Want to harness the power of a VPN on the big screen through your Apple TV? In this article, we compare the 5 best VPNs for Apple TV and show you how to set up a VPN on Apple TV.
The best VPNs for Apple TV working in 2020
Check out the list of the best VPNs for Apple TV below. With these VPNs you can unblock shows from Apple TV+, Netflix, iPlayer, and more!
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ExpressVPN
– The best VPN to use with Apple TV. You get excellent unblocking power & speeds good enough for streaming in HD & 4K! -
NordVPN
– is a great privacy focused VPN that works well with Apple TV -
CyberGhost VPN
– An easy to set up VPN for Apple TV. It supports all major platforms, including routers and you get great speeds to stream in HD. -
Private Internet Access
– A secure VPN that works well with Apple TV. The app is intuitive, super customizable, and you get a strong no-logs policy. -
Surfshark
– The cheapest VPN for Apple TV. From just $2.49 a month you can get great speeds for streaming & it consistently unblocks streaming services.
Get ExpressVPN the #1 VPN for Apple TV
Using a VPN for Apple TV will vastly increase the number of shows you can watch with the service. By simply connecting to a VPN server located overseas, you can access streams that are usually restricted to that region. This makes VPNs a great tool to help you get real value for money out of your Apple TV service and to truly maximize your streaming potential.
There are several important factors to consider when deciding which VPN to use with Apple TV. Most importantly, the VPN will need to give you the ability to unblock geo-restricted content so you can stream all the content you want from around the world no matter where you are. And, depending on what version of Apple TV you have, the VPN also needs to be flexible in terms of device support to ensure it will be compatible with your Apple TV version. On top of that, you will need a fast VPN, that provides super-fast connection speeds so that you can stream content smoothly without having to deal with any annoying buffering.
With all this in mind, we considered these factors when curating our list of the best Apple TV VPN apps:
- Number of servers and their locations for unblocking
- What speeds the VPN can offer
- Value for money
- Router compatibility
Please note
Apple TV is not designed to run VPN software on the device itself. That said, there are several ways to run a VPN through your Apple TV device. Out of the various ways to do so, installing the VPN on your router is by far the easiest and most common method. So make sure you have a router capable of running a VPN.
Now that you know what we look for, let’s take an in-depth look at our top VPN picks for Apple TV.
The best VPN apps for Apple TV 4k | In-depth analysis
The summaries below will walk you through specific details for each recommended Apple TV VPN. For even more information on these providers, please check out our detailed VPN reviews.
Best VPN app for Apple TV: ExpressVPN is our #1 pick. This VPN offers great speeds, unblocking power & it’s easy to set up, making it a great choice for streaming through Apple TV.
-
Pricing
From
$6.67 –
$12.95 -
Speeds
- 51.39 Mbps
-
Tested with
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Fire TV
- nVidia Shield
- Android TV
-
Router Support?
- DD-WRT
- Tomato
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
ExpressVPN is an outstanding choice for people that want a VPN for Apple TV. It can even be purchased on a pre-flashed router, which will make hooking up Apple TV (and all your other devices) super easy.
With this service, you get a superb SmartDNS feature included with your subscription, which really makes unblocking content a breeze. The VPN is incredibly reliable, highly secure, and lightning-fast – perfect for a smooth HD streaming experience devoid of buffering. Furthermore, it is one of the few VPNs that can still reliably unblock US Netflix.
You can try ExpressVPN risk-free today thanks to its no-quibble 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN is a VPN giant and works great with Apple TV
-
Pricing
From
$3.71 –
$11.95 -
Speeds
- 53.44 Mbps
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
NordVPN is a world-class VPN provider based in Panama. It is a service that is highly subscribed all around the world and is perfect both for gaining added freedom and privacy online. With servers in 59 countries, you can always get good speeds and sidestep annoying geo-restrictions to watch more TV.
It is a zero-logs VPN that is fully featured with a kill switch, obfuscated servers, auto-connect, DNS leak protection, and Tor through VPN. It also has advanced features such as double-hop encryption, which makes it a market-leading service no matter which platform you choose to use it on.
NordVPN is ideal for Apple TV users because it has super-fast servers that are ideal for streaming HD content without any buffering. And this is a super-versatile all-rounder that permits torrenting via P2P, and works with many Netflix catalogs. It can also be purchased on a pre-flashed router for ease of setup and use. An incredible VPN considering the low cost of a subscription. Well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
CyberGhost is a great value pick for Apple TV. For a low cost you get a fast VPN that can access US Netflix, iPlayer, and other geo-restricted streams.
-
Pricing
From
$2.25 –
$12.99 -
Speeds
- 22.05 Mbps
-
Tested with
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Fire TV
- nVidia Shield
- Android TV
-
Router Support?
