Article Summary
- Top VPNs maintain low ping for a nearly lossless gaming experience.
- Play anywhere by accessing geo-restricted games and different server regions.
- Enhance security and protect yourself from potential DDoS attacks.
- Provider performance varies greatly; testing is crucial for your specific needs.
The first thing that you should have in mind when using a VPN for gaming is how it affects your speed. If your ping skyrockets then everything else that might be good about the VPN becomes rather meaningless. That’s why we tested each provider with two different locations: their suggested location and a connection from Europe to the United States. For our tests, we used two different software apps to measure the connection data.
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But numbers are not everything in this review. Our main focus was on the overall connection and experience while gaming. Some providers like ProtonVPN, for example, showed good numbers during the initial connection tests, but if you’re unable to connect to an actual game, then these numbers don’t mean anything.
+ What Are The Benefits of Using a VPN?
+ DDoS attack security
+ Should you use a VPN on a smartphone?
Our VPN for Gaming review process
For testing, we chose popular, free-to-play games like Apex Legends and Valorant. Since many games don’t have in-game latency options, we used two different software apps to measure the connection times: Speedtest by Ookla and specialized gaming measurement tools like Haste, which are developed specifically for measuring latency while gaming.
We selected 14 different popular VPN providers and used their smart location or the closest server available. And for extra good measure, we also took a look at how the connection from Europe to the USA performed, as many gamers need to connect to servers in different regions.
14 Best VPNs for Gaming
Before we get into the list, here is our connection stats before connecting to a VPN.
Without a VPN:
Haste Game Recap
Ping: 49.8ms
Jitter: 1.3ms
Packet Loss: 0.0%
Speedtest:
Ping: 6ms
Download: 21.09Mbps
Upload: 2.79Mbps
And here are our Top 14 reviewed VPN providers for gaming.
1. NordVPN
There is a reason NordVPN is our number one recommended host. They have excelled in everything that we’ve thrown at them, from reliable service to an air-tight logging policy. And the same continues in gaming.
We had a steady connection throughout the testing session. After a couple of games, the connection average came in with an only 5.1ms increase in ping. That change was small enough to go unnoticed by us while playing.
It’s also promising to see that NordVPN specifically advertises itself as a top solution for gaming. This is backed up by their gaming-optimized servers and proprietary NordLynx protocol that helps maintain low ping rates.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 54.9ms (+5.1ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.64Mbps (-1.45Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.12Mbps (-0.67Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 128ms (+78.2ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
- Locations: 118+ countries, 7,400+ servers
- NordVPN Price: $3.09/mo
NordVPN excels at every aspect of our tests. They offer a reasonable price and provide top-notch service with features like Meshnet for LAN gaming with friends across the globe and specialized protection against DDoS attacks. Their NordLynx protocol (based on WireGuard) delivers consistent performance with minimal impact on latency.
2. Surfshark
We had really pleasant results with Surfshark. Throughout the testing, we had no connection errors, nor did we experience any slow loading times.
Surfshark had a very strong connection time. The overall average ping loss was only 5.8ms. As a matter of fact, the loss was so minor that we didn’t notice any difference connected to SurfShark or without a VPN connection — it was a nearly lossless experience.
That’s how it’s supposed to be. While Surfshark doesn’t heavily market itself specifically for gaming, it certainly delivers exceptional performance. Their WireGuard protocol implementation ensures fast, stable connections ideal for competitive gaming.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 55.6ms (+5.8ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.84Mbps (-1.25Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.00Mbps (-0.79Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 152.7ms (+102.9ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android
- Locations: 100+ countries, 3,200+ servers
- SurfShark Price: $1.99/mo
SurfShark delivered very good results. A major advantage is their unlimited simultaneous connections policy – perfect for households with multiple gamers. Their Dynamic MultiHop feature provides extra security by routing your connection through two VPN servers, and their static IP option helps prevent bans in games that flag VPN usage.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has always been one of the best providers out there, with a premium approach to their service. They cost a bit more than many other good providers, but at least you get a premium service for it as well.
With their Smart Location, we had a ping loss of only 9.6ms throughout our session. We did not notice any difference in connection compared to gaming without a VPN.
ExpressVPN positions itself as an excellent option for gaming consoles through their proprietary Lightway protocol, designed for improved speed and stability. Their service works with PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and even Nintendo Switch through router configurations or their Aircove router with built-in VPN functionality.
Fast and stable connection, great ease of use and reliable service makes them a can’t-go-wrong pick in our eyes.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 59.4ms (+9.6ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.59Mbps (-1.50Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 3.25Mbps (+0.46Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 121.4ms (+71.6ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, iOS, SmartTV
- Locations: 105 countries, 3,000+ servers
- ExpressVPN Price: $4.99/mo
ExpressVPN has been one of our top picks for a long time, and with good reason. Their TrustedServer technology ensures all servers run in RAM-only mode, leaving no data behind. While it’s the most expensive option on our list, it consistently delivers excellent performance for gaming across all platforms.
