Best VPN for League of Legends (LoL) in 2025

League of Legends is one of my favorite online games, and with more than 180 million monthly players, it’s clear I’m not alone. Released in 2009, this MOBA is hugely popular, but even with all the hype, players like me still run into frustrating issues like lag and server crashes. Some gamers can’t even access the game due to geo-restrictions.

If you’re looking for a solution to these problems, think about using a quality VPN. A good VPN can bypass geo-blocks, reduce lag, improve connection speeds, and protect you from distributed denial of service (DDoS attacks). Reputable VPNs come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no reason not to give it a try.

Keep reading to find the best VPN for League of Legends and improve your game today!

In a hurry? Here are 5 best VPNs for League of Legends 

Short on time? Here’s a quick peek at my top five VPNs for League of Legends:

Key takeaways

1. League of Legends is one of the most popular MOBA games.
2. Fans may experience lag, unstable connections, or geo-restrictions while playing.
3. A quality VPN can ensure a consistent connection, lag-free play, and DDoS protection.
4. ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for playing League of Legends.

Why you need a VPN for League of Legends

I never play League of Legends, or any other online game without a reliable VPN. Here’s why:

• Reduce lag. Connecting to nearby servers with your VPN can reduce lag by decreasing the distance your data needs to travel and avoiding slowdowns from overcrowded servers.
• Prevent ISP throttling. Your internet service provider may throttle your speed to keep you from using more than your fair share of data while gaming. A quality VPN provider encrypts all your data so your ISP can’t tell how much you’re using up and will have no reason to throttle your Internet connection.
• Security. Any time I’m playing against strangers online I want to ensure my Internet connection is private and secure. A premium VPN comes with military-level encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch to protect you from hackers.
• DDoS protection. A good VPN hides your true IP address, protecting you from DDoS attacks.
• Change regions. League of Legends is blocked in some countries, schools, and workplaces. A premium VPN allows you to connect to a VPN server in another region to bypass these blocks.

What to look for in the best League of Legends VPN

I’ve found that the best VPNs for League of Legends have these things in common:

• Customer support. Select a VPN provider that stands by their product with 24/7 live chat support and a money-back guarantee.
• Speed. Good Internet speeds ensure a lag-free, uninterrupted gaming experience.
• Server network. With a broad server network, you can avoid overcrowded servers and always find nearby servers that can lower your ping to improve your gameplay.
• Privacy and security. Strong security features keep you safe from bad actors which is especially important while playing against strangers online or when using public Wi-Fi.
• Compatibility. Get a VPN with easy-to-use apps for all your home and mobile devices. You also want a plan that lets you connect all of your devices under one account.
• Geo-spoofing. Bypass geo-blocks and firewalls or play with friends in other countries by choosing a VPN with good geo-spoofing capabilities.

5 best VPNs for League of Legends 

With so many VPNs on the market, it’s hard to know which one to choose. To help you out I put together a list of my top five gaming VPNs for League of Legends.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is my pick for the best League of Legends VPN. It has everything I want in a VPN including speed, security, privacy, geo-spoofing, and compatibility. Plus, I find it is an easy-to-use and highly reliable VPN.

Features: I can always find nearby servers with ExpressVPN’s network of 3,200+ servers in 105 countries. It also has useful advanced features like obfuscated servers, a password manager, ad blocking, malware protection, and split tunneling.

Speed: I put ExpressVPN’s speed to the test, and it passed with flying colors. The download speed decreased minimally from a baseline of 94 Mbps to 90.5 Mbps on a US server and the ping changed from 230 ms to 300 ms.

Privacy & Security: I love the secure feeling I get from ExpressVPN’s independently verified no-log policy, secure tunneling protocols, automatic kill switch, leak protection, and AES 256-bit encryption.

Performance: My gaming performance with ExpressVPN is outstanding, providing lag-free, smooth gameplay. It also delivers seamless streaming and torrenting.

Streaming: I don’t only use ExpressVPN for gaming, It can also unblock geo-restricted content on my favorite streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and others.

Compatibility: One of my favorite things about ExpressVPN is how user-friendly it is. There are intuitive apps for all major operating systems, including macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux. ExpressVPN allows up to 8 device connections simultaneously, so I can cover all of my home and mobile devices at once.

Pricing: ExpressVPN is priced higher than the competition at $6.67/month for the one-year plan, including 3 months free, 24/7 live chat support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN is a premium League of Legends VPN, offering fast speeds, strong security, and excellent value.

Features: NordVPN’s network of 7,100+ servers across 118 countries, allows me to easily find an optimal server to reduce lag and improve ping. For an extra fee, you can even get a dedicated IP address. It also has plenty of advanced features like Threat Protection, dark web monitoring, split tunneling, and obfuscated servers.

