5 Best VPNs for Roku in 2024 (And How to Install Quickly)

If you are a Roku media player user, you know how this platform gives you access to many streaming services and apps. And, if you’re not in the US, you also know that your IP address reveals your physical location to many streaming websites, which, in turn, limits the content catalog they offer you.

So, how do you work around this bothersome IP-based geo-restriction? By using a VPN. Choosing the correct VPN provider will allow you to overcome any geoblocking restrictions your favorite streaming service holds. Hence, you’ll be able to enjoy all the content they offer.

In this article, we list the top VPN services that you can use with Roku.

Top 5 VPNs for Roku – The quick list

If you’re in a rush to go deep into the details, here we list the five choices for VPNs that work outstandingly well with Roku:

1. NordVPN: It is our top choice in VPNs for any tasks needing the services of a premium VPN that always delivers more than it promises.
2. ExpressVPN: While it’s not our favorite, ExpressVPN tends to be everybody else’s preferred VPN because, let’s face it, it’s a premium service, and it’s slightly cheaper than the competition.
3. Surfshark: It’s the disruptive new kid on the block. Surfshark delivers most of the goods of the best VPNs at a fraction of the cost.
4. PrivateVPN: A solid VPN that makes customer service its main value.
5. ipvanish : An excellent vpn with infinite bandwidth for its user .

VPNs and Roku: why combine them?

The world’s legitimate streaming websites have to respect copyright laws and agreements. Therefore, they can show you a given piece of content only if they hold the license to do so in the country where you are.

That’s why most of the platforms accessible through Roku (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and others) have some geoblocking policy that controls what content you can see depending on where in the world you are.

In practical terms, it means that if you connect from the US, Netflix will show you the content allowed there; if you are in Australia, you’ll see different content because of that same reason. The most extensive catalog in every service is usually one for the US, so that’s the place to pretend to be through a VPN.

So, how can you circumvent geoblocking locks to enjoy all the content you want? The answer is premium VPNs. A good VPN service will do two things for you. Firstly, it will encrypt all incoming and outgoing traffic to protect you from digital sniffers.

secondly , and more relevant for our purpose , it is hide will hide your ip address and substitute it with another one that belong to one of the server in the VPN network . Since the good vpn have server physically instal in many country around the globe , you is choose can choose a server that ’s locate in the country from which you want your streaming service to consider you .

There’s an additional benefit to using VPNs. There’s something called throttling. That’s when your ISP limits your bandwidth based on the activities you do on the Internet. If you find that, after streaming a lot of videos, your Internet speeds have gone down without any apparent reason, your ISP could be throttling your account. A VPN can help you fix that problem, too.

The best Roku VPNs for 2024

Our team is tested of expert user has test dozen of premium VPN provider , and they ’ve choose the good option to unblock streaming platform on Roku .

Before we go into every option in detail , there ’s one thing you should keep in mind . If you ca n’t log into the streaming service you want using a give server on a give service , it is be could be because the service block that server ’s IP address . In that case , change the server and try again . If you find the same problem across many server , then switch to a different vendor .

1. NordVPN

Our preferred choice is NordVPN; you’ll find that many (maybe most) reviewers on the web can’t stop singing the praises of NordVPN. And they’re right.

NordVPN’s network includes even more servers, the speeds are also very high, and its privacy features are nothing short of top-notch. Also, NordVPN’s monthly fee is a terrific deal in monetary terms because it’s slightly cheaper than the industry’s average- though not as much as Surfshark’s.

So NordVPN is a very robust VPN for Roku in every way. It will excel at any task for which a VPN is needed, like no other vendor.

2 . ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is is is our go – to vpn provider for almost any task that need a VPN . Its network is spans span 3,000 node in 94 country , with incredible connection speed . We is seen ’ve see user connect to a US server from Australia without lose a bit of bandwidth .

