10 Best VPNs for Kodi 19 (2024)
In 2022, the 19th version of Kodi was released. The changes mean that many old add-ons no longer work. Has this affected the use of VPNs for Kodi? Which VPN services does Kodi support today? You will find the answers in this article.
Kodi (previously XBMC)
A free and open-source cross-platform media player and HTPC organization software. The program’s graphical interface allows you to manage video files, photos, and music located on a computer, optical drive, Internet, or a local network. It can be controlled by remote control and is a popular alternative to "Android TV". Kodi supports custom plugins and themes.
Supported OS- Linux, macOS, Apple tvOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Raspberry Pi.
Official page of the project — kodi.tv
Do you want a powerful and reliable VPN to use with Kodi, no matter where you run it - computer, TV, smartphone, or tablet? Or do you want to run it simultaneously on all of these devices, providing you secure access to unlimited video content?
A secure VPN needs to do more than just mask the IP address. It must also reliably hide user activity from the Internet service provider (ISP) in the case of torrenting. Support for bypassing the geo-restrictions of streaming sites and services, such as Netflix, is also a must. Then the VPN has to have a consistently high speed for watching videos of any quality with no lag, and at the same time not create an additional load on the processor in order to save battery power and support the most powerful TVs.
The best VPNs for Kodi
- NordVPN: The most versalite, fast, and efficient VPN. Has broad device compatiblity and is great for battling internet restrictions.
- Surfshark: 3200+ servers optimized for Kodi for the lowest possible monthly cost - $1.99.
- ExpressVPN: Works on all platforms and supports all versions of Kodi. Offers great speeds and doesn't collect user data.
- CyberGhost: A top VPN with over 10200 servers worldwide. Great customer support.
- PIA: Ideal in cases where port forwarding and other advanced connection settings are required.
Do I need VPN for Kodi?
There is no doubt!
Reason #1
Kodi gained its popularity thanks to free access to streaming movies, music and so on. This access is not always legal.
For example, Kodi is considered to be unlawful in the UK according to the “Copyright, Design and Patent Act” (1988).
If a Kodi addon is blocked in your country, you need to buy a VPN to be able to download it and using on the platform.
The best free VPN for Kodi unblocks restricted addons and grants access to sites you like.
Reason #2
Unfortunately, us regular people are not always well-informed in the sphere of legislation. As a result, sometimes Kodi users download shady third-party add-ons and stream pirated content through it without knowing it.
In order not to be punished for such activities, it’s better to subscribe to a VPN service. It helps conceal your IP address and all internet traffic associated with it so your Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn't visit you with a copyright violation notice.
To cut a long story short, Kodi and a VPN make a fantastic combination.
What are the requirements for a Kodi media system with VPN?
View IPTV. As strange as it may seem to some in 2022, a TV should be a TV first and foremost. With a good set of channels with EPG on board and offering good quality. A broadcast archive is welcome, but not required.
Torrent video. Mandatory integration with popular trackers, viewing on the go, downloading while browsing. But at the same time, complete safety for the user.
Nice clear interface, usability. So that all household members can easily watch the next episode of "Masha and the Bear" or their favorite series, and others can watch the news on TV. An overloaded interface is unwelcome.
Built-in library. With the ability to download information about the movie/series from external sources. This functionality should be fully automated and not require any effort on the user’s part.
Torrent rocker. Mandatory external control.
Licensing and cost. Exclusively Open Source, $0.
Access to geo-protected content. Relevant for any country.
No speed limit. The ISP should not be able to limit the speed of streaming or BitTorrent data.
How does Kodi VPN work?
So, there are at least two problems with using Kodi safely and efficiently. It is known that utilizing a VPN removes some restrictions and protects the user in case the installed add-ons use P2P / BitTorrent to broadcast free video material and music.But how does it work?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool that creates virtual data tunnels between a user's device and a remote server. All internet traffic is placed in this tunnel, passing through the server and only then going to the destination point. The data is received according to the same rules, but in the reverse order. The tunnel is additionally encrypted with an unbreakable cipher, so no one can see or read the information travelling through it.
As a result, using a VPN solves 2 problems at once:
- The device's real IP address is changed to a random one of the VPN. As a result, it is impossible to establish its location from the side of the site supplying the content. This technique is effective when changing regions in streaming video services.
- The data becomes indistinguishable to the ISP. Thus, torrenting or any online activities cannot be detected.
