Best overall

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On ExpressVPN's website

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• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

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Best budget VPN

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On Surfshark's website

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• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services
• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

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Best for ease of use

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On NordVPN's website

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• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• From $3.19/mo
• Limited-time deal on 2-year plan
• Too many confusing plans

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Virtual private networks (VPNs) are an excellent way to enhance your privacy and security online. A VPN encrypts your traffic and helps conceal your location online, among other things. However, many people don’t realize that these benefits can also be applied to online gaming, even on gaming consoles like the PlayStation.

Our picks for the best VPNs for PlayStation are ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and NordVPN. The reasoning is simple: they offer the best mix of price, performance, and features. If you’re looking to add a VPN to your gaming setup, read on for all the details.

The best VPNs for PlayStation 2023

• ExpressVPN: Best overall
• Surfshark: Best budget VPN
• NordVPN: Best for ease of use

Top 3 VPN services for PlayStation compared

VPN	ExpressVPN Our Pick	Surfshark	NordVPN
Starting price	Starts at $8.32/mo	Starts at $2.49/mo	Starts at $3.19/mo
Free version
Streaming support	Yes — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and more	Yes — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and more	Yes — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and more
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

ExpressVPN: Best overall

ExpressVPN offers an excellent spread of features for gaming

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On ExpressVPN's website

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• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Who it’s best for

If you’re looking for the best VPN for PS4 (and one of the best VPNs, period), you’ve come to the right place. ExpressVPN offers an excellent spread of features, both for gaming and general use, as well as fast speeds and great support. It’s more expensive than many competitors, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

One of our favorite features is MediaStreamer, a Smart DNS feature that helps you automatically access geo-blocked games (and streaming platforms). ExpressVPN’s wide selection of countries (94 total) can also help you access content early — just choose a server in a location where your favorite games will be released first.

What we liked

It’s hard to go wrong with ExpressVPN. The service is fast, there are plenty of servers to choose from, and the support (including setup instructions) is top-notch. The service is secure and offers solid privacy features, such as IP masking, a kill switch, and split tunneling. These features all help keep your information safe, whether you’re gaming or just checking your email.

Speaking of setup, the best way to get started with a VPN for gaming is by installing it directly on your router. This lets you use it on any of your consoles, including your PlayStation. ExpressVPN even has clear instructions on its support site to help you get up and running.

Additionally, ExpressVPN unblocks a ton of streaming services, so if you want to watch Netflix with a VPN, you’ve got that option. MediaStreamer makes it simple to access your favorite services by automatically disguising your location to make it look like you’re in the correct area for a given service.

What we didn’t like

ExpressVPN is a fantastic service, and you’ll pay for it — it is, by far, the most expensive option on our list. ExpressVPN subscriptions can be anywhere from double to triple the cost of a Surfshark or NordVPN subscription.

It’s also worth noting that while ExpressVPN offers a large number of VPN servers, it’s less transparent than many competitors about the exact number. This makes it a bit tougher to determine if ExpressVPN will meet your specific needs. This isn’t much of an issue in practice, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you have specific server needs.

ExpressVPN specs

Surfshark: Best budget VPN

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable VPN than Surfshark

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On Surfshark's website

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• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services
• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

Who it’s best for

Surfshark is an excellent VPN for PS4 users on a budget. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable VPN, especially considering the impressive feature set and speed Surfshark brings to the table. The catch is that you’ll need to commit for at least a year to get the lowest prices.

What we liked

Surfshark’s price is just so good: less than $3 per month on a 24-month plan. That’s significantly more affordable than the other options here and makes Surfshark worth considering, regardless of your other needs.

This isn’t a one-trick pony, either. It also offers unlimited simultaneous connections, solid speeds, and streaming support for many of the big-name providers, including Netflix. It’s also got a Smart DNS system, similar to ExpressVPN, which means you’ll have an easier time getting around geographic restrictions.

Finally, Surfshark is easy to use — you won’t need to be an IT professional to get it up and running, which we consider to be a major selling point. Connecting from most devices is as simple as clicking a button, and the mobile apps are clean and straightforward. When it comes to PS4 use, you’ll need to install it on a router, but Surfshark’s instruction guide is clear and helpful.

What we didn’t like

Surfshark isn’t without its issues. First, although the speeds are generally very good, they aren’t always up to quite the same level as the competition — especially if you’re outside the U.S. For example, ExpressVPN tested faster for us in Canada, the U.K., and Australia.

