If you are using Kodi and are curious about its security, this article is for you. Kodi has gained much recognition due to its streaming support. However, many of its add-ons, such as DAZN, PBS Kids, etc., are geo-blocked in several countries.
Through a Virtual Private Network, you can access Kodi from anywhere. The speed of a VPN helps you with the smooth streaming of videos and movies. Also, it keeps you protected from DDOS attacks, DNS leaks and cyber breaches.
Defining Kodi
Kodi, formerly known as XBMC, is a free and open-source streaming platform available on many operating systems. This media player is customizable and installed on Windows, Linux, Android and iOS devices. You may take Kodi as an online television from where you can access sites.
The software is designed with a 10-foot user interface and was initially released in 2002. Kodi is widely used for playing games, watching videos, listening to podcasts, etc. It can be used either with televisions or remote controls.
Why You Need a VPN for Your Kodi
Kodi is widely used for streaming media; however, the recent add-on is blocked in many countries, and security concerns have increased for many people. Here are the reasons why you need a VPN for Kodi
Bypass ISP Throttling
An Internet Service Provider can slow down your speed. An ISP checks how much data you are using and intentionally limits its speed on a certain level. After that, you won't be able to download large files or watch videos smoothly.
A VPN hides your internet activities so no one can ever find out what you have been doing, and you can get unlimited bandwidth.
Geo blocked Add-ons
Like many other stream sites like Netflix and Amazon, many Kodi add-ons are geo-blocked outside specific regions. Geo-blocking is quite disappointing when someone travels outside their hometown and can't stream their favorite shows.
You cannot watch the latest movies on many geo-restricted sites until you have a VPN to unblock them. Otherwise, it would be best if you waited for movies to be uploaded online on pirates' websites.
No Privacy without a VPN
Every device is assigned an IP address. Internet Protocol Address is responsible for revealing your location. The data and your activities go to the ISP and third-party surveillance agencies. So, you need a VPN to hide all your movements.
Using a VPN has become necessary to avoid any surveillance. It's also a must with Kodi since the platform uses many unverified add-ons. A VPN allows you to access Kodi, watch movies and download documents anonymously.
Comparing the Best VPN for Kodi
ExpressVPN – Recommended VPN For Kodi
Basic Facilities
Express is the best Kodi VPN. It is known for its complete support package, speed, security and anonymity. As far as servers are concerned, ExprssVPN has 3200 servers in more than 94 countries.
Also, Express provides simultaneous connections for up to 5 devices, which means you can use a VPN on Kodi on not only one or two but 5 devices simultaneously. Whether Android TV or iPhone, Express works well on each operating system.
Besides this, the AES 256-bit algorithm is used while connecting to a VPN server. This military-grade encryption is so strong that no data can go outside the tunnel.
Not only this, but ExprssVPN also has a staunch no-log policy, which means the ExpressVPN provider does not track your data except for some initial billing information. It can retain its zero-logging policy because of its location.
ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, free from data retention laws. Also, ExpressVPN has leak protection, which means the ISP cannot request DNS, WebRTC and IP a leak from your device.
Express also protects your devices while transferring files between peers and torrenting. It also has breakneck speed. Kodi is a streaming platform; however, on the other hand, the VPN tunneling process effects adversely on internet speed.
Therefore, the ExpressVPN provider uses Lightway protocols to retain speed. Also, masking your IP address can save you from IP throttling.
Lastly, it has an intuitive and super-easy app, and the website is flooded with many articles and blogs. Also, customer support is available 24/7 through live calls and chat.
Extra Benefits
Besides basic facilities, Express also offers many extra benefits or add-on features for using and protecting Kodi on your device. Firstly, it has RAM-based servers.
Usually, many VPN servers run on hard drives that collect data. On the contrary, RAM servers have an edge because they lose data at every power cut. Also, ExpressVPN protects Onion Routing with the slogan Onion Over VPN.
It also has Split tunneling. You can add your preferred websites to split tunnel and make a VPN connection only for those sites. These are some of the most famous qualities that make Express better than many paid and free VPNs.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 6.67 | 15 | 30 days |
| $ 9.99 | 6 | 30 days |
| $ 12.95 | 1 | 30 days |
IPVanish – Reliable Kodi VPN Service
Basic Facilities
Launched in 2012, IPVanish is based in Florida. IPVanish has outstanding coverage of servers. It has 11900 servers in more than 75 countries. Also, it offers a fair amount of simultaneous connections, 10 device connections at a time.
It also has AES 256-bit encryption, which is military-grade, and it's impossible to ask for any DNS or WebRTC leak. It also has a staunch no-log policy.
