Last Update: May 2, 2022
Valorant is easily one of the most popular first-person shooter games in the world. Sadly, access to it isn’t freely available in many countries due to restrictive censorship laws. To get around these laws, you’ll need to make use of a capable virtual private network provider.
In addition to that, you’ll also need to use a Valorant VPN to remain safe while playing. Why so? The game’s servers have become a hotbed for identity theft, blackmail, unwanted illegal surveillance, ransomware attacks, and all sorts of other malicious cybercrimes.
Today, we shall talk about the best VPNs for Valorant. That way, you’ll not have to go through the trouble of tediously researching to find out what’s the best solution for you. Moreover, I’d also like to discuss everything else relevant to the topic so you will not be left with questions.
Credit: expressvpn.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: ExpressVPN has unmatched unblocking capabilities that can let you download and play Valorant from practically anywhere. In fact, the provider is so good at getting around geoblocks that it can reliably circumvent the Great Firewall of China.
It also would be wrong to mention that ExpressVPN is fast. Each of its servers won’t ever leave you in a vulnerable position as you play Valorant. As a matter of fact, there’ll almost be a zero chance that you’ll never encounter lag or frame drops as you play while using ExpressVPN.
Privacy & Security: ExpressVPN was the first major player in the VPN industry to upgrade to a RAM-disk-enabled server network. That alone should already speak volumes as to how dedicated the provider is to safeguarding the privacy and security of its users.
Of course, ExpressVPN also utilizes military-grade encryption. Furthermore, it has established a protocol known as Lightway, which is supposed to be a direct alternative to WireGuard. Last but not least, the VPN provider has developed very easy-to-use apps that are suitable for everyone.
Pricing: ExpressVPN is widely known to be a pricey VPN. However, we at VPN Thrive don’t think this is true. After all, the provider’s monthly rate of $12.95 perfectly justifies everything you’ll be getting with a subscription.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that ExpressVPN has a very generous 30-day money-back refund policy for all of its subscriptions. Due to that, trying the provider risk-free or getting your cash returned to your bank account if ever you’re unsatisfied is a complete no-brainer.
Credit: nordvpn.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: NordVPN is a very dependable provider if you’re looking to get around the geo-restrictions that are preventing you from downloading and playing Valorant or any other online game. Of course, this shouldn’t be surprising as our Chinese testers have consistently been successful at getting around the Great Firewall, which is a very difficult feat.
The speed capabilities of NordVPN’s servers also deserve praise. After all, these servers have always managed to let me play with a competitive edge. While they didn’t always get me off bandwidth throttling, they never caused any issues regarding lagging or anything similar.
Privacy & Security: Safety is NordVPN’s utmost priority. Because of that, the VPN provider has announced that it’ll have a 100% RAM-disk-enabled network by the end of this year. On top of that, it established a very successful bug bounty program and a protocol called NordLynx.
Given that it’s a premium VPN provider, NordVPN uses nothing but the best military-grade AES encryption. With that, it allows you to toggle every mainstream protocol and VPN security feature that you could imagine.
I’d also like to mention that NordVPN has apps for every platform that Valorant is available on. I should also state that these applications are incredibly user-friendly. In fact, even those who aren’t tech-savvy will be able to learn their way around them in absolutely no time.
Pricing: NordVPN is a premium VPN that doesn’t have premium rates. As of writing, you can get a 1-month subscription for just $8.87. This makes NordVPN an absolute steal even when compared to providers with a lower ranking.
Finally, I’d also like to point out the fact that NordVPN maintains a 30-day money-back refund policy. As such, those who wish to try it without risks may do so. Moreover, it’ll be possible for anyone who isn’t satisfied with the service provider to easily get their money returned to them.
Credit: privateinternetaccess.com
Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: Private Internet Access (PIA) can grant you access to any online game without difficulty. Thanks to it, you will be able to play Valorant in places that you otherwise could only imagine. Sadly though, the service is still not capable of circumventing Chinese internet censorship measures.
