VPNs encrypt your network traffic, making it unreadable to hackers, network administrators, and even your Internet Service Provider (ISP). As you can connect to servers all over the world and receive a new IP address each time, getting around a Minecraft IP ban becomes very simple. This also increases your online security by making it very difficult for sites to track your activities across the internet.

Obviously, Mojang doesn’t want players circumventing their server bans, so if you try playing Minecraft when connected to a VPN provider, you might not be able to connect to servers at all, or you might see an error saying “Connection lost – You seem to be using a VPN or proxy”. Luckily, there are specific VPN services you can use to connect and play regardless.

The first step is choosing a suitable VPN to use. Every service is different, with varying security features, network sizes, and speeds. To find the best VPNs for Minecraft, we looked for services that met the following criteria:

We go into a lot of detail on each of the VPNs in this post, but if you haven’t got time to read the whole thing, here’s a brief summary:

  • NordVPN Leads the way as a Minecraft VPN. High speeds, a vast network of servers, and powerful security features. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Surfshark Best budget option. Reliable, privacy-first service with no VPN connection limit and plenty of powerful security features built-in.
  • ExpressVPN  Superfast low-latency servers scattered across the globe. Bypasses Minecraft’s anti-VPN detection with ease. Solid privacy, security and responsive support team.
  • CyberGhost Great value provider with fast servers and a vast network. 45-day money-back guarantee.
  • IPVanish Low-latency servers with no connection issues. Also ideal for streaming and downloading due to good speeds.
  • PrivateVPN Newer and smaller network than its rivals, but closing the gap with reliable and speedy internet connections.
  • VyprVPN No issues accessing Minecraft. Low latency with solid security and privacy. Cheaper options on this list.

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

  • Offers an expansive server network
  • Provides high-speed, consistent connections
  • Capable of bypassing Minecraft’s VPN detection measures
  • Uses strong encryption and additional security features
  • Doesn’t log any personally identifiable information

How to play Minecraft and remove an IP ban with a VPN

VPNs can seem daunting if you’ve never used one before. However, they’re actually very simple to use. Just follow the steps below to reset your IP address, beat your Minecraft ban, and continue playing.

Here’s how to bypass an IP ban on Minecraft:

  • Sign up for one of the VPNs below (we recommend using NordVPN).
  • Download the appropriate version of the VPN client for your operating system.
  • Choose a server close to your location and connect to it.
  • Try logging into an online world in Minecraft. You should be able to play interrupted for as long as you’d like.

The best VPNs for Minecraft – At a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Minecraft.

The Best VPNs for Minecraft

Here is our list of the best VPNs for Minecraft:

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

Works with MinecraftTested Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

NordVPN has everything a gamer could ever need: an expansive server network (over 5,500 servers across 60 countries), DDoS protection, and the ability to bypass VPN detection of games like Minecraft, Fortnite, and Overwatch. Like to play games on your phone or tablet? No problem: this VPN allows up to six devices to be connected at the same time. As such, there’s no need to sacrifice security when you’re away from home.

With 256-bit AES encryption, an application-specific kill switch, anti-malware checking, ad-blocking, and protection against both IPv6 and DNS leaks, NordVPN makes it easy to stay safe online. You can even use it for advanced security setups, thanks to its double VPN and Tor over VPN functionality.  With no online activity or session data recorded, this VPN allows you to play as anonymously as possible.

This service has Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, and MacOS apps. Specific routers are also supported but require manual configuration.

BEST VPN FOR MINECRAFT:NordVPN is our #1 choice. Performs solidly with Minecraft. Connects up to 6 devices simultaneously. Solid security and privacy. Also works well with most gaming sites and achieves consistently good speeds. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Plenty of low latency gaming optimized servers around the globe
  • Major emphasis on security and privacy
  • One of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested
  • Easily unblocks a wide range of geo-locked sites
  • 24/7 customer support via live chat

Cons:

  • May need to chat with support to find the best servers for gaming

Our score:

Read our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

Works with MinecraftTested Jan 2023

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Surfshark has more than 3,200 VPN servers in 100 countries, which means it’s ideal for anyone looking to access region-locked streaming platforms abroad. However, with generally decent speeds, it works just as well for gaming. Best of all, unlike most of its rivals, Surfshark has no connection limit. As such, you won’t have to worry about deactivating one device to protect another; just secure all of your devices at once.

