Looking for a VPN for gaming but don’t want to pay for one? Well, there are plenty of free VPNs that can optimize your gaming experience. However, it’s worth exercising caution as free VPNs lack security, online privacy, and performance. The best VPN like ExpressVPN, on the other hand, offers full functionality with ultimate security, privacy, data protection, a best-in-class gaming experience, and a 30 refund policy.
Gamers face many privacy issues online. Thus a best free VPN for Gaming sounds like a good option for protecting against DDoS attacks and swatting. However, the real challenge is finding a quality free VPN that is perfect for Gaming.
There are many affordable VPNs for Gaming, but free VPNs come with many limitations, as discussed below. In addition, most free VPNs don’t offer the required security by gamers which becomes counterproductive.
Similarly, free VPNs also come with data restrictions and speed. Therefore, free VPNs might end up ruining your gaming experience.
Why are free VPNs risky for Gaming?
Free VPNs are not recommended for Gamers as they can be risky to use. In addition, free VPNs don’t offer protection against DoS and DDoS attacks as a premium VPN does. Meaning, other gamers can access your location and other private data. Some other reasons why free VPNs are risky for Gamers includes:
- Free VPNs track the online activity of users and sell it to third-party advertisers.
- Free VPNs don’t offer good encryption.
- Free VPNs offers limited bandwidth and throttle speeds
- Free VPN offers limited servers congested with users.
That is why we recommend gamers use a premium VPN such as ExpressVPN for complete protection against DDoS attacks.
ExpressVPN – Most recommended VPN by gamers with zero lags
The best VPN provider for optimized speed, security, features, accessibility, and performance. It is also one of the fastest VPN for Online Gaming. To enjoy complete anonymity and privacy with 100% global access to various online gaming servers at high speeds, ExpressVPN is surely the only choice. Plus, it comes with a no-questions-asked – 30-day money-back guarantee with a 3-months subscription completely free on ExpressVPN annual subscription.
- 3,000+ Servers in 94 Countries
- Hard disk free infrastructure (RAM only)
- 256-bit Military-Grade Encryption
- Excellent unblocking capability for Netflix, Hulu & more
- 5 Multi Logins
- Zero-knowledge DNS
Quick Overview – Best Free VPNs for the Gaming
- Windscribe – Free 10 GB per month for Gaming. It offers ten server locations with a 10 GB/month data limit. In addition, it supports unlimited simultaneous connections, military-grade AES-256-Bit encryption, a kill switch, and a strict zero log policy.
- ProtonVPN – Unlimited Data and Bandwidth for Gaming. It offers three servers present in the US, Netherlands, and Japan. It also comes with unlimited bandwidth for Gaming, torrenting, and streaming. Equipped with military-grade AES-256-Bit encryption, kill switch, and secure core servers, this VPN offers a secure online gaming experience.
- TunnelBear – 500 MB free data per month. It offers 41 server locations, a 500 MB/month data limit and also supports five simultaneous connections. It is also equipped with AES-256-Bit encryption, VigilantBear, and Forward Secrecy for completely online privacy while enjoying online Gaming.
- Hotspot Shield – 500 MB free data per day for Gaming privately. It offers 500 MB/day of free data access to only one server location (the US). The provider also comes equipped with AES-256-Bit encryption, ad and malware blocker, and a strict zero-log policy for users that enjoy online gaming.
- Hide.me – 10 GB/mo free data with no speed restrictions. It offers servers in 5 countries and comes with a 10 GB/month data limit. In addition, the provider ensures complete online security and privacy via security features such as DNS and IPv6 leak protection, AES-256-Bit encryption, and OpenVPN connection.
- Speedify – Channel bonding for lag-free Gaming. It offers 53 servers in 35 countries and a 2 GB/month data limit. In addition, it is equipped with AES-256 ChaCha encryption, a zero-log policy, and five simultaneous connections so you can conduct online Gaming on multiple devices simultaneously.
