The 3 Best VPNs for Call of Duty Warzone
Fight for your survival in Al Mazrah without lags with these top-tier VPNs.
&
Last Updated on Jun 05, 2023
Call of Duty Warzone was such a massive hit when it launched in 2020 that it spawned a sequel less than three years later, and now we have Warzone 2.0. It features a larger map, has improved graphics and controls, and introduced a bunch of new features like proximity chat that takes the popular franchise to new heights.
That said, some players aren’t too happy with the enhanced skill-based matchmaking that constantly pits them against highly-skilled opponents. If you’re one of those players, there’s a way for you to access bot servers and bypass the matchmaking algorithm. At the same time, this solution can potentially solve latency issues and prevent other players from tracking your IP address or executing a DDoS attack. We’re talking about VPNs, and here, we’ll show you the three best VPNs to use with Call of Duty Warzone.
Fun Fact: Warzone 2.0 surpassed 25 million downloads in just five days after its release, making it one of the most successful Call of Duty games to ever grace PCs.1 For comparison, the original Warzone didn’t reach the 100 million downloads mark until a year after its release.
Criteria for Choosing the Best VPNs for Warzone
Call of Duty Warzone and Warzone 2.0 are real-time online multiplayer games, which means the speed and reaction time of your network is critical to your success. However, as our VPN speed tests prove, some VPNs can severely slow down your network and blow your ping through the roof. That’s why our first criteria for choosing a good VPN for Warzone is speed and latency.
Of course, you also need adequate security, especially if you’re a competitive gamer playing in tournaments and want to avoid DDoS attacks from cheating opponents. We wrote a piece on how VPNs prevent DDoS attacks, but basically, you’d want a VPN that can reliably hide your IP address.
FYI: A DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service attack, is a type of malicious cyberattack that sends an overwhelming amount of data to an IP address to overload the network. It can be used in online game tournaments to cause lag or force a player to disconnect and forfeit a match.
Lastly, just like in Warzone, choosing a good location is critical, especially if you want to game the matchmaking algorithm and enter a bot server. You’d want a VPN with servers in regions known for having less-skilled players – or if you want to test your abilities, regions with highly-skilled players.
Without further ado, these are our top three VPN picks for Warzone and Warzone 2.0 players.
Victory! The 3 Best VPNs for Warzone
- NordVPN - Best Server Network
- Private Internet Access VPN - Best for Speed and Latency
- Surfshark - Best for Twitch Streamers
Why They’re The Best: Side-by-Side Specs of the Best Warzone VPNs
| System |
NordVPN
|
Private Internet Access VPN
|
Surfshark
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Ratings | 9.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Works on Windows and macOS apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Works on PS4/PS5 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Works on Xbox Series X/Series S | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Server locations | 59 countries | 75+ countries | 100 countries |
| Supported protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec | OpenVPN, WireGuard | OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2 |
| Price range | Starts at $3.99 monthly | Starts at $2.03 monthly | Starts at $2.39 monthly |
| Read Review | NordVPN Review | Private Internet Access VPN Review | Surfshark Review |
A Deep-Dive Into the Best Warzone VPNs
-
1. NordVPN - Best Server Network
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes NordVPN is known for its impressive security, speed, and stealth as a VPN, but it also happens to have a vast fleet of servers that perfectly suit Warzone players.
For starters, NordVPN has servers in 59 countries. Whether you’re looking to join a Warzone server with highly-competitive players or a bot server, there’s a NordVPN server for you. Moreover, it has over 5,000 servers in total, so you can rest assured that congestion won’t be an issue.
Another thing we loved about NordVPN is that its proprietary protocol based on WireGuard – called NordLynx – is available on almost all its servers. WireGuard is a good VPN protocol for online gaming. It’s fast and secure. It also promises low latency because it adds less overhead data than other VPN protocols. With NordLynx drawing VPN encryption and tunneling structure from WireGuard, you can expect the same benefits.
Lastly, NordVPN offers an advanced kill switch feature that lets you exclude certain apps such as Warzone. If your VPN connection drops in the middle of a match, Warzone can simply reconnect through your normal network without having to leave the game. You wouldn’t want to lose precious rank points, would you?
What We Like
- Vast server fleet in 59 countries
- Advanced kill switch that can exclude certain apps
- Meshnet virtual LAN feature
- Top-notch encryption and VPN protocols
What We Don’t Like
- No native app support for PlayStation and Xbox (router or PC required)
- Occasional latency spikes
- Fixed encryption standard; can’t be lowered for faster speeds
- Limited servers in South Africa and Middle East (locations with many bot servers)
-
2. Private Internet Access VPN - Best for Speed and Latency
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode No Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes Private Internet Access has a large network of servers and strong security and privacy features, but the best thing about it is that it’s fully customizable. We’ve repeatedly commended Private Internet Access’ VPN app for offering a full range of customizations, allowing users to decide how much compromise between security and speed they want.
