5 Best VPNs for FFXIV (Final Fantasy XIV) in 2023

Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) is a super-popular multiplayer online game with millions of users. So, it is no surprise that many players experience constant lags, high ping, and increased latency. In addition, even though FF14 is available everywhere, Korea and China have their own region-locked versions that are only accessible locally. 

To play Final Fantasy XIV with low ping and latency and access the Korean and Chinese versions, you'll need the best VPN for FFXIV. You can also minimize lagging by playing on less crowded servers, avoid bandwidth throttling, access servers better suited for your skills, and avoid DDoS attacks, which are a frequent occurrence. On top of that, an FFXIV VPN allows you to avoid IP bans.

In this guide, we'll talk about the best VPN for FFXIV. We'll also explain how to play FFXIV with a VPN, discuss why you need a VPN, share some guidelines for choosing one, as well as answer some important FAQs in the end.

Best VPNs for FFXIV - Our Shortlist 

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for FFXIV
2. Surfshark – FFXIV VPN with Top-Notch Privacy
3. ExpressVPN – Best VPN for First-Time Users
4. CyberGhost VPN – Best VPN with Optimized Gaming Servers
5. Private Internet Access – Advanced & Highly Customizable VPN for Gaming

How to Play Final Fantasy XIV with a VPN

To play Final Fantasy XIV with a VPN, you first must find a suitable provider that supports gaming and buy a subscription. Here’s everything you’ll need to do:

1. Subscribe to a VPN that works well with FFXIV (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Download and install the VPN app on your gaming device(s).
3. Launch the VPN app, and when prompted, log in using your credentials. 
4. Select a VPN server in a location near your desired FFXIV servers.
5. Download FFXIV (if you haven't already) and log in to your account.
6. And you’re done! Now, you can start playing Final Fantasy XIV. 

At the time of writing this guide, FFXIV's data centers are available in North America, Japan, Europe, and Oceania. The farther you are from your selected data center, the slower your connection will be. So, we recommend you pick a data center near your physical location and connect to the closest VPN server near those game servers.

The Best VPNs for FFXIV in 2023

If you want to find the best VPN for Final Fantasy XIV, you should follow the criteria we established in our guide to the best gaming VPN services. With that said, the first and foremost criterion you should look for in your FFXIV VPN is a wide server network that covers many regions, including North America, Japan, Europe, and Oceania.

This will ensure reliable performance and fast speeds, along with low ping and controlled latency. Your VPN should allow you to have at least a few active simultaneous connections and also be compatible with multiple devices.

Moreover, you should look for features like a capable kill switch, secure VPN protocols, strong encryption, and a generous money-back guarantee. Lastly, the VPN must offer 24/7 customer support. 

Based on the criteria mentioned above, here are the 5 best VPNs for FFXIV:

1. NordVPN – Our #1-Rated Best VPN for FFXIV

NordVPN is the best VPN for FFXIV that comes with high-end privacy and security. It has a larger server network than ExpressVPN, with 5,800+ servers in 60 countries, and offers FFXIV server IPs in North America, Oceania, Europe, and Japan. Thus, it’s more than suitable for playing with stable latency and low FFXIV ping. 

It allows you to change FFXIV servers as often as you want, but keep in mind that it will have higher ping and latency on more remote servers than on servers closer to you. With NordVPN, you'll get medium-fast Internet connection speeds, which will be slower on servers that are further away from you. Regardless, you’ll receive reliable performance suitable for gaming. 

This provider allows you to have up to 6 simultaneous connections and is compatible with multiple devices. You can use it on gaming consoles, routers, PCs, laptops, and more.

NordVPN offers top-tier security and privacy features, including AES 256-bit encryption, a capable kill switch, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec), a double VPN feature, DDoS protection, and more. Also, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support via live chat. 

2. Surfshark – FFXIV VPN with Top-Notch Privacy

Surfshark is an excellent FF14 VPN provider on the market with extensive coverage that is excellent for playing on different FF14 game servers, including those in North America, Japan, Europe, and Oceania. It has more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries that support super-fast Internet connection speeds and reliable performance.

Thanks to its wide coverage and fast speeds, Surfshark allows you to reduce ping in FFXIV, as well as latency, no matter which game server you use. That said, if you notice FFXIV is laggy, you can simply try connecting to a different VPN server in the same area.

