5 Best VPNs for League of Legends in 2024

League of Legends, commonly referred to as LoL, has 130+ million registered players. It's no wonder that its servers are often overcrowded, which leads to players experiencing high ping and latency issues. The game also has a strict moderation system, which means that IP bans are a real concern.

Also, LoL servers mix players of different skill levels, and some grant access to unique events and free game items. Luckily, using a VPN for League of Legends will help. When you connect to a VPN server close to your desired game server, you’ll be able to reduce ping and latency, avoid geo-restrictions, protect against tracks and DDoS attacks, as well as bypass ISP throttling.

In this article, we’ll present the 5 best VPNs for League of Legends and teach you how to play LoL with a VPN. We’ll also explain why you need a VPN, how to choose the best one, as well as help you fix League of Legends lagging issues, and explain why the game is banned in Iran and Syria. We'll finish this guide with a round of helpful FAQs.

Best League of Legends VPNs - Our Shortlist

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for League of Legends in 2024
2. Surfshark – User-Friendly LoL VPN with Plenty of Server Locations
3. ExpressVPN – Gaming-Friendly VPN That Prioritizes Privacy
4. CyberGhost VPN – Fully Automated VPN with Gaming-Optimized Servers
5. Private Internet Access – Advanced VPN for Hardcore Gamers

How to Play League of Legends with a VPN

To play League of Legends with a VPN, you need to sign up for a VPN and then download and install its app. Launch it, connect to a server, and start playing LoL. Follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN that works with LoL (we recommend NordVPN). 
2. Download and install the VPN app on your preferred gaming device.
3. Connect to a VPN server close to the game server you want to play on. 
4. Launch the game and log in to your League of Legends account.
5. Change your League of Legends region to a different server (this is optional).
6. That’s it! You can now play League of Legends freely!

In general, the best VPN location for League of Legends is the nearest VPN location you can find. That's how you can achieve the lowest possible ping. If you want to reach more diverse players, you can connect to a VPN server in the United States, Europe, or East Asia.

The Best VPNs for League of Legends in 2024

To find the best option available, you should follow the guidelines we set in our best gaming VPN guide. First, you need a VPN with a vast server fleet covering locations like South Korea (as these servers provide the best mix of quality competition and popularity) or Chicago (for minimal latency, depending on your location). 

You also need fast speeds and consistent performance. This, combined with optimal server locations, will minimize ping rates and control latency. There should be a kill switch that cuts your connection if the VPN fails. Additionally, the VPN provider must have robust security features, such as military-grade encryption and strong VPN protocols. 

Moreover, your VPN needs to support various LoL-friendly devices, like computers, phones, tablets, and routers. It should also offer multiple simultaneous connections. Last but not least, you'll want a VPN with a good price, a generous money-back guarantee, and reliable customer support.

Based on these criteria, here are the 5 best VPNs for League of Legends in 2024:

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for League of Legends in 2024

NordVPN is the best VPN for League of Legends in 2024 because, thanks to its 6,300+ servers in 110+ countries, it can bypass all geo-restrictions. You can connect to one of its servers in South Korea to play against highly skilled opponents or join a US server in Chicago if you’re closer to North America—this will help with LoL lag issues.  

This VPN features ultra-fast speeds and stable performance that can reduce League of Legends' ping and latency. NordVPN comes with advanced security features like a kill switch and multiple protocols, including the robust NordLynx protocol. There's also the OpenVPN protocol, which brings a nice balance between performance and privacy.

Besides this, you’ll also get AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption. Needless to say, that's more than enough to keep your online whereabouts and your activity a secret. NordVPN also includes plenty of additional tools, like an antimalware scanner, ad-blocker, and more.

You'll also be happy to know that NordVPN supports many gaming devices. That said, you can play safely on your Mac or PC and also set up VPN protection on your router. In addition, you can enjoy 10 simultaneous connections for a top-notch gaming experience.

To become a user, you can pay as little as $3.09/month (2-year plan), and you can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied. Lastly, this VPN provides 24/7 customer support, which assists you with any possible issue.