- Betternet – Premium Security features for Secure Gaming. It offers a single server location present in the United States. In addition, it offers a 500 MB/month bandwidth limit, is equipped with military-grade AES-256-Bit encryption, and requires no registration.
The Best Free VPNs for Gaming (Updated October 2021)
Free VPNs come with limitations, but if you still want to use a free VPN for Gaming, then here are the best free VPNs that we have tested for you.
1. Windscribe – Free 10GB per month for Gaming
- 10 GB free data/ month
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Ten server locations only (including the US)
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Supports P2P
- Works with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, HBO
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, Linux, and more
Windscribe is a great option for gamers because it is compatible with routers and offers 10 GB of free data per month. So, you can only play games that are not data-heavy. For example, if you use it with lighter games like Call of Duty and PUBG, it might last you for ten days. You can get 5GB of data more if you tweet about Windscribe.
It also offers unlimited simultaneous connections so that you can use it on your console and other devices simultaneously. Windscribe has servers in 60+ locations, but the free version limits access to only 10 locations. Similarly, we also experienced slow speeds during peak hours.
Windscribe is compatible with various devices, including Windows, iOS, Android, and even routers. So you can configure it on your router and connect your gaming consoles to play geo-restricted games.
Due to its wide compatibility, Windscribe is also a top free VPN for Mac as well, as it works with MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac.
You can learn more about this service in our Windscribe VPN review.
2. ProtonVPN – Unlimited Data and Bandwidth for Gaming
- Unlimited free data
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Three server locations only (US, Japan, and the Netherlands)
- No multi-login support
- The free version does not support P2P
- Email address required
- Works with YouTube, and Kodi
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, Linux, and more
ProtonVPN is a free VPN for Gaming with no hidden costs. It is also one of the few VPNs that offer unlimited data and bandwidth, so you don’t have to worry about running out of your daily limit. Another great feature is that ProtonVPN is fully compatible with routers so that you can connect it to your gaming consoles.
It even has an ad-blocker and kills switch. However, with its free VPN, you only get access to 3 server locations: Japan, the US, and the Netherlands. Due to fewer server choices, I found that speeds were extremely slow during peak hours, and the connection was constantly dropping, which was very bad for the overall gaming experience.
In terms of security, ProtonVPN has excellent features, including DNS leak protection and a kill switch. There is also a built-in adblocker along with 256-bit encryption.
ProtonVPN does not keep any user logs; it only collects timestamps of your last log-in. Overall, it is an amazing free VPN, but the only downside is that it has a tiny server network in its free version.
You can learn more about this service in our ProtonVPN review.
3. TunnelBear – 500 MB free data per month
- Servers in 23 countries (including the USA)
- 500 MB free data per month
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Five simultaneous connections
- Supports P2P
- Email address required
- Works with HBO, YouTube, Kodi, and more
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, and more
TunnelBear is a user-friendly VPN that gives you 500 MB of free data per month, around one hour of Gaming every 30 days. Of course, it is very little, but you can get 1GB of free data if you tweet about TunnelBear. It is a great choice for PC gamers due to its animated app, as it also supports P2P and gives access to 26 server locations.
TunnelBear also offers an amazing feature called GhostBear that makes your VPN traffic look like normal traffic. As a result, it helps stop ISP throttling. Unfortunately, it is not compatible with routers, so you’ll have to share your connection via PC.
It offers all the security features like a premium VPN, including a kill switch (Vigilant Bear) and DNS/IP leak protection. It also offers desktop and mobile apps for various platforms like Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, and browser extensions.
You can try its premium version, but it doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee. For more information, see this TunnelBear review.
4. Hotspot Shield – 500 MB free data per day for Gaming privately
- One free server in the US
- 500 MB/ day free data
- 44.63 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No email address required
- Works with YouTube, and Kodi
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, and more
Hotspot Shield is a paid VPN service that offers a free version to its users with 500 MB of free data daily. So, you can play games online for one hour or more every day. Another amazing thing is that you don’t have to register or enter any payment details to get the free Hotspot Shield version.