This VPN places major emphasis on user security. It comes with 256-bit encryption enabled by default, as well as online protection against WebRTC, DNS, and IPv6 leaks, a kill switch, and automatic ad-blocking. Most importantly, Surfshark doesn’t log any data that could identify you. Still not convinced? Why not pay in cryptocurrency for even greater privacy; Surfshark accepts Bitcoin, Ripple, and Ethereum. Its apps are very easy to use but if you’re having trouble, you can contact support 24/7 over live chat.

Surfshark provides apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. It can be manually installed on supported internet routers.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

  • Has no connection limit

  • Takes user security seriously

  • Doesn’t keep logs

  • Generally high speeds

  • Solid unblocking abilities

  • Rapidly expanding network

  • Some servers much slower than others

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark lets you connect as many devices as you like, and is very reasonably priced. It also offers user-friendly apps, a wide range of security and privacy protections, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3. ExpressVPN

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

With more than 3,000 servers operating out of 160 locations in 94 countries,  ExpressVPN makes it easy to find a low-latency connection to play Minecraft on. Its service is fast enough to stream 4K video effortlessly, so Minecraft shouldn’t pose any kind of a problem. Further, with DDoS protection built-in, this VPN ensures you’ll be able to connect, even if you’re being targeted by malicious third parties.

This service is as secure as it is user-friendly. It comes with 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and a kill switch enabled by default. If you run into any issues, you can contact customer support via 24/7 live chat. With no personally identifiable information recorded, you’ll be able to play, stream, and browse privately.

ExpressVPN has dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux platforms. It’s possible to install the VPN on selected wireless routers, although this must be done manually.

PLAY SAFELY ANYWHERE:ExpressVPN is a fast and reliable choice. Great at unblocking all major IP-restricted gaming services. Great security and privacy with 256-bit AES encryption, keep no browser logs, kill switch and leak protection. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Plenty of gaming optimized servers with good DDoS protection

  • 24/7 live chat has you back on any technical issues

  • No limits on data and bandwidth use, great for HD streaming

  • Well-designed mobile and desktop apps

  • Slightly more expensive than some other options

  • Could offer more customizable features

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

4. CyberGhost

Website: www.Cyberghost.com

Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS

CyberGhost has over 9,000 high-speed servers in 90 countries, so it’s easy to get a low-latency connection wherever you are in the world. This service permits up to seven connections at once and comes with 24/7 live chat-based customer support just in case you have any problems.

All of this VPN’s security features are preconfigured so there’s very little setup required. These include 256-bit encryption, a kill switch (in all versions), a malware-scanner, and DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection. Further, CyberGhost doesn’t log any personally identifiable information, so once connected, you’re effectively untraceable.

CyberGhost has apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Manual installation is required for use on network routers.

VALUE AND PERFORMANCE:CyberGhost provides high speeds and powerful security features at a price that won’t break the bank. Better still, this service comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

  • Very high speeds and plenty of low latency gaming optimized servers around the globe

  • Strong on security and privacy

  • Seven-connection limit

  • 24/7 support over live chat

  • Lack of advanced functionality could be off-putting to expert users

Interested? Find out more in our full CyberGhost review.

5. IPVanish

Website: www.IPVanish.com

IPVanish has over 1,900 servers in 75 worldwide locations to choose from, allows any number of simultaneous connections per account, and has barely any impact on your connection speeds. For this reason, it’s a popular choice, not just for playing Minecraft, but also for streaming video online. In addition to bypassing Minecraft’s VPN detection, it can be used to access platforms including Hulu, CBS, and CW Seed.

