Gjurgjica Panova
Updated on: October 11, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best free VPN for Android TV Box in 2024:
-
🥇 ExpressVPN
: It’s not completely free, but it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all of its purchases. The VPN has an extremely intuitive and feature-rich Android TV box app, it’s compatible with 100+ streaming apps, and it maintains the fastest streaming speeds on the market.
I understand why people use a free VPN for Android TV box. A VPN is the best way to improve your streaming experience with an Android TV box — it lets you watch your favorite shows and movies anywhere in the world, and it also improves your streaming speeds by encrypting your traffic to prevent bandwidth throttling.
That said, most free VPNs don’t even come with an Android TV box app. And the few on the app store come with many annoying drawbacks — their Android TV apps are hard to use and buggy, they don’t work with streaming apps, they come with very restrictive data caps, or they have very slow streaming speeds.
It’s honestly much better to just get a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN. It provides access to a super-intuitive Android TV box app, it’s compatible with 100+ streaming apps, and it maintains the fastest streaming speeds on the market.
If you’re only in the market for a free VPN, the ones on my list are good picks. All the free VPNs I covered in this article have really user-friendly Android TV box apps and very fast speeds — and while they don’t all guarantee streaming support, they still work with streaming apps most of the time. Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best Free VPNs for Android TV Box
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Android TV Box
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for Android TV Box. Although it’s not technically free, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, you can test it risk-free for a month. Plus, its longest plan often includes extra months of service for free, so you get an even better deal.
Its Android TV box app is very user-friendly, as the design makes it super simple to use your remote to find and connect to a server or change different settings. Plus, there’s a quick-connect tool that automatically connects you to the fastest server. The Android TV box app also has Shortcuts, which lets you set up 1-click shortcuts for specific apps that show up on your connection screen.
This provider has excellent streaming support, as it’s compatible with 100+ streaming apps, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. In addition, it also has a smart DNS (called MediaStreamer) that you can manually set up on your Android TV box — unlike the VPN, the smart DNS doesn’t encrypt your traffic, so it provides even faster streaming speeds.
The VPN also has the fastest speeds on the market due to its proprietary protocol, Lightway, which is designed to be extremely lightweight (and is built into the Android TV box app). Plus, the VPN also has servers in 105 countries, which makes it very easy to use nearby locations to get fast speeds. When I tested ExpressVPN, I was able to stream Android TV box content without any interruptions.
If you experience any issues using this VPN on your Android TV box, ExpressVPN provides access to 24/7 live chat — the support reps are very friendly, and they’re really knowledgeable about using a VPN on an Android TV box, too. I wanted to highlight this because free VPNs usually don’t provide access to live chat (most of them limit you to email support).
ExpressVPN has plans starting at £4.20 / month and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is my favorite Android TV box VPN out there. It’s not free, but it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the VPN risk-free. Plus, its Android TV app is extremely easy to use, it works with 100+ streaming apps, and it has the fastest speeds on the market.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Proton VPN — Best Free Android TV Box VPN With Unlimited Data
Proton VPN’s free plan has unlimited data, so you can use it to watch as many videos as you want on your Android TV box. The free version also maintains great connection speeds — in my speed tests, HD videos loaded in 2–4 seconds, and there was only very minor buffering when I skipped through them.
I also find Proton VPN’s Android TV box app extremely easy to use. While the free version of the app is pretty minimalistic and doesn’t provide access to all features, you won’t feel overwhelmed when using it. The free plan doesn’t let you choose which servers you connect to, but I think it’s convenient how it automatically connects you to the fastest server.
The free plan doesn’t guarantee streaming support — still, the free servers sometimes work with top streaming platforms, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
The free version limits you to servers in 5 countries. In addition, you can only connect 1 device. That said, if you’re interested in using the VPN on other devices in addition to your Android TV, like gaming consoles and smartphones, you can manually configure Proton VPN on your router — this way, you’ll be able to cover as many devices as you want in your household.
Proton VPN’s paid version starts at £2.75 / month, and I think it’s worth upgrading to it — it adds compatibility with 50+ streaming apps, access to servers in 112 countries, support for 10 simultaneous connections, and live chat support (free users only get email support). All plans have a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN has the best free VPN plan for Android TV box users. Its free version allows unlimited data, provides fast speeds, comes with an intuitive Android TV app, and even works with top streaming apps some of the time. The paid version adds support for 50+ streaming apps and has a 30-day prorated refund.
