VPNs usually increase ping since your data has an extra step on its path to the game servers. If you’re a gamer looking to reduce lag and keep your ping low, read on. I’ll explain how much slowdown you can expect, why this happens, and how to limit ping increases when gaming with a VPN.

How to measure your ping

When gaming, your device is constantly sending and receiving data packets to and from the game’s servers. VPNs encrypt your data and increase the number of steps it takes to reach its destination, both of which increase latency. However, they can help you bypass ISP throttling and route data differently from your ISP, which could lead to lower ping if your service provider has inefficient routing or relies on congested infrastructure.

What's in this article?

Here’s how to check if a VPN will lower your ping:

  1. Close all apps other than the game you’d like to play. Make sure you’re not downloading torrents, game updates, or anything else in the background.
  2. Run a ping test, focusing on the region you tend to play in. European gamers should prioritize testing servers in the EU, while Americans should test servers on both sides of the country. Your results won’t be exactly the same in-game (since we can’t test official game infrastructure), but they should be close.

    Screenshot showing ping test results with no VPN connected
    I ran these tests in the UK – notice how my ping increases the further away my target server gets. That’s why changing your matchmaking region tends to result in higher lag.
  3. Connect to your VPN. Unless you’re trying to access a region-locked game, it’s best to use a nearby server. This keeps latency low and ensures you’re not connected to game servers on the other side of the world.
  4. Run another set of ping tests, then compare the results. Most people will notice a slight increase across the board (as shown below). If not, or if the values are actually lower, a VPN will likely help reduce your ping in-game, too.

    Screenshot showing the results of a ping test with a VPN connected
    With a VPN connected, my median ping values increased by 7ms (UK), 9ms (Netherlands), and 4ms (USA).
  5. Bear in mind that these tests are just to give you an idea of your VPN’s impact. They don’t use any game’s actual servers, so your actual in-game ping values may be different. Most games allow you to see your current ping while playing, so you can run further testing, though.

Everything you need to know about ping, VPNs, and gaming

Technically, ping is a utility used to measure latency, but these two terms are often used interchangeably. In practice, ping refers to the time it takes data to travel to a remote server and back. It’s measured in milliseconds, and lower values mean faster responses, which leads to smoother gameplay. Conversely, high ping causes problems because it delays communication between you and the game’s servers.

Diagram explaining how data is sent to a game server with no VPN connected

If you’ve ever experienced rubberbanding (teleporting around uncontrollably in-game), missed a shot you were certain you landed, or been killed by someone who wasn’t yet visible on your screen, ping may well be the culprit.

It is possible for a VPN to lower ping, but this is rare

Your ISP tries to send your data on the most efficient path to the game’s server. Unfortunately, sometimes this means your data will pass through servers that are slower than others, increasing your ping. In these cases, a VPN may help reduce latency by routing your data through a different, more efficient path.

Diagram showing how a VPN can change the path your data takes to a game server, and its impact on ping

VPNs can also improve your ping by helping you evade throttling (which is when your ISP limits your speeds). Normally, your ISP can make an educated guess at what you’re doing based on your traffic patterns. While using a VPN, though, your data is encrypted, meaning it can’t be read or analyzed. This means automated throttling systems looking for streaming, torrenting, or gaming traffic are much less likely to activate.

How to choose a VPN for gaming

Every VPN is different, so it pays to choose carefully. I’d recommend avoiding free VPNs since they tend to have low bandwidth limits and poor privacy. Still, most paid providers include a free trial or money-back guarantee so you can try them risk-free. Ask yourself the following questions first:

  • Do I want to play games on consoles? If so, you’ll have to find a VPN with router support or share a VPN connection from a second device.
  • How large is the provider’s network? A VPN with lots of servers is less likely to have congested infrastructure. Also, a larger network means more options for routing your traffic. For best results, make sure there’s at least one server location near you.
  • Are modern protocols supported? Modern VPN protocols like WireGuard are significantly faster than OpenVPN or IKEv2.
  • How do the VPN’s speeds hold up? Speed isn’t everything, but better performance means your VPN is less of a bottleneck. That’s why, generally, a faster VPN is better for gaming. Check out our VPN data hub to find out which are currently the quickest.
  • Is there port forwarding functionality? This feature is relatively rare, but it’s required for some games to work properly. Still, unless you plan on hosting or joining private servers, port forwarding is likely not necessary.

See also: Best VPN For Gaming: Improve Your Gaming Experience

How to test ping in-game

The definitive way to check whether your VPN improves your ping is to test it in-game. Most popular online games have a way to display network data, but the tricky part is activating it. There may be a key combination you need to press, or perhaps a setting in the options that must be enabled. Remember to close any other apps that are using the internet before testing!

It’s not enough to check your latency from the game’s menu. For an accurate reading, you’ll have to keep an eye on the ping during an actual match. I booted up Overwatch 2 without a VPN, joined a game, and noticed my latency hovering around 46 ms.

Screenshot showing an in-game latency reading of 46 ms on Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 has a network status HUD; just enable it from the Video options menu.

Next, I connected to a VPN server in the UK (where I’m based). It took a few tries to find one that Overwatch 2 didn’t block, but I was eventually able to enter a game. This time, my latency settled at 80 ms – almost double what it was with no VPN. It’s worth mentioning that there was no noticeable lag, and you’ll usually be fine so long as your ping is below 100 ms.

Screenshot showing an in-game latency reading of 80ms on overwatch 2

How to limit ping increases when using a VPN

If you’re going to use a VPN for gaming, your ping is almost always going to go up. There are a few ways to minimize your VPN’s impact, though:

  • If your VPN has gaming-optimized servers, use them
  • Use a wired connection instead of wifi
  • Choose a VPN server as close to your location as possible
  • Pause any other bandwidth-intensive activities while gaming
  • Connect via the WireGuard protocol for faster speeds
  • Disable your VPN’s obfuscation since this adds extra overhead

Conclusion

VPNs have undeniable benefits for gamers, including DDoS mitigation and the ability to hide your real IP address from other players. However, most of the time, they won’t reduce your ping. If you decide that enhanced privacy is worth the cost, it is possible to limit your VPN’s impact by using nearby servers, choosing an efficient protocol like WireGuard, and connecting to the internet via Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.