Not only will you get fast speeds with this provider, but you'll also get excellent protection and security. Some of the features that Surfshark offers include military-grade encryption, secure VPN protocols (WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN), a kill switch, MultiHop, dedicated IPs, and more. 

Surfshark allows you to have an unlimited number of connections simultaneously and is compatible with many devices, including laptops, PCs, gaming consoles, routers, and more. With this provider, you can play FFXIV on as many devices as you want, whenever and wherever you want.

Like most premium VPN providers, Surfshark also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it comes with responsive and knowledgeable 24/7 customer support. 

3. ExpressVPN – Best VPN for First-Time Users

ExpressVPN is another VPN provider thanks to its wide network that covers 100+ countries with 3,000+ servers. This includes areas housing the game's data centers, including North America, Europe, Japan, and Oceania. You'll be able to switch from server to server and find the one that suits your skills best while keeping your FFXIV ping low and latency stable. 

This provider is the fastest VPN on the market, offering lightning-fast speeds and reliable performances on all servers, no matter how far away they are from you. You'll also get secure VPN protocols (Lightway, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN, and IKEv2), military-grade encryption, and obfuscation. This will allow you to join an FFXIV private server if you so choose.

In addition, ExpressVPN offers a capable kill switch mechanism, which will keep your data and Internet connection safe even if you temporarily disconnect from your VPN. This FFXIV VPN allows you to have up to 8 simultaneous connections, and it's compatible with a wide range of devices, including routers, gaming consoles, PCs, laptops, and more. 

You can try out ExpressVPN's services risk-free and see if it fits your needs thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Lastly, you'll get reliable 24/7 customer support via live chat. 

4.  CyberGhost VPN – Best VPN with Optimized Gaming Servers

CyberGhost is another suitable VPN that works with Final Fantasy XIV, and it has one of the largest server networks on the market. In total, there are more than 9,000 servers in 100+ countries, including FFXIV server locations in Japan, Europe, Oceania, and North America. This makes it excellent for minimizing ping and keeping latency low.

This provider offers reliable performance and medium-fast connection speeds. CyberGhost also provides specialized servers for gaming, P2P file sharing, and streaming. You can use its gaming-optimized servers to achieve good ping for FFXIV a little more successfully than with its normal servers, but the gaming servers are only available on Windows devices. 

In addition, you're allowed 7 simultaneous connections with CyberGhost, and you can use it on a wide range of devices, including gaming consoles, PCs, laptops, routers, and more. The provider offers strong security and privacy features, including secure VPN protocols (L2TP/IPsec, WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN), a kill switch, strong encryption, and DDoS protection.

Lastly, CyberGhost provides a 45-day money-back guarantee on longer-term plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on its monthly plans. You'll also get reliable 24/7 customer support via live chat. 

5. Private Internet Access – Advanced & Highly Customizable VPN for Gaming

Private Internet Access (PIA) has the largest server network on the market, offering thousands of servers in 80+ countries. It has plenty of coverage in regions where game servers are located, including Europe, Oceania, North America, and Japan. You can use it to lower your FFXIV server ping and latency, but you'll have to tweak your settings to get the best performance.

PIA allows you to modify your VPN protocols and choose the fastest one to get as little FFXIV server lag as you can. However, this will require decreasing your security and privacy settings. Without modifications, PIA delivers medium-fast Internet connection speeds and reliable performance. 

This provider offers all the security and privacy features needed to protect you online and keep you safe from DDoS attacks, among other common frustrations. It comes with a capable kill switch, secure VPN protocols, strong encryption, obfuscated servers, and a no-logs policy. 

Additionally, you'll get unlimited simultaneous connections with PIA, so you can protect all your devices at the same time. The provider is also compatible with a wide array of devices, including laptops, PCs, gaming consoles, routers, and more. 

PIA offers 24/7 customer support via live chat with fast response times. Lastly, it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. 

Why Do You Need a VPN for FFXIV?

