Most Kodi clients use VPN services to mask their activity (and if you don’t, you should), and there are plenty of reasons to do so. Many Kodi VPN’s offer the possibility of doing so, but there are only five that stand out from the crowd and are the best VPN’s for Kodi. The VPN’s featured on this list will help you enjoy Kodi in complete safety and privacy.
Kodi is an open source player that allows you to tailor your entertainment experience. This platform allows its users to customize the service and use video add-ons to stream from a wide variety of sources. Kodi is best described as an ‘all around media centre’. During its early years, it was called XBMC (XBOX Media Centre). It’s a versatile player that allows its users to stream content online or store it and play the files locally. Kodi is much safer and more secure than BitTorrent-based streaming platforms, like Popcorn Time. It offers the convenience and benefits in the fact that you can simply watch and stream anything you desire, without having to lose time downloading large files. Kodi is able to work on any platform on the market. It can also be installed on a separate device, which can serve exclusively as a home media centre. These devices are popularly called Kodi boxes, and they come in two main system forms – Android and Linux.
Despite the fact that Kodi is an open source media player, you still might not be able to access all of the featured add-ons available, due to regional restrictions. For example, if you’re based outside of the US, and the add-ons include US-only content, you won’t be able to watch the restricted content. By using a VPN service, you will be able to go around these regional restrictions and enjoy all of your desired add-ons, no matter where you are streaming from.
Besides the entertainment aspect, there are also more serious, security-based issues that you want to avoid when watching online shows and movies. There are risks associated with accessing online content, especially one that comes from third parties. Securing your data transfers and hiding your IP address are recommended when using Kodi. The best way to do this is to use a proven VPN service, which lets you stream on Kodi without losing speed or risking any of your private information. This also means that your ISP won’t be able to track your online activity, and cannot monitor or sell your private information. By routing your connection through a remote server, your true IP address is hidden and can’t be traced back to you.
Not all of the VPN’s have the same features. That’s why we’ve chosen our list of best VPN’s for Kodi based on several criteria:
Since NordVPN fully supports torrenting, P2P file sharing and online content streaming, it is without any doubts, one of the, if not the best VPN for Kodi. It’s a fully-featured service unlike any other on the market, and their no logs policy and military grade encryption are a big plus for users who highly value their online privacy. Its software is good, the customer support is reliable, and, after the recent revamp of their server network, speed performance is very impressive. Although there is no Linux version of NordVPN, the VPN can be configured to work on a large number of different protocols.
CyberGhost is another great VPN, which not only lets you categorize its servers by location, but by the preferred video streaming service of your choice. This is especially useful for Kodi users, who stream from geo-restricted websites like the BBC iPlayer. No Linux support is a bit of a downside when it comes to CyberGhost, but otherwise, this VPN is great for content streaming. There are apps available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android, and the speed is always constant, with no connection drops. Another big plus that has to be mentioned when talking about CyberGhost, is that this VPN service has become really good at unblocking censored websites, thanks to its fast-growing network of online servers.
Easy to learn and very user-friendly, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN’s for Kodi. Meticulously created to combine the best privacy features and fastest internet speeds, this VPN service performs remarkably well when combined with Kodi. It also has native apps for all major software platforms and an impressive lineup of servers. Over 20 different payment options, including Bitcoin, means that they are an excellent pick for users who are very conscious about their privacy.
Private Internet Access is a solid all-around option for Kodi devices. It may not be as big as NordVPN or ExpressVPN, but is still one of the safest and most secure options out there. The main appeal of PIA are their fast speeds and incredibly affordable service packages. Its one of the oldest and most reputable VPN’s and a simple and affordable solution for any Kodi streamer looking for a reliable option. Though the company is based in the United States, the airtight privacy policy ensures that PIA users will be secure and private for a long time to come.
Coming from the people behind the popular ProtonMail service, this up-and-coming VPN hosts streaming servers all around the world. Users can enjoy high-speed internet connections and download speed. The company has recently announced that they will be expanding their supported server list in the near future. This means that ProtonVPN will be an excellent choice for streaming on Kodi for a long time to come. The benefit of this VPN is that there is a free package which offers unlimited data bandwidth, which lets you test it out for how long you prefer.
On PC’s and Android-based smartphones and tablets, the quickest way to use a VPN for Kodi is to install the native VPN app to your device. To do so, just minimize Kodi and install the app to your device. Choose a VPN package, log in your account and connect to a server of your choice. Once you’ve established a connection to a secure server, you can use Kodi freely and without any worries. All the internet traffic from your device will be tunnelled through the VPN.
If you’re using Kodi on a device that doesn’t support VPN’s, you can still go around this and set up the VPN directly on your Wi-Fi router. This process is a bit more challenging, but there are many guides and tutorials that can help you along the way. Alternatively, you can purchase a VPN router and save yourself the extra effort.
Kodi is created by a nonprofit organization, meaning it is a completely legal open-source. This means that both Kodi, and boxes that come preinstalled with it, are perfectly legal. You have the full rights to download and install Kodi from their official website and use any of their official add-ons. With this being said, some third-party retailers use unsanctioned add-ons, which can include pirated content or websites hosting content without the copyright owner’s permission. This leads to the uncertainty which add-ons stream from reputable and legal sources.
Be wary if you want to purchase a device which comes with pre-installed third-party add-ons. Most of them use illegal features or can infect your device with malware. Also, the legality of third-party sources can vary by country. Some might be legal if you watch from a specific region or country. Others are illegal or exist in a grey area. For these reasons, its best you use a VPN and protect yourself from possible legal repercussions down the road.
Finally, do not be tempted to install VPN extensions for any browser from websites of obscure VPN services. A few of the listed VPN providers do have such an option but all of them are established companies with long-time market presence. Also, bear in mind that any VPN extension will slow down your browsing speed a bit and will never exceed the download/upload speed of your normal Internet connection. Even the best VPN browser extensions protect and encrypt only your browsing traffic, so consider installing a VPN app if you are to protect traffic from other applications.
