Best VPNs for Gaming

Right off the bat, we have a VPN company that vows to fight against censorship while providing the best service to its customers. 

Not only is VyprVPN considered to be the fastest VPN on the market, it’s also the best VPN for online games. This is largely thanks to its zero-logs policy, which guarantees that the company won’t track or keep any information about its users. The feature adds even more value to the product because many gamers live in countries where data is tracked, and circumventing government-imposed restrictions could have legal implications.

But there’s more than that to VyprVPN. Aside from covering more than 70 countries with its servers, the software also comes with “Chameleon VPN disguise.” This shields your VPN traffic so it cannot be detected by the ISP or anyone else for that matter.

Another reason we classified VyprVPN as the best gaming VPN is the price. It costs just $2.50 a month and is incredibly easy to use. The app doesn’t overwhelm the user with pointless information. You get a big “connect” button, traffic monitor, the IP you’re connected to, and a timer. Users also love it for its speed.

Hence, the only real downside is the absence of a trial version. Even the previously available three-day trial period was eliminated by the company. But with a 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s worth a shot.

If you are in the market for the best VPN for PC games,  be sure to check out NordVPN. This is a favorite among many League of Legends and Minecraft players. NordVPN boasts a plethora of gaming-first features in its apps, from military-grade encryption that protects you when connected to public Wi-Fi all the way to preventing bandwidth throttling that many ISPs employ.

It’s no secret that internet companies often slow your connection down when you are streaming on Twitch or playing bandwidth-intensive games. So hiding that traffic from them is highly beneficial. NordVPN offers Double VPN, which tunnels your connection through two servers. This is why many consider it the best VPN for PC gaming, especially in countries where ISPs throttle gaming traffic or outright ban certain games.

It is also an outstanding VPN when it comes to speed. With more than 5,000 global servers, you’ll be first in line to play the hot new releases. There’s even a knowledge base on NordVPN’s website to help you set everything up exclusively for secure online gaming.

As you’ve probably noticed by now, we are specifically focused on PC gaming. That’s because installing NordVPN on routers can be quite a hassle. So if you need the best VPN for console, you might have your work cut out for you. Your router needs to have OpenVPN protocol and meet other requirements before you can use NordVPN on PS4 or any other console.

Console games are becoming increasingly popular, so we set out to find the best VPN for consoles. Our search proved to be a complicated process because most VPN apps for consoles have specific hardware requirements. We eventually landed on IPVanish, a rare gaming-first VPN.

It doesn’t take long to figure out why this is the best VPN for console games. It can be installed on your computer and router, it hides all traffic from your ISP and other potential eavesdroppers, and it offers servers in many countries. The connection IPVanish creates specifically masks data packets that many games and P2P applications use. This frees you from having to worry about connection throttling.

As a backup solution for all your gaming videos and saved files, the company offers bundles with an additional 250 GB of cloud storage via SugarSync that saves you money in the long run. Regardless of whether you play games on Xbox One or Nintendo Switch, IPVanish is the best gaming VPN.

This is an ideal option for those who wish to enjoy the benefits of a VPN without having to worry about the setup. Today, the gaming experience is undermined by data throttling and region-restricted content. That’s why TunnelBear is using its paws to reclaim what gamers love most – the games. It is advertised as the best free VPN for gaming. 

The digital grizzly only improved with age and now competes with the biggest fuzz in the pack. The free version is still up and running, albeit limited to just 500 MB of daily traffic. But this hairball’s real potential lies in its premium version. The VPN can be used by up to five devices at once, connecting to more than a thousand servers across the globe. 

TunnelBear is the only VPN that provides annual security audits, highlighting its status as one of the most secure services on the market. It is also the best VPN for gaming because of its usability. You just fire it up, choose a location, and flip a switch. 

The desktop and mobile apps are beautifully designed with no complicated setup required on the user’s end. One minor downside to an otherwise impeccable record is the fact that TunnelBear cannot be installed directly on your home router.

The best VPN for a gamer needs to have as many servers and locations as possible, be compatible with all gaming devices, and be easy to set up. ExpressVPN ticks all of those boxes, providing surprising levels of versatility without forcing the user to flip through the manual for instructions.

The VPN has the biggest selection of locations among all of the apps currently available. It is able to split your traffic between what you wish to secure and what is being used without VPN while providing a fast and stable service that every gamer needs. It might not be the answer to the age-old question of how to get better ping in Fortnite, but this VPN for gaming secures your traffic for thousands of popular games.

We really liked the product’s clean interface, and the fact that it’s highly customizable. You can pin your favorite games to its main screen, so the VPN launches as soon as you click on any of them. Servers can also be sorted based on ping, while the site’s knowledge base and customer support are available to assist with any features you might be struggling with.

ExpressVPN is on our top ten VPN list for a number of very good reasons, but affordability isn’t one of them. While this is undoubtedly a great service, it’s slightly more expensive than some of the low cost VPN solutions.

Switching gears from bears to ghosts, brings us to our next VPN on the list. CyberGhost is the best VPN for gamers because it claims to have the ability to get past IP bans, making geo-restrictions on your favorite games a thing of the past. 

This VPN offers a whopping 6,000 servers in 120 countries. It is very affordable if you select multi-year plans and can be installed on routers, which translates into protection for all your consoles and gadgets. The security is top-notch, as the company strictly enforces its no logs policy. 