Despite its lightweight apps, IPVanish actually offers a pretty incredible range of security options. There’s 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and DNS/IPv6 leak protection, and some more advanced features like LAN traffic blocking, timed IP address switching, and OpenVPN obfuscation. Best of all, IPVanish doesn’t log any personally identifiable information, meaning your online activities stay private at all times.

UNLIMITED DEVICES:IPVanish has a large network of servers and handles multiple connections well. Easy to use and preferred by users who need high standards of security and privacy. Can’t unblock as many video streaming services as some of its rivals. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Plenty of fast, low latency servers to choose from

  • Impressive 4K streaming speeds achieved during testing

  • Preferred by Kodi and Firestick TV for its remote-friendly apps

  • Operates in over 60 countries, great for unblocking geo-restricted content

  • Apps don’t work in China

  • Not as strong for streaming as some of its rivals

Read our full IPVanish review.

6. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

Although PrivateVPN has fewer servers than some of its rivals (just around 200, spread across 63 countries), it’s still worth considering. It offers high speeds and exceptional customer support, making it ideal for people who are new to VPNs. Further, with up to 10  simultaneous connections allowed, you and your friends can play Minecraft securely with just one PrivateVPN account.

This VPN has a strict no-logs policy which means your activities cannot be disclosed even if requested. It uses 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPV6 leak protection, and a kill switch to ensure your traffic is secure at all times. If you’re having trouble, PrivateVPN staff are available 24/7 and can configure the software remotely, with your permission.

PrivateVPN has apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android systems. It can be manually configured to work with Linux-based platforms and supported routers.

GREAT SPEED:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable for Minecraft. Also good for secure and private browsing and torrenting. Could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Very fast speeds

  • Operates a network spanning 57 countries

  • Gaining a reputation for unblocking popular streaming sites

  • Live support

  • Small number of servers to choose from

  • Works with Linux but requires manual configuration

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

7. VyprVPN

Website: www.VyprVPN.com

VyprVPN has a huge server network (over 700 servers, with clusters in Europe, the US, Africa, Asia, and Oceania) and excellent speeds. What’s more, it uses a special traffic scrambling function named Chameleon to hide the signs that games such as Minecraft rely on when searching for VPN users. It’s not just for gaming, though: VyprVPN can even securely access platforms like Netflix, Sling TV, and Hulu, making it a strong general-purpose VPN.

This provider offers true end-to-end, 256-bit encryption. This massively increases your online privacy by encrypting your data at all stages of transferral. There’s also a kill switch that stops traffic if you lose your connection to the VPN, as well as DNS leak protection. VyprVPN keeps some information (source IP address, connection time, and data transfer volume) for 30 days, but only for diagnostic purposes. You can reach customer support by email, 24/7, 365 days a year.

VyprVPN offers user-friendly apps for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS devices. This service can also be configured to work on Linux systems and supported internet routers.

Large server network:VyprVPN is easy to set up. A solid choice for Minecraft. Stores no logs, offers great security and also unblocks most streaming services. More pricey than others on this list. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Fast speeds and reliable servers for gaming, streaming and downloading

  • Class-leading security and privacy

  • Owns and manages its entire network of servers

  • A little pricey

  • Could have more options for advanced configuration

Read our full VyprVPN review.

Minecraft VPN – testing methodology

Finding a VPN can be tricky because there are dozens of services to choose from. Many of those services use aggressive advertising, which makes it hard to know whether they are genuine. In addition, a vast majority of VPNs are slow, unreliable, and fail to provide adequate privacy levels. This makes it easy to end up with an inferior service.

At Comparitech, we test the market to find VPNs that are worth your time and money. To achieve this, our experts use a scientific VPN testing methodology. To pinpoint services that offer the features you need,we test each VPN for IP and DNS leaks. This allows us to recommend VPNS that provide the privacy levels they claim.

