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If you're looking for the very best VPN for gaming, take it from Bonnie Tyler: it's gotta be strong and it's gotta be fast. There are plenty of reasons to invest in a VPN if you’re playing games online regularly. Console gamers may not have the breadth of options that PC (or Mac) gamers do, but picking the right VPN can be important for a variety of reasons.
Whether you’re looking to check out the Netflix library of another region, connect to an alternative server for your online gaming, or just want peace of mind and some protection from a potential DDoS, we’ve been digging through the finest VPNs out there and have settled on a winner.
The best gaming VPN overall
We’ll preface this by explaining that all of our top 5 options are great, but NordVPN has become a household name for a reason. In fact, it excels at just about any metric, with almost 10,000 servers worldwide spread across more than 200 countries.
Its NordLynx protocol is a proprietary one based on WireGuard, so it’s pretty consistent with anything that works with the latter.
There are handy features like a Kill switch and split tunnelling, but perhaps the big draw is its speed. In all honesty, the speed drop when using a VPN should only be noticeable when testing with tools like Speedtest (find more about our testing methodology further down the page), but I was shocked by the numbers.
My 1Gbps fiber connection lost such a negligible amount of speed, with ping nigh-on matching what it would be with no VPN, that I honestly had to run the test half a dozen times.
The only real downside is the 10-device limit. It’s not low by any means, but with other offerings on this list going beyond that, it’s a minor fly in the ointment - especially with its “No Logs” policy backed up with regular third-party audits.
The best of the rest
Another very popular option, ExpressVPN, lags behind NordVPN in terms of server coverage (it has them in 108 countries) but is still far ahead of much of the chasing pack.
It’s great at getting around geoblockers, letting you stream from just about anywhere on Earth, and speeds are fantastic - to a point. The Lightway Turbo protocol is, sadly, just for Windows users, but it does offer speeds that match NordVPN.
On the other hand, switching to the standard Lightway Protocol on a Mac would’ve put it at the bottom of the pile compared to others on this list. Our advice is to lean into the OpenVPN protocol for much more useful speeds.
Device-wise, ExpressVPN lets you connect up to 14 devices at once if you’re on the Pro plan, so you get a little more flexibility than NordVPN.
Operated via a straightforward app, swapping between regions is easy. All you need to do is select a region from the dropdown menu and click the central button.
Although ExpressVPN is a little more expensive than some competitors, it boasts 256-bit encryption and doesn't feel too overwhelming. We'd recommend it for those reasons alone, but its versatility when it comes to protecting your data via PC and watching shows outside of your region elevate it to the top spot.
Another slight drop in server count and location, Surfshark has almost 5,000 in 100 countries. It’s competitively priced at around $2 a month across two years, with the major boon that this includes unlimited device connections.
That makes Surfshark ideal for anyone with a fleet of tech to use it with, but that means very little if it’s not at least relatively slick in terms of speeds.
In our testing, WireGuard speeds were a little slower than NordVPN and ExpressVPN, but only fractionally so. And, while it won’t connect to VALORANT (Riot’s very hot on IP spoofing for its competitive shooter), it was pretty great by just about every other metric.
Surfshark hit WireGuard speeds of over 950 Mbps—which is way more than you need to enjoy smooth online gaming and buffer-free HD streaming. In fact, Surfshark has no trouble unblocking content libraries from around the world, whether you're into Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or smaller regional services.
It’s solid for geounblocking, and it scrubs its servers every 15 minutes, so no user data is stored. It’s also got a handy browser that removes a lot of the cruft that Google users find frustrating about search results.
If you're working with a limited budget, or just want to bag a bargain, then Surfshark could be your match made in heaven. It's an awesome low-cost provider that comes stacked with features, and one we frequently recommend to VPN newbies thanks to its user-friendly apps.
Windscribe’s list of servers is obfuscated, but they’re spread across 70 countries. It’s lacking in an independent audit history, and compatibility isn’t quite as good as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or Surfshark (it wouldn’t connect to Riot’s VALORANT, in our testing), but it does allow you to enjoy unlimited devices connected to the service simultaneously.
Its biggest draw, at least as far as gamers are likely to be concerned, is the super-low ping. If the game supports it (and CS 2 does), you can really minimize your ping.
Privacy-wise, there’s no Kill switch, with the company instead going all-in on a firewall to block traffic from spilling out into the domain of snoops.
Proton is doing some interesting things, notably giving a (very limited) free version of its VPN when you sign up for an account. With that said, it’s got a limited number of servers (a fraction of the more than 15,000 available).
If you’re on the paid plan, though, you’ll get good download speeds with WireGuard at the cost of some latency and lower WireGuard speeds. On the plus side, it’s remarkably easy to use, even for a VPN newcomer, and if you’re not looking to change your ping and just use a VPN for privacy when browsing or getting around geoblocks, it’ll work nicely.
In terms of extras, you’ll also get access to features like a password manager, cloud storage, and even an email account.
How we test VPNs
We tested all of the entries on this list on a PC, connecting to the service and running speed tests, browsing the web, and logging into streaming services to test geounblocking.
Ping is measured across popular video games like Apex Legends, Battlefield 6, Fortnite, and Counter-Strike 2.
Each test is run multiple times, with averages used to assess speeds and latency.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
