There are more benefits to using a VPN for gaming than you might think, but what exactly should you look for when buying one, and what are the benefits? Good question, we at ProXPN have luckily figured everything out for you so you can pick the perfect VPN for your gaming experience. Start reading our guide and learn everything about the best gaming VPNs of 2024.
Ben Grindlow is the founder of ProXPN, a company that provides reviews about VPN products and services. Ben's interest in cybersecurity and privacy led him to start ProXPN, which has become one of the most well-respected VPN providers in the world. Ben is passionate about his work, and he is constantly exploring new ways to improve ProXPN's in-depth guides.
ProXPN Expert Picks
🔥 Save 60%! 🔥
The best VPNs for gaming are those that offer low latency, high speeds, and reliable connections. Some of the best VPNs for gaming include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost. Each of these VPNs offer different features and benefits, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your needs. In this guide we are going to talk deeper about this subject so that you will find the perfect gaming VPN.
Using a VPN for gaming has more benefits than you might think. Put down your gaming console for a minute and learn why. A gaming VPN is important for a lot of reasons, there is nothing more annoying than lag, or accessing gaming servers with a lot of problems.
For one thing, using a virtual private network, your ping times (latency) can reflect the speed of your internet connection. The ping measures how long it takes for data to be sent from you and received by the game server.
For many games, especially shooters, it is important to have the lowest possible ping and the fastest possible connection speed. The lower the ping (in milliseconds) on your VPN, the better.
With online gaming, connecting to a VPN server near the game server location often creates a more direct route between your console or PC and the game server. This advantage of using VPNs for gaming as opposed to a standard connection especially applies to game servers that are a bit further away from your own location. For example, players in England may be better off using a VPN connection in the US or Germany if the game's server is in those countries, or near them.
There are advantages to shopping using a VPN. With a VPN, you can buy games for a significantly lower price, for example in the Steam Store, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store or on EA Origin.
To give you an idea of what is out there, we found out that the following games cost a lot less when purchased using a VPN server in India:
Another advantage of a VPN is that you can get your hands on games before the official release date. In your country, some games may be released slightly later than in the US or UK. Sometimes an ‘Early Access’ is allowed in a specific country.
With a VPN for gaming, you protect yourself against DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. With multiplayer games, and especially in competitive online gaming (and e-sports), this technique is sometimes used among gamers to slow down or even disable a competitor's connections. Many gamers therefore choose a VPN to protect their own IP address when they play games.
In a DDoS attack, your own IP address is overloaded with useless data from multiple computers. All the simultaneous connections will slow down your internet speeds or may even cause your internet connection to drop. If you are using a VPN, your VPN server has much more processing power and can generally weather the storm much better. This makes it less sensitive to a DDoS attack.
Another advantage is that if you play online using a VPN service and the VPN server is attacked, you can easily switch to another VPN server that is not under attack.
Yes! VPNs for gaming are a win.
In addition to protecting your privacy, a gaming VPN service provider can in some cases offer you an advantage while gaming online. This is especially true if the game server is located abroad. Your ping (connection delay) may go down using a VPN for gaming, which lets your play go faster.
It is always smart to test whether a VPN actually speeds up your connection. In most games, you can measure the ping yourself. You can also use a speed test.
Other benefits of using a VPN for gaming:
Yes, in almost all cases it is completely legal to use a VPN for gaming.
Of course, it never hurts to check the terms of use for the game you're playing. Using VPNs for gaming should not give you an unfair advantage. For example, once gamers from Fortnite were banned for using a VPN for gaming.
Some games prohibit the use of a VPN, because they allow you, for example, to play a game via multiple accounts at the same time.
In addition to the top 3 above, the following VPNs for gaming are also great ones to try:
We do not recommend a free VPN for games, because:
Do you have an opinion on the best gaming VPN? Have you had a great experience with a VPN service, or a favorite VPN company? Let us know. Then, let the games begin!
Maybe there are still some unanswered questions about the best VPN for gaming, or you are wondering whether a gaming VPN is actually worth it. We have collected the most frequently asked questions about using a VPN for gaming below.
It is possible that you can get banned from a game or from a server for using a VPN. The use of certain mods or hacks is often also not allowed and may result in a ban. However, simply using a VPN for gaming is usually not sufficient grounds for a ban. In almost all cases, you will only be banned from a game or server if you use a VPN to give yourself an unfair advantage.
For example, if you use a VPN to play a game on a server in another country where the ping is lower, you will not be banned for this. But if you use VPN services to play the same game with multiple accounts at the same time, you will probably be banned. Another reason why you could get banned for using a VPN is if the VPN service you are using is blacklisted by the game or server. This is often the case with free VPNs.
No, you cannot get a virus by using a VPN for gaming. A VPN encrypts your traffic, making it impossible for others to infect your device with a virus.
However, it is possible to access websites that may have viruses on them, which is why you should make sure you only use VPNs for gaming when connected to a secure network.
The speeds of a gaming VPN are generally not slower or faster than normal internet speeds. But a good gaming VPN will have many different servers and a large network, which can improve the speed of your connection.
However, if you are using the best VPN for gaming to bypass geographic restrictions on games or other online content, this may slow down the speed of your connection. In this case, you will need to choose a VPN with fast connections and unlimited data transfer in order to have the best gaming experience possible.
There are several factors to consider when looking for the best VPN for gaming, including speed, security, server network and reliability. You may also want to consider whether you need a paid or free VPN. Try out different VPNs to see what works best for your gaming needs, and keep in mind that a good VPN should always be fast and reliable.
Whether you are looking for the best VPN for gaming on PC or Mac, these services will likely be able to meet your needs. However, if you are looking for free gaming VPN options, there are several to choose from as well, such as Windscribe and ProtonVPN.
There are many different VPN companies to choose from, and it can be difficult to decide which one is the best for gaming. To make the decision easier, we have compiled a list of the best VPNs for gaming, taking into account factors such as speed, security, server network and reliability.
The top VPN companies for gaming include NordVPN, PIA VPN and ExpressVPN. These services offer fast connections, a good selection of servers and strong security features. They also have a reputation for being reliable and easy to use.
The process for setting up a gaming VPN is generally the same as setting up any other type of VPN. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a gaming VPN.
First, you will need to choose a VPN company that offers fast connections and a good selection of servers. We recommend NordVPN, PIA VPN or ExpressVPN.
At this point, you should have everything you need to set up a gaming VPN and start enjoying fast, secure connections for all of your gaming needs. Good luck!
Although privacy and security are legitimate concerns, VPNs might be especially useful for gamers. For example, you may be able to use servers in other countries by pretending to be at a different location. Virtual private networks (VPNs) may also make it more difficult for opponents to deploy distributed denial of service (DDoS) assaults to disrupt gameplay.
When using a virtual private network (VPN), there will always be a negative effect, but it depends on where you are physically, where the VPN server is located, and where the gaming server is located. You'll notice a significant difference if your gaming server is situated in Germany and your VPN server is in the United States, for example.
The location of the server has a significant impact on both speed and latency. Even if you're only browsing the web, a VPN can have a bad effect on this. But if you choose the right one, with a server that is close to your location, the impact will be minimal.
Do VPNs actually speed up the Internet? A virtual private network (VPN) can speed up some services when used properly. Internet service providers (ISPs) have been known to artificially slow down some forms of traffic, which can have a negative effect on your gaming experience.
For a game console to connect to a virtual private network (VPN), the software on your router must first be installed. Ethernet or WiFi are also viable options for accomplishing this. As long as you're playing on a PC, you may download an app to connect.