Looking for the best VPN for gaming? We have got you covered as we have rounded up the best gaming VPNs for you here today. Gaming is one of the primary reasons why most people get a VPN in the first place. Besides, it prevents DDoS attacks and network throttling for a smooth gaming experience.
For all professional gamers, a gaming VPN is an essential tool to have. No one wants a DDoS attack to make things worse for them, now, do they? Being safe from fellow gamers is one thing, but it also comes in handy to avoid network throttling.
When gaming for a long time, you may have noticed your internet speed fluctuating all of a sudden. Why does it happen? Your internet service provider identifies you as a high-bandwidth user and throttles your internet speeds.
With the help of the best VPN for gaming, your ISP cannot see your online activities. Thus, you can stay safe from network throttling. Moreover, by using a VPN, you can virtually change your location and download the latest updates that are still not available in the country of your residence.
In short, a gaming VPN in 2022 is something quite necessary to have. However, not every other VPN in the industry can be trusted for gaming. This is why we have researched and recommended some of the best gaming VPNs for you to use for a flawless gaming experience.
5 best gaming VPNs in 2022
Here is our list of the best gaming VPNs in 2022. We have placed them chronologically on their abilities and user reviews from the gaming community all over the world. Let us get started;
1. ExpressVPN – Fastest speeds for gaming
| Price | $6.67/mo. |
| Website | Expressvpn.com |
ExpressVPN is usually one of the most popular VPNs to date because of its impeccable performance. Let’s start with the fact that this British Virgin Islands VPN believes in no-data logging.
ExpressVPN is known by many for its great unblocking skills. So, getting your hands on the latest games and DLC will be a piece of cake.
It has around 3000+ servers covering a wide platform of 94 countries. This gives you all the opportunity in the world to unblock a huge plethora of games or get news on when the latest games will arrive according to the actual airing time.
Speeds are one of the more important requirements when it comes to online gaming. You cannot afford latency issues during live matches. When I tested ExpressVPN, the speeds were some of the fastest, compared to the other providers. It’s considered one of the top providers for fixing lag spike issues on Overwatch and other games.
Fast speeds and unblocking abilities are just the peaks of what ExpressVPN provides. To access any games or streaming services, you’re going to need the best VPN security protection, and ExpressVPN doesn’t fall short in this department either.
ExpressVPN operates using 256-bit encryption, has Split-Tunneling traffic so that you can send all the protection towards just your gaming platforms, is DNS and IP leak protected, has a Kill switch for multiple device apps, and also has a super-handy feature called MediaStreamer. With these features, you can bypass even the toughest geo-blocks.
You can protect your gaming consoles and other platforms since ExpressVPN allows you to make simultaneous VPN connections on up to 5 devices.
Where device compatibility is concerned, you can stream and game on all the major devices since ExpressVPN has huge device support. Some of these platforms include Windows, PlayStation4, Firestick/FireTV, and Android, iOS, macOS, Android TV, browser extensions, and routers.
Apart from gaming, you can utilize ExpressVPN for much more, like unblocking all the latest TV shows and movies on Netflix, Disney Plus, Hotstar, Hulu, ESPN, and or even use the VPN for a secured online banking transaction.
If you find ExpressVPN a little overpriced and still aren’t sure whether you should invest, there’s always the 7-day free trial that you can test the app on, or using its 30-day refund period. Either way, if you’re not satisfied, ExpressVPN offers a full refund within the 30-day mark.
2. Surfshark – Good Value for your money
| Price | $2.49/mo. |
| Website | Surfshark.com |
Surfshark is an affordable gaming VPN that can help you with a smooth gaming experience in 2022 with its unlimited bandwidth.
It has the best privacy policies, with its origin in the British Virgin Islands, observing strict no-data logging rules. That’s a good feature to look for especially considering you need your online privacy during intense gaming sessions.
Now coming to the main features that make Surfshark the best VPN for gaming, we have wide server coverage or around 3200+ servers in 100 countries. That’s plenty of options to choose from if you need to access restricted games or gaming websites from your country.
It also comes with 256-bit AES encryption, GPS Spoofing, and an active Kill Switch, which are pretty strong foundations for security features.
Surfshark rendered some pretty decent speed results when I tested and reviewed the VPN app. It offers UNLIMITED simultaneous connections, which enables you to connect your multiple gaming equipment with a VPN for added benefits.