Even though it’s known to be the best VPN for gaming, CyberGhost is also popular among fans of TV shows and movies. Services like Netflix and Hulu can easily be unlocked with just a click of a button. The app offers the best choices based on your location and the kind of service you wish to use during your session.

However, that level of simplicity is a two-way street at times. While this VPN is great for beginners, some features are half-baked, including its kill-switch. In addition, some of the locations don’t work with P2P, which can cause problems with certain games and services. But its shortcomings aren’t enough to disqualify it from the list of favorites. This is still one of the most affordable VPN apps, and is definitely worth considering.

The best VPN for online gaming doesn’t come cheap, especially if it boasts the best encryption and thousands of servers. Hotspot Shield’s quality is well documented. The product won several awards in recent years, including the prestigious Ookla Speedtest for being the world’s fastest VPN.

In addition, it comes with military-grade encryption, guaranteeing that your data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. This isn’t the most affordable gaming VPN on our list, rather it is the most expensive. But this price tag comes with a certain level of quality. With a premium subscription, you’ll get access to more than 3,000 servers, malware and phishing shields, and even a password manager. 

At a time when our list of login credentials is expanding faster than ever, a password manager is a must-have. There is a trial version available, but it’s not a good solution for gaming. It’s capped at 2 Mbps and limits you to just US locations. So if you’re looking for the best free PC VPN, this shouldn’t be your choice considering most modern video games require much faster internet speeds.

As for the premium option, we’d say Hotspot Shield is the perfect choice for an MMO gamer and pretty much any gamer with multiple accounts. Fans of streaming services should also check out Hotspot Shield, especially those with Netflix and BBC iPlayer subscriptions.

It’s always good to see a VPN software offering something more than just basic private browsing. Whether you need the best VPN for console gaming, streaming, or just surfing the web, you should be looking for a company that knows the tech. That’s why we’ve included VPN Unlimited in this list. 

This product’s knowledge base and dedication to security is hard to match. This software protects up to 10 devices with military-grade encryption, and ensures that none of your data is being tracked. It also supports both PCs and consoles. 

While VPN Unlimited covers a lot of ground with available locations, its number of servers is cause for concern. With just a few hundred servers, traffic congestion can occur from time to time. 

Since we’re talking about the best VPN for gaming, every megabit of data that doesn’t go through can result in a lost match, or cause complications with fast-paced games. That being said, this is the only private network we’ve seen so far that offers lifetime plans. For a one time payment of $299 you’ll get a VPN that secures up to ten of your devices. This deal should be of particular interest to internet cafe owners and esport teams. Imagine securing every single PC during boot camp before a CS:GO tournament or for a local event

The best VPN service for gaming should come with a basic set of features, including the right number of servers on all continents, the ability to support as many devices as possible, and the right price tag. Private Internet Access is one product that fulfills those requirements. 

It’s a VPN with unlimited bandwidth, more than 3,000 servers across the globe, and it supports all modern internet technologies and devices. It also supports OpenVPN, allowing you to set it up on your home router and easily provide a secure connection to your phones and consoles.

It isn’t just the best VPN for games, but for streaming and other daily internet activities as well. This makes Private Internet Access a great choice for families with kids, especially since the plan allows you to connect up to ten devices simultaneously to this VPN. Setting up what is essentially a pillar for your home’s cybersecurity doesn’t require more than a few minutes. Private Internet Access comes with integrated tools for blocking annoying ads and malware, while leaving no trace of your browsing habits. 

Some may argue that this is not the best affordable VPN on the market, but the cost is still pretty low. For just $40 per year, you get a set of neat features and a product that is easy to use. One of the few downsides is that most servers are located in Europe and North America.

Surfshark is another affordable VPN for gaming that you should look into if you need help with security. With a respectable number of servers located in 65 countries, it works so well that it may actually reduce ping. Best of all is its no-log policy, which prevents everyone from keeping track of what you do online.

With Surfshark, you can easily dismiss those “not available in your region” notifications. It will allow you to play your games wherever you are, even if you’re on the move. By the same token, you’ll never have to overpay for a game again with this gaming VPN.

If you’re worried about pricing, don’t be. This VPN is one of the cheapest on the market, especially if you take advantage of a special offer. At the time of writing, Surfshark is offering a promotional price of just $2.08 per month if you sign up for 24 months. For such a powerful set of features, this is a miniscule price to pay. It’s safe to say you won’t be able to find such an affordable gaming VPN anywhere else.

When talking about the best VPN for gaming, free products aren’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. But that doesn’t mean that free VPNs don’t exist. Windscribe is one such product, which is simple to use, yet highly encrypted. Over the years, it slowly evolved into a formidable internet security app. 

Today, Windscribe supports split tunneling for managing your traffic based on what you wish to secure. It can generate configuration files for your router and 256-bit encryption for all traffic. The most important single feature that makes Windscribe the best VPN for PC gamers is its unlimited license policy. Whether you opt for a free or premium plan, you get the option of connecting as many devices as you wish. 

However, Windscribe’s trial version is pretty limited compared to the premium option. The servers can only be accessed in 11 countries across North America and Europe. Your traffic is also limited to just 10 GB per month, which most modern games gobble up pretty quickly. Therefore, sticking to premium plans is the more logical choice here.