A gaming VPN is an essential piece of software that will guarantee you have extra privacy, security, and the fastest speeds available when playing online. VPNs encrypt our internet data, ensuring that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and hackers can’t see what we’re up to – and as a bonus, it will lower your ping and avoid packet loss.
For some people, it seems unusual that a gaming VPN would be useful. However, using a VPN can actually improve your gaming experience.
There’s an idea amongst the gaming community that VPNs can be detrimental to gameplay. They can cause lagging and give you low latency, which can make your in-game connection less responsive. This is bad for games such as PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds (PUBG) and Fortnite, where the slightest lag can have bad consequences for the player.
However, there are many benefits to using a no-lag VPN for gaming, and some gaming VPN services can even lower ping and increase overall download and upload speeds. For more access to geo-blocked games and protection from online threats, a VPN is a multi-functional tool that will assist you during your gameplay.
With so many VPN services claiming to have the best speeds, we’ve tested and reviewed all of them in order to determine which are the best VPNs for gaming in 2024 in this compiled list of reviews and top picks.
Considering several factors, including speed, ping, device connections, and server locations, amongst many others, we have compiled a list of the best VPNs for gaming online. Whether you’re a casual gamer or gaming is your life, all the VPN services below will be suitable for your gaming needs.
| Max Speed: | 115000 Mbps |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Dedicated |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 6 |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | 12 |
| Information sharing: | None |
| OS support: | Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows |
Ultra-fast connection
No-logs policy
5400 servers in 54 countries
Limited payment options
No Split Tunneling on desktop
Only 6 simultaneous connection
A VPN provider that is unrivaled when it comes to speed, NordVPN is one of the best if you’re looking for fantastic connection speeds and low ping.
NordVPN tops our list due to its lightning-fast download speeds that won’t give you any dreaded lagging during gameplay. How does Nord do it? Thanks to its new NordLynx protocol, which combines state-of-the-art encryption with exceptional speeds, other VPN providers have been left trailing behind NordVPN.
Not only does NordVPN provide speed, but it will protect you against DDoS attacks. Nord’s servers can take a lot of attacks without affecting your gameplay. Although no server is immune from DDoS attacks, Nord has some of the best to deal with them.
NordVPN is also one of the best gaming VPN services when it comes to bypassing geo-blocks, and other providers like VyprVPN can’t compete with Nord’s unblocking capabilities. With a large VPN server network that covers almost 60 countries, you’ll be able to access newly released games before they reach the country you’re in. Should you travel, you can also ensure that you’re still able to play your favorite games abroad by connecting to a VPN server in your home country.
Although NordVPN works best with Windows, Mac, and phone devices, you can still benefit from this VPN’s protection if you use game consoles for online gaming. By connecting the VPN to your internet router, all devices connected to your internet network will automatically be protected and enjoy more internet freedom.
What’s more, NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy, which means that the provider won’t store anything you do while using the VPN. Although privacy reasons are probably not the main reason why a gamer is looking for a VPN, it’s good to know that you’ll have complete anonymity while using this VPN.
So, if you’re looking for a no-lag VPN with low ping and a decent connection speed during gaming online, NordVPN is the best VPN option. With extra security features and military-grade AES-256 bit encryption, there’s so much that Nord can offer you.
| Max Speed: | Unlimited |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Shared |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | Unlimited |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | 15 |
| Information sharing: | None |
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, ChromeOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows |
Full 15 Netflix Libraries
Tons of server locations
Great deal on 24 months
No Apple Pay Payment Option
Very expensive monthly
Allows P2P from all servers
Surfshark is one of the best gaming VPN services due to its low prices, unlimited connections, and decent speeds.
Surfshark has taken the VPN world by storm in recent years. Its extremely low-priced yearly and two-year plans give all other providers a run for their money. What’s more, it offers users unlimited device connections. Whether you want to use the VPN to protect 5 or 20 devices, you can do so with Surfshark at no extra cost.
If you want continuous low ping during your gameplay, then Surfshark is the VPN for you. We found that it rivaled our latency without a VPN, which is pretty impressive. What’s more, its connection speeds are fairly decent, which means that it is also great for gamers who like to stream. You’ll be able to access loads of streaming sites such as Netflix with this VPN.