Installing a Kodi VPN is easy. To do this, just use download your chosen service's application and install it or get the add-on if one is available.
Keep in mind that not every VPN is suitable for Kodi. Not all providers support all required platforms, and even fewer allow torrenting or consistently unblock platforms like Netflix.
Below you will find quick guides on how to install VPN software. After that, you can choose the service that is most suitable for you and which supports the latest version of Kodi.
Install a VPN App
- Subscribe to your chosen VPN service.
- Download the app for your platform.
- Log in to it.
- Check whether the Kill Switch function is enabled in the settings (needed for torrent protection if the VPN connection suddenly drops).
- Connect to a server (most VPNs offer a quick-connect button which will pick the best one for you).
The VPN app will redirect all computer, smartphone or TV data, including Kodi traffic, through the virtual channel.
Install a VPN add-on
If you do not have a special need to configure the VPN through the add-on, use the previous method. Otherwise, it will be necessary to install additional software to complete the process.
Cooltechzone does not recommend installing unverified VPN add-ons from third party sources. This can lead to the loss of privacy.
- Register with your chosen VPN service.
- Install OpenVPN. If you are using LibreELEC or OpenELEC, it will be preinstalled.
- Download the configuration file. For example, for NordVPN, such a file is located here.
- Activate the installation of apps from unknown sources (for more details on how to do this, see this article about Kodi add-ons).
- Import the VPN service settings file in the add-on installation section.
- Log in to the installed add-on.
- Select the country you want to connect to and you're done.
This method is inferior to using a ready-made VPN app, since it does not support productive protocols and does not have a Kill Switch or a convenient graphical interface.
How to install VPN on TV with Kodi?
You can install a VPN on any platform that Kodi itself is compatible with. We tested the setup of major TV platforms (Fire TV and Android TV) with version 19.1. The sequence of actions remains the same as in previous versions:
- Sign up for one of the recommended VPN services (listed below).
- Sign up for one of the recommended VPN services (listed below).
- Install it, log in, and connect to the desired country.
You can also manually configure a VPN directly on your router. In this case, all devices connected to it will automatically transmit and receive data through the virtual encrypted tunnel.
Five best VPN services for Kodi
This list is made on the basis of technical features analysis, practical tests, and feedback of real Kodi users who use it with a VPN.
All five services listed here are paid ones because only premium providers can ensure total user safety and excellent streaming performance.
So, let’s start!
1. NordVPN: The best VPN for Kodi
NordVPN allows you to unblock geo-restricted content without a hitch and makes using Kodi 100% anonymous and safe. The basic features of this service are modern protocols that hide your IP address, including IP and DNS leak protection, military-grade traffic encryption, and the independently-audited no-logs policy.
I haven’t used such a user-friendly app before. Moreover, it is suitable for every device. You can use one subscription to install NordVPN on 6 devices simultaneously. So, you can utilize it not only for Kodi but for other tasks as well:
- Protect your devices and personal data using public Wi-Fi;
- Unblock limited content and websites;
- Bypass censorship if there is one;
- Hide IP addresses of the websites you visit (ISPs collect and save this information for some time).
This list doesn’t include all features of NordVPN, of course.
Why is NordVPN the best one?
According to the results of our research and many other VPN rating sources, NordVPN is the leader of the industry that combines affordable prices and security with a highly-developed infrastructure. 5400 record-breaking servers in 60 countries allow users to choose almost any location. The provider also offers specialized servers with VPN protocol obfuscation for the countries that block the use of VPN technology.
NordVPN guarantees that none of your activities are monitored or logged, so all your torrent videos or other internet habits will be hidden.
Prices and plans:
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Monthly cost | $12.99 | $4.59 | $3.89 |
| Money-back guarantee, days | 30 | 30 | 30 |
A free 7-day trial version is available via the Google Play Store.
NordVPN has a good price for a 2-years subscription. It is a long period of time, but you can totally trust this provider. It has been on the market for 10 years, and during this time it has never spotted its reputation.
Read more in our NordVPN review
2. Surfshark: One of the cheapest VPN services
Surfshark VPN combines all the advantages of a great VPN service with affordable prices. The provider includes various features meant to ensure total anonymity to evade the watchfull eyes of your ISP while keeping the service stable and extra fast. Moreover, the functionality that plays an critical role for Kodi is of the highest level:
- Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, etc.