4. HideMyAss
HideMyAss had good results if you can overlook the 10-15 minute account creation process. But besides that, they had a very solid connection.
HideMyAss even managed to speed the connection up by a tiny margin. They brought in a very solid -5.0ms from the original connection. That can happen when the game servers are overloaded, and having a harder time with longer connections. So, if the VPN server region is closer to the games server then you are, they might manage to speed up the connection between your location and the VPN server location.
I couldn’t find anything about gaming specifically on their website but doesn’t seem to matter, since their performance was top-notch. The sign-up process wasn’t the best and the account creation took some time, which brought the overall experience down a bit. But once you’re past that they seem to perform well.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 55.6ms (+5.8ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.84Mbps (-1.25Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.00Mbps (-0.79Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 109ms (+59.2ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android
- Locations: 190 countries, 930+ servers
- HideMyAss Price: $4.99/mo
HideMyAss performed well in our quick tests. We had no problems connecting to a game and the test results came in solid as well.
5. BufferedVPN
With BufferedVPN, we had little-to-no issues. All test results were good and the gaming session as a whole had no noticeable lags.
Straight out of the box, BufferedVPN started really strong with the speed test, having a download speed drop of only 0.75Mbps. And the gaming session average came in with just an 8.9ms ping difference. Another important thing to highlight is that the connection was stable; we didn’t notice anything that would affect the gaming experience negatively.
They also work with gaming consoles. We’re not sure about all of them, but at least they have stated on their site that they work with Xbox and PlayStation.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 40.9ms (-8.9ms)
- Speedtest Download: 20.34Mbps (-0.75Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.59Mbps (-0.20Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 129.7ms (+79.9ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, Linux, OSX, iOS, Android
- Locations: 37 servers
- BufferedVPN Price: $4.12/mo
BufferedVPN works well with gaming.
6. VyprVPN
VyprVPN had some very respectable results. The connection time to a VPN server was a bit long (30+ seconds). But other than that, they had a solid stable performance.
During the gaming session, we did have a moment when we were suddenly “teleporting” around because of the slow connection. And to our luck, it happened just as we started engaging another team, which of course didn’t go our way. It was also picked up by their Windows client, which is nice to see. But overall the average ping was only 10ms slower and besides that one serious lag, we had no troubles.
It’s always nice to see when the providers advertise themselves as gaming-oriented. This usually means that they put more emphasis on making you safer from DDoS attacks and providing a more stable connection.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 60.0ms (+10.2ms)
- Speedtest Download: 18.05Mbps (-3.04Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.27Mbps (-0.52Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 164.8ms (+115ms)
- Devices supported: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and Apple TV
- Locations: 70 countries, 700+ servers
- VyprVPN Price: $4.99/mo
VyprVPN connecting to a server might take up to two minutes, but that’s about the only negative we experienced.
7. VPNArea
VPNArea performed well with their closest server but dropped the ball when we tried the long-distance connection(from EU to the US).
Our session with the recommended server went without any problems. The connection was fast and stable. VPN Area had a ping loss of only 3.1ms.
But the problems started showing instantly when we connected to the US server. We had connection times of 40+ seconds while trying to connect to their US server. And overall the connection was not very stable. We had to try both tests multiple times in order to get any stats. And gaming itself was near impossible. Out of the three games that we tried we could only finish one of them without the game disconnecting us.
On their server list page, they do state that the servers are optimized for gaming, and that holds true for a close by connection. But if you want to access geo-restricted games, you’re better off with NordVPN or SurfShark.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 52.9ms(+3.1ms)
- Speedtest Download: 20.26Mbps (-0.83Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.07Mbps (-0.72Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Ping: 114ms (+64.2ms)
- Devices supported: Windows 7 or newer, Mac OS (Yosemite or newer), Android, iOS (iPhone, iPad), Linux
- Locations: 70 countries, 212 servers
- VPNArea Price: $2.99/mo
VPNArea is good for nearby locations but really drops the ball when it comes to connection anywhere farther away.
8. TunnelBear
The connection with Tunnelbear definitely wasn’t the best experience we have had, and the gaming session test shows why.
We experienced a noticeably slower connection throughout the session. Tunnelbear initially had a steady connection but, unfortunately, their ping was not that great with an additional 101.5ms loading time. As a matter of fact, there wasn’t a big difference between the long-distance connection and recommended connection. Both were similarly slower (but at least very steady).
We couldn’t find anything on their website related to gaming, so it seems that this niche is not one of their priorities (and it shows).
