Best gaming VPN in 2024

It may not seem like it, but online games and VPN services are natural companions. You can use a VPN to protect yourself from DDoS attacks, access games blocked in your country, and (sometimes) even improve your ping.

With a good gaming VPN the ping increase will be minimal, and you will stay protected all the time.

Those are just some of the ways a VPN can help a gamer out. Yet there's also the possibility of getting better deals on games by spoofing your location, as well as an increase in your general level of online access and privacy.

Top 5 VPNs for gaming in 2024 shortlist

If you don't have time for reading reviews and comparing different gaming VPNs, simply choose one of the five options below:

1. NordVPN

   Safest VPN for gaming
   9.8
2. Surfshark VPN

   Unlimited devices for less than $2
   9.5
3. PrivateVPN

   Cheap VPN for gaming and streaming
   8.7
4. VyprVPN

   Cheapest gaming VPN
   8.0
5. ExpressVPN

   Speedy VPN for gaming
   8.4

How to play online with the best gaming VPN

1. Choose a gaming VPN (we recommend NordVPN, now with 74% off)
2. Once installed, pick a server in your country or the one nearby
3. Connect to the VPN server
4. Log into your Steam account and launch the game
5. Have fun playing!

Get NordVPN

How to choose the best gaming VPN?

If you're looking for the best VPN for gaming, there are many factors that determine which is truly the best service. Here's what we recommend looking for:

• Low ping. This means smooth gameplay by allowing faster updates of game data exchanges between the players' client and game server. The more frequent the refreshes are, the better your gameplay experience. For that, you need a speedy VPN with a large pool of servers to choose from.
• Security. For PC gamers, this includes military-grade encryption, the best tunneling protocols (OpenVPN, IKEv2, or Wireguard), kill switch, and protection against IPv6/DNS leaks. For console gamers, no VPN out there has native apps for PS4/Xbox One. However, you should be able to set up DNS servers or route your traffic through a protected PC.
• Privacy. The provider should have a strict no-logs policy, allow anonymous registration and payments.
• Ease of use and customer support. Is the app user-friendly? Does your provider offer 24/7 live support via chat?
• Price. Last but not least, the VPN should offer enough bang-for-your-buck and a solid money-back guarantee. A free trial is a bonus too.

Best VPNs for gaming overview

Let’s take a more detailed look at the best VPN options for gaming. All services are available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. What's more, you can use them for other things too, such as streaming, torrenting safely, getting around price discrimination, and more.

These VPNs come in a variety of features and prices, so you should be able to choose the one that fits your needs most.

1. NordVPN – safest VPN for gaming

NordVPN is a great VPN for gaming. In addition to being one of the fastest services, it also offers unparalleled security and privacy. This is especially important for players who want to make sure they’re safe from DDoS attacks and similar gamers’ issues.

Another remarkable feature of NordVPN is its server fleet. Comprised of 7000+ servers in more than 118countries, it allows great connectivity around the globe. NordVPN also has all the tools to circumvent the Great Firewall of China, making it a perfect choice for gamers inside the country.

After installing NordVPN, you’ll instantly notice that the client is neatly designed and easy to use, marking all available connections on a huge world map. And should you experience any issues, NordVPN’s responsive 24/7 support team won’t leave you alone.

For a deeper investigation of NordVPN, read our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – unlimited devices for less than $2

Surfshark scores well in our latency tests, making it one of our best VPN for gaming contenders. Its server fleet of 3200+ in over 100 countries might look modest compared to the competition, but the speeds are great. What’s more, there are no device limits, allowing you to use it on all your devices.

Surfshark VPN provides great security features for gaming enthusiasts: bank-grade encryption, protection from all types of leaks, as well as Camouflage and NoBorder modes to help against tough online censorship measures. All these features make Surfshark a good choice not only for gaming but streaming and torrenting as well.

Unexpectedly, Surfshark doesn’t charge that much for an account with an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. You can get Surfshark's 7-day free trial on Google Play and the Apple App Store. After you've activated the trial, it's possible to test it on PC and other devices as well.

For a deeper investigation of Surfshark VPN, read our Surfshark VPN review.

3. PrivateVPN – cheap VPN for gaming and streaming

With only 200+ servers across 63+ countries, PrivateVPN is still one of the best gaming VPNs there is. Buying internet capacity directly from the IP transit provider, this service bypasses hosting companies and other middlemen to offer good speeds and low ping – just what the gamers need.

From the security standpoint, this VPN uses AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, and a built-in kill switch – more than enough for secure gaming.

PrivateVPN is great for other types of entertainment as well – it allows P2P and unblocks Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other streaming platforms. It also has apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and supports a bunch of routers. When you set up PrivateVPN on one, it will protect all your devices, including game consoles.

For a deeper investigation of PrivateVPN, read our PrivateVPN review.

4. VyprVPN – cheapest gaming VPN

When it comes to global coverage, VyprVPN does pretty well even with a modest fleet of 700+ servers in 64+ countries. The credit goes to owning all of their servers, which adds security and reliability. The speeds are high, and the ping is low enough to choose VyprVPN as your gaming VPN.

You can use VyprVPN to protect yourself from DDoS attacks and other gaming woes. This VPN comes with military-grade encryption, leak protection, and a reliable kill switch.

VyprVPN has easy-to-use apps for all major platforms and routers. It also unblocks multiple streaming sites and allows torrenting on all servers. Finally, its 24/7 live chat customer support is helpful and quick to reply.

For a deeper investigation of VyprVPN, read our VyprVPN review.