Hotspot Shield uses 256-bit encryption for data security with perfect forward secrecy. Unfortunately, it also offers a kill switch that only works on its desktop version.
Hotspot Shield has a particular encryption protocol called Catapult Hydra that offers impressive speeds to users. However, my only concern was that free users could only access servers in the US.
Unfortunately, it is not compatible with routers, so you cant use it on gaming consoles. Another downside of Hotspot Shield is that it monetizes its free version with ads, so you will get pop-ups and ads now and then when using the VPN.
You can learn more about this service in our Hotspot Shield review.
5. Hide.me – 10 GB/mo free data with no speed restrictions
- Five free servers in the US, Canada, Singapore, & Netherlands
- 10 GB of free data per month
- 73.97 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No email address required
- Works with Netflix Canada, YouTube, ABC, Sky Go
- Compatible with iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, browsers, and more
Hide.me offers 10 GB of free data per month on its free plan, which is more than enough for Gaming 7 hours securely and privately. What’s best about Hide.me is that it doesn’t restrict speed or security features for its free users. In addition, we did not experience any connectivity issues or lags.
However, free users can only access five server locations in Canada, the US (East and West), Netherlands, and Singapore. It is also compatible with routers, so you can easily set it up on your router and connect it with your gaming console.
Some of the standard security features offered by Hide.me are DNS leak protection, kill switch and 256-bit AES encryption. Free VPN users also access the split tunneling feature that lets you choose apps and websites bypassing the VPN tunnel.
It also offers 24/7 live chat support and a large FAQ section in case you need assistance. You can learn more about this VPN software in our Hide. me review.
6. Speedify – Channel bonding for lag-free Gaming
- 53 servers in 35 locations
- 2 GB free data per month
- ChaCha 256-bit encryption
- Allows P2P
- Channel bonding feature for good speed
- Compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and Linux
Speedify offers 2 GB of free data, and it also allows torrenting. It also offers an amazing feature called Channel bonding that combines two connection sources to increase speeds. So, for example, you can combine your Wi-Fi and mobile data with playing games without any lags.
Unfortunately, the channel bonding feature takes up more data than the normal connection, so you might end up using all your free data in one sitting. Similarly, it is not compatible with routers. However, you can share your PC connection with your gaming console.
Speedify prioritizes offering a speedy connection to users like its name already suggests and offers encryption protocols like AES 256-GSM for all latest devices and ChaCha for the older ones.
Speedify also supports P2P on its Amsterdam server and is optimized for BitTorrent. It also keeps no logs and ensures that your IP address is entirely masked. However, with a 2 GB data limit, you cannot download large files.
For more information, check out this detailed Speedify review.
7. Betternet – Premium Security features for Secure Gaming
- 500 MB free data per day
- Supports torrenting
- No registration required
- Military-grade encryption
- Only one server location for free users(i.e., US)
- Compatible with Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Chrome.
Betternet is another premium VPN that offers a completely free version for its users with 500 MB of free data per day. This data will last you around one hour of Gaming per day, which is not that bad if you compare it with other VPNs on this list.
Betternet VPN is partially safe. Even though this VPN provider offers OpenVPN with AES 256-bit encryption and IPsec with AES 128-bit AES-CBC encryption, it still lacks a Kill Switch and an Ad-blocker. Nevertheless, both OpenVPN and IPsec are solid options for anyone looking to secure their online privacy.
It also offers the Catapult Hydra protocol used by Hotspot Shield to enhance speed for playing online games with low latency. But, unfortunately, it is not compatible with routers.
You can learn more about this VPN in our Betternet review.
Is a VPN better for Gaming?
Gamers have to face many online privacy issues, and when using public Wi-Fi, their primary concern is that their IP address is exposed to other gamers. Anyone can use your IP address to launch a Dos or DDoS attack, thus taking control of your home network and restrict access.
Hackers can also use your IP address to track your real location and trigger a swatting attack. A swatting attack is creating a false threat and sending SWAT to the gamer’s house. It is one of the most serious threats faced by gamers and has led to fatalities in the past.