Talking of unblocking regional sites, Surfshark can help players to access different games and enjoy various add-ons within said games. By connecting to overseas servers, you have a wider range of possibilities at your fingertips, making gameplay a lot more fun.
There is a split tunneling option that users can employ to encrypt only their gameplay and tunnel the rest of their internet data through their regular network. This isn’t necessary for a VPN, but it is a nice touch, especially if you only want a VPN connection for gaming sessions.
If you game on your computer or phone, then you’ll love Surfshark’s easy-to-use dedicated clients and VPN apps. One of our favorite things about Surfshark is that it provides a great no-lag VPN service to users but is also easy to understand and use. If this is your first time trying out a VPN, Surfshark is definitely one to consider.
| Max Speed: | Unlimited |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Shared |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | Unlimited |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | 13 |
| Information sharing: | 5 Eyes Member |
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, ChromeOS, FireOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
Awesome customer support
Netflix approved
Unlimited devices
No free trial unless you buy 24 months
Limited payment options
5-eyes member
A great VPN for gamers who also enjoy a spot of torrenting, IPVanish has dedicated gaming features to heighten your gaming experience.
IPVanish claims it is the best VPN for your gaming console. We’d have to agree that it’s definitely one of the best, especially when it comes to providing players with a strong and stable internet connection. Tired of your ISP throttling your bandwidth? With IPVanish, you can say goodbye to this and enjoy a smoother connection with this no-lag VPN.
With relatively good speeds and ping, IPVanish is a great option for players who don’t want a VPN to affect their in-game reaction speed. While IPVanish did provide slower download and upload speeds than others on the list, the overall internet speeds weren’t abysmal.
IPVanish has fantastic security features. A major concern of gamers is hackers stealing your information through fake cheats from online video games. By using IPVanish, you’ll get a no-lag VPN that also protects your data and makes it virtually impossible for a hacker to decipher it, should one get past the stealthy encryption.
IPVanish provides users with a 24/7 live chat option on its website when it comes to customer service. Should you have any concerns about using a VPN or are having issues with one of IPVanish’s servers, there is plenty of customer support online.
| Max Speed: | 373000 Mbps |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Dedicated |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 10 |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | Not available |
| Information sharing: | 5 Eyes Member |
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows |
Tons of servers
Dedicated IP option
One of the largest providers in US!
Old interface
Autogenerated locale languages
No free trial
With an incredible number of proxy and VPN servers, gamers can access over 96 server locations with Private Internet Access (PIA).
Private Internet Access deserves a place on the list of best VPNs for gaming, if only for its incredible server network that stands at over 20,000, giving you worldwide access to games and plenty of IP addresses.
Gamers can delight at the fact that they can access an abundance of geo-blocked content thanks to the high number of VPN and proxy servers available. This means that not only will certain games and new releases be readily available, but gamers can switch to different servers and purchase their favorite games at lower prices by changing their location on online stores.
As well as overcoming geo-blocking, PIA has excellent speeds, which bodes well for latency concerns. What’s more, if your ISP is constantly throttling your bandwidth, then you can use the PIA’s no-lag VPN and enjoy a smooth and stable connection.
Although PIA has clients and apps for all major platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, the dedicated mobile apps are a selling point of this VPN. They are great for users who game on their mobile devices and make it easy for users to access a host of features. The split tunneling option is convenient and allows users only to encrypt certain apps.
With 10 simultaneous connections available, PIA provides a good no-lag VPN service to gamers. It also can help you to bypass regional blocks, which means you can enjoy foreign Netflix libraries if you’re into video streaming services. With a 30-day refund policy, you can make sure you are happy with the services offered before committing to a subscription.
| Max Speed: | 58000 Mbps |
|---|---|
| Type of IP offered: | Dedicated |
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 5 |
| Number of Netflix Libraries: | 12 |
| Information sharing: | None |
| OS support: | Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows |
Tons of payment options
24-hour live chat suppot
30-day money back guarantee
More expensive than competitors
Only 5 simultaneous connections
No servers in Russia
ExpressVPN is a multi-functional VPN with fast speeds and first-rate security that will ensure your gameplay is free from lags and any third-party attacks.
With a large server network, ExpressVPN is one of the best gaming VPN providers for online gaming. We tested ExpressVPN and were very impressed with its fast overall download speeds, low ping, and no-lag. Since there are so many server options to choose from, gamers can connect to one that is close to the game server, reducing latency.
