Last Update: May 2, 2022
Even since it was released back in 2016, Pokemon Go took the world by storm.
Because of it, commotion ensued in many places. Landmarks of significance were flocked to by players all in hopes of catching rare pokemon. As a response to the frazzle that the game has caused, many jurisdictions have limited access to the mobile game or outright banned it.
Another thing to mention is that ever since its release, the Pokemon Go application has become a popular skimming ground for online fraudsters. There, they lurk with the hope to eventually find an unlucky person that they can hack, blackmail, or steal credit information from.
To play Pokemon Go anywhere and do so safely, you’ll need a VPN.
The problem is that there are hundreds of options available that all claim to be the best for the game. However, in reality, only a handful of them actually manage to suffice. In this guide, we shall talk about everything you need to know regarding the subject of VPNs and Pokemon Go.
Credit: nordvpn.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: NordVPN is the perfect companion for Pokemon Go. It can get around geo-restrictions and grant you access to the game in practically any part of the world. In fact, the provider is even capable of bypassing China’s Great Firewall.
When it comes to speed, there’s much to be said about NordVPN’s capabilities. All of the VPN’s 5600+ servers have no bandwidth limits. As such, there’s no limiting factor as to how fast they can get. My tests with them have yielded rather pleasing results. Not once did I encounter significant drops in my internet connection speeds while I was playing Pokemon Go.
Privacy & Security: Security and privacy are NordVPN’s two specialties. Like all other services of its caliber, it maintains a very strict zero-logging policy. Furthermore, it has announced that it will soon have a RAM-disk-enabled network that shall be incapable of compromising your logs.
NordVPN’s applications are user-friendly. They’ve got very navigable interfaces that anyone can get used to. Moreover, they’ve got a broad range of configurable settings that allow you to tailor your VPN experience to your exact liking. I should also mention that all NordVPN apps are very rich in regards to features.
In addition to everything that’s mentioned, another thing to know about NordVPN is that it has a bug-bounty program. If anything, this exemplifies the degree of seriousness in which the VPN service provider takes to the digital privacy and security of its subscribers.
Pricing: I’d have to say that NordVPN has very fair prices. You can get the provider for as low as $8.84 per month. In addition, there are regularly released coupon discount promotions that you may utilize to get it for an even lower price. Finally, one last thing to note is that NordVPN maintains a 30-day money-back guarantee for all of its subscriptions.
Credit: expressvpn.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: ExpressVPN certainly does not disappoint when you use it for Pokemon Go. It lets you download and play the game from anywhere that you could think of. And yes, the provider is China-capable, meaning that it can bypass the Great Firewall and other similar government-imposed censorship systems.
It would be wrong not to talk about the speed capabilities of ExpressVPN’s servers. While using them, not once did I experience any negative impact on my internet connection speeds. Due to that, I could catch all the rare pokemon that I encountered without problems.
Privacy & Security: My safety and privacy remained intact while I was using ExpressVPN. The provider has a no-logs policy. Besides that, it also maintains a RAM-disk server network that’s completely incapable of tracking, collecting, and storing any of your private digital information.
It should also be noted that ExpressVPN’s developers regularly release security reports. On top of that, they also subject themselves to annual independently-done audits. For those unaware, this is done to prove to the general public that their VPN service provider can truly be trusted.
Although ExpressVPN’s apps are a joy to use, I still believe they need improvement. Why? They lack many of the security features that experts nowadays would consider to be essential. For example, all of ExpressVPN’s applications don’t have a built-in ad & malware blocker.
Pricing: ExpressVPN has never been known to be a budget VPN. In fact, many consider it to be one of the pricier services around. That said, you may purchase a subscription plan for a price of $12.95, which is not so bad considering that ExpressVPN is a premium provider.
And for anyone curious, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee policy. That means that if you’re not satisfied with the provider in any manner, you may easily get a refund.
Credit: surfshark.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: Surfshark is a VPN service provider that will not leave you disappointed at all. It’s fully capable of granting you access to Pokemon Go wherever in the world you may be. Like all the other VPNs on this list, it too can circumvent China’s Great Firewall with ease and consistency. If anything, this makes it an excellent travel partner.
You should also know that Surfshark is by no means a sluggish provider. Its servers are very fast, being capable of facilitating seamless Pokemon Go gaming sessions. And yes, this remains true even for the service provider’s most distant VPN server locations.
