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The Best 5 VPNs for Nvidia Shield in 2020

Last updated: June 16, 2020

Muhammad Hamza Shahid

Getting a VPN for Nvidia Shield boosts your privacy and allows you to unblock geo-restricted content. In this guide, I'll cover how to use a VPN on your Nvidia Shield, what to do with one, and recommendations on the best Nvidia Shield VPNs for 2020.

The Nvidia Shield is a popular Android-based set-top device that runs with any HDMI-equipped TV. It offers the ability to stream HD and 4k movies/TV shows from popular streaming sites, while allowing you to download apps directly from Google Play Store.

Unfortunately, the content available on Nvidia Shield is mostly limited due to geographical limitations. Despite Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and other VoDs being available, the content you can access varies based on the country you reside in.

To improve your experience with the device, getting a VPN is recommended. You can shift your location and open a whole new world of streaming. In this article, I’ll provide information on the 5 best VPNs for use with your Nvidia Shield.

How to Use a VPN with Your Nvidia Shield

Nvidia Shield is built on the Android Platform, which makes it a whole lot easier to download and install a majority of apps, excluding VPN tools. The instructions are really simple:

1. Visit any of the below recommended VPNs websites
2. Subscribe to a suitable plan based on your budget
3. Launch Nvidia Shield TV and open Google Play Store
4. Search for the VPN you signed up with and press “Install”
5. A shortcut of the VPN app will be visible on the main menu
6. Launch the app and enter your user credentials

Best VPNs for Nvidia Shield

If you are short on time and don’t want to read the entire guide, refer to the list of the 5 best VPNs for Nvidia Shield to unlock its complete potential below:

1. ExpressVPN: Best Nvidia Shield TV VPN. Working app, great speeds, strong security. Costs $6.67/mo
2. PureVPN: Splendid App for Nvidia Shield. Good protection, great unblocking, speeds. Costs $2.91/mo
3. Surfshark: Secure Nvidia Shield TV VPN. Inexpensive, good app, and locations. Costs $1.99/mo
4. CyberGhost: Affordable VPN for Media Devices. Easy-to-use and huge servers. Costs $2.75/mo
5. Ivacy VPN: Working App for Nvidia Shield. Working app, strong security, speeds. Costs $2.25/mo

1. ExpressVPN: Best Nvidia Shield TV VPN

• Price: $6.67/mo
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

The market leader in the world of privacy tools, ExpressVPN has got it all. An explicitly stated zero logs policy, multiple protocol support,  3000+ servers in more than 160 locations worldwide, and amazing multi-platform compatibility.

It offers a dedicated app available on the Google Play Store for Android TVs and box users like the Nvidia Shield. The app itself is highly intuitive, user-friendly, and comes with easy-to-use navigation for instant unblocking.

Just like the above recommendations, ExpressVPN does not face any issues in bypassing geo-restrictions for Netflix US/UK/JP and other streaming platforms. The only catch; its price tag. A 15-months plan will cost you $6.67/mo.

For more information, check out this full 2020 review of ExpressVPN!

2. PureVPN: Splendid App for Nvidia Shield

• Price:  $2.91/mo
• Trustpilot rating: 4.8

The Hong Kong-based PureVPN tends to be incredibly budget-friendly yet reliable. However, this does not stop the VPN from offering a huge list of features and compatible apps for almost all platforms/devices.

NAT Firewall, Split Tunneling, Ad/Tracker blocking, IPv6 Leak Protection, Port Forwarding, Kill Switch, DDoS Protection, dedicated IPs, and the list goes on. PureVPN is packed with a ton of features for its Android TV box app.

This gives you added incentives for bypassing geo-restrictions and content limitations on a myriad of streaming platforms. If you opt for the 5-year plan, you will only have to pay $2.91/mo .

For more information, check out this full 2020 review of PureVPN!

3. Surfshark: Secure Nvidia Shield TV VPN

• Price:  $1.99/mo
• Trustpilot rating: 4.4

The affordable yet reliable newcomer, Surfshark does not shy away from competing with names like Nord and Express. In a short time, the BVI-based provider manages to deliver amazing cross-platform functionality.

This can be witnessed by installing the Android TV app from the Google Play Store for your Nvidia Shield TV. The overall appearance, styling, and easy-to-access menus, make using the app worthwhile on a larger screen.

You have access to over 1040+ servers in 61+ countries. Most of which are capable of unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and other streaming platforms. Best part of all: you only have to pay a low $1.99/mo. on a 2-year plan!

For more information, check out this full 2020 review of Surfshark!

4. CyberGhost: Affordable VPN for Media Devices

• Price:  $2.75/mo
• Trustpilot rating: 4.8

CyberGhost is another popular VPN service that has added the capability of working on Android TV boxes like the Nvidia Shield TV. It delivers fast and high quality streaming through the VPN app, combined with great security.

The app comes equipped with an  “Unblock Streaming” option, which lists dedicated servers for a myriad of VoD services in the marketplace. This includes Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more.

Apart from this, CyberGhost offers up to 7 simultaneous connections, OpenVPN protocol support, live chat support, and over 6,500 servers in 89 countries. If you go for the 3-year plan, you will only pay $2.75/mo.

For more information, check out this full 2020 review of CyberGhost!

