OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV comes down to where you watch. OpenVPN is the one that works inside IPTV apps such as IPTV Smarters Pro, while WireGuard covers the whole device through its own app. Every plan includes both, so you can pick per device and change your mind later.
This guide compares OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV in plain words: how each one connects, what you need for it, which devices suit it and how to test both on your own network.
The short answer
- You watch in IPTV Smarters Pro and want the VPN inside the app: use OpenVPN. The app's VPN section takes an OpenVPN profile.
- You want every app on the device covered: use WireGuard in the official WireGuard app.
- You are not sure: set up both and compare them on your own network. Your plan covers both.
What OpenVPN is
OpenVPN is a VPN protocol that has been around for many years, and many apps can import its profiles. A profile is a small text file that ends in .ovpn. It tells the app which servers to connect to and how.
- What you need: the .ovpn file of a location, plus your VPN username and password.
- Where it works: the VPN section of IPTV Smarters Pro, and the OpenVPN Connect app on phones, tablets and computers.
- How it connects: the profile tries the quick UDP connection first and moves to TCP by itself when a network does not allow UDP.
- Servers: each file lists every server of its location, so the app moves to another one by itself if a server is down.
What WireGuard is
WireGuard is a newer VPN protocol with a small, modern design. It runs in the official WireGuard app, which covers every app on the device while its tunnel is on.
- What you need: one device number from your account, as a QR code or a .conf file. No username and no password: the key is inside the setup.
- Where it works: the official WireGuard app on Android, Android TV, Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Mac.
- How it connects: WireGuard always uses UDP.
- Devices: each device gets its own device number. Two devices on one number push each other off the connection.
OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV, side by side
- Inside IPTV Smarters Pro: OpenVPN. The app's VPN section takes an OpenVPN profile, not a WireGuard file.
- The whole device: WireGuard in its own app. OpenVPN Connect also connects the whole device, with the .ovpn file.
- Login: OpenVPN asks for your VPN username and password. WireGuard needs neither.
- Setup on a phone: WireGuard scans a QR code. OpenVPN Connect imports the file.
- Setup on a TV: both use a file. Open your account in the TV's browser, or use Copy link for the .ovpn file.
- Networks that do not allow UDP: OpenVPN moves to TCP by itself. WireGuard needs UDP to connect.
- Older TV sticks: WireGuard is light, so older devices handle it easily.
Which one runs better on my network?
There is no single answer. It depends on your device, your network and the distance to the server. WireGuard is a light, modern protocol. OpenVPN has more ways to fall back, such as TCP, when a network is strict.
The only fair test of OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV is your own network, at the time you usually watch, with the same stream.
Can I use both?
Yes. Your plan covers up to 3 devices at the same time, and you can mix them: for example WireGuard on the living room TV and your phone, and OpenVPN inside IPTV Smarters Pro on a second TV.
On one device, switch on one at a time. Two VPNs that run at once on the same device get in each other's way. Many people end up using both, and that is a fine answer to OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV too.
How to try both
Before you settle OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV for yourself, try both on the device you watch on most.
1Open your VPN details
Sign in to your IPTV VPN account, open Subscriptions and open your VPN subscription. The Your VPN card holds your VPN username and password, an OpenVPN file (.ovpn) for each server location and a WireGuard setup for each device number.
2Set up WireGuard
Pick a device number. On a phone, scan its QR code in the WireGuard app. On a TV or a computer, press Download .conf and import the file. The WireGuard guide shows each device.
3Set up the OpenVPN profile
Press Download next to a location on the device that runs your IPTV app, then import the file. For IPTV Smarters Pro, the IPTV Smarters Pro guide shows the steps. Enter the VPN username and password from the card.
4Watch the same stream with each one
Watch the same stream for a few minutes with WireGuard on, then with the OpenVPN profile. Note how quickly it starts and whether it stalls. Keep the one that runs smoothest on your network.
A third way: stealth mode
Some networks block VPN connections of both kinds. Stealth mode makes the connection look like ordinary secure web traffic, in a separate stealth app. Use it only where WireGuard and OpenVPN do not connect. Read what is stealth mode for the steps.
What both have in common
- Your traffic is encrypted between your device and our server.
- Your internet provider sees that you connect to a VPN server, not which apps you use or what you watch.
- The same plan and the same login page in your account.
- We keep no activity logs, whichever one you use.
Whichever you pick in the OpenVPN vs WireGuard for IPTV question, you can switch later. For the file itself, read how to import an .ovpn file. For a TV stick, see WireGuard on a Fire TV Stick.
Plans and what they include
Every plan has the same features and differs only in length: 1 month for €5, 3 months for €14, 6 months for €25 or 12 months for €45. Prices as of October 2026, from €3.75 a month. Each plan covers up to 3 devices at the same time and includes the OpenVPN profile for IPTV apps and WireGuard for TVs, phones and computers, plus stealth mode for networks that block VPN connections.
Server location: Netherlands. We keep no activity logs. Our servers do not record the sites, apps or streams you use.
See the plans and prices, or start a free 60-minute trial and set it up first.