Best VPN for Gaming in 2024

Recommended VPNs for online gaming include:

In the rapidly evolving realm of online gaming, a reliable VPN (Virtual Private Network) has become an indispensable tool for gamers across the globe. Whether you’re aiming to bypass regional restrictions to access games from around the world, safeguard yourself from DDoS attacks, or simply enhance your gaming experience by reducing ping and lag, a VPN can be your ultimate ally. However, it’s important to note that not all VPNs are created equal, particularly when it comes to gaming. In this guide, we’ll not only introduce you to the top VPNs for online gaming but also delve into the manifold benefits of using a VPN for your gaming endeavors.

Advantages of Using a VPN for Online Gaming

There are several reasons to use a VPN for online gaming. Not only can it protect your security and privacy, but it can also open up a world of new gaming experiences. Here are the four key advantages:

There are several compelling reasons to use a VPN for online gaming. Not only can it protect your security and privacy, but it can also open up a world of new gaming experiences. Here are the four key advantages:

Secure Your Gaming Experience

In the world of online gaming, threats can come from any direction. You might be playing against a multitude of participants, and there’s always a chance that someone might try to exploit your IP address for malicious purposes. With a VPN, you can mask your IP address and encrypt the information transmitted between your device and the VPN server, reducing the risk of cyber attacks and ensuring a safe gaming environment.

Access Geo-Restricted Games

Ever heard of incredible games that are only available outside your country? With a VPN, you can bypass these geographical restrictions. By connecting to a VPN server in a different country, your IP address changes to that of the foreign server. This allows you to access and play games that are typically unavailable in your region. Whether it’s a European-exclusive game you want to play in the US, or a US-only game you’re eager to try in Asia, a VPN makes it possible.

Play on International Servers

Using a VPN isn’t just about accessing new games; it’s also about enhancing your gaming experience. By connecting to a VPN server outside your country, you can play on international servers that you wouldn’t normally be able to access. This can lead to new experiences and challenges, and in some cases, it might even improve your connection speed and reduce lag.

Get Early Access to New Releases

In the fast-paced world of gaming, getting early access to new releases can be a huge advantage. Some games are released in certain countries before they’re available elsewhere. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in a country where the game has already been launched, allowing you to play it ahead of its release in your own country.

How to Choose the Best VPN for Online Gaming

When selecting a VPN for online gaming, consider these five points:

High Transmission Speed and Low Ping Value

Stable communication speed is vital for smooth online gaming. Lag at critical moments can disrupt your gameplay, making a stable connection essential. Alongside communication speed, the ping value is also crucial. The lower the ping value, the faster the response and the less likely you are to experience lag. Generally, a ping value of 20 ms or less is considered good for comfortable online gaming, while anything over 100 ms can lead to an uncomfortable gaming experience. Choose a VPN service known for its speed and low ping values. Many paid VPNs offer a trial period, allowing you to assess the service before committing.

Server Locations and Availability

The number of servers and their locations are important factors when choosing a VPN. More servers mean more countries you can virtually reside in, allowing you to play more games and access them ahead of time. Additionally, having more servers provides alternatives in case of server failure or accessibility issues. As a rule of thumb, opt for a VPN with servers in dozens of countries and more than 1,000 servers.

Ease of Use

The ease of connecting to a VPN server is also important. If it’s not user-friendly, it can cause frustration every time you play a game. For instance, if it takes a long time to start up the application and connect each time, it can lead to a less than ideal gaming experience. Usability may seem like a minor factor, but it’s important for a seamless daily gaming experience.

Security and Privacy

For security, we recommend a VPN that uses advanced encryption technology. Major VPNs with a large number of users worldwide typically use military-grade encryption technology, ensuring your security. For privacy, opt for a VPN that employs a no-log policy. This policy ensures that no communication logs passing through the VPN server are recorded. With no logs kept, the VPN service provider won’t be able to identify which online games you’ve played. The more confidential your communications are, the more you can focus on playing online games without worrying about your privacy.

Excellent Support

Prompt and courteous support is also important when choosing a VPN. It’s not uncommon to encounter issues such as the VPN server suddenly becoming unavailable or the game operator suddenly blocking the VPN. If you can contact support immediately and have them respond to such situations, you can minimize downtime. VPNs that are popular with users typically have good support, so we recommend choosing a well-known VPN with a good reputation.