Speed: When I tested NordVPN, I was truly impressed by how fast my VPN connection was. On a New York server, I get a download speed of 94 Mbps and a ping of 195 compared to my baseline of 96 Mbps and a ping of 210.

Privacy & Security: I know my data is safe with NordVPN since it uses top-of-the-line security features like AES 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch, leak protection, and secure tunneling protocols.

Performance: With NordVPN, my League of Legends gameplay remains smooth, and I can enjoy seamless streaming and torrenting.

Streaming: NordVPN isn’t just a great League of Legends VPN, it’s also handy for accessing geo-restricted content on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more.

Compatibility: You can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously with Nord’s intuitive apps available for iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows, and Android.

Pricing: NordVPN pricing starts at $3.39/month and you get 4 additional months free. Every subscription plan comes with 24/7 live chat support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re an Android user, you can take advantage of the NordVPN free trial.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is an affordable VPN for League of Legends, with lots of great features, including unlimited connections for all your devices.

Features: This budget VPN doesn’t skimp on features. It offers split tunneling, ad-blocking, malware protection, data breach monitoring, and more. Plus it has a large network of over 3,000 servers in 100 countries worldwide, including the option of a static IP address.

Speed: Surfshark offers solid connection speeds. The download speed on a US server was 78 Mbps as compared to the baseline of 95 Mbps and the ping changed from 173 ms to 238 ms, which is still good enough for a seamless gaming experience.

Privacy & Security: All Surfshark VPN internet traffic is protected by AES 256-bit encryption, secure tunneling protocols, a kill switch, leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy to prevent accidental data leaks.

Performance: Surfshark speeds can be slower than the premium VPNs, but overall I’ve had good results with using it for League of Legends, though it can sometimes require switching servers to find the best connection speeds.

Streaming: Surfshark isn’t just great for playing LOL, it also unblocks Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime video, and other popular streaming platforms.

Compatibility: My favorite Surfshark offer is the unlimited simultaneous connections. Plus, its user-friendly apps are available on all major platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pricing: Surfshark is one of the more affordable VPN options at just $1.99/month, including 4 additional months free, 24/7 live chat support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a cheap and effective League of Legends VPN. It’s also a secure VPN with a vast server network.

Features: CyberGhost has a huge server network of 11,500+ servers in 100 countries, including dedicated gaming servers, as well as optimized servers for streaming, and torrenting.

Speed: When I tested CyberGhost, my download speed dropped from a baseline of 94 Mbps to 72 Mbps when connected to a NYC server. The internet speed varied by location, with nearby LOL servers providing the fastest VPN connection.

Privacy and Security: CyberGhost is a secure and effective VPN for League of Legends. It comes with a strict no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, a Kill Switch, secure tunneling protocols, and leak protection.

Performance: On nearby servers, CyberGhost performed well, providing lag-free gaming and smooth streaming. However, high ping was sometimes an issue on distant servers. The good news is, their 24/7 live chat support can help you find the best VPN servers for gaming.

Streaming: With CyberGhost, I could easily unblock geo-restricted content from streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video.

Compatibility: CyberGhost is compatible with all major operating systems, including iOS, macOS, Linux, Android, and Windows. You can connect up to 7 devices on one account.

Pricing: CyberGhost is a low-cost VPN service, with pricing starting at just $2.03/month, plus 4 months free. It also comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

5. Proton VPN

Proton VPN offers secure and reliable service, and its free version is the only free VPN I recommend.

Features: The paid version of Proton VPN comes with 8,600 servers in 112 countries and offers advanced features like split tunneling, ad-blocking, malware protection, and double VPN servers, where your traffic passes through two VPN servers, which is great for security, but will likely increase your ping. The free version offers more limited features and servers but does include unlimited bandwidth and data.

Speed: I completed speed testing using the paid plan on a US server and got a download speed of 75 Mbps from a baseline of 96 Mbps and a ping of 233 ms.

Privacy and Security: Proton VPN implements strong security measures, including a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, a Kill Switch, secure tunneling protocols, and leak protection, ensuring your gaming traffic is safe from online threats.

Performance: Proton VPN delivers lag-free League of Legends gaming sessions on most servers, along with smooth streaming and fast torrenting.

Streaming: Proton VPN reliably unblocks geo-restricted content on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max.

Compatibility: Proton VPN works well with iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Fire TV Stick, Chromebook, and Android TV. With the paid plan, you can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously, while the free plan only allows for one device at a time.

Pricing: The 2-year subscription plan starts at $4.99/month with 3 months free. Proton VPN also offers a free version with fewer features, as a cost-effective option for casual gamers.

