Best VPN service for Amazon Fire TV Stick 2021 – CNET [CNET]

Are you considering a virtual private network for your Amazon Fire TV Stick? If you care about your privacy, want to get past streaming service geo-blocking while keeping your devices secure — and you don’t want advertisers to treat you like data-producing livestock — then yes, you should use a VPN. 

Say goodbye to the days of viewer anonymity we enjoyed with the now-extinct bunny-eared TV antennas. Thanks to smart TVs, there’s now plenty of smart surveillance. As with any other internet-connected device in the home, your media habits are subject to monitoring by your ISP, Uncle Sam and malicious snoops. Thankfully, drawing the encryption curtains on would-be peepers isn’t difficult with these top VPN picks for Fire TV Stick users. 

Two important callouts for this list of Amazon Fire Stick VPN recommendations: First, each of these are available as an app on current versions of the Fire Stick — just search the store for the VPN app like you would for any other streaming app, such as Hulu or Showtime. 

Second, you’ll notice my recommendations for the best VPN to use with Fire TV Stick are drawn from the top three performers in CNET’s directory of the best overall VPNs to use in 2021. That’s largely due to the obstacle course CNET puts VPN services through during evaluation and testing. A key factor in securing a top spot in the list is a VPN’s platform compatibility, so it’s no surprise that my top three picks are VPN services that work on a wide range of systems and devices. 

In evaluating them for Fire TV Stick use, however, the priorities are simple: You’re looking for the fastest, most streaming-friendly services with strong enough security to keep your service providers blind to your whereabouts and your ISP blind to your content choices. 

As with other types of devices, I recommend avoiding free VPNs for your Fire TV Stick and instead — if you’re on a disciplined budget — stick to a tried and true paid VPN that offers the cheapest deals.

Other VPNs available on Fire TV Stick

The three services above are my favorites, whether you’re using an Amazon Fire TV device or some other device. But note that these other services are also available as downloadable apps on the Fire TV platform:

• Hotspot Shield VPN (read CNET’s Hotspot Shield VPN review)
• CyberGhost VPN (read CNET’s CyberGhost VPN review)
• IPVanish (read CNET’s IPVanish VPN review) 

More VPN recommendations

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• Best free VPN: Try these services for up to 30 days, risk-free
• Fastest VPN 2021