By using a VPN, you can protect yourself against such threats. A VPN encrypts your online traffic, thus masking your real IP address by rerouting your traffic from another server location, making it impossible to track your online activities.
Similarly, a VPN also helps in Geo-spoofing your IP address. Therefore, both your IP address and GPS location are masked. Therefore, we recommend using a premium VPN for Gaming that is not only compatible with a router but is also secure.
Free VPN for gaming limitations and restrictions
Free VPNs don’t charge users subscription-free, as discussed above, so the question is, how do free VPNs make money? Well, these free services limit most features and compromise security features.
Security
Free VPNs don’t offer the same security and protection as those offered by premium VPNs. Therefore, with substandard security features, free VPNs cannot protect you from in-game DDoS attacks.
And that’s not it. Instead, most free VPNs log user data and sell it to third-party advertisers. For example, Hotspot Shield monetizes its free VPN app using ads.
Bandwidth Limitations
Gaming requires 300 MB of data per hour. However, most free VPNs only offer a maximum of 10 GB of data which is very little for gamers who play data-intensive games. Similarly, free VPNs that offer unlimited bandwidth restrict your speed. Therefore, you cannot play heavy games like Overwatch with a free VPN.
Limited Server Access
Free VPNs limit the number of servers that users can access. Fewer servers mean these servers are congested with traffic, thus leading to slow connection speeds. With so much traffic on fewer servers, free VPN providers also restrict your speed and bandwidth to prevent servers from crashing.
Premium VPNs, on the other hand, offers optimized servers for Gaming.
Compatibility
Most free VPNs are not compatible with routers, as can be seen above. The problem is that gaming consoles don’t have native support for VPN apps, so users configure VPNs on the router. The console is automatically protected when connected to the network.
Unfortunately, router compatibility is only offered by premium VPNs like ExpressVPN, and it is hard to find a VPN that works with routers and offers optimal performance.
Best Free VPNs for Gaming: FAQs
VPNs reroute your traffic, so it has to pass over to another server, taking a long time to travel, so a slight decrease in speed is natural. However, if you use a fast VPN like ExpressVPN, you will not experience any dramatic impact on your speed.
Yes, a VPN can improve your ping by sending your data packets directly compared to your normal ISP data packet that takes a longer route. With a VPN, information can flow freely and directly from your PC to the gaming server, thus reducing pings and latency.
Yes, you can play PUBG with a free VPN. You can simply connect to a server location close to your gaming server to get the best results. However, if you want the best gaming experience, without any lags, it’s best to use a reliable VPN like ExpresssVPN.
Bottom Line
These are some of the best free VPNs for gaming with trustworthy privacy policies. As you can see, VPNs are a must for gamers to protect against DoS and DDoS attacks. However, you need a fast and compatible VPN with routers for it to work with your gaming consoles.
The VPNs mentioned above are a good option for gamers, but they come with many limitations, and most are not compatible with routers. However, for complete security, protection, anonymity, and excellent gaming experience, we recommend the top-tier premium VPNs such as ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN offers 3,000+ servers in 94 countries that can easily offer you the best-in-class gaming experience while protecting your online identity, privacy, and data with AES-256-Bit encryption.
If you hurry up, you can avail of ExpressVPN’s limited time “12 months + 3 months free” subscription that also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Top premium VPNs for gaming with money-back guarantees
| VPN Providers | Price ($) | Special Deals | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Best VPN | $12.95 $6.67 Per Month | 49% OFF 12 Months + 3 Months Free | |
Fastest VPN Service  | $12.95 $2.49 Per Month | 81% Off 2 Year Plan | |
Best for Geo-Unblocking  | $11.95 $3.30 Per Month | 65% Off 2 Year Plan | |
Feature-rich VPN  | $10.95 $3.33 Per Month | 70% Off Exclusive 2 Year Offer | |
Best for Private Browsing  | $12.99 $2.25 Per Month | 83% Off 3 Years + 3 Months Free |