2. Surfshark – User-Friendly LoL VPN with Plenty of Server Locations

Surfshark is a user-friendly LoL VPN with 3,200+ servers in 100 countries that will get around any geo-restrictions. If you’re close to North America, connecting to a server in Chicago will help fix high ping in League of Legends. Or, if you want to play against LoL gamers who have significant skills, you can join a South Korean server.

As speed is crucial for seamless gaming, it’s a good thing Surfshark ensures you’ll get lightning-fast speeds with consistent performance. This will help you achieve lower ping and latency rates, which will, in turn, reduce lag. 

If you’re concerned about your privacy, don’t be. Surfshark implements advanced security features that ensure no one except you can access your data. More precisely, you will benefit from strong VPN protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN, its amazing military-grade encryption, and a kill switch. 

Surfshark wants to provide you with the best gaming experience, so it supports all LoL-friendly devices, such as PCs, Macs, and routers. The best part is that you can establish unlimited simultaneous connections.

This VPN is priced at $2.29/month (2-year plan) and has a 30-day money-back policy. In other words, you can get a refund if its VPN services don’t appeal to you.  Last but not least, this VPN comes with 24/7 customer support.

3. ExpressVPN – Gaming-Friendly VPN That Prioritizes Privacy

ExpressVPN is a gaming-friendly VPN with a network of thousands of servers in 105 countries, covering all LoL data centers. You can choose a South Korean server to match with the most skilled players, or if you’re located near North America, you can connect to a server in Chicago for lower LoL ping and latency.  

Besides its blazing-fast speeds with stable connections that minimize ping and latency, ExpressVPN has amazing security features. There is a kill switch that cuts your Internet connection immediately if there is any VPN failure. What’s more, you can benefit from AES-256 encryption and its multiple protocols on offer, including the proprietary Lightway protocol. 

We highly recommend sticking to the Lightway protocol, as it offers performance-related benefits over OpenVPN. That said, make sure to use ExpressVPN's Speed Test tool if you're on a Mac, which helps you pinpoint servers with the lowest ping.

This VPN works with all League of Legends devices. It lets you play LoL on your Mac and PC - plus, you can connect it to your router for wider coverage. You can even use it to play League of Legends on Chromebook. In total, you can make 8 simultaneous connections.

ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month (annual plan), and you can count on its 30-day money-back guarantee for a full refund if you’re not satisfied with its services. Lastly, ExpressVPN comes with knowledgeable customer support, which you can access 24/7.

4. CyberGhost VPN – Fully Automated VPN with Gaming-Optimized Servers

CyberGhost VPN offers a sizable server network with thousands of servers in 100 countries. Due to this, you will be able to play League of Legends without any restrictions. Connect to a South Korean server to be paired with advanced opponents, or focus on reducing lag by connecting to a server in Chicago (if you’re near North America). 

When it comes to speed, CyberGhost isn't the fastest option available. However, this doesn’t affect its ability to minimize LoL's ping and latency. Therefore, we can say that CyberGhost delivers a pretty decent performance overall. To further lower ping, LoL servers that are closest to you will be the best options to connect to.

CyberGhost has a kill switch that ensures your privacy by cutting your Internet in the event of a VPN connection failure. There are also numerous secure protocols to choose from, such as OpenVPN and WireGuard, and AES-256/ChaCha20 encryption. 

Furthermore, CyberGhost is compatible with many devices, meaning you can safely play LoL on your PC or Mac and set the VPN up on your router, too. This VPN for League of Legends allows 7 simultaneous connections, which is pretty handy for playing with other people in your home. 

Getting started with this VPN will cost you $2.03/month (2-year plan), which includes a generous 45-day money-back policy. There's also 24/7 available live chat support.

5. Private Internet Access – Advanced VPN for Hardcore Gamers

Private Internet Access VPN (PIA) has one of the largest server fleets on the market, offering thousands of servers in 90+ countries. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any South Korean servers for advanced gameplay, but if you’re relatively close to North America, you can connect to a US server located in Chicago for reduced lagging.