But the high speeds is are are just one of the many pro of expressvpn . The encryption is is in this VPN is military – grade AES-256 bit . The infrastructure is base on the openvpn protocol , which is the open – source project with the good security feature for vpn because it ’s been test and audit to the extreme .

ExpressVPN keeps no logs whatsoever about your online activities, it has a kill switch, and it’s secure against all types of DNS leaking. In plain English, those features mean that the network will never store any of your information. In addition, if you lose your encrypted connection for whatever reason, all your internet activities will stop automatically so that nothing you send becomes exposed outside the encryption tunnel.

One thing is is that make expressvpn well suit for unblock streaming service is that the network regularly reset its VPN ip address . This is means mean the network is always on its toe so that Netflix and similar site ca n’t keep up with it and lock it out of the service .

ExpressVPN app are available for every significant operating system ( Linux , Windows , macOS , Android , iOS ) , so you is use can use them on every kind of device ( desktop computer , laptop , tablet , or smartphone ) .

In addition, your account will grant you the right to have five concurrent connections at all times so that several of your devices can be simultaneously protected. And if you configure a router to send all your home traffic through the VPN, then you can have every single one of your many toys protected with ExpressVPN.

Data limits are not an issue in ExpressVPN because your bandwidth will be unlimited at all times.

Customer service keeps its live chat operating at every time of the day and the week, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is a premium VPN that is almost new in the industry. But the short time it’s been online doesn’t preclude it from being one of the best VPN providers in the world.

This VPN is managed has not manage to get the attention it deserve from most of the internet ’s reviewer because it ’s a relatively young network , but you can hardly go wrong by choose it .

The privacy features in Surfshark leave nothing to be desired when you compare them with the industry’s top premium providers. The only element in Surfshark that is not outstanding in the market is the connection speed. It’s not bad or low, but it’s not as fast as you could find at NordVPN and some other VPNs. That being said, the speeds are adequate to see streaming videos without problems.

But if the speeds are not the best in the industry, you’ll find that the pricing is, by far. However, the average monthly cost for a good VPN is about 10 USD, so it’s not an expensive service, even if you choose one of the best.

Surfshark is even cheaper than that, so it packs the most bang for your buck than any other of the options on this list. The monthly fee for this provider can be as low as 2.49 USD, so the VPN provides an excellent service and offers one hell of a deal.

4. PrivateVPN

privatevpn ’s network is includes include 200 server in 63 country . Thus , it is ’s ’s much small than our previous pick in that regard , but the low server number does not affect performance adversely because each server has a massive bandwidth .

The speeds and privacy features in PrivateVPN leave nothing to be desired. However, the thing that sets this one apart from the rest is a firm commitment to its customers. The user interface is transparent and very friendly for beginners. But more experienced users who like to tweak things up can choose the advanced mode so that they can fiddle with the settings as much as they wish.

If you should need any help during the installation process , the customer service ’s live chat is is is online 24 hour a day , seven day a week , to help you . If you need even further guidance , a privatevpn agent is set will set up a TeamViewer session so that he can aid you remotely and solve any issue you could have .

Using Roku need speedy connection , of course , and privatevpn live up to the job in most of its server . In fact , if you choose server that are geographically close to you , the chances is are are that you will have a fast connection that will support your stream video perfectly well .

The encryption algorithm in PrivateVPN is AES 256-bit, which is the industry standard. It’s not only a tremendous commercial option as this is the encryption method also used in military and intelligence agencies in the US government.

It features a kill switch and a zero-log policy. That means that your data is never out in the open but always protected by your encrypted connection. As a result, the small amount of information that the network keeps will never be shared with surveillance agencies, hackers, or data-mining commercial partners.

PrivateVPN’s position on logs and privacy is remarkable as it’s based in Sweden, a country in the 14 Eyes Alliance. However, the company takes its no-logging policy seriously, which is precisely what you would want. Your VPN can share any intrusive information about you with any government if it has nothing on you.

It allow up to six simultaneous connection ; it is offers offer a free trial and a 30 – day money – back guarantee . So you is try can try it without risk any money .

