Best VPNs for IoT
Our smart devices are increasingly becoming ingrained in our daily lives. The Internet of Things (IoT) devices we use every day significantly enhance our comfort and give a considerable boost to the overall convenience factor of our homes.
In this article, we will break down the best Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for IoT on the market today, and give you an in-depth look at what benefits you can expect to gain from a quality IoT VPN.
From smart toasters crisping our bread to the optimal levels of toastiness, to smart refrigerators alerting us when we are running out of things and the smart speakers that control them all without lifting a finger, we are more connected than ever. And with 5G on the horizon, the possibilities for smart device connectivity will become virtually limitless going forward, with some experts predicting 50 billion IoT devices connected to the internet in ten years.
The problem is, however, that IoT devices are notoriously insecure, so much so that the term "IoT Security" is widely considered an oxymoron in cybersecurity circles. If left unsecured, IoT devices can often present alarming security vulnerabilities that can seriously put your privacy at risk. This is why it is critically important to use an IoT VPN to protect your privacy and give your smart devices a much-needed security boost.
The best VPNs for IoT devices, a quick rundown
In a rush to find the best VPN for IoT? Check out our brief rundown of the best services for the job.
- ExpressVPN - The best IoT VPN. Offers great cross-platform compatibility and it's excellent at securing IoT devices; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - The best buy VPN for IoT. You get watertight privacy, highly customizable privacy features, and super fast servers at an affordable price.
- Surfshark - An all-around VPN for IoT. It's blazing-fast, great for streaming, and competitively priced. Offers simultaneous unlimited connections.
- Private Internet Access - The most security-focused IoT VPN. It's a budget-friendly option that's not lacking in features, servers, nor speed.
- CyberGhost VPN - An easy-to-use VPN for IoT. Offers intuitive apps, it's highly-secure, compatible with many smart devices – and it's super cheap!
What are the best VPNs for IoT devices, and why?
Below, you will find a list of the best VPNs for IoT devices. We have all tested these services on IoT devices to ensure that they are secure and don't slow down your internet connection. If you need more information about any of these VPN providers, check out our detailed VPN reviews.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for IoT. Our top choice for IoT – superb apps for all your devices, lightning-fast servers, super secure, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is one of the best all-around VPN providers available today, and it is certainly also one of the best in the business when it comes to protecting IoT devices. You’ll find step-by-step guides on the company’s website on how to set up the service on virtually any VPN-compatible router you may have. ExpressVPN also partners with FlashRouters to supply customers with customized routers pre-configured with ExpressVPN’s custom router firmware. On top of that, ExpressVPN offers superior connection speeds along with air-tight security and great customer service. With your ExpressVPN subscription, you will enjoy exceptional security via military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, lighting-fast server speeds, and top-notch 24/7 live chat support. The best part is, you can try ExpressVPN completely risk-free thanks to its no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN is the best budget IoT VPN. It's consistently fast and jam-packed with advanced privacy features. You get a user-friendly service and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Nord Demo NordVPN is a no-logs VPN provider based in Panama that is strong on privacy. It is a reliable service with apps for all popular platforms that will easily let you bypass local censorship, access internationally geo-restricted content, or unblock content restricted by an admin in work, at school, or on public WiFi. NordVPN offers a wealth of market-leading security features that make it a good option for just about anybody. It also has exclusive privacy features such as double-hop connections, VPN over Tor, DNS-based malware protection, Smart DNS, and more, all at a very reasonable price point. But don't just take my word for it, try all these features risk-free, with NordVPN's 30-day money-back guarantee. A great all-around IoT VPN. Relatively new on the scene but is already one of the best choices for IoT users – lightning-fast, with great features and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is one of the newer VPN providers on the market, but it has already made a splash in the industry due to its heavy focus on privacy and the overall impressive nature of its offering. Surfshark secures your connection via powerful AES 256-bit encryption standards and ensures your privacy with its no-logs policy and its Camouflage Mode (obfuscation) feature that hides the fact you’re using a VPN even from your ISP. Surfshark offers several easy-to-follow guides on how to set up the service on a variety of router platforms to help you get going and have your devices protected right off the bat. If you’re looking for an unmatched streaming experience, you’ll surely be happy with Surfshark’s ability to unblock an unprecedented 15 different Netflix libraries, including the US library. This is quite impressive considering how aggressively Netflix works to block access to its content from VPN connections. Added to all that, you’ll get access to a vast network of super-fast servers in over 100 countries
