7 Best VPNs for Apple TV in 2024 & How To Set Them Up (2024)

Whether you want on-demand video or live TV streams, you can’t go wrong with Apple TV, and the addition of a VPN allows you to unlock its full potential. In this article, we’ll look at the most compatible and best VPNs for Apple TV. We’ll also provide simple, clear instructions for how to set up a VPN on Apple TV.

One issue with Apple TV is that iTunes content varies widely from country to country. Plus, if you take your Apple TV out of the country where your iTunes account and payment method are registered, you could run into geographic restrictions on the content you’re allowed to access. Luckily, you can bypass these issues and unblock geo-restricted content from anywhere with a VPN.

We give you detailed reviews of each of the providers we recommend, answer some common VPN questions, and provide a step-by-step guide to setting up a VPN on Apple TV. But in case you’re short on time, we’ll start with a quick summary of the top choices.

The best Apple TV VPNs:

1. NordVPN The best VPN for Apple TV. Unblocks all kinds of services and streaming platforms and has plenty of security benefits. Great speeds make it a solid option for streaming, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIPIn our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Apple TV.
2. Surfshark A great budget VPN for Apple TV with advanced functionality. Has apps for all types of streaming devices and allows unlimited connections. Works with Disney Plus, Netflix, and more.
3. ExpressVPN High-speed servers in over 100 countries. Provides impressive security offering and strong unblocking capabilities for Apple TV.
4. CyberGhost A huge server network. Very fast speeds perfect for streaming and allows up to 7 simultaneous connections. No-logs VPN with 24/7 support.
5. IPVanish Great for online privacy with strong encryption and a no-logs policy. Allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Works well with Apple TV.
6. Private Internet Access Strong security and fast speeds. It has over 30,000 servers globally, has no connection limits, and includes 24/7 support.
7. PrivateVPN Small but popular service with fast speeds and excellent unblocking abilities. Has plenty of advanced features that are great for Apple TV.

How we selected the top Apple TV VPNs

There are so many VPNs on the market that it can be tricky to separate the good ones from the pretenders. To take the guesswork out of it for you, we curated this list of the best VPNs for Apple TV 4, 3, and 1 based on the following criteria:

• Wide range of servers located in most countries where Apple TV is supported
• High speed and unlimited bandwidth for HD and 4K streams
• Quick and competent customer support if you need help
• Strong privacy policy and encryption suite
• Bonus if a pre-flashed VPN router is available for purchase

This is just a glimpse into our rating process, but if you would like to know more about the criteria we used to put this list together, we explain it further in our methodology section below.

Best VPNs for Apple TV: at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Apple TV.

The best Apple TV VPNs

At Comparitech, we aim to give you the most accurate and useful recommendations possible. To do that, our team personally uses every VPN and tests them for compatibility, performance, and ease of setup. The following reviews are based on those first-hand experiences.

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for Apple TV:

1. NordVPN

Feb 2024 Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

NordVPN is our number-one choice VPN for Apple TV. It has a strong track record with Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Go, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer, among many others. Just consult the online knowledge base to find out which servers work for which channels. You’ll get a whopping six simultaneous devices for streaming on a single subscription. Over 60 countries are available to connect to, and each server is guarded by strong 256-bit encryption.

NordVPN features an encrypted DNS proxy tool called SmartDNS, which assists in unblocking geo-locked content. This can be used separately from the main VPN service but does require using the VPN app, meaning it can’t be configured by itself on a router. You’ll still need to go through the full VPN setup on a router instead.

NordVPN sells pre-flashed DD-WRT routers that come pre-configured with all the servers you’ll need to unblock content on your Apple TV. The NordVPN knowledge base also has several detailed tutorials on how to manually set up an existing VPN-compatible router.

