Best VPN for Firestick 2024 [Top Free & Paid VPNs For Streaming] (2024)

If you use an Amazon Fire TV Stick, you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of it. Even though Firesticks give you access to a huge variety of channels, there is a way to broaden your streaming horizons even further. Our best VPN for Firestick roundup tells all, but if you don’t want to read the whole article, ExpressVPN is our top pick.

Key Takeaways:

• ExpressVPN is the best VPN overall for Firestick. It’s blazing fast, consistently gets into major streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video and is watertight in terms of security and privacy.
• NordVPN is another top-notch VPN for Firestick, as its NordLynx protocol ensures good streaming speeds. Cheaper options for those on a budget include Private Internet Access and Surfshark. These are both decent streaming VPNs.
• Windscribe is our top pick for best free VPN for Firestick. It offers 15GB of data per month for free, but if you plan on streaming a lot, you’d be better off with a paid plan.

There are some fantastic VPN services, some not-so-good ones, and some you’ll want to steer clear of altogether. If you’re new to using a VPN (virtual private network) and do a Google search, you may feel swamped by all the different VPN services out there. In this post, we’ll explain how to choose a VPN for Firestick and share our favorite streaming VPNs.

Top VPNs for Firestick

What Makes the Best VPN for Firestick?

When choosing a VPN, first and foremost you’ll want to look for one that Firestick supports. By this, we mean an official VPN app you can find in the Amazon app store. You can sideload some VPN apps without going through Amazon, but it’s certainly more convenient to install a VPN via the Amazon app store. Read more on different installation methods in our how to install ExpressVPN on Firestick guide.

Another important aspect to consider is speed. If you’re using a Firestick that supports 4K or HD streaming, a VPN with excellent or at least decent speeds can give you the best experience. Strong speeds also help prevent irritating interruptions like buffering or snail-like connection time. With that in mind, our top pick, ExpressVPN, is a great streaming VPN.

It’s also a good idea to go with a plan that has unlimited data or at least a high data allowance to ensure that you don’t get cut off midstream. The below VPN services are our top recommendations.

1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN overall for Firestick with top speeds and security
2. NordVPN — A great alternative to ExpressVPN; user-friendly and with speeds not far behind ExpressVPN’s
3. Surfshark — A reputable, fast and secure VPN for streaming
4. Windscribe — A VPN with a free plan that’s great for occasional streamers
5. Private Internet Access — A budget-friendly VPN that works decently but not brilliantly with streaming services

Our top picks are always VPNs with stellar privacy and security, great speeds, and are services that we find to be consistent and reliable overall. Let’s be clear — ExpressVPN and NordVPN are superior in this regard. Our other three choices are also decent choices and are more budget-friendly, but not quite as impressive as the top two.

The VPN you choose for your Firestick comes down to personal preference, your budget and your streaming habits. If you stream regularly or are traveling a lot, it might be worth going for one of our top picks. If you’re not a regular streamer or only want to occasionally access content in other locations, you might go for a more affordable VPN service.

The 5 Best VPNs for Firestick

Without further ado, we’re going to take an up-close look at each VPN on our list. We’ll explore pricing, features and what makes each one a good choice for Firestick and unlocking geo-restricted content. Hopefully, this will help you make a decision as to which VPN is best for you and your Fire TV devices.

1. ExpressVPN

More information about ExpressVPN:

• Pricing: $6.66 per month on the one-year plan, with three months free
• Website: expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN sweeps the board in our top choices. Not only is ExpressVPN the best VPN in terms of features, privacy and security, it’s also the best VPN for streaming and the fastest VPN. With unbeatable speeds thanks to its Lightway protocol, it allows you to truly enjoy the 4K and Dolby Vision viewing many Firesticks offer. Its speeds also go to battle with every streamer’s worst enemy — buffering.

