Amazon Fire TV stick is perfect for watching thousands of movies from streaming services, catching up with hundreds of exclusive programmes, and streaming live TV including news and sports. You may have already noticed that using your Fire Stick abroad doesn’t deliver the same experience due to most content falling victim to geo-blocking.
Using a VPN for Fire Stick, however, can resolve this frustrating issue alongside providing users a safer and more secure online experience. A VPN can conceal and replace your IP address when you’re traveling abroad so you’ll have access to all the same content that you would back home. Keep reading to discover the best VPNs for FireStick in 2022!
Best VPNs for FireStick in 2022 quick guide
- NordVPN – Overall best choice
- Surfshark – An excellent low-cost alternative
- ExpressVPN – For an exceptional streaming experience
Try out NordVPN* for FireStick now!
Why do I need a VPN for FireStick?
Although Amazon FireStick offers one of the most enjoyable streaming experiences due to its ease of use and massive library of content, it cannot control certain issues that arise for users who travel abroad.
The most noticeable setback when using Fire Stick aboard is the persistence of geo-blocking. Geo-blocking is when content is limited to a certain region due to censorship or licencing agreements, meaning that the content you watch at home may not be available when you travel to another country. Fire Stick can detect your IP address and impose restrictions when it notices that you’re located in a different region.
With a VPN you can avoid these restrictions by masking your IP address and replacing it with a new one from a specific server. If you choose a server located in the UK, then FireStick, among other services and streaming devices, will be tricked into believing that you’re actually there. You can be anywhere in the world and a VPN will give the illusion that you’re accessing the internet from a UK IP address. You’ll be able to avoid any geo-restrictions and watch all the same content that you would enjoy at home. This also works if you want to access content from the USA, for example. You’ll just need to select a server that’s in the USA and you’ll have access to any content that is limited to this region.
Another annoyance that sometimes happens when streaming is internet throttling. This happens when your ISP deliberately limits your speed, causing buffering. One theory for why this happens is that ISPs get paid by companies to throttle competitor sites to discourage users from accessing them. This is known as paid prioritization and a VPN can prevent this from happening as it encrypts your data so you can’t be targeted by your ISP. In some cases, your ISP can also throttle your bandwidth to battle network congestion which occurs during high-traffic times when many users in a single area are all accessing the internet at once.
If you’re using your FireStick whilst abroad and you also plan to go online for various other reasons, then you’ll want to be protected from security and privacy threats. When you’re using public WiFi, your data and online activity are at risk of being monitored by ISPs, government agencies, and hackers. A VPN acts as a barrier that guards you against these risks and encrypts your data so it’s rendered useless in the hands of third parties and cybercriminals.
Even when you’re at home, your trusted ISP could be collecting and selling your data. When using a VPN server, you can remain anonymous online and your ISP won’t be able to track any of your movements across the web.
To recap, you should use a VPN for Fire tick so you’re able to avoid any geo-restrictions and have unlimited access to all content in different regions. Even if you’re enjoying watching your favourite TV shows and movies from the comfort of your home, a VPN can help avoid bandwidth throttling to speed up your streaming speeds. Using a VPN, you’ll also stay protected from cyber threats and your online activities will be hidden from prying eyes who want to track or sell your sensitive data.
Out top recommended best VPNs for FireStick in 2022
The best VPNs for FireStick will primarily have fast server speeds to help you avoid any lag or buffering when streaming. You’ll also want a VPN that has impenetrable security features to protect you from online threats, and a no-logs policy that ensures your data and online activity is never tracked or monitored. Our top recommended VPNs all have native apps for Amazon FireStick.
NordVPN*
This VPN offers some of the fastest speeds available, granting a pleasant streaming experience even when traveling abroad. NordVPN also offers unlimited bandwidth so you can stream as much content from your FireStick and any other streaming services without having to face any lag or buffering.
NordVPN has reliable security features on top of its military-grade encryption that will protect your data from being intercepted by third parties. The included kill switch feature will block your device’s access to the internet if it detects a drop in connection. This feature ensures that your data is never accidentally exposed, even in the case of an unexpected interruption caused by an unstable internet connection or sudden network failure.
Obfuscated servers are another useful tool provided by NordVPN. These specialised servers make the VPN tunnel look like standard internet traffic so you can avoid any VPN-blocking firewalls when you’re online in highly restrictive countries.
NordVPN has a no-logs policy, meaning they never log any user data or online activity. You can be sure that you’re completely anonymous online and not even your VPN will track your online movements or collect sensitive information such as your browsing history, timestamps, and IP address.
Trustworthy security protocols combined with ultra-fast streaming speeds and a huge selection of servers demonstrate that NordVPN is the best VPN for FireStick. Using any streaming service abroad is a breeze with NordVPN as you’ll have access to any geo-blocked content as well as experiencing lag-free streams and staying protected from online security and privacy risks.
Surfshark*
Surfshark is a cheaper alternative that doesn’t skimp out on security and privacy features and can offer a pleasurable FireStick streaming experience. This VPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections so you can protect all your devices at once. Better yet, if you’re traveling abroad with a larger group or family, then Surfshark will let you all stream content on your respective devices all at the same time.
Although not they’re not as fast as some over VPN competitors, Surfshark’s servers are plentiful and consistent. You also have a reasonable selection of servers, especially in the UK, so you should have no trouble finding one to stream geo-blocked content from your Fire Stick.
Surfshark also aims to keep its users and their data protected by military-grade encryption, even when accessing the web from a public WiFi network. They also have a CleanWeb feature that automatically blocks ads and malicious content and a double VPN option that acts as an extra layer of security.
With a no-logs policy that has been independently audited, Surfshark respects the privacy of its users and provides a clear and cohesive concise terms of service and privacy policy.
Surfshark is perfect for users who want to stay protected and have a safe streaming experience when abroad. An impressive range of security features bundled with generous subscription prices makes Surfshark one of the best VPNs for FireStick.
ExpressVPN*
For consistent speeds and an optimal streaming experience, ExpressVPN is the way to go. This provider has a massive selection of servers including hundreds located within the UK, so you’ll have plenty of connection options. These servers are lightning-fast and allow users to stream high-quality content from their Fire Stick without any interruptions.
You’re able to stream with up to 5 devices at once and setting up the ExpressVPN is incredibly easy and straightforward. If you have trouble connecting to a server or you run into any other issues, then you can make use of ExpressVPN’s 24/7 customer support.
ExpressVPN has a fine selection of security features such as split tunneling, a kill switch, and private, encrypted DNS on every server. This provider has also moved to RAM-only services that offer even stronger privacy protection.
Although slightly more expensive than other options, ExpressVPN is ideal for those who want the best streaming quality available whilst also being protected by trustworthy security protocols. ExpressVPN’s overall range of great features and fast server speeds place it on our list of the best VPNs for FireStick.
To conclude, if you want to have access to any geo-blocked content on your FireStick when using it abroad, then you’ll need a VPN. A VPN can bypass any geo-restrictions so you’re not limited to the content available in your specific location. VPNs will also act as a shield to protect you from malware and intrusive ads, and keep your data out of the reach of third parties attempting to track and sell sensitive information.