NordVPN speed test data

BEST VPN FOR APPLE TV:NordVPN is our first choice. A highly versatile service that works perfectly with Apple TV. Strong security features and allows up to 6 devices. Includes a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

Surfshark offers both a VPN and a smart DNS service as part of its standard subscription. You can either configure the VPN on a router or change your Apple TV’s default DNS servers to those of Surfshark. Although this doesn’t provide the same level of security as the VPN, smart DNS will allow you to safely stream Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu from abroad.

To use the smart DNS service, you must verify your IP address on the Surfshark website while being connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV.

Surfshark has over 3,200 servers in a whopping 100 countries and allows users to connect an unlimited number of devices at once, which makes it a great budget option to share with family or roommates. 24/7 live chat support is available.

Surfshark speed test data

BEST BUDGET OPTION:Surfshark is great value and lets you connect as many devices as you want. The standalone smart DNS service is compatible with Apple TV, no router setup is required! Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

ExpressVPN can securely access pretty much anything. That includes US and UK Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Sling TV, and HBO Now/Go. Simply ask the 24/7 live chat support which VPN server to connect to for your preferred streaming channel. Over 3,000 servers are littered across 100+ countries. ExpressVPN always scores well in our speed tests and only uses the strongest encryption parameters, including perfect forward secrecy.

The provider allows its subscribers to utilize its smart DNS proxy service with or without connecting to a VPN. Called MediaStreamer, this service allows you to send DNS requests through a proxy service and unblock geo-locked content without actually connecting to a VPN. This is especially useful for Apple TV owners because the device does support changing the default DNS settings. More on how to set this up below.

If MediaStreamer isn’t enough and you want a full VPN to use with your Apple TV, ExpressVPN also makes its own custom router firmware. If you’ve got a compatible router, you can flash the firmware for free. Or you can purchase a pre-flashed router directly from ExpressVPN. The router firmware is already set up to be used with any ExpressVPN server, and it’s far simpler to operate than the competing DD-WRT and Tomato-based firmware.

ExpressVPN speed test data

GREAT FOR APPLE TV:ExpressVPN is fast and privacy-conscious. This makes it ideal for streaming Apple TV from abroad. It even includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

4. CyberGhost

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

CyberGhost has a vast network of servers (over 10,000 in 100+ countries). As such, it’s ideally placed to help you access a wide range of region-locked content. We’ve successfully tested it with the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. Furthermore, CyberGhost is one of the fastest VPNs you can use, which means that any streaming you do on Apple TV will be seamless with little to no lag or buffering.

While Smart TVs like Samsung and LG don’t support VPN apps, you can use CyberGhost VPN with Apple TV by setting it up on your router. Too complicated? You also have the option of purchasing a router that has CyberGhost pre-installed. Once connected, you’ll benefit from CyberGhost’s comprehensive security in the form of 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch. It also operates a strict no-logs policy.

CyberGhost can be manually configured to work with compatible routers. Alternatively, it offers apps for desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and mobile (Android and iOS). Apps can also be downloaded for Amazon Fire TV and Android TV, while browser extensions are offered for Chrome and Firefox.

CyberGhost speed test review

IMPRESSIVE NETWORK:CyberGhost has more than 10,000 servers in all and provides very fast speeds for streaming lag-free on Apple TV. Compatible with select Wi-Fi routers. No-logs service with 24/7 support. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

5. IPVanish

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

IPVanish offers sturdy and fast VPN connections to its owned and operated network of 2,000 servers spread across more than 60 countries. While it’s not as adept when it comes to securely accessing the big American streaming channels like Netflix and Hulu, we do give it a resounding endorsem*nt for Kodi users. A favorite among the Kodi community, IPVanish will work with any Kodi add-on you can throw at it.

IPVanish allows unlimited simultaneous connections, uses military-grade encryption, and keeps zero logs of users’ online activity. It uses private DNS servers and has DNS leak protection built in.

