In this Apple TV VPN guide, I’ll tell you how a VPN can unlock the potential of Apple TV 4K and how you can watch restricted content by spoofing your location. First, let’s learn more about VPN.
What does a VPN do?
Ever been in a situation where you’re scrolling through Instagram, and you find a TV show or a movie to watch. You turn to Google, search the show, and find out that the show is available on a streaming service that you own but in a different country. Well, this is where a VPN comes in. A VPN geo-spoofs your location and allows you to watch content unavailable in your region. It ‘fools’ the streaming service into believing that you’re watching the movie from a different location. Along with geo-spoofing, most VPNs also encrypt the data on your Apple TV. Thus, preventing third-party and your ISP from tracking your online activities. Now, let’s explore your best options.
5 Best VPNs working with Apple TV
1. ExpressVPN: Best overall VPN for Apple TV
Though (a bit) costly, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Apple TV. It’s easy to use and can be configured in minutes. The service supports MediaStreamer, which is its DNS service that allows you to geo-spoof your location easily. If you don’t feel like going through the configuration, again and again, you can set up ExpressVPN on your Wi-Fi router. Their app for VPN on Wi-Fi is simple, and the VPN provider has some of the best how-to guides for it. And oh, if you run into some issues, ExpressVPN has one of the finest customer support in the business. Price: Starts at $12.95/month and $6.67/month when paid for one year
Easy to set up Amazing, dedicated router app Best in class security and privacy measures Great worldwide speed
Expensive monthly plan
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2. Nord VPN: Fastest VPN for Apple TV
Nord VPN comes in second for the best Apple TV VPN. It supports both VPN over Wi-Fi and SmartDNS, so you can connect to the server at your convenience. Setting up SmartDNS is easy and straightforward. But what’s not so straightforward is VPN over Wi-Fi on Nord VPN. The service doesn’t have a dedicated Wi-Fi router app, unlike ExpressVPN. However, configuring it on a router is still possible. It’s just a little bit of hassle you’ll have to go through. Moreover, in my testing, I found Nord VPN a bit slower than ExpressVPN. But it’s cheaper, so it evens out. Price: $11.95/month ($3.30/month for 2 years)
Doesn’t store logs on its server — truly encrypted internet Ability to use VPN on up to 6 devices at once Works with all major streaming services
Slow speeds for some streaming services Lack of a dedicated router app
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3. Surfshark: Best value for money
Surfshark is one of the Apple TV VPNs that packs a lot of features at a low price. It has servers in more than 65 countries, so whatever you want to stream — whether it is NBA on CBS or Euro Cup on BBC ITV Player — you can do so seamlessly. It offers the option to configure VPN over Wi-Fi or DNS on Apple TV. If you’re looking for some casual streaming at the throwaway price, Surfshark VPN is available. It’s almost a no-brainer. Plus, the service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thus, making it worth giving a shot! Price: $12.95/month for 1 year ($2.5/month for 2 years)
Great value for money Unlimited bandwidth Blocks ad along with unlocking geo-spoofing content 24/7 chat assistance
You have to configure DNS every time via an email Doesn’t unblock BBC iPlayer
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4. ControlD: Cheapest VPN for Apple TV
ControlD is relatively new in this space. Though it’s not a traditional VPN, it exploits the DNS feature to its maximum. What I like about ControlD is that you can set custom locations for different services. For example, you can set the DNS to geo-spoof location as Canada for Netflix and UK for Prime Video. It saves you the hassle of switching the server location every time, and it offers to set up location via the mobile website. It supports almost all streaming services in the world. If you’re in the market looking for a SmartDNS service only and you don’t care about VPN over Wi-Fi, ControlD is one of the top options available. You can try the full service for free for a month. During the sign-up, the service doesn’t even require your credit card. So try away! Price: Free 1-month trial (Monthly subscription starts at $2)
1-month free trial Doesn’t need a credit card to sign up Supports almost all streaming services Cheapest on the list
The network seems slower as the service is in beta
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5. CyberGhost: Easy to use Apple TV VPN
CyberGhost is one of the all-in-one VPNs available out there. This service is an excellent option if you plan to use the VPN on your laptop, phone, along with Apple TV. It supports both VPN over DNS and VPN over Wi-Fi, though just like Nord VPN, there’s no dedicated app for Wi-Fi routers. One of the unique things about CyberGhost is that it allows you to sort VPN locations based on the order of the streaming service they can unlock. Though with more than 7,200 servers, you can use CyberGhost to watch any content from any part of the world. Price: $12/month ($2.5/month for 3 years)
Decent speed Robust privacy policy Split tunneling feature A wide fleet of servers
Expensive monthly plan Restricted access to high-security servers
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How to install a VPN on Apple TV
Apple TV doesn’t support installing a VPN natively. VPN apps are against the guidelines of the tvOS App Store, so none of the popular VPN makers, like ExpressVPN and Nord VPN, have an app on the Store. Here’re some different ways of getting a VPN running on your Apple TV.
1. Configure VPN directly in Wi-Fi router
One of the ways to connect your Apple TV to a VPN is by configuring the VPN directly into your Wi-Fi router. This way, you don’t have to worry about connecting and disconnecting to a VPN again and again, plus your internet is encrypted each and every moment. However, your internet might become slower than usual. This is due to the fact that the VPN is connected to a server outside your country. Along with this, using a VPN on a Wi-Fi router for your Apple TV is very complicated since it depends on the type of W-iFi router you have and if your VPN provider has software available for it. Popular services ExpressVPN and Nord support a number of Wi-Fi routers and have firmware available for most of them. After downloading the firmware from the VPN provider’s website, you can install it by logging into the router admin panel and uploading the firmware directly to your router. To avoid this, you can also opt for a VPN router. These routers natively support VPN connections and have software available for almost all VPN providers. Check out our guide on the best VPN routers.
2. Use your iPhone to share VPN with Apple TV
This is one of the wittiest ways of using a VPN on Apple TV. Connect to a VPN service on your iPhone using Mobile Data, and then create a hotspot. Join the network you created on Apple TV, and you’ll have a VPN running on your Apple TV — via your iPhone! There’s only one downside to this — internet speeds are totally dependent on your iPhone’s Mobile Data provider, thus making it slower than a fast, fiber connection.
3. Change DNS on your Apple TV
This is one of the easiest ways of spoofing your location on Apple TV. For services that support SmartDNS, you can configure a VPN on Apple TV by just changing the DNS in your Apple TV’s settings. Once you have a SmartDNS IP address from your VPN provider, you can change the DNS by going into Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced Settings → Configure DNS. Enter the DNS address given by your VPN provider, and make sure to bind your Apple TV’s IP address to the service by logging into VPN’s web console. Apart from a VPN, you can also install a web browser on your Apple TV 4K and stream content from websites for which apps are not available on the App Store. Check out our simple step-by-step guide on how you can install a web browser on Apple TV. Installing a VPN on your Wi-Fi router would be a convenient option, but the availability of firmware and the process make it a not-so-often used way. Apart from a VPN, you can also install a web browser on your Apple TV 4K and stream content from websites for which apps are not available on the App Store. Check out our simple step-by-step guide on how you can install a web browser on Apple TV. I hope this guide helped you decide the best VPN for your Apple TV and how to install it. If you have any other related queries, let us know in the comments section below! Read next:
What is a VPN, and how to use it on iPhone? (Ultimate guide) Best VPNs for iPhone and iPad Best VPN Software for Mac PureVPN review: A fast, secure, and low-cost VPN for Mac