Now, the sky is the limit where device compatibility for gaming is concerned. Regardless of whether you’re gaming on your phone, PS4, or smart TV, Surfshark is compatible with several major apps and platforms, some of which include Windows, iOS, Android, Firestick, macOS, PS4, Nvidia Shield, Xbox, Routers, and more.
Last but not least, if you ever need to take a break from gaming, Surfshark also unblocks many international and geo-blocked websites, apps, or services. Some of these platforms include US Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, ESPN, and more.
Even though it comes with a cost-effective subscription plan, Surfshark also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee to help you test its services.
Get Surfshark VPN for gaming Now
3. NordVPN – Offers DDoS protection & fast speeds for gaming
| Price | $3.09/mo. |
| Website | Nordvpn.com |
NordVPN is also yet another top-rated VPN for gaming. It is a Panama provider that is known worldwide for the most well-hidden privacy features, best security, and strict no-logging policies.
With NordVPN, you’ll be living the gaming dream. This VPN has around 5600+ servers in 60 countries that can help you switch your location virtually, so you do not miss out on any of the updates. You’ll be able to access or unblock unlimited online games and other DLC with its server network quite easily.
This is because each server is obfuscated; designed to bypass the heaviest geo-blocked content from anywhere in the world. Along with this, you’ll be provided with great speed that will not disappoint you during your live gaming streams. All this and more is why NordVPN gets great reviews and why it’s one of the best gaming VPNs today.
NordVPN reaches the top of the mountain where security is concerned. Say goodbye to hackers or cyber-attacks because the app comes with DDoS protection, military 256-bit encryption, a CyberSec feature, DNS leak protection, a Kill Switch, and more. This will leave your gaming experience interruption-free!
If you’re planning on encrypting all your major devices, then go right ahead because NordVPN allows simultaneous connections on up to 6 devices.
Some of the devices or apps that NordVPN is compatible with include Windows, macOS, Firestick, Android, iOS, Linux, PS4, Routers, browser extensions, Android TV, and others.
With the best security features, you can also utilize the NordVPN app to unblock or Sideload other apps on supported devices. A few of these other services include Netflix, Hotstar, Sling TV, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Video, Showtime, and more.
You can easily set it up on your router and keep all your gaming consoles protected. Many gamers trust NordVPN’s ability to help them with a flawless gaming experience with ease.
You can test the app using the NordVPN free trial and see how you like it. If you’re not satisfied, you could always ask for a full refund!
4. CyberGhost – User-friendly apps and optimized servers
| Price | $2.29/mo. |
| Website | Cyberghost.com |
Next on the list for the best gaming VPN, we have CyberGhost. You may have heard about this particular Romanian provider from a couple of other notable sources.
Well, CyberGhost is mainly known for offering the best ghosting features for its users. This means you can surf the web or game for hours on end with full online anonymity. CyberGhost doesn’t log your data which makes it a worthy contender.
With a CyberGhost subscription, you’ll be accessing a huge coverage of 9000+ low-latency servers in 91 countries, which contains many US servers, best for downloading restricted games that aren’t aired or provided in your country.
When I put CyberGhost VPN to the test, I connected to a couple of its servers, all of which rendered pretty decent download speeds.
Furthermore, I’d like to add that besides great privacy features; CyberGhost also extends its capabilities towards security features. It runs on military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, has an active Kill Switch, and is DDoS protected through its inbuilt NAT Firewall feature. You won’t have to worry about your identity leaking out because the app comes with IP and DNS leak protection.
You can have a whole gaming marathon with multiple players in your home since CyberGhost allows you to make up to 7 multi-device connections in one go.
Speaking of connections, CyberGhost also supports all the major apps and devices for gaming and more. Some of these platforms include Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Routers, and others.
Besides reliable software for gaming, CyberGhost comes pretty handily in unblocking multiple renowned platforms. Some of these include Amazon Prime, Hulu, ESPN, DAZN, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and a lot more.
You can also put CyberGhost to the test by using its free trial. Other than that, if you want a little more time, and a trial on other devices, CyberGhost also has a 45-day refund policy.
Get CyberGhost VPN for Gaming Now
5. IPVanish – Access to US gaming platforms worldwide
| Price | $3.99/mo. |
| Website | Ipvanish.com |
Last on the list; we have IPVanish, which is a US-based provider. The best part about having this provider originate from the States is that you’ll automatically have access to the best US content from anywhere in the world.
IPVanish provides the servers according to the ping rate, which is something a professional gamer loves. Just look for a server according to your required ping rate, and IPVanish will pop one out for you.