Read the full Proton VPN review
🥉3. Windscribe — Intuitive Free Android TV VPN With Great Streaming Support
Windscribe’s free plan is one of the few that comes with streaming support. It consistently works with various streaming apps, like Netflix, Hulu, Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. Plus, the provider’s Android TV app also maintains great streaming speeds — when I used it, all HD videos took only about 4 seconds to load with minimal buffering in the beginning.
I had zero issues getting used to the VPN’s interface for the Android TV box — it’s simple to navigate with my remote and took me less than 5 seconds to connect to a server. Plus, I really like how Windscribe allows unlimited simultaneous connections (most free VPNs limit you to 1 connection), and it’s great that the free version lets you connect up to 10 server locations.
However, I find Windscribe’s monthly data cap a bit annoying. You automatically get 2 GB per month but can increase it to 10 GB by providing your email address. This is a decent amount of data for browsing, but it’s only enough to stream a couple of movies in HD (and not enough to binge one full season of a TV series).
Windscribe has several premium plans that start at £2.29 / month, and they all come with unlimited data and servers in 68 countries. There’s also a Build A Plan option, which allows you to pay for individual servers and even unlimited data and also doesn’t require a long-term commitment (you pay month by month). However, all plans only have a 3-day refund.
Bottom Line:
Windscribe’s free plan allows streaming support, allows unlimited connections, reliably works with many streaming sites, and comes with 10+ server locations. However, it has a monthly data cap of 10 GB. Windscribe covers its paid plans with only a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Windscribe review
Quick Comparison Table
Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I used our proven testing methodology when deciding which VPNs to add to my list. I considered relevant metrics, such as compatibility with Android TV, ease of use, speeds, and streaming support — here’s an in-depth look at the exact ranking criteria I used:
- I only chose free VPNs that work on an Android TV box. I made sure all of the VPNs on my list come with native apps for Android TV so that you can quickly find and download them on your TV’s app store.
- I only added user-friendly VPNs to my list. I only ranked VPN providers whose Android TV box apps are very easy to navigate and use with your remote. Ideally, it shouldn’t take you more than 15 seconds to figure out how to find and connect to a server.
- I only ranked free VPNs with good data limits. Most free VPNs have very restrictive data caps, which prevent you from actually using them on your Android TV box. So, I made sure to only rank free VPNs that allow at least 10 GB per month (Proton VPN’s free plan allows unlimited data).
- I only included fast free VPNs in my article. When you use a VPN, your internet speeds will take a hit due to the added layer of encryption, and the distance between you and the VPN server. And with a free VPN, the slowdown is usually even more noticeable. I ran speed tests on all of the free VPNs in my article and confirmed they’re all really fast.
- I checked if the streaming support is good. Most people use an Android TV box VPN to access streaming content. That said, free VPNs usually don’t work well with streaming apps. So, I made sure to only include providers whose free versions can access streaming content at least 50% of the time.
- I only ranked secure free VPNs. All the free VPNs on my list protect your Android TV box traffic with essential security features. This includes 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch to prevent traffic leaks, and a strict no-logs policy.
- I checked the free VPNs’ paid versions. I only recommended free VPNs whose paid plans provide access to guaranteed streaming support, lots of server locations, and at least 5 simultaneous connections. All of the VPNs I recommend back their paid plans with a money-back guarantee.
Risks & Disadvantages of Using a Free VPN
- Bad streaming support — Many free VPNs don’t work with popular streaming platforms on Android TV Box. The free VPNs that actually work with streaming apps usually have monthly or daily data limits, so you can only watch a limited amount of movies or TV shows each day or month. If you plan to stream a lot, I recommend purchasing a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN.
- Slow speeds for streaming — A lot of free VPNs limit you to a small number of servers. This results in overcrowded servers and slower speeds for streaming on Android TV Box. However, the VPNs on this list can maintain good speeds.
- Ads — Some free VPNs often compensate for their lack of subscription fees by displaying ads and sponsored content. Plus, these ads might consume bandwidth, which can slow down your internet connection for streaming on an Android TV Box.
- Hidden malware — There are some free VPNs that contain malware and adware, putting your device and data at risk. All the VPNs on this list are safe options.
- Selling your data — There are some free VPNs that store your browsing data and then sell this information to advertisers. Then, annoying ads will pop up while streaming and browsing. Quality VPNs, like ExpressVPN, have both had their no-logs policy independently audited, confirming they don’t store your data.
Free vs. Paid VPNs for Android TV Box
The free VPNs on this list have important security features like a kill switch, a no-logs policy, and 256-bit AES encryption. Most also have extras like leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and RAM-only servers.
