Your VPN introduces much needed privacy to your internet connection. It makes you feel safer online and gives you the opportunity to circumvent certain controls.

But do you need it for gaming? Well, actually, yes you do. The question is, does your VPN cut it when it comes to support for online gaming?

Probably not—which is why you need the best VPN gaming online.

Why You Need a VPN for Gaming

You might not have thought of using a game-friendly VPN. But there are various reasons for it.

Console gamers on Xbox Live and PSN can, for example, access exclusive content from anywhere. Sometimes exclusive content is region blocked. That's not going to stop you now!

From a security and privacy point of view, using a VPN for online gaming can help to protect you from security breaches. There's a technical argument, too. Using a fast VPN with a server in the same region as the game server can help to cut ping time and latency. Pretty important for online gaming!

Read More: What Is a VPN?

And from a more general viewpoint, with a VPN installed, you can download new titles when they're launched. Don't want to wait for a regional launch day? Fine! Just set your VPN server to one in the territory where the game is released.

If you've now decided that you need a VPN for online gaming, these are the services we suggest you take a look at first.

Let’s take a look at them in more detail.

Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. All services offer 7- to 45-day trial periods, but check terms and conditions for details.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is arguably the best gaming VPN around.

Everyone needs a fast VPN, and NordVPN does not disappoint. There's also a friendly attitude to P2P, which they don't throttle. Online gaming relies on P2P quite often, so this is important.

NordVPN allows you to connect up to six devices simultaneously. In most gaming scenarios this may not be required. However, if you have multiple gamers in your home, and sufficient bandwidth, it's a great way to ensure that everyone gets to use the VPN. (The better solution is to set up a VPN on your router.)

Related: How to Set Up a VPN on Your Router

NordVPN is available monthly ($11.95), annually ($59.00), and every two years ($99). This VPN overcomes region blocking restrictions, has no bandwidth limit, and offers apps for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, with support for setup on consoles, smart TVs, routers and more.

2. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a popular VPN that boasts over 7,600 servers worldwide and the highest possible speeds. With a subscription to this service, you can expect unlimited bandwidth and traffic and apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, browsers, and routers.

These factors all make CyberGhost an ideal VPN for gamers. Furthermore, it offers support for alternative DNS settings in your game console. This can be used to bypass geo-restrictions. If you need encryption for console-based online gaming, meanwhile, set up your CyberGhost account on a suitable router.

A basic monthly subscription is $12.99, but you can pay $47.40 for 12 months access which is $3.95 a month. A two-year deal is $75.60, working out at $3.15 a month. CyberGhost also offers a 39-month package for $83.85 up front—just $2.15 a month!

3. ExpressVPN

One of the best VPN services around ExpressVPN is particularly suited to gamers.

Offering the tools to combat connection throttling, DDoS attacks (often used for cheating), and lag, ExpressVPN is fast, has 160 server locations in 94 countries, offers unlimited bandwidth, and five concurrent connections.

ExpressVPN features three plans: monthly ($12.95), bi-annually ($59.95), and annually ($99.95). Apps are available for Windows, macOS and iOS, Linux, Android, and routers.

Read More: ExpressVPN Reviewed

Get three months FREE when you sign up to ExpressVPN with this link.

4. Hotspot Shield

Declared the "World's fastest VPN" by Speedtest.net, Hotspot Shield claims to be 2.2 times faster than its competitors. This makes it an ideal VPN for gaming online.

Hotspot Shield has servers across over 80 countries, including more than 35 cities and 115 virtual locations. The service uses a proprietary protocol, Hydra, designed to optimize connections for streaming, P2P, and gaming securely.

With apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TV, Routers, Chrome, and a maximum 1Gbps connection speed, Hotspot Shield allows up to five simultaneous connections. It is optimized for online games such as Roblox, Fortnite, and other titles.

The monthly $7.99 subscription is the best deal from Hotspot Shield. An $11.99 family plan is also available, with extra connections.

