The Best VPNs for Minecraft 2024

Whether you're new to playing Minecraft or have your own Minecraft server, you might want to consider a virtual private network (VPN.) A VPN can help make sure your internet connection stays stable and offers protection for your IP address, and the best VPNs for Minecraft are NordVPN, Surfshark VPN, or ExpressVPN.

NordVPN wants you to play Minecraft with Meshnet, which connects players to gaming servers as if they're all on a local area network (LAN). Surfshark has unlimited connections and many servers. Finally, ExpressVPN maintains fast speeds, so network traffic won't slow down your gaming.

The best VPNs for Minecraft 2024

No matter if you’re a casual gamer who plays on a console or a Minecraft mod expert, using a VPN can increase your security, peace of mind, and overall gaming experience. Incorporating a VPN into your Minecraft gaming helps protect you from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, gives you a smooth experience by thwarting throttling, and hides your IP address.

Minecraft also likes to block VPNs, so using a service with obfuscated servers can help you get past those blocks. Connection speeds are also important and having a fast VPN — like one of our top three — will allow you to access Minecraft without worrying about throttling by your internet service provider (ISP).

• NordVPN: Best for cloud storage
• Surfshark: Best for unlimited devices
• ExpressVPN: Best for speed

Top 3 VPN services for Minecraft compared

VPN	NordVPN	Surfshark	ExpressVPN
Starting price	$3.59/mo (billed every two years)	$1.99/mo (billed every two years)	$6.67/mo (billed annually)
Free version
Streaming support	Yes — Netflix (unofficially), Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, DAZN	Yes — Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer Disney Plus, DAZN, Hotstar, YLE Areena, AbemaTV	Yes — Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

NordVPN: Best for cloud storage

Who it’s best for

If you’re the kind of gamer who likes creating new mods in Minecraft or having a lot of saved data, NordVPN is a great option because it can be bundled with NordLocker for additional storage options.

What we liked

NordVPN has a lot of features we like. The Meshnet feature is free for everyone, even if you don’t have a NordVPN account. It lets you operate as if you’re on a LAN so you can game with friends without compromising security. 

We obviously love the NordLocker addition that you can add to your NordVPN subscription. This means you have secure file protection in your cloud storage. We’re also big fans of NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, which allow you to use a VPN without looking like you’re using one.

Mod creators or anyone hosting a server may require extra storage. This is why the NordLocker option bundled with NordVPN is a great choice for gamers who fit in this category. 

What we didn’t like

NordVPN isn’t the most budget-friendly option available. There are less expensive options like CyberGhost and Private Internet Access (PIA), which are also pretty good VPNs for gaming. Since NordVPN has more options and features that could be great for gamers, however, we opted for Nord.

Nord services have a lot of different plans, which may get confusing. You can bundle all of Nord’s products or purchase them separately. There are also different subscription lengths. This may get confusing for someone who’s navigating VPN usage for the first time. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s worth mentioning.

NordVPN specs

Price range	$2.99–$17.99/mo
Free version	No, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers	6,800+ servers in 111 countries
Number of connected devices	10
VPN protocol	NordLynx (WireGuard), IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes (unofficially)
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

Surfshark: Best for unlimited devices

Who it’s best for

Gamers with a variety of devices may not want limits put on how many their VPN will cover. Surfshark is one of a few VPN providers that offer unlimited simultaneous device connections with a subscription.

What we liked

We found that Surfshark is easy to install and use, which is great because it offers unlimited simultaneous connections on a single plan. You can connect all of your devices, not just your console or gaming PC, to make sure you’re both protected and avoiding ISP throttling. 

Surfshark is fast, has up to 10 Gbps servers, with 3,200+ servers total. All of this means you can game with limited buffering and interruptions.

Surfshark also employs obfuscated servers, which can help avoid VPN blockers and bans. These servers hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. Since Minecraft is a game that likes to block VPNs, obfuscated servers are necessary to be safe online while gaming.

Finally, Surfshark is still pretty affordable. If you purchase a multi-year subscription, you’ll be able to snag it at a lower price than NordVPN or ExpressVPN. We like that a lot.

What we didn’t like

Surfshark is headquartered in The Netherlands, which is a Nine Eyes country. The Eyes alliance countries give each other permission to spy on each other’s citizens. While Surfshark maintains it doesn’t keep logs, it’s still located in a country that doesn’t necessarily value privacy. 

