.png "Everything Kodi Builds")
This article will explain the process that I went through to find the Best VPN for Kodi in May 2024.
When I first started creating tutorials and writing articles about Kodi, this is a question that surfaced at least a dozen times per day.
At that time, I hadn’t produced any tutorials about using a VPN in conjunction with Kodi.
But, I knew that I had to provide some guides due to the frequent questions that I kept receiving on this topic.
It was important to find a quality VPN provider because I was planning on producing dozens of tutorials surrounding this technology.
The last thing that I wanted was to create all of the videos and articles and then switch to another service because things didn’t work well.
Whichever VPN application I was going to choose must be dependable and work well on the most popular Kodi devices.
It was important for me to research this topic extensively. This way, I wouldn’t waste time down the road in re-creating my VPN tutorials if things changed.
Due to the complex nature of loading some of these applications onto various streaming devices, I would only provide tutorials for one VPN service.
It would not be practical to offer guides for every Popular VPN on the market. I had to choose one and it had to be the best according to my criteria outlined below.
Most importantly, I have a large email newsletter subscriber base with over 800,000 people and nearly 2 million page-views on my Website per month.
My subscribers and readers depend on me to provide them with the best technology information and tutorials.
My reputation is on the line whenever I use a product exclusively as I was planning for my VPN articles and videos.
After months of testing the most popular VPN applications with various Kodi boxes, I came to the conclusion that IPVanish VPN was the best choice.
After all of my testing and research, this was an easy decision when comparing the important features that Kodi users would want.
You will find how I came to this decision by reading the important requirements below.
Why You Need a VPN for your Kodi
It used to be that viewers only needed a VPN service to access torrent sites.
However, with the availability of add-ons that come with security risk, permission issues, and streaming reliability, the need for a VPN has become more important than ever.
So why do you need a VPN for your Kodi? Here are the reasons why so many users have been convinced.
ISPs can slow down your connection — intentionally!
ISP throttling or the intentional slowing of your internet connection by your ISP once you download large video files is rampant.
Comcast, Cox Communications, and even Charter have allegedly broken seeding connections by users who have accessed P2P or BitTorrent traffic on the network.
Kodi add-ons can be geo-blocked
Many VPN content providers only limit their services to specific countries while some such as Netflix and Amazon do not release all of its streams to certain regions.
Geo-blocking can be very disappointing especially those who travel to countries where the government has issued access restrictions to a website.
In addition, new content releases such as video games oftentimes release first in the United States.
If you’re in another continent and can’t resist joining the first batch of gamers to try out the release, then it’s time to think about a VPN.
Privacy loss is possible without a VPN
Your location and identity can be tracked by servers, making you vulnerable to intrusion.
This is especially important with Kodi since many addons are unverified, meaning we are unsure what the developers do with our data.
A VPN service will allow you to stream movies and TV shows, download files, and more while staying anonymous.
That is, not even your ISP can track your traffic and activities.
Bypass content restrictions on your network, especially when you’re using Kodi with the use of a VPN.
Comparing VPN For Kodi Services
I set out on a quest to find the best vpn for kodi firestick/android box... and I came up with a list of requirements that most users would be looking for.
Keep in mind that there are hundreds of services available and it was impossible for me to test every application. So, I scoured the Internet and read hundreds of VPN reviews.
I narrowed the long list down to approximately 20 services that I would thoroughly test.
Some of the most notable services that I tested were IPVanish, Surfshark, Express VPN, Nord VPN, PUREVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), vyprvpn, Hide My Ass, TunnelBear, and KeepSolid VPN Unlimited.
After a full month of testing the most popular VPN applications with various Kodi boxes, I came to the conclusion that IPVanish VPN was the Best Choice.
After all of my testing and research, this was an easy decision when comparing the important features that Kodi users would want.
What's the Best VPN for Kodi?
The most popular VPN services have many features in common such as zero traffic logs, unlimited bandwidth, 24/7 customer support, etc.
The following list of requirements is specifically geared toward Kodi users. This is why IPVanish is the #1 choice for Kodi users.
Kodi VPN Remote Control Friendly User Interface
As of this writing, the most popular Kodi device is the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.
Due to its low price-point and quality components, this is a great choice for those who want to use Kodi. It is also very easy to install Kodi for Firestick and Fire TV.
Other popular devices include generic Android TV Boxes, NVIDIA Shield, Chromecast.
It is important to recommend a VPN application that works well out of the box with the remote control for each of these devices.
Most of the applications that I tested did not work well or at all with remote control.
In order to use their service, you had to side-load the installation file (.apk) to the device and then use an external keyboard to navigate the application.
I knew that my users would want a VPN that would work flawlessly out of the box without messing with external keyboards, air mouses, etc.
The IPVanish App has always been remote-friendly but in late June 2022, they rolled out their new version and it is better than ever (see screenshot below).
You can find links to my various VPN installation tutorials at the bottom of this page.
On the QuickConnect section, you will find your connection details such as Time Connected, Protocol, Server, Data Up and Data Down as well as the Visible Location, Server Last Updated and Connected Server.
On the Server List section, you will find the servers available. The Map tab displays the geographical locations of the servers. You can filter them according to latency and region when you go to the Filter tab.
Finally, on the Account section, you will find the email that you have registered on IPVanish for your account, Password, Account Status, Current Tier, Renewal Date and a link to the Members’ Area.
