After all, LoL is free so why shouldn’t your VPN be too? Sadly, free VPNs rarely work well with video games. They often have poor security measures and can end up compromising your security instead of protecting it. They also come with speed and data restrictions that can make gaming impossible. For the best battles, I always recommend a premium but low-cost VPN. Premium VPNs guarantee lightning-fast gaming speeds and excellent security. All for a small subscription fee per month. You can even enjoy a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN without risk when it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you want to go ahead with a free VPN, I can help. I tested over 20 services to find the 10 best free VPNs for League of Legends. Each one delivers on speed, compatibility, and security.
What’s the Catch With Free VPNs?
Much like LoL, free VPNs don’t cost anything initially, but you can end up paying later.
Security
If DoS and DDoS attacks are your main concern, you need a secure VPN that can protect your anonymity. Unfortunately, free VPNs can be untrustworthy when it comes to security. From vague privacy policies to subpar encryption, free VPNs don’t offer the same level of security as premium services.
Limitations
Any VPN for League of Legends needs to be fast if you want to avoid latency issues. If you’re looking to reduce lag, you need lightning-fast speeds. Free VPNs are usually very slow. They have limited servers and can even reduce your speeds deliberately. They also impose usage restrictions. League of Legends uses around 45MB of data per hour. If you use voice chat, your data usage can go up by 300%. A monthly or daily data limit will curb how much time you can spend playing LoL. Only a premium VPN can give you super-fast speeds and unlimited data.
Compatibility
Want to unlock geo-blocked content or access game servers in different countries? You’ll need a VPN that can offer server compatibility. That means a large, global network of servers in the right locations. Free VPNs usually have small server networks. They may not have servers in the regions you want to access. Those servers may also be reserved for premium customers.
The Best Free VPNs for League of Legends (Updated 2023)
I tried over 20 services to bring you the 10 best VPNs for League of Legends. I tested each one for speed, security, and compatibility. Just remember that, as with all free VPNs, my recommendations all come with various limitations. However, they should allow you to play LoL in some capacity.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a top-tier VPN that comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund within the 30 days if it’s not for you. You get unlimited access to ExpressVPN during this time, as there are no restrictions on speed, data, or bandwidth. Not only is ExpressVPN one of our top-rated VPNs overall, but it’s also number one on our list of the best VPNs for PC gaming. One reason why is that ExpressVPN has built-in protection against DDoS attacks across its entire infrastructure. It also allows unlimited server switching. If the server you are using becomes compromised, you can quickly switch to another. You can also switch if the game server you’re on crashes. You’ll have 3,000 servers and 94 countries to choose from. ExpressVPN’s huge global network will give you access to any game server you want to join. With its lightning-fast speeds, you shouldn’t experience any latency or lag while you play. In fact, ExpressVPN is so fast it can even help to reduce ping by connecting you to a location that’s closer to your game server than you are. As well as anti-DDoS measures, ExpressVPN protects you with military-grade security. Your IP address is protected by AES 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch. Find out why this is my favorite VPN – both for gaming and for general use – in our comprehensive ExpressVPN review. Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free!
2. CyberGhost — User-Friendly Apps and Fast Speeds for Smooth Gaming
CyberGhost has easy-to-use apps that are great if you’re new to VPN use. I was able to download, install, and start using the app with League of Legends in just a couple of minutes. It’s also compatible with routers, so you can use CyberGhost with games consoles that don’t usually support VPNs, like your PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. My connection was more than fast enough to play LoL without lag when I tested CyberGhost’s speeds. Gaming was smooth on each of the servers I tried. I was pleased to see that the VPN even has a list of gaming-optimized servers that make connecting easy. All you have to do is click “For gaming” and CyberGhost gives you a selection of superfast servers to choose from. Your IP address is kept safe from hackers and sore losers by military-grade encryption and advanced DNS/IP leak protection. I was pleased to see that there’s also an automatic kill switch. That kicks in to shut down your traffic if you ever lose connection to the VPN, preventing your device reverting to your usual ISP and leaking your IP address. Luckily, my connection was stable so this never happened to me but it felt good knowing I was safe from DDoS and other cyberattacks. I was able to test CyberGhost for free using its 24-hour free trial. The trial is completely unlimited so you don’t get any restrictions on speed, bandwidth, or servers — meaning you get completely smooth, lag-free gaming at no cost. If you enjoy using the VPN, you can always upgrade and try it out risk-free for even longer with its 45-day money-back guarantee. I checked the refund process out myself and found it pretty easy; the money was back in my account in under a week. Try Cyberghost Free Now!
