Are you looking for the best gaming VPN? Even if VPN is not generally absolutely necessary for gamers, investing in the best gaming VPN is still well worth doing. VPN can help improve your game experience in a way you did not expect.
Follow our guide to know the 5 best VPNs to get the most out of your ultimate gaming adventures.
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Top 5 Best Gaming VPN (2024 Update)
To optimize your gaming experience, you probably will think of purchase an expensive graphics card to get the most beautiful images, a special game chair to play games in the comfort, or selected the right display and installed a beautiful sound system.
However, the best VPN for gaming probably isn’t the first thing the comes to mind. Whether you use it for a PC or a console, there can actually be a benefit to using the best gaming VPN.
A Virtual Private Network can protect your online privacy and provides extra security thanks to its encrypted tunnel of encryption, which hides your online activities from anyone monitoring your internet connection, be it your employer, your ISP, hackers, or even your own government.
VPNs will also allow you to access games only available in other geographical regions, as well as unblocking games like Fortnite that can be off-limits in certain offices and academic institutions. So, It could even be seen as an essential part of fast and safe gaming.
In this article, we’ll take a close look at the top 5 best VPNs for gaming, and avoid slower connections and high ping rates while at the same time staying safe online.
The Best VPN for Gaming at a glance
Here is the top 5 best VPN for gaming:
- ExpressVPN: The Best Gaming VPN for gamers. Fastest and most consistent VPN.
- NordVPN: Another best VPN for gaming, delivers excellent speeds and powerful features.
- Surfshark: Cheap VPN for gaming with a low price of just $2.49 a month. A budget choice.
- VyprVPN: Excellent gaming VPN with a balance of privacy features, cost, and performance.
- IPVanish: Perfect VPN choice for gamers to protecting their privacy.
How To Choose the Best VPN for Gaming
We ranked the top 5 VPNs for gaming based on the following 5 criteria. These reasons are important factors when choosing the best VPN to optimize your gaming experience.
- Global Server Location: A good VPN for gaming should have a large network of servers in the right locations, such as Japan, South Korea, the USA.
- Connection Speed: Lightning-fast speeds are a must to play the game. A good VPN can prevent a game from lagging that may jeopardize your game experience.
- Reliable Connection: It’s not good if your VPN will be constantly cutting out. Connect to a VPN with a kill switch activated will help your whole connection die in this situation.
- Privacy and Security: When you connect to a public gaming server, your primary concern is exposing your IP address to other gamers, and VPN can hide your IP address from public view.
- App and router support: A gaming VPN must compatibility with popular consoles & mobile devices. For example, router compatibility is necessary if you game on a console
Today’s Top 5 Best Gaming VPN
Below we’ll explain more about the Top 5 Best Gaming VPN on the market, and we’ll also look at its features to see which is the best VPN for gaming for you.
ExpressVPN – Top of Gaming VPN – VPN is perfect for gaming at the competitive level. Comprehensive global server network, fastest and most consistent VPN.
NordVPN – Best gaming VPN that has exceptional value for money – Superb option for online players looking for top-notch access and unblocks lots of streaming sites.
SurfShark – Best Cheap Gaming VPN at a budget price – For just $2.49 a month, you’ll get a fully-featured VPN cover and unlimited connections.
VyprVPN – Best VPN for gaming with balance features and cost – Running its own network of servers means you can expect maximum performance. Fast, unrestricted speeds and world-class security.
IPVanish – Perfect VPN for Gamers with Privacy Concern – Protecting your privacy with the self-owned and operated global large network with fast proprietary servers.
Best Gaming VPN: ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is our #1 Best VPN for gaming. It has high-speed servers that guarantee you’ll have zero interruptions while you game. Absolutely perfect to enjoy lag-free gaming.
Based in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is located in an ideal location for anybody in need of a VPN for gaming. You can play games from around the world as ExpressVPN with excellent global server coverage, boosted by 3,000+ servers stationed in 94 countries worldwide. These servers not only open access to servers that outside of your region but also unblock other geo-blocked local content, such as streaming services and other gaming servers. Plus, unlimited server switching allows you to quickly change locations in the event of a DDoS attack.
ExpressVPN keeps your gaming activity secure with its military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch. Additionally, the split tunneling feature allows gamers to designate the encrypted connection of protection of the app. It even can mask your IP address for an added layer of protection against cyber threats.
With ExpressVPN, up to 5 maximum devices can connect concurrently using the same set of login credentials.
ExpressVPN is compatible with all major devices and platforms as well as routers. It offers apps for macOS, Windows, Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire devices. It also offers browser extensions for the Chrome, Edge, and Firefox platforms.
