6 Best VPNs for Gaming in 2025: Play Without Lags

Last Updated on October 14, 2025 by Editorial

Online gaming has grown in popularity, but it’s not all fun and games. Gamers often grapple with lag, high ping rates, and the frustrating throttling by their internet service providers (ISPs). To counter this, you need to use the best VPNs for gaming, which, based on the tests I conducted, is ExpressVPN.

Virtual private networks are game-changers for online gamers. The best VPNs for gaming encrypt and route your gaming traffic through a remote server. This helps you bypass ISP throttling, access geo-restricted games, and reduce lag.

Today, we will be exploring the 6 best VPNs for gaming designed to enhance your gaming experience. We will focus on their speeds, ability to bypass restrictions, and compatibility with gaming devices.

Top 6 VPNs for Gaming

Let’s dive into getting you the 6 best VPNs for gaming.

1. NordVPN – Best Gaming VPN Overall

NordVPN ranks high among our best VPNs for gaming for multiple reasons. It boasts one of the fastest connection speeds, which enables the user to experience minimal lag and a smooth gaming experience. 

Lower speeds can lead to a frustrating and sluggish gaming experience. NordVPN consistently beats competitors, especially with connection speeds, thanks to an in-house variant, NordLynx, an open-source WireGuard protocol.

NordVPN also has great online security tools, torrenting, and streaming capabilities. The VPN efficiently manages customer traffic across 118 countries with over 7,000 server fleets. With this large server network, you are assured of finding a server closer to you.

This geographical proximity helps keep latency low since a high latency will create a delay between your actions and what happens in your game. More on this in our NordVPN review.

Considered one of the safest VPN providers, NordVPN has some of the market-leading encryption that safeguards the user’s online activity while gaming.

NordVPN uses the AES-256-CBC cipher and ChaCha20 encryption to ensure its traffic is unreadable from external watchers. 

This includes protection from potential DDoS attacks. In 2013, NordVPN introduced a cyber protection benefits toolkit backed by insurance to support gamers dealing with cyber extortion and identity theft. 

2. Surfshark – Most Affordable Gaming VPN

Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for gaming due to its budget-friendly plans, unlimited simultaneous connections, and low pings.

It uses the most updated technologies to ensure gaming security and supports a private browsing experience for any user who values confidentiality and smooth gaming.   

Surfshark VPN is safe and packed with excellent security features such as AES-256 and ChaCha encryption, RAM-only servers, and a kill switch that prevents exposing your IP address or unencrypted traffic from leaking out during gaming 

Being a no-logs VPN, Surfshark ensures your private information is not logged and stored on its servers.

The VPN also exempts you from IP leaks. It automatically eliminates any information related to the game you were playing. 

Surfshark also has a kill switch, which prevents data from leaking if you lose connection. The kill switch is a safety net, meaning that if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops, it instantly shuts off your device’s internet access to prevent information leakage.  

The VPN is capable of unblocking geo-restricted gaming platforms. You can test this by connecting to a Surfshark server in a location with a streaming service or content library and confirming whether you can access the content. 

More of what this VPN provider can do in our Surfshark review.

3. PureVPN – Best for Gaming Privacy

For any VPN to be considered the best VPN for gaming, speed has to be a priority, and PureVPN delivers. It runs on a 20 Gbps server infrastructure, which is faster than what most VPNs offer.

This means quicker data transfers and lower ping, especially useful for fast-paced online games where every millisecond matters.

Gaming isn’t just about performance, it’s also about staying safe. DDoS attacks, swatting, and data leaks have made online gaming riskier than ever.

PureVPN protects you with AES 256-bit encryption, one of the strongest forms of data protection out there.

For gamers, this means your IP is hidden, making it harder for anyone to track or target you.

PureVPN works on just about anything you’d use to game. It supports Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. But what makes it flexible for gaming is its support for routers and game consoles like PlayStation and Xbox.

There’s also support for up to 10 devices on one account. So if you’re switching from PC to mobile to console, you don’t need to log out or set up multiple accounts.

A wide server network is essential if you want access to different gaming regions or want to avoid crowded servers that slow things down.

PureVPN gives you access to over 6,000 servers across 65+ countries. That’s more than enough coverage to find a fast connection, wherever you’re gaming from.

As for pricing, PureVPN is fairly affordable with flexible plans that are covered by a 31-day money-back guarantee.

4. ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN for Gaming

ExpressVPN is a popular VPN provider with valuable tools and features that help users secure their privacy and online browsing experience.

The VPN is known for its solid security and lightning-fast speeds, which a seasoned gamer would love to experience when playing. 

This service is considered one of the best VPNs for gaming overall due to several features. It has one of the best speeds, which is critical for avoiding lag during gaming and maintaining a smooth experience.

The VPN also uses secure protocols such as Lightway, which is known for its minimal impact on connection speeds and efficiency.    

The VPN has servers in 166 locations across 105 countries with lightning-fast speeds that keep your gameplay responsive and smooth. The vast server network gives you more options for finding a server that fits your needs.

For those playing a game on another country’s server and need to change it, ExpressVPN allows you to connect to an alternative server. 

If you consider ExpressVPN when using various gaming gadgets, you’re tapping into one of the best VPNs for gaming.

