A VPN for Kodi is becoming an essential tool, as life for Kodi users has become increasingly hard in recent years. Kodi Box sales are banned on many platforms, add-ons and servers have shut down, IP addresses have been blocked, and users have been chased by copyright holders. But, with a VPN, Kodi remains a viable streaming option. Read on to find out more.
What are the Best VPNs for Kodi services?
If you’re just after a quick answer, you can find a sneak peek of our experts’ favorite VPNs to use with Kodi below. If you would like more information on any of the services listed, scroll on down, or check out our full reviews for an in-depth analysis of each provider.
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ExpressVPN
– The best VPN for Kodi. You get a secure, fast and versatile service. Everything you need to stream Kodi safely without any buffering. -
Surfshark
– The cheapest VPN for Kodi on our list. You get excellent speeds to handle HD streaming, and it works with most major streaming services. -
Private Internet Access
– The most secure Kodi VPN on our list. It has a proven no-logs policy, loads of privacy features, & excellent encryption. -
IPVanish
– A great all-round VPN for Kodi. It’s secure and fast thanks to the fact that it owns and runs its own network of servers – perfect for Kodi. -
VyprVPN
– A robust VPN for Kodi. It marries strong privacy, excellent unblocking and decent speeds, making it a great partner for Kodi.
The key features Kodi users need from a VPN are:
- Security & privacy
- Fast speeds
- Allows P2P
- Easy to set up
Based on the criteria above, our experts have reviewed over 150 different VPNs and have chosen the top 5 to use with Kodi. Let’s take a closer look at the best VPNs for Kodi.
5 best Kodi VPNs in 2020 | In-depth analysis
With any VPN for Kodi, the devil is in the detail. All of which you can find in the detailed list below:
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Kodi. It’s very secure and super fast so you can stream without buffering. It also has great privacy features to keep you secure when using Kodi.
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Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
ExpressVPN is a secure VPN provider based in the British Virgin Islands. It is perfect for Kodi because it is consistently one of the fastest VPNs in the world, boasts a strict zero-logs policy, and implements strong encryption. ExpressVPN has apps for all platforms that have advanced privacy features like a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. With all these different moving parts, you’d think that leaves more room for error, but errors are rare with ExpressVPN. In any case, you’ll have access to excellent 24/7 live chat support so you can get help at any time if you ever need it.
Besides a regular Android app, ExpressVPN has an Android TV app that is also available on the Fire Stick via the built-in Amazon Appstore. This makes it easy for users to access its service on any device. And ExpressVPN allows subscribers to connect up to five devices simultaneously with a single account!
ExpressVPN is also suitable for torrenting, which makes it a great all-rounder, and it will easily let you unblock IPTV content thanks to its servers in 94 countries. In fact, it is one of the few services that actually unblocks BBC iPlayer and Netflix US. We love using this VPN to stream because it doesn’t cause buffering. And it has just released its new Lightway protocol for even faster speeds! Overall, it’s a great service that you can try risk-free thanks to its money-back guarantee.
Surfshark is the cheapest VPN for Kodi on our list. For $2.49 you get lots of bang for your buck, including excellent unblocking power and speeds for streaming HD content.
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Pricing
From
$2.21 –
$12.95 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
Surfshark is an outstanding VPN that is perfect if you are short on cash but want to stream on Kodi without worries. And, even though Surfshark comes in at a very affordable price point, it is a highly effective and secure service that will provide complete privacy from your ISP. Surfshark has fast servers in over 60 countries, which means you can easily access IPTV services that are blocked, and it is fast enough to let you stream in HD.
Impressively, considering the low cost of a subscription, Surfshark lets you connect an unlimited number of devices at once. This means it is great for families or people who own a lot of devices. Kodi users will appreciate the split tunneling feature available in the Windows and Android apps, which allows you to protect just the Kodi app (and any others you want to protect) while using your internet normally for other stuff.
