Amazon has recently launched the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select. The device is being billed as an affordable alternative to Amazon's other Fire Sticks – costing $39.99 – and it is the first to run on its Linux-based Vega OS.
The change promises faster performance and better security, but the move away from Android means the best VPNs are not currently supported. VPNs are perfectly legal to download and install on an Amazon Fire Stick and we rate NordVPN as the best Fire Stick VPN out there.
However, Vega OS also spells the end for modified Android apps used for illegal streaming.
VPN can improve your privacy when watching your favorite shows, and also allow users to unblock geo-restricted content from the likes of Netflix and Disney+.
No native VPN support – yet
Previous iterations of Amazon Fire Sticks have dedicated VPN apps available in the download store, and they have been around longer than their Apple TV VPN counterparts.
The flexible yet clunky Android-powered Fire OS has been in place for a number of years, and Vega OS is a significant departure. Existing VPN apps won't work and will need to be remade.
A lack of VPN support is disappointing, but an Amazon spokesperson told Cord Busters that it expects VPN apps will be available "soon."
We have reached out to various VPN companies to ask if they have Vega OS VPN apps ready, and when they anticipate support to come.
There is no information to suggest Fire OS will be removed from existing Amazon Fire Sticks. However, it's highly likely that we will continue to see a shift away from the OS with future Fire Stick models.
Stopping illegal streaming in its tracks?
The move to Vega OS also means the 4K Select won't support Android-based apps used to run "dodgy" Fire Sticks. These modified Fire Sticks allow users to illegally watch movies and sports without paying for genuine platform subscriptions.
These IPTV apps are installed on Fire Sticks via a process known as "sideloading." This sees you download an application from somewhere other than an official app store. Sideloading may go against your terms of service, and can be illegal in some cases.
Illegal streaming may become more difficult on these new Fire Sticks, but it's unlikely to stop the activity entirely. We may see illegal streamers move to non-Amazon devices or stick with those that support the old Fire OS.
VPNs do not facilitate piracy and VPN providers have condoned illegal streaming. However, the privacy tools have been the target of piracy-related crackdowns in recent months.
In July, 2025, Cloudflare began blocking VPN access to pirate streaming sites in the UK following a legal order. In June, 2025, the Motion Picture Association called for an automated blocking system to stop piracy in real-time.
The latter body represents major film studios including Netflix, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal, and urged VPN providers to enforce this blocking.
May 2025 saw French broadcaster Canal+ win an anti-piracy lawsuit, and VPN providers were ordered to block over 200 "illegal sports streaming sites" as a result.
VPN companies have argued that they are being unfairly targeted. The VPN Trust Initiative said in May that "VPNs are not facilitators of piracy" and this blocking approach "will only cause widespread collateral damage."
Choosing a Fire Stick VPN
VPNs are still supported on older Amazon Fire Stick models. We rate NordVPN as the #1 Fire Stick VPN. It recorded speeds of 901 Mbps in our last round of testing and unblocked every streaming site we threw at it. A two-year plan costs $2.99 per month.
At $1.99 per month, Surfshark is a good choice for those on a budget, and it's the best cheap VPN out there. Our latest speed tests saw it record speeds of 848 Mbps.
ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and Private Internet Access are all suitable Fire Stick VPN alternatives.
Streaming 4K Netflix requires approximately 25 Mbps, and all providers listed here are more than quick enough for this.
Regardless of which VPN you pick, your privacy will be protected by class-leading encryption and verified no-logs policies.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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