As Surfshark has expanded its product offerings, it has added landing pages that might be confusing. This shouldn’t be a problem if you just want to purchase the VPN, but if you want to bundle other services, you may be clicking around a while before you find what you’re looking for on the site. 

It’s not the worst problem to have, but we think an exceptional product like Surfshark should streamline its site.

Surfshark specs

Price range	$1.99–$17.95/mo
Free version	No, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers	3,200+ servers in 100 countries
Number of connected devices	Unlimited
VPN protocol	WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review

ExpressVPN: Best for speed

Who it’s best for

If you’re looking for a VPN that won’t slow down your connection, ExpressVPN is notoriously fast. We know that gaming requires split-second decisions. Winning or losing could come down to a speed glitch, and no one wants that.

What we liked

ExpressVPN tops any list as one of the best VPN services available. Speed is a guarantee with this VPN, so we know it won’t slow down gaming, streaming, or anything else that requires a lot of bandwidth, like watching Netflix. Couple the speed with ExpressVPN’s obfuscated servers to hide your VPN usage, and you have a pretty powerful tool.

We’re also big fans of Aircove. It’s the first router to come preinstalled with any name-brand VPN. If you’ve ever tried to configure a VPN service onto your router, you know it can be a headache. This Wi-Fi 6-enabled router is already set up and ready to go.

Since ExpressVPN allows for only eight simultaneous connections, you can get around protecting all your devices in the home with this router option. It uses only one of those eight connections, leaving seven more available if you need to take your gaming on the go.

What we didn’t like

All of that power and speed comes with a hefty price tag. Even if you purchase the Aircove, you’ll still need an ExpressVPN subscription to use the service. This is definitely an instance of “you get what you pay for” because this service is excellent but costly.

ExpressVPN specs

Price range	$4.99–$12.95/mo
Free version	No, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
Number of servers	Unlisted in 105 countries
Number of connected devices	8
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Honorable mentions

While we believe NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN are the best VPNs on the market for Minecraft, they may not be quite what you’re looking for in a service. Our honorable mentions are tested, reliable VPN options. If our three top choices aren’t for you, try out one of these.

• CyberGhost: CyberGhost pays special attention to gamers. It claims you can set it up and be gaming in less than five minutes. We like the 45-day money-back guarantee and its partnership with FlashRouters to make covering your entire home easy.
  
  Get CyberGhost | Read Our CyberGhost Review

• Private Internet Access (PIA): With over 10 years in the industry, PIA offers open-source software and 24/7 customer support. It claims fast speeds. We like PIA VPN because it's reliable and wallet-friendly.
  
  Get PIA | Read Our PIA Review

• Proton VPN: The 30-day money-back guarantee offered by Proton VPN means you can try its services without worrying about a commitment. It claims it uses a VPN accelerator to increase your speeds, which gamers should love. It also has a reliable free plan.
  
  Get Proton VPN | Read Our Proton VPN Review

How we test VPNs 

We tested the best Minecraft VPN by making sure you could play Minecraft with gaming servers offered by the VPN service. Minecraft restrictions, server bans, and an IP ban are some reasons a person may want to use a VPN provider to play Minecraft. 

Free VPNs could give away your IP address, so we wanted to make sure the best VPN for Minecraft was one that hid any IP addresses in case you play by port forwarding.

Essentially, we wanted to make sure any product we recommend is going to work for your experience. This is why you should take advantage of the money-back guarantee offered by each service if you find it isn’t for you. It’s also why you should stick with a paid VPN rather than a free VPN. 

FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs for Minecraft

The best VPNs for Minecraft sessions are going to offer fast speeds, obfuscated servers, and unlimited data like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN. If you want additional cloud storage, NordVPN and NordLocker have you covered in one convenient dashboard. 

Unlimited simultaneous connections are a hallmark of Surfshark’s platform, and ExpressVPN has been proven to be fast by independent testing. 

3 best VPNs for Minecraft 2024

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
NordVPN	Starts at $3.59/mo (billed every two years)	Best for cloud storage	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years)	Best for unlimited devices	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review
ExpressVPN	Starts at $6.67/mo (billed annually)	Best for speed	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review