3. Windscribe
Windscribe is a truly free VPN for League of Legends. It offers a paid premium version too, but I found its free version excellent for gaming. You get 10GB of free data every month. That’s a lot for a free VPN and should guarantee you a whopping 222 hours of gaming. That’s just over nine day’s worth. You can even add more data – 5GB – by tweeting the company. As a free user, it limits you to how many servers you can access. Windscribe has servers in 69 countries but you will only be able to choose from 10. Those locations include the US, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Hong Kong. That gives you good access to several different LoL’s currently working game servers. Windscribe’s encryption is military-grade so your IP address will stay hidden. It also has a built-in ad and malware blocker. Split-tunneling means you can protect your IP address while gaming but free up your other connections for regular browsing. The only issue I had during my test was slowed speeds during peak times. This can make LoL lag, which can be frustrating in a battle. If you want unrestricted speeds and access to all of Windscribe’s servers, you need to upgrade to a premium account. There’s a 3-day money-back guarantee so you can test out its premium features risk-free. Our full Windscribe review will tell you more about both free and premium accounts. Get Windscribe for Free!
4. Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is another freemium service that has free access offset by paid membership. Getting set up is easy. All you need to do is download the Windows or macOS Hotspot Shield client and click ‘connect’. There’s no registration necessary and you won’t need to hand over your payment details. You get 500MB of free data every day with Hotspot Shield. That’s more than enough to play LoL – it should get you over 11 hours of gaming per day. The Catapult Hydra Protocol guarantees fast speeds. You should have no problem with latency while using Hotspot Shield. Unfortunately, you don’t get access to all of Hotspot Shield’s 80 locations unless you are a premium customer. You will only have access to a default US location. This is problematic if you’re looking to connect to a League of Legends server outside the US. It will also prevent you from accessing geo-restricted content in other countries. If you just want to protect your anonymity while you play, though, Hotspot Shield is a fantastic option. It safeguards your IP address with AES 256-bit military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and a built-in malware blocker. There is also a 7-day free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee if you want to try a premium account. Our comprehensive Hotspot Shield review will tell you if that’s a good idea or not. Get Hotspot Shield for Free!
5. Proton VPN
Proton VPN offers both a free and premium service. Its free service is remarkable in that it is completely unlimited. You won’t be subject to any data or bandwidth restrictions while you use Proton VPN. That means unlimited matches for as long as you like. It does restrict you to certain servers though. Free users can only access three server locations; in the US, the Netherlands, and Japan. That might pose a problem if you want to connect to a LoL game server elsewhere. Proton VPN protects free users with the same security measures as premium users. AES 256-bit encryption, an automatic kill switch, and DNS leak protect keep you safe from hackers and malicious opponents. The built-in adblocker works to prevent annoying interruptions. The one area in which Proton VPN let me down was speed. My connection was laggy at points and gaming can be impossible during peak times. The only way to guarantee unrestricted speeds and servers is to upgrade to a paid account. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try these premium features. Read our Proton VPN review to find out more. Get Proton VPN for Free!
6. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is on our list of the best VPNs for security. It is privacy-focussed, making it an excellent choice if you’re worried about DoS, DDoS, or other cyber attacks. Security measures include military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and both DNS and IPv6 leak protection. Despite being a premium VPN, PrivateVPN can be used free for one week with its 7-day free trial. You’ll need to register for an account but you won’t need to give your payment details. That means no nasty surprises like automatic renewals or unexpected charges. PrivateVPN has 200 server locations in 63 countries. You get unlimited access to all of them as part of your free trial. You also get unlimited speeds, bandwidth, and data. You’ll be able to play League of Legends as much as you like throughout the week. I found PrivateVPN quick enough to reduce latency and provide fast speeds that were fantastic for gaming. PrivateVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee as well as its 7-day free trial. If you don’t mind making an initial payment, you can use the service risk-free for an additional month. Find out why this service frequently makes my top five VPN lists in our full-length PrivateVPN review. Get PrivateVPN for Free!
