We know how a VPN affects our internet speed; remind you, the best ones will cause a negligible impact. Having said this, what do you think about the VPN and gaming combo?
You might freak out and think that’s a daft idea. Even the fastest VPN would still end up with higher ping time and slower connection. Whilst we’re not arguing that these aren’t possible pitfalls, there are great reasons to use a VPN for gaming.
One of the most obvious ones is unrestricted access. Like Grand Theft Auto V, Fortnite, etc., are geo-restricted for gamers in certain parts of the world. Only a VPN can unblock them.
One of the worst enemies of online gaming is a DDoS attack. A serious attack causes either the inability among players to access a certain game or its options (cheats, etc.) or slow down the internet connection for bad response time or even disconnects from the game.
And for the sake of quick responsiveness, which is possible if ping time can be reduced and download/upload speeds can be controlled, for which fast VPN is highly recommended. Sometimes, ISPs also throttle connections if bandwidth reaches the skies, leaving gamers with a spotty connection or nasty lag.
So, shall we begin the journey of finding the right VPN for gaming?
What Makes A Best Gaming VPN?
For gamers, there are some considerations to be made since a VPN adds latency and reduces speed. Therefore, various security features must be weighed with performance.
Other than speed, the savvy VPN shopper should look at:
- Server proximity – is the VPN server being 50 or 5,000 miles away? The former will yield better performance; get a VPN with the fastest connectivity, and f have servers local to where you are or planning to be. Some VPNs also offer gaming-only servers, that’s ideal.
- Security Considerations – The older the encryption, the harder it to digest and the weaker against the latest threats. Ensure the VPN provider is based in a privacy-friendly region; it is vital to know the local laws where the VPN is located.
- Usability – How easily a VPN connection is shared with today’s most popular consoles – easier to use, the more time can be allocated to gaming skills. A VPN has bugs or a techie (complicated) interface. Then it must have a live chat option.
- Cost – Going with expensive providers means less money left for financing the remaining gaming rig; go with the one that suits your pocket; often, the longer commitments are quite affordable.
OK… so, the most important features of a gaming VPN are servers and speed. However, privacy is also important as some famous games – Steam – block accounts of users found to be geo-spoofing to a different country.
Let’s start with our list for top 5 best gaming VPN.
Top 5 Best VPN for Online Gaming
To help you select the top gaming VPN, our experts have tested a dozen VPN services; the best of the best are detailed below. You may find many similarities in them.
#1: ExpressVPN – An All-Rounder Gaming VPN
- Cost: From $6.67/M
- Server: 3000+ 160 locations in across 94 countries
- Maximum Device Support: 5
- Available on: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Routers and Extensions
- Torrenting: Yes
- Netflix: Yes
- Live Chat: Yes
- Money-back Guarantee: Yes
ExpressVPN will allow you to find a speedy server from anywhere in the world, thanks to its intuitive custom apps. Encryption is provided via robust OpenVPN encryption, and gamers can select between TCP and UDP (the latter is better for gaming). It’s fast enough for both competitive gaming and unlimited streaming.
Being quite pricier and non-availability of a free trial might turn you off. Still, the best option lets you play the game before your local opponents, without compromising your sensitive data and game cheats.
If one or two of your opponents are in your house or if you’re living among security-seeking junkies, then grab any of the routers – Asus, Netduma, D-Link, Netgear, TP-Link, Linksys – and connect a VPN to it to protect all the devices at once.
#2: CyberGhost – The Most Affordable VPN
- Cost: From $2.75/M
- Server: 5600 servers in 80+ countries
- Maximum Device Support: 7
- Available on: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Routers and Extensions
- Torrenting: Yes
- Netflix: Yes
- Live Chat: Yes
- Money-back Guarantee: Yes
CyberGhost is a provider based in Romania with a secure choice of AES 256-bit encryption and a range of protocols – L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN, and IKEv2, to keep your gaming devices and tactics secure.
This VPN has extremely easy to use yet excellent apps for all popular platforms. Even a console gamer can install CyberGhost on a router (or buy a pre-flashed).
CyberGhost VPN has servers in over 80+ countries – means you have a wide choice of gaming servers and can get cheap games.
This runner up is also winning the hearts of streamers – all the major platforms are easily accessible, no matter where you’re.
#3: NordVPN – Supreme Gaming VPN
- Cost: From $3.49/M
- Server: 5000 servers in 58 countries
- Maximum Device Support: 6
- Available on: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, Routers and Extensions
- Torrenting: Yes
- Netflix: Yes
- Live Chat: Yes
- Money-back Guarantee: Yes
Easy to use, consistently fast and intuitive servers, content unblocking, minimal speed loss, and high security; what else a gaming-oriented VPN have to offer?
Think about it!
Spread over 58 countries is great for buying cheaper games, and it is perfect for connecting to gaming servers outside of the home country.
NordVPN has software for many platforms, even for VPN routers. OpenVPN encryption is implemented securely, making this VPN fantastic for privacy, protecting consoles or PCs against DDoS attacks. This reasonably-priced VPN also offers superb customer care; test this VPN for a month, and if you don’t like any of its features, avail of its 30-day money-back guarantee.
