What does a VPN do for a Fire Stick?

Do you need a VPN on Fire Stick?
(Image credit: Aayan Arts/Shutterstock)

Already got yourself a Fire Stick or thinking of going that way? Then you'll definitely want to get armed with a Fire Stick VPN. That means you're going to get the most out of this little entertainment wonder. As long as you have the best VPN for the task you're going to wonder how something so affordable could offer you so much – and why you didn't get hooked up sooner.

The key is that some streaming services are blocked, perhaps on your local network, or even nationwide in your country. Get the right one and you can be streaming US Netflix in the UK or playing region-restricted games no matter where you go with your Fire Stick.

How does this apparent magic work? In short, a VPN lets you appear to be somewhere you're not, using different servers to assign you a new IP address. That means you not only stay anonymous and secure online, but can also appear to be anywhere you want.

Our favourite is ExpressVPN because it does everything you could want, does it well, and works especially well on Fire Stick. But when can you best use a VPN on your Fire Stick?

If you're going overseas

Heading away from home doesn't mean leaving your Fire Stick's myriad media behind – in fact, portability is the Fire TV Stick's greatest benefit. You can go abroad with your device and still have access to everything you want, as long as you're armed with a VPN.

This means streaming shows or even accessing social media. But, crucially, it's about doing that while keeping your identity and data secure. An important feature to keep in mind if you're going to a country like China or Turkey, where the government laws mean your content in censored and your data could be visible to prying eyes.

So, from accessing BBC iPlayer outside the UK or NBC's Peacock if you've traveled outside the US, a streaming VPN will get you around geo restrictions so you can appear to be anywhere you choose.

In short, Fire Stick plus VPN equals utter media freedom, no matter where you find yourselves on your travels. 

If you want to watch blocked content at home

Staying at home doesn't mean your VPN is going to collect virtual dust, though. Your location can still change, even if you're grounded in one physical spot. This means you can appear to be anywhere in the world, allowing you to take in the shows and movies of any nation you pick.

From watching exclusive US Netflix content, which you'd otherwise not have access to in the UK, to checking out the latest Korean movie when you're whiling away the weekend in your New York flat – the options are many.

If you want to secure your Fire Stick's data and traffic

Regardless of your location, abroad or at home, it's safe to assume you'd rather not have someone gain access to your personal information and viewing habits. This is where a VPN excels since it's made for this very purpose.

Since the VPN will assign you an IP address from another server in a location of your choosing, as far as any potential threats are concerned, that other IP is you. In reality, you're a totally different person. So that means you're hidden securely with all your data kept safe.

What's the best VPN for a Fire Stick?

ExpressVPN is the best Fire Stick VPN available.

<a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Foffer%2Ftomsguide%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ExpressVPN is the best Fire Stick VPN available.
ExpressVPN offers a huge number of servers in more than 90 countries and boasts lightning-quick connection speeds, top-notch security, and split tunneling. So you can watch anything on your Fire Stick while browsing the web through your regular connection.

ExpressVPN can also be installed on a wide range of devices beyond the Fire Stick including Smart TVs, PlayStation or Xbox, PC, phone, or tablet. ExpressVPN can even be installed directly on your router, making it even easier to watch shows and movies on all your devices.

And now, Tom's Guide readers can claim three free months of ExpressVPN, plus you'll also get a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can make sure it's the right service for you.

Luke Edwards

Luke is a freelance writer and editor with over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many others he writes across Future titles covering health tech, software and apps, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and plenty more. He also likes to climb mountains, swim outside and contort his body into silly positions while breathing as calmly as possible.