Although the VPN provider is based in the USA, a member country of 5 Eye or 9 Eye surveillance organization, IPVanish keeps a staunch no-log policy. Its website authenticates our words with a statement,
“We do not monitor, record or store logs for any single customer's VPN activity. We have a zero log policy. Our users' privacy is our main concern”
To keep extra privacy, IPVanish has a kill switch. Kill switch is mainly designed for mishaps. For instance, if the connection between your device and the VPN server is lost, the Kill switch automatically activates and drops a connection with the internet.
In this way, the data loss can be safeguarded. Thankfully, IPVanish has this incredible feature. IPVanish does care for your speed. It hides your activities from ISP.
What happens is that an ISP puts a cap on your speed when the data usage has reached a certain level, obstructing download and speed capabilities. IPVanish masks your IP address with a VPN-generated IP so that an ISP cannot penetrate your data usage.
As we all know, the tunneling process is harmful to speed. IPVanish uses the industry-leading protocol WireGuard for ultra-fast speed. Its customer support is also good but not as good as ExpressVPN.
Extra Benefits
For every privacy concern, all value-added features are attractive. With the name Scrambles, IPVanish uses obfuscated servers. Obfuscated servers are more like curtains, which means they hide the usage of VPN.
Sometimes, an ISP can detect if you are using a VPN service. If these VPN footsteps leak in any country where VPN is illegal, no one can save you from imprisonment.
So, IPVanish's obfuscation removes all traces of VPN from your network. Along with scramble, it also has split tunneling.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 3.75 | 12 | 30 days |
| $ 5.00 | 6 | 30 days |
| $ 10.99 | 1 | 30 days |
SurfsharkVPN – Affordable VPN for Kodi
Basic Facilities
Based in the British Virgin Islands and launched recently in 2018, Surfshark meets all the expectations of a Kodi user. It has 3200 servers in 65 locations around the world.
However, a worthwhile point that should be mentioned here is that Surfshark can help you connect with as many devices as possible. No limitation applies. As with other best VPN services, Surfshark also has 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch.
It significantly carries a no-log policy and does not keep any user log. As far as speed is concerned, Surfshark is using the WireGuard protocol for speedy connections.
Extra Benefits
Surfshark creates value for its customers with every new feature. It has obfuscated servers wisely known as Camafloug mode. Also, it has split tunneling, known as “Whitelisting.” Lastly, the servers of Surfshark work on RAM servers, which are highly protected.
Adblocker, or Clean Web, also blocks malware and scareware from Kodi while accessing the platforms.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 2.49 | 24 | 30 days |
| $ 6.49 | 6 | 30 days |
| $ 12.95 | 1 | 30 days |
NordVPN – One Of The Best VPNs for Kodi
Basic Facilities
NordVPN is another Kodi VPN service that is quite incredible and best fits the people concerned about security. Firstly, it has more than 5,000 servers in almost 60 countries. Also, 6 simultaneous device connections are available for Nord users.
Not only this, Nord is an industry famous for ultra-pro security. It has military-grade encryption, which no one can break. Also, the zero-logging policy. Above all, Nord is based in Panama, which does not track the data of its organizations.
Besides this, NordVPN has a kill switch to make it anonymous and uses different protocols. Also, its speed is incredible. Nord uses the WireGuard-supported protocol NordLynx for exceptional connections. It also supports torrenting, p2p file sharing, and streaming of unblocked sites.
Extra Benefits
NordVPN has all the benefits a VPN user wants. It can also be used as an alternative to ExxpressVPN. First, Nord has RAM-only servers that lose data at every power connection. It also supports and protects public wifi and onion routing.
Why do we care much about the Onion browser? An Onion or TOR browser is used for anonymous browsing. You can even get into dark webs through onion browsing. To protect more, Nord also offers a TOR over VPN. Read more about secured browsers here.
Moreover, on Nord, the data passes through not only one server. To add an extra layer of protection, your data passes through two servers or a chain of servers of NordVPN. It also offers a dedicated IP address that only you can use.
Dedicated IP has many advantages, like saving you from blacklising and server crowding. Also, the security lock arises if you only use your IP address. Lastly, CyberSec is an adblocker Nord uses to keep malware trackers free on your web traffic and block ads while watching a video or playing a game.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 3.99 | 24 | 30 days |
| $ 4.99 | 12 | 30 days |
| $ 11.99 | 1 | 30 days |
CyberGhost VPN – Easy To Install VPN for Kodi
Basic Facilities
Watch Kodi as Ghost. Yes, this is precisely the motto of CyberGhost, disappearing you in the eyes of ISP. It has 6000 servers in 88 locations worldwide, and you can connect CyberGhost on up to 7 devices at a time. The VPN is compatible with each iOS, Android, Linux or Windows operating system.
