Updated on: May 6, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for Chromecast in 2024:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : Allows you to quickly set up the VPN on your Chromecast thanks to its intuitive router app. Plus, it delivers the fastest speeds on the market and comes with advanced security, cool extra features, and excellent streaming support. ExpressVPN backs its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Finding a good VPN for Chromecast isn’t easy. Chromecast devices don’t natively support VPNs, and neither do most TVs that come with Chromecast built-in, so I had to look for VPNs with good router support.
The VPNs that made it onto my list work really well with Chromecast. They all come with great guides on how to set them up on a router, have top-notch streaming support, and are very secure.
My favorite VPN for Chromecast is ExpressVPN. It has the fastest speeds on the market and works with all popular streaming services. Plus, it’s one of the only VPNs that has a native router app for quick setup on your Chromecast. Still, the rest of the VPNs on my list are very good alternatives.
Quick summary of the best VPNs for Chromecast:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Chromecast in 2024 with excellent streaming support & the fastest speeds.
- 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Excellent privacy & security features for safe casting and streaming on Chromecast.
- 3. 🥉CyberGhost VPN — Really good VPN for beginners on Chromecast + dedicated streaming servers.
- 4. NordVPN — Fast speeds on all servers on Chromecast (good for buffer-free streaming).
- 5. Surfshark — Budget-friendly VPN for secure Chromecast connections and easy to set up.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Chromecast in 2024
ExpressVPN is my top choice for Chromecast — it’s one of the only VPNs with a dedicated router app, which makes connecting your Chromecast to the VPN super easy. I configured the app on my router in about 7–10 minutes and connected my Chromecast to my router, which meant all of my devices connected to the router were connected to the VPN.
ExpressVPN works with 100+ streaming services, which is why it’s the best VPN for streaming. Its reps confirmed that it works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+, as well as tons of national services all over the world.
It’s the fastest VPN on the market. I didn’t experience any buffering or annoying slowdowns when I tested it on my Chromecast — all HD and 4K videos I casted to my Chromecast loaded instantly. In addition, ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, so it’s very easy to find a nearby server for the fastest speeds.
I find it very convenient that ExpressVPN allows split-tunneling on routers, which lets you create up to 5 different groups of devices. You can put different devices in each group and set it up so each group connects to a different VPN server — or only connects to your local server. For example, you can put your Chromecast in one device group and connect the group to a local VPN server but put your laptop and smartphone in a group that connects to your local network. This means that you can watch Netflix on your Chromecast via the VPN but use your laptop or phone to visit sites that ban VPNs (like bank sites).
ExpressVPN has advanced security features that make sure no third party, not even your ISP (Internet Service Provider), sees what you’re casting on your Chromecast device. These include an independently-audited and confirmed no-logs policy, RAM-only servers (wipe all data after every reboot), and perfect forward secrecy, which assigns you a different encryption key for each session to ensure your past and future traffic remains inaccessible. In addition, you get full leak protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks to prevent your real IP address from leaking online and exposing your true location.
ExpressVPN offers plans that start from $6.67 / month. It backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test it without any risk.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Chromecast. It has a native router app that makes it very easy to connect your Chromecast to the VPN, offers blazing-fast speeds on Chromecast, and provides excellent streaming support. What’s more, it’s very secure. All plans have a 30-day risk-free trial period.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great Privacy and Security Features for Chromecast
Private Internet Access (PIA) allows you to securely cast on your Chromecast device. It has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, an audited no-logs policy, and full leak protection. PIA also regularly publishes transparency reports that prove it doesn’t share data, and all of its apps are open-source, so anyone can inspect them for security issues. Another neat feature is Identity Guard, which monitors and alerts you if your email address is involved in a data breach.
PIA supports manual router configuration to connect your Chromecast to the VPN. Although it lacks a native router app like ExpressVPN, setting it up on a router is pretty easy — PIA has detailed guides, and it took me about 10–13 minutes to complete the process.
You get excellent speeds on your Chromecast with PIA, too. It has servers in 91 countries, which allows you to find a server close to your location for the best possible speeds. All HD videos loaded instantly when I connected to a nearby and distant server, and it only took a couple of seconds for 4K videos to load. Plus, I was pretty happy that my videos never buffered.
PIA allows you to watch your favorite shows on 30+ streaming sites on Chromecast. It works with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Max, and Crunchyroll. It also has dedicated streaming servers in 5+ countries, including the US, the UK, and Japan.
Private Internet Access offers affordable plans starting at $2.03 / month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee on all its plans.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is a safe and secure option for Chromecast — it’s easy to set up on a router and comes with top-notch privacy and security features that keep all of your Chromecast traffic safe. You get great streaming support and fast speeds, too. Its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — User-Friendly Setup for Chromecast
CyberGhost VPN is easy to set up on a router and connect to your Chromecast. The guides on the site are user-friendly and include screenshots for every step, so it’s unlikely that you’ll get lost while configuring the VPN on your router. It took me around 12–15 minutes to set it up and use the VPN connection to stream on my Chromecast device. That being said, I still prefer ExpressVPN’s native router app, which also comes with split-tunneling.
