VPN · Gaming guide

Best VPN for Gaming 2026

For gaming, the pick is NordVPN: 225 server locations in 150 countries, more than any of the other four, the WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol, 10 devices and Meshnet for private LAN sessions, at CHF 3.29 a month on the 2-year Basic plan (CHF 88.83 for 27 months, then CHF 133.08 a year). NordVPN pays us a commission. CyberGhost costs less and has gaming-optimised servers; Surfshark covers unlimited devices. DDoS protection is a marketing claim wherever it appears.

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Affiliate link: NordVPN pays us a commission if you buy through it. The discount is NordVPN’s own campaign price, and the price you pay is the same either way.

Written and checked by , Promo Code Network, Switzerland

What decides whether a VPN is good for gaming

A VPN adds a hop between you and the game server; NordVPN’s own gaming page says it can add some latency. What can be compared from the providers’ pages: the number of server locations, because a short added route needs a server near you or near the game’s region; the protocol, since WireGuard-class protocols carry less overhead than OpenVPN; simultaneous devices; the DDoS-protection claim, which this page treats as marketing; and the 2-year price. No ping measurements appear here, because a figure from one connection on one day says nothing about yours.

Best VPN for gaming: five providers on five criteria

ProviderServer locationsProtocolDevicesDDoS claim on its own pageCHF: first term, then a year
NordVPN225 locations, 150 countries, 7,887 serversNordLynx (WireGuard-based)10“Built-in DDoS protection on VPN servers” (gaming page)3.29 a month Basic; 88.83 for 27 months, then 133.08
ExpressVPN214 locations, 113 countries; server count not publishedLightway; Lightway Turbo on Windows10 / 12 / 14 by tierA losing player may launch a DDoS attack; masking your real IP makes it “harder for others to identify or target you” (gaming page)2.90 a month Basic; 81.20 for 28 months, then 90.00
Surfshark100 countries, 4,500+ serversWireGuard (post-quantum on macOS, Android, Linux); Dausos on macOS; OpenVPN, IKEv2Unlimited“Protect yourself from DDoS attacks” (gaming page)2.49 a month Starter; 67.23 for 27 months, then 64.89 (before VAT)
Proton VPN149 countries, 17,984 Plus servers on its server listWireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth; VPN Accelerator10 on VPN PlusNone on the gaming page read3.49 a month VPN Plus; 83.76 for 24 months, then 83.88
CyberGhost120+ locations, 100 countries; gaming-optimised servers (Windows app)WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv27“Help protect your games from DDoS attacks” (features page); in-app ping, distance and load readout2.11 a month; 54.86 for 26 months, then 54.86

Location and server figures are the providers’ own, read on 22 September 2026, and change daily. Swiss prices from each pricing page, read 23 September 2026; Surfshark’s are before VAT, its renewal from its renewal-prices page, which says displayed renewal prices may be subject to testing.

Locations, DDoS claims and consoles: where NordVPN leads and where it does not

Locations. NordVPN’s 225 across 150 countries is more than any of the other four, and location count is what matters for a short route: one server in a capital serves a player in a distant province worse than five cities do. ExpressVPN is close with 214 in 113 countries but publishes no server count; Proton VPN’s list shows 149 countries; Surfshark and CyberGhost cover 100 each.

DDoS. NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost claim DDoS protection, and ExpressVPN’s gaming page says masking your real IP makes you harder to target; each means the same thing: a flood aimed at your address arrives at the VPN server instead. That is true of any VPN, which is why Surfshark itself calls it a generic benefit. Proton VPN makes no such claim on the pages we read.

Consoles. No provider has an app for PlayStation, Xbox or Switch; NordVPN’s support page says so and documents a router or a Windows hotspot instead. CyberGhost offers Smart DNS (US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Japan) and notes that it neither encrypts nor hides your address; ExpressVPN has MediaStreamer. A router takes one device slot and covers every console behind it.

Where a rival wins. CyberGhost is cheaper, CHF 2.11 a month and CHF 54.86 a year afterwards against NordVPN’s CHF 3.29 and CHF 133.08, and alone has a named gaming-optimised category with an in-app ping readout. Surfshark’s unlimited devices suit a shared flat. NordVPN’s answer to a LAN party is Meshnet, a private network over NordLynx.

