5 Best VPNs for Xbox One in 2023 (And How to Install Quickly)

Ruheni Mathenge Last updated: May 20, 2023 Read time: 16 minutes Disclosure

Now more lockouts from games, limited content access, or privacy issues on your Xbox One. Equip yourself with a reliable VPN to play securely and anonymously.

Xbox One by Microsoft is intended to give you the best gaming experience. It allows you to freely play your favorite game and challenge yourself by competing with others. Besides, it provides access to the leading streaming sites like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and ESPN via Xbox console. However, you may also find many games and streaming content unavailable due to geo-restrictions. Thankfully, Xbox One VPNs can help you bypass the restrictions allowing you to access your desired game or streaming.

Xbox One by Microsoft has dominated the gaming industry for almost a decade now. The console allows you to play games in high definition and even contest with other players worldwide.

Apart from giving you a thrilling gaming experience, Xbox One also enables you to watch movies and TV shows in 4K. In fact, it works well with most streaming sites such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, ESPN, etc.

Unfortunately, many Xbox games and streaming sites are geo-restricted and may not be accessible in your country. Luckily, a VPN can help you evade the restrictions and unblock the content you want from anywhere.

In this guide, we’ll look at the best VPNs for Xbox One, why you need a VPN, how to install it on your router, and much more.

Quick summary of the best Xbox One VPNs

We’ll cover each service in detail later, but you can check this brief outline if you are short on time.

  1. ExpressVPN – It offers premium features such as TrustedServer technology, AES 256-bit encryption, automatic kill switch, unlimited bandwidth, and compatibility across devices.
  2. NordVPN – Our top recommended VPN for Xbox One. NordVPN comes with a massive server network, affordable packages, robust security, split tunneling, 30-day money-back guarantee, and CyberSec adblocker.
  3. Surfshark – Best budget option to unblock games on Xbox One. Also, it offers unlimited simultaneous connections, CleanWeb ad blocker, military-grade encryption, warrant canary, and camouflage mode.
  4. PrivateVPN – A cheap VPN that comes with a free trial. It’s secure, safe, works with Netflix and other similar services.
  5. IPVanish – Best suited for browsing the internet privately across all major devices. Bypasses geo restrictions quickly, too.

The methodology we used to select these VPNs

Hundreds of VPNs claim to work with Xbox One, so choosing the right one is a huge task. Here are some of the critical factors we considered when testing the VPNs.

Ease of use

First of all, Xbox One does not support VPNs, so you have to install a VPN on your router. Although the installation process is not complicated, most people don’t know how to go about it. However, the VPNs on this list are easy to use, and some even provide installation tutorials on their websites.


Server network

This is a complicated aspect to consider since it is challenging to verify. In fact, most VPNs promise many servers, yet they only have a few to offer. Also, the active status of the servers is a critical factor to look out for here. This is because a vast number does not matter if most of the servers are not working.

We tested servers in different locations of too see if they work as the provider claims. The only issue we encountered was that some servers took a while to connect, especially distant ones. Nonetheless, most of them are functioning well.


Speed

The speed that a VPN offers can either make or break your gaming experience. Usually, using a VPN may slow down your speed due to the encryption process for additional security.

So, it’s advisable to choose a VPN service capable of maintaining a reliable and consistent speed. Therefore, we selected VPNs with high download speeds and will handle any games you throw at them. Also, you can check out our recent VPNs speed test to see how top VPNs on the market perform.