Download Speeds
When using a VPN with Kodi, one of the most important features is download speed.
A VPN application will always reduce your download speed for two reasons.
The first is that it takes processing power on your device to run the VPN simultaneously with everything else.
The VPN is running in the background when connected so this required processing power is being used by the device.
The second is due to the fact that your Internet traffic is routed through another server once connected to the VPN. This is how your device is assigned a new IP address.
With that said, Kodi devices with a strong processor will always work better with a VPN.
The next determining factor on speed is how fast the VPN server that you are connecting to is performing.
The IPVanish servers were the fastest that I tested when reviewing each of the various top Kodi VPN applications.
When considering my research, the download speed is where IPVanish stands head and shoulders above its competitors.
No other service could even sniff the download speeds that IPVanish could achieve.
In the Internet speed test below, you will notice that I am getting 124 Mbps download and 24 Mbps upload when connected to IPVanish.
As time goes on and 4K video streams become more prevalent, Kodi users will definitely need this download speed to support higher quality media.
IPVanish Speed Test Video
Numerous Servers Worldwide
IPVanish is one of few true top tier VPN services in the world. The IPVanish network consists of over 40,000 different IP addresses residing on over 3200+ servers in 100 countries.
This provides Kodi users all over the world with fast download speeds and the ability to circumvent geo-blocked streams by connecting from different locations around the globe.
Since my EKB subscriber base spans the world, I wanted to ensure that I picked a provider that offered a large number of servers.
Again, I am only creating tutorials for one VPN application so it is important that I find one that will support Kodi users around the world, not just the United States.
Unlimited Connections Allowed On the Same Account
Since most people have Kodi boxes connected to more than one television within their home, it was important to find a service that allows multiple connections from one account.
IPVanish now allows you to use one account on UNLIMITED different devices at the same time.
We recently received insider information regarding IPVanish’s support for Unlimited Devices.
When you do this, every device that connects to the Internet through your router will be protected.
This is a technical process and I still suggest loading the VPN application onto the actual device itself for easier setup.
Multiple Applications for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Linux, Fire TV/Stick, Chromebook
Kodi can be installed on Fire TV/Stick, Windows, Linux, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi, etc. As well as other non-traditional operating systems such as BSD and Freescale.
Most of my readers tend to use Android-powered devices for their Kodi boxes. However, this could change in the future.
Since IPVanish provides applications for multiple platforms, there will always be an application for us regardless of which device we are running Kodi on.
Due to the fact that IPVanish allows for up to ten connections at the same time under one account, we can use the service on other devices.
One recommendation that you will see me touting constantly on the EKB Website is that you should always be using a VPN when traveling. Yes, that is right, a VPN has other uses besides just Kodi!
You should never connect to a public Wi-Fi hot-spot unless you first connect to a VPN service.
Think about how many public Wi-Fi hot-spots we connect to when we are traveling or are away from home.
If you are like me, your phone, tablet, and computer have sensitive information on it that you would never want someone to access.
You should never connect to a public Wi-Fi hot-spot unless you first connect to a VPN service.
Hackers can easily intercept your keystrokes through these insecure networks and steal your private information.
Due to the fact that IPVanish provides apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Fire TV/Stick, Windows Phone, Linux, and Chromebook, you have the option of using your account on any of these devices so you are always protected.
Protect All Applications On Kodi Device
Now that various 3rd party Kodi add-ons have come under scrutiny and lawsuits have been filed, it is important that a VPN service protects all applications on the device, not just Kodi itself.
The reason for this is due to the fact that there are new Android applications emerging such as Cinema APK that should also be routed through an encrypted connection when being used.
As more 3rd party Kodi Addons and Kodi Builds shut down, people will be turning to Android APK’s, torrents, and online streaming sites that provide a ton of content.
I suggest viewing our popular lists below for the best Kodi alternatives.
It is important that your entire device is protected so your streaming logs aren’t accessible by your Internet Service Provider.
Some services are only setup within Kodi but that leaves the other applications on the Kodi device unprotected.
IPVanish is installed on the unit itself which means that all applications that run will be protected.
Rather than simply protecting the Kodi application, we want to ensure that the other apps are secure as well.
IPVanish Features At A Glance
The above features were the cornerstone of my VPN Kodi research but there are other benefits that IPVanish provides. These are listed below:
- User-friendly apps
- Access to world’s fastest VPN
- 40,000+ shared IPs and 1,900+ servers in 75+ locations.
- Unlimited bandwidth provided for each account
- 256-bit AES encryption
- IPVanish retains no traffic logs
- SOCKS5 web proxy available for all accounts
- Access to censored applications and websites
- OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols available
- Unlimited server switching
- Support for UNLIMITED devices with one account
- 24/7 customer support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Free Trial Or Money-Back Guarantee
It was important for me to find a service that would offer a free trial or money-back guarantee for my subscribers and readers.
In reality, when looking at the VPN services, most who touts a free trial still require payment upfront.
IPVanish provides a 30-day money-back guarantee which should provide ample time to test whether you like the service or not.
If not happy, simply send an email to their support department at support@ipvanish.com and request a refund.
One of the most frequently asked questions is “Where can I find a free VPN service?”
I strongly suggest staying away from offers such as these because companies like this are making money somewhere.
Free VPN companies are most likely selling your data to a 3rd party or installing malware onto your device.
If you do use a free service, make sure you know the details of what you are getting yourself into.