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 151.3ms (+101.5ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.87Mbps (-1.22Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 2.00Mbps (-0.79Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Ping: 116.4ms (+66.6ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, macOS, Android and iOS devices
- Locations: 22 countries
- TunnelBear Price: $5.00/mo
TunnelBear is an okay choice for all your gaming related activities. You will experience a slower ping time, but at least they make up for it with being steady. They are pretty good for games that don’t rely so heavily on ping time (like online strategy games and so on).
9. SaferVPN
SaferVPN was okay with an automatic location but turned out to be unusable with the long-distance EU to US server connection.
They had a good stable connection with the recommended server, with a ping only 9.2ms over the standard connection. Another positive factor was that the connection was very steady, having almost no ups or downs throughout the session.
But this is where the bad news starts. We had no luck with the EU to the US connection. We couldn’t even get the speed test to load. And keep in mind Speedtest.net takes about 20-30 seconds, so we couldn’t get a stable connection for even such a short time. After 30 minutes of relentless, unsuccessful gaming attempts, we gave up.
They claim to be unblocking for games, and to some extent, they are good for it with a close server. But to unlock games you probably want to connect to somewhere farther away in the first place. And that seemed to be too much of a challenge for their servers.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 59.0ms (+9.2ms)
- Speedtest Download: 19.85Mbps (-1.24Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 17.61Mbps (+14.82Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Couldn’t Connect
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, Android, Windows phone, Gaming Consoles
- Locations: 34 countries, 700+ servers
- SaferVPN Price: $4.99/mo
They started out well and seemed really good with a short distance connection, but turned up to be completely unusable with farther distances between the servers.
10. CyberGhost
CyberGhost started out well. Our first testing session with the closest server went without any noticeable differences. But when it came to the long-distance connection, we were unable to even connect to a game.
CyberGhost performed very well throughout the first session. We managed to connect to a game without any issues, and they actually managed to lower our average ping by 4.9ms. There was a bit of a jitter in the connection but nothing too serious to notice.
And now to the bad part: Speedtest.net shows a download speed drop of 13.15Mbps. So if you’re thinking about downloading a geo-restricted game, then settle in, because it might take a while. And once you manage to get the game, you’re going to be out luck if you need to connect anywhere that’s not nearby. After trying for over an hour to get into a game, we gave up. We could not establish a steady-enough connection to get into a game. The furthest that we got was champion selection.
In 2025, CyberGhost now offers dedicated gaming servers in major regions, which are specially optimized to deliver low latency for competitive gaming. These gaming-specific servers are clearly marked in their app interface, making them easy to find and connect to for the best gaming experience.
- Gaming Session Recap: ping 44.9ms (-4.9ms)
- Speedtest Download: 7.94Mbps (-13.15Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 1.78Mbps (-1.01Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Couldn’t Connect
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android
- Locations: 100 countries, 9,900+ servers
- CyberGhost Price: $2.19/mo
CyberGhost works for gaming if you choose a nearby server, particularly their new gaming-optimized servers, but the long-distance connection is too unstable to even connect to a game.
11. ProtonVPN
Truthfully, there is not much to say about ProtonVPN. We were only able to do quick connection tests. And they even showed an unsteady connection.
We were unable to connect to a game, even with their recommended server. The only thing tests we managed to run were Haste Check and Speedtest. The performance numbers were good and somehow the upload speed was incredible (we did three different tries and all turned out with similar results). But there was a huge packet loss every few seconds. That made it unable for us to even get one game in. The same story continued with a long-distance connection.
Recent updates to ProtonVPN in 2025 have introduced VPN Accelerator technology aimed at improving performance for high-bandwidth activities like gaming and streaming. Their free tier now offers unlimited data, which could make it an option for casual gamers who need basic protection without massive performance requirements.
- Gaming Session Recap: Couldn’t Connect
- Speedtest Download: 19.21Mbps (-1.88Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 24.80Mbps (+22.01Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Couldn’t Connect
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android
- Locations: 65+ countries, 2,900+ servers
- ProtonVPN Price: $3.99/mo
ProtonVPN is definitely not meant for gaming. We had even problems getting into the home screen in Apex Legends, and that’s with their closest server available.
12. Hotspot Shield
Unfortunately, we were unable to get past the champion selection screen in the game with HotspotShield. But on the bright side, their speed test was good — even though it doesn’t really help if the game doesn’t work.
We tried multiple times and the closest we got to a game was into the champion selection. We did manage to do a Speedtest, but even then the ping was 62ms slower than normal. And it was even worse with the US server. Speedtest results were below average and this time we were unable to even get to the homepage in the game.
Hotspot Shield has updated their Catapult Hydra protocol in 2025, which they claim delivers better gaming performance. While our original tests showed problematic results for gaming, their newer server infrastructure might yield different results for today’s popular titles.
