There are many reasons to use a VPN while gaming.
Whether it’s to protect yourself from attacks, remain anonymous when connecting to P2P games, or access games that are banned in your country, a VPN is a must-have for any gamer.
There are a lot of VPNs out there, though. Most of them don’t have the infrastructure or the support to allow you to do what you want when gaming.
Free VPNs lack servers worldwide and can’t meet the lightning-quick speeds you need to play games without issue.
If you’re looking for a VPN for gaming, we’re here to help. We’ve tested several VPNs with several games and have compiled a list of what we think are the best VPNs for gaming.
See also:
- How to use GeForce Now in NZ (June 2022)
- How to play Diablo Immortal in the Netherlands: It’s EASY! (June 2022)
What are the criteria for a good gaming VPN?
In order to be a good VPN for gaming, there are a few criteria that the VPN has to meet.
First, it needs to be fast. Online gaming requires a fast internet connection. I’m sure you’ve played an online game with terrible ping and latency issues. The actions you perform are delayed, and the playing experience isn’t great.
When you use a VPN, your internet connection is no longer being sent directly to the game servers. It’s being bypassed through a separate server hosted by the VPN before reaching the game server. This is to ensure your internet connection is anonymous.
The problem here is this can cause delays and internet speed slowdowns. Not ideal for gaming. To get around these problems, you need to use a VPN that uses a fast protocol to ensure you don’t come across any lag issues.
Second, the VPN needs to be secure. If you want your internet connection to be anonymous and safe when gaming, you need a secure VPN.
Most VPNs claim they’re secure; however, this isn’t always the case. Some VPNs store your data and keep a log of your internet use. This is the complete opposite of an anonymous internet connection and defeats the purpose of using a VPN for gaming in the first place.
Lastly, you want a VPN with servers all over the world.
When gaming online, it pays to join servers geographically close to your physical location. For example, if you’re gaming in the US, you want to play on US-based servers to ensure your ping stays low.
If you use a VPN for gaming and it doesn’t have servers in your country or countries nearby, you will encounter severe latency issues.
To ensure this doesn’t happen, make sure you use a VPN that has servers worldwide.
I’ve been gaming with a VPN for a while, and I got the best results from ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month). Both of these VPNs meet these three criteria, they’re fast, secure and have servers all over the world.

Why use a VPN for gaming?
There are many reasons to use a VPN for gaming:
- Security: Using a VPN gives you a secure, anonymous internet connection. This makes it very difficult for hackers and swatters to identify your location or hack your system. If you’re playing P2P (peer-to-peer) games in which you have to connect directly to other players’ computers, you may be at risk when gaming. A VPN will secure your connection, so you don’t have to worry about security breaches.
- Change region: If you live in a country with strict gaming laws that bans games, a VPN can allow you to play those games in your country. A perfect example of this is Diablo Immortal being banned in the Netherlands. Dutch people wanting to play Diablo Immortal in their country couldn’t because the government banned the game. Using a VPN, you can bypass these bans by changing your region. This will allow you to play games that aren’t available in your country.
- Get around ISP throttling: Sometimes, when gaming, your internet service provider may throttle your internet speed. ISPs do this because network bandwidth is a finite resource. At peak times, when everyone’s online, the ISP needs to throttle or “shape” the network to allow everyone access to fast speeds. Because gaming is network intensive, usually, gamers are the ones who get throttled. This makes playing games delayed and unresponsive. A VPN will allow you to get around this issue.
- Stabilise connection: If you have an unstable connection to gaming servers, using a VPN can stabilise the connection.

Will a VPN reduce ping?
This is a tricky question to answer as a VPN will reduce ping in some instances but won’t make a difference in others.
If you’re looking to reduce ping while gaming, the first thing you need is a fast VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month).
If you have a slow connection, it could be because your connection isn’t taking the fastest route to the game servers. This will increase your ping and cause stuttering issues when gaming.
A fast VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month) will allow you to connect to the game’s server via a faster route. Your data packets will get to the game servers quicker, meaning the response will reach your device faster. This will reduce your ping.
A VPN will not reduce your ping if your internet connection is already using the fastest route to reach the game servers. However, it could stabilise your connection and reduce lag spikes.
How does a VPN work?
When you use a VPN, your internet connection is made anonymous. VPNs do this by encrypting all your online data into an unreadable code. This means online services cannot track your connection to determine where you’re located or gather any information you may have on your system.
Once your data is encrypted, it’s then rerouted through a server hosted by the VPN. Once it reaches this server, the encrypted data is decrypted and sent to a local internet service provider in a country of your choosing. This allows you to make it look like you’re connecting to the internet from within that country.
For example, if you are trying to play a game that’s banned in your country, all you have to do is download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month) connect to a server in a country where the game isn’t banned, and you’ll be able to play the game in your country.

How to use a VPN on PlayStation and Xbox?
If you’re gaming on a console and you want to secure your connection, change region, or get around ISP throttling with a VPN. Unfortunately, there isn’t a VPN available on PlayStation and Xbox.
There is a simple way to get a VPN for your console, though. All you need to do is install a VPN on a router, connect your console to that router, and the process will work. You can read our guide on the best way to install a VPN on a router here.
The benefit of having a VPN on a router is massive. You can connect any device to the router, i.e. your phone, PC, laptop, TV or gaming console and they’ll all utilise the VPN.
The best VPNs for gaming
1. ExpressVPN
The fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
SPECIAL OFFER – 3-MONTHS FREE!
2. NordVPN
A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Pro
- Fast servers
- No logs
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 6-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
SPECIAL OFFER – $3.49/month
3. Ivacy
The great low-cost VPN option

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- Dedicated streaming servers
- 5-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 5 devices
- Sometimes runs slow
- Occasionally blocked by streaming sites
SPECIAL OFFER: 7-DAY TRIAL ($0.99)
4. Private Internet Access
The BEST mid-range VPN for streaming!
Pros
- Fast and reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 48 server locations
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 82%!
30-day money-back guarantee
5. CyberGhost

Pros
- 1-day free trial
- Reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 7-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
- Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
30-day money-back guarantee