Along with industry-leading encryption of 256-bit, it has a strict no-log policy, which CyberGhost can retain easily due to its headquarters in Romania. CyberGhost also has dedicated torrenting servers that help you to share files securely.
It can also protect against leaks and has a built-in kill switch. CyberGhost also uses different protocols to keep up with security and speed. It has WireGuard to support speed. Due to this, the speed on CyberGhost servers usually reaches 1GB.
Extra Benefits
CyberGhost is an old VPN service provider that knows what a user wants. Owing to the wide server coverage, it offers dedicated IP addresses to its customers. CyberGhost also has split-tunneling to separate the apps that do not run on VPN.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 2.29 | 36 | 45 days |
| $3.25 | 24 | 45 days |
| $ 4.29 | 12 | 45 days |
| $ 12.99 | 1 | 14 days |
PIA VPN – 30 day Money Back Guarantee
Basic Facilities
Private Internet Access is based in Colorado, USA and was established in 2009. The server count is incredible. It has a network of 29650 servers in 70-plus countries. PIA also offers 10 device connections that work simultaneously on different operating systems.
As far as privacy is concerned, PIA will not disappoint you at any cost. It has military-grade encryption of AES 256-bit, which does not let any leak pass through it. Also, it uses multiple protocols to keep you safe from all kinds of breaches.
Mostly, PIA is criticized for its location in the United States of America. Some countries use surveillance agencies to keep a firm eye on terrorism and money laundering. This protection, however, comes at the cost of digital privacy.
However, despite its location, PIA has a strict zero-logging policy. The website confirms the following words:
PIA has a strict no-logs policy, and we have the court records to back it up! Privacy is the core of our business, and we never store or share any usage information such as:
Regarding speed, you will get unstoppable streaming on Kodi if using a Private Internet Access VPN because its WireGuard protocol supports speed and gives unlimited bandwidth by saving your face from ISP throttling.
If your connection drops somewhere, the Kill switch activates and protects you from all mishaps. Not only this, the website has articles, blogs, video tutorials, and many more features. Plus, you can review the form on their website if you have any specific issues.
Extra Benefits
Adblocker is pretty attractive for Kodi users. The reason is simple: to get ad-free streaming services. It does offer split tunneling. Above all else, it has a dedicated IP that can save you from server crowding and blacklisitng on many geo-restricted sites.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 2.03 | 36 | 30 days |
| $ 3.33 | 12 | 30 days |
| $ 9.95 | 1 | 30 days |
PureVPN
Basic Facilities
PureVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands and was founded in 2007. It has 6500 servers in 95 countries. Among them, many are P2P-optimized servers. PureVPN offers 10 devices connection at a time within one subscription.
PureVPN also has industry-leading encryption codes with a staunch no-log policy. It also has a kill switch and protection against DNS and WebRTC leaks. Not only this, PureVPN has many protocols confirming security, anonymity, and speed.
It bypasses ISP throttling by hiding your IP address and owning a better connection speed. Customer support is also better with user-friendly applications.
Extra Benefits
PureVPN comes with many benefits. Over the top, it offers dedicated IP. To keep better security, PureVPN has RAM-based servers. Lastly, it offers split tunneling, a feature a few VPN providers provide.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 1.99 | 24 | 31 days |
| $ 2.99 | 12 | 31 days |
| $ 10.95 | 1 | 31 days |
HideMyAss VPN – Suport For Kodi Devices
Basic Facilities
HMA was founded in 2005 by Jack Carter, who was highly concerned about digital rights and freedom. He built HMA in a surveilled country, the UK, to safeguard the rights of netizens. It has 1100 servers in 280 countries.
Some are even virtually located in China as well. It also offers 5 device connections as Express and VyprVPN. It has 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch. Above all, I like HMA's healthy interactive website and app.
The donkey will lead you through different pages and information. Everything is so simple and attractive that you do not stop purchasing its services.
Extra Benefits
It does protect your device while torrenting and has p2p optimized. It also has a browser extension and split tunneling. The split tunneling is only available for macOS and Android devices.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 2.99 | 36 | 30 days |
| $3.99 | 24 | 30 days |
| $ 4.99 | 12 | 30 days |
Vypr VPN – Solid Kodi VPN Services
Basic Facilities
Founded in 2009, VyprVPN is owned by Gloden Frog and headquartered in Switzerland. With the motto VPN without Restrictions” and “The fastest VPN speeds in the world, ” it serves millions of customers worldwide.
