If you aren't able to play on Call of Duty with your friends because of CoD's geo-restrictions you can use a VPN to bypass this issue.
With a VPN you can access foreign CoD servers to find matches at any time of day, or play against players located in other regions. This will allow you to find players that speak your native tongue or to play matches against the best (or worst) players online.
You can also use a VPN for CoD mobile and play it if it is blocked in your country. Below, we list the best VPNs for unlocking CoD and give you some tips on getting the most out of a VPN.
What are the best VPNs for Call of Duty?
We've put together a quick look at the best CoD VPNs – check it out below and then keep scrolling to learn more about each of the providers we've listed here.
- ExpressVPN - The best CoD VPN. Offers blazing fast servers for gaming in 94 countries, with robust security and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- CyberGhost VPN - The best VPN for VPN newbies. Easy to use, with sleek apps, servers in over 90 countries, and a 45-day money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark - Consumer-favorite CoD VPN. You get outstanding speeds and features, unlimited connections, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure CoD VPN. Offers lots of privacy features, a proven zero-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- VyprVPN - An all-around CoD VPN. It offers fully-featured apps for all your OS, servers in over 70 locations, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best Call of Duty VPNs – In-depth Analysis
The best Call of Duty VPNs will offer a broad selection of fast VPN servers. This will allow you to unblock geo-restricted CoD servers and still enjoy the game without overly taxing your connection speeds. Additionally, a reliable VPN will protect you against DDoS attacks, and prevent you from being kicked out of a game by a malicious/hacking player.
What's more, all the providers in the list below also offer fantastic VPN apps for both Android and iOS so you can unblock CoD Mobile if it is not available in your country. To learn more about any of the VPNs we've featured in our list, check out our detailed VPN reviews.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for CoD. It's a lightning-fast service, with servers in 94 countries and watertight privacy features on all OS. Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a provider based in the British Virgin Islands that is widely considered to be one of the best all-rounders on the market today. The VPN has outstanding apps that come fully featured for all major platforms – Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and even games consoles. Having servers in 94 countries makes ExpressVPN perfect for unblocking geo-restricted gaming content from around the world. With ExpressVPN, you can easily access foreign Call of Duty servers. On top of that, the VPN works like a treat with international streaming services such as Netflix, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer. This makes it perfect for folks who like to take breaks from gaming and stream instead, from time to time. I love that ExpressVPN stores no logs and had its zero-logs claims verified in a public PWC audit. Besides, you get the military grade 256-bit encryption with multiple protocols to secure your browsing activity, and advanced features such as: Plus, this VPN has 24/7 live chat support so you can get the help you need whenever you need it. However, I find this VPN super-easy to set up and use, so even total newbies shouldn't face any issues with it. Finally, ExpressVPN provides some of the fastest speeds on the VPN market – which is why it is perfect for playing Call of Duty. Its consistent speeds also make the VPN ideal for torrenting, streaming, VoIP calls, and other data-intensive tasks. Admittedly, it's a little pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for, seamless and private gaming experience. But don't just take my word for it, test ExpressVPN for yourself risk-free, with its 30-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost is an easy-to-use VPN that's great for beginners. It has intuitive sleek apps for all your devices and it comes with an impressive 45-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost Demo CyberGhost is a VPN service based in Romania that is well-known for its easy-to-use apps and tight security. You'll be able to check it out on all of your devices – and up to 7 simultaneously, making it a great pick for families, too. When it comes to privacy, this VPN performs well, thanks to its no-logs policy and OpenVPN encryption. The VPN also has a kill-switch and DNS leak protection to ensure you never leak unencrypted data to your ISP. Thanks to its ease of use and stylish GUI, CyberGhost is ideal for non-techy users and beginners alike. I also enjoyed this VPN's setup guides and 24/7 live chat customer support – which will ensure you can always get help to use your VPN. With CyberGhost, users get access to servers in over 100 countries
worldwide, which makes it perfect for accessing geo-restricted Call of Duty servers overseas. In addition, by connecting to a server overseas, you'll get to buy games from exclusive foreign catalogs even before they reach your country. CyberGhost also works seamlessly with some of the biggest streaming platforms out there, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and virtually any other site you can think of. It's a VPN that offers great value for money – particularly if you commit for a longer time. With CyberGhost, not only you'll get sleek apps for all your devices (up to seven simultaneous connections) at a super cheap price, but you also get a 45-days grace period during which you can test all its features without risking a penny. This handy money-back guarantee also allows users to compare CyberGhost to our other top VPN picks before making a commitment! Surfshark is a consumer-favorite VPN for CoD. It provides lightning-fast speeds, with unlimited simultaneous connections, at an amazing price. Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is a provider that has risen to be a consumer favorite in just a few years. This VPN can easily unblock a massive assortment of international gaming catalogs, in addition to all popular streaming services like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and HBO Max. The service provides super-fast servers in over 100 countries