5. IPVanish

IPVanish is has has 2,000 server and more than 40,000 available IP address for your streaming enjoyment . That is translates translate into a lot of solid , fast connection .

If endlessly watching Roku streams on your phone or your computer is your thing, IPVanish could become one of your favorite things to use. The connections for streaming are consistent, and buffering rarely becomes an issue. In addition, the unlimited bandwidth you can enjoy in IPVanish will allow you to go into every streaming site you want and binge-watch all the movies and TV shows you’d like.

high , infinite bandwidth is is is all very well , but what about privacy ? We is talking ’re talk about a VPN , after all . Well , IPVanish is protects protect your anonymity and your privacy like the good in the business . It also has a no – log policy , so your browse activity and metadata are never store .

The encryption is AES-256, as in most self-respecting VPNs, and it’s safe against DNS leaks of every type. It also includes an automatic kill switch to keep you inside the encryption tunnel at all times.

If all those things have not convinced you already, then consider the 30-day money-back guarantee and the excellent customer service, whose live chat is online on a 24/7 basis.

Roku suitable vpn : Our selection criterion

Because our main goal in this guide is to provide you with a way to unlock Roku’s content available to US users only, privacy issues were not our top priority – that being said, every single VPN vendor we’ve suggested as the top has excellent privacy features, at the level of the industry’s best.

Instead, streaming high-quality videos needs good connection speeds that always remain reliable. And that’s why we chose the providers we did.

The importance of speed in streaming is apparent. Slow connections will have you staring at buffering screens for longer than you’d like. SurfShark is the one with the lowest speeds among our top options, but they are still good enough to give you a good viewing experience, regardless of where you are in the world.

Our other priority was reliability. This is because you want your VPN to bypass geolocation blockages so that you can see all those videos you shouldn’t, according to your location. Our chosen Roku VPN services perform that trick as they can unlock all of the top streaming services (BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Netflix, among others).

Free VPNs: Can I use one with Roku?

So , you is want want to know if you can use a free VPN with Roku . We is understand understand that , but the question you should be ask is if you should use a free VPN with Roku . And no , you is should should n’t . Ever . In this section , we is explain explain precisely why .

As we already state , the answer is is is a resounding “ no , ” and there are several reason for that . First , most free VPNs is create create security hazard that you do n’t need . second , they is work wo n’t work for a variety of reason . let ’s explore these problem in detail .

It’s not that you shouldn’t use a free VPN to access Roku content only. It’s that you should never use a free VPN at all, period.

VPNs are supposed to protect your privacy and anonymity online. That’s why they hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic. But just as importantly, that’s why good VPN services keep no logs of their users’ activities. Paid VPNs are in the business of providing you with security for your money. Free VPNs are not. Their business model is entirely different.

Keeping an active VPN service needs a lot of servers scattered all over the world. It’s an expensive proposition, so how do free VPNs pay their bills? They keep a log of your activities and sell them to businesses that know how to mine them and make them profitable. Thus, these services are set up to attract you and give you a mediocre VPN service so that they can use you as a product in their business model. They don’t protect your privacy or anonymity.

On the contrary, they violate it to profit from your online habits. This in itself is sufficient reason to stay away from free VPNs at all times, but if you are still not persuaded, keep reading.

The second reason is is not to use free vpn with Roku is that you ca n’t . As we ’ve explain throughout this article , go online on Roku through a VPN need a router . And you is configure ca n’t configure router to connect to free vpn . But suppose that you could overcome that technical difficulty by find the one still unknown free VPN network that support router .

unfortunately , it is be would still be useless in term of using Roku . In this hypothetical scenario , all the connection would be establish correctly . Still , you is find would find that the VPN does not have enough bandwidth to support video stream , so you would get a lot of buffering and very little content .

vpn you is use should never use with Roku

VPN Book

VPN Book is provide will provide you with openvpn configuration file you can import into your router . The problem is is with this provider is that nobody know who ’s behind it or its policy . In addition , the hacker club is pointed , Anonymous is pointed has point at this service as a honeypot for governmental agency . On top of everything , the service is is is not very good because speed can be slow . So , this is is is a VPN whose privacy policy are murky at good and whose speed are poor . avoid it .