ExpressVPN has a wide range of servers across 105 countries, so you can enjoy content from a variety of locations. Other pros include unlimited bandwidth so you can stream to your heart’s content, AES-256 encryption for top security, a no-logs policy and 30-day money-back guarantee. If you run into difficulties, ExpressVPN also offers 24-hour live chat support.

Gets Into All Major Streaming Services

Commonly used streaming services are some of the top Firestick channels. Whether you want to unlock Amazon Prime Video or Netflix libraries in different countries or install BBC iPlayer from outside the U.K., ExpressVPN has you covered. It’s hard to find a VPN more proficient at overcoming streaming service geoblocks than ExpressVPN.

Even top VPNs have their downsides — ExpressVPN’s is that it’s expensive. That said, if we take into account how well ExpressVPN performs in terms of speed and its streaming service unblocking capabilities, it’s a worthy investment. In particular, if you’re a regular streamer, you’re sure to appreciate ExpressVPN’s consistency in the long run.

Regular Cloudwards readers won’t be surprised that ExpressVPN took the gold medal for best Firestick VPN. Though pricey, you’d be hard-pressed to find a faster, more consistent VPN for which no geoblock is too much trouble.

2. NordVPN

More information about NordVPN:

• Pricing: $3.49 per month on the one-year plan
• Website: nordvpn.com

Coming in at a very close second in our top picks for best Fire TV Stick VPN is NordVPN. The differences in terms of speed are very slight, with ExpressVPN being the faster of the two but only by a hair. NordVPN’s proficiency at unblocking Amazon Prime Video recently won it a place in our Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video article. Firesticks, of course, are pretty big on Amazon Prime Video content.

In addition to Amazon Prime Video, NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer. You may need to play around with a few different servers to get the best results on occasion, but this is pretty normal with VPNs.

Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN uses AES-256 encryption. It also offers a double VPN feature, has servers in 60 countries and live chat support. We’re also big fans of NordVPN’s easy-to-navigate user interface. You can read more on NordVPNs pros and cons in our NordVPN Review.

NordLynx Protocol for Faster Streaming

NordVPN’s default protocol is called NordLynx. In the past, NordVPN was using OpenVPN as its default protocol and struggled in terms of speed, but NordLynx has greatly improved this. NordLynx can handle high-definition streaming, so you won’t have to worry about poor speeds and buffering. If you’re streaming with NordVPN, we highly recommend using NordLynx over OpenVPN.

NordVPN is slightly cheaper than ExpressVPN, with its one-year plan coming in at a few dollars less than ExpressVPN’s. NordVPN also has a two-year plan at a reasonable monthly price. It’s far from the cheapest VPN provider, but if you’re looking for a quality VPN for Fire Stick with impressive streaming speeds, NordVPN won’t disappoint.

NordVPN took the silver medal as one of the best VPNs for Firestick because of its great speeds, user-friendliness and how it consistently triumphs over those geoblocks.

3. Surfshark

More information about Surfshark:

• Pricing: $2.49 per month on the two-year plan
• Website: surfshark.com

Surfshark is a relatively new VPN on the market that has quickly become a popular choice for netizens worldwide. We consider it an all-rounder for streaming with servers in 65 countries to choose from, unlimited simultaneous connections and decent speeds to boot. Surfshark doesn’t perform as well as NordVPN in the speed department, but it comes pretty close.

During our tests, we found that Surfshark worked well with popular streaming services Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Connection was a little slow at times, but once we were in, we were able to stream with no hassle.

NoBorders Mode for Hassle-Free Streaming

Surfshark also scores top points for security and privacy. Like NordVPN, it offers a double VPN feature, but Surfshark has something extra up its sleeve — NoBorders mode. If NoBorders mode picks up any network restrictions, it will show you the best servers for getting around them. This is really useful if you’re traveling to especially restrictive locations.

Like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, Surfshark has three pricing plans, with the one-month plan being the priciest. Like NordVPN, Surfshark offers a two-year plan designed to save you money in the long run. The two-year plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and the monthly payments on this plan work out to be a dollar less than NordVPN’s two-year plan.

