Gaming has, over the years, proliferated in its popularity, and now millions of people worldwide consider themselves gamers. Many gaming consoles are present in the market today, and one of the most popular is the Xbox One.

Most of the games played on Xbox One have an online version or can only be played online. This, it is essential to have an internet connection and a safe one at that. The most effective and efficient way to ensure that your internet connection is secure is by using a VPN, but since there are thousands of them around, how do you know which one is the best?

Not to worry, we’ve done it for you. Through some rigorous testing and data collection, more on that later, we have come up with a list of five of the best VPNs to use with XBOX one.

The Best VPNs to use with Xbox One

• ExpressVPN (the best Xbox One VPN overall)
• NordVPN (Best encryption VPN for Xbox)
• Surfshark (the best budget VPN for Xbox One)
• Perfect-Privacy (the best Xbox VPN for fast speeds)
• ProtonVPN (the best Xbox One VPN for free)

Comparison table

VPN	Logs	Threats	Kill-switch	Double hop	Speed	Connections	Countries	Router
ExpressVPN	No	0	Yes	Yes	Fast	5	94	Yes
NordVPN	No	0	Yes	Yes	Fast	6	62	Yes
Surfshark	No	0	Yes	Yes	Fast	Unlimited	61	Yes
Perfect-Privacy	No	0	Yes	Yes	Fast	Unlimited	23	Yes
ProtonVPN	No	0	Yes	Yes	Average	10	32	Yes

Detailed Overview of The Best VPN for Xbox One

Strengths	Weaknesses
+Location Spoofing	-Doesn’t have a Tor anonymization network
+Fast Speeds	-Does not have an ad blocker
+Large Server Network
+No Logging policy
+Has double hopping

The chances are that you have probably heard of ExpressVPN. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest VPN companies in the world, both in terms of popularity and number of users. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands, this is important to note because the British Virgin Islands are not part of any signal sharing alliance, and thus no company data can be extradited by another country.

Moreover, the British Virgin Islands have put in place a myriad of rules and regulations regarding the safety and security of personal data. This means that you can rest assured that ExpressVPN is bound by the law to ensure that your data is safe and sound.

Location spoofing

With most VPNs, your protection comes from the fact that the VPN is hiding your IP address. Normally, this would suffice. However, it has recently emerged that even if your IP address is hidden, hackers may still be able to locate your physical address.

ExpressVPN provides a remedy to this using location spoofing. It makes sure that your location is spoofed and ensures and ascertains that your location is hidden completely. You are virtually incognito when you use ExpressVPN.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is a feature available on ExpressVPN that allows you to divide your traffic into two; one part of it goes through the VPN tunnel, while the other goes straight to and from the internet provider.

This way, you can do two things online, with only one of them being under VPN protection. This feature is especially important when gaming or any other instances where you want faster speeds and don’t need a VPN.

Speed

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs around. Gaming requires high download and upload speeds, and the latency, ping as others would call it, should be as low as possible. ExpressVPN meets all these criteria, and then some, more on that later.

It is a bit expensive

To get the services that ExpressVPN offers. You will have to pay 19.95 dollars every month, 59.95 dollars every six months, making it 9.99 dollars a month, or 99.95 dollars every year. All these options are some distance away from what we have found to be the average cost of a VPN today.

It doesn’t come with an ad blocker

It has almost become an industry standard for a VPN to have an adblocker feature. This is however not the case when it comes to ExpressVPN. Thus, unless you get a separate ad blocker, you will have to put up with those irksome gaming ads.

Security could be a bit better

Don’t get us wrong, ExpressVPN has one of the best security systems in the VPN market. However, the VPN does not come with the Tor anonymization network. Tor bounces off your traffic through a myriad of servers before picking the final destination, enhancing your security, safety, and general privacy.

Strengths	Weaknesses
+It has Anti-DDoS protection	-Interface is a bit cramped
+Fast Speeds	-Doesn’t have a free version
+Large Server Network
+No Logging policy
+Has double hopping

Encryption is the basis of data security. It is thus not only essential but also paramount that a VPN have the best encryption protocols to ensure that everything goes as planned. NordVPN, we found, had one of the best encryption protocols overall, and it works great with Xbox One.

NordVPN is a subsidiary of Tefincom S.A, which is based in Panama. This effectively means that it is under Panamanian jurisdiction. Panama isn’t part of any signal-sharing alliance, like the 14-eyes alliance, and thus you can rest assured that your data cannot be shared or extradited, so to speak, if you are using NordVPN.

