VPNs have become essential tools in today’s world, and especially for those of us that like streaming media over the internet.
One of the most popular online streaming tools is Kodi, and if you use it, then you definitely need to get yourself a VPN. It’s only then that you will be able to hide your activities from the ISP and the government, overcome geo-restrictions, and beat ISP throttling.
To save you from the headache of choosing the right VPN, we’ve drafted you a list of the best VPNs for Kodi. We have tested all the VPNs listed here, and the information given is first hand.
1. ExpressVPN
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Editors’ choice 2020
tekcompareExpressVPN is one of the most popular streaming VPNs today, thanks to its excellent speeds and the fact that it works with Netflix and other major streaming platforms. The VPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which keeps it out of the reach of the NSA and the invasive UK privacy laws. Thanks to that, the VPN manages to keep a strict no-logs privacy policy, something that’s important for Kodi users.
ExpressVPN is also one of the fastest VPNs (as its name suggests) thanks to its excellent server network of 3000+ servers in 160 locations across 94 countries. With such a network, you can always connect to a server near you for maximum speeds, and you can stream in HD.
One unique feature of ExpressVPN is its media streamer which allows you to stream Netflix US on a device that doesn’t natively support VPN installation. This therefore makes it the best VPN for Playstation and other devices like Smart TV.
Privacy & Security
ExpressVPN uses the industry standard AES 256-bit encryption, and no one can compromise such a connection. This is combined with RSA-4096 handshake and SHA-512 HMAC hash authentication to secure all your data. Other security and privacy features that the VPN offers include an automatic Kill Switch, and DNS & IP Leak protection.
Compatibility
ExpressVPN can be installed on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux, which are the major platforms. It also offers an extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. ExpressVPN is also the only VPN with a dedicated app for routers. With a subscription, you’ll be able to connect up to 3 devices simultaneously.
Pricing
ExpressVPN is unfortunately one of the priciest VPN, but the service you’ll get is worth every penny. The monthly plan goes for $12.95 per month, but you can save xx% with our special discount for the 2 year plan. For any of the plans you choose, you’ll get a 30-day money back guarantee.
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Super-fast
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Zero logs & solid security
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Excellent client apps
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Works with Netflix, iPlayer, and other streaming services
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24/7 Live chat support
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30-day money back guarantee
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Relatively costly
Tekcompare has scanned and tested this software for malware
All plans are covered by a 30-day money back guarantee
2. NordVPN
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NordVPN is one VPN that has had exponential growth within the last few years, and today it’s one of the most popular VPNs. The VPN boasts the largest server network with a total of 5,100+ servers in 61 countries. Thanks to the many servers, you can always get stable connections and fast speeds.
Privacy & Security
NordVPN is based in Panama, a country that promotes internet privacy. The VPN therefore manages to keep its promise of no usage or connection logs, which is great for privacy. In terms of security, this is the VPN with the most security features. These include an automatic Kill Switch, double VPN, Anti-DDoS, Onion over VPN, CyberSec, and DNS & IP Leak protection. Available protocols include OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP and SSTP.
Compatibility
NordVPN can be installed on all common platforms which include Windows, iOS, OS X, Android, Linux, Blackberry, Chrome OS, DD-WRT, and others. A single account supports up to 6 simultaneous connections, and their VPN clients are super easy to use.
Pricing
NordVPN provides various plans to choose from. The monthly plan goes for $11.95, but the long-term plans offer much more value. We have a special discount for you which will let you enjoy the 2 year plan at just $3.29 a month. All NordVPN plans are eligible for a 30-day money back guarantee.
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Zero usage and connection logs
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Super-fast
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Up to 6 simultaneous connections
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Biggest server network
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Process-specific Kill Switch
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24/7 Customer Care
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30-day money back guarantee
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High cost for month-to-month users
3. IPVanish
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IPVanish is a favorite among Kodi users due to its light apps and excellent speeds. The VPN is based in the US, but it still manages to keep zero logs. This can be attributed to the fact that the VPN completely owns and operates all its servers, something that only 2 other VPNs have managed to do. The VPN has a server network of 1,000+ servers in 60+ countries.
