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If you’re interested in fully optimizing your free or low-cost streaming experience, you’ll most definitely want to purchase a VPN subscription to keep yourself safe. Read on for our full overview and buying guide to THE essential service for anyone looking to stream content safely, securely, and privately.
Why Do I Need VPN?
The truth is, information moving through a public network or ISP is very susceptible to being intercepted. Anybody (hackers, governments, corporations) could very likely gain access to your information if you do not take steps to secure it. No matter who you are, you should be concerned about your online privacy, especially these days.
If you using a program like Kodi to stream, it is vital to use a good VPN service to ensure your safety. While we absolutely do not condone streaming protected content, you may not always be able certify the legality of everything offered by some third-party addons. This means you, the end user, may be responsible for whatever legal repercussions occur. The last thing you want is to receive a nasty letter merely for trying to enjoy your favorite show.
Additionally, some content is region-specific, meaning that you cannot access it if you live in a different part of the world. VPN can help you get around this issue by moving your IP address to a server in a country where it is available.
Bottom line, if you want to use Kodi on your Firestick, you absolutely need to invest in a reputable VPN service. Luckily, we are here to guide you!
Best VPNs for Firestick and Fire TV
IPVanish
US-based IPVanish boasts many excellent qualities that we look for in a VPN: it’s fast, and has about 1,000 server locations spread across the globe. This is an old stand-by for us that we still heartily recommend.
Read our full review of IPVanish here.
Get IPVanish ExpressVPN
We consider ExpressVPN to be the “caviar” of VPN services. Pricey, but it outperforms it’s competitors on virtually every single benchmark. If you have the cash, this is the one for you.
Read our full review of ExpressVPN here.
Get ExpressVPN NordVPN
Overall, NordVPN is an excellent, extremely robust and user-friendly program that we highly recommend. It’s a fantastic “bang-for-buck” option that should cost more than it does.
Check out our full review of NordVPN here.
Get NordVPN Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is a great VPN service for someone looking for something a bit more affordable. It’s just about the cheapest option out there, but still has a respectable amount of functionality.
Read our full review of Private Internet Access here
Get Private Internet Access VyprVPN
VyprVPN is a solid VPN choice with few drawbacks. This Swiss service operates about 700 servers, with a great spread of about 70 countries. The “Chameleon Protocol” it offers for premium subscribers is nice, but some customers may be turned off by the limited number of devices they can connect.
Read our full review of Golden Frog VyprVPN here.
Get VyprVPN StrongVPN
StrongVPN is an American VPN service that operates 650 servers in about 25 countries. It’s a solid choice, with an easy to use interface and decent security protocols.
Read our full review of StrongVPN here.
Get StrongVPN TunnelBear
TunnelBear is a quirky Canadian VPN service that may be a good choice if you are just looking for something reasonably priced and extremely user-friendly. This company clearly prides itself on it’s colorful, intuitive layout that virtually anyone should be able to figure out right away.
Read our full review of TunnelBear here.
Get TunnelBear CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a Romanian-based VPN company operating 90 servers in 60 countries. It has an intuitive interface we liked, featuring six connection options.
Get CyberGhost TorGuard
TorGuard is a US-based VPN provider with a lot going for it, despite it’s relatively high price. As the name suggests, this service is built for torrenting, so if that’s your game, TorGuard might be the one for you.
Read our full review of TorGuard here.
Get TorGuard Hide My Ass
The irreverently-named Hide My Ass is a popular VPN service with what is probably the broadest range of servers of any company out there. Based in England, it operates over 800 servers out of an impressive 220+ countries. However, it’s logging policy has left some users concerned about how safe their privacy really is.
Read our full review of Hide My Ass here.
Get Hide My Ass
What is VPN?
VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network”. It is a way of creating a secure channel of communication between your server and the server you are connecting to using encryption technology. These services can also conceal or change the IP addresses of users as well. All this makes it difficult, if not impossible, for third parties to see what you are doing online.
What VPN essentially does is create a private “tunnel” through the public network that keeps prying eyes from knowing what’s being transmitted, or even who is transmitting it.
As a consumer, you can purchase a VPN subscription from one of the many VPN services online. There is no hardware required, although you will need to download their program.
Top 10 VPN Services
We’ve tested the most popular VPN programs currently available and compiled a list of the ten best ones. While compiling the rankings, we considered several major factors:
- Speed (By their nature, VPNs will always slow down your connection a little bit. The best ones will keep latency to a minimum)
- Number Of Servers (More servers mean more options if one goes down, and better coverage worldwide)
- Privacy Policy (Services have varying policies on what kind of customer data the log. The less the better, from the consumer’s standpoint)
- User Interface
- Customer Service
- Price Point
Keep in mind that even though our focus is on Kodi, we will also be exploring their other benefits these VPN services. We feel that online privacy and security is crucial even outside of streaming media, and if you are going to be paying for the service anyways, you might as well consider all of its functions. So, without further ado, here are our picks!
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