- Our recommended VPNs for Valorant
- Can you play Valorant with a VPN?
- How to change servers in Valorant?
- The best Valorant VPNs: detailed review
- How I tested and selected best VPN to play Valorant
- How to change region in Valorant with a VPN
- Best VPN locations for Valorant
- Can I use a free VPN for Valorant?
- Why should I use a VPN for Valorant?
- How to change region in Valorant without VPN?
- Final tips for using a VPN for Valorant
- FAQ
Valorant is an extremely popular team-based FPS game by Riot Games. It has over 20 million active players worldwide! But despite the fact that the game is well-loved, users run into several obstacles.
Valorant locks you into the server region in which you’re located when you create your account. There is no option to manually switch regions and play with your friends in other countries. What’s more, some regions can suffer from a high ping, causing rubberbanding and lag, when servers are very busy.
That’s why many Valorant players use a VPN, which allows them to play in whichever Valorant region they want. When you join a VPN server, your IP address changes to reflect the server’s location. After benchmarking 20+ popular gaming VPNs, NordVPN stood out as the best VPN for Valorant in my tests, as it has the fastest gaming VPN speeds and 7,700+ servers for changing your Valorant region.
Our recommended VPNs for Valorant
Riot Games, the company behind Valorant, actively scans for and blocks many VPN IP addresses to prevent players from changing their region or cheating. As a result, not every VPN is suited for bypassing Valorant region limitations. What’s more, weak VPNs can suffer encryption or DNS leak issues, exposing your true IP address and potentially leading to bans or enforcement action.
That’s why we tested 20+ top-rated VPNs to recommend the best VPNs for Valorant. Here’s our rounded-up top 5:
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1.NordVPN: best VPN for Valorant to reduce ping and bypass region locks
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2.Surfshark: affordable Valorant VPN with unlimited devices
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3.Proton VPN: free VPN for Valorant with secure and stable connections
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4.IPVanish: secure Valorant VPN with unlimited connection support
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5.Express VPN: lightning-fast VPN for Valorant region swapping
Test it while gaming: NordVPN is the best VPN for Valorant players who want a secure and fast connection, and Android users can get a 3-day free trial in the Google Play Store. This lets you test server speeds and stability before buying the VPN.
Can you play Valorant with a VPN?
Yes, you can play Valorant with a VPN, and many players already use VPNs to improve their connection speeds and reduce lag, stabilize their connection, and change their Valorant region. But on occasion, using a VPN can cause small problems like login issues, disruptions to VoIP chat, and conflicts with Valorant’s built-in anti-cheat system known as Vanguard.
Riot Games does not mention VPN use in their Terms of Service. As long as you’re not using your VPN to violate the guidelines in any other way, for example, for abuse, harassment, or hate speech, you won’t be banned for using a VPN service while playing Valorant.
How to change servers in Valorant?
- Pick a reliable VPN. I recommend NordVPN, as it offers high-speed servers in all he best Valorant locations.
- Connect to a server in the country you want to play in (e.g., Germany, Singapore).
- Restart Riot Client.
- Log in and launch Valorant.
- Play on your chosen server!
Does a VPN help with ping in Valorant?
Yes, a VPN can help improve your ping under certain conditions. If you’re experiencing network issues like ISP speed throttling or a laggy connection, a VPN can help streamline your network routing distance to find the most optimal route between your device and Valorant’s servers. When you connect to a VPN server located close to Valorant’s server, it helps you avoid overcrowding and poor network routing, and it stops your ISP from slowing down your connection. All of these factors can improve your overall ping.
The best Valorant VPNs: detailed review
I tested more than 20 gaming VPNs to find the best Valorant VPNs that offer the fastest speeds, lowest ping, and a vast network of servers so that you can switch to any Valorant region in the world. These are the 5 top VPNs if you want to switch regions and play with your friends while optimizing your connection and keeping yourself protected against DDoS attacks with powerful anonymity features.
