Kodi is an open source media player which has add-on support and works as a media center. If you are looking for a VPN service for Kodi then you come in the right place. Choosing a good VPN for Kodi is not a simple task. Because the best VPN suitable for Kodi must have faster speeds in order to serve the streaming lag free. If you choose a poor performance VPN for Kodi, then it is absolutely a waste of money.
Another important aspect is its platforms support. As we know Kodi is available all platforms including the Smart TV and Amazon Fire Stick compatibility. So the VPN should have a standalone app for each and every major platforms with easy to set up features.
As we are using VPN for unlocking blocked add-ons in Kodi, the VPN must have strong encryption protocols with robust security features and strict zero-log policy.
Since Kodi is available Smart TV’s, Amazon Fire Stick, Xbox, Raspberry Pi and Nvidia Shield like devices, we are looking for such VPN service which offers step by step installation guides for every supported platform. Some VPN services have a detailed installation guide available in their official webpages. So, detailed installation guides are one of the VPN deciding factor for Kodi.
By keeping all the factors in mind we tested several VPN’s on our devices and tested speed performances and security features. Last we found these VPN services are best suitable for Kodi and works flawlessly.
Key features we looked for selecting the best VPN for Kodi
To use VPN for a Kodi it needs some special set of requirements to matches its features. Since Kodi is all about streaming entertainment on your device, it needs an unlimited bandwidth to download and stream files. It is the primary feature we are considered while checking a VPN service. Another factor is privacy, without an anonymous service you can’t access restricted Kodi add-ons. In detail, these are the criteria we followed in selecting a VPN service for Kodi.
- Bandwidth: As we are discussed already speed is the crucial factor for choosing a VPN service for Kodi. Mant VPN’ claims they offer unlimited bandwidth but after certain data usage, they put a limit on your speeds. If the speed is slowed down the use of the VPN is useless to stream Kodi. So, we selected all the VPN’s by testing on our devices before writing this article.
- Platforms Support: Kodi is available for all platforms. The VPN also should have the cross-platform support in order to use on Kodi installed devices. All services mentioned below come with cross-platform support and some even come with routers installation support.
- Bypassing Geo-restrictions: VPN’s are not only about privacy and security. They are also used for unblocking geo-restrictions in your locations. Many govt’s and Universities are restricting their people and students to access specific websites and services. The censorship will restrict while opening the website or service and you can’t access those services. To bypass the content censorship VPN is one and only way to access them. If Netflix, Spotify or Skype is blocked in your region, use a good VPN service to access them right in your device. All the below suggest service are good enough to unlock the restricted content online.
- Logging Policies: A VPN with poor policies is completely useless and literally a waste of money. We see many free VPN services are don’t come strict no-log policy. If a paid VPN is also doing the same thing which is selling your log info to advertisers is dangerous. All the below suggested VPN services are coming with strict no-log policy and they maintain privacy as a top priority.
- Traffic Limitations: Some VPN service blocks the high-volume data transfers from their servers. If you are a regular Torrent user for downloading content, these kinds of VPN’s limit the traffic after a certain amount of data transfer. The below-listed VPN’s are P2P supported and allows Torrents.
These are key features or factors we considered for choosing a VPN for Kodi. After detailed testing on multiple paltforms, we picked up the below VPN services matches great with Kodi.
6 Best VPNs for Kodi
For VPN starters, it was never clear what you are buying to match with Kodi. In any case, if you decided to buy one VPN for Kodi, here is the best list to go on. These VPN’s for Kodi worked in all aspects. They have dedicated apps for plenty of platforms, detailed installation guides to set up VPN, and last but not least a faster speed for lag-free streaming.
1. ExpressVPN
The name itself represents the speed of the VPN. It is trusted by many users despite higher subscription prices. The reason for ExpressVPN super success is its massive network of high-speed servers, easy to setup software and strict security protocols. The ideal features we look for a VPN service, we found all in the ExpressVPN. The service is most suitable for unblocking content, streaming, browsing and gives access to open Internet which is uncensored.
