Valorant is a free-to-play (Massive Multiplayer First Person Shooter) video game, developed by the well known creator, Riot Games. The game released to quite a bit of fanfare in 2020 and is wildly popular. Unlike many FPS games, this one is designed for the PC only and uses the Unreal Engine. Even though Valorant is not is not as demanding as games like the Crysis Remastered Trilogy, the lower specs you plenty of room to take advantage of a VPN. While you may already know, we’ll discuss the benefits in a moment. First, though, please take a look at our list of the best VPNs for Valorant.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
The main mode of the game consists of 2 teams of 5 players and is a game they call “Spike”. The attacking team has a bomb they call the “Spike” and they plant it somewhere on the site. If the attacking team protects the bomb successfully and it blows up, they get the point. If the bomb gets diffused or the time runs out, the defending team gets a point. The first team to win the best of 25 rounds, wins. It is basically a high-tech version of keep away with the ability to choose many different maps.
As I said, the game is not as resource-heavy as some of the others in the same category. Even with the wonderful and almost anime-like graphics, Riot hit a home run by providing a smooth and fast-moving gameplay experience. The good news is, even at max performance, it only requires am Intel i5 core, a GTX 1050 Ti GPU, 4 GB of RAM, and a connection of approximately 5 Mbps or 20 Mbps for safety (especially if you are going to connect to a VPN).
Why Use a VPN for Valorant?
Resources are important, no matter which map you play. That said, you may run into lag from time to time. Lag is the enemy of all FPSers. Of course, some lag you can’t help, that depends on what is causing it. If the lag is because of a busy server, connecting to a VPN will allow you to choose one in an area that is less busy. Luckily, Riot Games does not appear to charge you for changing zones like it did in League of Legends. Not only will changing servers help with lag, you can choose to connect to a location where the game is less popular. That means you may be able to Pwn your competion more easily. Of course, the same applies if you want to dial the competion up more. You can easily switch to an area where you may battle the best of the best.
Be aware of who you upset, though. If you anger the wrong gamer, especially since this game is PC only, you run the risk that they could launch a Distributive Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Though most of the time those are just irritating, they may cause problems if you are in the middle of a match. In that case, staying connected to the VPN is a good idea. Since you are masking your true IP identity, you can stay safe from those sorts of attacks. That way, you can play wherever you want without that fear.
Can I use a Free VPN for Valorant?
While you could technically do that, I don’t suggest it. There are several issues with doing so. Most free VPNs have data caps. In other words, you can only transmit so much data in a given time period. If you are in the middle of a match and that happens, a dirt nap is in your future. Another issue has to do with speed. Free VPNs cap their speed, so again, you could be taking a dirt nap, this time because of lag. Servers for those companies are in high demand, so even without caps or speed restrictions, the congested servers will cause lag. Lastly, apprimately 80% of all free VPNs contain adware, malware, or will fingerprint your activity, if they even protect you at all. That’s why I suggest using an option like the ones I mentioned above.
What is the Best VPN for Valorant?
With it’s great looking graphics, you will find a number of different games to play while in the game. To help us answer this question, we need to take a look at the most important factors. In this case, they have to do with access and lag. After taking a look at them, we can tell you what the best VPN for Valorant is.
- Fast servers in different regions to provide you with the best possible speeds while playing Valorant
- Providers with the ability to get around firewalls while at work or school so you can access the game no matter where you are
- Providers with strong military-grade encryption to help protect you from DDoS attacks and protect your privacy
- High network stability to help avoid disconnects while playing the game
Below, you can see some of the best VPNs for Valorant.
1. ExpressVPN – play Valorant in different regions
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A benefit that you can take advantage of when connecting to a VPN is to help you access sites like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video in different areas. Because of licensing rights, not everything is available in every country. As connected as the world is, ExpressVPN feels you should be able to see your favorite movies and TV shows everywhere. To do so, you would need to connect to a VPN in the country that offers the content. That way, you’ll be able to see it no matter where you are.