To sum it up, Surfshark is a good choice for Firestick because of its top-notch security, decent speeds and proficiency with streaming devices. The fact that it lets you connect unlimited devices simultaneously is another major bonus, especially if you share your VPN with family.

We’re also big fans of its simple, easy-to-navigate user interface and how optimized for globetrotters it is. Restrictive countries are always upping their game when it comes to blocking VPN use, so if you’re taking your Firestick with you, you’re sure to appreciate the NoBorders mode.

4. Windscribe

More information about Windscribe:

• Pricing: 15GB free per month, $5.75 per month on the one-year plan
• Website: windscribe.com

Windscribe is Cloudwards’ favorite free VPN. It’s also a great choice for streaming. We’ve always had a positive experience pairing Windscribe with major streaming services including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Hulu. Its speeds are okay, though not the best. If you’d like to learn more about how Windscribe works with Netflix, check out our Netflix-Windscribe pairing article.

Windscribe has servers in more than 63 countries, though you can’t get all of these on the free plan. Windscribe’s free plan is just as secure as its paid plan, with AES-256 encryption and SHA512 authentication.

15GB Free Data for Streaming

We’re impressed by Windscribe’s offer of 15GB free data per month. This gives you the chance to get used to the VPN hassle-free and without even having to enter any card details. It also allows you to decide whether or not 15GB per month is sufficient for your needs or whether you need to upgrade.

If you’re a regular streamer, Windscribe’s free plan might not be enough for you. If you only want to watch a few episodes or perhaps one movie, the free plan should see you through. Luckily, Windscribe has some pretty flexible paid plans if you decide to go for the full package.

Windscribe is a little more flexible pricing-wise than our other Amazon Fire TV Stick VPN recommendations. If you don’t want to go whole hog, you can always go for the build-a-plan option. This means you pick and choose the locations you want access to for $1.00 each. Each location you add gets you an extra 10GB on your account.

If, for example, you’re only interested in accessing the U.S. Netflix library on your Firestick and nothing else, this plan may be worth considering. Otherwise, Windscribe is pretty average price-wise, falling somewhere in the middle of the most expensive and cheapest VPNs. To learn more about Windscribe and its pricing and features, our Windscribe review tells all.

Bringing it all in, we’re happy to recommend Windscribe for your Amazon Fire Stick. Its free plan, flexible paid plans, cast-iron reputation security-wise, decent speeds and how well it smashes through geoblocks have well and truly won us over.

5. Private Internet Access

More information about PIA:

• Pricing: $2.19 per month (three-year plan)
• Website: privateinternetaccess.com

If you’re on a budget, Private Internet Access is an extremely affordable and secure VPN. Though it’s not quite as strong or consistent in terms of streaming as our top four, we’ve been able to unblock Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. We had to try a couple of different servers to get things going with Netflix, but we got in and had no issues with streaming.

If these two services are your favorites, PIA isn’t a bad choice. If you use a variety of streaming services on your Firestick in addition to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, you might want to look elsewhere. This doesn’t mean PIA definitely won’t work with other streaming services, but it’s not as capable at getting into them as our other recommendations.

What PIA lacks in streaming consistency, it makes up for in other areas. Though cheap, it allows you to connect to up to 10 devices, is perfectly secure and uses WireGuard protocol for better speeds. This is really important for streaming as you don’t want to endure buffering if you can help it.

Wide Variety of Servers

For a VPN that costs so little, Private Internet Access has an impressive server count. It has tens of thousands of servers spanning 84 countries. This means that if you’re having issues streaming on one server, you’ll have plenty of others to switch to.

PIA has a large U.S. server count in particular, and some servers are optimized specifically for U.S. streaming. As the U.S. Netflix library is one of the world’s most popular, you’re very likely to be able to stream Netflix U.S. hassle-free. If you’d like to learn more about streaming Netflix with Private Internet Access, check out our Netflix-PIA pairing article.