The no-logging policy

Security and safety are Nord’s top priority, and it has taken every possible measure to ascertain that your data is safe and sound. It has done this by implementing a no-logging policy. This essentially means that NordVPN does not keep any records of your online activities, and thus, even if they are sanctioned to produce your data, they will have nothing to produce.

For such a policy to be deemed valid, performing a separate and independent audit is important. This is what happened in November of 2018. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the firm that did the audit, found that NordVPN doesn’t store any personal data and only keeps records of the billing details.

The server options

With over 5200 servers in over 60 countries the world over. We found that this is one of the most impressive server networks around, and it gives you a boatload of options for location spoofing.

Encryption Protocols

As mentioned earlier, it is paramount that a VPN has the best encryption protocols to ensure that your data and online traffic are safe. NordVPN has integrated both OpenVPN and Ikev2/IPsec protocols, both of which are classified as military-grade, to ensure that you have the best form of protection available in the market.

Anti-DDoS protection

A DDoS, which is the abbreviation of distributed denial-of-service, is when hackers gain access to your device by channeling so much traffic into it that the system crashes entirely. This is often a decoy, and the hackers may want to access your data or plant malware into your console. NordVPN has an Anti-DDoS protection feature, which prevents all this from happening entirely.

It doesn’t have a free version

Sometimes, you’d want to test something out before buying it. Unfortunately, though, NordVPN does not have a free version, and you thus have to pay to know what you are getting.

It has a cramped interface

Some NordVPN users we talked to said that they found the interface a bit cramped, and when we did a little bit of investigating, we also deduced the same. However, this shouldn’t be so much of an issue, as the VPN is teeming with features.

Premium price

It will cost you 11.95 dollars a month and 119 dollars annually to acquire NordVPN’s services. We found this to be a bit high, especially when considering the prices of other VPNs. However, when you consider the quality of services you are getting, it is worth every single cent.

Strengths	Weaknesses
+Strong encryption protocols	-Small server network
+No logging policy	-Doesn’t have a free version
+Fast speeds	-Long term subscription
+Low prices

Pricing is something that you have to take into account when you want to get a VPN. Some VPNs are of the highest quality but their pricing is out of this world, while others offer low-quality services, and their pricing is thus low.

The perfect VPN is one that can balance the two, with standard pricing and quality services. SurfsharkVPN is a VPN that gives you top-tier services while ensuring that you don’t hurt your pocket when getting the said services.

Pricing

The main reason why SurfsharkVPN is on this list is because of its pricing. Value for money is something that everyone is looking for, and SurfsharkVPN offers that, and then some. The monthly plan costs 11.95 dollars. You can opt for the annual plan, which will cost you 5.99 dollars a month.

However, the real discount is in the 24-month plan, which only costs you 1.99 dollars a month. All the stated subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The encryption protocols it uses

As mentioned earlier, security is the main reason you should get a VPN, and Encryption protocols supply the said VPNs with the security features they possess. SurfsharkVPN, thus, has a couple of protocols that make it possible for you to not only surf the internet safely but also make sure that there is no website or firewall that you will not be able to access.

SurfsharkVPN uses OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec. For users who have devices with a Windows Operating System, such as Xbox One, can run Windows, Shadowsock protocol is effective when bypassing firewalls.

No logging policy

SurfsharkVPN has a no-logging policy that is very strict. This meaning that they do not store data related to your online traffic. The only data that SurfsharkVPN will collect is the frequency of use of the app, the aggregated performance data, and the unsuccessful connections attempts if any. This data is collected and stored for analytical purposes only. Therefore, there is no uniquely identifiable information associated with you stored.

Torrenting and streaming

With Xbox One, you will be able to install streaming services and stream most of your favorite movies and series, as well as listen to music. The downside with streaming services is that they have geo-restrictions on most of their content, and thus you will not be able to access it. However, SurfsharkVPN will access all the said content, thus introducing you to a whole new world of information.

The Long-term subscription pricing is a bit confusing

As much as Surfshark has some of the cheapest rates around, the long-term subscriptions are confusing. This is because now and again, there is an offer, and you might subscribe to the VPN during the said offer, only for the offer to end, and you start getting billed using the normal, higher rates.

Server network

Surfshark’s server network is not all that impressive and, in fact, is a bit of a downside. It has just over 1040 in 61 different countries. This isn’t a lot compared to the other VPNs in this list, and thus you won’t have a lot of options for spoofing.

It does not have a free version

Surfshark doesn’t offer a free version, meaning that you will have to pay first to get to know what exactly you are paying for.