It is useless to use a VPN that can store your online activity and sell your data. ExpressVPN is absolutely not that type. They keep your privacy a top priority and never leaks your information to anyone. As we are talking about Kodi, speed is essential for selecting a VPN service. ExpressVPN is the number one service for its speed and you can stream any kind of content without lag.
The lightning fast servers are the assets to ExpressVPN performance. The company offers unlimited bandwidth and zero speed caps service. Additionally, it has zero restrictions P2P network and torrents, so you can transfer and download large files over the ExpressVPN network. Premium services come with a premium price tag, for one month plan it costs and $12.95 and if you take a 12 months plan the cost will reduce to $8.32 per month.
Read our detailed ExpressVPN Review
2. Surfshark
Surfshark is relatively a new entry in the VPN market but it has established a strong presence with its robust features. The service comes with “Secure your digital life” tag and they stand on their word. It has 800+ server locations across 50+ countries around the world. Surfshark supports apps for all platforms and comes with a wide variety of features. The program is dedicated to security and speed. It has a massive network of IP addresses which tries to unlock yours from online censorship restrictions.
Surfshark offers plenty of option to unblock Internet censorship. The privacy options mixed with a decent speed is a nice combo of Surfshark VPN. Speed is the main attraction of the Surfshark VPN and it very fast enough to stream 4K and Full HD content without any lag and buffering icon. The speed performance of Shurfshark in our testing was good and we are able to watch the videos for normal speeds.
We are talking about the best VPN for Kodi, so we tested the Surfshar on my Kodi home network to stream entertainment content in my mobile devices. The overall, experience is very good and performs way better than the other VPN services. The VPN set up on various device is pretty easy, all you need to download the correspondent app the platform and enter your account details. That’s it, rest of the security and privacy is taken care of by the program.
3. NordVPN
NordVPN is one such service which has a very good name for its reliability. It offers a double data encryption feature for an extra layer of protection. Speed is also one of the considering factors when we are talking about NordVPN. It has 5,400+ servers located in 61+ countries across the globe. It is a very good VPN for Kodi which servers faster speeds resulting in lag-free entertainment streaming.
The company has a very good name for its service and you will love the service and its excellence. It is one of the most established premium VPN service with many advanced features. The kill switch feature automatically kills your Internet connection if your VPN connectivity is interrupted.
As we know some VPN’s block and restrict the bandwidth usage upon some limit. A fee VPN’s are open for throttling the speed after a certain amount of data is consumed. NordVPN is absolutely not that type of VPN service and provides unlimited bandwidth option for everyone. This feature is pretty suitable for using VPN for unlocking entertainment programs and especially for Kodi.
Read our detailed NordVPN Review
4. IPVanish
IPVanish is a powerful VPN program that can get you all Kodi-addons easily without any censorship. It is a very popular VPN service and has a good name for its security and speed. Many people outside the US are using the IPVanish service for unblocking the exclusive content which restricted to some regions. For starters, IPVanish is very easy to set up the program and works like a charm on all supported devices.
You don’t need to worry about accessing blocked Kodi add-ons any device. Just install and start the IPVanish on your device and access the add-ons which are restricted by your region censorship limits. Online censorship is used by many universities, governments, and workplaces. IPVanish can break all the barriers restricted around your online life and provide accessibility to the complete Internet experience.
IPVanish has features like unlimited bandwidth, Zero traffic logs, 256-bit AES encryption, torrents support, unlimited P2P traffic and IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols support. These all come at a budget-friendly price for users. It costs $10 per month on a monthly renewal basis and costs $6.49 if you purchase a one year plan. Based on the pricing, the one year plan costs $77.99 saves 46% amount when you compared to the monthly plan.
5. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is also one of the VPN which suits the Kodi needs. The company is based on Swedish privacy laws which are strong and no traffic logs are kept by the company. It comes with 2048-bit encryption with AES-256 support which is impossible to break the cipher even by hackers. Anonymity is their first priority and they designed the program with full of security features.