Best VPN Services for Gaming

Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN	SurfShark	CyberGhost	Private Internet Accesss
Prices	1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month	1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month	1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month	1-Month: $12.99 6-Months: $6.99/month 24-Months: $2.11/month	1-Month: $11.95 12-Months: $3.33/month 36-Months: $2.03/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days	1-Month: 14 days 6-Month/24-Month: 45 days	30 days
Countries	105	60	100	91	84
Servers	3,000+	5,800+	3,200+	9,500+	Undisclosed
Maximum devices supported	8	10	Unlimited	7	unlimited
Connection Speed	Ultra Fast	Fast	Fast	Fast	Fast
Security	AES-256 Kill Switch	AES-256 Kill Switch	AES-256 Kill Switch	AES-256 Kill Switch	- Kill Switch
Privacy	No-logging	No-logging	No-logging	No-logging	No-logging
Support	24/7	24/7	24/7	24/7	24/7

ExpressVPN: Ultra-fast Internet Speeds

Prices	1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month
No-log-policy and kill switch	Yes
Countries and servers	105/3,000+
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
24/7 customer support	Yes
Maximum devices supported	8
Headquarter	British Virgin Islands

ExpressVPN has some of the fastest internet speeds of the VPNs we have used. ExpressVPN is consistently found by review sites to be one of the fastest VPNs. Therefore ExpressVPN receives great reviews and popularity. With a network of over 3,000 servers in 105 countries, users have a wide range of options for changing their IP address to different locations. ExpressVPN prioritizes user privacy with a secure no-logs policy and offers additional features such as a kill switch and 24/7 customer support.

After you’ve registered with ExpressVPN, you can use it to easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.

Ideal for those who:

• Place a high importance on internet speed
• Want to use the VPN with the greatest market popularity

\30-day Money-Back Guarantee/

Try ExpressVPN

NordVPN: The Ultimate Balance of Price and Internet Speed

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month
No-log-policy and kill switch	Yes
Countries and servers	60/5,800+
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
24/7 customer support	Yes
Maximum devices supported	10
Headquarter	Republic of Panama

NordVPN has established itself as a leading VPN service, offering an excellent balance of price, internet speed, server coverage, and global reach. As a result, NordVPN has gained the largest market share worldwide. It consistently receives positive reviews from top experts in the industry. With a vast network of over 5,800 servers across 60 countries, NordVPN provides a wide range of options for changing your IP address to various locations. NordVPN prioritizes user privacy with a secure no-logs policy, along with additional features such as a kill switch and 24/7 customer support.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using NordVPN just by downloading their app.

Ideal for those who:

• Want to balance price and internet speed
• Want to use the VPN with the highest market popularity

\30-day Money-Back Guarantee/

Try NordVPN

Surfshark: Impressive Experience with Fast-growing Emerging VPN

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month
No-log-policy and kill switch	Yes
Countries and servers	100/3,200+
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
24/7 customer support	Yes
Maximum devices supported	Unlimited
Headquarter	Netherlands

Surfshark, established in 2018, has quickly gained a strong reputation and popularity worldwide despite being a relatively new service. While it may have some occasional delays in connecting and slightly weaker region-blocking capabilities compared to ExpressVPN and NordVPN, it offers significant advantages. By opting for the 24-month plan, you can obtain Surfshark at a much lower price than ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Additionally, Surfshark provides unlimited simultaneous connections, allowing you and your family to connect and use all your devices simultaneously. With over 3,200 servers in 99 countries, Surfshark offers a wide range of options. It also boasts a private and secure no-logs policy, a kill switch, and 24/7 customer support.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using Surfshark by downloading their app.

Ideal for those:

• Who want to some constant quality and budget
• Who want to connect with lots of devices

\30-day Money-Back Guarantee/

Try SurfShark

CyberGhost: Fast Netflix Streaming, 45-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

Prices	1-Month: $12.99 6-Months: $6.99/month 24-Months: $2.11/month
No-log-policy and kill switch	Yes
Countries and servers	91/9,500+
Money-back Guarantee	1-Month: 14 days 6-Month/24-Month: 45 days
24/7 customer support	Yes
Maximum devices supported	7
Headquarter	Romania

CyberGhost is a powerful VPN service that excels at unblocking websites. With streaming-optimized servers dedicated to Netflix, you can enjoy ultra-fast speeds and buffer-free streaming. CyberGhost boasts a vast network of 9,200 servers across 91 countries, making it an excellent choice for unblocking Netflix in various countries. Additionally, you can take advantage of its cost-effectiveness and a 45-day money-back guarantee, surpassing the standard 30-day period, by opting for the 24-month plan.

Ideal for those:

• Want to expand your Netflix experience across borders
• Seeking an ample trial period

\45-day Money-Back Guarantee /

Try CyberGhost

Private Internet Access: A Highly Popular VPN Service at a Low Price

Prices	1-Month: $11.95 12-Months: $3.33/month 36-Months: $2.03/month
No-log-policy and kill switch	Yes
Countries and servers	84/Undisclosed
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
24/7 customer support	Yes
Maximum devices supported	Unlimited
Headquarter	United States

Private Internet Access, commonly abbreviated as PIA, has secured the third position in market popularity following ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Its established reputation has enabled PIA to capture a significant market share worldwide. Particularly known for its relatively long-standing presence, PIA offers competitive pricing, making it a more affordable choice compared to ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Applying for the 36-month plan, in particular, allows you to obtain PIA at a much cheaper price.
Reference: https://vpnpro.com/blog/vpn-market-share-overview/

Ideal for those:

• Who prioritize affordability and popularity

\30-day Money-Back Guarantee /

Try PIA VPN

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