Call of Duty Warzone took the world by storm with its smooth and fast-paced approach to the battle royale genre. With millions of players enjoying the game daily, it’s increasingly hard to find a good lobby, decrease your ping, and avoid DDoS attacks from angry players.
The good news is that you can get a good VPN for COD Warzone in 2024 that will kill all the annoyances and improve the game. Since many VPNs are slow and unreliable, finding a proper Warzone VPN service can be a bit tedious.
However, we made things easier by playing the game and testing it with dozens of providers. As such, we managed to find the 4 that work flawlessly, that you can use to play the game securely with no possibility of hacker attacks or sky-high ping.
Why Should You Use a VPN for Warzone?
Before divulging we list of the top 4 VPNs for Warzone, let us talk about why you should consider using them.
Avoiding SBMM Issues
SBMM stands for skill-based matchmaking and it’s an algorithm that Activision uses to pair the players based on their level of skill. Simply put, less skilled and highly skilled players shouldn’t play on the same servers, so Activision uses the algorithm to make the game more “even” and balanced.
The problem is that this algorithm doesn’t use your skills and K/D ratio to make this happen. As much as it sounds crazy, Activision actually uses your location, as well as wait time and ping to create a lobby that actually works for this purpose.
However, the majority of players want an additional challenge by getting a varied experience that SBMM won’t provide. Thankfully, you can use a Warzone VPN to change your IP and your location, which will put you in a different lobby, especially if you choose a location with a different time zone.
For example, connecting to a country where it’s early in the morning will most likely give you an easier lobby since most people don’t play at that time of the day. This way, you can rack up easier kills and increase your reputation quickly.
Decrease Your Ping
ISP throttling is a nasty thing that ISPs use to slow down your internet during bandwidth-hungry activities intentionally. One of them is gaming, which is why you’ll sometimes experience an increase in ping seemingly without any particular reason.
If that happens, know that your ISP is behind everything and it’s ruining your gameplay experience intentionally, usually because it wants to reduce bandwidth congestion and stabilize the network. Whatever the case, you can avoid this with a good VPN for Warzone.
Once you connect to a VPN server, your connection is encrypted, preventing your ISP from seeing your online activities. If it can’t see your activities, it can’t impose any limits, leaving you to enjoy full speeds with no lags or slowdowns.
Getting Around DDoS Attacks
DDoS attacks will disrupt your entire network and kick you out of the game that you’ve just started dominating. This kind of attack aims to overload your network, which skyrockets your ping, which the game detects and automatically kicks you from the server.
Not every player knows how to do this, but if you’re playing against highly skilled players, some of them will be knowledgeable enough to perform this attack through your IP. A VPN will hide your IP address, as said, so no one can attack your network.
Even if the player performs a DDoS attack, in this case, the VPN server’s security will most likely be able to stop it, resulting in no consequences or interruptions in the gameplay.
Best Warzone VPN: Our Top 4 VPNs for Warzone in 2024
If you’re looking to rack up easy kills and master Warzone, a VPN can be a pretty good friend given its numerous benefits. Let’s check out our 4 favorite choices for this game and see what they offer:
1. NordVPN
Pros
- NordLynx protocol improves performance
- Malware protection + antivirus
- Meshnet allows you to host/join virtual LAN parties
- Double VPN servers double your encryption
- No-logging policy
- Affordable 2-year plans
Cons
- Rare connection issues on Windows
- Sometimes confusing interface
NordVPN’s fast speeds and huge server network are going to leave no one indifferent. This is a Warzone VPN provider with a proprietary NordLynx protocol based on WireGuard that’s faster than ExpressVPN, making it a reliable gaming addition.
With 6,300+ servers in 110+ countries, NordVPN has a robust server network with exceptional stability. This provider even offers Double VPN servers for doubling your encryption and avoiding DDoS or swatting attacks that envious players will resort to.
Furthermore, NordVPN offers a serious security package that puts many providers to shame. Apart from the features we talked about, you get malware protection and antivirus as a part of the Threat Protection bundle that comes with the subscription at no additional cost.
NordVPN also offers something called Meshnet which lets you safely access remote devices or enjoy gaming by hosting and joining virtual LAN parties. NordVPN’s apps are good-looking but their modern look isn’t exactly the most intuitive compared to ExpressVPN.