Surfshark also tends to fall a bit short in the support department — specifically with the support site’s articles and documentation. We found that some of the content lacked the sort of detail we’d like to see from customer support material. Finally, its simplicity could be a problem for advanced users or those with very specific needs.

Surfshark specs

NordVPN: Best for ease of use

NordVPN is best for users that want minimal fuss in setup and use

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On NordVPN's website

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• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• From $3.19/mo
• Limited-time deal on 2-year plan
• Too many confusing plans

Who it’s best for

It’s hard to go wrong with NordVPN — it’s popular for a reason. We especially recommend it as a PlayStation VPN for users that want minimal fuss in setup and use. However, you’ll also get fast speeds and a price that’s hard to beat.

What we liked

NordVPN is one of the biggest names out there today and for good reason. It offers a large server network (over 5,000 servers), along with excellent speeds, which can help reduce bandwidth throttling while gaming.

NordVPN is also well known for its ease of use without sacrificing a ton of features, which we appreciate. Finally, the price is competitive, although it’s not the most affordable option.

Nord also comes with the Meshnet feature, which is beneficial for gamers. This feature lets you connect to other devices to form your own secure virtual LAN. This creates better connection speeds and helps create a lag-free gaming experience.

What we didn’t like

There’s not much to dislike about NordVPN. Some of our complaints include the lack of a dedicated app for setting up the VPN on your router (making setup slightly more difficult) and somewhat lackluster mobile apps. Overall, though, the solid pricing and speedy connections help balance out these relatively minor issues.

NordVPN specs

VPNs that didn’t make the cut

There are a ton of VPNs on the market. That means there are some solid options that simply couldn’t make our list. Below we’ll look at a couple of popular VPNs that fell short of the top 3.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a popular VPN that brings a lot of useful features to the table. The price is extremely competitive, and when you combine that with the enormous number of servers (over 9,000) and fast speeds, CyberGhost seems like a no-brainer.  

Unfortunately, there are a few issues. First, the user interface is a bit convoluted and difficult to use. The streaming support is also a bit spotty compared to competitors. Finally, the support site is lackluster, with an incredibly overwhelming interface.

IPVanish

IPVanish is an affordable VPN provider that offers unlimited connections, a healthy server selection, and lots of customization. Like CyberGhost, IPVanish’s pricing is competitive with the best of them.

However, IPVanish also falls short in a few key areas. The user interface is a bit dated, though it functions fine. But it lacks privacy features beyond the basics. IPVanish also has no publicly released security audit. It claims to have had one done, but you either need to be a customer or a member of the press to access it, which we don’t like.

Best VPNs for PlayStation FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs for PlayStation

Overall, we think ExpressVPN is the best VPN for the PlayStation console, followed closely by Surfshark and NordVPN. All three offer fast speeds and a useful spread of security features and streaming ability. We think there’s an option for every gamer among these three VPNs.

If Xbox is your preferred gaming console, we’ve also curated a list of the best VPNs for Xbox.

3 best VPNs for PlayStation 2023

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
ExpressVPN	Starts at $8.32/mo	Best overall	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $2.49/mo	Best budget VPN	Get Surfshark Read Surfshark Review
NordVPN	Starts at $3.19/mo	Best for ease of use	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

How we tested the best VPNs for PlayStation

To select the best VPN service providers for PlayStation, we looked at price, speed, number of servers and their location, and extra features. Price and speed are fairly self-explanatory. Server location impacts both privacy (due to the law in various countries) as well as performance (distance from your location). Finally, any extra privacy or gaming features did impact our rankings, but not significantly.

• Speed: Since VPNs are routing your traffic through additional servers, they can slow down your connection. Some do this more than others, though.
• Number of servers: More servers means more options for where to route your traffic and potentially better performance due to closer proximity.
• Server locations: Having servers in multiple countries gives more flexibility for obscuring your location and improving privacy.
• Additional features: Extra features like dedicated gaming servers, ad blockers, and other tools are always a plus.

Save 49% on 12 months + 3 months free

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On ExpressVPN's website

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• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Author Details

Dave Schafer

About the Author

Dave Schafer is a freelance writer with a passion for making technical concepts easy for anyone to understand. He’s been covering the world of gadgets, tech, and the internet for nearly 10 years, and his writing has been featured in a variety of print and digital publications. When he’s not writing, Dave can be found playing guitar or camping with his family and golden retriever, Rosie.