Best Free VPN for Firestick

Windscribe is the best free VPN we’ve tested and reviewed for Firestick. It’s also the overall best free VPN.

The free version of Windscribe is secure, fast, and reliable.

The free VPN is really good for international streaming, especially to unblock UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer from abroad.

Windscribe is also our top-rated free VPN for torrenting, and particularly for P2P-based streams on Fire TV devices.

You only need an email address to sign up, too, with no credit card or payment details required.

Windscribe’s 10GB data cap is limiting, though. For unlimited use, either upgrade to Windscribe’s paid version, or try a premium Firestick VPN with no data caps. Read our review of IPVanish, the overall best Firestick VPN.

Learn more about the differences between paid and free VPNs below.

Using a top VPN on Fire TV Stick can unlock geo-restricted video content on streaming apps like Netflix, DAZN, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.

Furthermore, having a VPN running on your Fire TV Stick will mask your IP address and keep you anonymous online.

As a result, your ISP will no longer see your real IP address. This is crucial if you stream video content using Kodi and IPTV apps on your Firestick.

As we already mentioned, free Firestick VPN apps come with limitations. Our advice for users looking to stream lots of content on Firestick is to use a paid VPN instead.

Sadly, if you have a 1st generation Firestick you won’t be able to install a VPN directly onto it. Therefore, we recommend upgrading to a 2nd or 3rd generation Firestick.

It’s very easy to set up a free VPN on your Fire TV Stick, as long as the VPN service has a Fire OS native app.

For example, you can install Windscribe or Hide.me directly onto your Firestick from the Amazon app store in just a few steps.

Installing a free VPN directly onto your Firestick

1. Search for the VPN on your Firestick via the Amazon App Store.
   
2. Click ‘Get’ to install the free VPN (and if needed, confirm by entering your Amazon account passcode).
3. Once the free VPN is installed, open it and enter your login details (if prompted).
4. Choose a VPN server location and press ‘Connect.’
5. Once you’re connected to VPN server, open any other app on your Fire TV device.

But, what about free VPNs that don’t have a Fire TV Stick app? You can use these VPNs on your Fire TV Stick, but it won’t be as simple.

The best method in these instances is to sideload a VPN’s .APK file onto your Firestick. ProtonVPN provides a suitable .APK file.

Sideloading a free VPN onto your Fire TV Stick

1. Navigate to ‘Settings’ in your Firestick, and select ‘Device.’
2. Find ‘Developer Options’ and toggle on both ‘Debugging’ and ‘Apps from Unknown Sources.’
3. Return to the ‘System’ menu, click ‘About’ and select ‘Network.’
4. Search for the ‘Downloader App’ on your Firestick and install it.
5. Run ‘Downloader’ and enter the download URL for your VPN’s .APK file. ProtonVPN’s .APK download URL is: http://github.com/ProtonVPN/android-app/releases/latest.
6. Once the .APK download is complete, you’ll be prompted to install the VPN app. Or, open the downloads section in ‘Downloader’ and select the .APK file.
7. Once you’ve installed the VPN, launch it and log in (if necessary).
8. Select a server location and hit ‘Connect.’
9. Once you’re connected, launch other apps as you would normally do.

The two methods above are by far the simplest to set up a free VPN on your Firestick.

Our Firestick VPN setup guide covers additional methods, such as using your home router or your PC.

Sadly, there are many disadvantages to using free VPNs on a Fire TV device. Especially when it comes to streaming quickly and anonymously.

Some free VPNs include restrictive monthly data caps, and speed throttling.

Plus, even the best free VPNs often don’t work with Netflix or other streaming services.

There is a very limited choice of safe and easy-to-use free VPNs for Fire TV Stick. However, there is more choice when it comes to paid-for VPNs.

You can try out premium VPN services for free by taking advantage of free trials and money-back guarantees.

The majority of free VPNs don’t work well on Fire TV devices simply because they don’t have apps for the platform.

While there are plenty of free VPNs, very few have the necessary tools to be easily installed on Amazon’s streaming device.

If your free VPN doesn’t have a native Fire OS app, an .APK file, or is incompatible with routers, it’ll be very hard to use on a Firestick.

We recommend the free VPNs on this page because they are fast, safe, and come with native apps for Firestick or have an .APK file you can side load.

Popular free VPNs we don’t recommend for use on Fire TV devices are Avira VPN, Hotspot Shield and TunnelBear.

If you’re using a free VPN on your Fire TV Stick to watch Netflix, you’ve likely come across this error message:

“Oops, something went wrong… You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy.”

Netflix, and other popular streaming platforms, has been blocking VPN users from viewing video content.

Moreover, free VPNs rarely work with Netflix and other video streaming services.

But, there are some things you can try if your VPN isn’t working with Netflix. These techniques include connecting to a different VPN server, or changing VPN protocol.

If all fails, you’ll have to use a Netflix VPN that definitely works.

We test every free Firestick VPN following our bespoke, extensive and scientific methodology.

Each VPN is tested in six key performance categories. These ratings are then combined to calculate an overall rating.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of exactly how we test the best free VPNs for Firestick:

1. Firestick App: 20%

Having a native app for Firestick is an important attribute for a top Firestick VPN. Most free VPN services simply do not have this feature.

Many free VPNs that do work on Firestick need to be side-loaded, which is a complicated process for adding third party apps onto the device.

Thankfully, there are a few free VPNs that include native apps for the device. We reward the apps that are well designed, user-friendly, and custom-built for the TV.

2. Data Cap: 25%

Streaming or running Kodi can be very data-intensive, so a generous data cap is necessary on Firestick.

Less generous free VPNs only offer around 500MB per month, which isn’t enough to stream for more than a few hours.

The best free VPNs offer 10GB a month, or 500MB a day for free. This adds up to enough for light streaming throughout the month, or a shorter high-intensity period of streaming.

3. Streaming: 15%

Free VPNs can be limited in their ability to access streaming services. We test whether popular streaming services work with free VPNs on the Firestick itself.

The absolute minimum requirement is that a VPN works with YouTube, which almost every VPN is capable of.

Top-rated VPNs are able to stream multiple international Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, and other services such as Hulu, Disney+ and DAZN.

4. Speed: 20%

A fast free VPN for Firestick should offer average download speed of 50Mbps or faster on local connections. This is enough for smooth streaming on most internet connections, but may not be enough for HD video.

You’re unlikely to be able to stream in 4K on most free VPNs, but it is possible on the best ones.

We regularly test every VPN on a standard 100Mbps connection to achieve fair, unbiased speed comparisons between providers.

5. Features: 10%

Free VPNs often have very few features on Firestick, if they have an app at all.

We test the apps in-depth and explore their feature menus, then compare the offering to what is available on other platforms.

IP leak protection is an absolute minimum, which keeps your true IP and DNS information from being exposed. The most secure Firestick VPNs will have a full kill switch to avoid leaks.

6. P2P & Kodi: 10%

Lots of users combine Kodi with Firestick, so we specifically test free Firestick VPN apps for their compatibility with Kodi.

As the bare minimum, you’ll need P2P support to get Kodi add-ons working. Our tests ensure every VPN we recommend offers support for P2P traffic and Kodi.

Additional research by Luke Williams