Top 1. NordVPN: The best gaming VPN for Valorant in 2026
Features:
- High-speed servers to enjoy Valorant
- Secure AES encryption and top-notch features
- Huge server network: 9300 servers in 137 countries
- Affordable plans, starting at $ 3.49/month
The best VPN for Valorant is NordVPN. From our speed tests, we know that NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs in the world! With a low ping count, NordVPN manages to keep up to 96% of its speeds. You won’t have to deal with lagging or buffering if you’re connected to this VPN.
Moreover, NordVPN is the perfect VPN to change your Valorant location. Thanks to
9300 worldwide servers that have a presence in every Valorant region except China, you can connect with players worldwide and get an IP address from almost any location you could wish for. During tests, I hopped between lobbies across North America like Oregon, Texas, and Georgia, before changing my IP and playing with Valorant players in Mexico City, Frankfurt, Istanbul, and London. It can even unblock VoIP chat in regions where it’s usually unavailable, such as Egypt.
NordVPN is also top of the list when it comes to security features. Thanks to its Threat Protection feature, you can block ads and keep malware at bay whenever the VPN is enabled.
You can use NordVPN for 30 days and get a full refund if you’re not satisfied! Though, if you claim the current discount and take 75% off, you can get the best Valorant VPN for just $ 3.49/month.
For more information about this exceptional VPN service, you can read our extensive NordVPN review.
Top 2. Surfshark: Affordable VPN to change your region in Valorant
Features:
- High-speed servers for an affordable price
- Global coverage: servers in 100 countries
- Fantastic security features incl. malware protection
- One of the best VPNs for Windows
Surfshark is the perfect Valorant VPN if you’re looking for a budget-friendly Valorant VPN that can change your Valorant region, stabilize your connection, and improve ping. You won’t have to spend tons of money on this VPN, but you’ll get a premium set of features and lightning-fast speeds.
In my Valorant speed tests, Surfshark maintained at least 94% speed with 466 Mbps download speeds, making it one of the best Valorant VPNs you can get, especially if you’re gaming on a Windows system. The ping remains comparatively low even on very faraway servers.
When it comes to features, Surfshark can certainly compete with NordVPN. You can browse the web without being pestered by annoying ads or having to worry about malware infecting your device. Surfshark is one of the most user-friendly VPNs and has a great look to it, too!
Thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try Surfshark VPN for Valorant risk-free. After that, pricing starts from just $ 2.49/month, making it one of the most affordable Valorant VPNs, too.
Want to know more about how Surfshark fared in our testing rounds? Read our full Surfshark VPN review to see the results.
Top 3. Proton VPN: Free VPN for Valorant with premium option
Features:
- Free plan with five server locations
- Uses very fast WireGuard protocol
- Audited no-logs policy
- Premium features available (30-day money-back guarantee)
If you’re determined to try using a free VPN, the best VPN for Valorant is Proton VPN, thanks to a free tier with unlimited data and solid connection speeds. Other free VPNs cap your data, which makes them useless for gaming, but Proton VPN excelled in my tests, even on the free version.
With Proton VPN Free, you’ll be able to change your region on Valorant to a few select locations: the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, and Poland, with the software picking the fastest available server. If you use Proton Premium, however, you’ll have access to
20300+ servers in 148 countries. Since you can’t manually select your preferred server on the free tier, I recommend trying Premium for the best experience and access to any Valorant lobby on demand.
Thanks to Proton’s solid zero-logs policy, your data is in safe hands. You won’t have to worry about being tracked, either, thanks to the 256-bit encryption on all VPN connections.
Try Proton VPN for free today or get a limited discount of 70% on Proton VPN Premium! With this special discount, prices start from just $ 2.99/month if you decide to upgrade.
We discuss everything that Proton has to offer in our Proton VPN review. You can also see how Proton VPN compares to our #1 recommendation NordVPN in our NordVPN vs. Proton VPN comparison.