worldwide, perfect for unblocking Call of Duty or other geo-restricted content. I love the fast speeds provided by this VPN, which make it great for all your data-intensive tasks, including streaming in HD. So, I regularly use Surfshark when playing online games – and I've never experienced buffering or delays. With Surfshark you get a strong no-logs policy, robust encryption, and a great choice of advanced protocols – including a battle-tested OpenVPN protocol, which we gladly recommend. Besides, you get a kill-switch to protect you from data leaks, and obfuscation (stealth servers) to help you bypass even the most stubborn geo-blocks. In other words, you can trust this VPN to give you the digital privacy you need, both at home and on public WiFi. So, you can use it to bypass censorship or to torrent more securely. It has exceptional 24/7 live chat support, and this VPN lets all subscribers install and use the VPN software on an unlimited number of devices. We think this VPN is an incredible all-rounder, and it is mind-blowingly good considering the low cost of a subscription. I often recommend Surfshark to tech-savvy families and groups of friends working on combined products because of its affordable unlimited offer. It is a VPN well worth testing using its unlimited simultaneous connections and 30-day money-back guarantee. Private Internet Access is the most secure VPN for playing CoD. Comes with a court-proven zero-logs policy, tens of thousands of servers worldwide, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. PIA Demo Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based VPN provider that is often praised by Reddit users. PIA provides fully-featured apps for all platforms that are jam-packed with advanced VPN features. Although it's the cheapest VPN on this list, PIA comes with industry-leading privacy standards and advanced features. These include a kill-switch that protects you from data leaks even if your VPN connection drops, DNS leak protection, obfuscation (stealth servers) for bypassing strong censorships, and split tunneling that separates your local traffic from your VPN activities. This array of functionality makes PIA ideal for removing geo-blocks, safe torrenting, and bypassing online censorship in general. And, since PIA is one of the very few VPNs that offer both P2P servers and port-forwarding, it's your perfect pick for torrenting. With tens of thousands of servers in 84 countries
worldwide, PIA has quite an extensive global network. These servers are lightning-fast and come without any bandwidth restrictions – great for playing CoD or unblocking streaming services. PIA has servers all over the world, but it admits it's slightly US-focused. This makes it all the more effective at unblocking the exclusive US gaming catalogs, and streaming services, such as Netflix US, Hulu, and HBO Max. With PIA you get apps for all platforms that are highly customizable, this makes PIA great for people that want robust granular control over their VPN. Despite being based in the US, this VPN can be trusted because it has proven its zero-logs claims in court on several occasions. Besides, it uses the OpenVPN protocol, which is a truly open-sourced encryption option – whoever wishes can inspect it. We love that this VPN now has live chat support and that it can unblock Netflix US. It's well worth testing with Call of Duty using its 30-day money-back guarantee. VyprVPN is a great all-around VPN for CoD. It's a fully audited VPN from Switzerland that owns its own servers worldwide (in 70+ locations), and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. VYPR Demo VyprVPN is a provider based in Switzerland that is highly trusted and great for privacy. The VPN has fully-featured apps for all platforms that can be used on up to 5 different devices at the same time. Admittedly, this is less than some of the VPNs above, but it's still enough for the whole gaming family to enjoy. VyprVPN has beginner-friendly and sleek apps for all popular platforms – Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android. It's even compatible with smart TVs and routers, so you can enjoy your favorite games and TV shows from the comfort of your couch! The apps come with vital privacy features such as a kill-switch that protects you from inadvertent data leaks in case your VPN connection drops, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation (stealth servers). But don't worry! These are all in-built and super easy to use. You just need to toggle them on/off according to your needs. We love that this VPN has received a full third-party audit of its service that proves it works as advertised. All users get the benefit of a no-logs policy – and being based in Switzerland means that it is unlikely to face any invasive warrants, anyway. We love that VyprVPN has servers in over 70 countries, and while this VPN isn't quite as fast as some of our higher recommendations – it is still plenty fast enough for streaming and gaming. VyprVPN is known to unblock Netflix US and BBC iPlayer, which means it can unblock the sought-after streaming services you need (in addition to CoD servers around the world). It's an outstanding VPN provider that you can compare to our other recommendations yourself, without risking any cash, thanks to its risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. 1. ExpressVPN
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Worldwide coverage
Watertight privacy
Speeds that kill (other players)
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Hustle-free but very secure
Servers everywhere – plenty of choice
Don't trust us – test it yourself
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Lightning-fast service
Feature-rich and reliable
The best value-for-money you can get
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Cheap but feature-rich
Tens of thousands of servers... and counting
Perfect for privacy purists
5. VyprVPN
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Advanced features but beginner-friendly service
Fully audited
Great geo-spoofing capacity
How to access Call of Duty in a country where it's banned
Call of Duty has been outright banned in several countries due to the graphic and violent nature of the game. If you live in one of the countries that have censored CoD, you're going to need to use a VPN to pretend to be located elsewhere.