Compared to the previous VPN providers, PIA has slower speeds but still offers reliable performance. It can minimize ping and latency rates that negatively impact your gaming experience. If you find you’re still having high ping, this VPN is very customizable, so you can tweak your settings to optimize it for speed.

Moreover, PIA offers a powerful kill switch that protects your privacy by cutting the Internet connection if there is ever a VPN failure. Besides this, it has AES-256 encryption and works with multiple protocols, including WireGuard and OpenVPN. 

Similarly to the other VPNs on our list, PIA works with various devices for LoL, such as PCs, Macs, and routers. But that’s not all! You can enjoy its unlimited simultaneous connections and play with as many people as you want using the same VPN account.

PIA is priced at $2.03/month for its 2-year subscription plan. Your purchase will be protected by its 30-day money-back policy, and you can also expect 24/7 live chat support.

Why Do You Need a VPN for Playing League of Legends?

You need a VPN for playing League of Legends because the game often has high ping and is unavailable in some countries. Here are some other reasons to use a VPN for LoL:

• Minimize Ping and Lag When Playing LoL– A VPN helps reduce high ping, LoL lag, and latency issues when you use a VPN server near a specific game server. This creates a shorter traffic route between your gaming device and LoL servers.
• Bypass League of Legends' IP Bans – A League of Legends IP ban can occur due to a violation of their terms of service. Luckily, a VPN will allow you to play the game with a different IP address.
• Access LoL from Anywhere – With League of Legends banned in Iran and Syria, a VPN will bypass restrictions by connecting to game servers in any country, no matter where you’re actually located.
• Bypass Bandwidth Throttling – Your ISP can throttle your connection if you use too much data while playing League of Legends. You'll need a VPN to hide your activities and data usage.
• Avoid Overcrowded Servers – League of Legends lag can occur when a game server is overloaded. Simply change the VPN server to another location, which will adjust your current game server.
• Claim the Best Deals – Games have unique prices in different countries for various in-game features. With a VPN, you can change servers on League of Legends to get the deals you want.
• Get Free Skins and Weapons – Connecting to Chinese League of Legends servers with a VPN will open access to unique events as well as free skins and champions. (However, even with a VPN, you can’t access these servers without a Chinese LoL account, which requires a Chinese phone number.)
• Play Safely on Public WiFi – If you’re at work, school, or traveling, you’ll likely need to use a public network to play LoL, which can be unsafe. That’s why you need a secure LoL VPN to protect your data.
• Hide Your Browsing History - When using a VPN, no one - including your Internet provider, won't be able to see what you do online or what kind of games you play.
• Hide Your IP Address – A VPN for League of Legends will hide your IP address. This prevents DDoS and doxxing attacks that interfere with your Internet connection and expose your data. 

How to Choose the Best VPN for League of Legends?

To choose the best VPN for League of Legends, you need to find one with plenty of servers, fast and stable performance, and apps for Windows and macOS. Here's what to keep in mind:

• Evenly Distributed Server Network - Your VPN should offer plenty of servers across the world in as many locations as possible, especially targeting the US, Europe, and Asia.
• Stable and Fast Performance - You'll want the lowest ping possible and minimal throttling, which is highly important since you'll want ultra-fast Web speeds when playing.
• Powerful Kill Switch - A kill switch will protect you from data leaks, leaving no chance of your original IP leaking. That's how you'll avoid potential IP-based bans.
• Reliable Protocols and Robust Encryption - Our strong recommendation is to go for protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN, paired with AES-256 and ChaCha20 types of encryption.
• Native Software Across the Board - No matter if you play League of Legends on Windows or macOS, your VPN should offer a modern-looking native application.
• Sufficient Simultaneous Connections - Think about how many devices you want to cover, and get a VPN subscription that offers a sufficient number of simultaneous connections.
• Good Price and Plenty of Value - If you're looking to save, we highly recommend getting a long-term plan, as those are typically heavily discounted.
• Generous Money-Back Policy - Reputable VPNs often come with a 30-day money-back policy, which gives you plenty of time to ask for a refund if you change your mind.
• 24/7 Customer Support - When issues arise, you'll be happy to have access to 24/7 live chat support, but also installation guides, FAQs, and more.

