If you want to binge on some exceptional TV shows and movies without letting your ISP get a whiff, you would need to invest in a powerful yet productive VPN, period. But then, selecting the best VPN for your Fire TV Stick might be a tad difficult as you must prioritize a few elusive and underrated rated VPN features that would otherwise be ignored if you were to consider it for a standard PC or computer.
Also, getting a VPN for your Fire TV Stick or any Fire TV Device for that matter is all about valuing privacy more than anything else. Be it getting past the geo-blocking restrictions or even indulging in P2P downloads, only a VPN can help the concerned streaming device realize its full potential.
Things to Know Before Getting a VPN for Fire TV Stick
Shopping for a Fire TV Stick-compatible VPN is anything but easy as you would need to understand a few important aspects before even considering one. Firstly, VPN that’s relevant to a streaming device is best used for unblocking region-restricted content. However, it has other benefits as well.
For instance, a good VPN can keep the smart devices secure from the Shadow IT attacks as you keep accessing unprotected devices to find the TV show of choice. Plus, with VPNs’ you can bypass the incessant advertising, which often gets frustrating while enjoying content, on the move.
But these aren’t the only reasons for installing a VPN on the Fire TV Stick. In 2021, smart entertainment has even paved the way for smart surveillance with a majority of your media-consuming habits being monitored by the concerned ISP. In case the ISP finds you binging relentlessly on content whilst resorting to P2P downloads every now and then, it is most likely to throttle your internet speeds, significantly enough.
With a VPN, you can always take a path less traveled and evade the prying eyes of the internet service provider. However, it isn’t always about the service provider as you can then very well concentrate only on the split tunneling VPN feature more than anything else.
A reliable virtual private network would also offer security against the malicious attackers that are continuously trying to break into your Smart network. Therefore, a VPN readily veils the unwanted glares of these would-be network peepers.
Not for more basic VPN features that are equally important if not more. As a user reliant on streaming, it is necessary that the VPN is fast and doesn’t eat into the ISP speeds. Plus, the protocol selection should be top-notch followed by a significant server spread to validate its global usability.
Keeping each of the mentioned aspects, preferences, and choices in mind, I would now like to enlist three of my top selections, precisely for the Fire TV Stick:
NordVPN: In comes the Juggernaut
NordVPN sets the highest possible standards when VPN appraisals are concerned. Simplifying further, this VPN offers multiple advantages to the user whilst helping you sideload multiple third-party applications on your Fire TV Stick.
Also, NordVPN scales beyond some of the other options in the market due to its consistency. This means, with Nord, you are expected to get similar speeds, sans the occasional interruption and throughput dips.
Also, as tested first-hand by me, NordVPN certainly holds its own and offers the most uniform data transmission speeds in case you are willing to stream directly from data-heavy reserves like that of the HBO Max.
Plus, Nord allows you to establish 6 concurrent connections, which might come in handy if you want to use the VPN client on the Fire TV Stick and even the smartphone, simply to make the most of the bucks that you have shelled out. Also, there is an option to procure a dedicated IP address, in case you are looking for additional network anonymity.
But that’s not all that NordVPN can provide. It also comes with a dedicated Kill Switch, a feature that comes in handy if you are into torrenting and other forms of P2P download. But then, if you aren’t aware as to how this feature or any other attribute works towards making P2P downloads easier, you can always read more on how a VPN helps in torrenting by either tunneling your traffic via a different network or killing off the connection the instant the VPN malfunctions.
ExpressVPN
If speed is one of your priorities, there aren’t better VPN clients as compared to ExpressVPN. What works for this VPN is the massive server fleet, capable of ensuring better global coverage and a wide range of content viewing options. Also, ExpressVPN boasts the Wireguard-specific security protocol, which is a relatively new standard but capable of showcasing improved speeds and security standards, at par with the OpenVPN protocol.
Coming back to ExpressVPN, it is the privacy-centric track record that impresses me beyond expectations. While the concept of zero-log is reason enough to go for this offering, the migration of the VPN servers to the RAM-disk addresses is what guarantees enhanced privacy protection.
The kill switch exists followed by split tunneling, which is essential for moving bandwidth-intensive traffic through a secured channel.
Surfshark
Despite the smaller set of servers, Surfshark readily competes with the likes of ExpressVPN and NordVPN with equal gusto. However, it is the insanely high speeds that make Surfshark an immediate choice for the streamers. Therefore, if you own a Fire TV Stick that is already loaded with a wide range of free and paid streaming resources, you should certainly consider Surfshark as the VPN of choice, more so as it is capable of connecting unlimited devices without losing a lot of ISP-assigned speed.
However, it is essential to note that Surfshark is probably your best bet if it is the enhanced geo-blocking support that you seek, especially when it comes to viewing content over Netflix and other renowned OTT platforms.
While these are three of my favorite choices of VPN, you are free to look for other relevant options. However, you are best advised to emphasize speed, security, and relevant streaming-specific features before proceeding.