With a VPN you can pretend to be in the EU, the UK, or the US, to access servers and play Call of Duty. And because our recommended VPNs provide watertight privacy, you can play CoD without fear that your ISP or the government will find out.
Below is a list of countries that are blocking or have blocked Call of Duty at one time or another:
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- UAE
- Pakistan
How to use a VPN to unblock the CoD mobile
Unfortunately, Call of Duty mobile isn't available everywhere. At the moment, the app is blocked in the following countries:
- Mainland China
- Vietnam
- Belgium
If you want to unblock the CoD mobile game, follow the instructions in our how to change your Google Play region guide. All the services in this guide will unblock CoD mobile.
Can I use a free VPN to unblock CoD?
Not exactly, no. While we recommend some good free VPNs for those wanting to protect their privacy at no cost to themselves, these services are usually restricted versions of paid services that act as a teaser for the full VPN. These limitations make it impossible to play online video games because they include:
- A bandwidth cap. You'll be more likely to see lag spikes interrupting your shots with a bandwidth cap – and upload and download speeds will be negatively affected, too.
- Monthly data limits. These mean you can only use the VPN up to a certain amount of data per month, and while this can range from between 500MB and 10GB, a data-intensive video game will burn through this in no time.
- Fewer servers. To maintain a good connection, you ideally want a VPN that houses servers close to your location, but having access to only a limited number of servers means you will only be able to play Call of Duty in a handful of countries – some of which might be far away and lead to higher ping rates.
Unfortunately, if a free VPN promises it has none of these restrictions and seems too good to be true – it probably is.
A lot of vloggers recommend free VPNs, especially for CoD mobile, but these options rarely respect your privacy. They collect user data and sell it to advertising companies in order to make money to run their service. Some VPNs also leak your IP address, and some even contain malware. Check out our free VPN page for a list of great services that do indeed go the distance to protect your online privacy.
We'd also suggest making use of the money-back guarantees included in all of our recommended VPN picks. This way, you can trial the service and see if its premium features are worth the small subscription fee.
Money-back Guarantee
All of our approved VPNs come with a hassle-free money-back guarantee. Should you purchase one of the recommended VPNs via ProPrivacy.com and struggle to get a refund, contact us and we will do our very best to help you get your money back.
The advantages of using a VPN for Call of Duty?
A VPN is an online service that provides digital privacy, and it works by encrypting all your internet traffic before it leaves your computer or mobile device. This is especially useful if you are playing CoD mobile on public WiFi networks. A VPN will stop malicious players from targeting you with DDoS attacks.
This encryption also provides a strong layer of digital privacy for all your online habits so you can browse the web, torrent, and more without your ISP knowing.
Another benefit of using a VPN is that you can conceal your real location, which is great if you are looking to unblock CoD on mobile. In order to do this, you will need to follow the instructions in our how to change Google Play region guide to gain access to the app.
This works because when you connect to a VPN, your IP address is swapped with one owned by your VPN provider, prompting websites and apps to think you are in a different country. As a result, you gain privacy from those sites by concealing your real IP address from them, and gain the ability to access geo-restricted content (such as a foreign Call of Duty server or CoD mobile).
What can I do with a Call of Duty VPN?
A subscription to any of our top VPN picks for CoD will enable you to:
- Play on geo-restricted Call of Duty servers located overseas.
- Unblock CoD mobile if it hasn't been released in your country.
- Play against players who speak a foreign language (connect to servers in Italy or Spain, for example, to play against players who speak those languages).
- Protect yourself against DDoS attacks that could cause you to be booted from a game.
- Access servers that aren’t being attacked if Activision's servers are under fire (putting those servers temporarily offline).
- Play Call of Duty on a local WiFi network where it has been blocked (schools and workplaces, for example, often block access to game servers).
Besides these Call of Duty-related benefits, a VPN will provide the following general benefits:
- Gain digital privacy by preventing your internet service provider (ISP) from tracking your online activity.
- Prevent your ISP from tracking your web habits on behalf of the government (in countries that enforce mandatory data retention).
- Stop WiFi network providers from tracking your web habits.
- Access any government censored websites.
- Unblock geo-restricted services such as BBC iPlayer and Netflix US.
- Access websites that are restricted on a local network (such as in school or at work).
What VPN features do you need for Call of Duty?
Call of Duty requires fast internet speeds to play. So, you'll need a VPN that doesn't slow your connection too much. While there are plenty of VPNs on the market, most of them won't have quick Tier-1 servers – meaning that the vast majority of VPNs will slow your internet far too drastically and, therefore, simply be unfit for use with CoD. In this article, we have recommended only trustworthy VPNs with lots of fast servers. Here is how we chose our recommended CoD VPN providers:
- No logs policy. This ensures the VPN never stores records of what you do online.