Aside from very rare connection issues on Windows, NordVPN is a great VPN for Warzone on PS5, Xbox Series X, Windows, Android, and iOS (see our top 3 best iPhone VPNs). Mind you, it also has 10 simultaneous connections, which is way more than ExpressVPN or CyberGhost.
Finally, I’ll mention the affordable price of a 2-year plan that comes with a 30-day refund period. Therefore, if you’re not satisfied, you can easily get a refund in the first 30 days, which most likely won’t happen given NordVPN’s overall quality.
2. ExpressVPN
Pros
- Excellent speeds
- Servers in 105 locations
- Lightway VPN protocol
- Great for avoiding DDoS attacks
- Works on iOS and Android
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- A bit expensive
- No MultiHop
If you want a fast, reliable, and secure VPN for Warzone in 2024, look no further than ExpressVPN. It is one of the fastest VPNs, with 3,000+ servers in 105 countries worldwide. This is a massive provider that will let you circumvent SBMM and get better lobbies in no time!
What’s more, the provider has great gaming support that you can use even on consoles like PS5 and Xbox (this is the best VPN for Xbox consoles) where Warzone is very popular. In addition, ExpressVPN showed great results in combating ISP throttling and DDoS attacks.
Thanks to 256-bit AES encryption, an automatic kill switch, and TrustedServer technology, ExpressVPN will stop DDoS attacks in their tracks. Its Lightway VPN protocol makes the performance stand out, while IPv6/DNS leak protection will prevent any leaks that could compromise your privacy.
Even better is that ExpressVPN stores no log of your IP address or browsing activities. Thus, if you’re worried about Activision and its data collection, know that ExpressVPN will eliminate this problem. The provider also works on all systems apart from Windows and gaming consoles.
It has native apps for Android and iOS, letting you play Warzone Mobile safely in the same fashion. Other notable features include P2P-friendliness, the ability to unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer, as well as 8 simultaneous connections on a single subscription.
ExpressVPN isn’t free, though, but it offers an amazing 49% discount and 3 months free for its annual plan. This is backed up by a 30-day money-back guarantee with no specific conditions, making ExpressVPN worth a shot if you want a near-ideal provider.
3. CyberGhost
Pros
- Stable performance for playing Warzone
- 12,000 servers around the globe
- 256-bit AES encryption for added security
- A very cheap 2-year plan
- 7 simultaneous connections
Cons
- It will not work in China
- A bit unintuitive Windows app
Another great Warzone VPN is CyberGhost and for years, it prides itself on being among the best gaming VPNs. CyberGhost has 12,000 servers in 100 countries, with fast-speed servers for gaming that you can use for this or any other game.
This provider offers fast speeds thanks to its WireGuard protocol, which is the most important factor in decreasing lag in COD Warzone. Additionally, its huge selection of locations makes it easy to get easier lobbies and avoid the annoying SBMM that the game uses.
While not the most intuitive, CyberGhost is a security giant. It uses AES-256 encryption to secure your connection, which is further reinforced through the use of a kill switch, IP leak protection, and an ad-blocker that prevents trackers from spying on your online activities.
The provider is known for a stern zero-logs policy with transparency reports, which aids in its trustworthiness. Needless to say, it’ll work on all platforms where Warzone can be played and you can protect 7 devices at the same time on a single subscription.
CyberGhost won’t work in China if you live there and you want to play Warzone. However, this is its only issue, which isn’t so bad considering its extremely affordable price. We recommend checking its cheapest 2-year plan with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
It makes the provider much cheaper than ExpressVPN, which is great if you’re on a tight budget and still want to enjoy annihilating enemies in this battler royale masterpiece.
Enjoy Secure Gaming With CyberGhost
4. Surfshark
Pros
- No limit on the number of simultaneous connections
- Stable performance for playing Warzone
- MultiHop servers will add to the overall security
Cons
- Average speeds (slower than NordVPN)
- Seldom kill switch problems
- Not the cheapest monthly plan
The fourth VPN for today is Surfshark and this provider is surprisingly good for the money. It’s priced similarly to CyberGhost, yet, it packs quite a punch with 3,200 servers in 100 countries. No doubt, you’ll get plenty of locations to pick from if you’re looking to play COD Warzone online.
