Published on: November 8, 2024 Updated 2 times since publishing
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : It maintains the fastest speeds on the market for playing League of Legends lag-free and prevents ISP bandwidth throttling, which helps keep your ping stable and low. Plus, the VPN has servers in most LoL regions and can access them without any issues. ExpressVPN’s backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee for first-time users.
The best VPNs for League of Legends maintain low ping for smooth gameplay. They also offer servers in a range of LoL regions, including North America, Europe, and South Korea, and some even have servers in China (where competition is the fiercest).
Beyond this, it’s useful for a LoL VPN to offer protection against DDoS attacks and to be able to access LoL on restrictive networks such as campus Wi-Fi networks, so you can play anywhere. Dedicated IP addresses are an added bonus, as using a dedicated IP reduces the chances of triggering anti-cheat systems.
After testing the top VPNs on the market, I selected my favorites for League of Legends. Each has its own strengths, but ExpressVPN is my top choice — it maintains super fast speeds and low ping for smooth gaming and has a large server network that can access most LoL regions. Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs for League of Legends
Editor's Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for League of Legends
Basic 12-Months plan: $3.99 / month
1-month plan: $12.99 / month
ExpressVPN is my top choice for League of Legends thanks to its proprietary protocol Lightway, which provides super fast speeds for lag-free games. I played a couple of ranked games in LoL, and my ping remained stable, even though my game lasted 1 and a half hours. You can also switch from 256-bit AES encryption to ChaCha20, which gives you faster speeds if you’re playing the game on an older PC.
The VPN has a large server network spread across 105 countries worldwide, with servers in different LoL game regions. This includes 20+ server locations in the North America region, 50+ server locations in Europe, and a server location in South Korea. The servers can reliably access these regions without any issues.
ExpressVPN offers good security for safely playing LoL, including anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers. This means that if someone attempts a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack, which overwhelms a target with excessive traffic, the attack will hit ExpressVPN’s IP address instead of yours. Thanks to the anti-DDoS protection on the VPN’s servers that actively mitigates these attacks, the attacker won’t be able to disconnect you from the VPN server, preventing any disruptions to your play.
This provider offers dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. These IP addresses are available in 20+ countries, including ones where LoL has servers like North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. With a unique dedicated IP address, there’s a lower risk that you’ll trigger anti-cheat systems or face a ban for using a VPN with LoL, as your dedicated IP will only be associated with your account.
The VPN is also good for playing LoL on restricted networks, like campus Wi-Fi networks, that block access to the game and throttles your speeds. This is because the VPN hides everything you do online, so you can anonymously play LoL anywhere.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is my top VPN for LoL — its speeds are so fast that you won’t even notice you’re connected to a VPN. It has servers in many LoL regions, including North America, Europe, and South Korea, and it has anti-DDoS protection on all servers, meaning sore losers won’t be able to kick you off the game server. It also offers dedicated IPs from 20+ countries for more reliable access to the game.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Playing LoL in the US
6-month plan: $7.50 / month
1-month plan: $11.99 / month
Private Internet Access (PIA) is good for playing LoL in the North American region. The VPN has servers in every US state, including ones that are closer to Chicago (where LoL’s main server in the US is located) like Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Minnesota. This means that finding the fastest nearby server for playing LoL won’t be a problem.
PIA also provides fast speeds for lag-free LoL gameplay. In my tests, the WireGuard protocol option maintained low ping, and I didn’t experience any lag during team fights.
I like how PIA allows you to customize your connections for LoL. For instance, you can switch from 256-bit AES encryption to slightly faster 128-bit AES encryption, which can improve your speeds if you’re playing on unstable Wi-Fi, like college networks.
PIA has a server in China that can access the Chinese LoL region and maintains stable ping and great response times. It also offers dedicated IP addresses in 15+ countries, including in North America and Europe, but fewer overall than ExpressVPN. That said, I like that you can choose between the East and the West Coast in the US and 11 states, like New York and Atlanta.
