The 10 Best VPN For Gaming For PC, Console, & Mobile In March 2023
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
LinuxVPN Service
Features
Rating
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NordVPN
- One-click next-gen encryption for mobile devices
- NordLynx protocol boasts high speeds & strong security
- Hundreds of secure P2P servers
- Connect up to 6 devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
CyberGhost
- Great combination of speed & security
- Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
- First VPN to publish a Transparency Report
- Protect up to 7 devices with one account
- Free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN
- Simple setup videos for PlayStation, Xbox, & Switch
- Some WiFi routers are preinstalled with ExpressVPN
- Regularly optimized servers deliver good-to-great speeds
- Connect up to 5 devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
VyprVPN
- Added security when accessing cloud servers
- Automatic protection on public WiFi networks
- Chameleon protocol bypasses restrictive networks
- Connect up to 5 devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Private Internet Access
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Easy WiFi router set up
- 124000+ servers in 78 countries
- Anonymous payment options
- Protect up to 10 devices with one account
SurfShark
- NoBorders mode works in restrictive regions
- Camouflage mode masks VPN activity from your ISP
- Whitelist apps & websites to bypass the VPN
- Connect unlimited devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
VPN Unlimited
- Blocks malware and malicious sites
- Fast speeds powered by KeepSolid Wise
- Additional services for specific use cases
- Connect up to 10 devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
SaferVPN
- No discernible decrease in download/upload speed
- Automatically selects the fastest server for you
- Instant protection on public WiFi networks
- Connect up to 5 devices with one account
- 30-day money-back guarantee
PureVPN
- Server footprint covers 140+ countries
- Easy WiFi router setup
- Additional DDoS protection available
- Connect up to 10 devices with one account
- 31-day money-back guarantee
Table Of Contents
- What Is A Gaming VPN?
- What Is A VPN?
- Are Gaming VPNs Legal?
- How Does A VPN Help Me Play Video Games?
- How Does A Gaming VPN Work?
- How Do I Protect My Gaming Console With A VPN?
- Does A Gaming VPN Affect Latency?
- How Do I Get A Gaming VPN?
- Can I Build My Own VPN?
- Features To Consider When Choosing A Gaming VPN
What Is A VPN?
A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a form of programming that creates a secure, anonymous Internet connection. A VPN is one of the best means of ensuring your online data stays private and your activity anonymous. There are other benefits as well, including accessing censored material and geo-restricted content.
A VPN masks your IP address and encrypts all of your data, so your online activities are pretty much untraceable. The privacy and security that VPNs provide have led to a surge in popularity over recent years, and this dramatic increase in widespread usage shows no sign of slowing down yet. It’s estimated that 11 percent of the world’s online population uses a VPN.
What Is A VPN For Gaming?
In short, a gaming VPN is a VPN that is optimized for gaming. They differ from a personal or business VPN by prioritizing speed over multiple layers of security, and as such, are more likely to provide the high connection speeds that online gaming requires.
VPN services that are designed with gaming in mind often have servers with unlimited bandwidth, meaning you’ll never have to worry about exceeding data usage limits.
The best VPN for gaming will also allow you to connect to P2P networks, meaning you can download large files, such as games or movies, without having to worry about drops in speed.
Are Gaming VPNs Legal?
Yes, gaming VPNs are entirely legal. However, you’re still bound to your country’s laws when using a VPN. For example, accessing illegal content and breaching copyright laws is still a no-go.
How Does A VPN Help Me Play Video Games?
A VPN for gaming can help you to access content that may not be available in your country. It can also protect you against malicious individuals who intend on making you the victim of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. (More information on that later.)
Some game publishers restrict the releases of games or downloadable content to specific regions on specific dates. A VPN allows you to spoof your location, bypass any regional restrictions, and enjoy the latest content from your favorite developers as soon as it releases.