Privacy & Security: There’ll be no need to be concerned about your privacy and security while playing Pokemon Go with Surfshark. Quite recently, the provider has taken on the challenge to upgrade its entire network to one that’s RAM-based. Moreover, it has made it a point to subject itself to independent third-party audits to provide its trustworthiness.
Surfshark employs AES-256 encryption, which is military-grade. Additionally, it supports a wide range of VPN protocols. The most notable of which is WireGuard - the world’s newest, fastest, and safest VPN protocol. I’d have to say this is great news since WireGuard is the best option for Pokemon Go.
The applications and browser extensions of Surfshark have no shortage of features. Examples of which include an automatic kill switch, ad & malware blocker, hacking alert system, and split tunneling. As such, it’s certain that you’ll have no problems with doubling down on your safety.
One final thing to mention about Surfshark is that it supports unlimited simultaneous device connections per account. That means you may use the VPN service alongside all of your gadgets at the same time. If anything, this gives it tremendous value for money.
Pricing: Surfshark’s monthly price is $12.95, which is identical to that of ExpressVPN’s. Also, you may get the provider for cheaper if you happen to take advantage of one of its regular discount promotions. That said, if you ever find Surfshark to be unsatisfactory, it has a money-back guarantee that lasts 30 days, which is great for all paying consumers.
You’ve got many reasons to use a VPN for Pokemon Go.
For starters, access to the game is restricted or even banned in many places. For you to play it wherever you go, you’ll need to utilize a virtual private network. That’s because most VPNs can get around geo-restrictions with ease and allow you to browse the internet with zero limitations.
One other reason to use a Pokemon Go VPN is to stay safe. You see, the Pokemon Go app is a natural host to all sorts of information that hackers would love to obtain. For example, it has your passwords, credit card info, and other types of personal details that can be used for exploitation.
With a VPN, you’ll be able to protect yourself from all kinds of cybercriminals.
The right provider will encrypt all of your private data using military-grade encryption. Also, it’ll render you anonymous by replacing your legitimate IP address with one of its server’s.
One last reason to get a VPN for Pokemon Go is to have a better gaming experience. You see, unbeknownst to many, some providers can actually improve internet connection speeds rather than slowing them down. They do this by getting rid of any bandwidth-imposed ISP throttling.
Remember all VPNs are created differently. As a result, some providers are better than others when it comes to speed, connectivity, unblocking capabilities, and security. As such, you must do your due research to get the best Pokemon Go VPN that there is.
Don’t know how to use a Pokemon Go VPN? Follow these steps:
Start off by getting yourself a VPN. Don’t settle for just any provider. Instead, do your research to find out which option on the market is best for you. With that being said, I recommend that you choose one of the three services that I discussed earlier. They will surely not disappoint.
There are many free VPNs available.
Sadly though, we don’t recommend most of them. That’s because they often lack the infrastructure and features necessary to provide you with high levels of online security. In addition, they almost always operate via an ad-based business model, meaning they serve you with advertisements as you browse.
Next up, you’ll need to install the VPN that you just got. On any mobile device, this process is super easy. All you’ll need to do is head over to your smartphone’s app store then download your provider’s app. Installation should then automatically commence and finish in no time.
The next thing to do is pair to your VPN’s server. If Pokemon Go is banned in your country, then you should connect to a place where it’s perfectly legal to use. Also, remember that server distance impacts VPN connection speeds. Therefore, it is better to connect to nearby locations.
Once you’ve connected to a server, go ahead to the settings menu of your VPN. From there, activate its automatic kill switch feature.
For anyone who doesn’t know, a kill switch is an essential VPN security feature. It protects you from unwanted accidental exposure. How does it work? By cutting off your device’s connection to the internet if its connection to your VPN’s server becomes compromised.
After you’ve connected to a suitable server, the next thing to do is open Pokemon Go and start playing. Remember to remain connected to your VPN while doing this. That way, you’ll get to avoid any of the negative implications that come with disconnection.
To establish our rankings, members of our team tested out every major VPN provider that we could get our hands on with Pokemon Go. After that, we got in touch with daily Pokemon Go VPN users to gain their valuable opinions and feedback.
Last but not least, we compared the current rates of our top picks for Pokemon Go. That way, we could determine which one of them provided the best value for money.