PIA’s servers aren’t the fastest around. Needless to say, they’ll most definitely meet your needs when you play Valorant. During my testing sessions, seldom did the VPN provider’s servers ever introduce lagging, sudden frame drops, or any other related interferences.
Privacy & Security: Private Internet Access is very safe and secure. It has a massive network of more than 3000 servers, which makes it easy for the provider to maintain your anonymity. In addition, I’d also like to mention that PIA has a zero-logs policy.
Private Internet Access’ desktop applications are incredibly easy to use. On top of that, they are not difficult to configure and are aesthetically pleasing. As you might’ve expected, they’re loaded with awesome security features like a VPN kill switch and ad blocker.
Pricing: A 1-month PIA subscription will run you back a mere $9.95. If anything, this makes the provider the cheapest one that we’ll talk about today. By extension, it’s also the best option for those who’ve got limited budgets to spend on their VPN solutions for Valorant.
One last thing that I’d like to mention is that Private Internet Access also has a 30-day full refund policy for all of its subscriptions. That means that if you ever find yourself unsatisfied with the provider, then there shouldn’t be problems. Also, it means that you’ll get to try it risk-free.
You’d want to use a VPN alongside Valorant for a couple of key reasons.
To begin, a capable provider shall allow you to download and play Valorant in places where it’s banned. How so? By circumventing local geo-restrictions by masking your IP address. Take note that it’s also this that allows a VPN to let you play with a plethora of other players.
VPN providers also come in handy when it comes to safeguarding you as you play Valorant or any other online game. They encrypt your data and keep your IP address hidden. By doing these things, it becomes impossible for any third party to compromise your security.
Another reason to use a Valorant VPN is to have a better gaming experience. You see, many providers are capable of getting you off the bandwidth throttling that’s imposed by your ISP. When that’s done, your base internet connection speeds may improve significantly.
Don’t forget that no two VPN providers are built equally. Because of that, some services are far better than others. Hence, it would be wise for you to do your research and settle on the best provider that is within your reach as a consumer. That way, you’ll avoid having any regrets.
Below is every step necessary to use a Valorant VPN:
First of all, procure a decent VPN service. At present, there are hundreds of options for you to choose from. Some of which are free while others aren’t. We suggest that you stay away from free providers as much as possible. That’s because they’re often incapable of letting you play Valorant safely with zero interruptions.
To have a guaranteed satisfactory experience, opt for one of the VPNs that we talked about earlier. By picking any one of them, certainly, you’ll not end up disappointed.
Your next course of action should be to install your VPN’s application.
Valorant is currently only available on Microsoft Windows so you’ll need to install your VPN’s app for that platform. If you are wondering, this procedure is extremely easy. All you’ll need to do is hit the download button then select the installation folder. Everything from thereon should proceed 100% automatically.
Open your newly-installed VPN then connect to a server. Choose a location where Valorant is not banned or restricted in any manner. Also, it would be good to pair to a nearby country because the servers there are more likely to have a lesser impact on your connection.
All modern VPNs worth their salt have automatic kill switches that are built into their apps. You should always activate your provider’s kill switch before you engage in a Valorant session. Doing so will guarantee that you shall remain safeguarded at all times as you play.
If you don’t already know, an automatic kill switch is a VPN security feature. It serves as a safety net that keeps you safe from unwanted online exposure. How does it work? By cutting off your device’s connection to the internet once its connection to your VPN gets put in jeopardy.
The final step is to open Valorant then start playing. Remain connected to your VPN’s server during the duration of your gaming session. That way, you will be able to avoid any of the penalties that come with disconnection from your VPN’s server while you're playing.
We dedicated a lot of time and effort into coming up with our rankings. Before doing anything else, our team of researchers narrowed down the VPNs that were worth taking a closer look into. Following that, we conducted tests and got in touch with seasoned Valorant VPN users.
After everything that was mentioned above, we compared the rates of each of our top VPNs for Valorant. How come? To discern which of them provided the greatest value to their consumers.