- AES-256 encryption;
- No-logs policy;
- All servers support P2P traffic.
One subscription allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices to the VPN, so it will also be useful while doing other tasks. These include but are not limited to:
- Playing online games;
- Browsing the internet without the risk of phishing attacks or malware;
- Getting access to websites which have been restricted by the government.
Prices and plans:
An excellent price for a 2-year subscription:
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Monthly cost | $15.45 | $2.99 | $2.49 |
| Money-back guarantee, days | 30 | 30 | 30 |
3. ExpressVPN: As secure as possible
According to the last test results, ExpressVPN is well-optimized for Kodi. It includes such factors as speed, geo-restriction bypassing, high privacy protection level, a wide range of locations, and user-friendliness. This provider's big advantage is the support of TV platforms and routers, which allows connecting to the VPN to the devices you need without using a PC to do so. It is a more expensive service, though, when compared to other VPNs.
Features
- Unblocking of Netflix and other services
- Hides the URLs of visited websites
- Excellent speed and stability
- Great 24/7 support service
Prices
ExpressVPN is available through 3 plans that differ from each other due to the subscription length*:
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Monthly cost | $12.95 | $6.25 | - |
| Money-back guarantee, days | 30 | 30 | - |
4. CyberGhost VPN: Special servers for streaming and torrenting
CyberGhost VPN is one of the largest VPNs (more than 10200+ servers in 100 countries). It unblocks geo-restricted content easily as well as protects you when you utilize Kodi add-ons that grant you access to free content.
CyberGhost VPN provides special server lists for that purpose:
- Streaming servers
- Torrenting servers
The provider doesn't collect any information about its users and is located under the safe Romanian jurisdiction. So, utmost anonymity is guaranteed. Besides that, this VPN is a great tool not only for Kodi but also for all other apps and tasks.
CyberGhost VPN’s apps are available on all major platforms: Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux. They all have a kill switch, VPN protocol settings, and DNS leak protection.
Cons of CyberGhost VPN:
- Possible connection issues on Windows. One of our computers running on Windows 8.1 stopped connecting to the network at one point. It worked fine with other VPNs. There is no such issue on Windows 10.
- Some locations are slow. Some servers, those on the “for torrenting” list especially, have the speed of less than 5 Mbps.
- Doesn’t bypass VPN blocks. The Great Firewall of China and the cencorship methods other restrictive countries are too tough for CyberGhost VPN to bypass.
Prices and plans:
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Monthly cost | $12.99 | $4.29 | $2.19 |
| Money-back guarantee, days | 45 | 45 | 45 |
Among other advantages of CyberGhost VPN are:
- 24-hour free trial;
- 45-day refund guarantee.
Read more in our CyberGhost VPN review
5. Private Internet Access: For Kodi VPN Manager or router
Private Internet Access (PIA) is good to use with Kodi via the VPN Manager as well as through your router. The provider will be very attractive for those who need port forwarding for torrent addons and those looking for the best performance.
Features
- 100% traffic protection
- Hides URLs of visited websites
- Great speeds and stability
- Port Forwarding
- The feature to turn off encryption for best performance
- Advanced settings for connections
- Configuration for any device
Drawbacks
Despite solid functionality for Kodi, PIA doesn’t work well with most streaming services. It can unblock Netflix US but getting access to other platforms might prove to be too much of a hassle.
Also, it doesn’t have apps for popular TV platforms. That’s why Private Internet Access is more suitable for tech-savvy users who know how to configure a WiFi router or Kodi VPN addon manually.
Prices
PIA is available through three plans that differ from each other in length of subscription*:
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | 11.99 | $3.33 | $2.03 |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Test results
We’ve tested PIA work through OpenVPN protocol and functionality to configure VPN addon for Kodi. We’ve managed to connect to the VPN by means of both methods.
Among its peculiarities, I’d like to point out the option to synchronize ports in PIA and the torrent addon (port forwarding is not available for all locations). There's also an option to disable encryption and therefore offload the processor of a device. It’s relevant for underpowered TVs and routers.
-
Advice. Don’t disable encryption while torrenting - it’s unsafe.
More about Private Internet Access: Full Private Internet Access Review
Kodi add-ons: where to start?
With security taken care of, we can now learn what a protected version of Kodi is capable of.
I’ll start with Kodi add-ons.
