Best VPN for gaming (October 2026): scored, sourced, no fluff

What matters for gaming

Some games are blocked by governments

Our tracker lists every country blocking a major game; the list below updates from it automatically.

Latency beats raw speed

Connect to a server near the game's own servers. A far-away server raises ping even on a fast plan.

Mind the rules

Changing region can break a game's terms, and in-game purchases may be priced or limited by country.

The top 3

#1

NordVPN 91/100

Largest network of the six, with the NordWhisper protocol for networks that inspect traffic.

Try NordVPN

#2

ExpressVPN 82/100

Obfuscation is switched on automatically on every server, so there is no special mode to find.

Try ExpressVPN

#3

Surfshark 81/100

Unlimited devices on one plan, with NoBorders mode that switches on in restrictive regions.

Try Surfshark

Full ranking

#	VPN	Score	Breakdown	Link
1	NordVPN	91/100	Speed & gaming 9 · Streaming 10 · Privacy & audits 8	Try NordVPN
2	ExpressVPN	82/100	Speed & gaming 8 · Streaming 9 · Privacy & audits 8	Try ExpressVPN
3	Surfshark	81/100	Speed & gaming 8 · Streaming 9 · Privacy & audits 7	Try Surfshark
4	Private Internet Access	80/100	Speed & gaming 8 · Streaming 8 · Privacy & audits 8	Try Private Internet Access
5	CyberGhost	72/100	Speed & gaming 7 · Streaming 9 · Privacy & audits 6	Try CyberGhost
6	Proton VPN	66/100	Speed & gaming 6 · Streaming 7 · Privacy & audits 10	Try Proton VPN

Games blocked by governments right now

Game	Where
Roblox	Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Indonesia, Russia
Fortnite	North Korea, Turkmenistan, Russia
PUBG Mobile	Afghanistan, India, North Korea, Turkmenistan
Free Fire	India, North Korea, Turkmenistan
Steam	North Korea, Turkmenistan, China, Vietnam
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang	India, North Korea, Turkmenistan
Pokémon GO	Iran, North Korea, Turkmenistan
Clash of Clans	Iran, North Korea, Turkmenistan
Minecraft	North Korea, Turkmenistan
Genshin Impact	North Korea, Turkmenistan

How we scored

Nobody pays for a position here. Each VPN's score out of 100 uses these weights:

Speed & gaming: 71%
Streaming: 18%
Privacy & audits: 12%

Ratings are our editorial scores for the six VPNs we track. Country pages add whether each VPN connects there and what visitors report. How we track

Questions people ask

What is the best vpn for gaming?

On our scores, NordVPN (91/100), then ExpressVPN and Surfshark. The weights used are listed on this page.

Does a VPN reduce ping?

Usually not. A VPN adds a stop on the way to the game server. It can help only when your provider routes traffic badly or throttles games. Choose a server close to the game's servers.