If you like to run Kodi on your Amazon Fire Stick, then there is some more good news. Surfshark lets you download the app’s APK direct from its website so you can easily sideload it. Surfshark has no problem with people torrenting on any of its servers, and it has no issues with people streaming with Kodi. It’s definitely the VPN to go for if you are on a budget, and you can test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Private Internet Access is the most secure Kodi VPN on our list. It has proven its no-logging policy multiple times and it has implemented superb encryption. You’re in safe hands with this VPN.
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Pricing
From
$2.84 –
$11.00 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a privacy-friendly VPN service that has had its no-logs claimed proven in court on multiple occasions. This highly-respected US-based VPN service is regarded as one of the most secure providers in the game right now. It also offers great technical security with strong encryption and no IP leaks on any platform.
PIA allows torrenting (and therefore Kodi) on all its servers, lets you connect up to 10 devices at once, and has a useful SOCKS5 proxy that, much like split tunneling, can be used to protect only your Kodi connections. Try its global network of servers for yourself, and if you’re not happy, it offers a no-fuss 30-day money-back guarantee.
IPVanish Is a good all-round VPN to use with Kodi. It owns and runs its own server network so you get decent speeds for streaming and improved levels of privacy.
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Pricing
From
$6.49 –
$10.00 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- Hulu
IPVanish is a no-logs VPN service based in the USA. It owns and operates its entire CDN server network, which results in silky-smooth streaming performance when using Kodi. IPVanish allows its users to torrent on its servers, as well as to access Kodi in over 60 countries.
Additional excellent features offered by IPVanish include:
- SOCKS5 proxy – This is a secure proxy service that is great for streaming P2P content securely and smoothly.
- XOR obfuscation – This helps users bypass censorship and is a must if you are to use it in heavily censored countries.
- Split-tunneling – This is great if you just want your Kodi app to benefit from the protection a VPN affords.
IPVanish is also good at unblocking popular streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and US Netflix, in addition to Kodi IPTV services.
Since it runs its own bare-metal server network technical security is good, although Windows users are advised to disable WebRTC in their browsers. IPVanish provides 24/7 live chat support, allows unlimited simultaneous connections, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
VyprVPN is a robust VPN for Kodi. You get access to proprietary servers all over the globe that offer watertight privacy and a decent feature set for Kodi users too.
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Pricing
From
$2.50 –
$12.95 -
Available on
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
VyprVPN is another excellent choice if you need a VPN for Kodi. It boasts strong encryption and has all the best VPN security features for privacy. These include military-grade encryption that will ensure a snoop-free Kodi experience. VyprVPN owns all of its lightning-fast servers, and offers over 70 countries to choose from!
The software is easy to use, and available for all popular platforms, making it perfect for watching Kodi streams on a number of devices. Customer service is excellent, with live chat agents available to help users 24/7/365. Bottom line, VyprVPN is a reliable and trustworthy VPN for Kodi, especially with its generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Which is the fastest VPN for Kodi?
It is imperative that a VPN for Kodi is able to provide watertight privacy. However, in order to be suitable for streaming, your VPN will also need to provide fast connection speeds. A slow VPN will cause constant buffering issues and will ruin your streaming experience.
The graph below provides you with the most recent data from our automated daily speed tests. We test VPNs three times a day using an accurate server-based system. This allows us to see exactly which VPNs are fastest on any given day. You can see exactly how the VPNs are currently performing compared to each other below.
A Kodi VPN hides what you are doing on the internet
It does this in two ways:
- It encrypts all internet traffic between your Kodi device and the VPN server so your ISP can’t see it. Want to know more? Take a look at our VPN encryption guide.
- It conceals your website visits and the streaming services you use so that your ISP has no idea what you are watching on Kodi. The ISP knows you are connected to the internet, and it may be able to figure out you are using a VPN, but it has no idea what you are doing beyond that.
Most Kodi streaming add-ons source their content from unofficial IPTV servers (although it is also possible to run Popcorn Time on Kodi).
This makes it much harder for copyright holders to monitor who watches their stuff, but not impossible. There is no way to know if the IPTV server is monitoring users’ IPs, and if it is, then it can be legally forced to hand the logs over.
It is also not outside the bounds of possibility that a “pirate” IPTV service is actually a honeypot run by copyright holders in order to catch infringers!