Top 4. IPVanish: secure VPN for Valorant voice chat
Features:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Solid server network: 3200 servers in 113 countries
- Ad blocker to prevent online threats
- 30-day money-back guarantee!
Another affordable but powerful VPN for Valorant is IPVanish. This VPN has a respectable server network, with 3200 servers worldwide. While smaller than others, the fleet covers 109 countries, giving you plenty of options to change your Valorant region.
With IPVanish, you get a secure zero-logs VPN that won’t leak any of your data, whether you’re gaming, browsing, or streaming. In terms of speed, IPVanish is not the fastest VPN around, but it still does really well!
In comparison with Surfshark and NordVPN, IPVanish is not as feature-rich, but an added bonus feature is IPVanish’s ad blocker, which keeps you protected against online threats. Built-in encryption also shields your IP address and data, ensuring you can’t suffer DDoS attacks from disgruntled opponents. With plans starting at only $ 2.19/month, it’s certainly worth checking this VPN provider out.
Check out our extensive evaluation of IPVanish’s services in our IPVanish review.
Top 5. ExpressVPN: Valorant VPN with gaming-optimized servers
Features:
- Largest global server network: Undisclosed servers worldwide in 105
- Impressive speeds for gaming and streaming
- Get a dedicated IP address for protection against DDoS and congestion
- 8 simultaneous connections
ExpressVPN has a solid Undisclosed+ servers in 105 countries, so changing your Valorant location is very simple. These 10Gbps servers offer some of the fastest speeds available, though it comes at a cost as ExpressVPN is quite pricey.
However, ExpressVPN supports up to 8 simultaneous connections, allowing you to share your account with others and lower the subscription costs.
During in-house tests with Valorant VPNs, ExpressVPN achieved an average speed of 435Mbps using Lightway, the service’s proprietary and highly stable protocol. I saw pings of just 31-37 when changing my Valorant region to Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK.
When it comes to security features, ExpressVPN offers an automatic kill switch, dedicated IP addresses, and Private DNS on every server, preventing DNS leaks that could give away your location.
Have a look at what our expert testing team thinks of this provider in our ExpressVPN review.
How I tested and selected best VPN to play Valorant
I tested 20+ different VPN services to filter out which ones are compatible with Valorant and give you the best recommendations. Here are some factors we paid specific attention to:
- Latency (30%): For anyone who plays competitive shooters, low latency is extremely important to ensure you can game without lag. We kept an eye on the ping for each VPN while playing Valorant on different servers. Remember, even with a VPN, connecting to servers across the globe will still increase your ping, especially on far-away servers.
- Server network (25%): In order to game with Valorant players in different regions, it’s important that your chosen VPN has a wide server network.
- Performance and stability (25%): Of course, we make sure to recommend VPNs with an overall impressive performance and stable connection speeds.
- Windows compatibility (10%): Since Valorant is currently only available on Windows systems, we made sure these VPNs are compatible.
- Costs (10%): Finally, we understand you don’t want to spend too much money on a VPN service. Affordable, premium VPNs are our favorites!
How to change region in Valorant with a VPN
In order to play Valorant with someone located in another region, you need to change your IP address with a VPN. This will allow you to virtually locate yourself elsewhere. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Choose a reliable VPN with fast speeds and plenty of servers
First, you’ll need to choose a reliable gaming VPN that offers a broad range of servers and fast, stable connection speeds. NordVPN excelled in my tests, with 9300+ servers that let me test Valorant region hopping in locations like the UK, US, France, Germany, Japan, and more. I recommend using NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol for the fastest speeds, and you can also use Meshnet to create a secure, local network for you and your gaming friends.