5. ExpressVPN – speedy VPN for gaming

ExpressVPN is among the best VPN services for gaming: it provides excellent speeds and low latency, as seen in our test results. With over 3000 servers distributed in more than 105 countries, ExpressVPN is an ideal choice for gamers from various locations, even China.

Get ExpressVPN to benefit from its premium security features. The service has military-grade encryption, no known DNS or IPv6 leaks, and supports OpenVPN and IKEv2 connection protocols. What’s more, it provides a kill switch that automatically terminates your connection if the VPN fails, keeping your IP from getting exposed.

There are easy-to-use apps for all major platforms, as well as MediaStreamer (SmartDNS) configs for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch consoles. ExpressVPN also allows torrenting and will unblock Netflix along with other streaming services. The only downside? A somewhat steep price.

For a deeper investigation of ExpressVPN, read our ExpressVPN review.

Best aspect of each gaming VPN

Do gamers need a VPN?

If you're using a computer that's connected to the internet, it's a good idea to use a VPN in general. This is especially the case when you're gaming. For example, hackers have tricks to determine your IP address. Using this information it's possible to direct DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack by flooding your traffic and cutting you off internet access - unless you're using a VPN.

Aside from protecting you from such situations, a VPN can be simply useful by reducing restrictions imposed by your ISP. This usually comes in the form of DNS filtering and ISP throttling. This means that in some cases you're even able to reduce your ping during online gaming sessions.

Gamers might also appreciate the ability to get geo-blocked games unavailable in your country. This works for banned games as well as exclusive regional DLC content for which Japan is notorious with many of Sony and Nintendo exclusives appearing only there.

VPN for gaming video overview

Check out our video on the best gaming VPNs in 2024. The line-ups may have changed a bit when compared to the article but it's still a great way to learn more.

Average ping scores of the best gaming VPNs

Since latency is the most important factor for all gamers, we measured the average ping in ms to see the ultimate VPN for gaming.

Here are the results:

Free VPN for gaming

While there are a few free VPNs that are actually good, we cannot recommend any of them because of two reasons – limited monthly bandwidth and server selection. While some gamers might be able to live with one, usually, these limitations come together. But if you’re on a really tight budget, the services below are your only hope to get back online.

Proton VPN is the best free VPN for gaming because it has no bandwidth limit and a no-logs policy. It also has no advertisements that might appear in the middle of a heated battle royale. On the downside, there are only three countries (US, Netherlands, Japan) to choose from, so if you’re situated somewhere far away, most likely, the lag will be too much.

If you’re a less avid online gamer, Windscribe's free VPN might also be a good idea. This service has 13 countries and gives you the same security features that a premium version has. Sadly, there’s a 10 GB monthly data limit, and the speeds might not be good enough for gaming.

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You may also like to read:
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How to spoof Pokemon GO location
Best VPN to play Roblox
Best VPN for Apex Legends
Best VPN for Warzone
Best VPN for Dota 2

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FAQ

What is the best VPN for gaming?

The answer is highly subjective, and it varies based on a number of factors. If you're gaming on a PC, Linux, Android, or iOS device, the best VPN providers usually have dedicated apps that provide stronger security and encryption features. If you're a console gamer, your options will be limited to DNS configuration, set a VPN up on your router, or you can route your traffic through a protected PC to reap the same benefits. Our #1 provider, NordVPN, is strong on all these fronts.

Are the best overall VPNs also the best ones for gaming?

Usually, if a VPN is terrible, it's going to be unsuitable for gaming. However, ping scores using a VPN are very user-dependent, so your best course of action would be to try the service for yourself. Keep in mind that your performance might also be affected by the game server loads, so test it using different settings at different times. If you follow our tips on how to choose the best VPN for gaming, you should be all set.

How do I get a VPN for PC?

Setting up VPN software on your PC is a simple task that can be done in minutes.

Go to the website of your chosen VPN provider

Download the setup file

Run the .exe file and choose where to install it

Wait a few seconds until the installation completes

Fill in your login credentials, and that's it.

Now choose a server to connect to and launch your game

How do I get a VPN for Xbox One?

This is tricky. Technically, no VPN provider has a dedicated app for Xbox One. However, you're still able to use your VPN providers' DNS servers to avoid some geo-restrictions.

Press the Xbox button on the controller, then go into Settings

Select Network, then Advanced settings

Select DNS settings, then Manual

Fill in the IP addresses of DNS servers that were given to you by your provider

Press the (B) button to save your settings.

That's it – your Smart DNS solution is configured

How do I get a VPN for PlayStation 4?

It's impossible to set up a VPN on PS4 with a dedicated app. No top provider offers such a solution. However, there is a workaround to change your default DNS settings.

On your PS4, go to Settings, then Network.

Select Set Up Internet Connection and select Use Wi-Fi or Use a LAN Cable, depending on which you use.

Under the “How do you want to set up the Internet connection?” select Custom.

In IP Address Settings, select Automatic.

Under DHCP Host Name, select Do Not Specify, then select the Manual setting in the DNS Settings window.

Fill in the details of your primary DNS server IP addresses and select Done.

Restart your PS4 for the DNS changes to take place, wait for 30 seconds and turn it back on.

The DNS server is now in action and can be used.

How do I get a VPN for Nintendo Switch?

There are no dedicated VPN apps for Nintendo Switch. However, this shouldn't stop you from configuring a DNS.

On your Switch, go to System Settings.

Choose Internet and then Internet settings.

Select the network you want to modify and click Change Settings.

Go to DNS Settings and select Manual.

Fill in the addresses given by your VPN provider and press OK.

That's it. You're all set.