With ExpressVPN, you can safely use your smartphone, tablet, PC, Mac, or console (Xbox and PlayStation).

Its ease of use makes it easier to connect and disconnect this VPN quickly, regardless of the gadget used for gaming. 

ExpressVPN also offers more simultaneous connections of up to 8 devices. This means you can protect multiple gaming devices from IP leaks and benefit from the VPN’s privacy and security features.

This eliminates the need for each device to subscribe separately. 

If your ISP throttles your bandwidth due to gaming traffic, ExpressVPN can help reclaim your initial internet speed.

The VPN bypasses ISP throttling by encrypting data, preventing your ISP from identifying gaming activity and giving you unlimited access to gameplay. 

ExpressVPN currently restricts split tunneling to its Android app. However, the VPN makes up for this with security and protection through features such as leak protection and 256-bit AES encryption. 

5. CyberGhost – Large Server Network

CyberGhost combines a large server fleet and low pings, providing the best experience for online gaming. CyberGhost has a WireGuard protocol with gaming-optimized servers. 

As one of the best VPNs for gaming, CyberGhost has a useful feature known as Smart Rules, which allows you to customize the app according to your needs.

You also get NoSpy servers that allow your gaming sessions to be extra private by anonymizing your IP address, often reducing the risk of DDoS attacks.

CyberGhost also has a kill switch and a no-logs policy feature that keeps your data safe.  

When comparing different VPNs’ download and upload speeds, it’s important to check the ping. Low ping matters a lot for smooth gameplay, which is why the best VPNs for gaming prioritize speed and stability.

CyberGhost easily ranks among the best VPNs for gaming, offering impressive upload and download speeds..

Furthermore, CyberGhost also takes privacy seriously. With its strict no-logs policy, it’s one of the best VPNs for gaming if you’re worried about confidentiality.

Gamers who care about staying anonymous can rely on it, not just for speed, but also for protection.

In a time when privacy concerns are growing, the best VPNs for gaming go beyond performance by also shielding your online activity.

For those who often get updates and download games, CyberGhost has a P2P support system alongside dedicated IPs that you don’t share with anyone else. That’s another reason it’s one of the best VPNs for gaming.

The feature enables you to mask your P2P traffic like torrents to ensure you utilize different configurations or bandwidth allocations that ensure that a gamer makes fast and safe downloads.

And even if the gamer runs into an issue, they have 24/7 customer support to ensure they do not leak their IP and logs. 

6. IPVanish – User-Friendly Gaming VPN

Wrapping up our list of the best VPNs for gaming is IPVanish. It offers fast connection speeds, helpful security features, user-friendly apps, and an adequate server fleet. 

IPVanish has a seamless feature for beginners and seasoned tech enthusiasts, working equally well and uncomplicated. 

This VPN service has servers in up to 2,400 servers in 140 server locations. This includes P2P optimization, which offers amazing speeds that can be used for gaming.

Additionally, it offers crucial features for frequent downloaders who prioritize privacy and security for P2P traffic. 

If you are interested in the best VPNs for gaming and don’t know where to get started, IPVanish is a good starting point for gamers looking for general online privacy and impressive service.

Its military-grade AES 256-bit encryption can consistently protect you from potential hackers and people trying to get into your browsing data. 

You can test the VPN using IPVanish’s Quick Connect feature, which connects you to the best servers in its network based on their existing performance.

With a single click, the feature eliminates the guesswork of manually searching for the best server. Quick Connect also prioritizes servers based on real-time performance metrics. 

How We Chose the Best VPNs for Gaming

Select a VPN that enhances your online experience and makes your streaming activities private. Here are the factors to keep in mind. 

• Speed and Performance: When choosing a VPN for gaming, consider low latency and high speeds to improve your gaming experience. Your preferred VPN should be fast enough to deliver the necessary speeds to keep you in the game, especially at a competitive stage.

• Security: When connected to a VPN for gaming, consider masking your IP address and substituting it with an IP address provided by the server you are connected to. If someone attempts to target you with a DDoS attack, the VPN should guarantee your safety when engrossed in playing an online game. 

• Device Compatibility: Your preferred gaming platform and devices must be compatible with the best VPNs for gaming. Whether you are gaming through your mobile phone, console, or gaming rig, ensure the VPN provides dedicated applications or has easy-to-follow setup instructions.

• Server Network: A VPN with fewer servers is overcrowded and has less optimal locations, reducing connection speed and causing high lag and ping. Consider the number of servers a VPN has in some of the most convenient locations.

• Cost: Avoid free VPNs. While getting a free VPN sounds excellent, all companies are in the business of making money and require finances to cover their costs. Some free VPNs contain ads or sell users’ data. They also have restrictions and may not offer essential features linked to the best VPNs for gaming. 

Conclusion 

The online gaming community is growing, and the landscape is evolving. Finding the best VPN for gaming is essential to give you a competitive edge.

You must understand your priorities, whether it’s security, maximizing speed, or minimizing ping, to select a VPN completely complements your gaming style.

Consider factors that will improve your gaming experience. By thoroughly investigating these essential elements, you can make the best decision that aligns with your gaming needs.

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