Step 2. Connect to a VPN server in the region you want to play in
Once you’ve downloaded and installed your Valorant VPN, log into the software and connect to a VPN server in the region you want to play in. For example, if you’re in the US but want to play with friends in the United Kingdom, connect to a UK VPN server. If your chosen VPN offers dedicated IP addresses like NordVPN or Surfshark do, then I suggest adding it onto your service if you don’t mind the extra charge. This ensures that nobody else is using your IP address, giving you the best anonymity and speeds possible.
Step 3. Create a new Riot account in that region
Next, you’ll need to create a new Riot account with your VPN connection. Unfortunately, you can’t transfer your progression across regions because Riot locks your account to the region in which it was created. To illustrate, if you are in Europe and want to play with friends on US servers, you need to create an account for the North America (NA) shard. We recommend connecting to a VPN server that’s closest to Valorant’s server on the East Coast. Since this is closer to Europe, it should give you a better ping than the server on the West Coast. Use NordVPN’s interactive map or search bar to pick specific servers.
Step 4. Download Valorant and start playing
Now, you can download the Valorant client and start playing the game with your new account. You’ll join matchmaking with players in the region where your VPN server is located, allowing you to play in any region you want.
If you have any trouble with your Valorant VPN not working, I recommend trying a different server, changing your VPN protocol, or trying another VPN. During in-house tests, I was able to use all of the above Valorant VPNs to change my region, so any problem should be short-lived. If you’re still stuck, I recommend speaking to your service’s customer support team, who can usually resolve any issues quickly.
Pro Tip!
Within Valorant, you can enable connection performance monitoring to keep an eye on your ping, network round-trip time, and packet loss. Go to Settings > Video > Stats. If input feels off or the stats are high/irregular, try a different VPN server for your next match.
Best VPN locations for Valorant
The best VPN location for Valorant depends on the region in which you’d like to join matchmaking. Usually, the best server location will be the one that’s geographically nearest to your Valorant server, as this helps minimize ping and prevent lag by shortening the routing distance for your network data. If you’re trying to play on a server that’s region-locked, choose a VPN server located in the same region.
With Valorant’s Server Select option, Agents won’t be able to change their shard, but they can change the server. We’ve created an at-a-glance overview of servers per region:
| NA | LATAM | BR | EU | KR | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US West (Oregon) US West (N. California) US East (N. Virginia) US Central (Texas) US Central (Illinois) US Central (Georgia) | Santiago Mexico City Miami | Sao Paulo | Frankfurt Paris Stockholm Istanbul London Warsaw Madrid Bahrain | Seoul | Hong Kong Tokyo Singapore Sydney Mumbai |
Pro Tip!
If you want the best results, we recommend choosing a server location where your ping remains below 100; otherwise, you’re going to notice it while playing Valorant. The higher your ping, the more difficult it is to hit people, so we also advise choosing a weapon/Agent that offers more precision.
Can I use a free VPN for Valorant?
Yes, you should be able to play Valorant with a free VPN service. However, there are a few reasons why we advise against it:
- Slow speeds: Unfortunately, free VPNs can’t offer the same high-quality connection speeds as paid VPNs. You’ll likely experience lots of lagging and interruptions, which will hinder your gaming.
- Not enough servers: Most free VPN services only offer very limited server locations. This makes it more difficult to play Valorant in a different region.
- Security risks: In contrast to premium VPNs, free VPNs are a lot more vulnerable to cyberthreats.
- Data sold: Free VPNs tend to collect and sell your private data to other parties.
If you do want to try a free VPN for Valorant, we recommend using Proton VPN. This VPN has decent free features and an affordable premium plan available if you decide to switch.
Why should I use a VPN for Valorant?
A VPN can be very beneficial for Valorant players! Here’s why:
- Play with Valorant gamers in other regions: Right now, you can only play Valorant on servers available within your ‘shard,’ or region of residence. You can use a VPN to change your virtual location and play on different servers.
- Access voice chat: In some countries, the Valorant voice chat feature is banned due to censorship. A VPN will let you use VoIP, even in countries where these features generally don’t work.
