Best VPN for PS5 2026 - Setup Guide
The best VPNs for PS5: NordVPN and Surfshark. The PS5 has no VPN app, so use the router method or share from a PC. How to set it up and when a VPN actually helps.
The Short Answer
The best VPN for PS5 is NordVPN, with Surfshark the best value. The PS5 has no native VPN app, so it gets its protection secondhand: either from your router, which blankets the console the instant it connects, or from a PC sharing its VPN link. Temper the expectations, though. This won't shave your ping. What it will do is shield you from DDoS attacks in competitive lobbies, open up other regions' game servers and stores, and keep your ISP from throttling PlayStation Network.
Best VPNs for PS5
- NordVPN - our first choice. It leads our speed rankings and offers a proper router app on supported models, which keeps the setup painless and the throughput high for downloads. $3.09/month.
- Surfshark - the budget-smart pick. At $2.19/month with no device limit, one account handles the PS5 through your router and still covers every phone, laptop, and TV in the house.
- ExpressVPN - the whole-home simplifier. Its router support is the most beginner-friendly, and MediaStreamer helps with streaming apps that refuse a VPN. $6.67/month.
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Two Ways to Use a VPN on PS5
- Through the router (what we'd do): configure the VPN at the router and the PS5 is covered automatically, no console menus involved. Our router guide has the full walkthrough.
- By sharing a PC connection: run the VPN on a Windows machine or Mac and hand that link to the PS5 over Ethernet or a hotspot. It's the workaround when your router can't run a VPN client.
Worth knowing: Smart DNS such as ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer can re-region a streaming app on the PS5, but it doesn't encrypt anything. Use it to unlock a catalogue, not to stay private.
How to Set Up (Router Method)
- Check whether your router can act as a VPN client - if not, a provider's router app or aftermarket firmware fills the gap.
- Sign in to the router's admin page from a browser and locate its VPN client settings.
- Feed it your provider's connection details - the server, your credentials, or a downloadable config file.
- Establish the tunnel, then reboot the PS5 so it inherits the protected route out.
- Double-check the IP and region on a phone or laptop connected to the same router.
Why Use a VPN on PS5
Set expectations first: a VPN is not a ping-reducer, and the extra hop actually costs you a few milliseconds. Its real value on PS5 is threefold. It masks your IP so a rival can't knock you offline with a DDoS mid-match, a genuine risk in peer-hosted competitive games. It lets you point the console at another region to squad up with overseas friends or grab a title that unlocks earlier in Japan. And it stops an ISP throttling PlayStation Network traffic during peak hours. For the deeper dive on latency and competitive play, read our gaming VPN guide.