Based on our years of experience in the VPN field and our understanding of what online gamers need from a VPN, these are the most important factors to consider in a VPN for gaming:
Speed
VPN speeds are the No. 1 factor to consider when choosing a VPN for gaming, because slow speeds and high latency can ruin your gaming experience. Your VPN needs to be fast enough to deliver the speeds necessary to keep you in the game, especially in competitive settings. A fast VPN can even help you potentially lower your ping, depending on the VPN server you’re connecting to and the network you’re on. And if you’re experiencing inadequate speeds for gaming, there are things you can try to speed up your VPN connection.
Privacy
A major consideration for any VPN, regardless of the activity, is privacy. It’s important to have a VPN that can provide the necessary privacy protections to ensure your activity remains hidden and you’re safe from DDoS attacks and other threats from malicious actors while gaming. Make sure the VPN you choose has strong encryption standards and essential privacy features like DNS leak protection, a kill switch and a no-logs policy.
Network
If you want to fully optimize your gaming experience, you’ll want a VPN that has servers in a wide selection of regions around the world. This will help ensure you have a speedy, stable connection regardless of where you are in the world. At the very least, you should make sure that the VPN you choose has servers located near your physical location and close to the servers of any games you play online.
Device compatibility
Of course, you want to make sure that the VPN is compatible with the platform(s) you’re gaming on. All of the VPNs we’ve listed above are compatible with and work well on all major platforms, so either one is a solid option whether you’re gaming on your PC, Mac or mobile device. If you’re a console gamer, you’ll need to make sure that your VPN works well on a router setup because gaming consoles don’t natively support VPN apps.
Help guides/customer support
If you’re having trouble with your VPN or have questions on how to optimize your VPN connection for gaming, it’s helpful to have a VPN that offers a robust help section along with accessible and knowledgeable customer support. Look for a VPN that has easy-to-follow setup guides for multiple platforms (including routers) and 24/7 customer support via live chat. Make sure that you have the appropriate help on hand when you need it, because responsive customer support and helpful guides can help ensure that your gaming session is not unnecessarily impeded upon.