With 700 servers and almost 300,000 IP addresses, Vypr can be your right choice, and 5 device connections let you connect to Kodi with 5 different devices at one time. Vypr owns encryption, kill switch, leak protection, and more services with better speedy connections.
Extra Benefits
Along with all the features required in a VPN, Vypr has an adblocker to track and block malware, scareware, spam and ads. Also, it has split tunneling. Business Cloud of Vypr VPM also offers dedicated IP for the business personnel.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 8.33 | 12 | 30 days |
| $ 15 | 1 | 30 days |
Strong VPN – With Kodi Software Support
Basic Facilities
StrongVPN was launched in 2005 by a small California-based company, then acquired by J2 Global. It has 950 servers across 35 locations worldwide and offers 12 device connections.
You can use StrongVPN on many devices, including a tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer. However, it has manual settings for routers. StrongVPN does not track the data of any of its users despite its location; it keeps on fighting for privacy and digital freedom.
Also, it uses the best encryption algorithm for the tunneling process so that not even DNS or IP address can miss out and reveal your activities.
StrongVPN is also concerned with speed. However, its VPN servers are not as fast as other VPNs but still better, even the best, than many free VPN companies.
Extra Benefits
Along with torrenting, StrongVPN has also adjusted many new features to its horizon. StrongVPN also provides a split tunneling option for loyal users as a kill switch that protects a device when the connection drops.
Pricing
| Price/ month | Month(s) | Money-Back Guarantee |
| $ 3.66 | 12 | 30 days |
| $ 10.99 | 1 | – |
How to use a VPN with Kodi on Multiple Devices
Kodi and our recommended VPNs offer apps for various operating systems; you won't have any issue dealing with any of these platforms. Yet, we have listed some of the essential steps to launch a VPN over Kodi for your ease.
Android and iOS Devices
- Download Kodi from an Android or Apple store
- Sign up for Kodi
- Install a VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
- Pay for its subscription
- Launch the VPN application and connect it to your preferred server
- Now, launch Kodi on your device
- Enjoy unstoppable and anonymous streaming
Fire Stick
- Launch Fire Stick
- Tap the search option and type the VPN name you want to download. Click the VPN
- Tap Download button
- Add your credentials
- Launch a VPN VPN app
- Now launch the Kodi app
Mac Devices
- Visit the Kodi site through Macbook
- Tap the Download option available in the right corner
- Select ‘Choose your weapon ‘and click the MacOS icon.
- Click the Installer button and download Kodi
- Drag Kodi to the Applications folder
- Add a VPN to your Macbook, and you are good to go.
Windows
- Go to the browser
- Search Kodi
- Press download button
- Press the 32-bit or 62-bit installer to start downloading Kodi.
- Launch Kodi
- Do a similar for the VPN.
- Stream Kodi with protection via Windows
Choosing a Kodi box
Many prefer separate home media centers while running Kodi on the desktop operating system, such as Windows and macOS. This is why they use Kodi on various platforms. These different media centers are widely called Kodi Boxes. One of the low-powered devices for Kodi is OpenElec for Linux.
If you are getting Kodi Box, be safe from scams. Many sellers offer pre-configured Kodi boxes at a minimal price. Do not purchase them. These boxes may have malware and can put your privacy at risk.
Some of the popular Android-based Kodi boxes are:
- Gem Box
- Amazon Fire TV
- Fire TV Stick
- Razer Forge TV
- Nvidia Shield.
Our criteria for the selection of VPN services
People mostly use VPNs for two reasons for Kodi:
- Stay anonymous
- Unblock places where Kodi is geo-blocked
However, we critically look into other features before recommending a VPN. Our criteria are simple and discussed in detail.
Privacy and Security: Both come on top. For every person, If you are using Kodi, there are chances of data leaks through IP addresses and DNS servers. For this, you need to use a VPN. It obstructs all hackers and third-party surveillance by hiding your internet activities.
Device Compatability: If you use a free VPN, you are only given 1 device connection. However, if you pay for it, you will get many links because you have been using Kodi on multiple devices. So, a VPN should protect all the platforms. Fire Stick and Fire TV are paired with Kodi.
Servers: All our reliable VPNs have loads of servers installed at multiple sites. A vast network of server infrastructure helps to secure better and provides the best speed.
Geo unblocking capabilities: Many Kodi add-ons do not work in every country except the US. Therefore, a VPN should be able to unblock as many geo-restricted sites as possible. VPN hides the IP address from an internet connection, and it seems like the traffic is generated from a select country, for instance, from the US, if you want to use Kodi. Not only this, but it also blocks many other sites such as Netlfix and platforms such as BBC iPlayer.