5. Private Internet Access

Another fast VPN, Private Internet Access (PIA) gives you lightning-fast, 10Gbps speed and unlimited bandwidth. This makes it ideal for online gaming.

The basic monthly subscription is $9.95. You can get a 12-month plan for $39.95 a year, which is $3.33 a month. Or you buy 39 months up front for $79.00, which works out at just $2.03 a month.

If you're keen on open-source software, meanwhile, Private Internet Access is the only VPN service with 100% open-source software. With servers in 78 countries, PIA also lets you add a dedicated IP address, another advantage for online gamers.

6. Surfshark

Ideal for gamers, Surfshark is designed not only to encrypt your data, but protect it from ISP throttling, DDoS attacks, hacking, and SWATing. Surfshark lets you access your VPN with as many devices as you need and is a founding member of the VPN Trust Initiative. It operates more than 3,200 servers, all 100% RAM-only (without a hard disk) in 65 countries.

Surfshark has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers. You can also set it up on a router, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and various smart TVs.

A monthly subscription to Surfshark is $9.62, but you can pay $28.93 up front for six months of access, which works out at $4.62 a month. For a bigger saving, pay $44.40 for 26 months up front, which is equivalent to just $1.71 a month.

7. VyprVPN

Offering over 300,000 IP addresses in more than 70 locations, VyprVPN supports high speeds and gives you 30 simultaneous connections. Apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and the Chrome browser are available. You can also use VyprVPN on Roku and smart TVs, and router setup is also possible, perfect for gaming with a VPN.

VyprVPN has a standard $15.00 monthly subscription or a 12-month contract. The latter option will cost $100.00 up front, but works out at around $8.33 a month, a notable discount.

8. PureVPN

A popular service available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and almost any other internet-connected device, PureVPN has over 6,500 servers in over 96 locations in more than 78 countries. You can subscribe for $10.95 a month, $35.88 for 12 months ($2.99 a month), or $47.76 for two years ($1.99 a month), an immense discount.

But is it worth it?

PureVPN styles itself as "The Best MMO Online Gaming VPN" and PureVPN is certainly keen to attract gamers, with improved speed for MMOs, helping to reduce lag and latency. PureVPN also offers protection against DDoS attacks.

9. Ivacy VPN

Making gaming support a major selling point of its VPN offering, Ivacy has partnered with eSports club GamersOrigin. With an Ivacy VPN account you can connect up to 10 devices to any of its 3,500+ servers around the world. Unlimited bandwidth, high speeds, and protection against DDoS attacks make Ivacy VPN a prime choice for a gaming VPN.

You can get Ivacy VPN for as little as $1.99 a month over two years if you pay an up-front $47.76 charge. Alternatively you can pay $29.00 for 12 months, which works out at $2.41 a month. For more flexibility, try the monthly $9.95 plan which you can cancel at any time.

10. Opera VPN

Prefer a free VPN solution for your online gaming needs? 100% free, Opera VPN gives you a virtual IP address to hide your location, and doesn’t require any sort of subscription or login.

Better still, Opera VPN is available in its standard browser as well as Opera GX, a browser specifically designed for online gaming. It can be enabled in Settings > Advanced > Privacy & security > Enable VPN.

Simply select a server location and the Opera VPN will select the best VPN server available. That’s as complicated as it gets—there is no client installation or account set up required.

Not only is Opera VPN useful for browser based MMOs and RPGs, it also provides you with a free introduction to VPNs.

Download: Opera GX

Related: Which Free VPN Is Fastest?

Which VPN Do You Use for Gaming?

Other VPNs can be used for gaming, of course, but they're unlikely to give you results on par with the solutions above. Of course, these are paid solutions, and you might be tempted to try a free VPN. If this is something you're thinking about, we'd advise caution.

Simply, free VPNs are for very specific circumstances and should not be used as a replacement for a paid VPN service.