I like how CyberGhost protects your Chromecast from trackers, ads, and malicious sites — it’s one of the only VPNs that offer this kind of protection on your router. In my tests, CyberGhost stopped me from casting shady Chrome tabs, and I barely saw any ads while browsing.
CyberGhost has dedicated streaming servers for 50+ streaming services in 20+ countries. This way, you can connect to a specific streaming server on your router to watch a streaming service available in your location, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Rai Play.
You’ll also get great security features with CyberGhost. It has an independently audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy. I also like that CyberGhost, like Private Internet Access, releases transparency reports that prove it doesn’t share any data with authorities.
CyberGhost offers pretty good speeds. In my tests, videos took about 2–3 seconds to load at most, and I only experienced minor buffering when connected to very distant servers. While I wasn’t disappointed with its speeds on Chromecast, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access are much faster.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans start at $2.19 / month. Long-term plans are backed by a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, while the short-term plan has a 14-day guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost is a user-friendly VPN with easy-to-follow router setup guides, which means you’ll have no problem configuring it on your router and connecting your Chromecast to it. You’ll also get fast speeds, great security and privacy, and a generous 45-day money-back guarantee on its long-term plans.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
4. NordVPN — Fast Speeds for Streaming on Chromecast
NordVPN offers impressive speeds for smooth streaming on Chromecast on all servers, thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol. When I tested it, HD videos loaded in 2–3 seconds, and there was only minor buffering on very distant servers, which didn’t really affect my streaming experience. Plus, NordVPN has servers in 111 countries, so you won’t have too much trouble finding a server nearby.
NordVPN has great router support. It offers easy-to-follow step-by-step guides on the site — it only took me around 15 minutes to set it up on my router. That said, I still prefer ExpressVPN’s router app, which is much easier to install.
NordVPN is great for streaming. It supports 10+ streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. However, NordVPN can’t match the 100+ streaming services that ExpressVPN works with.
NordVPN is a pretty secure VPN as well. It uses advanced features like RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, has an independently audited no-logs policy, and comes with full leak protection.
NordVPN’s plans start at $3.39 / month, and all of them come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN offers great speeds on Chromecast. It’s easy to configure on a router, works with popular streaming sites, and has very good security and privacy features. All of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Cheap VPN for Chromecast
Surfshark is a great pick for Chromecast if you’re on a budget. Its plans are pretty cheap, starting at $2.29 / month, and it has servers in 100 countries
Surfshark doesn’t have a native router app but is pretty easy to set up on a router. It has great video guides and took me roughly 15 minutes to configure the VPN on my router and connect my Chromecast.
Surfshark’s speeds are decent. HD videos loaded in 3–4 seconds in my tests, and though I did experience some buffering, it was very minor on Chromecast and didn’t disrupt my streaming.
Surfshark’s streaming support is really good. It’s compatible with 50+ streaming apps, including Netflix. That said, it doesn’t work with Disney+, like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN.
Surfshark has good security features. It has an independently audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, and perfect forward secrecy, and it protects against only DNS leaks.
Surfshark’s plans are all backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is an affordable VPN for Chromecast. It has servers in 100 countries, its speeds are pretty good, and it comes with great security. All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Quick Comparison Table
How to Choose the Best VPN for Chromecast in 2024
- Choose a VPN that has great router support. Since Chromecast doesn’t support VPNs or smart DNS services, you need a VPN that can be set up on a router. Every VPN on my list has great router support and works with all popular routers.
- Prioritize VPNs with excellent streaming support. All the VPNs on my list consistently work with at least 10+ streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more.
- Opt for fast speeds. Slow speeds lead to endless buffering and poor video quality, which will ruin your streaming experience on Chromecast. Every VPN I recommend offers great speeds, but in my tests, ExpressVPN was the fastest.
- Go for a VPN with strong security and privacy. I only recommend VPNs with industry-standard features, including military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch that cuts you off from the internet if the VPN connection drops, and a strict no-logs policy.
- Consider the VPN’s value. All the VPNs on my list offer affordable plans and generous money-back guarantees on their plans.
How to Set Up a VPN on Chromecast
How to Use a VPN With Chromecast Using a Physical Router
- Check router compatibility. Before you purchase a subscription or download any configuration files, you’ll need to figure out if your router supports VPNs, if it works with the VPN you picked, and if it has servers in the regions you want to connect to. All of the VPNs on my list keep a list of routers they’re compatible with and have servers in at least 55+ countries.
- Access your router’s admin panel. Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address (A safe try is 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Then, log in using your router’s username and password.
