Technologies
Best VPN for Amazon Fire TV Stick in 2023
Turn any TV into a smart TV and stream content with privacy using one of the best VPNs for Fire TV Stick.
Not every television comes packed with all the top streaming apps, but with a handy device like Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, you can turn almost any TV into a smart TV. Simply by plugging the device in to your TV, you can easily access streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, along with live TV, apps and games. There’s a lot you can do with a Fire TV Stick, but to get the most out of the device and maintain your privacy while doing so, you’ll want to pair it with a VPN, short for “virtual private network.”
The Fire TV Stick, as well as TVs that have the Amazon Fire TV system operating system built into them, have a distinct advantage over other streaming products such as Apple TV and Roku. Fire TV is the only major platform to support VPNs built into its online store. You can download and run a VPN alongside most of the streaming services listed above.Â
After hooking up the device to a television, you can use your VPN to avoid ISP throttling and get around geoblocks while streaming content or gaming (whether you’re at home or traveling abroad), without the need for VPN-compatible routers or complicated home network setups. And with prices as low as $30 for Fire Stick hardware, it remains the easiest way to set up a VPN on your smart TV.Â
Remember to check local laws and verify that VPN use is permitted by the terms of service with your internet service provider.Â
You can use a VPN with your Amazon Fire TV Stick to protect your privacy and get past streaming geoblocking.
How we tested VPNs on Fire TV Stick
Each of CNET’s top VPNs offers a native VPN app for the Fire TV Stick, but a few of them stood out during our tests. In addition to evaluating the usability and features of the Fire TV Stick VPN apps, we prioritized other important factors like security, speed and unblocking capabilities of each VPN we tested. Â Â
We opened each app on the Fire TV Stick and first tried to get a sense of the usability and the features available. Is the app easy to navigate and are the servers accessible? Are the features useful, organized and simple to access? Â
We then evaluated the overall performance of the app to see if the servers connected quickly, whether or not the connections were stable and how well the features performed. Finally, we tested how each VPN was able to provide access to various popular streaming services. Did the streaming services load up and start playing content quickly? Was the streaming experience smooth and absent of buffering? Was the VPN able to provide access to each streaming service we tested, and from multiple server locations? The VPNs that consistently passed these tests earned a spot among our top picks. Â
Best VPNs for Fire TV Stick
- Latest tests:Â No leaks detected, 2% speed loss in spring 2022 tests
- Network: 3,000-plus servers in 160 locations across 94 countries
- Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
- Price: 5 simultaneous connections for $13 per month, $60 for six months or $100 for a year (current discount: 3 months free). 2-year subscriptions available.
ExpressVPN is CNET’s Editors’ Choice for Best Overall VPN. It’s also the best VPN for Fire TV Stick because it’s super fast and secure, can reliably unblock content and has an excellent app that’s optimized for the Fire TV Stick.
The 2% speed loss we calculated in our spring 2022 tests helped catapult ExpressVPN to the top of our list of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested. Provided you’re getting decent speeds from your ISP, using ExpressVPN can help guarantee a smooth streaming experience whether you’re streaming in HD or 4K.Â
We didn’t experience any buffering issues during our tests, and all of the streaming channels loaded up and started playing immediately, seemingly unfettered by the VPN. We were able to stream content on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and the US and UK Netflix libraries.
ExpressVPN’s app for Fire TV Stick is packed with features, yet nicely minimalistic and easy to navigate. The app includes features like auto-connect, kill switch, split tunneling and protocol selection, along with a DNS and WebRTC leak testing tool, IP address checker and even a password generator. One additional feature that’s pretty neat and useful is shortcuts, which lets you set shortcuts for five different apps. You can create shortcuts for any app you have on your Fire TV Stick like Neltifx, Hulu or a web browser, and launch the app directly from within the ExpressVPN interface after you’ve connected to the VPN. Â Â
The VPN provider has an impressive network of server locations that span 94 countries, meaning you’ll have plenty of options for unblocking content from all over the globe. When connected to ExpressVPN’s servers, your traffic is secured with industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, which will keep your Fire TV Stick activity private.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Fire TV Stick, but it’s also the most expensive. Subscription plans are billed at $100 per year, $60 every six months or $13 a month. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available if you’re not satisfied with your purchase. Read our ExpressVPN review.
