router and you’re all set.

This technique is not only limited to Firestick VPN installation. It is also ideal with other types of devices that don’t easily work with VPNs. One example of this is using a VPN with Apple TV, which also does not support VPNs directly. This is also true when using a VPN for gaming.

How to change Amazon libraries and regions with a VPN

Another benefit of using a VPN with Fire Stick is that it gives you the ability to easily switch Amazon regions. This may be useful for accessing content libraries that are geo-restricted to certain locations. And as you probably know, getting past geo-restrictions is a big advantage of VPN services.

So here’s how to do that with your Fire Stick or Fire TV and a good VPN service:

1. First, determine what country you need to appear to be in to stream the content you want.
2. Then, connect to a VPN server in that country.
3. Finally, change the country/region on your Amazon account to that same country (applies to Prime users). To do this, go to Your Account > Your Content and Devices > Preferences > Country/Region.

This allows you to stream content in any country of your liking.

Note: VPNs with larger server networks, such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, will give you more geographic options for content streaming with Amazon and other services.

What is the cheapest VPN for Firestick and Fire TV?

The cheapest VPN for Firestick, which is still good quality, is Surfshark. Sure, you can probably find other cheap VPN services out there, but the problem is quality. Cheap often comes at the price of speed and reliability.

You can grab a Surfshark subscription with the discounted coupon here. And all plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

What is the best free VPN for Firestick?

We do not recommend using a free VPN for Firestick.

Free VPNs have earned a bad reputation over the years and for good reason. Many studies have proven the dangers of free VPNs, most of which are basically data collection tools in disguise. After all, how can something that is completely free afford to continue operating? Answer: by making money off of the user.

I would not recommend using any free VPN service with Amazon Fire Stick or Fire TV.

Here are some well-known problems with free VPN services:

1. Malware – Many free VPNs contain malware to infect your device and collect your data.
2. Tracking – Even popular free VPNs, such as Betternet, have been caught embedding tracking libraries in free VPN apps. Avoid!
3. Third-party access to your data – What do free VPNs do with the data they collect from you? Share and sell it to others (data is a profitable commodity).
4. Data leaks – Another study found that 84% of free VPN apps leak data, such as IP addresses or DNS requests. This data can expose the user and render the free VPN useless.

The moral of the story: don’t use a free VPN with your Amazon Fire Stick or Fire TV device.

As an alternative, you may want to consider a VPN with a free trial.

Does a VPN always work with Amazon Fire TV stick?

Provided that your VPN is working correctly, and you are using a Fire TV or Firestick (2nd generation or later), then your VPN should always work with Firestick. One problem is that many VPNs today do not provide dedicated apps to use with Amazon Fire TV Stick. Another problem is that many VPNs today are simply too slow.

We have conducted thousands of VPN tests here over the years to check speeds on various VPN servers around the world. While many VPNs are getting faster with the adoption of the WireGuard VPN protocol, there are lots of others that still lag behind.

When you are using a VPN on an Amazon Fire TV stick device, you will need a fast VPN that won’t buffer or interrupt your stream. If the VPN does not offer adequate speeds, then you will be stuck waiting for your stream to load or watching a low-quality picture. A good VPN for Firestick and Fire TV will solve all of these problems.

Conclusion: Use a VPN with Firestick and Fire TV in 2023

For anyone who doesn’t have a Smart TV, the Amazon Firestick and Fire TV remain the go-to options for streaming media. These popular Amazon devices pack a punch and unlock a world of opportunities for streaming your favorite media.

With that being said, if you aren’t using a VPN with Firestick, you’re really missing out. A good VPN will unlock geo-restricted media, secure your privacy, and enhance your streaming experience without sacrificing performance.

Our top recommendation as the best VPN fore Firestick is NordVPN. It simply outperforms the rest.

Aside from using a VPN on your Amazon Firestick, you should also consider using one on other devices connected to the internet. We have written at length about how internet service providers log browsing activity and often share this data with others or simply sell it.

A VPN will encrypt and anonymize your online activity, securing it from ISP snooping. Our top two recommendations (NordVPN and Surfshark) also offer built-in VPN ad-blocking features for even greater privacy.

There are also many reasons to use a VPN for security. The added encryption of a VPN is crucial if you are on public WiFi or any other type of questionable network. Hackers love those kinds of networks, and a VPN will keep them from stealing your personal or financial data.

Even if never connect to a sketchy network, the security and privacy provided by a VPN can save your neck. After all, the cybersecurity risks in today’s world are real, with news of cyber attacks and exploits surfacing every day. A VPN will help you avoid being a victim.

If none of these Firestick VPNs excites you, we’ve profiled numerous other options throughout this website. You might want to continue your search with our VPN coupon guide, which highlights the latest deals on the top VPNs in the industry.

This Fire Stick TV VPN guide was last updated on July 28, 2023.