- Download the VPN configuration files from your provider. The setup differs based on your VPN provider and the type of router you have. You’ll find detailed instructions on your VPN’s official site. Usually, this part includes finding the files for the server you want to connect to.
- Find VPN settings on your router. This might be located under “Advanced Settings”, “VPN”, or similar, depending on your router model.
- Configure the VPN. Choose the VPN protocol (usually OpenVPN) and enter the VPN server address, your VPN username, and the password provided by your VPN provider. Some routers may require additional configuration details like port number and encryption type, which your VPN provider should provide. Make sure you save the settings and the end.
- Connect to VPN. Wait for the connection to be established; this might take a few minutes. Once connected, check your IP address online to ensure your network is under VPN protection. You can do this by searching “What is my IP” on Google and verifying the location.
- Connect your Chromecast. Connect your Chromecast to the same network as your router. You’ll be asked to connect the device to a network when you’re setting it up via the Google Home app.
How to Use a VPN With Chromecast Using a Virtual Router
For Windows:
- Download and install a VPN to your PC. My favorite is ExpressVPN — it has a user-friendly and feature-rich Windows app.
- Create a hotspot. Go to Network & Internet and toggle the switch next to Mobile hotspot on.
- Share VPN connection. Select Change adapter options under Network and Sharing Center, then right-click on your VPN’s adapter and choose Properties. Click on the Sharing tab and check the box that allows sharing the VPN connection.
- Launch the VPN. Find the server you want to connect to and click on it.
- Connect Chromecast. On your Chromecast, connect to the Wi-Fi network created by your Windows PC. You can now safely cast on your Chromecast from any device.
For Mac:
- Download and install a VPN on your Mac. ExpressVPN has an intuitive Mac app that’s easy to use.
- Connect your Mac to your router with an ethernet cable.
- Set up a hotspot. Go to System Settings, select General, and then Sharing. Select the port that the ethernet cable is plugged in and tick the Wi-Fi box in the To Computers Using section. Then, tick the box next to Internet Sharing on the left-side menu.
- Configure Wi-Fi options. Click on Wi-Fi Options and configure the network by providing a network name and password.
- Launch the VPN. Choose a server location you want to connect to and click on it.
- Connect Chromecast. On your Chromecast device, select the Wi-Fi network you’ve just created on your Mac. Your Chromecast is set up and ready to stream content securely through the VPN.
Why Use a VPN With Chromecast?
One of the main reasons for using a VPN with Chromecast is to secure your traffic. A VPN encrypts your data so a third party like your ISP is unable to see what you watch with Chromecast.
In addition, a VPN provides a more reliable streaming experience. Some ISPs throttle your bandwidth if you consume a lot of data, like when streaming in high definition. With a VPN, your ISP doesn’t see your data usage specifics, making it less likely for them to throttle your connection.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Mullvad VPN. Mullvad VPN is a secure VPN with pretty fast speeds. However, it’s not good for streaming — it works with Netflix but doesn’t work with other popular streaming services.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is a secure VPN that’s great for beginners. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have router support, so it won’t work with Chromecast.
- Proton VPN. Proton VPN is a privacy-friendly VPN with great speeds and streaming support. However, it doesn’t work with a lot of routers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best VPN for Chromecast?
My top pick for Chromecast is ExpressVPN. It has an excellent router app, the best streaming support, the fastest speed on the market, and industry-leading security features. It takes less than 10 minutes to configure the VPN on your router ,and it’s very easy to find and connect to a server. Plus, it works with over 100 streaming services.
Is Chromecast region-locked?
Chromecast itself isn’t region-locked but the content you stream on it is. This means you’ll only be able to watch the content that’s available in your current region. ExpressVPN works with 100+ streaming sites, is the fastest VPN out there, and has servers in 105 countries.
Can I install a VPN on my Chromecast?
No, you can’t install a VPN on a Chromecast device, as it doesn’t support VPNs. To use a VPN with Chromecast, you’ll need to configure your VPN on your router — so your Chromecast is also connected to the router. If your router doesn’t support VPNs, then you can turn your computer into a virtual router, connect to a VPN, and connect your Chromecast to it.
If you’re looking for a VPN that’s easy to set up on a router, check out ExpressVPN — it has a dedicated router app that doesn’t take more than 10 minutes to install on your router.
Can I use a free VPN for Chromecast?
Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Although there are some good free VPN providers, most of them usually don’t offer router support, so you won’t be able to connect your Chromecast to it. Plus, most free VPNs have limited server options and are super slow due to server congestion, so you’ll probably have a poor streaming experience with a lot of buffering.
My biggest concern with free VPNs is that they usually lack basic security and privacy features — some even log data and sell it to third parties. That’s why I always recommend going for a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN, which offers a native router app, fast speeds, a large server network, and top-notch security features.