While ExpressVPN is more expensive than many of its competitors, users in search of a premium VPN for gaming will appreciate this valuable tool for protection on all of your connected devices while you game.
Best Gaming VPN: NordVPN
NordVPN is another best VPN for gaming that has exceptional value for money. It has fast servers, great security features, and works great as a gaming VPN. It is always a great ideal for connecting to gaming servers outside of your home country to play with other gamers in different time zone or regions.
NordVPN has a network of over 5,000 servers in 59 countries to pick from. That means no matter where you are, you’re pretty much guaranteed a connection that will work great on your regular internet line. It is also able to unblock geo-restricted content and game servers from around the world.
NordVPN connections are uber reliable and have strong security features. In case you are a participant in the tournaments, NordVPN can help to protect your console or PC against DDoS attacks, so you won’t be kicked out accidentally.
Speed will be a priority when choosing the best gaming VPN. The Panama-based VPN provider, NordVPN delivers extremely fast speed so that you can enjoy lag-free gaming. It is one of the fastest VPN for gaming, topping out at a blistering 820Mbps.
Nord’s apps are very stable and available in macOS, Windows, Android, Android TV, iOS, Linux, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire devices. It also offers browser extensions for the Chrome, Edge, and Firefox platforms. Besides, NordVPN also does an excellent job of working with numerous router makes and models.
In short, NordVPN definitely worth considering when choosing the gaming VPN. The price is extremely reasonable with such features. You can test it yourself to make sure it works with your favorite games with the risk-free NordVPN 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best Gaming VPN: SurfShark
Surfshark is the best cheap gaming VPN in the market. It offers the top features you would want out of a reliable, secure, and fast VPN for gaming at a budget-friendly price. As an excellent VPN provider, Surfshark’s network of 3,200 servers is ample. But it has a global server network in over 60 countries around the world, including places popular with competitive gamers, such as Japan and South Korea.
All the server network delivers excellent online security protections, including military-grade encryption, strong OpenVPN encryption, a kill switch, and IPv6/DNS leak protection. While the “Multi-Hop” feature that routes your internet connection through two VPN servers, delivering increased encryption and anonymity. Moreover, Surfshark also comes with a split-tunneling feature for Windows and Android which is useful for gaming. This allows you to include or exclude Steam and other gaming platforms from the VPN tunnel.
The speed is pretty fast and easy to set up on the router. Apps are available for all platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, and Amazon Fire apps. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions make it easy to protect all of your browsing sessions.
Surfshark is simply the best way to get a gaming VPN on the cheap. The SurfShark’s subscription price is truly a bargain and seems to be one of the cheapest on the market at just $2.49 USD per month if you sign up for a 24-month package.
Along with an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, you might wonder why their price is so good. Absolutely the best cheap gaming VPN.
Best Gaming VPN: VyprVPN
VyprVPN is one of my top-rated VPNs for gaming with a balance of privacy features, cost, and performance. Based in Switzerland, VyprVPN is great for gamers looking to play games with privacy fully protected.
VyprVPN has 700+ servers in over 70 countries that will allow you to play foreign gaming servers or to purchase games more cheaply. All the servers are running under their own network without third parties, which means you can expect maximum performance. The connection speeds are comparable with any top-notch VPN provider on this list.
The VyprVPN is equipped with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, OpenVPN encryption to ensure your data is always secure. Plus, the chameleon technology makes it easy to access blocked and censored websites without anyone knowing.
Consider the $1.67/mo on VyprVPN lowest subscription, VyprVPN is a secure VPN that is well worth taking for a test run using its 30-day money-back guarantee. A no-logging policy means that your privacy is assured.
Best Gaming VPN: IPVanish
Last on the best gaming VPN on the list is the IPVanish. It is a great choice if you’re looking for a perfect VPN choice for gamers to protecting their privacy.
Based in the US that is another great option for gaming. IPVanish is run by its self-owned and operated global server network, with 1,600+ servers spread among 54+ countries worldwide. You can always be sure to unblock any game servers you want to connect to. Besides, it does not only offer comprehensive access to content around the globe but also provides an additional layer of privacy. No third-party contractors can be getting your personal data.
IPVanish’s connection is made up of government-level encryption, a kill switch, and DNS/IPv6 leak protection, all are great for security. Plus, if you’re like us and you’d like to use a VPN streaming as well as a VPN for gaming, then you’re likely going to want to use it on other devices too.
