Best gaming VPN 2021

The best VPN for gaming will get you the speed you need to compete online but it’ll do that without compromising your security. Not all VPNs are the same so finding the best for gaming is important as you’ll want to keep ping times down for the best possible competitive edge online.

If you’re spending a lot of time gaming online then it makes sense to keep your connection and personal details secure. It’s also good to have a layer of defense against potential DDoS attacks that some overly competitive gamers will use as a weapon.

Another great feature is the ability to change your apparent location. This means you can play games that might otherwise be geo-restricted by country. It also means for anyone on an open connection like at a university, say, you’ll still be able to play otherwise blocked games like Fortnite.

Speed will usually suffer a little as a result of bouncing your signal about through a VPN. However, we found in our testing that in some cases we actually got faster speeds. Yup, if you pick the right VPN for your location, there could really be nothing to lose and lots to gain.

How does a gaming VPN get me access?

A VPN, or virtual private network, works by bouncing your signal through another server, using an assigned IP address. All that means you appear to be someone else, somewhere else. While that’s great for anonymity and security, it also means you can appear to be anywhere you need.

This means you can appear to be outside the network – hence being able to access blocked content like Fornite at university, or a geo-restricted game in another country.

So which is the best VPN for gaming? We’ve tested them all and narrowed the list down to five that each offers a unique appeal, to help you find the best one for you. Be sure to check out our best VPN deals page to see if the option you are interested in happens to be on sale!

ExpressVPN

Best all-round VPN for gaming

Pros

• Fast connections for quality gaming
• Superb customer support
• Great mobile apps
• Top selection of servers worldwide

Cons

• Pricey

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for gaming as, frankly, it’s the best VPN for most tasks. This is thanks to a huge number of high-quality and secure servers spread all over the world, more than 3,000 in 160 locations to be more accurate. This means you should have ones near to you for the fastest possible connection speed while gaming and staying anonymous and secure. That will keep your ping rates low while adding the security layer.

The ExpressVPN app options are also plentiful, meaning you can enjoy this on more than one device like your PC gaming rig, your console, and your phone, all at the same time, with up to five simultaneous connections.

Security is enterprise-level encryption graded and so tight that you can forget about the worry of a DDoS attack likely being a problem for you.

If you run into any issues, like even just trying to find the fastest server for what you’re playing, there is a super helpful 24/7 live chat customer support that really works. All that means this is a little more expensive than the other options on the list but with a 30-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked, it’s well worth a try.

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 3,000+ | Server locations: 160 | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox

ExpressVPN

$6.67 per month at ExpressVPN

This is our top pick for anyone looking to get started with a VPN. It offers a great mix of speed, reliability, outstanding customer service, and affordability. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, so give it a shot today.

StrongVPN

Best for uninterrupted connections

Pros

• Built-in WireGuard support
• Includes SugarSync storage
• Lots of app options

Cons

• Limited server locations in comparison

StrongVPN was basically designed with gaming in mind. The WireGuard integration allows for industry-leading speed and performance and helps ensure that your device stays connected for extended periods of time. You can use it with up to 12 devices at the same time, so no need to disconnect one machine to secure another, and it works across Mac, Android, Windows, iOS, Linux, and more.

The company is so sure you should be using it for gaming that it created a whole post about reasons you’ll want to use it. With plans starting at just over $5 it’s hard to beat this option.

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 995+ | Server locations: 30+ | Maximum devices supported: 12 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

StrongVPN

$2.04 per month at StrongVPN

The built-in WireGuard support here makes StrongVPN a gamer’s dream VPN. Give it a try today and see how you like it!

Surfshark

Best for affordable high-speed gaming

Pros

• Super affordable
• Very fast for gaming
• Unlimited devices

Cons

• Fewer servers than some

Surfshark might be one of the younger VPNs but that just means it has more to prove – and it really does that well. Despite being one of the cheapest options out there this offers super-fast speeds on a very secure connection. It also covers the globe with over 80 locations featuring its servers, so getting around geo-restrictions isn’t an issue.

Our speed tests found this to be one of the better options to keep your ping times low. But it does this with apps for multiple platforms which are super easy to use and backed by excellent encryption-based security and a clear no-logging policy for your privacy.

Surfshark can be used on an unlimited number of devices using one account and with backing for PlayStation, Xbox, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux this certainly should get lots of cross-device use.

Fast connections: Yes | Number of servers: 1,700+ | Server locations: 100+ | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Playstation, Xbox

Surfshark VPN

$2.49 per month at Surfshark

You can connect as many devices as your heart desires at the same time and never worry about any of them being logged. Surfshark also offers a 30-day guarantee that you’ll like the product, or it will give you your money back.

NordVPN

Best for superb security and restriction evasion

Pros

• Great speeds for gaming
• Lots of server location
• Audited privacy

Cons

• Mobile app needs work

NordVPN is a superb gaming VPN thanks to its double-layer encryption and clear no-logging policy that’s audited, meaning you have total peace of mind for privacy and anonymity. And thanks to a staggering 5,400+ servers spread over 80 locations you can expect fast speeds from this VPN too.

This will definitely help to make sure you don’t have any DDoS issues and will make sure all your information is kept secure. Beyond that, you also have great geo-restriction fixes for gaming and streaming alike making this great for Netflix and BBC iPlayer access too.

There’s also a useful 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try before you buy.

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 5,400+ | Server locations: 80+ | Maximum devices supported: 55+ | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

NordVPN

$3.71 per month at NordVPN

Despite a recent security blunder, NordVPN has been a favorite VPN provider for quite some time. Odds are you’ve heard the name, so why not give it a shot today?

IPVanish

Best for gaming-specific speeds

Pros

• Great ping features
• Fast live chat help
• Free cloud storage

Cons

• Apps are just ok

IPVanish is one of the best VPN options for gaming as it has dedicated gaming features on top of being fast. And by fast we mean up to five times faster than some of the competition over short hops – very impressive stuff. But what we love is the gaming-specific features like ping ordering. Yup, you can order your servers by ping time.

This means you can either get IPVanish to make sure you’re locked into the fastest VPN available when you login, or you can pick servers that are specifically tailored for gaming. That should mean the lowest ping times and minimal lag.

You also get 250GB of free cloud storage, speedy live chat support, and up to 10 devices supported at once for simultaneous use.

Fast connections: Yes | Number of servers: 1,400+ | Server locations: 75 | Maximum devices supported: 10 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

IPVanish VPN

$3.75 per month at IPVanish

IPVanish may not have the biggest numbers for stats, but the service that the company offers is reliable and fast. Getting set up takes just minutes, so start today!

Hotspot Shield

Best for balance

Pros

• Decent gaming speeds
• Easy to use
• Free option

Cons

• Weak support

Hotspot Shield is a great VPN option for gaming as it strikes the balance nicely between affordability and performance. By performance, we don’t just mean its ease of use, which is superb, but also speed.

Thanks to the proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, Hotspot Shield boasts super speed connections and that applies even over long hop distances. So that makes this a great option if you need geo-restrictions on gaming removed while still wanting those ping times kept to a minimum.

This works on up to five devices at once, has Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux support, and offers one of the best money-back guarantees at a whopping 45 days. There’s even a free version to try, although don’t expect the same speeds and you’re limited to 500MB per day.

Fast connections: Very | Number of servers: 3,200+ | Server locations: 130+ | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Can be used with: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux

Hotspot Shield VPN

Try Free at Hotspot Shield

This is our top recommendation for those looking for a free VPN. You do need to enter your credit card number, but the company won’t charge you and you can use the service for free beyond the 7-day trial.