Game publishers have terms too. Changing region to reach cheaper stores or foreign lobbies may breach a game’s terms of service, and none of the five providers will argue your case. Check the game’s rules before using a VPN for anything but privacy and a stable route.

How to set up NordVPN for gaming

  1. Buy the 2-year Basic plan and keep NordLynx as the protocol Complete and Ultra add a password manager, cloud storage and data removal, not more servers.
  2. Pick a server from the country list, not Quick Connect The city nearest you, or nearest the game’s region servers; add it to your favourites so the route stays the same.
  3. For a console, use your router or a Windows hotspot; for a LAN session, Meshnet Both console methods are on NordVPN’s support page; the router uses one of your 10 device slots.
  4. Judge it on your own connection inside 30 days If it is not acceptable, request a refund through live chat before the window closes.

Verdict: which VPN to buy for gaming

NordVPN is our pick for gaming, and NordVPN pays us a commission when you buy through this page. It earns the pick on the criterion that most affects a session, nearby locations, where its 225 leads the five, backed by NordLynx, 10 devices, documented console set-ups and Meshnet for LAN play. It does not win on price: CyberGhost costs CHF 2.11 a month against CHF 3.29, renews at CHF 54.86 rather than CHF 133.08 a year, and alone has a gaming-optimised category with a ping readout. If cost decides it, buy CyberGhost; if you need more than 10 devices, Surfshark. Surfshark and Nord Security, NordVPN’s parent, have belonged to the same holding company since 2022 (Surfshark’s about page); we earn commission only from NordVPN. Proton VPN Plus costs CHF 3.49 a month for the first 24 months, then CHF 83.88 a year.

Best VPN for gaming: common questions

Does a VPN lower ping for online games?
Not by itself; it adds a hop, and NordVPN’s own gaming page says it can add some latency. What it can give you is a stable route and a server near the game’s region. No ping figures here; judge it on your own connection inside the refund window.
How do the five VPNs compare on server locations?
On their own pages on 22 September 2026: NordVPN 225 locations in 150 countries; ExpressVPN 214 in 113; CyberGhost 120+ in 100; Proton VPN 149 countries on its server list; Surfshark 100 countries, 4,500+ servers.
Can I use NordVPN on a PlayStation or Xbox?
Not with an app; consoles have none. NordVPN’s support page gives two methods: the VPN on your router, or a VPN-protected hotspot from a Windows PC. CyberGhost’s Smart DNS and ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer are DNS alternatives that do not encrypt.
Does a VPN protect against DDoS attacks in games?
It hides your home address behind the server’s, so a flood aimed at you hits the server. NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost advertise this, and ExpressVPN’s gaming page describes the same IP masking; Surfshark calls it a generic benefit of any VPN. It is address masking, not a guarantee.
Is NordVPN or CyberGhost cheaper for gaming?
CyberGhost: CHF 2.11 a month on its 26-month offer, CHF 54.86 up front, then CHF 54.86 a year. NordVPN Basic: CHF 3.29 a month, CHF 88.83 for 27 months, then CHF 133.08 a year. NordVPN has more locations and three more device slots.

Sources

  1. NordVPN: gaming page (DDoS claim, Meshnet, latency note); servers page (7,887 servers, 150 countries, 225 locations); gaming consoles; NordLynx; pricing (Switzerland). Read 22 September 2026.
  2. ExpressVPN: gaming page (DDoS and IP-masking claim); server locations (214 locations, 113 countries); Lightway; pricing (Switzerland). Read 22 September 2026; gaming page and pricing (10 / 12 / 14 devices by tier) read 23 September 2026.
  3. Surfshark: VPN for gaming (DDoS claim, servers); protocols; pricing (Switzerland); about page (same holding company as Nord Security since 2022). Read 22 September 2026; about page read 23 September 2026.
  4. Proton VPN: gaming page; server list; features (VPN Accelerator); pricing (10 devices; VPN Plus price and renewal in CHF, read 23 September 2026). Read 22 September 2026; gaming page, server list and features read 23 September 2026 (no DDoS claim).
  5. CyberGhost: gaming VPN page (Smart DNS, ping readout, 100 countries); features (120+ locations, DDoS claim, protocols, 7 devices); gaming-optimised servers; order page (Switzerland). Read 22 September 2026.