A Kodi add-on is a module installed into Kodi’s base shell to accomplish certain tasks. The thing that interests us the most is video add-ons. It is these add-ons that open literally limitless access to movies and online broadcasts for us.
If you don’t know how to install a Kodi add-on or want to find something new and relevant, you can make use of the following links:
- Find out more about the best Kodi add-ons.
- First things first: install Exodus.
- Learn which NFL add-ons help you watch sports
Kodi builds: a powerful tool for accessing video content
I presume that most of my readers have already installed at least one video add-on. But have you tried Kodi builds?
If you haven’t, you really should!
All the more reason to do it: you aren’t risking anything. You can always back up your Kodi and restore it with the XBMС backup add-on (available in the official repository).
A build will turn your Kodi into a powerful media studio that gives you access to any films, series, TV shows, content for kids or adults, online broadcasts on any topic, TV channels, music, music videos, etc.
Read more on how to install a Kodi build for your Kodi.
Where can I launch Kodi safely?
Did you know that Kodi works on any OS? You can launch it not just on your PC or smartphone, but also on Fire TV, Android TV, iOS/iPad, Xbox, and Raspberry.
What is more, you can copy all of your add-ons and settings by creating a zip backup that you then copy to a different device and restore your precise version from it.
Setting up a VPN on a router for Kodi
A good way to use Kodi with a VPN is to install a VPN on your router. This has the advantage of protecting all your devices and internet traffic at the same time. So you are protected even when you are just surfing the Internet. To install a VPN on your router, you must have a suitable VPN router. The easiest option is if your router supports DD-WRT firmware.
Read more about it in our article: VPN FOR ROUTERS: 10 tested services (2022)
Is Kodi legal?
You do not need to worry about this: the platform is completely legal to download and view. At least, the multimedia player itself is.
However, there are various add-ons and plugins that may be illegal to use. They are usually used to broadcast copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holders.
Do not use "full-featured set-top boxes" where pirated software may have been pre-installed. They are illegal in the EU and may contain malicious software.
There have been cases where people have been arrested for using Kodi add-ons.
Conclusion: Given the ambiguity about the legality of Kodi, we highly recommend using a VPN to ensure anonymity when using its add-ons and other potentially insecure modules.
Recommended reads:
Best Kodi add-ons: Best Unofficial Kodi Add-Ons 2024
Best Kodi builds: Best Unofficial Kodi Builds 2024 [HD Streams]
How to install Exodus add-on: Exodus: Is It the Best Kodi Add-On? 2024 Research
NFL Kodi add-ons: NFL on Kodi - Best NFL Add-Ons 2024 (Official and Unofficial)
How to install Kodi on Fire TV: Kodi on Fire TV / Fire TV Stick [2024 tutorial]
Kodi for iPhone / iPad: Kodi on iPhone and iPad - The Best Option With No Time Limit
FAQ
What is VPN for Kodi?
Virtual Private Network allows getting completely anonymous access to the content available on Kodi. The virtual network also masks the IP address of the user by changing it with the IP address of another country and therefore granting access to geo-restricted content of other countries.
How to setup VPN on Kodi?
There are three ways to use VPN with Kodi:
1. Set up the app on a PC or TV.
2. Configure addon “Kodi VPN Manager” or “VPN Manager for OpenVPN”.
3. Configure router or other devices that share the internet.
What is the best VPN for Kodi?
The most suitable VPN should combine all the functionality for Kodi: torrenting protection, streaming unblocking, censorship bypassing, privacy and security.
ExpressVPN is the best for %%curentyear%% according to CoolTechZone.com test results.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
Yes, VPN technology is used in all countries around the world. Today, hundreds of millions of users use virtual networks. The work of the VPN is based on technologies that have appeared when the Internet came to the world. It doesn’t have any connection with any forbidden methods or vulnerabilities.
In the Upshot
Nowadays, people use VPNs to both become protected on the net and access entertaining sites and services.
Having become one of 38 million Kodi consumers, you’ll definitely want to experience the best streaming via various Kodi addons.
But how to unblock them?
Now you know what to do!
Subscribe for the best VPN for Kodi and be convinced you’re using the most complete and diverse service.
Comments
Cloud VPN isn’t related to P2P. The only way it can work is if every member of the peer-to-peer network will subscribe to this service and won’t interact with any outside peers and seeders. For Kodi, a regular VPN is used.
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