A VPN for gaming can also give you access to servers that you might not usually be able to play on. Have a friend in another continent that you really want to play with? Simply spoof your location to their region and party up with your friend.
How Does A Gaming VPN Work?
A VPN for gaming works by encrypting your Internet connection and routing your IP through a remote server. Your device is treated as if it’s located at that server and all of your activity is made anonymous.
There are a host of benefits to this, including:
Your Internet Activity Is Secured
With a VPN for gaming, everything you do online – gaming or otherwise – is secured with military-grade encryption. Nobody can see what you’re doing or access your data, not even your ISP.
Protection From DDoS Attacks
DDoS attacks are the bane of the gaming world. People use these attacks to gain a performance advantage over their competitors by slowing down their Internet connection or kicking them from the server. Some players do it just to be spiteful.
When you’re the target of a DDoS attack, multiple computers attempt to flood your IP address with data to overwhelm your network and make your Internet connection suffer as a result. While even the best VPN for gaming server isn’t 100% DDoS proof, they can handle a lot more traffic than your usual connection would.
As a VPN for gaming hides your device’s IP address and some premium services offer you the ability to switch between various IP addresses, you’re infinitely more protected than you would be without using a gaming VPN.
Game With International Friends
Using a VPN for gaming can allow you to play video games with friends that you wouldn’t normally be able to. If you’re playing a game that has region-locked servers, using a VPN for gaming will enable you to bypass this restriction.
This is an invaluable feature if you’re part of a gaming community with international members.
Save Money On Games & Accessories
There are several instances where a VPN for gaming can save you money. Sure, you’ll be paying a subscription fee to your VPN provider, but if you’re an avid gamer, you’ll definitely reap some financial benefits. By connecting to the Internet from another country, you can purchase games at the local price and browse regional sales, giving you the chance to grab titles for much less than you’d pay in your country.
Other Benefits Of Gaming With A VPN:
- Play on servers in other countries. This is great if you want to play in a region-locked tournament or with a friend on their home servers.
- Avoid ISP throttling – the act of your ISP intentionally slowing down your Internet connection during high-bandwidth usage.
- Play titles as soon as they’re released anywhere in the world. Nobody likes seeing spoilers before they’ve got to experience the game for themselves.
- Play in foreign tournaments.
- Hide your data from advertisers.
- It’s not uncommon for people to be swatted while simply playing online. Using a VPN for gaming can enable you to avoid this potentially deadly practice.
How Do I Protect My Gaming Console With A VPN?
Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch users can protect their consoles with a VPN for gaming, but there isn’t a native app like most devices have.
Instead, there are two main ways to make your connection secure.
Through Your PC
The first option is to connect your console to your desktop or laptop that is running your chosen VPN for gaming, with an Ethernet cable. Ensure that your PC is sharing the Internet with your console in the device settings, and you’re good to go.
Through Your Router
The second option is to install a VPN on your router – if it’s compatible – so that your entire WiFi network is encrypted. This option can be beneficial in more ways than one as it means that every device in your home network will automatically connect to the Internet via a VPN.
Does A Gaming VPN Affect Latency?
Generally, using a VPN for gaming means having to deal with slightly slower connection speeds. It’s important to find a provider that offers high bandwidth servers specifically optimized for online gaming.
In some instances, you’ll find that connecting to a VPN for a gaming server that’s situated physically closer to the gaming server can, in fact, lower your ping. Also, if you suffer from ISP throttling, a VPN for gaming will mask that you are using high amounts of bandwidth from your service provider.
Tips To Get The Fastest VPN Speeds:
- Choose a provider that emphasizes the speed of their connections. They’ll have unlimited bandwidth servers and high download/upload speeds.
- Some encryption protocols emphasize safety over speed and vice versa. When it comes to gaming, you’ll want to ensure you’re using a fast-tunneling protocol as this will provide you with the fastest speeds. Generally, the fastest VPN protocols are PPTP and IKEv2/IPSec.