Finally, PIA has anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers, and it comes with Identity Guard, which alerts you if your LoL account email address and password have been compromised in a breach. This gives you the opportunity to react quickly and prevent the possible loss of your account.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access has servers in each US state, making it easy to find the fastest nearby server for playing LoL in the region. It also has a server in China for Chinese LoL, lets you customize your connection for smoother gameplay on slow Wi-Fi networks, and has anti-DDoS protection.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
Editor's Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Dedicated Servers for Gaming + Automation Rules
6-month plan: $6.99 / month
1-month plan: $12.99 / month
CyberGhost VPN offers dedicated gaming servers for smooth LoL gaming sessions. The servers are located in Germany, France, the UK, and the US and are optimized to offer very fast speeds and low ping, which is great for playing a MOBA like LoL. Plus, they’re super easy to find — they’re placed in the For Gaming tab. I also like that they all show you the ping time, so you can easily pick the one with the lowest ping.
CyberGhost has regular servers in plenty of LoL regions that offer pretty great speeds for playing Summoner’s Rift online. These include 10+ US locations, 30+ European countries (fewer than ExpressVPN), and a server location each in South Korea and China.
I really like CyberGhost’s Smart Rules feature that lets you set automation rules that trigger the VPN to connect or launch apps. For instance, you can set the VPN to automatically connect to the fastest server location when you open the LoL app, or set the Riot client to launch after you connect.
CyberGhost also offers anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers and has Identity Guard for keeping an eye on any data breaches on the dark web that might include your LoL account email and password. It offers dedicated IP addresses in 10+ countries for an extra cost, too, including in the US, the UK, and several European states like the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN comes with dedicated gaming servers that provide a lag-free LoL gaming experience. The VPN has servers in many LoL regions, including North America, South Korea, and China, and offers convenient automation, so you’re always protected when playing. It also has anti-DDoS protection on all servers and offers an Identity Guard feature.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Editor's Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
4. NordVPN — Good for Hosting LAN Parties for LoL
Plus 24-month plan: $3.59 / month
Complete 24-month plan: $4.99 / month
Prime 24-month plan: $6.99 / month
NordVPN is great for creating LAN parties for safe LoL games with your friends. The Meshent feature lets you create a secure, encrypted connection between your own and your friends’ PCs that resembles a virtual LAN environment. This allows you and your friends to play LoL together as if you were all connected on the same local network, even if you’re in different parts of the world.
NordVPN’s Meshnet also reduces latency by allowing data to flow directly between you and your friends without unnecessary detours through the public internet. This means your in-game communication and actions are processed more quickly, which ensures smooth coordination during matches.
The provider has servers in 137 countries including LoL regions — 15+ US locations, the Middle East, Asia (South Korea, Japan, and Singapore), and multiple European countries.
This provider offers excellent speeds for playing LoL. I played a couple of Summoner’s Rift matches over its proprietary protocol called NordLynx, which is the fastest protocol that NordVPN offers, without any lag or disconnects.
NordVPN protects you from direct DDoS attacks on your IP address, but it doesn’t provide anti-DDoS protection like ExpressVPN does. This means that an upset gamer could launch a DDoS attack on your VPN connection, requiring you to reconnect.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN has a unique tool that allows you to create virtual LAN parties for playing LoL with your friends from around the world. It also offers a large server network that accesses various LoL regions and great speeds for online play.
5. Surfshark — Affordable VPN With Intuitive Apps
One 24-month plan: $2.49 / month
One+ 24-month plan: $4.19 / month
Surfshark is an affordable option for League of Legends players, making it an ideal choice if you want to securely play the game on a budget. It’s also great for VPN beginners thanks to its intuitive apps and 1-click options. You can easily connect to the nearest server on the main dashboard and customize the quick-connect button to connect to any server for your LoL region.