Using a Kodi VPN to hide your real IP address from IPTV streaming services is the only way to be completely safe. A VPN lets you stream content using Kodi without the potential for copyright holders to ask your ISP for evidence that you pirated their content.
For more information on any of the topics discussed in this article, check out the following in-depth guides:
A VPN will unblock Kodi streaming sources
ISPs often work with copyright holders to block IPTV portals used by popular Kodi streaming add-ons. This makes it impossible to access those streams without a VPN. Luckily, you can connect to a VPN server in a location that doesn’t block those IPTV services and you will be straight back in the game! Our recommended VPN providers have servers all over the world, so you can get always find a server that unblocks what you need.
Is your ISP blocking Kodi?
If you open your favorite Kodi add-on and find a blank page of content, then your ISP has almost certainly blacklisted all server IPs used by that add-on.
ISPs often block access to the download pages for dubious add-ons
Kodi software itself is completely legal. And there is plenty of content that you can watch on Kodi using legitimate add-ons. Watching this kind of content does not require a VPN, because it is legal.
The reality, though, is that most people typically want to get much more out of their Kodi setup and often turn to illegal means to do so, which is why problems can potentially arise. Illegal third-party add-ons cause you to engage in copyright piracy, which means that you could end up getting in trouble for watching unlicensed content for free.
ISPs work hard to prevent this kind of illegal activity, which is why they often block Kodi content and add-ons that are in breach of copyright.
A VPN will let you get around this blacklisting, but keep in mind that it is vitally important to use a VPN with a zero-logs policy when doing so. If you use a VPN that stores logs, a paper trail exists that can reveal what you streamed online. If the VPN or third-party server company is served a warrant or subpoena, it could be legally forced to comply with a copyright holder to uncover pirates, putting you at risk of being exposed to authorities.
Our recommended VPNs store no logs whatsoever, making it impossible for anybody to collect information about you — even if they try — because there’s literally nothing to hand over.
How to install a Kodi VPN on an Android Box
Check out the guides below to find out how to install a VPN on Android box, Firestick, and Raspberry Pi.
An Android Box is a computer with runs on the Android TV operating system. These devices are usually cheap and physically small but are popular because they are powerful enough to serve as flexible media centers.
Android TV is a version of regular Android that has been optimized to work on large screens and controlled using a remote control rather than using a touchscreen. Android TV can, therefore, run any regular Android app, but know that these can sometimes be awkward to use if they are optimized for your phone!
That said, OpenVPN for Android works well on Android TV, even though it has not been optimized for the platform, as does the Kodi app itself.
Android TV can also run the growing library of Android TV apps that have been optimized for the platform. Many VPN apps have Android TV versions. The easiest way to access these is via the Play Store app on your Android TV device.
Getting setup is simple:
- Visit Google Play Store and search for your VPN provider. Or just search for “VPN” to browse supported providers.
- Install and run your chosen VPN app.
- Run Kodi.
How to install a VPN for Kodi on a Fire Stick
If you want to install a VPN on a Fire TV stick, there are a number of different ways that you can do this, depending on the VPN provider that you’re using. For more information, we recommend checking out our how to install a VPN on Fire TV stick guide.
Conclusion
A VPN helps you to get the most out of Kodi without putting yourself at risk. Now that you know how to make it work for you, here’s a quick reminder of our top VPNs for Kodi:
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ExpressVPN
– The best VPN for Kodi. You get a secure, fast and versatile service. Everything you need to stream Kodi safely without any buffering. -
Surfshark
– The cheapest VPN for Kodi on our list. You get excellent speeds to handle HD streaming, and it works with most major streaming services. -
Private Internet Access
– The most secure Kodi VPN on our list. It has a proven no-logs policy, loads of privacy features, & excellent encryption. -
IPVanish
– A great all-round VPN for Kodi. It’s secure and fast thanks to the fact that it owns and runs its own network of servers – perfect for Kodi. -
VyprVPN
– A robust VPN for Kodi. It marries strong privacy, excellent unblocking and decent speeds, making it a great partner for Kodi.
FAQs
If you haven’t found the answer you need yet, take a look at the FAQs below.