The only no-go aspect is the absence of ad-blockers, but still, NordVPN is poised to stay near the top for gamers seeking privacy at a minimal cost of speed or performance.
#4: IPVanish – Premium VPN for Premium Gaming
- Cost: From $5.20/M
- Server: 40,000+ shared IPs, 1,300+ VPN servers in 75+ locations
- Maximum Device Support: 10
- Available on: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, Routers and Extensions
- Torrenting: Yes
- Netflix: No
- Live Chat: Yes
- Money-back Guarantee: Yes
IPVanish is among the fastest VPNs with unlimited server switching, so perfect for competitive gaming-freaks, especially good for foreign gaming servers. With servers in over 75 countries, you can buy any game at the lowest price possible. The VPN is available for all platforms, including router compatibility.
Thanks to its SOCKS5 web proxy for masking real IPs, especially while P2P and VoIP connections.
IPVanish provides a range of protocols – IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec VPN. Its customer care is also good with 24/7 live chat support; you can also contact them via phone call during their operational hours.
The only concern is its closeness with the US; being US-based isn’t good for privacy, but for gaming, this is one of the solid choices; we recommend testing it for a week or else go with their 7-day money-back guarantee.
#5: VyprVPN – No more third-party Hosting Servers
- Cost: From $3.75/M
- Server: 200,000+ IPs, 700+ VPN servers in 70+ locations
- Maximum Device Support: 5
- Available on: Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, Routers and Extensions
- Torrenting: Yes
- Netflix: No
- Live Chat: Yes
- Money-back Guarantee: Yes
VyprVPN is a tier-1 network with its own network of servers and infrastructure, offering impressive performance levels as a result.
The service offers a worldwide server network with a huge list of locations and 200,000+ IP addresses, included with a NAT firewall to block all the unrequested inbound traffic and a host of friendly apps for almost every device a gamer may own.
Bear in mind that VyprVPN doesn’t offer refunds on any grounds, but still, you can test the service for up to 30 days, thanks to their 30-money-back guarantee.
Oh no, did I mention how to save money with a gaming VPN?
I think no…
So, let’s discuss it too.
Can I save money with a gaming VPN?
Economies differ worldwide, with differing purchasing power, and game developers know where they can charge higher rates than in others; local sales taxes and currency rates can also play their due role in the cost of a game.
With a VPN for gaming, save money on AAA releases, check out the following online game retailers. They’re worth it.
Add to that, in 2020, game developers of Mojang, Taleworlds, and Cloud Imperium have started selling games directly from their websites. So, keep shopping around but don’t forget to test a few countries using the best gaming VPN.
Will the Gaming VPN reduce the Ping Rate?
Connecting to a server closer to the gaming server can reduce your ping – so worth trying; generally, VPN doesn’t reduce your ping much (if at all). Unless your ISP is throttling your connection, a VPN may reduce your connection speeds slightly.
To play online games smoothly, at least 10 Mbps internet speed is required; it’s better to check your internet speeds without a VPN to see whether a VPN works well. The higher your benchmark speed without a VPN – the more confident you would be using a VPN.
Also, remember that our recommended gaming VPNs offer money-back guarantees. So if you are not sure whether your ISP is throttling when you’re playing a game, trial any of them to see if it improves your ping and connection speeds.
Tips to Reduce VPN ping
To reduce your ping when using a VPN, do the following;
- For gaming, go with a fast-tunneling protocol, a more robust protocol such as OpenVPN or IKEv2 is ideal.
- Always connect to a VPN server as close (to your home country) as possible, every second count.
- Always test a few servers as some are faster than others, oversubscribed ones get slow due to congestion.
Hold on!
Are you still wondering, why do I need a VPN for gaming?
Here’s a quick-check!
- Unlimited access to gaming servers, especially the one that is geo-restricted in a foreign country.
- A VPN can control the risks of DDoS attacks (to an extent)
- Avoids ISP throttling.
- A VPN conceals your real IP address to stop you from getting attacked during a match or tournament.
- Lets you purchase game titles early by geo-spoofing to the originating country.
- Lets you buy games for budget prices by pretending where they cost less.
- With a VPN, you can participate in foreign gaming tournaments and competitions by pretending to be somewhere else.
Most Important: Connecting to a VPN conceals your home IP address (including location), restricting the websites and gaming servers to know where you are.
Before wishing you the best of luck for your current gaming tournament, let’s answer some frequently asked questions; you can still contact us directly for more help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most common questions that might arise in your head are answered below:
Can I get a free VPN for gaming?
First of all, free VPNs are not reliable; if you find one, their services would be incredibly limited because they are there to encourage people to buy their premium account. The levels of speeds, anonymity, and data allowance you need for gaming are not a cup of tea for free VPN providers – our free VPN walk through will further clarify our stance.
What is Ping?
It is the amount of time it takes for data sent from a computer (or console) to the gaming server; gaming lag is the outcome of slow ping rates.
Anything within the ping of 20ms is fantastic, while crossing 150ms will lead to lagging.