However, they only offer limited other features compared to premium (paid) VPNs. Usually, free VPNs only allow access to a handful of servers locations, impose daily or monthly restrictions on data usage, and don’t have multiple simultaneous device connections. Plus, they aren’t as useful for things like streaming, gaming, and P2P file sharing and don’t have the greatest speeds.
For example, Proton VPN’s free plan has unlimited data, good speeds, and strong security features, but it doesn’t support streaming, only has 5 server location options, and limits you to 1 device connection. Windscribe supports streaming but only has 10 server locations and imposes a monthly data cap of 10GB, which isn’t very much.
That’s why it’s almost always better to opt for a premium VPN over a free one. You’ll get things like unlimited data, a much larger server network, faster speeds, and extras like ad blockers and split-tunneling. Additionally, most paid VPNs have competitive prices and a 30-day money-back guarantee to test them without any risk.
Free VPNs for Android TV Box to Avoid
The free VPNs mentioned below don’t even have an Android TV box app on the Android TV app store. Even if they had Android TV box apps, I still wouldn’t recommend them because they come with plenty of other drawbacks:
- Hola VPN: As a P2P VPN, Hola VPN assigns your IP address to another user and vice versa. This poses a significant risk as malicious users could engage in illegal activities using your IP. Additionally, it maintains user logs, fails to encrypt traffic, and has previously leaked user IPs.
- SuperVPN: SuperVPN poses risks by logging extensive user data, including IP addresses, operating systems, and browser types. It lacks essential security features and offers no accessible customer support. Furthermore, it suffered a data breach revealing 133 GB of user data, including IP and email addresses, and geo-locations.
- Phone Guardian: While not overtly suspicious, Phone Guardian doesn’t function as a typical VPN. Its sole VPN-like feature is data encryption; it doesn’t conceal your IP or location, lacks a kill switch, and misses other standard VPN features.
- AceVPN: Though it has some good features like DNS leak protection, AceVPN falls short in several areas. It lacks a crucial kill switch, has limited server locations (about 20), and has only one P2P server. A significant drawback is the absence of dedicated apps, which is highly inconvenient since you’ll need to manually set up the VPN on your devices.
- TouchVPN: This VPN has over 5,500 servers in more than 80 countries, which is great for a free service. However, it collects data like your IP address and web traffic.
- Hoxx VPN: HoxxVPN tracks all web activities, device, and location information. Alarmingly, its terms state that this data might be retained even after account closure.
- TurboVPN: Under its no-logs policy, TurboVPN claims not to track online activities. However, it remains unclear about whether it collects IP addresses.
- TuxlerVPN: TuxlerVPN’s policy indicates it logs website visits, browser details, and contact information, with the potential of sharing this data with third parties for business reasons.
- FinchVPN: FinchVPN has a shady website. It lacks clear information on VPN features, and when I tried to view its Privacy Policy, it led back to the homepage.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear’s free plan has fast speeds, good streaming support, and allows access to servers in 47 countries. However, the provider doesn’t have an Android TV app, and it lacks router support (so you can’t manually set up the VPN on your router for your Android TV box to use it).
- hide.me. hide.me is one of my favorite free VPNs with unlimited data and good security. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have streaming support on its free plan, so it isn’t good for watching shows or movies on Android TV Box.
- Hotspot Shield. The VPN’s free plan has unlimited data and fast speeds. The provider’s Android TV app is unfortunately only available to premium users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to stream on Android TV Box with a VPN?
Yes, using a VPN with your Android TV Box is legal. However, there are some exceptions based on regional laws and restrictions. Additionally, using a VPN might violate the terms of service of some streaming platforms. Always check local regulations and platform agreements to ensure that you don’t break any laws.
What’s the best VPN for Android TV Box?
I recommend ExpressVPN — it has an Android TV box that’s very user-friendly and feature-rich, it works with 100+ streaming apps, it provides the fastest streaming apps on the market, and it has a 30-day refund.
Are free VPNs safe?
Most free VPNs aren’t safe. Although some free VPNs have good security features, many lack industry-standard features, show intrusive ads, or come with malware. However, the free VPNs on this list have strong security features.
Will a free VPN work with all streaming apps on Android TV Box?
No, as many free VPNs don’t work with most streaming platforms. If you plan on streaming a lot on your Android TV Box, I recommend getting a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN. It works with 100+ streaming apps, has industry-leading speeds, and user-friendly apps.