The VPN provides good speeds for playing LoL online — I never had to deal with high ping and my games never froze while connected to its servers. That said, it’s not quite as fast as ExpressVPN.
Surfshark’s server network is pretty large and includes servers in 20+ major US cities, South Korea, and the Philippines. The VPN has anti-DDoS protection on all servers and an IP Rotator feature that regularly changes your IP address without dropping the VPN connection. This makes it hard for LoL players from the other team to track you down and DDoS you.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark offers affordable plans and intuitive apps for securely playing LoL. It maintains fast speeds for lag-free gameplay and offers servers in many LoL regions, like NA. Plus, the VPN has anti-DDoS protection and an IP Rotator that makes it hard for other players to track and DDoS you.
Read the full Surfshark review
Quick Comparison Table
Editor's Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To find the best VPNs for League of Legends, I relied on our trusted testing methodology, which included testing numerous VPNs across a range of gaming-specific scenarios to evaluate their performance and reliability. Below are the criteria I used to test, compare, and rank the VPNs:
- I tested for fast speeds while playing LoL. It’s important for the VPN to deliver fast speeds for lag-free LoL gaming. Each VPN on my list maintains fast speeds on nearby and distant servers, but ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds in my tests.
- I checked for servers in popular LoL regions. The VPNs on my list have servers in LoL regions like North America, Europe, and the Middle East. A lot of them also have servers in South Korea and China.
- I ensured the VPNs have anti-DDoS protection. Nearly all the VPNs I’ve listed include anti-DDoS protection on their servers. This ensures you’re protected even if another LoL player attempts to DDoS the VPN server you’re using.
- I looked into security features. Every VPN on my list comes with industry-standard security features like an audited no-logs policy, military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, and a kill switch (which disconnects you from the internet if the VPN connection drops). Plus, they all offer strong leak protection and reliably work with LoL on campus networks that restrict the game.
- I chose VPNs that offer good value. The VPNs that I picked have affordable plans and deals with generous money-back guarantees. Plus, they allow multiple simultaneous connections.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is a secure and intuitive VPN, but it causes major slowdowns on distant servers. This means that you might experience some lagging while playing LoL, which can cost you, especially in ranked games.
- PrivateVPN. PrivateVPN is a fast VPN that has anti-DDoS protection on all servers. However, it has a small server network with fewer servers in Asia and Latin America. This means less reliable access to LoL servers in these regions.
- Proton VPN. Proton VPN has excellent security and maintains a very low ping on nearby servers. That said, the VPN causes some lag on distant servers that might cause you to disconnect mid-game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I change my LoL region?
To change your LoL region, you can either pay for an account transfer or get a new account and start from scratch. If you opt for the latter, I suggest doing it with a VPN connected to that region. A VPN can provide a more stable route if your local ISP routes are inconsistent or laggy.
My favorite VPN for League of Legends is ExpressVPN, as it has servers in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia, and it maintains low ping.
Can a VPN help with ping in LoL?
Yes, quality VPNs like the ones I recommend can reduce ping in specific situations. For example, if your ISP is throttling your speeds, a VPN can prevent that because it hides your online activities, so your ISP can’t lower your bandwidth because it sees you’re gaming online.
A VPN can also potentially improve your speeds when playing League of Legends by connecting you through a server that provides a more direct route to the game’s servers, reducing the number of network “hops” your data has to take. This can be especially helpful if your local ISP routes your connection inefficiently.
Can I use a free VPN with League of Legends?
Maybe, but I don’t recommend it. Many free VPNs offer few server location options and they’re often overcrowded, which affects speeds significantly. Instead, I recommend purchasing a premium VPN like ExpressVPN. It maintains super fast speeds and has a large server network.
Can I get banned for using a VPN with League of Legends?
No, you won’t be banned for playing League of Legends with a VPN as long as you adhere to the terms. Note that using a VPN or any other software to gain an unfair advantage in competitive play or engaging in unlawful activities could lead to a ban.
Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
