Best VPNs for League of Legends (Lower Ping in 2024)

Since its release in 2009, League of Legends has become the most-played MOBA (Multiplayer online battle arena) and the largest Esport event in the world. Due to its popularity, seeing it restricted in your school or workplace has become increasingly common. It can also be terrible to experience lagging or DDoS attacks while playing ranked matches.

You can use a League of Legends (LoL) VPN to avoid such issues and improve your odds while playing. With it, you can bypass any restrictions and play LoL anywhere. It will also encrypt all of your data, protecting you from DDoS attacks and improving your performance while playing.

Plenty of VPNs are out on the market, but if you want good results, you need to aim for the best. After extensive research and testing, we’ve managed to find the four best VPNs for LoL.

1. NordVPN – The best overall VPN for League of Legends, with the fastest speeds, best apps, and extra security features (with a 74% off coupon).
2. Surfshark – Budget VPN for League of Legends that provides unlimited simultaneous connections.
3. ExpressVPN – Premium gaming VPN with consistent performance and strong encryption.
4. IPVanish – Highly secure LoL VPN with excellent speed and strong cross-platform support.

Ready to level up your play? Let’s get started.

Why Should you Use VPN for League of Legends?

Using a LoL VPN can significantly improve your gaming, protect your connection, and regain privacy. Here are other benefits that are well worth considering.

• Stop DDoS Attacks – Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks can easily disrupt your connection and make your match unplayable due to high latency. Riot may even ban you if you leave a game, which is very frustrating.
• Access Bot Lobbies – By connecting to a VPN server in a different region, you may find games with easier players.
• Bypass Geo-Restrictions – LoL is not available in every country around the world, but you can still use a VPN to play it.
• Play LoL at School & Work – Premium VPNs will also allow you to continue gaming even when you are not at home.
• Stop ISP Throttling – Your ISP might slow down your connection if it notices that you are gaming a lot, as this uses a lot of data. A VPN for LoL will obscure your traffic, which can potentially improve your speed.

Every time you connect to a new VPN server, your outgoing data will be encrypted. Essentially, this process scrambles all of your traffic, making it unreadable to anyone trying to trace your online whereabouts. Once you connect, you will also get a unique IP address. This will allow you to connect to other LoL servers and make it easier to find bot lobbies.

How to Set Up a VPN for League of Legends

1. Subscribe to a premium VPN for League of Legends.
   
   We recommend that you subscribe to NordVPN (use this coupon for 74% off)
2. Download and install the VPN app on your device(s).
3. Register or log in to the VPN with your user credentials.
4. Start NordVPN and connect to any VPN Server you Want.
   
   You will get the best performance if you join a server that is either close to the gaming server or your real location. 
5. Start gaming with your LoL VPN and gain a competitive advantage.

Testing and Ranking Criteria for a League of Legends VPN

To find the best LoL VPN, you can focus on providers that offer the following benefits:

• Airtight Security – An ideal VPN will use AES-256 encryption to prevent anyone from accessing your outgoing traffic while also protecting you from DDoS attacks. It must offer a reliable VPN kill switch, split tunneling, and various leak prevention features (DNS, WebRTC, and IPV6).
• Complete Privacy – Look for premium no-logs VPNs that operate only on RAM servers, as these servers will be unable to store any sensitive information.
• High-End VPN Protocols – Subscribe to a VPN that uses WireGuard, Lightway, or NordLynx protocols. They will give you very fast speeds, instant connection, and low ping and latency. We only covered top no-lag VPN apps, as they are crucial for competitive gaming.
• Global Network of Servers – Top VPNs for League of Legends provide thousands of servers at key locations around the world. This way, you will always be able to find an optimized connection.
• Holds Many Simultaneous Connections – This will allow you to use your VPN on multiple devices so that you can continue experiencing benefits even when you're not gaming.
• Easy to Use – Make sure that your VPN has an intuitive interface so you don't feel overwhelmed.
• Affordable Price – Every service that we will mention comes with extra features and isn't overly expensive.
• Premium Customer Support – Focus on providers with 24/7 access to customer service, ideally via live chat.

With this out of the way, we will now overview of the four best LoL VPNs on the market.

NordVPN – The Best League of Legends VPN on the Market

NordVPN is the best overall VPN for League of Legends. It has a network of 6,300+ servers in 111 countries around the world that you can use for gaming. They support many VPN protocols, including NordLynx, which is a modified version of WireGuard that is improved for privacy and speed.

With the NordLynx protocol, you can expect extremely fast speeds and low latency when using the VPN for LoL. This is ideal for playing LoL even on a more competitive level. Our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison shows its speeds exceeding 750 Mbps when using servers in the US. With these results, it’s no wonder that NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for gaming, consistently delivering incredibly fast speeds.

NordVPN is based in Panama, which allows it to operate with a strict no-logs policy. It runs all infrastructure exclusively on RAM servers, meaning that it cannot store any of your sensitive data. This VPN will protect your outgoing with a combination of military-grade AES 256 GMC encryption, split tunneling, and a powerful kill switch.

This LoL VPN has been a verified by multiple independent audits, which raises its credibility. Most recently, Deloitte put its no-logs policy to the test, and the results show that NordVPN strictly adheres to all guidelines. Cure53 also performed a pentest and found that this VPN has excellent security.

NordVPN Premium Features

Below are some of the best features that make NordVPN not only the best VPN for League of Legends but also one of the best all-around VPNs on the market.

• Onion over VPN servers – Pair NordVPN with Tor to get the safest browsing experience available. We wouldn't recommend it for playing LoL, as it will significantly slow your speed. However, it makes NordVPN the best VPN for the Dark Web.
• Obfuscated servers – By using obfuscation you will hide the fact that you’re using a VPN from your ISP and your government. This feature is vital for those living in oppressive regimes that censor the internet, such as when using a VPN for China. Since these servers will moderately impact your speed, you shouldn't use it while playing LoL.
• Double-VPN servers – Provide stronger encryption by making your traffic pass through two VPN servers. We also see this feature with Surfshark and ProtonVPN.
• Kill Switch – In case your connection drops, kill switch will protect your identity from leaking online.
• Split tunneling – Lets you manage which apps can connect to NordVPN. By creating an exclusive VPN tunnel, you can boost your security and further improve your gaming speed.
• Threat protection – A security feature that scans for and blocks ads and trackers, prevents phishing attempts, and eliminates malware.
• Dedicated IP address – You will get an exclusive IP, which guarantees you the best speed and low latency while playing League of Legends.
• Smart DNS – Allows you to access geo-restricted games and sites on devices that don't support VPNs. This makes it a perfect VPN for PS5.

See all NordVPN features here >>

More than LoL VPN

NordVPN is available on many modern platforms, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, and routers. It is great at bypassing geo-restrictions, so you can use this VPN for Warzone to access bot lobbies, and other popular online games. It supports 10 simultaneous connections, so your entire home network can benefit. You can also use it as a Steam VPN, which will let you unlock geo-restricted games and buy them at a discount.

If you experience any problems with this League of Legends VPN, you can get in contact with its customer support 24/7 through live chat. NordVPN also provides a 30-day refund policy, allowing you to get your money back if you aren't impressed. It is a great free trial VPN.

For additional details, check out our full NordVPN review. We also have an extensive NordVPN for Gaming guide and NordVPN on PS5 installation setup.

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Surfshark – Affordable VPN for League of Legends

Surfshark is an excellent budget League of Legends VPN. This Netherlands-based VPN offers 3,200+ servers spread around 100 countries. All of them provide great speeds, and if you use WireGuard VPN protocol, you will also get an instant server connection. This was clearly shown in our Surfshark vs CyberGhost article.

More importantly, we have also done a NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison. In the end, both had very similar speed and performance, but NordVPN was slightly faster. Considering that Surfshark is more affordable, this cements it as one of the best cheap VPN services.

This VPN uses AES 256 encryption and a strict no-logs policy to make you completely private while online. It has plenty of advanced security features like a kill switch, leak protection, and split tunneling. There's also Surfsharks Nexus Technology which further strengthens your security by periodically changing your IP without disconnecting you.

Surfshark passed many independent audits. For example, Deloitte has confirmed that this VPN adheres fully to its no-logs policy. Meanwhile, Cure53 audited its server network, and the results were very impressive. Surfshark also regularly updates its warrant canary, which counts all government requests received for disclosing users' sensitive information. So far, this number is at zero.

Surfshark Advanced Tools

Here are some of Surfshark's features and tools that make it one of the best VPNs for LoL.

• Surfshark One – An add-on bundle that offers an antivirus, leak alert tool, and search engine for a reasonable price.
• NoBorders – Lets you use Surfshark freely on restricted networks, such as when using a VPN for UAE and Dubai.
• Dynamic multi-hop – Works like a double VPN but has an added level of customizability.
• CleanWeb – A powerful VPN ad blocking feature that protects you against malware, trackers, and ads.
• VPN proxy – Surfshark's lightweight browser extension that prevents WebRTC leaks and keeps you safe from hackers. 
• Obfuscated servers
• Smart DNS
• Kill switch
• Split tunneling

See all Surfshark features here >>

Keep in mind that Surfshark isn't just a one-trick pony. You can also use it to unlock cloud gaming platforms. Actually, it is a top VPN for GeForce Now.

This VPN also has impressive cross-platform support, so you can install it on your PC, smartphone, and tablet. By setting it up on your router, you can protect your gaming consoles, which don't usually support VPNs. You can even use it for VR gaming, as it is a powerful VPN for Quest 2.

Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections at a very affordable price. If you can’t get this League of Legends VPN to work, just get in touch with its 24/7 live chat support. Surfshark has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can freely try it out without risk.

Our Surfshark review goes into more depth and has some interesting comparisons. To learn how to install it on various platforms, take a look at our Surfshark for Gaming guide.

ExpressVPN – Secure LoL VPN

ExpressVPN stands out as one of the most reliable VPNs for League of Legends. Thanks to its TrustedServer technology, all 3,000+ servers in 105 countries run on RAM. ExpressVPN also follows a strict no-logs policy, so your privacy is in good hands.

Unfortunately, this VPN is a bit underwhelming in terms of speed. While its very own Lightway protocol blows OpenVPN out of the water, it can’t compare to WireGuard, as you can see in the ExpressVPN vs Surfshark comparison. In ideal conditions, we got 330 Mbps. This is less than half the speed we got with other top WireGuard VPNs.

However, ExpressVPN has plenty of high-end security features. To start, it will secure all of your outgoing traffic with its AES 256 encryption. There's also an advanced kill switch, IPv6, WebRTC, DNS leak protection, and the ExpressVPN ad blocking feature (Threat Manager).

ExpressVPN went through a dozen independent audits. KPMG combed through its no-logs policy and found it to be satisfactory. Cure53 also decided to test out Lightway’s security, and the results were impressive.

ExpressVPN Premium Features

These premium features make ExpressVPN an ideal VPN for League of Legends and gaming in general:

• Device groups let you connect multiple platforms to different VPN servers simultaneously.
• Smart Location will connect you to the fastest and most optimized server based on your location.
• IPv6 Leak protection
• Network lock (Kill switch)
• Split tunneling
• Obfuscated servers
• Media streamer (Smart DNS)
• VPN proxy
• Threat manager

See all ExpressVPN features here >>

ExpressVPN is available on tablets, smartphones, PCs, browsers, and routers. Its Aircove router has built-in VPN protection, so you can use this VPN on Xbox and other consoles. With it, you can connect up to 8 devices at the same time.

If you get stuck when setting up your LoL VPN, you can contact ExpressVPN customer support 24/7 through live chat. By subscribing, you will also get a 30-day refund guarantee, so you have time to decide if it's the right choice for you.

Read our full ExpressVPN review for more information. Find all setup guides in our ExpressVPN for Gaming article.

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IPVanish – A Great Alternative Gaming VPN

IPVanish is another solid League of Legends VPN due to its high speeds and airtight security. By subscribing, you will gain access to 2,000+ servers in over 50 countries. This will give you plenty of chances to find bot lobbies.

IPVanish lets you pick between many VPN protocols, such as WireGuard and OpenVPN. It gave us the best speed test results yet, reaching nearly 830 Mbps on a Seattle server. However, in our recent IPVanish vs NordVPN article, we saw that NordVPN had a more consistent performance, especially on its remote servers. We would still recommend bot options as top VPNs for Call of Duty.

IPVanish is a no-logs VPN that employs AES-256 encryption to shield all of your data from third parties. Its no-logs policy has been certified via an audit by Leviathan Security. IPVanish also has a Scramble feature, which serves as obfuscation and will hide your VPN use. However, it is based in the US, which is not the best jurisdiction in terms of privacy (Five Eyes). Because of this, IPVanish currently doesn't provide RAM servers, although they are working on a solution.

IPVanish Advanced Tools

• SOCKS5 proxy – While in use, it sacrifices your encryption for the highest speed and privacy. Useful for torrenting.
• Obfuscation
• Split tunneling
• IPv6 and DNS leak protection
• Kill switch

See all IPVanish features here >

This is an excellent VPN for multiple devices, as it allows you to make unlimited simultaneous connections. IPVanish even has strong cross-platform support, so you can set it up on your PC, tablet, smartphone, and router.

The app is fairly intuitive, but you can also get in touch with its 24/7 live chat customer support if you run into any problems. We recommend that you get an annual subscription, as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For a more in-depth look at the service, head on to our IPVanish review.

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Tips on Improving Your VPN for LoL

• Use Advanced VPN Protocols – Depending on the VPN you choose, this may be WireGuard, NordLynx, or Lightway. Each will provide you with minimal ping and latency, high-end security, top speeds, and instant server connection.
• Use Close VPN servers – Close servers will generally give you better speeds, consistent connection, and lower ping. To make sure that this is the case, you should always perform a quick speed test before connecting to the game. This will save you from the unnecessary frustration caused by high latency.
• Beef up your Security – To shield yourself from hackers and DDoS attacks, make sure that your kill switch and other leak protection features are enabled. You may also want to enable split tunneling, as this will allow you to create an exclusive VPN tunnel just for gaming. 
• Turn off Unnecessary Apps – Background applications might consume a lot of bandwidth without you knowing, which can negatively impact your gaming performance.
• Avoid Obfuscated Servers – Enabling obfuscation will slow down your speed, so you shouldn't use it while gaming. 
• Update your VPN – Every premium VPN for LoL we've mentioned periodically rolls out new updates that can further optimize your speed and fix security weak points. You should always use the latest version of your VPN client.

How to Test Your VPN Connection

The location of your gaming and VPN server play a significant role in your gaming experience. However, even if you jump on a close server, there's no 100% guarantee that you will get an ideal connection. That's why it's important to do a quick speed test before heading to Summoners Rift. Here is what you have to do:

1. Do a speed test without a VPN to get your base speed.
2. Connect to a VPN server close to your location.
3. Repeat the test and take note of performance.
4. Experiment with different servers until you find the fastest connection.

On-The-Go Gaming: Mobile VPN Solutions for Wild Rift

The mobile version of League of Legends, Wild Rift, has taken the world by storm. And yes, you can use these LoL VPNs on your smartphone too! Every service we've mentioned offers Android and iOS apps that are perfect for mobile gaming. And if you subscribe to Surfshark, you will even get a 7-day trial for your smartphone devices.