- Latest tests: Zero data leaks and 19% internet speed loss in fall 2022 tests
- Network: 3,200-plus in 100 countries
- Jurisdiction: Netherlands
- Price: Unlimited connections for $48 for the first year (then $60 annually) or $13 per month
Surfshark boasts an impressive suite of privacy and security features, unlimited simultaneous connections, easy-to-use interface and expansive global network. And it’s still significantly cheaper than most of its competitors. That’s what helped Surfshark earn CNET’s Editors’ Choice for Best Value VPN in 2022.
Along with standard VPN features such as a kill switch and DNS leak protection, some of the more notable Surfshark features include camouflage mode (which hides the fact you’re using a VPN), split-tunneling, NoBorders mode (which lets you use Surfshark in regions where VPNs are restricted) and multihop VPN connections. You’ll also get access to Surfshark’s CleanWeb technology, which blocks ads and malware and helps you avoid phishing attacks.Â
One innovation we’re excited to see Surfshark roll out over the next year is its Nexus network, which connects the VPN’s entire network of servers together and allows you to choose multiple servers to route your connection through. The functionality is somewhat similar to Tor, but Surfshark says it’s faster. With its Dynamic MultiHop, IP Randomizer and IP Rotator functions, the Nexus network can give you a few extra layers of protection while you use the VPN — which can be particularly beneficial to users with critical privacy needs.Â
Surfshark says it doesn’t log any user activity. And although no-logging claims are virtually impossible to prove with 100% certainty, German cybersecurity firm Cure53 declared Surfshark’s security to be “solid” in its 2021 security audit of the VPN. Surfshark says a new audit is forthcoming by the end of this year.Â
As of February 2022, both Surfshark and NordVPN have the same corporate parent (Tesonet), but Surfshark said it is legally bound not to share any information between the entities that would go against its privacy policy or terms of service. We didn’t find any language in either document that would indicate Surfshark has any obligation to share user data with its parent company or any sibling companies, which include NordVPN.Â
Surfshark rates consistently as one of the fastest VPNs available, which is why we were surprised that one of the only issues we had with Surfshark came in our speed test. While it still ranks as one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested — with an internet speed loss of just 19% — we were disappointed with the inconsistent speed results we got to certain locations. Speeds to Europe and Singapore were erratic (dipping as low as 9Mbps to Singapore), while speeds to New York were slower than speeds to the UK and even Australia. Surfshark is in the process of significantly expanding its server network, now offering more than 3,200 servers in 99 countries. The continued expansion of its server network could potentially help bring some more consistency to VPN speeds.Â
In our tests, Surfshark had no problems unblocking Netflix and Amazon Prime Video content, but we did run into a fair bit of trouble accessing Disney Plus. After testing various servers in the US and other countries where Disney Plus is available, we were finally able to access the content when we connected to a server in Boston. You may need to test a few servers yourself before gaining access to Disney Plus content with Surfshark.
Surfshark offers cheaper introductory prices that jump after the first billing cycle. Even so, Surfshark manages to keep its prices lower than most other VPNs. The yearly plan starts out at $48 for the first year, then jumps to $60 for any additional years of service. If you opt for the two-year plan, you’ll pay $60 upfront for the initial two years combined, then $60 per year for any additional years. Surfshark’s monthly plan stays constant at $13 a month. If you’re not satisfied with the service for any reason, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Latest tests: No leaks detected, 13% speed loss in summer 2022 tests
- Network: 5,600-plus servers in 84 locations across 60 countries
- Jurisdiction: Panama
- Price: 6 simultaneous connections for $12 per month or $67 for a year (current discount: 3 months free). 2-year subscriptions available.Â
NordVPN’s speeds weren’t quite as fast as ExpressVPN’s, but were faster than Surfshark’s, which helps make this VPN one of the top choices for streaming on a Fire TV Stick.Â
Streaming was smooth and easy whether we were watching content on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video or the US and UK Netflix libraries. NordVPN’s Fire TV Stick app interface is set up differently than the provider’s apps on other platforms, but the pertinent features are mostly accounted for and easy to access.Â
The app includes features like split-tunneling (which is useful if you don’t want all your Fire TV Stick apps to route through the VPN connection), auto-connect, protocol selection and threat protection lite (a malicious-website blocker). You can also connect to NordVPN’s Onion over VPN and double VPN servers if you want to add an extra layer of privacy to your Fire TV Stick activities. The one thing that’s missing from NordVPN’s Fire TV Stick app is a kill switch — an essential VPN feature that prevents your data from leaking unencrypted by cutting your internet should the VPN connection drop for any reason. The absence of that feature puts NordVPN lower on this list than ExpressVPN and Surfshark, which both offer it.