ExpressVPN uses several protocols from which gamers can choose. Depending on whether speed or security is more important to you, you can use OpenVPN or a faster option like PPTP. ExpressVPN uses industry-standard encryption, which means all of your internet activity is tunneled and private while gaming online.
Since ExpressVPN has server locations worldwide, you can tap into different games or new releases before they reach your country. You can enjoy restricted maps and skins on games that you wouldn’t ordinarily have access to. ExpressVPN works with all devices, making it great if you’re a PC gamer. However, it can also be connected to your router if you use a Playstation or Xbox.
Like NordVPN, ExpressVPN is great at defending your device from DDoS attacks. On the topic of security, ExpressVPN doesn’t log user data and stores all data on RAM, which is wiped after each session. You can game in peace knowing that your online activity is fully private.
One of the more expensive gaming VPNs, ExpressVPN, has a 30-day refund policy. This means you can try it out and if you’re not impressed, cancel your subscription before the end of 30 days to get a full refund.
Choosing the right gaming VPN can be tricky because there are so many options. How do you know which one will be best for your game?
Before you make your selection, there are a few important features to consider:
Essentially, a gaming VPN is a VPN service with optimized features for gaming. This may be high server speeds, advanced DDoS protection, or access to multiple international servers. A gaming VPN can help you reduce your ping, and avoid packet loss when playing games such as Call of Duty, PUBG, World of Warcraft, and other games. A gaming VPN will help you have little to no lag when you’re running around shooting your opponents.
If you’re facing issues such as lagging or packet loss you need a VPN for gaming. A VPN will help you bypass throttling, access foreign games, and even change your IP address to get easier lobbies when playing online with international players. A VPN will even lower your VPN if you are playing with other regions by moving your IP address closer to the server you are playing on. Finally, a VPN can help you with a more stable connection while playing online games.
Many gamers are skeptical of using a gaming VPN and will ask, do you really need one? The answer is no; you don’t need a VPN. However, it’s a good idea to get one as the pros of a gaming VPN far outweigh the cons, and a no-lag VPN on game consoles is a winning combination. Here is how a VPN can affect gaming and actually improve your gaming experience:
There are a few different types of VPNs to choose from when it comes to gaming. The classic ones are paid and premium VPNs that will give you the lowest ping and the highest level of security. With a paid VPN you get your own login and your own IP. With this, you avoid throttling and sharing your connections with other users across the web. Based on our tests we recommend NordVPN and Surfshark for gaming.
With a host of free VPNs on the market, you may ask why anyone would pay for a Virtual Private Network. However, if you compare it to a product you’d buy in a store, there’s often a reason why some things are free and others not.
When you pay for something, you’re paying for quality and a service that will work. With free VPNs, there is no guarantee that what you’re getting is quality. Some dangers of free VPN services for gaming are:
Although at VPNSurfers, we believe it’s best to pay if you want to use a VPN, here are the best free VPNs that can hide your IP when gaming.
The best VPN servers for gaming depend based on whether you’re looking for speed, easier opponents on CoD lobbies, or cheap prices on gaming stores. Fortunately, there are many VPN servers out there to suit gamers’ needs.
The best VPN protocol for gaming depends on whether you want fast speeds, advanced protection from DDoS attacks, or to hide your IP address from other gamers and your Internet Service Provider (ISP). We recommend OpenVPN or WireGuard for speed and security.
If you want to connect your VPN to your Xbox or PlayStation console then you need to configure the VPN to your router. Fortunately, there are several ways to set up and use the VPN including using configuration files.
Yes, you can use a VPN on the most popular gaming consoles. However, you'll need to connect the VPN to your console via a PC or your router.
It depends on a number of factors but most VPNs can help lower ping, especially the VPNs on our list. To avoid increasing ping, try to connect to nearby servers and limit the use of background applications.
A gaming VPN needs to have several things including great server speeds, a large network, and excellent security features to protect users from DDoS attacks. A VPN for gaming should also have multi-platform support.
I’m Madeleine, and I'm a writer that specializes in cybersecurity, tech products, and all things related to the internet.
I have a keen interest in VPNs and believe that everyone deserves internet freedom and security. I wr...
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