Proton VPN
Focused on privacy Proton VPN it’s not all work and no play — it’s one of the best VPNs for streaming. Its fast server speeds allow for smooth 4K streaming and it’s great for unblocking foreign Netflix or Amazon Prime Video libraries. It also supports Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV streaming devices. With a huge international network of 8,500+ servers in 112 countries, Proton is great at bypassing regional restrictions to let you watch videos from BBC iPlayer, CBC and other sites overseas. Proton sets you back $10 per month, $60 for the first year, or $108 total for the first two years, then renews at $80 per year for one- and two-year plans.
Read our Proton VPN review.
IPVanish
IPVanish is a user-friendly VPN that’s good for streaming and basic privacy (IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis). In our testing, IPVanish easily unblocked international Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus libraries. You can install a VPN on your router for use with a smart TV, or use it on Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, and a host of other platforms.
With servers in just 56 countries, IPVanish’s network lags behind competitors such as NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and PIA which boast around twice that number of countries. We recommend you check the IPVanish server page for the full list. IPVanish isn’t packed with options and server locations, but its straightforward design works well for VPN newbies. If you just want an intuitive VPN for unblocking content on Disney Plus, Netflix, and other services, IPVanish is a good choice. Its high average loss of 44% internet download speed isn’t ideal for streaming 4K or even 1080p video.
Pricing is initially somewhat reasonable, with plans costing $13 per month or $40 for your first year (the one-year plan goes to $90 after your introductory period). There are better VPNs for the price that offer larger server networks and faster internet speeds, IPVanish is good for casual users who just want basic privacy for everyday use.
Read our IPVanish review.
Hotspot Shield
We do not recommend Hotspot Shield for critical VPN use due to its US jurisdiction and use of its proprietary, closed-source Hydra VPN protocol. If security and privacy aren’t your main concern, then Hotspot Shield works well as a smart TV VPN.
Hotspot Shield is a fast VPN that’s great for streaming content to your smart TV. With servers located in more than 80 countries around the world, you’ll have access to a good selection of geographic regions with Hotspot Shield.
Hotspot Shield’s Support section and overall customer service experience leave a little to be desired. The Support section is a little tricky and Search doesn’t always bring up exactly what you’re looking for, so it may take some work to find what you’re looking for. The live chat feature is only available for premium customers. Once you find what you’re looking for, the guides and guides are enough to get you set up, but the path there isn’t as clear as with other VPNs. Like the others on this list, Hotspot Shield offers apps for Fire TV and Google TV, as well as instructions on how to set up the VPN on your router.
If you’re willing to spend $13 per month or $96 per year, you’ll get a super-fast smart TV VPN that’s great for unblocking content. If you’re at all concerned about its US jurisdiction, you’d be better off going with another option like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, or PIA. Because of its average price and average security with the US jurisdiction, it’s hard to recommend Hotspot Shield over its VPN rivals for all but the most casual users.
Read our Hotspot Shield review.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost VPN it doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles like other VPNs on this list, but it does a good job of unblocking content on a wide range of streaming services. Its implementation of streaming-optimized servers also makes CyberGhost a good choice if you’re a casual VPN user who just wants to stream content to your smart TV.
CyberGhost isn’t as fast as others like NordVPN or Surfshark, but you should still be able to stream content without worrying about constant buffering. CyberGhost has servers located in 100 countries around the world, making it one of the best in terms of global network coverage.
If you decide to connect a VPN to your smart TV through a router, CyberGhost offers detailed instructions in its help center on how to do so — though it doesn’t offer custom router firmware like ExpressVPN does. If you have a Fire TV or Google TV, you will be able to download the CyberGhost VPN app directly to your TV. CyberGhost VPN also offers a smart DNS solution that will give you access to its DNS servers in the US, UK, Germany and Japan.
Although it’s a good VPN for streaming on your smart TV and has a large server network, there’s not much else to like about CyberGhost. The VPN’s questionable privacy practices, buggy apps, and mediocre speeds make it hard to recommend for most use cases.
CyberGhost costs $13 per month, $42 every six months for the two-year plan, or $57 total for the first 26 months with the two-year plan. The two-year plan then renews at $57 per year. CyberGhost offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on its monthly plan and a 45-day money-back guarantee on its longer-term subscription plans. For similar or even cheaper prices, you can choose from several other VPNs that are far superior to CyberGhost for streaming to your smart TV — or for basically any other purpose.
Read our CyberGhost review.