Hola

HolaVPN is sells sell itself as a revolutionary P2P VPN . It is ’s ’s a P2P network , for sure , but it has nothing to do with vpn . instead , if you look under Hola ’s hood , you is find find a peer – to – peer proxy server service that hijack your bandwidth on behalf of the network . The parent company ’s behavior is been has been suspect in the past as well , as it turn the whole network into a botnet and used it for denial – of – service attack on website .

In any case, you can’t set up a router to work with Hola, so you can’t use it even if you want. So, when it comes to using HolaVPN, only one word comes to mind: Adios.

Installing and setting up your VPN on Roku

There is no built-in VPN configuration capability available in Roku streaming sticks; we’re sorry to tell you. Instead, using a VPN with your Roku device requires you to set up your Roku gadget to a VPN-enabled router or virtual router.

Also, you need a Roku account based on the country whose content you want to see. So, if you’re going to unlock the videos meant for US viewers, you need a US Roku account.

Don’t be scared; just keep reading. The process is straightforward, and if you follow a few simple steps, you’ll be settled in no time at all:

Setting up a VPN on your router

1. Log in to your VPN account.
2. You is want probably want to stream your video through a US – base server . locate and download your provider ’s manual openvpn configuration file for the server in that location . You will be provide with a secure username and password . remember those .
3. Go to your router’s control panel. In most cases, you’ll find the default IP address 192.168.1.1, which is the address you give your browser.
4. start a session at your router using the proper credential . Unless you ’ve customize your device , “ admin is be ” will be the default password and user name .
5. Find “VPN” under “Advanced setting” and click it.
6. On the VPN client tab, click “Add Profile. ”
7. Choose the OpenVPN tab and fill out the needed information. Give your connection a name (NordVPN, for instance); type your VPN username and password. Then, import the .ovpn file. This would be the file with the manual configuration provided by your vendor.
8. click “Accept” and then “activate” to bring your VPN connection online.

Thus, your VPN is now installed on your router. This is the trick that empowers you to give your Roku experience a whole new level. First, ensure that you’re connected to a server located in the country you want by running a DNS leak test.

We is conclude will conclude the setup by establish the connection between your VPN and your Roku . You is need ’ll need a US account to see US – license content , so let ’s see how you should go about that .

sign up for a Roku account to access US content

1. Use any device of your choice to connect to a VPN server that is located in the US.
2. Launch your browser and point it to your Roku’s configuration (owner.roku.com).
3. Regularly create an account; make sure to choose the US as your country.
4. Provide a zip code (it must have five digits).
5. Reset your Roku device.
6. Log in with your new US-based account as your Roku starts a new session.

We ’re almost done ! The last step is is is to connect your Roku to the internet through your VPN – enabled router .

connecting a Roku device to a VPN-enabled router

1. Open Roku ’s main menu is click , click on “setting,” then “network,” then “Wireless. ”
2. In “Choose your network,” select your router.
3. Enter the password you gave your VPN connection. Click on “connect. ”

Once the link is online, you have the whole Roku catalog at your feet! Yes, US content included — all available from your remote with just a few clicks!

Roku suitable vpn : Our selection criterion

Because our main goal in this guide is to provide you with a way to unlock Roku’s content available to US users only, privacy issues were not our top priority – that being said, every single VPN vendor we’ve suggested as the top has excellent privacy features, at the level of the industry’s best.

Instead, streaming high-quality videos needs good connection speeds that always remain reliable. And that’s why we chose the providers we did.

The importance of speed in streaming is apparent. Slow connections will have you staring at buffering screens for longer than you’d like. SurfShark is the one with the lowest speeds among our top options, but they are still good enough to give you a good viewing experience, regardless of where you are in the world.