Privacy & Security
Being based in the US doesn’t help IPVanish in terms of privacy, but the VPN promises its users that it doesn’t keep any of their logs. This therefore means that your streaming activities can’t be linked back to you.
In terms of security, IPVanish does really well. They offer military grade AES-256 bit encryption with an RSA-2048 bit key authentication. They also offer a wide range of protocols, but the protocols you get mostly depend on the device you are using. Windows users can choose between OpenVPN 256-bit, OpenVPN Scramble, and PPTP. Other security features include an automatic Kill Switch and IPv6 & DNS Leak Protection.
Compatibility
IPVanish is highly compatible, and it offers users a large selection of clients. You can install IPVanish on Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS, Linux, Windows Phone, Fire TV, Chromebook, and Routers. The VPN is quite generous with the number of devices you can secure at once, with an allowance of up to 10 simultaneous connections.
Pricing
IPVanish offers three pricing plans. The monthly subscription goes for $5.00 a month, which is quite fair considering the service offered by the VPN. The 3 month plan is a bit cheaper, but you can save 73% with our special 1 year discount. Your subscription will be covered with a 30-day money back guarantee.
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Super-fast
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Zero logs & solid security
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Excellent client apps
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10 simultaneous connections
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Own their network
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30-day money-back guarantee
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Based in the US
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No bitcoin payment
Kodi Legality Issues
Kodi is open-source and legal software, but things usually get blurry when you put third-party addons in the mix. This is because these addons facilitate copyright infringement by providing links to pirated content. They do this by scraping the links they provide from publicly available websites, since the addon developers do not own any of the content provided by the addons.
This issue has seen Kodi get some negative publicity as governments and copyright agencies try to fight copyright infringement. This has led to many third-party Kodi addons being blocked by ISPs, and sellers of pre-loaded Kodi boxes have even been arrested and sentenced. Thousands of Kodi users have also received DMCA notices for illegally streaming copyrighted content through third-party addons. This calls for the use of a VPN whenever you use Kodi.
Why you need a VPN for Kodi
A VPN will encrypt your traffic and then securely tunnel it to a remote server. With the encryption, nobody will be able to see what you are doing on the internet, and you will also gain a new online identity through a new IP address.
Here’s why a VPN will be helpful:
To Hide your Online Activities from the ISP
Your ISP can always see the websites you visit, the content you stream or download, and any other internet resource that you use. This means that whenever you illegally stream copyrighted content, your ISP will know, and they can even decide to forward it to the government. When copyright trolls come looking, they will also be given your details.
It’s therefore essential to use a VPN to conceal your activities from the ISP. After your traffic is encrypted, your ISP, government, or any other third-party won’t be able to see what you are doing. You however need to make sure that choose a VPN that uses solid encryption and keeps zero logs like the ones listed above.
To Stream Aanonymously
Some Kodi addons use P2P technology, and this technology should never be used without a VPN. Your IP address is always exposed when streaming, and that’s a huge privacy and security flaw. You can however hide your real identity as your VPN server will spoof your real IP address.
To Evade Geo-Restrictions
Geo-restrictions have become a norm today, and almost all official streaming services are use them today. This means that there’s a lot of content out there that you can’t access unless you have a VPN. For example, though BBC iPlayer is free, you can’t access it outside the UK. With a compatible VPN like ExpressVPN, NordVPN or IPVanish (most VPNs are blocked by the service), you can watch it on Kodi from anywhere.
For Circumventing ISP Throttling
When your ISP notices that you are consuming a lot of bandwidth or you are streaming illegal content, they can decide to throttle your connection. When that happens, your speeds will slow down whenever you try to stream anything, and so your stream will have a lot of buffering issues. This can however be easily overcome with the simple use of a VPN.
Final Words
You definitely need a VPN if you are a Kodi user. However, selecting the right VPN is just as good as knowing that you need one. We have tested various VPNs, and the ones listed above have proven to be the best for Kodi. You can choose one that fits your needs, and you won’t have to worry about copyright trolls, geo-restrictions, or ISP throttling.
If you really love streaming and want to be able to catch up on all your favorite shows no matter where you are, take a look at our guides on VPNs for the top streaming services: