Best VPNs for gaming: low latency picks for 2026

The idea that a VPN always slows down gaming is outdated. On games with poorly optimised routing — a lot of Southeast Asian and South American titles — a well-placed VPN server can shave 40 to 80 milliseconds off your ping.

For pure latency, ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol posted the tightest ping distributions in our tests. NordVPN's NordLynx came a close second and is noticeably cheaper on a two-year plan.

DDoS protection matters if you stream on Twitch or play competitive titles with lobby-based matchmaking. Every provider in our top five hides your real IP effectively, so an angry lobby cannot boot you offline.

Skip any VPN advertising 'gaming mode' with no technical detail. If the provider cannot explain what its mode actually does, it usually does nothing.