Introduced in 2014, the Fire TV Stick is Amazon's rival to the Chromecast and Roku. The device connects to an HDMI port and allows any TV to stream content over a Wi-Fi network, making it a very well-equipped smart device.
However, much of the content that people want to stream is geo-blocked, making it only available in a particular country or region. This is mainly due to content license agreements and streaming rights. Of course, the main way to fix this problem and access content is to use one of the best VPNs and change your IP address to a location with the desired content.
Best VPN for Amazons Fire TV in 2019
1. ExpressVPN
Best Complete VPN, Fastest VPN for Fire TV
Number of servers: 3000+ | Server locations: 160 | IP addresses: 30,000 | Maximum number of supported devices: 5
Excellent speeds for Kodi and other applications.
Wide range of servers and locations.
It is not the cheapest provider.
ExpressVPN is our first choice for the best all-round VPN, and especially for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. With 3000 servers spread across nearly 160 sites, this British Virgin Islands-based provider offers many connection options. In our tests, we found that speeds were slightly lower than our normal rates on the shortest hops, with little change on long-distance connections.
ExpressVPN is known for its quality apps, including a brand-new Android app that works well with Android-based streaming devices (like Amazon's Fire TV and Fire TV Stick), and navigates to using the remote. . When you turn it on, the app immediately recommends the location that gives you the best connection speed. Speaking of connection speed, this was really impressive in the US and Europe, and even in some places further afield.
ExpressVPN offers an excellent level of technical support, including many troubleshooting guides and 24/7 live chat support. You can also contact us by email if it is convenient for you.
The Android application uses the OpenVPN protocol, encrypting all traffic with 256-bit encryption. The privacy policy makes it clear that the company does not collect or store traffic data, connecting IP addresses, or browsing activities of individual users, a significant benefit for Kodi users. In our tests, we confirmed that ExpressVPN was unblocking Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and a wide range of streaming services. ExpressVPN also provides FireServer compatible MediaStreamer DNS services for those who want to unblock content even if they are not connected to the VPN.
Rate plans aren't the cheapest, but they can be worth the added cost for the best possible streaming experience on Fire TV / Fire TV Stick. Pricing is somewhat mitigated by ExpressVPN's "no-hassle" money-back guarantee that lets you try the full service for up to 30 days without sneaky bandwidth restrictions or the like. This is certainly useful because there is no free plan or trial. The annual plan offers the best value for money (three months free). The available packages are:
2. NordVPN
Number of servers: 5 600+ | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: N / A | Maximum number of supported devices: 6
Speeds above average
First class security
The monthly plan is expensive
Free trial hidden on site
During our tests, NordVPN delivered very good performance, with impressive speeds over short connections and very useful results over longer distances. There are also many servers to choose from. The provider offers tutorials to configure your router with a VPN or share the VPN connection from your PC to use the service with the Fire Stick. Recently, there is also a dedicated Android TV app that you can download from the Amazon Appstore and use it with your Fire TV.
NordVPN excels at security by offering double data encryption (when your connection is transmitted through two separate VPN servers), as well as support for all major security protocols. On top of that, the company has a "no newspapers" policy, which is always nice to see.
There is a free trial version, but you will never know unless you search the website. Of the four rate plans available (all of which have a 30-day money-back guarantee), the monthly plan is very expensive, but the three-year limited subscription is a fantastic deal. The available packages are:
3. Cyberghost
Number of servers: 3700+ | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: N / A | Maximum number of supported devices: 7
Good performance
Easy to use
Some interface problems
No free trial
This Romanian / German provider has a dedicated Fire TV Stick app, available on the Amazon Appstore. If problems occur during installation, detailed guides are available on their website. During our tests, the service performed very well, with very good performance levels and a considerable number of servers. The client is easy to use, which can be important for beginners, although there may be interface issues.
Security-conscious users shouldn't worry, because the provider uses all standard protocols, including IKEv2 and OpenVPN, with 256-AES encryption. In the past, there have been some privacy issues, the privacy policy sets the usual "do not log in" policy and there does not appear to be any apparent privacy issue.
Unfortunately, Cyberghost does not offer a free trial and the monthly fee is quite expensive. However, there is a 45-day money-back guarantee and the long-term plans are much cheaper, with the special 18-month plan being the big winner. The available packages are:
4.IPVanish
Number of servers: 1300+ | Server locations: 75 | IP addresses: 40000+ | Maximum number of devices supported: 10
Excellent performance
Wide server coverage
Slow response from technical support.
No free trial
IPVanish is certainly doing well on both short and long distance connections, the former being up to five times faster than some competitors and the latter with a commendable 15% average increase in download speeds. There are many servers to choose from, with impressive global coverage.
There is also a dedicated Fire TV app, easy to set up and use. It starts the second the VPN connects. It has practical options such as automatic IP change and faster server optimization, although it is not compatible with the first generation of Fire Stick. IPVanish does not log traffic or connection data when you use the service.
One downside that needs to be mentioned is that when we tested the company's customer service, we found it difficult to respond, which is obviously not ideal if you encounter a problem.
There is no free trial, but all three packages offered come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. Your best bet is the annual subscription, which is the cheapest option. The available packages are:
5. VyprVPN
Number of servers: more than 700 | Server locations: 70+ | IP addresses: more than 200,000 | Maximum number of supported devices: 5
Lightning-fast performance
Free 3-day trial
Some logs (connection time, IP)
No refund
(Save 40%) Get 40% discount on VyprVPN annual plans. VyprVPN is a fast and highly secure third-party VPN, all for just € 36.00 the first year. Get VyprVPN here.
This VPN is extremely fast and provides more than twice our normal download speeds, which will be a streaming paradise for users watching 4K (or HD, for that matter) content. The number of servers is also very impressive, with more than 700 servers in more than 70 locations around the world.
VyprVPN has its own Fire TV application, available in APK format or directly from the Amazon store. The application offers many options to optimize speed and automatically connects to the fastest server available. It also provides you upload and download speed charts, a ping test, and more.
The OpenVPN and Chameleon protocols are used here, the latter being VyprVPN's proprietary solution designed to bypass deep packet inspection and detect and throttle or block your VPN connection (note that this is only available on the Premium plan).
The provider also has its own DNS solution and maintains a "no logs" policy, although that said, some sessions are also logged, such as connection times and IP addresses, which may not be suitable for everyone.
You can test the service with a 3-day free trial, and it's a good idea to exercise this right because VyprVPN doesn't allow refunds after signing up. When it comes to subscription plans, the best option is the Premium plan billed annually, as it comes with all the advanced features on offer, and monthly billing is expensive (for both packages). The available packages are:
How to choose the best VPN for Fire Fire Stick from Amazon
Obviously, performance is still important for streaming. So you are looking for a virtual private network (VPN) provider that provides fast and reliable connections. A large number of servers is useful for finding a fast server (the more options you have the better) and it is also good to have a lightweight application that does not affect performance either.
You won't always find a dedicated app for the Fire TV key though, and that's obviously a bonus when you find it, because it means you can avoid setting everything up manually. Support for Kodi add-ons is a bonus too.
The best for
Everything: the best VPN
Balance of options and ease of use
Everything: the best VPN