- DD-WRT
- Tomato
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
CyberGhost is a VPN provider based in Romania, an excellent location in terms of privacy. The VPN has servers in 90 countries worldwide, so you can spoof your location to just about anywhere to unblock regional content across the globe. With CyberGhost you get apps for all platforms, which means you can set it up with any computer, laptop, or router to connect it to your Apple TV. CyberGhost is one of the rare VPNs that can unblock Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, hulu, Prime, and many other popular streaming services, making it an ideal choice for your Apple TV.
Plus, CyberGhost VPN provides outstanding privacy thanks to its zero-logs policy, OpenVPN encryption, kill switch, and DNS leak protection, ensuring you can enjoy this VPN for entertainment as well as to gain privacy and security both at home and on public WiFi. This VPN can be installed and used on up to 7 devices simultaneously, and you can test it risk-free for a lengthy 45 days thanks to its money-back guarantee. What’s more, the CyberGhost customer service team is available 24/7 via live chat and can help you out in English, German, French, and Romanian.
PIA is a really secure VPN for Apple TV. It takes privacy seriously, really seriously. But you also get a fast VPN for streaming & it can unblock more content on Apple TV.
-
Pricing
From
$2.69 –
$9.95 -
Speeds
- 23.88 Mbps
-
Tested with
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Fire TV
- nVidia Shield
- Android TV
-
Router Support?
- DD-WRT
- Tomato
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
Private Internet Access is a US-based VPN with servers in 74 countries around the world. The VPN is both secure and reliable, meaning that it is great for unblocking more streams on your Apple TV. The VPN can be installed on either a macOS or a Windows computer, and you can easily connect your Apple TV to your computer to make use of the VPN with an ethernet cable. Alternatively, you could buy a Vilfo router to connect to the VPN at the router level.
During my tests, we enjoyed using this VPN because of its super-fast connection speeds. We found it able to stream geo-restricted services with ease, though it doesn’t work with iPlayer at the moment, unfortunately. It does, however, access a few different Netflix catalogs, which is splendid news if (like me) you have an account you want to make the most of. We also really appreciated this VPN’s live chat support, which you can turn to quickly to ask setup questions if you need to.
In addition to being great for streaming, PIA is ideal for torrenting because it has a kill switch to prevent you from accidentally leaking unencrypted data and port forwarding for getting the best possible speeds. Overall, we found PIA to be an excellent all-rounder, particularly considering the low price of a subscription. And you can use it on up to 10 devices simultaneously with a single subscription, which is great if you own a ton of devices. You can compare it to our other recommendations thanks to its generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark is the cheapest VPN for Apple TV on our list. But don’t be fooled by the price. It’s fast and has servers where you need them to unblock content on Apple TV.
-
Pricing
From
$2.49 –
$12.95 -
Speeds
- 47.60 Mbps
-
Tested with
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Fire TV
- nVidia Shield
- Android TV
-
Router Support?
- DD-WRT
- Tomato
-
Unblocks
- Netflix
- iPlayer
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
Surfshark is a VPN provider that provides the best of both worlds; robust privacy and security with excellent unblocking capabilities. With Surfshark, you get access to servers in over 60 countries, so you can easily unblock geo-restricted services from around the world. The VPN can be installed on many devices thanks to its custom apps, and you can easily connect your Apple TV to your PC to share the VPN connection.
Surfshark has a zero logs policy, and it is based in the British Virgin Islands, which puts it well out of reach of invasive jurisdictions such as the US and the UK. In addition to this important privacy feature, Surfshark implements strong OpenVPN encryption, a kill switch, and obfuscation. This makes the VPN perfect for downloading files on BitTorrent. It can even be installed and used on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously with just one subscription, which makes it incredible value for money. Knowledgeable and friendly customer support is available 24/7/365 so you can get the help you need whenever you need it, day or night. And best of all, you can test it risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee!
ExpressVPN
Discount Coupon
Off Now
Comes with an additional 3 months
How to install and use a VPN with Apple TV?
Once you’ve decided which VPN is right for your Apple TV, you’ll need to set it up. There are a number of ways to do this, and some are more straightforward than others. Check out our how to set up an AppleTV VPN guide for the steps you need to take in order to do this.
What generation are you using?
As noted earlier in this guide, Apple TV is not designed to let you run VPN software directly on the device. However, since the 4thGeneration (2015 onwards), Apple TVs run the tvOS operating system – a stripped-down version of iOS that is able to run apps. Sadly, this does not include VPN apps, however. Luckily, there are a few simple solutions to this problem which we will explain in this guide.
The advantages of using a VPN for Apple TV?
A VPN is an online service that does two things:
- Uses strong encryption to provide digital privacy. If you’d like to learn more about staying safe and secure online, be sure to check out our ultimate privacy guide.