Because protecting your security and accounts are essential while gaming, connecting to a VPN server with ExpressVPN is crucial. If you are a gamer, you will spend many hours playing. No matter what the game is, there are achievements, money, and account information that you should be able to protect. To do so, all you need to do is connect to the server of your choice. That way, you will create a layer of encryption that will keep all of your personal gaming information and accounts safe.
ExpressVPN is the #1 rated VPN on our site. We have had the opportunity to compare hundreds of VPN services over the years and ExpressvPN is our favorite. Whether you want to protect your privacy on WiFi networks or unblock streaming services in other countries, ExpressVPN is a good choice. Best of all, you can sign up for 12 months of unlimited VPN access and get 3 months free during our current promotion. The ExpressVPN 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to test the service.
2. NordVPN – fast servers to reduce lag
If you have watched the news and are a gamer, you may already know what kind of an effect a DDoS (Distributive Denial of Service) attack can have on you. Those types of attacks can spell trouble, no matter what game you are playing. The way to avoid them is to connect to a VPN server with NordVPN. Since they can lock you out of your game based on your current IP address, changing it will stop that from happening. Then, you should be able to play like normal.
When you take a look at encryption protocols, NordVPN has you covered. Instead of dealing with some of the less secure ones like PPTP, the company offers you three different alternatives to use. Whether you like the highly adaptable IKEv2, known as an NGE (Next Generation Encryption) protocol, OpenVPN (which many experts consider to be the gold standard), or the newcomer to the group, NordLynx (a proprietary protocol that uses WireGuard technology), you can find them all with NordVPN. While some may worry about using WireGuard because of the flaws, the company made its protocol to address those issues.
3. Private Internet Access – US-based VPN with an eye on privacy
As more and more TV users cut the cord, many of them still want the ability to watch their favorite sports team in action. With a VPN from Private Internet Access, you don’t have to miss out. Unfortunately, licensing rights to the team will consider you to be “in-market” if you try to watch online. That means you would typically miss out unless you chose a VPN server located outside the region. Simply connect to a VPN in a different area, and you will be able to enjoy it.
As far as privacy goes, Private Internet Access supports five different encryption protocols. Those include OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPSEC/L2TP, PPTP, and the SOCKS5 (proxy). While there are arguments to be made for using each type of encryption, the best option is to use OpenVPN. That is because it provides the best mix of privacy and speed. WireGuard is a relative newcomer, and some people are afraid to try the protocol. Of course, there are set up guides for each type of connection on their website.
4. CyberGhost – VPN servers for gaming in US and Europe
If you connect to a VPN server with CyberGhost and you are a gamer, there is something you may not be aware of. On some international platforms, games can have different prices than in your home region. An example of that is using a platform like Steam. You can sometimes find your favorite games for a lower price in other countries than you would in your home country. If you use Steam cards as well, you will be able to play your favorites for a lesser amount than usual.
Once you sign up for your VPN service with CyberGhost, the company provides you with seven simultaneous connections. While that will take care of most families or groups, it may not solve the problems of everyone. If you are worried about running out of connections, setting up your VPN through a router may help you. When you do so, you will ensure that all of the devices that you attach to your network are protected. Of course, that will help you free up some connections.
5. IPVanish – consistently fast speeds in North America
One of the great things you can do when you connect to a VPN server from IPVanish is stream content from different regions. IPVanish spreads its more than 1400 servers over 75+ locations. That makes them an ideal candidate to stream. Their fast speeds also help when watching content from other areas because it means you will not usually have to deal with lag. If your goal is to stream movies and shows from different parts of the world, you can’t go wrong with IPVanish.
If you are a gamer that likes to play online, you probably know that while popular games eventually become available in all regions, it is not always at the same time. The trick to that is to connect to a VPN server from IPVanish located in one of the early access countries. Australia is a popular choice. By doing so, you will make the software think you are there. That way, you can enjoy the game and play it earlier than others in your area.