around the world, friendly and responsive 24/7 live chat customer care, and unlimited bandwidth. To top it off, Surfshark is one of the most wallet-friendly options available, so you’ll really be getting some of the best bang-for-your-buck when you snag Surfshark as your IoT VPN provider of choice. PIA is perfect for IoT thanks to its strong commitment to privacy and airtight security. Try its advanced privacy features with a 30-day money-back guarantee. PIA Demo Private Internet Access (PIA) is an established US-based VPN provider that offers excellent security for smart device owners. PIA offers router compatibility to cover all your IoT devices automatically and secures your connection via top encryption standards. Your privacy is also fully protected thanks to PIA’s strict no-logging policy that ensures none of your online activity is ever collected or handed over to third parties. What’s more, you can pay anonymously via a variety of cryptocurrencies or even by transferring the balance of 80 different retail gift cards. PIA’s world-class server speeds also make for stable and uninterrupted video streams on your smart TV. Tack on friendly and knowledgeable customer support along with a vast server network across the globe all at a very budget-friendly price point, and it’s no wonder why PIA is one of the best VPN providers around. You really can’t go wrong with PIA securing your IoT devices. CyberGhost is a beginner-friendly IoT VPN. It offers highly-intuitive apps for all OS, and is easy to set up for IoT devices. Comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost Demo CyberGhost is a top-class VPN provider based in Romania. Some of the things that make CyberGhost an excellent IoT VPN include its commitment to user security and privacy, the speed and reliability of its server network, its world-class customer support, and its overall value for the money. When you use CyberGhost, your IoT devices will be protected with strong encryption standards and none of your activity will ever be logged thanks to the company’s strict no-logs policy. The company even releases an annual Transparency Report that gives anyone interested a detailed inside look at how the company safeguards the privacy of its users. It’s definitely reassuring to know that CyberGhost truly takes your privacy seriously, especially knowing how much sensitive data is at stake when using smart devices. CyberGhost also offers detailed setup guides for several different router setups, making it easy for smart device users to hit the ground running with this VPN provider. If you purchase a subscription plan of 6 months or more, CyberGhost gives you a full 45 days to get your money back if you find yourself unsatisfied for any reason. 1. ExpressVPN
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How we test VPNs – ProPrivacy review methodology
With a plethora of VPN options available, it can be quite difficult to choose the perfect service for your IoT devices. Even though many of them offer decent speeds and geo-spoofing capabilities, only a few are capable of securing your home by protecting numerous IoT vulnerabilities.
We recommend only the VPNs that work reliably and seamlessly with IoT
Luckily, ProPrivacy reviews and comparisons can help you narrow down your search. Our team of experts dedicates great amounts of time to thoroughly testing VPNs. These are also the same services we use at home to protect our digital footprint and bypass censorship – which means that we can share with you our honest firsthand experience!
The VPNs listed here are all built with privacy and security in mind. They offer robust encryption combined with top-notch privacy features. Before I completed this IoT VPN comparison list, I personally made sure that those features all worked as advertised, and the services all met the following criteria:
- Strong encryption with a selection of VPN protocols
- Strict zero-logs/no-logs policy
- Cutting-edge privacy features, free of extra charge
- Lightning-fast servers worldwide
- Circumvents geo-blocks and censorship with ease
- Value for money – plans, device compatibility, multiple connections, etc.
- Money-back guarantee, which lasts for at least 30 days
How to secure IoT devices with a VPN?
The vast majority of the IoT devices you use generally won't be compatible on their own with VPN client software. However, if you have a VPN-compatible wireless router, you can configure your VPN to connect through your router and, therefore, automatically protect all the devices connected to your network with the encryption offered by your VPN provider.