Why is League of Legends Lagging and Crashing?

League of Legends is lagging and crashing most likely because of high ping and increased latency due to server congestion. However, there are many other reasons for League of Legends lag. Let’s review some of the most common culprits:

• Poor Internet Connection – Lag in League of Legends can occur due to poor network connections causing high ping. League of Legends VPNs can help with this by bypassing any ISP server congestion. If your Internet is simply too slow, however, you’ll need to use a different network.
• Server Overcrowding – When LoL servers get overcrowded, ping and latency can skyrocket. Ping shows how fast a device can fetch the data from another server and return. The more time it takes, the higher the LoL ping, and therefore the higher the server lag. 
• Outdated Game Version – You may face lag issues if your version of LoL is outdated. Game updates include patches and other improvements to keep gameplay running smoothly. You can fix lag issues by regularly updating your software.
• Background Apps – If an app working in the background is using a lot of system resources, you may face lag spikes. Close any unnecessary programs before playing League of Legends.
• Inadequate System Requirements – Trying to play League of Legends with insufficient RAM, a slow processor, or a sub-par graphics card will directly affect the game’s performance and cause lag issues.
• Overheating - If your computer's CPU or GPU temperature goes up without control, your system's performance will downgrade in a dramatic way. To prevent that, you need to ensure that the device's cooling system works and that proper ventilation exists.
• Game Settings – If your LoL settings, such as resolution, effect, frame rate, shadows, and more, are set to max levels, it could overwhelm your device and cause the game to crash. Adjust these settings to lower values and see if that resolves the League of Legends crash issues.
• Missing or Corrupt Game Files – Corrupt or missing game files can cause LoL crashing, but luckily there’s an easy fix. There is an option in the game’s settings to “Initiate Full Repair,” which should make the process easy.
• Old OS or Graphics Driver – If you haven’t updated your operating system lately, you may encounter League of Legends crashing on Windows 10. Outdated graphics drivers can also cause a League of Legends crash, so make sure you have the latest version of both installed.
• Firewalls or Antivirus Software – While firewalls and antivirus programs protect our privacy, they may sometimes cause League of Legends crashes because they block anything that looks suspicious. Lower your settings to resolve this.

Why is League of Legends Banned in Iran and Syria?

League of Legends is banned in Iran and Syria because of political reasons. The US imposed sanctions on Iran due to tensions between the two countries. Since League of Legends utilizes microtransactions, it has to follow the restrictions.

As Iran’s main ally, Syria also decided to ban League of Legends. Its League of Legends IP ban warning message says: “Due to US laws and regulations, players in your country cannot access League of Legends at this time. Such restrictions are subject to change by the US government, so if and when that happens, we will look forward to having you back on the rift.”

Luckily, you can bypass the League of Legends ban by using a VPN. A powerful VPN, such as NordVPN, will allow you to change your location to a country where LoL has game servers and easily unblock League of Legends. This also means you’ll get a new League of Legends IP address.

Final Thoughts

Like most other popular online games, League of Legends is prone to server-related issues, high ping, and latency. LoL players also have to deal with IP bans, tracking and DDoS attacks, and ISP-induced throttling. However, all those issues have a single fix - a VPN. The best VPN for League of Legends will help you unblock LoL, not worry about bans, and unleash the full potential of your connection.

We recommend NordVPN as the best VPN for LoL because it boasts an extensive server range that will help decrease your ping and latency. With NordVPN, you’ll be able to connect to any League of Legends server from anywhere in the world and enjoy the fastest speeds possible. Of course, proper security and privacy will be there as well, ensuring you're not tracked online.

That’s all for our guide on the best VPN for League of Legends. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, and we’ll be happy to answer. Thank you for reading!