Best VPN for smart TVs and streaming devices

A “smart TV” is any television set with an internet connection and access to on-demand streaming media. Samsung uses the term as a brand name for its line of such products (Samsung Smart TV), but many other manufacturers also produce smart TVs.

The list of smart TV devices is too large to guarantee that all of them will be able to use ExpressVPN directly. Most Android TV devices are able to run ExpressVPN’s VPN app for Android with no issues. Samsung Smart TVs cannot run VPN software, but they can use ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer service. For specific advice, contact Support or consult our guide to popular devices.

Regardless of the above, however, any device with an internet connection can connect to ExpressVPN through a VPN-enabled Wi-Fi router.

Learn about all the ways to get ExpressVPN on your TV.

No. MediaStreamer will allow your device to access content that would otherwise be blocked, but it does so without the privacy benefits of tunneling and encryption. To use a smart TV with all the protection of a VPN, connect it to a VPN-enabled router using the ExpressVPN app for routers.

ExpressVPN is first and foremost a privacy company and therefore stores no activity logs and no connection logs. ExpressVPN also never collects any data that would allow anyone to trace a specific network activity or behavior back to an individual user.

Read more about ExpressVPN’s commitment to privacy and policy toward logs.

Yes! ExpressVPN is available on a wide array of devices including computers, smartphones, and game consoles. As many as eight devices can connect to ExpressVPN simultaneously with a single subscription. And if you install ExpressVPN on your Wi-Fi router, every device connected to that router will be protected, no matter how many you have.

Every ExpressVPN account comes with a risk-free money-back guarantee. You can enjoy the full-featured version of ExpressVPN for smart TVs for up to 30 days and get a full refund if you aren’t satisfied.

Using a VPN for Netflix on your smart TV is as simple as:

• Signing up for ExpressVPN

• Then, either:

  • Installing VPN on your smart TV,

  • Using our MediaStreamer DNS service, or

  • Connecting to a VPN-enabled router

• Connecting to one of our global VPN servers

• Log in to your Netflix account, launch the Netflix app, and stream to your heart’s content!

Yes! You can directly install a VPN app on compatible smart TVs. Android TVs in particular can use the ExpressVPN app for Android.

For smart TVs that cannot install the ExpressVPN app directly, you can still use ExpressVPN by connecting your smart TV to a VPN-enabled router or using our MediaStreamer DNS service, which can help your device mask its location but does not provide the same privacy protection as a VPN.

Free VPNs are not recommended for streaming on smart TVs as they do not offer the same privacy and security benefits of a paid VPN. Many do not work as advertised, some may even sell your data, and most will leave your networks vulnerable to attack.

Read more about free proxy services vs. VPNs.

A VPN works on smart TVs by sending your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel that nobody can see into, including hackers, governments, and your internet service provider.

Using a VPN for your smart TV will help you securely access sites and content from anywhere. In addition to helping you defeat censorship, a VPN will also encrypt your traffic and bypass ISP throttling.