- Connecting to a dedicated gaming server means you’ll be getting the best quality connection for online gaming. Most popular VPN for gaming providers offer these.
- If you aren’t trying to access regionally-restricted content, always attempt to connect to the server that’s closest to you. A closer server almost always means lower ping.
- The least crowded servers will have the most bandwidth available. The less strain on a server, the more likely it is to deliver better performance.
How Do I Get A VPN For Gaming?
Connecting to a VPN for gaming is usually as simple as downloading an application on your device and signing in. The difficult part is selecting a reliable provider that fits your specific needs.
Compare Service Providers & Seek Expert Opinions
You should always compare gaming VPN providers before making a purchasing decision. Remember, it costs money to run a VPN service, so you should always choose a paid-for service. The best providers have a large server network, zero log policies, and an airtight history with no data breaches.
Avoid Free VPNs For Gaming
When a company isn’t getting money from its users, it’s getting it from somewhere else. With free VPN providers, this usually means they’re selling your information to advertising firms – exactly what you don’t want your VPN for gaming provider to do.
Free services are often slow and insecure, and when you’re using a VPN for gaming, you want it to be as fast, secure, and reliable as possible.
Install Your VPN App & Connect!
A paid VPN for gaming service will usually give you multiple licenses so you can connect to it on numerous devices. Easy to use applications allow you to install your VPN in just a few clicks. Once you’ve logged into the app, you’ll be automatically connected to the VPN server that’s closest to your location. It’s that simple – secure gaming & global content access only takes a few clicks to achieve.
How Much Does A VPN For Gaming Cost?
VPNs are some of the most affordable cybersecurity solutions available today. For example, our top-rated VPN for gaming has plans for less than $5 per month.
It’s important to note that while there are free VPN services on the market, they often lack speed and security. Paying for a premium VPN service will ensure your data remains secure and that you have access to the high speeds that online gaming requires. And there are plenty of great options for just pennies a day.
Can I Build My Own VPN?
You can indeed build your own gaming VPN, here’s one of our favorite DIY guides on the topic.
Drawbacks Of Hosting Your Own VPN Server
There are certainly advantages to building your own VPN for gaming, but it’s important to acknowledge that you will be missing out on a few features that a premium VPN would provide.
- While your data will be encrypted, you won’t be able to hide your IP address.
- You won’t be able to spoof your location.
- They require a decent amount of technical knowledge to configure properly.
- Specific hardware is required.
- It can be difficult to set up on multiple devices.
Features To Consider When Choosing A Gaming VPN
The most important questions that you should be asking yourself when you’re looking for the gaming VPN service that’s best for you are:
- Speed: How fast is the service you’re looking at? Will you be able to play online games without experiencing high ping rates?
- Security: Will the data you transmit be safe? Is your IP address protected from bad actors?
- Zero Log Policy: Does the provider record your data or is it their policy to keep no logs at all?
- Ease of Use: Is it easy to set up or will you struggle with the number of complex steps? Will your devices automatically reconnect or will you have to do it manually each time?
- Customer Support: If something does go wrong, how easy will it be to rectify, will you be able to talk to somebody over the phone or online with relative ease?
- Server Locations: Are their servers located close to you? Will the server locations impact my gaming experience?
- Console/Device Compatibility: Will the VPN work with all of your devices? Are you able to connect everything to it at once?
Enjoy Secure, Anonymous, & Globalized Video Games Today!
It’s our hope that you now fully understand how a VPN for gaming works and how using one can benefit you. Whether you’re simply looking to play with friends in other countries, grab games as soon as they’re released, or simply increase the cybersecurity of your devices, a VPN is a powerful tool. The hardest part is finding the right provider for you.
Luckily, VPN.com has done the legwork for you. We’ve researched and tested over 900 VPN providers. Browse our data and see our top recommendations to start gaming securely and anonymously from anywhere in the world.
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