We noticed that the “Help us improve” setting in the app was enabled by default. If you don’t want to send aggregated anonymous data that could include “crash reports, OS version, marketing performance and feature usage data” over to NordVPN as you use its Fire TV Stick app, then be sure to disable it from the Settings menu.
NordVPN’s network offers more total servers (5,300-plus) than either ExpressVPN or Surfshark, but fewer countries (60), which could potentially limit the breadth of your streaming options. Like our other top picks, NordVPN encrypts VPN traffic using AES 256-bit encryption. NordVPN’s prices are lower overall than ExpressVPN, but more expensive than its sister company, Surfshark. The annual plan is priced at $100 per year (following the $60 introductory rate for the first year) or $12 per month. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscription plans. Read our NordVPN review.Â
Other VPNs we tested on the Fire TV Stick
We also tested ProtonVPN and IPVanish on the Fire TV Stick. While both providers have native Fire TV Stick apps and are excellent options for various VPN use cases, they didn’t perform to our standards during our Fire TV Stick tests.Â
Proton VPN’s Fire TV Stick app is very basic and offers no options beyond connecting to a server or reporting an issue. It’s slow to connect and the overall app experience was clunky and awkward. Once we were finally able to connect to a server, we weren’t successful in our attempts to stream content from any streaming service. Oddly enough, it was when we tested Proton VPN’s free version on Fire TV Stick that we were able to access Netflix. Even though Proton VPN’s free tier is one of the only free VPNs that is actually worth using, it’s not optimized for streaming, so it may not always work for accessing geoblocked content. Â
IPVanish was a little better — the app included various settings and features to tool around with, but we weren’t able to stream UK Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. The automatic app launch feature allowing users to select an app to launch automatically after a successful connection is a nice addition and worked well in our testing when we set it to auto-launch Netflix. But besides that, there wasn’t much more to like about IPVanish’s performance on the Fire TV Stick in terms of features, and it failed to access some streaming services. We decided we couldn’t enthusiastically recommend it as a viable VPN solution for the Fire TV Stick.
We’ll continue to test these and other VPNs on the Fire TV Stick, so be sure to check back often. Â
Amazon Fire TV Stick VPN FAQs
How do I install a VPN on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick?
Installing a VPN on the Fire TV Stick is easy. You can either navigate to the magnifying glass search icon on your Fire TV home screen and use your remote or Fire TV app on your smartphone to type in the name of the VPN you want to download, or you can use the Alexa function on your Fire TV remote and say the name of the VPN. Then, click on the logo of your selected VPN and click on Get to initiate the download. Click on Open to launch the app and log into your account. Once you’ve logged in, your VPN will ask for your permission to set up a VPN connection. Click on OK to allow the VPN to create the connection. Once you’ve given your VPN permission to connect, you can start using the VPN on your Fire TV Stick.Â
Can I use a free VPN on the Fire TV Stick?
We don’t recommend using free VPNs on the Fire TV Stick (or in most other situations) because free VPNs typically impose usage and bandwidth restrictions that make them virtually unusable for streaming purposes. They also often sell user information to advertisers and can sometimes even contain malware. If you’re on a budget, we’d recommend choosing Surfshark as your Fire TV Stick VPN as it’s cheaper than a lot of the competition and works well on the streaming device.Â
Does VPN work on all Fire TV Stick generations?
No, VPNs are not compatible with the first generation of Fire TV Stick. VPNs work on second- and third-generation Fire TV Sticks as well as the Fire TV Stick 4K and 4K Max.Â
Can I use a VPN on Fire TV Cube?
Yes, Amazon’s Fire TV Cube has the same interface as the Fire TV Stick. You can install and use a VPN on the Fire TV Cube the same way you would on a Fire TV Stick. The Fire TV Cube acts as an Alexa speaker that delivers audio and allows you to use voice commands to control your Fire TV interface without having to press and hold the Alexa button on your remote.Â
More VPN recommendations
Technologies
Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity
President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.
On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.
In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.
He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”
Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.
Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.
Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.
BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.
“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.
Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.
The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.
The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.
The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.
Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.
A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.
Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.
Technologies
Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike
Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.
Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.
Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.
The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.
Technologies
Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran
Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.
Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.
West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.
Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.
Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.
Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”