Another thing, just because it is a US-based provider doesn’t mean they’re out to steal your data. There are only a handful of US Trustworthy VPNs, and IPVanish happens to be one of them, observing a strict privacy policy.
This provider has access to its personalized servers, namely around 2000+ servers in 75+ countries, with the majority of its coverage in the US.
The great thing about it is that since you’re mostly trying to gain access to games in America, the speeds will be faster than ever, plus you’ll get to buy some of the games at a cheaper rate. That’s why IPVanish is on the list of the best gaming VPN.
Now since server coverage, speed and privacy are out of the way, let’s jump into the IPVanish security front. For a thrilling gaming session, you’re also going to need a secure and encrypted connection.
IPVanish doesn’t fall short in security either and operates on 256-bit encryption, has a Kill Switch, is IP and DNS leak protected, uses obfuscated technologies, and more. All this is why IPVanish is considered one of the best.
You could have a whole gaming marathon with your friends all under one roof since IPVanish now allows UNLIMITED simultaneous device connections. And speaking of devices, IPVanish is also compatible with a wide range of gaming devices, some of which include Windows, Android, iOS, Firestick, Linux, and more.
Additional tasks that you can carry out other than gaming include accessing some of the most heavily blocked streaming services. IPVanish can help you unblock Hotstar, Netflix, Disney Plus, ESPN, DAZN, Fox News, and a lot more.
So, even if you subscribe to the IPVanish services, there’s a free trial you can use to test the app.
Get IPVanish VPN for gaming Now
Why do you need the best VPN for gaming?
To prevent network throttling and unblock games like PUBG, you need a gaming VPN, as it can help you with it.
Internet fluctuation while gaming is one of the things that can ruin the whole experience for you. It happens because your ISP considers you a high-bandwidth user and throttles your internet speed.
With the help of a VPN, no one on the internet can see you, even your ISP, which means you can enjoy gaming at full internet speed.
Here are some essential aspects of why one needs the best VPN for gaming in 2022;
- Speed! It is one of the major reasons why you’d need a VPN in the first place. Yes, a VPN won’t magically give you blazing-fast speeds, but in fact, it will help make your local connection speed much faster.
- Then, there’s always the issue of trying to access limited edition games or ones that aren’t available in your region. A VPN helps in unblocking geo-censored games and other kinds of DLC.
- As mentioned that a VPN won’t provide super-fast speeds but will help balance out the issue. A slower ping automatically means better download quality, solving latency issues.
- Also, how can you forget about the intruders? A VPN protects your device and your data from cyber-attacks. The most common for gamers is DDoS attacks.
How to choose the best gaming VPN
Smooth gameplay is all that a gamer asks. This is why the best gaming VPN is a requirement these days. You can easily unblock the geo-restrictions on multiple games that are not available in your region. Moreover, they also help you to stay safe from network throttling.
Reliability
As mentioned before, there are far too many VPNs in the market that it’s difficult to settle for one. The first thing to look for is whether the provider is reliable and trustworthy. A big factor that plays a part in this is the VPNs country of origin. This plays an important role in showing you how great the provider is.
Device Compatibility
A VPN that you choose for gaming purposes has to be compatible to run on multiple devices. People love to play games on gaming consoles, PCs, laptops, and even smartphones. A VPN being compatible with most devices, enable you to play games on them with ease.
Overall Performance
Performance is the second thing to go after, for obvious reasons. Why would you need a VPN if it has only half the performance level as compared to what the provider advertised? All the VPNs I chose for this list have been put through a series of tests in accordance with what was promised. Each provider is said to deliver fast speeds and unlimited servers that unblock numerous entertainment and gaming websites. So, when put to the test, they delivered remarkably in performance.
Steady speeds
If the speeds are not steady, the gaming experience will not be good as well. This is why a VPN that offers stable speeds is the one you must look for. We tested the servers mentioned above with their speed tests, and it was more than satisfactory.
Security features
The best VPN for gaming must be equipped with top-class security features. It must offer a military-grade AES 256-bit encryption protocol to keep you anonymous on the internet so that your opponents and ISP cannot track you. Moreover, it also comes in handy in keeping you safe from DDoS attacks. This is why powerful security features are a necessity.
Server coverage
An extensive server network comes with an opportunity for more opponents and unblocking of much more games. Moreover, if there is an update in the game, which is only available in a particular region, you can connect virtually and install it instead of waiting for the update to come to your country.