If you prefer a router, IPVanish has detailed instructions on how to set up VPNs on common router firmware on its website. If your router isn’t compatible or you’re just not confident in your networking abilities, IPVanish sells pre-flashed DD-WRT routers that come with everything you need already in place.

IPVanish speed test data

PROTECT ALL YOUR DEVICES:IPVanish is a great family choice as it allows unlimited connections. A favorite for Kodi users, and allows you to connect all your devices at once. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

6. Private Internet Access

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

Private Internet Access is a smart choice for Apple TV customers, with over 30,000 servers spanning 84+ countries, meaning you’ll always find a server nearby. Speeds with PIA are fantastic, and thanks to its WireGuard support, your streaming experience will be fast enough for HD viewing.

PIA includes many optional settings, including adjusting encryption levels for when you’re streaming – further increasing speeds. It has desktop, mobile, game consoles, and streaming apps. As with most modern VPNs, PIA uses AES encryption, but it also offers a built-in kill switch, an ad blocker, and a malware blocker. It uses DNS leak protection to keep your activities watertight and operates a zero-log policy.

Support is available 24/7 via live chat, and all plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Private Internet Access speed data test

ADJUSTABLE ENCRYPTION:Private Internet Access includes an unlimited connection limit, WireGuard support, and apps for all major platforms. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our fullPrivate Internet Access review.

7. PrivateVPN

Works with Apple TVTested Feb 2024

PrivateVPN is looking to make a name for itself in the crowded VPN market by offering a fast service that works well with US Netflix and a wide array of other streaming channels. The server selection is a bit more limited than others on this list, but it more than makes up for that in other ways. Connect up to ten devices at the same time on a single account, and enjoy top-of-the-line encryption whenever you connect. PrivateVPN does not log any information about how customers use its service.

PrivateVPN’s website posts tutorials on how to configure the service on a Tomato or DD-WRT router. The company recently switched over to using its own private DNS servers instead of public ones, which is a marked improvement, but they can’t be used separately from the VPN service.

PrivateVPN speed test data

GREAT SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is easy to use. Allows up to 10 devices on the same account. Fast VPN connections but could do with having more servers to choose from. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

How we found the best VPNs for Apple TV: our methodology

We test each VPN for ourselves to get a better understanding of what is and isn’t offered. Our methodology for finding the best VPNs for Apple TV involves looking into the following features:

• Servers worldwide: A quality VPN offers servers in dozens of countries globally. This ensures that whatever your location, you’ll be able to find a fast server close to your physical location. It also makes it that much easier to connect to a server in the country in which specific Apple TV content is available.
• Speed: Of course, streaming content on Apple TV requires a VPN with good server speeds. To ensure we found the fastest VPNs for Apple TV, we carried out speed tests. All of those selected are more than fast enough for streaming in high definition and, in most cases, 4K. Each VPN also includes unlimited bandwidth.
• Unblocking: Apple TV content varies from country to country. Indeed, there are many geo-restricted websites and services you’re likely to come across. We’ve looked for those VPNs that not only work with Apple TV but a wide range of popular streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max.
• Security: One of the main benefits of a VPN is security. This should come in the form of 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. The best VPNs for Apple TV tick all of these boxes. However, some offer even more comprehensive protection with an ad blocker or Double VPN servers.
• Privacy: Having looked at over 140 VPN logging policies, we’ve found those that best protect your privacy. This means not keeping any logs by which you can be identified. With some VPNs, you even have the option of signing up anonymously (using a burner email account) and paying in Bitcoin.
• Ease of use: Not every VPN makes it easy for you to connect to a server or configure your settings. Of course, this becomes all the more complicated when you’re manually installing your Apple TV VPN on your Wi-Fi router. We’ve looked for user-friendly VPNs with 24/7 support and plenty of setup and troubleshooting guides.
• Value for money: Some VPNs that fail to offer some of the above actually work out to be more expensive than those we’ve recommended. Indeed, we feel that the best VPNs for Apple TV are particularly good value with their money-back guarantees. In fact, you can save even more by making use of our VPN discount coupons.