PrivateVPN supports all platforms and dedicated apps are very easy to set up and use. If you are having any installation issues, you can ask the free remote help+ installation by their dedicated support guys. You can avail unlimited bandwidth and speed while using the PrivateVPN and you never see the buffering logo again when you connect to their servers. It was located in 60+ countries which makes possible to unblock any type of content worldwide.
Coming to the pricing, PrivateVPN 3 different plans which are monthly, quarterly and yearly. Monthly renewal plan costs $7.67 and for one year plan, it costs $3.82 month and extra one month free. The quarterly plan is just $4.88 per month and they charge $14.63 for three months subscription. PrivateVPN is an affordable VPN solution with promising features.
6. Cyberghost VPN
Like the above 5 VPN services, Cyberghost VPN is also one of the reliable VPN services for Kodi. It comes with a low price tag and a ton of great features. The company clearly mentioned about the Cyberghost performance for streaming entertainment. It can access sports events which are blocked in your geo-location. Also, you can unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Spotify at any location in the world.
Cyberghost is very clear about their policies and they publish yearly transparency report to clear the things. The main attractions of the program are hiding IP, kill switch, multi-platform support, 3,500+ servers located in 60 countries. In our testing, Cyberghost never revealed any data like IP, DNS leak and WebRTC leak. It works perfectly as they mentioned on their website.
The installation of the VPN service is pretty easy as they mentioned on the website and it took just a few minutes to install on any device and platform. The user-interface looks modern and every option and feature are neatly arranged. It is completely safe to use Cyberghost VPN for Kodi and it decently anonymizes your activity. Also, I liked on feature which is like a cherry on the top is its number of devices support up to 7.
Does Kodi require VPN?
Literally, Kodi doesn’t require any VPN service in order to run. It is important to note that the VPN is suitable for everyone. Whether they are looking for online privacy or using it for unblocking programs. VPN’s are inexpensive and easy to use. Also, some Kodi add-ons are restricted or censored in some regions. Using a VPN for Kodi unblocks the restricted content anywhere in the world.
If you are traveling frequently, VPN is the best companion to maintain your privacy. Connecting to Public Wifi is not a safe practice if you are really concerned about your privacy. We have already covered a detailed article about why a free VPN is not good for securing your online privacy.
Also read: Do you need VPN on iOS? The reasons you must know
How to use VPN for Kodi
Not all VPN’s support the Kodi supported devices, the above list is best suitable VPN’s which are fast and cross-platform supported. Also, not all VPN’s support straightforward installation process. Some typical installations like VPN installation on Amazon Fire Stick and Chromecast need some extra steps to install the VPN service. If you are already selected and bought the best suitable VPN for Kodi, now it is the time to set up on your device. If you seriously look into the Kodi supported platforms online, you will find the list is surprising. Kodi can run on almost all the platforms and the list is as follows.
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- Mac
- Linux
- Raspberry Pi
- Xbox
- PS4
- Chromecast
- Amazon Fire TV Stick
Download corresponded app on your device and log in with your VPN details. Some VPN’s offer configuration files which are compatible with OpenVPN app. Every VPN service provider has listed detailed articles about setting up VPN’s on various devices. Open your VPN website and go through the help guides for installing and using a VPN.
We recommend VPN installation on routers. Once you set up VPN service on your router, you don’t need to install VPN on all your devices. Whatever the device you connect to the VPN enabled router it serves the secured Internet to them and keeps your information safe.
Also read: How to test your VPN connection for privacy leaks
Summing up
There are a number of VPN services claims they are suitable for Kodi. We checked several services already and chosen the best list for you. These services work as they promised and you will feel the Kodi performance under a VPN is top notch. You can install all supported Kodi add-ons which are restricted in your region flawlessly.
Let us know your valuable feedback in the comment section below.