IPVanish is compatible with nearly every device and OS imaginable and they have dedicated apps for Windows, Mac OS, Android, Fire TV, and IOS. The comprehensive router features are also covered on your PlayStation 3 and 4.
IPVanish generously offers unlimited simultaneous connections so you can use it on all your devices in a single subscription. This also means everyone in the game and every device can be connected to the VPN service. You can test it with its risk-free 30 days money-back guarantee.
Why You Should Use a VPN for Gaming
Here are the reasons why you need a VPN subscription to make your online game experience better.
- Be the first to play the game: Game publishing dates are not the same in each region. But you can access the latest games with a VPN service on the first day by connecting to a server in a specific region.
- Play multiplayer games everywhere: Gamer can unblock geo-restrictions and play multiplayer games with friends around the world by connecting to the VPN server in the region.
- Gaming while traveling: You can just log in to your game server and continue playing the game even when you’re traveling. Most important to choose a VPN service with high connection speeds and many servers.
- Protect your game data: A VPN service can provide a solution. With a connection that uses encryption, it is difficult for a hacker to hack your game account or steals your personal information associated with your payment information.
- Ping and lag reduction: A high-speed internet connection on a VPN server in the same area as the game server, you can lower and reduce ping.
- Prevent pinching of network connection: Pinching may occur when your carrier recognizes data packets that are used for gaming. A good security VPN can let your data packets be encrypted and not able recognize by your carrier.
Will a VPN improve my ping?
Low latency (or ping) is vital to ensure smoother gameplay and to ensure your gaming experience is enjoyable. It is the response speed between the sender of a data packet and the receiver. A 60-millisecond ping is a time your computer is about to respond to a request from another device. So if you live far away from a game server, the increased ping can cause annoying lags while you play.
By connecting to a VPN server that’s closer to the game server, gamers can decrease ping and enjoy higher speeds. The lower the ping, the better. So that’s is no surprise many good gamers tend to connect to a VPN server that is close to the gaming server to improved ping.
With a high-speed internet connection on a VPN server in the same area as the game server, you can lower and reduce ping. So it is always connected to a VPN server that is closer to your home country. Even if you need a server in the US, consider whether an East or West coast server is more closer. Always test a few servers, as some may be faster than others.
Will a VPN improve my speed?
When connecting to VPN servers, it must encrypt your traffic and rerouting your traffic via one of its own private servers. This adds another step in your connection to a service or website. There is always a risk of decreased speeds and incur some added latency.
However, the best premium VPNs offer super-fast connections and Tier-1 servers capable of a massive amount of throughput. With such fast connection speeds that you shouldn’t notice much difference when using one and your internet speeds will remain constant. Moreover, VPN can help to improve your connection stability due to the proximity of the VPN server to the gaming server.
Can I Get A Free VPN for Gaming
When it comes to gaming, particularly online, it is essential to find a VPN that offers a secure connection, compatible with your device and has good connection speeds to combat latency. Plus, VPNs can also provide excellent protection against DDoS and DoS attacks.
However, it’s very difficult to find a free VPN that gives you everything you need for gaming. Free gaming VPN services are typically limited in what they can offer users. Even you can likely find the free gaming VPN, you will quickly find that a free VPN provides a less-than-enjoyable gaming experience.
In fact, you can find a cheap gaming VPN such as SurfShark at $2.49/mo and VyprVPN at $1.67/mo with a budget price to support your need for gaming online.
Our Verdict: Top 5 Best Gaming VPN
All in all, VPN is one of the best ways to enhance your online gaming entertainment experience. Of course, speed is the priority. But a good gaming VPN can also provide access to geo-blocked content worldwide and protect your online activities. So, if you want to access geo-blocked games or play on different regional servers, making sure your VPN is fast, stable, and has a wide server network.
The best gaming VPN today is ExpressVPN, thanks to excellent speeds, low ping times, plus powerful privacy features and simple apps for all sorts of devices. That’s a winning combination.
For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit ExpressVPN’s official website.
Quick Comparison Table of Best Gaming VPNs:
| VPN |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security | AES 256-bit | AES 256-bit | AES 256-bit | AES 256-bit | AES 256-bit |
| Server | 3,000+ in 94 Countries | 5,500+ in 59+ Countries | 3,200+ in 63 Countries | 700+ in 70+ Countries | 1,600+ in 75+ Countries |
| Connection | 5 Devices | 6 Devices | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers |
| Best Price | $6.67/month | $3.67/month | $2.49/month | $1.67/month | $2.40/month |
| More Info | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site |
| Read Review | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | SurfShark | VyprVPN | VyprVPN |