Strengths	Weaknesses
+Unlimited simultaneous connections	-It’s a bit expensive
+Strong security parameters	-It has a small server network
+Fast speeds	-Customer support does not have a live chat

Gaming VPNs requires that you have not only an internet connection but also a fast one at that. Though VPNs do slow down the internet, some do so more than others, with the pretense of offering you more safety. This is the reason why you have to find a VPN that can make sure that you get the security you need while offering you the highest of speeds. Perfect-privacy VPN is the quintessence of this.

Its speed

This VPN is on the list because of the speeds that it can put up. Not only does it have fast speeds, in terms of upload and download, it is also one of the fastest VPNs when it comes to latency and ping. Thus, you will not have to acquiesce to slow speeds when gaming or browsing using your Xbox One.

Simultaneous connections

Perhaps the main reason why Perfect-PrivacyVPN is loved by many is the number of connections it offers its clients. That is because there is no number; you can literally run as many devices as possible, simultaneously using one Perfect-privacy account. Therefore, you can use it not only on your Xbox One but also on all the devices you use.

Encryption protocols

Perfect-Privacy has a myriad of protocols; this accentuates the fact that it is one of the most secure VPNs out there right now. The main protocol that it uses, somewhat of the industry standard, is the OpenVPN, with SOCKS5 and PPTP proxies available. Perfect-Privacy also has other protocols like SSH and IPSEC.

Premium pricing

It is expensive.

As it is based in Europe, Perfect-Privacy’s price tiers are all in euros. The monthly subscription will cost 12.99 euros, equivalent to 14.68 dollars. The quarterly subscription costs 35.95 euros, which is 40.62 dollars; the semi-annual subscription is 65.95 euros or about 74.52 dollars, and the annual subscription is 119.99 dollars or 135.59 dollars. The only other tier is the 24-month subscription, which is 214.95 dollars, or around 242.89 dollars. Perfect-Privacy is, ergo, one of the more expensive VPNs in the market.

Server network

We found that Perfect-Privacy had a smaller server network when we compared it to its competitors. With a little bit over 50 servers in just 23 countries, this is kind of low. Unless they improve their network, you won’t have a lot of options.

Average customer service

You’d expect that a VPN company to go out of its way to provide you with the very best of customer service and support, right? With Perfect-Privacy, this isn’t the case. Granted, it’s not that they have the worst customer service, far from it. The main drawback in this sector is that that it does not have a live chat. Ergo, you will have to use other forms of contact, such as telephone or email, which aren’t the fastest.

Strengths	Weaknesses
+Kill switch feature	-The customer support section doesn’t have a live chat section
+Always online feature	-Paying users to subsidize the free version
+It has a free version	-It has a small Server Network
+Fast Streaming and torrenting	-One simultaneous connection for the free version
	-Data transfer limit

The best things in life are absolutely free, goes the adage, and with ProtonVPN, this rings true. Though It does have a subscription-based tier, it is the free version that it offers that really caught our eye, and we found that ProtonVPN is indeed the best free VPN for Xbox One.

Allows Netflix, streaming, and torrenting

Netflix, as well as almost all other streaming services, has put in place geo-restrictions on their contents, as well as a plethora of policies to try and block all VPNs. However, ProtonVPN has numerous protocols that bypass this, allowing you to access all the content that Netflix and all the other streaming services have to offer.

Kill switch feature

The Kill Switch feature can automatically disconnect you and your online traffic from your internet service provider if your connection with the VPN server drops. The feature ensures that you will be liable to hacker attacks or online leaks at no point in time.

Always-online feature

This feature’s raison d’etre is to re-establish your internet connection to the said server as fast as possible. Once the issue has been resolved, you will be automatically linked back to the server.

Intuitive user interface

It is always pleasing to use an app or platform that works to make it easy for you. ProtonVPN’s interface is not only aesthetically appealing but is also one that will make it a lot easier for you to use. It is uncluttered and extremely user-friendly, and thus you will have the easiest of times moving about it.

The customer support sector doesn’t have a live chat section

The customer support section does not have a live chat, which is a bit odd, considering that it is more or less an industry standard. If you have issues, you will simply have to read through the support page.

The paying users subsidize the free version of the VPN

ProtonVPN has a free version, and, as you’d expect, many people use it, even though it has limited services. ProtonVPN has stated that it has such a vibrant society of people who use the free version because it is the paying users that subsidize the free version. This begs the question; do you want to pay for a service so that another person can use it for free?

Server Network

ProtonVPN has a little bit 1300 servers in 55 countries. This is low and is a bit of a long way from the server networks that other VPNs have put in place.