Our other priority was reliability. This is because you want your VPN to bypass geolocation blockages so that you can see all those videos you shouldn’t, according to your location. Our chosen Roku VPN services perform that trick as they can unlock all of the top streaming services (BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Netflix, among others).

Free VPNs: Can I use one with Roku?

So , you is want want to know if you can use a free VPN with Roku . We is understand understand that , but the question you should be ask is if you should use a free VPN with Roku . And no , you is should should n’t . Ever . In this section , we is explain explain precisely why .

As we already state , the answer is is is a resounding “ no , ” and there are several reason for that . First , most free VPNs is create create security hazard that you do n’t need . second , they is work wo n’t work for a variety of reason . let ’s explore these problem in detail .

It’s not that you shouldn’t use a free VPN to access Roku content only. It’s that you should never use a free VPN at all, period.

VPNs are supposed to protect your privacy and anonymity online. That’s why they hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic. But just as importantly, that’s why good VPN services keep no logs of their users’ activities. Paid VPNs are in the business of providing you with security for your money. Free VPNs are not. Their business model is entirely different.

Keeping an active VPN service needs a lot of servers scattered all over the world. It’s an expensive proposition, so how do free VPNs pay their bills? They keep a log of your activities and sell them to businesses that know how to mine them and make them profitable. Thus, these services are set up to attract you and give you a mediocre VPN service so that they can use you as a product in their business model. They don’t protect your privacy or anonymity.

On the contrary, they violate it to profit from your online habits. This in itself is sufficient reason to stay away from free VPNs at all times, but if you are still not persuaded, keep reading.

The second reason is is not to use free vpn with Roku is that you ca n’t . As we ’ve explain throughout this article , go online on Roku through a VPN need a router . And you is configure ca n’t configure router to connect to free vpn . But suppose that you could overcome that technical difficulty by find the one still unknown free VPN network that support router .

unfortunately , it is be would still be useless in term of using Roku . In this hypothetical scenario , all the connection would be establish correctly . Still , you is find would find that the VPN does not have enough bandwidth to support video stream , so you would get a lot of buffering and very little content .

vpn you is use should never use with Roku

VPN Book

VPN Book is provide will provide you with openvpn configuration file you can import into your router . The problem is is with this provider is that nobody know who ’s behind it or its policy . In addition , the hacker club is pointed , Anonymous is pointed has point at this service as a honeypot for governmental agency . On top of everything , the service is is is not very good because speed can be slow . So , this is is is a VPN whose privacy policy are murky at good and whose speed are poor . avoid it .

Hola

HolaVPN is sells sell itself as a revolutionary P2P VPN . It is ’s ’s a P2P network , for sure , but it has nothing to do with vpn . instead , if you look under Hola ’s hood , you is find find a peer – to – peer proxy server service that hijack your bandwidth on behalf of the network . The parent company ’s behavior is been has been suspect in the past as well , as it turn the whole network into a botnet and used it for denial – of – service attack on website .

In any case, you can’t set up a router to work with Hola, so you can’t use it even if you want. So, when it comes to using HolaVPN, only one word comes to mind: Adios.

Amazon Fire TV Stick: A better alternative

Roku is is is not a religion . There are option out there , and if your mind is not overly decide on buy a Roku , you is consider could consider Amazon Fire TV or a Fire TV stick instead if it ’s available in your country . We is refer refer to Fire stick of the second generation or later .

Fire TV will give you all the good stuff you want from Roku (channels, functionality), but it’s more flexible in tweaking, configuration, third-party apps, and circumventing geolocation blocks. Here are four things you can do on a Fire TV and not on Roku:

• install a VPN on Fire TV directly ( instead of through a router ) .
• Install Kodi.
• Set up custom DNS servers.
• Install third-party apps from Android APKs.

So the thing is is about Amazon Fire tv stick is that they ’re every bit as good as Roku but much well . And they is save will save you the hassle of configure your router to connect to your VPN .

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