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If you are looking to unblock CS:GO or want to play in a different region, then a VPN for CS:GO can help. VPN services change your IP and encrypt your connection so the CS:GO servers will think you are in the location you select in your VPN client.
VPNs can also prevent connection throttling. As a CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) player, you know that the difference between winning and losing is split seconds. If your connection slows down or drops out, it will likely cost your team the match. In many cases, a CS:GO VPN can eliminate those problems.
In this article, we list the best CS:GO VPN services and give you some tips on using a VPN with CS:GO.
Best VPNs for CS:GO
We've hand-picked five of the best VPNs for CS:GO and listed them below. For more information about any of our recommendations, be sure to keep scrolling and check out our in-depth analysis, or head on over to the provider's webpage.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for CS:GO. It has super-fast servers and is the most reliable VPN we have tested. It also has servers in 94+ countries.
- NordVPN - A great VPN for CS:GO. It offers users lightning fast servers and fantastic apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.
- Private Internet Access - Unblock CS:GO from anywhere with PIA's "Squid" proxies. It has a proven its no-logs policy, and has great apps for all major platforms.
- PrivateVPN - A cheap VPN for CS:GO. It has excellent security features, the ability to unblock content, and all for less than $2 per month.
- Surfshark - The cheapest VPN for CS:GO. It's loved by users because it has lots of features, including stealth servers and split tunneling.
Before a VPN for CS:GO lands a place in our top five, however, we need to make sure it offers the following important features:
- Fast servers
- A Worldwide server network
- Great apps for iOS and Mac
CS:GO VPN - In-depth analysis
Let's dive in and take a closer look at our top VPN picks for CS:GO! We'll cover the most important details below, but you can also visit our detailed VPN reviews for full-length breakdowns of each service.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for CS:GO. It has consistently fast servers based in over 94 different countries, it's very reliable, and has great apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN has one of the fastest VPN networks in the industry. It also has the largest server network on this list, which ensures you have plenty of locations to connect to. This will permit you to play various CS:GO servers located around the world, and can ensure that you get the best connection speeds possible. ExpressVPN has apps for all platforms, which means you can load it on various devices to share your internet connection from your console to a device running the VPN. Alternatively, ExpressVPN is compatible with VPN-ready routers such as Tomato and DD-WRT flashed routers. This enables users to connect to the VPN at the router level, which ensures that all devices (including a console playing CS:GO) is benefiting automatically from the VPN's location spoofing. Admittedly, this VPN is a little pricier than some of the other options we have recommended. However, it is a secure no logs VPN that is extremely versatile and reliable. As a result, it has everything you need to gain strong digital privacy levels both at home and when using public WiFi. Express also has a superb 24/7 live chat function to help you when you need it. A superb all-rounder, that we strongly recommend taking for a test run by making use of its 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN is a great value VPN for CS:GO. It has fast servers in 60 countries making it ideal for playing games. It also offers great security features. Nord Demo NordVPN is a reliable provider from Panama that has fast servers in 59 countries ideal for playing CSGO – or any other game servers. A subscription gives you six simultaneous connections so that you can use the VPN on any of your devices. This makes it great value for money and a superb choice for families who all need a VPN. You can install the service on your router or purchase it pre-flashed and ready to go on a new router if you need to. And the company is fine with people sharing an account. This VPN is fantastic for gaining online privacy thanks to its advanced features including OpenVPN, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, and obfuscated servers. Plus, we love that this VPN has live chat support to help you when you need it. Finally, if you are worried about paying up front for a long subscription period, you can take advantage of the company's 30-day money-back guarantee to make sure you're happy with the service. Private Internet Access is an excellent VPN for CS:GO. Its "Squid" proxies can reduce latency as they use less encryption than a standard VPN. PIA Demo Private Internet Access VPN is a US-based provider that keeps zero logs, a claim it has proven in court. It is a well-known VPN that has a lot of advanced features; which makes it perfect for users who want a multi-purpose VPN that offers a lot of granular controls and customization. With PIA you get apps for all platforms that come with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, OpenVPN encryption, port forwarding, split tunneling, and a SOCKS5 proxy. This makes it great for torrenting and bypassing censorship – or locally imposed blocks – without being monitored. With regard to CS:GO, PIA is known to provide exceptional speeds, which makes it great for gaming without lag. PIA offers over 13,900 servers across 74 countries. in all of the most useful locations for accessing CS:GO servers and unblocking foreign content. We enjoy using this VPN across all of our devices, and while it is probably best-suited to users who need more advanced features, this VPN is easy to learn and will provide greater versatility at an extremely good price point. For this reason, PIA is a VPN that we recommend you take for a test run by making use of its 30-day money-back guarantee. PrivateVPN is a cheap VPN