- Gaming Session Recap: Couldn’t Connect
- Speedtest Download: 23.06Mbps (+1.97Mbps)
- Speedtest Upload: 6.07Mbps (+3.28Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Couldn’t Connect
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android
- Locations: 80+ countries
- Hotspot Shield Price: $3.49/mo
We just can’t recommend HotspotShield for gaming. It took us 5 disconnects to finally get into a game, and even then the connection dropped few minutes in.
13. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access, or PIA, was hours of frustration in our original tests. After trying to restart our devices, resetting our connection, and all the other tricks we could think of, we still didn’t manage to even get the Speedtest done.
However, in 2025, PIA has made significant improvements to their gaming capabilities. They now offer servers in 91 countries with a 10Gbps network that can significantly reduce ping times for online gaming. Their improvements to latency and VPN protocol options make them a much more viable choice for gamers than when we originally tested.
On their website, they still acknowledge that VPNs aren’t always ideal for gaming: “To be completely honest, using a VPN connection to play games is ill-advised.” However, their new gaming-optimized servers are specifically designed to overcome these limitations.
- Gaming Session Recap: Couldn’t Connect (Original Test)
- Speedtest Download: Couldn’t Connect (Original Test)
- Speedtest Upload: Couldn’t Connect (Original Test)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): Couldn’t Connect (Original Test)
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android
- Locations: 91 countries, 3,300+ servers
- PIA Price: $2.19/mo
Our original tests with PIA were disappointing, but their 2025 offerings with dedicated gaming infrastructure warrant a fresh evaluation for serious gamers.
Read PrivateInternetAccess Review
14. IPVanish
And at the bottom of the list we have IPVanish. But for a whole new reason. We couldn’t even get to test them out properly. For some reason after signing up with IPVanish we had only one server available to us. And that server was Jackson in the United States.
The only thing we managed to do was to test their US server. And even that didn’t perform well enough, having an additional ping of 176.6ms in the quick connection test. We could not manage to get a full game in. The furthest we got was about 2-3 minutes of game time before we got disconnected. Even then the connection was unsteady. We would often get stuck in one place and suddenly teleport 20ft further.
We contacted the support to see if it was something that we managed to mess up, and turns out that it wasn’t. After being on the live chat for about 20 to 25 minutes they somehow managed to get us another 20-30 servers but said they had to escalate the concern. And that was that. I waited for another 24 hours and the same issue consisted. So that was when we decided to throw in the towel and give up.
In 2025, IPVanish has expanded their server network and improved their gaming performance. Their service now boasts better routing algorithms that can in some cases improve ping times by finding more efficient paths to gaming servers.
- Gaming Session Recap: Couldn’t Connect (Original Test)
- EU to US Speedtest Download: 19.79Mbps (-1.30Mbps)
- EU to US Speedtest Upload: 2.29Mbps (-0.50Mbps)
- Long Distance Connection Game(EU to US): ping 226.4ms (+176.6ms)
- Devices supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Windows phone
- Locations: 75+ countries, 2,000+ servers
- IPVanish Price: $3.99/mo
Hard to make any conclusion out of this. But as much as we could test, the results were not promising. However, their 2025 service improvements suggest a re-evaluation might be warranted.
+ Comparison Table
+ Gaming in 2025: New Considerations
+ Top 30 Games Price Comparision
Conclusion: The Best VPNs for Gaming in 2025
After extensive testing and considering all the modern gaming requirements, our top recommendations for gaming VPNs in 2025 are:
- NordVPN – Best overall gaming VPN with the perfect balance of speed, server coverage, and specialized gaming features like Meshnet for virtual LAN gaming
- Surfshark – Excellent value with unlimited device connections and impressive performance on local servers
- ExpressVPN – Premium option with the fastest speeds and best console support through router configurations
For most gamers, we recommend NordVPN due to its balanced approach to gaming needs. The NordLynx protocol delivers consistently low ping times, their massive server network ensures you can always find a fast connection, and their DDoS protection keeps you safe from attacks during competitive play.
If you need to cover multiple devices or have a household of gamers, Surfshark’s unlimited connections policy makes it the most cost-effective choice without sacrificing performance.
For those willing to pay a premium for the absolute best speed and lowest latency, ExpressVPN remains the top choice, especially for console gamers who will benefit from their dedicated router app and Aircove router with built-in VPN functionality.
When choosing a VPN for gaming, focus on these key factors:
- Server proximity to both your location and game servers
- Modern VPN protocols (WireGuard, NordLynx, or Lightway)
- Stability of connection over raw speed numbers
- DDoS protection capabilities
- Device compatibility with your preferred gaming platforms
Remember that individual experiences may vary based on your location, internet connection, and the specific games you play. We recommend taking advantage of the money-back guarantees offered by these services to test their performance with your favorite games before committing to a long-term subscription.</p