One of the key features of Surfshark is the number of simultaneous connections. Better said, you get no limits, so you can protect as many devices as you want on a single subscription. For gaming, Surfshark is a bit slower than the other three providers which may seem underwhelming.
However, we tested Surfshark and this VPN is great for Warzone in 2024, as it’s very stable and offers 10 Gbps speeds with WireGuard. Surfshark even has this IP Rotator function, which rotates your IP periodically and boosts your privacy 100%.
Speaking of which, MultiHop servers are here and the provider even gives you a choice of Static IP servers for added variety. Warzone players will like the presence of IP/DNS leak protection along with split tunneling, which lets them exclude certain apps from using a VPN tunnel.
Moreover, the provider works on every platform and even supports routers, which is great for connecting the VPN with a PS5 or Xbox Series X effortlessly. 24/7 support is available too and the provider has a solid kill switch with minor issues here and there.
Our recommendation is Surfshark’s 2-year plan which offers some excellent savings. Not only is it dirt cheap but it also comes with a 30-day no-quibble money-back guarantee. Now you can see why Surfshark found its place on our ranking of the best VPNs for Warzone in 2024.
Are There Any Good Free VPNs for Warzone?
Playing Warzone is a ton of fun when talking about smooth, lag-free, and safe gameplay. Using a free Warzone VPN won’t give you that level of comfort due to many limitations and shortcomings that gamers will despise.
First of all, free providers are notorious for snail-like speeds that will immediately increase your ping and make the game almost unplayable. Factoring in limited monthly bandwidth and ads on mobile devices, you get a pretty delicious recipe for disaster.
In addition, many free providers like NinjaVPN, Hola VPN, and Betternet, who offer unlimited bandwidth, are known for their tendency to collect and sell your personal info. This way, they earn money by throwing your privacy down the gutter.
We strongly advise against using free providers from Apple Store or Google Play – those are strictly mobile VPNs. They’re very annoying in displaying ads and they’re known for the data-collection-and-selling practices we mentioned a second ago.
If you want, you can try ProtonVPN with unlimited bandwidth, as long as you don’t mind its slow speeds and only 5 server locations that will surely harm your ping. Or you can use any of the aforementioned providers for free for 30 or 45 days thanks to a money-back guarantee! You can find more info about this in our article explaining how to test CyberGhost for free, for example.
Conclusion
Playing Warzone without a VPN can be enjoyable as well, as long as you don’t mind its SBMM, potential DDoS/swatting attacks, and ISP throttling that may occur. However, to get the most out of the game, using the best Warzone VPN for 2024 will be mandatory.
Aside from the gaming benefits, a service like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or CyberGhost will keep you safe and secure online, let you unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms, and enjoy anonymous torrenting. With this list, we hopefully helped you get a grip on the best providers.
And now, it’s up to you to choose starting your next gaming session – hopefully, it’ll be a much better one next time!
FAQ
Let’s address a few more important questions related to the topic.
Will Activision ban my account for using a VPN?
No, it won’t. Many people use the providers we talked about for this purpose and without any consequences. Besides, Activision doesn’t mention VPNs anywhere in its policies or terms and conditions, meaning that it’s allowed to use them for the purposes we talked about.
Can I use a VPN for Warzone on my phone?
Yes, the VPN will work the same way. Just connect to a server you want, open up the game, and start playing! This is how you use it on Windows, Android, iOS, PS5, Xbox Series X, and all platforms that support the game.
By the way, on mobile, you can play Call of Duty and not Warzone, so keep that in mind. It’s a bit different in a way that it’s not Battle Royale but more of a traditional COD multiplayer experience. Nevertheless, it’s still tons of fun!
Warzone VPN increases my ping, what can I do?
Well, you can go for another VPN – preferably one from our top 4 if you’re using a provider outside of the list. Or you can simply connect to a server close to your location to achieve the best speed and minimize your ping.
We recommend going for the server in one of the neighboring countries or even in the same country if you prioritize security and performance over fixing SBMM issues. Remember that VPNs will increase your ping if you choose a virtual location overseas.
Servers close to you will give you much better performance, although a provider like NordVPN is known to be stable and perform well even when choosing very distant servers from the list.
