You have probably already heard of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), which has gained a lot of popularity over the years around the world.

People in every country have been using it for the past few years to gain access to their favourite content, and enjoy their spare time.

However, you may also know that using it requires a certain level of protection, which is true when it comes to the use of pretty much anything on the internet these days.

The best tool for protecting yourself online is a VPN.

But, do you really need it for IPTV?

We answer this question and more below.

Do I need a VPN for IPTV?

Unfortunately, the answer is Yes, due to the nature of IPTV, it’s limitations and privacy issues.

IPTV is typically closely monitored, meaning that if you use it without protection, you might find that you are as well. Although not in all cases, some IPTV use involves streaming copyrighted material and this makes it a hot topic.

With that in mind, it is important to protect your privacy. What you watch is no one’s business but yours, and it should stay that way.

• Check out our FIVE best VPN services for IPTV

That, of course, doesn’t mean we condone streaming copyright material and you sure ensure whatever IPTV services you’re using are completely legal and you have the rights to be watching them.

Next, there is the fact that, even with IPTV, there are limitations to what you can reach online.

A VPN will help you expand your grasp of quality content, allowing you to access more content than you would ordinarily be able to.

Also, with a VPN, you can achieve better speeds by using different routes, which can deliver a clear, uninterrupted stream. The way the internet works means you can hit congestion which would lead to slow playback, buffering and other video issues.

It is easier to enjoy content without buffering or internet throttling. If you’ve ever experienced this, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

As for which VPN to use, there are many which could do the trick, but we believe that ExpressVPN is the best choice. However, there are other options too which I’ll explore below.

What’s the best VPN for IPTV?

As mentioned, our primary choice for this purpose is ExpressVPN – It is one of the fastest which means buffering and playback problems aren’t an issue. There is even a 30-day money back guarantee allowing you plenty of time to test it without risk.

NordVPN and IPVanish are also decent alternatives, worthy of consideration if you do not have your own favourite service already.

They are both good services in their own right but in my mind, ExpressVPN pips them to the top spot based on their speeds and the overall quality and reliability of their service.

What is a VPN?

VPN, or Virtual Private Network to give it its full name is an online security, privacy, and anonymity app.

It shields your online traffic from view and makes it unreadable to others through a combination of security protocols and encryption. It can also hide your real location by replacing your IP address with other ones, tied to different servers in different countries.

Think of an IP Address a little like a phone number. It’s unique to your internet connection at the time and while it helps the internet function, it also gives away your physical location.

This allows you to expand your reach and access content that would typically be geo-restricted or unavailable to you.

Using a VPN is perfectly legal in almost all countries and many big businesses rely on them to allow workers to securely access office systems.

What is IPTV?

As mentioned, IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television, which is the delivery of TV content via internet protocol (IP) networks. You can think of it essentially as TV via the internet.

It is a different method of accessing TV from what you are likely already familiar with, such as cable, satellite, or terrestrial TV formats.

It’s similar to watching BBC iPlayer online rather than watching BBC on your TV. That doesn’t mean you can’t stream IPTV on your actual TV, it just means the service comes via the internet.

With it, you can stream the source media continuously, and immediately, at any time you wish.

It is perfect for watching live television and live media, but also for video-on-demand or for streaming different shows, movies, and alike, which you always wanted to watch but couldn’t catch on regular TV.

What IPTV devices can I use a VPN on?

A continuous theme with devices these days is that you can use pretty much anything with internet access.

The device range is huge, and you can watch IPTV on desktop, laptop, phone and Smart TV, including systems such as Android, iOS, Windows, Amazon, and more.

Can I use a free VPN?

Of course, a free VPN exists and is an option.

However, the fact that it is there does not make it a good option. Free VPNs are often slow, filled with malware, overcrowded, and provide bad protection.

In fact, if you want a few examples of how bad they are read here, and here.

Further, they will either bombard you with ads all the time or record your online activities and sell them to sustain themselves. This has happened before and is likely happening right now, so don’t let it happen to you.

It is a much easier and safer option to use a cheap premium VPN service such as ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN’s monthly plan will cost you only $12.95 (~£10). On the other hand, if you subscribe for a year, you will pay $99.95 in total, which is just $8.32 (~£6.50) per month.

That way, you can save up to 49%, and be protected for an entire year. Not to mention that you will be able to protect all of your devices of your entire family during that time, all for less than a couple of beers.

In Summary

IPTV is a great way to pass the time, watch a live broadcast of some of your favourite events, or catch up on your favourite shows. It has grown to be extremely popular, and people from all corners of the world are using it.

However, you are best to use it with a VPN, to protect your privacy, get extended reach, and achieve faster speeds.

VPN services can keep you safe no matter what you do and where you go, and it is available for various devices. Not only can you secure your IPTV use but you and your family can remain protected even while using public Wi-Fi, which can be very dangerous due to hackers using them for finding their victims.

So, protect yourself with a VPN, and get some extra content along the way.

Illustrations © Sentavio & Vadim Ermak & Ikonstudio | Dreamstime.com