Methodology for testing the best VPN for LoL

When I scoured the VPN market to find the best League of Legends VPN, here’s what I looked for:

• Security. I looked for the gold standard in security features, including AES 256-bit encryption, secure VPN protocols, RAM-only servers, an automatic kill switch, leak protection, and an independently verified zero-logs policy.
• Speed. I tested the connection speeds on multiple servers, protocols, and devices to make sure the VPN’s speeds were fast enough for playing LOL lag-free.
• Servers. I gave preference to LOL VPNs with a large global network of servers which prevents slowdowns from overcrowding and improves access to geo-restricted content worldwide.
• Compatibility. I tried out the apps for various devices and operating systems to ensure they are easy to use, even for beginners.
• Customer service. I reached out to customer service to ensure professional and prompt support.
• Trial period. I only recommend VPNs with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out before committing to a long-term contract.
• Pricing. I prioritized LOL VPNs that offer a good value for the services rendered.

Recommended server locations to play LoL with a VPN

The best LOL servers are the ones closest to your physical location. The shorter the distance your data travels, the better your internet speed and ping will be.

Alternatively, look for the VPN servers closest to your game server, which will also improve your speed and ping for lag-free gaming by cutting travel distance.

Can a VPN reduce ping in LoL?

Yes. A high-quality VPN for League of Legends can reduce your ping. A good VPN circumvents ISP throttling and throttling increases your ping. It also allows you to hand-select your gaming server to avoid slowdowns from overcrowding and can cut the distance your data has to travel.

VPN not working with LoL: Issues and solutions

I seldom have issues using my VPN to play League of Legends, but like all technology, you can run into some obstacles. If you do, here are some easy fixes.

• Update your app. If you aren’t using the most up-to-date version of your VPN app, you may run into compatibility issues.
• Change servers. Try using a different VPN server close to home.
• Switch protocols. Go into your settings and change your VPN tunneling protocol. I find OpenVPN, WireGuard, NordLynx, and Lightway to be the fastest and most reliable for gaming.
• Dedicated IP. If your VPN offers dedicated IP addresses, you can avoid a lot of issues because you’re not sharing your server with anyone!
• Disable your antivirus. Anti-virus programs can interfere with LoL connections.
• Customer support. Ask the live chat support for help.

Can I use a free VPN to play League of Legends?

In general, I don’t recommend using free VPNs for playing League of Legends. Most free VPNs don’t have the speed or security I look for in a gaming VPN and are unlikely to provide much DDoS protection.

If you do want to give a free VPN a try, the best free VPN on the market is Proton VPN’s free version. Unlike most of the no-cost gaming VPNs, it has strong security and privacy protection and good speed. It’s also one of the few free providers that include unlimited data and bandwidth.

Even the best free VPN has its limitations including Proton VPN’s free plan which has limited server options and features.

Other games to play with a VPN 

I recommend using a VPN any time you are online gaming. It’s the best way to improve your ping, stop lag, prevent DDoS attacks, and keep your internet connection secure. Here are some of my favorite games to play with my VPN.

• CS:GO. A first-person shooter game where teams of players compete to complete their missions as either terrorists or counter-terrorists.
• Mobile Legends Bang Bang. A fast-paced, multiplayer online battle arena game where two teams of five players compete to destroy the opposing team’s base while defending their own.
• PUBG. As many as 100 players parachute onto an island, hunt for weapons, and fight to the last person in a battle royale game.
• Roblox. Create new worlds and connect with others in a Lego-themed game.

FAQ

Can I play League of Legends with a VPN?

Yes. You can play League of Legends with a VPN, and I recommend that you do. It will protect you from online predators and DDoS attacks and may improve the quality of your gaming sessions by avoiding throttling.

Will I get banned for playing LoL with a VPN?

No. You are allowed to use a VPN for League of Legends, as long as you are not violating any of their terms of service.

What are the best VPNs for gaming?

My top five VPNs for gaming are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, and Proton VPN. They all offer the speed and security features needed to improve your gaming experience. They come in a range of pricing and features so you can select the one that best fits your needs.

Can I play LoL with a VPN in Iran or Syria?

Yes. While League of Legends is blocked in Iran and Syria, a good VPN can bypass the block by connecting you to a server in a permitted region while hiding your true location and VPN usage.

Conclusion

I love playing League of Legends but I never jump into a gaming session without connecting to a VPN first. That way I know I’m safe from DDoS attacks and generally get better speed and lower ping for a smooth, lag-free gaming experience.

My favorite VPN provider is ExpressVPN. It’s easy to use, incredibly fast, and highly reliable.