Apple TV is one of the best media streaming devices. It’s often compared to the Fire Stick and other Android streaming boxes, and it’s always at the top. Combined with a VPN, Apple TV is a reliable streaming solution that doesn’t block all geological restrictions.
This Apple TV VPN Guide describes how VPNs unleash the potential of Apple TV 4K and how to disguise your location and watch restricted content. First, let’s learn more about VPNs.
What does a VPN do?
I’ve found a TV show or movie to watch while scrolling through Instagram. You look to Google, search for the show, and find that the show is owned by you but available on streaming services in another country.
Now, this is where VPN comes in. A VPN can geospoof your location and see content that isn’t available in your area. “Trick” the streaming service into believing that you’re watching a movie from another location.
Most VPNs encrypt Apple TV data in addition to geospoofing. Therefore, it prevents third parties and ISPs from tracking online activity. Let’s take a look at the best options.
5 Best VPNs on Apple TV
- ExpressVPN
- NordVPN
- Surf shark
- ControlD
- Cyber Ghost
1. ExpressVPN: The best overall VPN for Apple TV
At a (slightly) cost, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Apple TV. It’s easy to use and can be set up in minutes. This service supports Media Streamer. This is a DNS service that allows you to easily spoof your location.
If you don’t want to repeat the configuration over and over, you can set up ExpressVPN on your Wi-Fi router. Their app for VPN on Wi-Fi is simple and VPN providers have some of the best how-to guides for it.
And ah, if you run into some problems, ExpressVPN has one of the best customer support in your business.
Advantages
- Easy to set up
- Great dedicated router app
- Best-in-class security and privacy measures
- Great global speed
price: From $ 12.95 / month, from $ 6.67 / month with one-year payment
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2. NordVPN: The fastest VPN for Apple TV
NordVPN is second only to the best Apple TV VPN. It supports both VPN over Wi-Fi and Smart DNS, so you can connect to the server at your convenience. Setting up SmartDNS is easy and straightforward.
But less simple is VPN over Wi-Fi with NordVPN. Unlike ExpressVPN, this service does not have a dedicated Wi-Fi router app. However, it can be configured with a router. It’s just a little hassle you have to experience.
In addition, my tests have shown that NordVPN is a bit slower than ExpressVPN. But it’s cheap, so it’s even.
Advantages
- Do not store logs on the server — truly encrypted internet
- Ability to use VPN with up to 6 devices at once
- Works with all major streaming services
Disadvantages
- Some streaming services are slow
- Lack of dedicated router app
price: $ 11.95 / month ($ 3.30 / month for 2 years)
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3. Surfshark: Excellent cost performance
Surfshark is one of the Apple TV VPNs with many features at a low price. With servers in more than 65 countries, you can seamlessly stream whatever you want to stream, whether it’s the NBA on CBS or the Eurocup on BBC ITV Player.
Provides the option to configure VPN over Wi-Fi or DNS on your Apple TV. If you’re looking for casual streaming at a disposable price, Surfshark VPN is for you. It’s almost easy.
In addition, this service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Therefore, it’s worth a blow!
Advantages
- Great value for money
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlock geospoofing content and block ads
- 24/7 chat support
Disadvantages
- You need to set up DNS every time you email
- Do not unblock BBC iPlayer
price: $ 12.95 / month for 1 year ($ 2.5 / month for 2 years)
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4. ControlD: The cheapest VPN for Apple TV
ControlD is relatively new in this area. It’s not a traditional VPN, but it takes full advantage of DNS functionality.
What I like about ControlD is that you can set custom locations for different services. For example, you can set DNS to the geospoofing location, such as Canada for Netflix and the United Kingdom for Prime Video.
It saves you the hassle of switching server locations each time and it provides you to set the location via the mobile website. It supports almost all streaming services around the world.
If you’re looking for a SmartDNS service only and don’t mind VPN over Wi-Fi, ControlD is one of the top options available.
You can try the full service for free for one month. During sign-up, the service does not even require your credit card. So try away!
Advantages
- 1 month free trial
- No credit card required to sign up
- Supports almost all streaming services
- Cheapest on the list
Disadvantages
- The network seems to be slow because the service is in beta
price: 1 month free trial (monthly subscription starts at $ 2)
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5. CyberGhost: Easy-to-use Apple TV VPN
CyberGhost is one of the all-in-one VPNs out there. This service is a great option when using a VPN on your laptop, phone, and Apple TV. It supports both VPN over DNS and VPN over Wi-Fi, but like NordVPN, there is no dedicated app for Wi-Fi routers.
One of the unique features of CyberGhost is the ability to sort VPN locations based on the order of streaming services that can be unlocked. With over 7,200 servers, CyberGhost allows you to watch any content from around the world.
Advantages
- Decent speed
- Robust privacy policy
- Split tunneling function
- Wide range of servers
Disadvantages
- Expensive monthly plan
- Restricting access to high security servers
price: $ 12 / month ($ 2.5 / month for 3 years)
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How to install a VPN on your Apple TV
Apple TV does not support native installation of VPN. None of the popular VPN makers, such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, have apps in the store because VPN apps violate the guidelines of the tvOS App Store. There are several different ways to perform a VPN on your Apple TV.
1. Configure VPN directly on your Wi-Fi router
One way to connect your Apple TV to a VPN is to configure the VPN directly on your Wi-Fi router. This way, you don’t have to worry about connecting and disconnecting your VPN multiple times. In addition, the internet is encrypted every time.
However, the internet may be slower than usual. This is because the VPN is connected to a server abroad.
In addition to this, using a VPN with an Apple TV Wi-Fi router is very different because it depends on the type of W-iFi router you are using and whether the VPN provider has the software available. It’s complicated. The popular services ExpressVPN and Nord support many Wi-Fi routers, most of which have firmware available.
After downloading the firmware from the VPN provider’s website, you can install the firmware by logging in to the router’s administration panel and uploading the firmware directly to the router.
To avoid this, you can also choose a VPN router. These routers natively support VPN connections and have software available to almost all VPN providers. See our guide on the best VPN routers.
This is one of the smartest ways to use a VPN on your Apple TV. Use your mobile data to connect to your iPhone’s VPN service and create hotspots. When you join a network created on Apple TV, a VPN will be performed on Apple TV via your iPhone.
This has only one drawback. The internet speed is slower than a fast fiber connection because it relies entirely on the iPhone’s mobile data provider.
3. Change the DNS of your Apple TV
This is one of the easiest ways to disguise your location on Apple TV. For services that support SmartDNS, you can configure a VPN on your Apple TV by simply changing the DNS in your Apple TV settings.
Once you have your SmartDNS IP address from your VPN provider, you can access to change your DNS. Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced settings → DNS configuration.. Enter the DNS address provided by your VPN provider, log in to the VPN web console, and bind your Apple TV’s IP address to the service.
Apart from the VPN, you can also install a web browser on your Apple TV 4K to stream content from websites where apps aren’t available on the App Store. See a simple step-by-step guide on how to install a web browser on your Apple TV.
Installing a VPN on your Wi-Fi router is a convenient option, but it’s a lesser-used method because of the availability of firmware and processes.
Apart from the VPN, you can also install a web browser on your Apple TV 4K to stream content from websites where apps aren’t available on the App Store. See a simple step-by-step guide on how to install a web browser on your Apple TV.
We hope this guide will help you decide which VPN is best for your Apple TV and how to install it. If you have any other related questions, please let us know in the comments section below.
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