You can use Private Internet Access for a number of different purposes. If you want to prevent a DDoS attack from an opponent, for example, the VPN’s highest encryption standard and IP protection feature can help a lot. If you only want to access a certain server, on the other hand, you can choose a lower encryption standard (like 128-bit AES) to enjoy better speeds.
Private Internet Access also features advanced split tunneling, letting you direct some of your traffic through the VPN server and others to your normal internet connection. This feature allows for convenient multitasking, which works great if you’re streaming your Call of Duty gameplay or doing something else in the background while waiting for the match to start.
What We Like
- Easily customizable connection settings
- Advanced split tunneling
- Strong IP protection against DDoS attacks
- Server speeds up to 10 Gbps
What We Don’t Like
- Requires VPN router setup to connect consoles and handheld gaming devices
- No servers optimized for gaming
- Frequent server maintenance
- Limited customer support options
-
3. Surfshark - Best for Twitch Streamers
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes With Call of Duty Warzone’s action-packed gameplay, it’s one of the most popular online games on live-streaming platforms like Twitch. However, making a living out of gaming comes with dangers. Streamers, in particular, face dangerous online pranks taken to the extreme such as swatting and doxxing. If you want to protect both yourself and your personal data, we recommend Surfshark.
Surfshark uses strong 256-bit AES encryption to protect users’ browsing and online personal data. With its decent speeds, you can keep Surfshark running in the background while streaming to prevent viewers from intercepting your IP address and potentially hacking into your network.
You can also purchase add-ons from Surfshark to further increase your security. Surfshark One, an all-around digital security solution, offers antivirus software, access to the Surfshark VPN, personal data leak alerts, and a safe search feature for as low as $2.39 per month.
What We Like
- Servers in 100 locations
- RAM-only servers for maximum privacy
- Affordable Surfshark VPN and Surfshark One subscriptions
- 256-bit AES encryption with OpenVPN
What We Don’t Like
- Limited server presence outside Europe and North America
- Latency inconsistencies during peak hours
- Smart DNS (no encryption) configuration on consoles
- Antivirus features could be improved
Final Words: Are VPNs Necessary When Playing Warzone?
Not everyone needs a VPN when playing Call of Duty Warzone, but using one is highly advisable. Not only can it improve your latency and speed up your connection, especially if your internet provider is throttling your network, it can also improve your overall online security.
The best part? The three VPNs we recommend for Warzone players also happen to be some of the best VPNs we’ve tested overall. So even outside Warzone, they are the best VPNs you can buy to protect your online privacy, anonymity, and personal data.
Much like in Call of Duty, enemies are lurking everywhere online waiting for the opportune time to attack, so stay watchful and keep your defenses up.
FAQs
Any more questions about using Warzone with VPNs? This section is just for you.
-
What should I do to keep Warzone from lagging when connected through a VPN?
There are several things you can try. First, restart the VPN and your device. Second, choose a different server, preferably a server close to your physical location. Third, experiment with the encryption and VPN protocol settings. If none of those things help, try playing without a VPN. If Warzone still lags, you may have to reinstall the game.
-
Are VPNs allowed on Warzone?
As of the moment, there’s nothing in Activision’s and Warzone’s terms of use against the use of VPNs. While VPNs are sometimes used to tweak the matchmaking process, the game developer recognizes that it can also help players suffering from lags due to ISP throttling.
-
Do I need a specialized VPN server to play Warzone?
Technically, no. Any VPN server from a good VPN company can access Warzone. However, if your VPN provider has servers optimized for gaming, you have a better chance of getting good latency and speed from those servers.
-
Can I join a Warzone server of another country or region?
Yes, if you use a VPN. VPN hides your IP address, making it appear as though you’re from a different location. By connecting through a server in Southeast Asia, for instance, you’ll be able to access Warzone servers in the region.
-
Can I play Warzone when its servers are under maintenance if I use a VPN?
Unfortunately, even if you use a VPN, you still need to connect to an active Warzone server to play the game. Using a VPN will not help when Warzone servers are down. However, if only the Warzone server closest to you is down, you can use a VPN to connect to a different Warzone server.
Call of Duty Twitter Account. (2022, Nov 21). “Thank you Call of Duty #Warzone2 players.”
twitter.com/CallofDuty/status/1594800865298501632