- Avoid DDoS attacks: Protect yourself and your team against DDoS attacks by changing your IP address with a VPN.
- No ISP speed throttling: A VPN with high speeds can help you avoid speed throttling by your internet service provider.
- Bypass IP bans: Is your IP address blocked? With a VPN, you replace your blocked IP with a few clicks!
How to change region in Valorant without VPN?
There’s no in-game option to change your Valorant region, but you can request a region transfer from Riot Games by contacting their support team. I recommend this method to players who’ve moved to a new region and want their account to join matchmaking sessions in that region without using a VPN.
- Head to the official Riot Support site.
- Log in with your Riot account.
- Submit a ticket by going to Account Management, then Data Requests.
- In your message, include your Riot ID, Tagline, current region, and the region you want to change to.
- Provide a justifiable reason, such as relocating to another country. Bear in mind that too many similar requests in a short space of time or poor justifications might lead to the request being denied.
Bear in mind that some account data could be reset, including purchase history and your seasonal rankings. However, any skins you’ve purchased and other progress, like achievements, should still be linked to your account. Generally, Riot Games allows one region change per year.
Final tips for using a VPN for Valorant
While Riot locks your Valorant account to the region in which it was created, using a VPN for Valorant allows you to play with friends from around the world in any region you like. Meanwhile, your VPN will also protect you from DDoS attacks, prevent your ISP from throttling your speed, and can even stabilize and, in some cases, improve your connection speed and ping.
Following extensive in-house tests with 20+ gaming VPNs and Valorant, I can confidently recommend NordVPN as the best gaming VPN for Valorant. With download speed retention of up to 96% and sub-40ms pings during tests, it can unblock Valorant in almost every supported region.
For more information about gaming with a VPN, have a look at our related articles:
- The Best Gaming VPN: Our Top-Level Picks
- How to Lower Ping for Better Multiplayer Gaming
- Best VPNs for Minecraft
- Best VPNs for Roblox
FAQ
Do you have any questions about using a VPN for Valorant? Check out our FAQ below for some quick answers!
Yes, Valorant allows the use of VPNs and using a VPN for Valorant can let you play in regions other than your own. It can also reduce your ping, stabilize your speeds, and prevent your ISP from throttling your speed. However, using a VPN to circumvent a ban or cheat can lead to account enforcement action.
Yes, NordVPN works with Valorant and was the best Valorant VPN in my tests, offering 9300+ servers that cover almost all supported regions and the fastest connection speeds. In the most popular Valorant regions I tested, my ping averaged 30-40ms and my download speeds never dropped below 400Mbps.
Yes, a VPN can potentially improve your ping in Valorant, though it’s not a guarantee. If your internet provider is throttling your speed or routing your web traffic poorly, a VPN can improve your ping by streamlining your connection and preventing throttling. However, if you have a generally strong and stable ping, a VPN may not help. I recommend using a 30-day money-back guarantee to test a premium Valorant VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark and see if it works for you, risk-free.
To use a VPN for Valorant, choose a reliable gaming VPN, install the software client and log in, connect to a server in your preferred region, and create a new Riot account. You can’t transfer your existing account, as they’re region locked, but you can create a new account and play in any region. I recommend using NordVPN, which offers servers in almost every Valorant-supported region.
Valorant’s voice chat functionality won’t work in Egypt, as the country has restricted VoIP features due to privacy and national security concerns. Authorities worry that the feature could be used to spread misinformation or used for criminal activity. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions by using a VPN for Valorant, like NordVPN, in Egypt to change your IP address and play in a different region.
Valorant voice chat won’t work in Egypt since authorities blocked the feature due to national security concerns, but you can still play Valorant with VoIP in Egypt if you use a VPN to join a lobby in another region. During tests, I was able to achieve this with NordVPN’s server network. Alternatively, some players have reported success using Discord as an alternative way to chat to friends while playing Valorant.
