HMA VPN vs Smart DNS Proxy: Which VPN Should You Pick in 2025?

I have used Smart DNS Proxy since 2016 on my Firestick (UK Prime) from Malaysia. It allows me to acces... s all UK content, including BBC iPlayer, NowTV, ITVx, Britbox, 4, 5, and PrimeVideo and Disney+ (US). I had to give up Disney+ access when I got NowTV(UK) due to the Region setting. I had no trouble accessing Netflix USA until I stopped watching Netflix on my tv and just used the tab when I travel. I found their Customer Service to be ok. They certainly helped me set up my router settings when I first signed on with them. After 2 bi-annual subscriptions, I went all in and got the Lifetime subscription in 2020. I didn't know SmartDNS was acquired by another company till recent when I found out that they are now based in Turkey. They were based in Mauritius or was it Seychelles up to then.More

I have multiple devices (Fire TV, Apple TV, SmartTV, Computer, PS4 and an ISP-provided set-top box. T... he SmartDNS Proxy App only works on one of them - the SmartTV. I am actually not sure that the app is even supported any more, which is a shame because when I connect to one the their servers using the app, I can stream almost anything. However, it is a completely different story when using the config settings provided by SmartDNS service staff. As has been started, it is overly complicated to setup. Your router must be configured to not use IPV6. If you don't know how to do that, stop right now. You can then decide whether you want to set up the SmartDNS Proxy IP addresses in your router, or configure them on each individual device. The service staff have, over the years recommended BOTH! You are told to use server IPs which are located closest to you. Yet when you have issues (which you will. A lot) the service staff tell you to use apparently random server locations. It is impossible to set up SmartDNS Proxy on an Amazon Fire TV. This device WILL let you change to static APs but it has 8.8.8.8 (Google) and an IPV6 address HARDCODED into it - which the service staff would not acknowledge despite me sending screenshots of each setup page. So no matter which SmartDNS server IP address you use, Fire TV will know that you are using a VPN = no streaming. BBC iPlayer is supported, for sure. But it works about 50% of the time, with the usual error message that basically tells you that BBC knows that you are not in the UK. Amazon Prime is very similar. SO do not plan to watch a TV series - I will guarantee that you will get halfway through before the streaming service drops you! I am really at a loss to understand how some of these reviews contradict my findings. I have, over the last 5 years, spent HOURS with the service staff (which incidentally seems to have halved in number (and there is now NO live chat) and we have not got something to work. For example - I want to stream my favourite sporting fixture the Rugby 6 Nations. I can GUARANTEE that even though I will have been watching a program on iPlayer the day before, the second this sporting fixture starts, BBC iPlayer AND ITVX both stop working with Smart DNS Proxy. The ONLY reason I am still with them is that I bought an extended membership. When that is up for renewal, I will drop this service like a hot potato.More