Why do you need a VPN for your Xbox One?

When you use the internet, you are always liable to attacks. The said attacks’ best-case scenario is that they damage your Xbox One console, and the worst-case scenario is that your personal data and information gets leaked to the general public or held hostage.

This is what it has become increasingly paramount to get a VPN and a capable one at that. VPNs make sure that you can rest assured with the knowledge that no one or anything will be able to access your personal data. All VPNs listed here have very strict no-logging policies, so they will not store any of your personal data.

The methodology we used 

To find and ascertain the best VPNs regarding Xbox One, we had to create some criteria with which the candidates needed to meet before they made the actual list. This is because there are hundreds and thousands of VPNs around today, and every single one of them claims to be at the apogee. Therefore, to find the actual best, we were required to be very strict. The criteria we used to come up with the list were;

The location the VPN companies

The country where a VPN is located was a major concern for us when coming up with this list. This is because the laws of the said countries and jurisdictions influence your privacy and security when it comes to personal data.

For a VPN to make it to the list, they had to have their headquarters in a country or region with strict personal data laws, which is, of course, to your advantage. Moreover, the countries or regions did not have any agreement or be a part of a signal-sharing alliance.

Signal-sharing alliances make it possible for a country to order a company based in another country to produce an individual’s personal data, and, since both counties are in a signal-sharing alliance, the company is forced to do so.

Speed

We took three things into account when considering the overall speed of a VPN; ping, downloading speed, and uploading speed.

Ping, also known as latency, will develop or proliferate when the VPN tunnel is on because the traffic flows through a new and additional channel; the VPN. Normally, the online traffic just flows directly between you and your internet service provider. Latency was a huge factor in making this list because it is, after all a gaming console, and latency does affect gaming the most.

Both Upload and Download speed will reduce when you use a VPN since all your traffic flows first through the VPN’s servers, not directly between you and your internet service provider. To identify the fastest VPN, we had to find the lowest upload and download speed decrease.

We deduced the speed for the VPNs by first identifying the speed of the online traffic without switching the VPN on. For the upload speeds, we measured the speed of uploading traffic, while for downloading speeds, we had to measure the speeds of the downloading traffic.

After that, we switched the VPN on and measured the upload and download speed. The same processes were also done when it came to determining latency. After getting both sets of results, we compared the speeds and expressed the difference as a percentage of the initial speed. This was what we found;

VPN	Ping	Download Speed	Upload Speed
ExpressVPN	600.00%	-8.84%	-6.06%
NordVPN	655.00%	-4.67%	-10.39%
Surfshark	770.00%	-3.70%	-1.28%
Perfect-Privacy	747.62%	-4.02%	5.56%
ProtonVPN	1094.12%	-59.72%	-15.91%

User Experience

The most effective and efficient way to ascertain whether a VPN is good enough is through referrals and testimonials from people who have used the said VPN. Ergo, we had to take into account user experience when compiling this list.

When determining user experiences, we made sure to use highly trustworthy sources such as Google Play Store and Apple Store ratings and the comments left there. We also conducted some surveys and handed out questionnaires to people who have used or frequently use, VPNs.

Customer Support

It was largely from the experiences of users that we ranked the VPNs based on customer support. However, we also did a little research and collected data on the same topic. This included checking whether the VPNs had a live chat, whether you could contact them through email, telephone, and other media, and how long the VPN administrators took to respond to the various forms of communication.

Pricing

Almost all VPNs have an official online site. This is where they list the subscription prices and other features that come with the VPN. It was here that we determined the prices of various VPNs and checked whether they had free versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best VPN for Xbox One?

We found that the overall best VPNs have commonalities with Xbox One best VPNs, the 3rd overall VPN title belongs to ExpressVPN. It is fast, safe, secure, reliable, and comes at a reasonable price.

Can you get banned for using a VPN in Xbox?

You cannot be banned for using a VPN on Xbox, so long as the country, you reside in has made it legal to use a VPN.

How to set up a VPN for Xbox?

The easiest way to set up a VPN on Xbox is to download the said VPN from its official website. As stated earlier, almost all VPNs have an official website. Once you have done so, simply follow the set-up and billing guidelines that come with the said VPN, and you’ll be good to go.

Is there s free VPN for Xbox One?

Yes, there is a free VPN for Xbox one. ProtonVPN is one of the best free VPNs in the market, and we found that it is actually one of the best free VPN when it comes to Xbox One.

Can I get banned for using a VPN on Xbox?

You cannot be banned for using a VPN on Xbox, so long as the country, you reside in has made it legal to use a VPN.