for CS:GO. It has servers dotted across the globe, making it a breeze to access CS:GO and offers users fantastic security features. PrivateVPN Demo PrivateVPN is certainly one of the smaller providers in this guide – but don't let that fool you! The service offers real value for money, with speedy servers across 63 countries, which should make it incredibly easy to access CS:GO servers and other geo-restricted content. PrivateVPN servers are wickedly fast primarily because the service has High Quality Network (HQN) servers that more than hold their own when compared against some of the larger names in the industry. So, whether you're gaming, hopping into team chat, or streaming, you'll have a smooth experience. You'll be hard-pressed to find a device or OS that PrivateVPN doesn't have apps for, and the service allows up to 6 simultaneous connections, which is great if you have a number of gadgets you'd like to secure. That security is provided by staunch AES 256-bit encryption (which is virtually uncrackable) and a variety of protocols, including OpenVPN. Plus, PrivateVPN is a no-logs provider that simply isn't interested in keeping tabs on what you get up to online! Surfshark is the cheapest CS:GO VPN service. It's loved by its users and not just because of its low prices. It's packed with features including split tunneling, Smart DNS, and an Adblocker. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is a reliable VPN that consumers often praise due to its excellent feature set and impressive value for money. It is a no-logs VPN with apps for all platforms, and it lets subscribers install the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. This makes the VPN perfect for people who own a lot of devices, and ensures that you can install the VPN on any PC or VPN-compatible router in order to be able to leverage the VPN connection for playing CS:GO on a console. We enjoy using Surfshark on all of our devices, and the apps are fully featured with strong OpenVPN encryption, a killswitch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. This makes the service perfect for gaining privacy both at home and on public WiFi. And this VPN provides lightning-fast connections, which makes it great for gaming or for streaming in HD. With Surfshark you get a choice of servers in over 60 countries, this makes it great for accessing foreign CS:GO servers and for ensuring you can always get the best speeds possible – by connecting to a server that is located physically closer to you. And, this VPN can unblock more international Netflix catalogs than just about any other VPN – as well as iPlayer, Hulu, and anything else you're after. We think this VPN is hard to beat, and if you need something cheap we consider it the best VPN on the list. You can try it out thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
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The advantages of using a VPN for CS:GO
Dropouts Caused by ISP Throttling
Many ISPs dislike games such as CS:GO because they use a lot of the network's bandwidth. Instead of improving their service, some ISPs throttle your connection speeds when you're playing games. This means that they reduce the amount of bandwidth available to your game, resulting in slowdowns and knocking you right out of the game.
If your ISP is doing this to you, playing CS:GO with a VPN can help. That's because the VPN disguises the messages traveling between your computer and the VPN's servers. This hides your online activity from your ISP. They can't throttle the game if they don't know you are playing it!
Location-Based Problems
Some locations, such as schools or offices, block you from playing CS:GO. Using a VPN to play CS:GO can get you around these blocks. Thanks to the encryption provided by your VPN, the local network can't tell you are playing the game, so it doesn't know to block you. Note that using a VPN for gaming can also help you get into other content that would otherwise be blocked. By using a VPN for Netflix you are able to change Netflix country and unblock content from all over the world.
Malicious Action by Other People
If you are good enough at CS:GO, you may trigger attacks by other players outside the game. There are rumors that some teams use DDoS attacks to cripple their opponents at crucial points in a match. The best VPNs have much more capacity to deal with these kinds of attacks than you do, hopefully making any attack against you less effective.
Beyond this, using your CS:GO VPN when you are out of the game and using a public WiFi access point is smart. Because your VPN connection is encrypted, your data is safe from any snoops hanging out on the network and trying to steal your personal information.
Best CS:GO VPNs – Conclusion
We've highlighted five VPNs that are fast enough, and stealthy enough, to improve your connection to the game even if outside forces like your ISP try to spoil the fun. You won't get this sort of service from any old VPN, however – and the "free" providers you see advertised here and there certainly won't be up to the task.
If you want a better CS:GO experience and the added bonus of enhanced online privacy and security, you'll need to stick with one of the VPNs mentioned in this article. You can try them out yourself thanks to their trial periods and/or money-back guarantees, and see just what they can do to improve your game!
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for CS:GO. It has super-fast servers and is the most reliable VPN we have tested. It also has servers in 94+ countries.
- NordVPN - A great VPN for CS:GO. It offers users lightning fast servers and fantastic apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.
- Private Internet Access - Unblock CS:GO from anywhere with PIA's "Squid" proxies. It has a proven its no-logs policy, and has great apps for all major platforms.
- PrivateVPN - A cheap VPN for CS:GO. It has excellent security features, the ability to unblock content, and all for less than $2 per month.
- Surfshark - The cheapest VPN for CS:GO. It's loved by users because it has lots of features, including stealth servers and split tunneling.