Best VPN for a Smart TV in 2026
Smart TVs split into two groups, and the right VPN depends entirely on which one you own. Android TV and Google TV sets run apps, so this is as easy as a phone. Samsung Tizen and LG webOS cannot run a VPN at all, and no app exists for them at any price — those need the VPN on your router, or a smart DNS feature that changes your region without encrypting anything.
NordVPN handles both cases best: a proper Android TV app, plus SmartPlay, which does the region change on TVs that cannot run software. Surfshark is the value pick, and CyberGhost earns a place for labelling servers by streaming service.
The 5 best VPNs for a smart tv, ranked
- 1Best for any TV#6 overall · 8.7/10
NordVPN
A native Android TV app, and SmartPlay for Samsung and LG sets that can't run one — it changes the region at the DNS level with no configuration needed.
- Services unblocked
- Not measured
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
- 2Best value#5 overall · 8.8/10
Surfshark
Android TV app, smart DNS for TVs without one, and unlimited devices — so every TV, phone and tablet in the house is covered on one $2.49 plan.
- Services unblocked
- Not measured
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Refund
- 30 days
- 3Best for finding a working server#2 overall · 9.1/10
CyberGhost
Labels servers by streaming service, which saves the trial-and-error of hunting for one that is not blocked. Android TV app, 45-day money-back guarantee — the longest of anyone we rate.
- Services unblocked
- Not measured
- Refund
- 45 days
- Devices
- 7
- Refund
- 45 days
- 4Best router option#4 overall · 8.8/10
ExpressVPN
Its Aircove router has the VPN built into the firmware, so a Samsung or LG TV is covered with no setup on the TV at all. The most expensive route, and the least fiddly.
- Services unblocked
- Not measured
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
- 5Most private#3 overall · 8.9/10
Proton VPN
Android TV app with the same Swiss, audited, open-source stack as the desktop client. We have not measured its speed, though 4K needs only about 25 Mbps.
- Services unblocked
- Not measured
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
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Side by side
| VPN | Score | Services unblocked | Devices | 2-yr price | Refund | Port fwd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 8.7 | Not measured | 10 | $3.49 | 30 days | |
| Surfshark | 8.8 | Not measured | Unlimited | $2.49 | 30 days | |
| CyberGhost | 9.1 | Not measured | 7 | $1.99 | 45 days | |
| ExpressVPN | 8.8 | Not measured | 10 | $2.99 | 30 days | |
| Proton VPN | 8.9 | Not measured | 10 | $3.49 | 30 days |
How we picked
We have not run our own device testing. Providers with no answer for Tizen and webOS — the two platforms most smart TVs actually run — were ranked below those offering smart DNS or a router option, since an Android TV app alone doesn't cover them.
All scores come from the same published rubric, checked monthly — how we test. Rank order on this page is by the category criteria, not by commission.
Questions
What is the best VPN for a smart TV?
NordVPN. It's the only provider we rate that covers both kinds of TV — a native Android TV app, and SmartPlay for Samsung and LG sets that can't run apps at all. We have not tested its streaming unblocks or speed ourselves.
Can I install a VPN on a Samsung or LG TV?
No. Tizen and webOS do not support VPN apps and no provider offers one, whatever a download page might claim. Your two real options are running the VPN on your router, which covers the TV automatically, or using a smart DNS feature to change the region without encryption.
What is smart DNS and is it as good as a VPN?
It changes which region a streaming service thinks you are in, by routing the location check through another country, and it leaves the video stream itself untouched. That makes it fast and it works on TVs that cannot run apps — but it does not encrypt anything and does not hide your traffic from your ISP. It is a streaming tool, not a privacy one.
Will a VPN slow down 4K streaming on my TV?
Not meaningfully in principle. 4K needs about 25 Mbps, well within what a modern VPN protocol should manage on a decent line. We have not measured this on a TV ourselves — if it buffers, try a nearer server before blaming the VPN.
Is a router setup better than an app?
It covers everything on the network at once, including TVs that cannot run apps, and counts as one device against your plan's limit. The trade-off is that changing country means logging into the router, and every device on the network shares that one location — which gets irritating when someone else wants a local service.