Support chat
A 24/7 chat support or at least a competent work staff is what’s very important, especially for first-time VPN users. Regardless if you need a VPN for gaming or need one for privacy, it all comes down to the overall performance of the product and the providers. There are many users who’ll have countless setup or device compatibility questions. A good support chat is what all the 5 VPNs I chose possess.
Affordability
Now, I understand that certain VPNs are overly priced, and of course, not all of us can opt for a big price tag. But that’s where you should understand that price isn’t always something to look at first. Some VPNs are top-notch providers and come at affordable rates, while other poorly made VPN software comes with higher prices. You have to dig deep into a little research and testing to know what you’re investing in.
Money-back guarantee
It is essential to look for VPNs that offer a money-back guarantee. This helps you to test the VPN and see how it works. If you think it is not working according to your expectations, you can always cancel your subscription and ask for a refund. Note that the refund policy only works if you cancel the subscription for the duration of the money-back guarantee. It differs in every VPN.
What is the best VPN for gaming, according to Reddit?
NordVPN was voted as the best for gaming, according to the Reddit community.
There are many great providers for gaming and some that aren’t. However, I believe in going through more than one source, a scout for more than just reviews. The main target for me is user experience, and the best platform for that is Reddit. After going through a couple of posts, the top pick for gaming VPNs is NordVPN. Here’s one of the clips below:
Conclusion
There you go. I hope it is now clear why you need the best VPN for gaming in 2022. It helps your gaming experience to become much better as you do not face any network throttling at all. Moreover, you get to reduce your ping and enjoy a game without any lags or buffering.
We recommend ExpressVPN as the best gaming VPN in 2022. It is indeed a bit pricey, but you can always test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee to see that is worth the price tag.
FAQs – The best VPN for gaming
Is it legal to use a VPN for gaming?
It is legal to use a VPN for gaming. It helps you with network throttling, as a fast internet connection is essential for a flawless gaming experience. Moreover, you can also unblock the games that are geo-restricted in your region.
Does VPN reduce ping in games?
Yes, a VPN does reduce ping in online games. This happens because a VPN takes a more direct route than the one your ISP takes. This is how the information flows more freely, which results in reducing the ping for the game you play.
Why do I need a gaming VPN?
The primary reason to use a gaming VPN is to avoid data throttling and unblocking games that are restricted in your region. You become anonymous on the internet as soon as you connect with a VPN so that the ISP cannot see you or throttle your internet speed.
Which type of VPN is best for gaming?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for gaming for so many reasons. It offers an extensive server network to help you unblock the restricted games in your country. Moreover, with its AES 256-bit encryption, your ISP cannot see, which means he cannot throttle the internet speed on your network. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee, using which you can test the provider.
Which VPN gives the fastest speed?
ExpressVPN provides the fastest speeds. It also offers a vast server list of 3000+ servers from which you can connect and unblock geo-restricted with ease. When we tested its speeds, we were impressed. However, if you experience slow speeds, try to connect to another server, as it works most times.
Can I use a free VPN for gaming?
A free VPN isn’t really the best choice for gaming or anything else for that matter. You’re probably going to lose much more than you bargained for with a free VPN, including time wastage. A free VPN doesn’t come with proper encryption or wide server coverage. Hence my recommendation would be to choose an affordable VPN service rather than a free one.
Is it bad to use a VPN for gaming?
Yes, and no, it really depends! Connecting to a VPN for gaming will most probably lower your speeds. However, that does depend on the VPN you go with and also widely on the speeds of your local internet connection without using a VPN. Another thing people ask about is whether the ping will reduce or increase. A lower ping is always the best option for gaming, and I doubt using a VPN will have much impact on it. So no, it’s not bad to use a VPN for gaming. Plus, with the number of games online, a VPN will allow you to get a hold of it from wherever you are.
To Summarize, the Best Gaming VPN is…
| Rank | Provider | Our Score | User Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
ExpressVPN
|
9.8/10
|
Read Review | Find Out More Get Started >> |
| 2 |
Surfshark
|
9.5/10
|
Read Review | Find Out More Get Started >> |
| 3 |
NordVPN
|
9.3/10
|
Read Review | Find Out More Get Started >> |
| 4 |
Cyberghost
|
9.0/10
|
Read Review | Find Out More Get Started >> |
| 5 |
iPvanish
|
8.8/10
|
Read Review | Find Out More Get Started >> |
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