If you don't have a VPN router, you can purchase one that is pre-flashed with VPN-compatible firmware from Amazon or from FlashRouters.
Once you have acquired your VPN-compatible router, head over to your VPN provider's website for instructions on how to establish a VPN connection through your router. Each of the providers we list in this article offer easy-to-follow guides on how to get set up and connected through your router.
After you have established a successful VPN connection on your router, all the devices connected to it, including computers, phones, tablets, and any smart home devices, will be protected by the VPN.
What should you look for in a good IoT VPN service?
- Security - First and foremost, the overall security of your VPN will be the most important aspect to look out for when choosing a VPN for IoT. Your smart devices will need to be properly secured with strong encryption protocols to ensure that none of the data sent or received by your devices over the network can be compromised.
- No-logs policy - The privacy afforded by your IoT VPN service is also an important consideration. A truly privacy-focused VPN provider will use a strict no-logs policy to ensure that the provider never collects any data related to your online activity when connected to its network of VPN servers. This also means that this data can't be supplied to any third parties or law enforcement authorities either.
- Speed - When you account for powerful encryption, along with the physical distance between you and the remote VPN server you are connecting through, you are likely to experience some amount of degradation in the speed of your internet connection. It is important that your IoT VPN service provides fast speeds, to ensure that your internet connection experiences only a negligible loss in overall speed. Maintaining fast connection speeds is especially important if you're streaming unblocked content on your smart TV through your IoT VPN connection.
- Router support - Since you will need to connect your VPN through a router to secure your IoT devices, it is critical that the IoT VPN service you use is well-equipped to support router setups. If you're not super techy, to begin with, it can seem overwhelming to get your VPN router set up correctly. But if the VPN provider you are using offers simple step-by-step guides to follow, or even offers pre-configured routers for its service, the process can be much easier.
- Quality customer care - Should you run into any issues with setting up a VPN router to protect your IoT devices, it's always helpful to have knowledgeable and timely support from your VPN provider's customer care agents. The best IoT VPN providers will have professional technical support agents on call to answer your questions and help you get set up and rolling as quickly and as easily as possible.
Why use a VPN with IoT/smart home devices?
There are several reasons why it can be beneficial to use a VPN for your IoT devices. Most importantly, a VPN can help you prevent unauthorized parties from intercepting any of the data you communicate to your smart devices. This means that hackers, government authorities, your ISP, advertisers, or anyone else attempting to snoop on your internet activity will be unable to.
Protect yourself
A VPN protects you against different kinds of attacks and keeps creepy third parties from spying on you
Smart devices, equipped with their cameras, microphones, and sensors can certainly gather a wealth of detailed, intimate information about our personal lives. When you protect your smart devices with an IoT VPN, no one will be able to uncover any of your interactions with your smart devices. Essentially, using a VPN stops snoopers from being able to eavesdrop on you, tell when you are home, or Rickroll you by asking Alexa to play Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" seventeen times a week.
What's more, since your VPN will alter your IP address and encrypt your internet traffic, masking both your online activity as well as from where it is originating, man-in-the-middle, Botnet, and DDoS attacks against your network or smart devices can be effectively prevented.
Unblock websites
If you are an avid content streamer, you can use your IoT VPN to unblock geographically-restricted content from around the world through your smart TV, smartphone, or however you might consume your videos. All you need to do is choose a VPN server on your router based in the country you wish to access content from.
For example, if you want to fire up the US Netflix library from outside the country, connect to a VPN server in the United States and you're good to go. Similarly, if you want to catch up on content only available on BBC iPlayer, you can connect to a server in the United Kingdom and access all the iPlayer content you want without any restrictions.
Remember, not all VPNs work with these streaming services, so it is important to take a look before you subscribe. Our selection of best VPNs for IoT devices should do the trick just fine for US Netflix, but some offer more regional libraries than others.
FAQ
Here you'll find a few of the most frequently asked questions related to using a VPN for IoT.