We also check the apps for robust encryption, and test VPN server speeds to see whether they can handle HD streaming, gaming and torrenting. Below, we have included a list of important features we looked for when recommending VPNs for Minecraft:

  • Global server network: A useful VPN has a wide choice of server locations to pick from. This allows you to bypass local restrictions, censorship, and regional blocks by getting an IP address elsewhere. Our recommendations have fast servers worldwide that are suitable for tasks like HD streaming, torrenting, and gaming.
  • Apps for all platforms: We check each VPN to ensure they have secure apps for all platforms. This means you can install and connect to the VPN on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Firestick devices, VPN-compatible routers, or using browser extensions – to play Minecraft on any device you own.
  • No logs policy: A VPN that provides watertight privacy keeps no records about what its users do while connected. This ensures that there is never a way for the VPN to betray its users’ trust, should it be served a warrant, for example.
  • Excellent customer care: We recommend VPNs that have live chat and email support so that you can get help with setting up or using the VPN at any time of day.
  • Ease of use: All of our recommendations provide a premium service with a wide choice of privacy and security features. However, they are also designed in such a way that the user experience is exceptional and the apps are suitable for beginners.
  • Advanced features: We check the VPN for more than just the basic necessities. We look for a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, malware protection, ad-blocking, split tunneling, Smart DNS, SOCKS5 proxy, and other useful features that make the VPN more versatile and better value for money.

Like any business, free VPN services exist to make money. As they can’t charge their users directly, they’ve had to come up with other ways to make a profit. Their methods range from placing ads onto the sites you visit, to using tracking cookies to build a consumer profile from your activities, which can then be sold without your knowledge.

People generally use VPNs to enhance their online security, but there’s significant evidence that shows free VPN services may actually make you more vulnerable. For instance, did you know that there are over 100 free Android “VPNs” that don’t actually encrypt your data? Worse still, many intentionally install malware onto the user’s device. We’ve even seen cases where a free VPN sold its users’ bandwidth for use in a botnet. To keep yourself and your personal information safe, we recommend using a privacy-first VPN service with a track record of protecting its users’ data.

While Minecraft itself takes a fairly lax approach, public servers often implement much stricter VPN-detection measures. For instance, popular minigame servers Cubecraft, Hypixel, and Mineplex attempt to block all VPNs outright (although the Mineplex admins admit that this is extremely difficult, especially if you’re using a paid service). While you can be banned from these servers for even attempting to join with a VPN active, there’s nothing stopping you from switching your IP address and trying again.

  • First, sign up for one of the VPNs above (we recommend NordVPN).
  • Connect to a nearby server (unless you’re in a country where Minecraft isn’t usually available, in which case, you’ll have to use a server in a different location).
  • From the start screen, click Multiplayer > Proceed > Add server
  • Type in your chosen server’s connection details and click the Join Server button.
  • You should now be able to play as normal. If you encounter an error, switching servers is usually enough to fix the problem. Alternatively, you might want to enable any traffic scrambling or stealth features that your VPN offers.

If you’ve received an IP ban, you can resume playing by simply connecting to another of your VPN’s servers.

There’s very little you can do if you’ve been banned from a specific server. These bans can be temporary, but you can also be prevented from ever joining that server again with this specific Minecraft account. These bans take place at the server moderator’s discretion, so it might help to consider your actions prior to being banned and adjust your behavior accordingly on other servers to prevent it from happening again.

Firstly, unlike in the west, this version is free to play. There are still charges if you’d like to rent your own server or use certain mods, but otherwise, there’s no cost. The biggest change, however, is that chat and item names are censored. You’ll also need a NetEase account to play, instead of signing in with a Mojang or Microsoft account.

On the other hand, if you’re hoping to create a hugely popular public server, a static IP address would be better. This way, users could enter it once and always be able to connect without having to check for the latest details.

However, these services are not able to fully protect you from SWATTING. It’s a good idea to be very careful about the personal information you share online since even something seemingly innocent, such as a photo of your street, can be used to track you down in real life.