Speaking of mobile games, be sure to check out our guide on the Best Pokemon Go VPNs.

Can you use a Free VPN for League of Legends?

Although it is possible to use the free VPN for LoL, we cannot advise anyone to do this. These services come with various limitations and may cause more problems than they are worth. Specifically, we are talking about…

1. Outdated VPN Protocols

Free providers frequently utilize subpar protocols, such as OpenVPN and PPTP. They simply can't compare to WireGuard or NordLynx in terms of safety, speed, or quality of connection. You will likely experience high ping while also remaining vulnerable to DDoS attacks. This makes them unsuitable even as a VPN for Minecraft, let alone hectic games like LoL.

2.  Fewer Gaming Servers

Maintaining servers is notoriously expensive, so, logically, free VPNs usually have a more modest server network. And, since they are free, their servers can easily get overcrowded with users. If that happens, your speed may significantly drop, or you may get disconnected from the server during an important LoL match.

3. Monthly Bandwidth Limits

To prevent their servers from becoming overcrowded, free VPNs frequently place a monthly data cap, which is usually between 1 and 10 GB. You can easily spend this in just a few gaming sessions, leaving you unable to use VPN for LoL until the month is over. As you can imagine, this is really frustrating.

4.  Important Security Issues 

A groundbreaking study done on 270+ free mobile VPNs showed us that these apps contain many glaring problems:

• Over 38% of free VPNs contained some type of malware
• At least 75% of apps use trackers to monitor their users
• 84% of free VPNs were leaking IPv6 traffic
• 66% of apps had subpar DNS leak protection
• 18% of free VPN apps had no encryption

While this research was done only on smartphones, we don't have any reason to believe that things are better on other devices. Unfortunately, many free VPNs simply cause more trouble than they are worth. They are made to make money by extracting sensitive user information and then selling it to ad agencies. In short, they are doing exactly the opposite of what a real VPN should.

As with anything else, there are few exceptions. After some digging, we have found 7 free VPNs that actually provide a solid service. We still wouldn't use them for playing League of Legends, but they are the best you will get for free.

How to Fix Your VPN for League of Legends

Even if you are using a premium VPN, you may still experience technical difficulties. Here is a list of things you can do to quickly fix your VPN.

1. Make Sure that Your Real IP Isn't Leaking

You can easily determine if this is a problem by performing a speed test. This will show the quality of your connection, as well as your location and your IP address. To solve this problem, make sure to enable the Leak Protection tool, which is generally located in your VPN settings.

 2. Exit all Background Applications

Aside from slowing down your connection, apps like BitTorrent may also reveal your true location. Our rule of thumb is to disable all apps that aren't necessary while using a VPN service. 

3. Clear Cache and Cookies From your Browser

If you are use LoL VPN to surf the Web, your browser will likely reveal your location using tracking cookies. Luckily, you can easily delete them. Just follow these Chrome, Firefox, and Edge guides.

4. Create a Firewall Exception

In case you cannot even connect to a VPN server, your problems are likely firewall-related. You should either temporarily disable it or create an exception for your VPN. You can do that on Windows by visiting Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.

Mac users can find it by moving to the Apple menu > System Settings > Network >  Firewall.

Final Words

Using a VPN for League of Legends can greatly enhance your gaming experience by reducing ping, providing robust security, and giving you access to global servers. While a VPN won’t guarantee a victory, it can certainly level up your gaming.

In our experience, the best League of Legends VPN is NordVPN. Besides offering the best speed and security with NordLynx, it also provides many security features, a strict no-logs policy, and multiple simultaneous connections.

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League of Legends VPN FAQ

Here are the most common questions about using a VPN for League of Legends.

The article on the Best VPN for League of Legends was last edited on April 16, 2024.