In order to find out if a VPN offers the above, we spend extensive time with it. As part of our VPN testing methodology, each VPN is tested in areas such as server speed, security, and even customer support.

VPNs to avoid with Apple TV

VPN Book

VPN Book is a free VPN service that offers free OpenVPN configuration files for its network of servers. The company is extremely opaque in its privacy policy, and it’s not clear who is behind the service. Not long ago, hacking collective Anonymous warned that VPN Book is a honeypot for law enforcement. At any rate, the VPN servers you find here aren’t going to be fast or reliable enough to use with an Apple TV.

Hola

Hola is a peer-to-peer proxy service that uses the idle bandwidth on users’ devices to power its network. So, instead of connecting to a VPN server owned by the company, you connect to other Hola users’ computers. Likewise, other users connect to your computer when you’re not using it. This has serious privacy and security implications, and Hola itself exploited its users in the past. It once hijacked every user on its network to create a massive botnet and used it to carry out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on websites. If that’s not an abuse of user trust, we’re not sure what is.

How to set up a VPN with Apple TV

Because Apple TVs don’t natively support VPN connections, the next best thing is to install the VPN on your home router and then connect the Apple TV to that router’s Wi-Fi network. How you do this depends on your router’s firmware and level of expertise. You have two main options: a physical router and a virtual router.

Setting up an Apple TV VPN on a physical router

Some routers support VPN connections, and some don’t. You can log into your router dashboard by opening a web browser, typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1,and entering your user credentials. If you’re not sure what your credentials are, consult your ISP, router manual or Google the default username and password for your particular router model.

Once you make it to the dashboard, look around for a way to set up a VPN connection. If none exists, you can potentially replace the firmware with an open-source alternative that does support VPNs. Our two recommendations are DD-WRT and Tomato. We’ve got setup instructions for DD-WRT here. But be warned: you must use the correct version of firmware that is compatible with your specific router. If done improperly or with incompatible firmware, you could permanently damage the router.

If that sounds intimidating or your router isn’t compatible with Tomato or DD-WRT, consider purchasing a pre-flashed router from your VPN service provider. Pre-flashed VPN routers come configured with all of your VPN providers’ servers right out of the box. From our list above, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish all sell pre-configured routers, and NordVPN is probably the best.

Setting up an Apple TV VPN on a virtual router

Setting up a VPN on a virtual router is much less daunting than doing so on a physical router, but you will need a spare laptop lying around to get it working. A virtual router uses your laptop’s existing hardware to create a Wi-Fi hotspot for other nearby devices. By connecting to a VPN and then broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal, your Apple TV can share the laptop’s VPN-protected internet connection.

We’ve got tutorials on how to set up a VPN-enabled virtual router on Windows and MacOS.

A third option: DNS proxy

Another option for Apple TV users who want to unblock geo-locked content is a DNS proxy, or smart DNS. This doesn’t provide the security or online privacy of an encrypted VPN tunnel, but it does work if you just want to unblock certain streaming video content services.

DNS, or domain name system, translates the domain names for apps and websites into server IP addresses. Whenever you open a website in your browser, for example, a DNS request is sent to a DNS server, and that DNS server finds the appropriate IP address for the web server hosting the site. By default, DNS requests are usually sent to your ISP’s servers, which are located in your home country. Many video streaming websites check where DNS requests come from to identify a user’s location.

By forcing your Apple TV to send DNS requests to a different server in another country, the content on these websites can be unblocked. It won’t slow down your connection like a full-on VPN, but it’s not quite as private or foolproof as a VPN, either.

Apple TVs come with built-in support for users who want to hardcode their own DNS servers. NordVPN’s SmartDNS or ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer feature is perfect for this, as it lets you use the VPN service’s DNS servers separately from the VPN itself.