5. Ivacy VPN: Working App for Nvidia Shield

• Price: $2.25/mo
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

A recommended choice for Chinese residents/expats, Ivacy is one of the best Nvidia Shield TV VPNs in the marketplace. The provider is among the few that offered a compatible app when the 4k Android box made its release.

Priced at a minimal $1.99/mo. on a 2-year plan, Nvidia Shield users of Ivacy get access to over 1,000+ servers in 100 locations worldwide. This gives you the ability to seamlessly unblock VoDs like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

The app is also quite user-friendly, free from bugs and errors. Connections times were also incredibly fast, and I experienced no downtime when streaming movies/TV shows in ultra HD quality or 4k resolution.

For more information, check out this full 2019 review of Ivacy!

Can I Use a Free VPN With My Nvidia Shield?

Most free VPNs adopt shady practices for earning money like ad-based revenue models and points-scoring system Nevertheless, here are some less risky options that work with Nvidia Shield TV:

1. Windscribe: Best Free VPN for Nvidia Shield TV

Windscribe might be free but it successfully manages to offer its service across multiple platforms/devices. This includes the Nvidia Shield TV box, which successfully installs the Android app from the Google Play Store.

While you do have a limited bandwidth cap of 10 GB per month, it is a good way to test if you want to purchase a premium plan. This is why I have listed it higher than the Canadian-service, despite that being more popular!

Want to read more before taking a final decision? Re-direct yourself to this full 2020 review of Windscribe!

2. TunnelBear: Protection Guaranteed for Nvidia Shield TVs

While a data cap of 500 MB/month in the free plan by TunnelBear might turn off many people, the free provider more than makes up for this stinginess in bandwidth with incredible commitment to security and privacy.

Its Android app on the Google Play Store successfully works on Nvidia Shield TV too. Although torrenting is not allowed, you do receive good compatibility for bypassing geo-restrictions around the world.

Want to read more before taking a final decision? Re-direct yourself to this full 2020 review of TunnelBear!

How to Setup a VPN on Nvidia Shield TV via Sideloading

Sometimes, the dedicated Android app from your VPN provider might fail to run on your Nvidia Shield TV directly. However, you can still setup a VPN on your Shield TV through the sideloading method:

1. Visit any of the above recommended VPNs website
2. Subscribe to a suitable plan based on your budget
3. Download the apk file from the VPN website
4. Extract the APK file onto a USB drive from your laptop/desktop
5. Open your Nvidia Shield TV now and head over to settings
6. Go to “Security and Restrictions” and turn on “Unknown Sources”
7. If you are confronted with a warning, click OK and proceed forward
8. Now go to the Google Play store and installES File Explorer File Manager
9. Plug the USB containing the APK file into your Nvidia Shield TV box
10. Give permission to access the USB drive through the ES File Explorer.
11. Click on OK to open the drive and navigate to the APK file 
12. Hit the “Install” button and approve all permissions required
13. A shortcut of the VPN app will be visible on the main menu
14. Launch the app and enter your user credentials

NVIDIA Shield TV vs. Amazon Fire TV vs. Apple TV

The biggest difference between Nvidia Shield TV and other 4K streaming boxes is the innate support to all Google services. For e.g. the number of apps on the Google Play store remains unmatched.

This factor alone makes Nvidia Shield TV sit high on the pedestal in the world of streaming boxes, but the advantages do not stop there. Here is a comparison guide on i.e. Nvidia Shield TV, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV:

Nvidia Shield TV VPN Reddit

For Nvidia Shield TV VPN, you can find multiple threads on Reddit with hundreds of users commenting and providing advice regarding the most recommended VPN services to use with the 4k Android box.

And not to anyone’s surprise, I found ExpressVPN among the comments. One user was of the opinion that this provider has the best service and does not experience any hiccups when paired with Nvidia Shield TV.

People Also Ask

What is Nvidia Shield TV?

Nvidia Shield TV is not your regular streaming box. It uses the Android OS and provides you with access to all kinds of Google services like Smart Home integration, voice control, media casting, and Nvidia powered gaming on-demand feature.

Do I need a VPN for Nvidia Shield?

By using the best VPN, Nvidia Shield TV users can finally bypass geo-restrictions on streaming apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, while unblocking restricted apps on the Google Play Store.

What if your provider does not have a app?

If your VPN provider does not have an app, I have described how to set up a VPN easily on to your Nvidia Shield TV through sideloading options with detailed instructions above.

What are the best apps for the Nvidia Shield?

Since Nvidia Shield TV comes equipped with the Android OS, you have access to the millions of apps available on Google Play Store. Some must-have options for Nvidia Shield TV specifically, include:

1. ES Explorer
2. Sideload Launcher
3. Netflix (no-brainer)
4. Plex (another no-brainer)
5. Kodi (limitless stremaing)

Wrapping Things Up

Whether you want to access local IPTV streams or bypass geo-restrictions on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and other streaming platforms, using a VPN with your Nvidia Shield TV has become vital.

With all factors taken into consideration, ExpressVPN is the undisputed winner for the best Nvidia Shield TV VPN. However, if you are looking for another budget-friendly alternative, do consider PureVPN.

If you have any questions or have better recommendations, do not hesitate on dropping a comment below. Also, feel free to share this guide to those looking for a suitable VPN for their Nvidia Shield TV. Adios! 🙂