For the full package, Private Internet Access is our cheapest VPN for Firestick. Its longest plan offers three years and three months at just over $2.00 per month, which is a pretty decent price. If you go for the one-month plan or one-year plan, though, it’s closer in pricing to our other Firestick VPN recommendations.

To sum it up, Private Internet Access made it onto this list because of its budget-friendliness, proficiency with popular streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and decent speeds. It’s at the bottom of the list because it’s not the most consistent streaming VPN. That said, if it’s Netflix U.S. or Amazon Prime Video specifically you want to stream on your Firestick, it’s not a bad choice.

Why Install a VPN on a Firestick?

The content you can watch on Firestick channels, though plentiful, is not the same everywhere. For example, if you live in the U.K., the movies, shows and streaming services you have access to may be a bit different from content in the U.S. This is called geoblocking. In short, this means that certain content is only available in certain locations for copyright reasons.

To get around this, you can install a VPN on your Amazon Fire TV Stick. Using a VPN changes your IP address to make it appear as though you’re in another country. This unlocks streaming services and content in that country. As an example, if you’re in the U.K. but want to watch something only available on U.S. Netflix, a VPN will allow you to do this.

Apart from helping you gain access to geoblocked streaming content on Firestick, a VPN is invaluable for your online security. It prevents snoopers — including your internet service provider — from viewing your online activity.

Whether you’re at home or using public WiFi networks, a VPN service keeps you anonymous and protects your data. This includes but isn’t limited to your credit card information, browsing activity, the content you stream and your location.

The Best Free VPN for Firestick

When choosing a free VPN for your Firestick, you need to be careful. Though tempting, not all free VPNs are private and secure. If you’d like to go the free route, our top recommendation is, of course, Windscribe. The only issue with Windscribe is that its free plan only gives you 10GB of data per month.

Another free VPN option that’s decent for streaming is TunnelBear. Don’t get too excited, though — its data allowance is a paltry 500MB per month. To get unlimited data, you have to subscribe to TunnelBear’s paid plan.

If you’re looking for a VPN for Firestick, you’re likely a regular streamer. For regular streamers, free VPN plans aren’t really an option as their data allowances just aren’t up to the task. If you’re on a budget, considering a cheaper VPN like Private Internet Access or Surfshark instead of using a free plan is probably your best option.

Final Thoughts

We’ve explored a real mixed bag of VPN providers in this post. Some are super fast and almost flawless for streaming, whereas others are a little slower or less consistent but more attractive price-wise. All of the VPNs we’ve recommended were chosen not only because of their streaming powers, but because each one caters to different needs and preferences.

Though choosing a VPN can seem daunting, the great thing is that many come with money-back guarantees or free plans. This lets you “try before you buy,” if you will, which should help ease your concerns about picking the right one. This includes ExpressVPN – our top pick – so give it a try first.

Have you installed a VPN on your Firestick? Which one works best for you? If this post has helped you choose a VPN for your Firestick, which one are you going for? Let us know in the comments and, as always, thanks for stopping by!

FAQ

• Windscribe is the best free VPN for Firestick. Just bear in mind that its free plan has a 15GB per month data cap, so it’s not really suitable if you plan on streaming a lot. For unlimited data, you need to upgrade to the paid plan or build your own plan.

• Definitely! Installing a VPN that’s good for streaming lets you access geoblocked content from around the world. A VPN also protects your privacy and keeps you anonymous, especially when traveling and using public WiFi networks.

• Windscribe’s free plan gives you 15GB of data per month for free. This isn’t enough if you want to stream regularly, though.

• WireGuard is the best protocol for Firestick because it’s the best protocol for streaming in general. Some VPNs, like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, have their own protocols — Nordlynx and Lightway, respectively. You can also use OpenVPN or PPTP, but these aren’t as good as WireGuard, Lightway and NordLynx for streaming.