Here’s how to set DNS servers on Apple TV 4 and later:

1. On the Main menu, click Settings > Network
2. Find your current network. Select Configure DNS > Manual
3. Enter the DNS address from MediaStreamer or whatever DNS provider you’re using. It should be a string of numbers and decimals.
4. Select Done
5. Restart Apple TV

And that’s it! This method works particularly well for bigger players that use CDNs to provide content. But how successful it is depends on your DNS provider. We recommend SmartDNS, which comes at no extra charge with every NordVPN subscription.

Smart DNS proxy on Apple TV 3rd gen or older

Setting up a smart DNS proxy on older models of Apple TV is slightly different than newer models. First, you may need to change your location settings.

1. Go to Settings > iTunes Store > Location
2. Select the United States or whatever country you want to unblock content from

Once that’s done, it’s time to set up the DNS servers.

1. Go to Settings > General > Network
2. Select your current network interface: Wi-Fi or Ethernet
3. Select Configure DNS > Manual
4. Enter the DNS address from MediaStreamer or whatever DNS provider you’re using. It should be a string of numbers and decimals. Confirm with Done.
5. A restart is required for changes to take effect. Go to Settings > General > Restart.

Note that the smart DNS proxy service you use may require additional steps to register your device’s IP address with the service. The exact setup process varies from service to service but is generally not that difficult; just follow the instructions on your VPN provider’s website.

What to do if your Apple TV VPN isn’t working

Having trouble getting your VPN to work on your Apple TV? No problem: there are a few simple steps you can take to resolve the most common issues. The guide below will explain how to troubleshoot your VPN and get up and running as soon as possible.

1. First, it’s a good idea to ensure your VPN is working properly. Begin by visiting our IP address checker with the VPN turned off. Then, connect to a server in a different country and refresh the page. You should find that your location has changed. If not, try a different server or reinstall the VPN.
2. If you’re sharing your VPN connection from another device using a virtual router, ensure your Apple TV is connected to the newly created network, not your regular one.
3. Your Smart DNS service may also cause your problem. These usually only work with US streaming services and won’t help you access platforms from other countries. If that’s what you want, you’ll have to use one of the other methods discussed earlier in this post.
4. Sometimes, settings won’t fully take effect until you restart the device. Just turn your Apple TV off and on, then check again to see if this fixes the issue.
5. If none of the above steps have helped, we’d recommend contacting your VPN’s support team directly. Staff will be able to walk you through the installation process from start to finish over live chat.

Installing Kodi on Apple TV

Kodi can be installed on Apple TVs 2, 3, and 4. The free and open-source home theater software requires a bit of work to get up and running, but it can be done. We’ll show you a few different ways to do it in our tutorial on how to install Kodi on Apple TV.

We strongly recommend the use of a VPN whenever using Kodi on any device, be it an Apple TV or some other set-top box. This will prevent your ISP from snooping on your activity and throttling bandwidth. A VPN will also help prevent hackers from carrying out common attacks on the Kodi platform.

Apple TV countries

Apple TV offers the most features and functionality to US users by far. The search function, for instance, will scan about 98 content providers in the US. When in Canada, a distant second, it only scans 36.

Apple TV+ is available in the following countries, but available content varies from country to country:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia. Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

Siri is also limited to the following countries and languages:

• Australia (English)
• Austria (German)
• Brazil (Portuguese)
• Canada (English, French)
• Germany (German)
• France (French)
• Ireland (English)
• Japan (Japanese)
• Mexico (Spanish)
• Netherlands (Dutch)
• New Zealand (English)
• Norway (Norwegian Bokmål)
• Japan (Japanese)
• Spain (Spanish)
• Sweden (Swedish)
• UK (English)
• US (English, Spanish)

You can find out what apps, features, and content providers are available in your country on the official Apple website.

See also:

• Best VPN for iPhone
• Best VPN for Mac

VPNs for Apple TV: FAQs