You need a VPN for FFXIV to play the game with low ping and latency and avoid overcrowded servers. Other reasons why you need a VPN include the following:

• Reduce Ping and Lagging – To get the best gaming experience, you should connect to VPN servers close to your desired game servers. This will minimize ping and cut down on FFXIV lag issues.
• Bypass IP Bans – If you violate the Terms and Conditions of the game, you might receive an FFXIV IP ban. To get unbanned from FFXIV, use a VPN to change your IP address.
• Hide IP Address – DDoS attacks happen when hackers flood your IP with requests, blocking your Internet access temporarily. A powerful VPN with strong security and privacy features can protect you from these attacks, as well as doxxing. 
• Bypass Geo-Restrictions – Your local FFXIV game servers might not be suitable for your skill level. To avoid this, you'll need to connect to different ones using a VPN.
• Game on Public WiFi Safely – Public networks are unsecured, and it's easy to be hacked when connected to them. An FF14 VPN will encrypt your data and activities so you can play FFXIV safely.
• Avoid Bandwidth Throttling – ISPs can see your activities and how much data you use. When you consume larger amounts of data while playing games, your ISP can slow down your Internet. Use a VPN with strong encryption to hide your gaming activity.
• Escape Overcrowded Servers – Final Fantasy XIV is very popular, and like many games, its servers sometimes get overwhelmed by traffic. You can use a VPN to connect to a different game server to avoid FFXIV crashing due to server congestion.
• Eliminate Price Discrimination – Some games display different in-game prices depending on your location. You can use a VPN to get the best deals.

How to Choose the Best FFXIV VPN?

To choose the best VPN for FFXIV, you should consider a number of factors, including its server network, speed, and security features. Here are the most important criteria to consider when looking for the best provider:

• Large Server Network – Having a global server network is an important consideration because the larger the network, the wider the access to FF14's servers and content. VPNs with more locations are also less prone to overcrowding, consequently providing better connections.
• Fast Speeds and Low Ping – You want a VPN that can lower FFXIV high ping and keep latency stable. This requires super-fast connection speeds and reliable server performance.
• Kill Switch – If your VPN connection encounters any issues, a kill switch will cut your Internet until VPN protection is reestablished to prevent data leakage.
• Reliable VPN Protocols and Strong Encryption – You want a service with uncrackable AES-256 encryption and robust protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard. This will ensure your security and privacy are upheld.
• Native Apps – Having apps for the major gaming platforms that run FFXIV will allow you to play Final Fantasy XIV on all your devices. Router support is especially helpful for connecting game consoles that don't natively support VPNs.
• Several Simultaneous Connections – Look for a VPN that allows multiple simultaneous connections so you can use it on multiple gaming devices at once.
• Generous Refund Policy – Having a money-back guarantee is important so you can try out the VPN before fully committing to it.
• Knowledgeable Customer Support – If you run into any issues, having customer support available 24/7 is crucial.

Can You Use a Free VPN for FFXIV?

Yes, you can use a free VPN for FFXIV, but this is not recommended. Free VPNs are not safe at all and don't offer the necessary privacy features that will protect you from DDoS attacks and IP leaks. They come with minimal functionality and services, which are not suitable for multiplayer RPGs like Final Fantasy XIV.

Some of the limitations you'll face with a free VPN include low data caps, bandwidth, and speed restrictions, and small server infrastructures. Most free providers offer only a few dozen (or fewer) servers in 2-3 countries, which is not ideal if you want to avoid overcrowding and play with low ping and latency.

Thus, your best bet for achieving low ping, reduced latency, and smooth FFXIV gameplay is to subscribe to a premium VPN. Check out our list of the best VPN providers that can ensure a lag-free gaming experience while protecting you from DDoS attacks. 

Final Thoughts

Popular games like Final Fantasy XIV are plagued by overcrowded servers, DDoS attacks, and unsatisfied players who can't enjoy the game without considerable lag. If you want to unlock FFXIV's full potential and play with no restrictions, you need to find a suitable FFXIV VPN with powerful security and privacy features.

We recommend NordVPN as the best VPN for FFXIV because it has thousands of servers across the world that will give you unrestricted access to any game server you’d like to play on. Furthermore, this provider will deliver smooth gameplay with low latency and ping, as well as the peace of mind that you’re protected from DDoS attacks.

That's all for our guide on choosing the best VPN for FFXIV. If you have more questions or remarks, please share them with us via the comments section below. Thanks for reading!