Speed: For every VPN, speed matters because VPNs work through a tunneling process, which decreases speed. So, a reliable VPN provider uses different protocols, such as WireGuard, for speedy connections.
Add-on Features: If you are paying for a VPN, it should provide extraordinary features like split tunneling, kill switch, etc. Also, the customer service should be the best.
Is it safe to use a free VPN with Kodi?
Once people know about VPN use, many providers jump into the market. Some are offering free, while others offer paid VPN services. Many prefer using free VPN services.
Though they look identical, free VPN comes at a more severe cost than paid services. For instance, Windscribe VPN can only let you watch a restricted number of movies.
Similarly, ProtonVPN has the slowest speed. What's the need for this VPN for Kodi streaming when waiting every minute for loading?
So, it's better to always go for paid streaming services. Do look at the following features before choosing a VPN
- No log policy
- Protocols
- Geo unblocking capabilities
- Servers and devices
- Secured torrenting
- Kill switch
- Customer support
All these features you can only find in paid VPNs. Free VPN service providers usually sell your data to third-party agencies as an advertiser to earn money.
Similarly, their server infrastructure is poorly established, which may cause severe data losses. Also, they do not offer any add-on feature for Kodi nor have any customer support.
Some Best Kodi Add-ons
Here are some of the outstanding add-ons of Kodi you can use
Live Tv
Pluto TV: It has over 300 TV channels. You can watch as much in-demand content as possible with no charges.
TVOne: It offers live TV channels. Just select the country and start your live streaming.
Movies and TV shows
The Crew: One of the most famous Kodi add-ons. You can watch plenty of movies and TV serials through the crew.
No Limits Magic Build: One popular Kodi for streaming whatever you want.
Exodus Redux: This add-on assists you in watching unlimited streaming without compromising quality or speed.
For sports
Apex Sports: Live stream sports from anywhere through Apex Sports. You can watch live TV, replay and sports highlights.
SportHD: It is a beautiful add-on for Kofi lovers. You can get streaming links and watch many sports and competitions through SportHD.
APK Files from Third Party
Getting a VPN app for Android would be difficult if you do not have Google Play. The best option is to download APK files. However, the file-downloading would contain viruses, malware, and worms.
Also, third-party hosting sites may track your activities while installing APK files. So, it would be best to use a VPN at all costs to protect all your devices.
VPN router setup for Kodi
If you are using Kodi on a device that does not support any VPN, you can still be secure by adding a VPN over your router. Many VPNs, like Express, have dedicated VPN apps, while others need to be configured manually.
You need to change stock that doesn't support VPN in a manual configuration called Flashing. It would be best if you flashed the new firewall to connect your router with a VPN.
FAQs
Why Should You Use a VPN with Kodi?
Kodi is more like television; you can watch all channels simultaneously. However, most of its add-ons are either geo-blocked or not secured. A VPN hides your IP address and simultaneously encrypts all your web traffic so one can sneak into what you are doing online. This would help you stream securely and unlock Kodi add-ons at local places.
How Do You Install VPN for Kodi?
You need a VPN application that supports Kodi on your device. All our recommended VPNs do support Kodi protection on each platform.
Does Kodi Have a VPN?
No, Kodi does not have any VPN or any built-in VPN service. You can only use third-party VPN providers for Kodi. You can use them to launch with the Kodi platform.
Can I Install Kodi VPN on Firestick?
Yes, you can install a VPN for Kodi on Firestick, too. We have mentioned above the process through which you can install Kodi VPN.
Is Kodi legal?
Yes, Kodi is entirely legal. Even in countries where VPN is blocked, such as China, you can use Kodi in highly restricted countries. It is even copyrighted free content.
Can I use a free VPN with Kodi?
You can use a free VPN with Kodi, but it comes at a severe cost. The cost may be your privacy or speed or not circumventing any geo-restricted site. Why get into this trouble? Have any of our recommended VPNs and be free while streaming sites on Kodi.
Why do I need a VPN for streaming Kodi?
A VPN is quite essential to cover up your traffic passing through Kodi. Some of the reasons why you need a VPN are:
Copyright infringement
Unlimited Bandwidth
ISP throttling
Geo unblocking (add-ons)
Wrapping Up
Kodi is an excellent platform to watch all your favorite movies and TV shows from different channels. However, cybercriminals are not leaving this platform and keep infecting it with malware and scareware.
Also, many add-ons are blocked in many regions. So, if you are from a country where Kodi is blocked, you may only face sheer disappointment.
However, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Kodi. Not only Express, but all our recommended VPNs also work well with Kodi. Just download and stream with security and privacy.