7. hide.me
Hide.me just misses out on a place in my top five for its slightly more restrictive data allowance. Free users get 2GB of free data per month. That’s still plenty for most LoL players, though. You should be able to play over 44 hours per month or one and a half hours per day. You can also only access servers in five server locations. Premium hide.me customers get access to 2,100 locations. Available locations for free users include the Netherlands, Singapore, the US, and Canada. That means you should still be able to connect to many of LoL’s global servers. Speeds and security are totally unlimited. Security features include military-grade encryption and an automatic kill switch. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to test hide.me’s premium features. Find out more about what a premium account gets you in our hide.me review. Get hide.me for Free!
8. TunnelBear
TunnelBear is a free-to-use service that’s great for VPN beginners. Its apps are intuitive and I found installation and set up easy. You get 500MB of free data each month. That’s about 11 hours of gaming. Serious League of Legends fans might find that restrictive but it could suit more casual players. You can tweet TunnelBear to get an additional 1GB of data. That might not seem like a lot but it adds another 20+ hours of LoL time! Free users enjoy military-grade encryption but no kill switch or leak protection. You can upgrade to a premium TunnelBear account to get unrestricted usage but there’s no money-back guarantee to protect your payment. Read our detailed TunnelBear review to find out more about its features. Get TunnelBear for Free!
9. Betternet
Betternet is a fairly new VPN so its server network is limited. However, it does give free users a generous 500MB of free data daily. That’s enough for over 11 hours of gaming per day. Of its 109 server locations in 10 countries, free users only get access to one server. You don’t get to choose which location either. This could cause problems if you want a VPN to connect to a specific LoL server. If you’re only concerned about cyberattacks, Betternet works well. All its premium security features are available to free users. That includes military-grade encryption and the speed-maximizing Catapult Hydra Protocol. Unfortunately, Betternet also relies on ads to make money. This can make using the VPN annoying. You can get rid of the ads with a 7-day free trial, which also gives you access to all servers. You will need to sign up for this. Find out if it’s worth it in our complete Betternet review. Get Betternet for Free!
10. Speedify
Like hide.me, Speedify gives you a monthly allowance of 2GB of free data. You’ll be able to play over 40 hours of LoL every month. Speedify guarantees fast speeds via its unique channel bonding technology. Channel bonding divides your traffic between two or more connections instead of just one. This maximizes speeds for smooth gaming. The only downside is that channel bonding can use up more data than a normal connection. Speedify gives free users unlimited access to its 20 server locations in 10 countries. It has a lot of servers in the US, which is useful if you want to connect to American LoL games. Unfortunately, Speedify does let you down when it comes to security. It uses 128 GCM encryption. This is less secure than the military-grade 256-bit encryption used by other VPNs. Find out why that could be risky in our comprehensive Speedify review. Get Speedify for Free!
Will my LoL VPN work with my other devices?
All of my recommended free VPNs for League of Legends are compatible with both macOS and Windows. These are the two LoL platforms. However, they are also compatible with a range of other platforms. I have listed compatibility for each free VPN in its review. Unfortunately, free VPNs rarely offer more than one simultaneous connection. You may not be able to make full use of your VPNs compatibility unless you have a premium account.
Will a VPN impact my speed for gaming?
All VPNs can impact your speeds somewhat. That being said, premium VPNs are so fast that any delays are kept to a minimum. Some premium VPNs can even enhance your gaming speeds by reducing ping and latency. The same cannot be said about free VPNs. Free VPNs are often deliberately slow or hampered by overcrowded servers at peak times.
Is it illegal to use a VPN to access LoL?
Using a VPN is not illegal in most places. However, they are banned or restricted in some countries. We have a full guide to where VPNs are illegal if you want to check the laws in your country. Bear in mind that using a VPN for illegal purposes is always against the law – even in countries where VPN use is allowed.
Summary
When it comes to free VPNs for League of Legends, I was able to find a few good options. However, all the free VPNs I found come with one or more limitations that can make gaming slow, difficult, or frustrating. Free VPNs also cannot be trusted to safeguard your security in the same way a premium service can. If you only want a VPN for League of Legends temporarily, it can be a better idea to use a premium VPN with a free trial or a money-back guarantee. For long-term use, though, I would always choose a low-cost premium VPN instead. Services like ExpressVPN aren’t costly. In return, they give you guaranteed security and peak performance for the best gaming experience. Our best premium VPNs can even be enjoyed for less with this month’s best VPN coupons and deals. Sounds good? Find out which services we think are the best VPNs for gaming overall.
The Best Premium VPNs for League of Legends 2023 are…
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