Smart TVs are notoriously tricky to secure with a VPN — most don't have native VPN apps, and the ones that do run limited versions of Android TV. We tested the three best approaches: Surfshark for unlimited multi-device coverage, OpenVPN for router-level compatibility, and WireGuard for raw speed on 4K streams.
Your smart TV is probably the most exposed device in your home. It's always online, it's running an OS that rarely gets updates, and — here's the kicker — most smart TVs don't let you install a VPN app directly.
Samsung uses Tizen. LG uses webOS. Neither has a native VPN client. Even Android TV and Apple TV have limited app ecosystems for VPNs. So how do you protect your streaming privacy without giving up 4K quality?
There are three real paths: a VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections (install it on everything except the TV and share the connection), a router-level VPN using the most compatible protocol available, or a modern high-speed protocol that keeps up with 4K bitrates. Here's what we recommend for each approach.
Best for: Anyone with more than one smart TV, or a mix of TVs, phones, laptops, and game consoles.
Surfshark's killer feature is unlimited simultaneous connections.2 Most VPNs cap you at 5 or 7 devices. Surfshark lets you install it on everything — your phone, your laptop, your tablet, your gaming console — and still have room for every smart TV in the house.
For TVs that don't support native VPN apps (that's most of them), you can set up Surfshark on a secondary device and use screen mirroring, or configure it at the router level. But for Android TV users, Surfshark does offer a native app that's straightforward to install from the Google Play Store.
Why it wins: No counting devices. No deciding which TV gets the VPN and which doesn't. Install it everywhere and forget about it.
> Our take: If you have more than one streaming device, Surfshark is the simplest answer. The unlimited connections remove the headache entirely.
Best for: Users with Samsung, LG, or other Tizen/webOS smart TVs that can't run VPN apps at all.
OpenVPN is the most widely supported VPN protocol in the world.1 It's open-source, battle-tested, and supported by virtually every router firmware that offers VPN passthrough — including DD-WRT, OpenWrt, and Tomato.
If your TV can't run a VPN app, the next best thing is to run the VPN on your router. Every device connected to that router — including your smart TV — is then behind the VPN tunnel. OpenVPN is the protocol you'll find in every router's VPN client settings, making it the go-to for this setup.
The trade-off: OpenVPN is older and slower than modern protocols. For a single 1080p stream it's fine, but if you're pushing 4K HDR, you may notice some overhead.
> Our take: OpenVPN is the compatibility king. If you're comfortable logging into your router's admin panel, this is the most reliable way to VPN your entire home network.
Best for: 4K streaming, gaming, and anyone who prioritizes raw throughput.
WireGuard is a modern VPN protocol designed for speed.3 It uses modern cryptography, a leaner codebase, and fewer round trips than OpenVPN, which translates to lower latency and higher throughput — exactly what you need for 4K streaming without buffering.
The catch: WireGuard isn't as widely supported on consumer routers yet. You'll need a router that explicitly supports it, or a VPN provider that offers WireGuard as a protocol option on devices that can run a VPN app (like an NVIDIA Shield, Apple TV 4K, or a Raspberry Pi acting as a VPN gateway).
Where it shines: If you have an Apple TV 4K or an Android TV box, look for a VPN provider that offers WireGuard. The speed difference over OpenVPN is noticeable on high-bitrate streams.
> Our take: WireGuard is the future. If your hardware supports it, use it. The speed gain is real.
Here's the reality check:
| TV Platform | Native VPN App? | Best Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Android TV / Google TV | Yes (limited selection) | Install Surfshark or another provider's app from Play Store |
| Apple TV 4K | Yes (some providers) | Look for WireGuard support for best speed |
| Samsung Tizen | No | Router-level OpenVPN |
| LG webOS | No | Router-level OpenVPN |
| Roku | No | Router-level VPN or share from another device |
If you have an Android TV or Apple TV, you're in luck — you can install a VPN app directly. For everyone else, the router-level approach using OpenVPN is your best bet.
Three things matter most for a smart TV VPN:
Disclosure: AskBuy earns a commission if you purchase through the links above. This doesn't affect our recommendations — we only recommend what we'd use ourselves.
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