Dota 2 is one of my all-time favorite games and still to this day one of the most popular Steam titles. Competition can get really intense in Dota 2 ranked and even unranked games. Which is precisely why players are always on the lookout for new ways to gain an edge over their opponent.
Unfortunately, a lot of players suffer and stack L’s because of lag/latency issues or general connection instability. Players also often struggle to find likeminded teammates that can communicate in a common language. Needless to say, communication is key in Dota 2 and without good coordination, you have absolutely no chance to win no matter what rank you are.
That’s where a VPN can jump in and save the day. You can use the VPN to reduce your lag and establish a stable connection with game servers in the region of your choosing.
Why Do I Need a Dota 2 VPN?
A Dota 2 VPN has proven to be extremely useful, I personally prefer playing on US servers because I need English speaking teammates. It’s a Dota 2 fact that good communication leads to more wins and generally a better Dota experience. That’s not all the VPN can help you with though, there’s more to it.
With a Dota 2 VPN you can do the following:
- Fix lag or latency: A Dota 2 VPN provides a stable connection between your device and Dota servers. With a VPN optimized for gaming, you won’t experience any drops in speed or lag spikes. Keep in mind that distance matters so pick a VPN server relatively close to you.
- Guard against DDoS attacks: distributed denial-of-service attacks are very common in the gaming world. Basically a sore loser detects your IP address and floods your network with requests until it shuts down and consequently you get thrown out of the game.
- Play in any region: As mentioned earlier, you can choose any region to play in depending on your personal preference. Play with new players and learn new playing styles by checking out different Dota 2 regions.
- Bypass ISP bandwidth throttling: Some ISPs limit your bandwidth speed to lower consumption and manage traffic load. That’s just not going to cut it, you need full speed which is what a Dota 2 VPN can do. You’ll be able to get around the bandwidth restrictions set by your ISP as long as you’re connected to a VPN server.
- Use in-game chat (It’s banned in some countries): The in-game chat feature is blocked in many countries that have restrictions over VoIP services. No worries though, you can easily get around that by connecting to a VPN server in another country.
Best Dota 2 VPN
A Dota 2 VPN is the tool that can help you improve your gaming experience as a whole and just have a ton of fun in the process. Reduce your lag so you can play your role well and not have to give the dreaded “I’m lagging” excuse. While connected to a VPN server, you’ll see your ping for matchmaking regions drop depending on which VPN location you chose.
The best Dota 2 VPN must have high speed servers optimized to deliver low latency gaming traffic. That and unlimited bandwidth are essential for a Dota 2 VPN. Furthermore you need a VPN that utilizes residential IP proxies to avoid Steam bans. Take a look at the top 4 Dota 2 VPN providers below and what they have to offer.
NordVPN
NordVPN is the top recommended Dota 2 VPN. It has over 5800 high speed server spread around the globe. It’s optimized to deliver low latency connections for gaming. You simply won’t find a better bargain for an all purpose VPN that does everything well and isn’t overpriced.
NordVPN is a truly all purpose VPN. You can use it to unblock streaming services from anywhere in the world, download torrents anonymously using any torrent client you like and dedicated P2P servers for optimal performance. Additionally NordVPN uses the best security protocols and encryption standards in the industry.
You can also enjoy some additional features like split tunneling, double encryption, smart play, and browser extensions for even more convenience while browsing the web. Keep in mind that NordVPN is a risk-free subscription with their 30-day refund policy.
Surfshark
Surfshark is a security oriented VPN. However it’s also a reliable Dota 2 VPN and great for bypassing censorship anywhere in the world. It utilizes the most secure encryption algorithms to protect your data and devices.
A combination of AES-256 bit encryption and secure VPN protocols like WireGuard make Surfshark one of the most secure VPN providers out there. It’s also highly customizable, you can choose different encryption methods and VPN protocols.
Surfshark fully supports P2P applications so you can download all the torrents you like without a hassle. The company doesn’t keep any user activity logs, you’ll be downloading torrents anonymously which is always recommended.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost a fast and reliable Dota 2 VPN that can help you reduce lag, play in any region, bypass ISP throttling, and secure your account. All at an affordable price and with 24/7 live chat support in case you need any help.
CyberGhost is also one of the fastest VPNs I’ve tested over the years. You can always stream regionally restricted content in full HD without any buffering. It also helps that CyberGhost offer unlimited bandwidth with no speed throttling whatsoever.
With a 45-day refund policy, you can get CyberGhostVPN and test it out yourself. Play a couple of Dota 2 games and if it actually helps improve your experience you keep it, if it doesn’t just ask for a refund.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is another good Dota 2 VPN. It won’t get you banned on Steam as you hop around playing in different regions. It offers a very stable and reliable connection for all your streaming, gaming, torrenting, and privacy needs.
ExpressVPN is a complete VPN solution with a bunch of special features and a Smart DNS service that you can use on your PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Apple TV or a router.
Although it’s a bit more expensive than other top providers, it does make up for it with high quality of service, an award winning support team, and a flexible refund policy.
Dota 2 VPN FAQs
No, you will not get banned for using a VPN for Steam. Unless you’re trying to grab a cheaper deal on a game or something like that, Steam won’t ban you for using a VPN.
That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re looking for easy wins (although I don’t condone such behavior) you can try a region where Dota 2 is less popular like Cuba, Latvia, and Belgium. If you’re looking to compete against the best, then try a Chinese or a US server. In terms of lag/latency, the optimal location would be the one closest to you.
Absolutely not, free VPNs are mostly blocked on Steam and may even get you banned. They are not secure or optimized for gaming, you’ll experience more lag on a free VPN than you would without it.
A Dota 2 VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between you and the game server. It allows the VPN to establish a reliable and stable connection which in turn lowers your ping. A high speed and unlimited bandwidth VPN server is the best known solution to reduce lag. Keep in mind that some lag issues are simply because you have a bad ISP. Check your download and upload speed on speedtest.net before starting the game.
Best Dota 2 VPN – Bottom Line
You’re going to need a reliable Dota 2 VPN to fix lag issues, play in different regions, protect yourself from DDoS attacks, bypass ISP bandwidth throttling, and unblock the voice chat feature, if it’s blocked in your region.
That said, not all VPNs offer the same quality of service. You’ll need a fast and secure VPN with unlimited bandwidth. The top 4 Dota 2 VPN providers I tested for this article can do exactly that. Choose the offer that best suites your needs and remember that you can always ask for a refund if it doesn’t work out for you.
Follow these steps to play Dota 2 with a VPN:
- Subscribe to a Dota 2 VPN.
- Download the VPN app on your PC or Mac.
- Log in to the VPN app and connect to any server location you like.
- Open Steam and start Dota 2.
- If you want to play in different region, go over to your “Matchmaking region” screen and select a new region.
- Play on.