- Allows you to pretend to be in a different country to bypass local censorship and website blocks, as well as international geo-blocking. As a result, you’ll be able to access services that’d otherwise be blocked in your country. We take a closer look at this topic in our guide to geo-spoofing.
For example, a VPN for Apple TV can provide you with a British IP address so you can stream BBC iPlayer, which is free to watch for UK residents but is not available to overseas subscribers. If you want to know more, take a look at our what is a VPN? Beginner’s guide.
Using a VPN on Apple TV to watch Netflix?
There are three different ways to access a foreign Netflix library on Apple TV. As it’s not possible for you to download a VPN directly onto Apple TV, you will need to follow the steps above to set up a VPN on Apple TV.
The router method is 100% effective, but it can get pretty time consuming to set up and expensive if you require a new router. The good news is that you can opt to share a VPN connection with your Apple TV. By connecting a PC or laptop to the VPN and then connecting your Apple TV to that computer, you can enjoy internet access that is routed via the VPN server.
Besides this relatively simple method, some premium VPN services provide access to Netflix using smart DNS settings. Smart DNS is simply a technology that enables you to spoof your geo-location and so it is fantastic for streaming. ExpressVPN, which provides its “MediaStreamer” smart DNS service as part of the VPN subscription, works excellently for streaming US Netflix. This allows you to access more Netflix from inside your Apple TV without the need to connect it to a PC or set up a VPN on your router at all! However, keep in mind that a smart DNS doesn’t provide any security benefits since the connection is not encrypted and your IP address is not hidden.
Which method you opt for is completely down to you. However, if you are after a quick solution, we recommend subscribing to ExpressVPN
and using its MediaStreamer smart DNS technology.
To find out what Netflix library is showing your favorite Netflix shows, check out our handy StreamCatcher tool. Simply search for the TV show or movie you want to watch and we’ll show you what countries’ Netflix catalog has it.
Private Internet Access
Discount Coupon
Off With our PIA Discount
With 30-day money-back guarantee
Can I use a free VPN for Apple TV?
There are some reliable free VPNs on the market, unfortunately, because they restrict speeds and have data limits they just aren’t suitable for streaming. To stream content on Apple TV, you are going to need an unrestricted VPN that does not place download limits or connection speed limitations on you.
We understand that you may want to try a service out before purchasing one. In this case, you should take advantage of VPN providers’ free trials or money-back guarantees. These services do not place restrictions on you in any way and you get the full speeds you need to stream content in HD without risking your cash.
Why you need a fast VPN for Apple TV
You should expect a slight loss of speed when using a VPN for Apple TV. The further you are physically from the VPN server you connect to, the slower the service is likely to be. This is why we’d recommend connecting to a server that’s nearby – you’ll be able to stream without any buffering hiccups if you do! Fortunately, our recommended providers have fantastic server speeds, so the loss should be negligible.
If you intend to use a VPN for Apple TV, you will probably want to connect to a VPN server in another country – to spoof your location and access geo-restricted content. This typically involves long distances, which is why it is important to choose a fast VPN capable of delivering HD content without buffering issues.
We recommend that you always test a few different VPN servers. This way, you can find a server in the country you need that is not overloaded, and that is located as close to you as possible. For example, if you need a server in the US – be sure to pick either the East or West coast depending on where you live.
Unblock Apple Music
If Apple Music isn’t available in your location or if you’re looking to unblock content on there that is blocked in your region then a VPN can help. Check out our Apple Music VPN page for more details about how this can help.
Is it illegal to use a VPN with Apple TV?
It is not against the law to use a VPN with an Apple TV. Copyright holders would prefer that you not use your VPN on Apple TV to bypass content restrictions that have been purposefully imposed. However, there’s little they can do about this other than requiring platforms like Netflix to block as many VPNs as possible.
No streaming service we know of has ever banned an individual user for bypassing geo-blocks. This is because they would lose that user’s subscription fee, which would be counterproductive.
FAQ
Below, you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions we get from visitors searching for a VPN for Apple TV.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to set up a VPN on Apple TV and the best services to use, let’s review our top picks:
-
ExpressVPN
– The best VPN to use with Apple TV. You get excellent unblocking power & speeds good enough for streaming in HD & 4K! -
NordVPN
– is a great privacy focused VPN that works well with Apple TV -
CyberGhost VPN
– An easy to set up VPN for Apple TV. It supports all major platforms, including routers and you get great speeds to stream in HD. -
Private Internet Access
– A secure VPN that works well with Apple TV. The app is intuitive, super customizable, and you get a strong no-logs policy. -
Surfshark
– The cheapest VPN for Apple TV. From just $2.49 a month you can get great speeds for streaming & it consistently unblocks streaming services.