- Robust OpenVPN encryption. This ensures your data is completely private and secure.
- Strong privacy features such as a kill switch and DNS leak protection. This ensures that you never accidentally leak unprotected data to your ISP.
- Lots of servers in key locations around the globe. This allows you to bypass geo-restrictions to play foreign Call of Duty servers.
- Fast Tier 1 servers, so that your internet speeds remain fast even when connected to the VPN
Can a VPN help with the recent spate of DDoS attacks on Blizzard and Activision?
In 2023, cyberattacks leveraged at Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone servers caused many players to be unable to access the game. The outages were caused by DDoS attacks on Activision’s Call of Duty servers, which knocked those servers offline preventing gamers from playing.
When these kinds of attacks take place, it can be extremely frustrating and there is little that consumers can do other than to wait until the DDoS attack ends or is mitigated successfully by the company. However, with a VPN you can pretend to be in a different country to access international Call of Duty servers. This can allow you to avoid the servers that are suffering a DDoS attack, to play CoD even while an attack on your local servers is underway.
Just remember that using servers in faraway locations will cause higher ping and slower internet speeds. If you want to minimize this impact, choose a service with fast servers in lots of locations. That way you can work through nearby servers and find the one that works best for you.
Get more Downloadable Content (DLCs) with a VPN
Call of Duty is a game that releases add-ons and extras that can be downloaded in-game. At times, some of those extras are released exclusively in particular regions or may have a staggered release across the globe. With a VPN, you can pretend to be in a different country to access that content first – or to gain access to DLCs that have been geo-restricted in your country permanently.
I have been banned on Call of Duty Warzone – Can a VPN help?
Since Warzone was released on March 10, 2023, approximately 50,000 Call of Duty players have been permanently banned for cheating. If you have suffered a ban for breaking the rules, you may regret your decisions and be desperate to get back online. Unfortunately, a permanent ban means that your previous account will never be allowed to play again.
The good news is that with a VPN you can start a new account and get around the IP block that has been placed on your home. Just remember to always stick to the rules in the future, or you will end up with another blocked account.
Will a VPN cause lag on CoD games?
In order for a VPN to work, it must encrypt your data and route your traffic via the VPN server on its way to the final destination (in this case the Call of Duty server). This layer of encryption – and the extra routing – will incur some added latency, which will slow down your internet a little.
The fastest VPNs design their services so that this loss of speed is as minimal as possible. Some VPNs have extremely slow servers that'll cause too much of a drop in your internet speeds. This is why it's essential to pick a VPN from our guide if you want to enjoy CoD without the lag spikes that will completely ruin your gaming experience. Our recommendations ensure that you will only incur a negligible amount of internet-speed loss so you can continue playing CoD online at a high level.
The good news is that there is one circumstance in which a VPN can improve your internet speeds. Some ISPs throttle their users’ bandwidth when they engage in data-intensive tasks. This throttling is done to avoid network congestion and to keep the network running smoothly for all users.
If you believe that your ISP is throttling you when you play Call of Duty; a VPN can help. By encrypting your traffic, a VPN prevents your ISP from tracking what you are doing online. This means it does not know you are playing Call of Duty and therefore cannot throttle your data. If you suspect your ISP of bandwidth throttling, a VPN can actually speed up your connection.
Where should I install my VPN for Call of Duty?
Depending on what platform you want to play CoD on, you may have to install your VPN elsewhere. If you're playing on PC or mobile, then you can download and install the VPN straight to your device. However, if you want to play CoD on certain consoles, then you may have to install a VPN onto your router. This is because not every internet-connected device can run VPN software and encrypt internet traffic. Check on your console's app store for your chosen provider's app, and if you can't find it, then you may have to install it onto your router.
Conclusion
Nobody deserves the frustration of a lag in their games – a VPN can help eliminate this and provide sturdy online security as well as geo-spoof your location to navigate around DDoS attacks and censorship. We've hand-picked the fastest VPNs out there to give you an edge. And, with these VPNs, you can play other mobile, PC, or console games such as Mobile legends, CS:GO, OverWatch, and much much more!
So, here's a reminder of the best services so you can ready up for Call of Duty 2023:
- ExpressVPN - The best CoD VPN. Offers blazing fast servers for gaming in 94 countries, with robust security and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- CyberGhost VPN - The best VPN for VPN newbies. Easy to use, with sleek apps, servers in over 90 countries, and a 45-day money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark - Consumer-favorite CoD VPN. You get outstanding speeds and features, unlimited connections, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure CoD VPN. Offers lots of privacy features, a proven zero-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- VyprVPN - An all-around CoD VPN. It offers fully-featured apps for all your OS, servers in over 70 locations, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.