The Best Fortnite VPN in 2022: How to Get Unbanned From Fortnite
Few games can claim to be as popular as Fortnite. As the player base grows, so does Epic Games’ efforts to enforce the rules. IP bans are more common than ever, so if you’ve been given one, chances are you want to get back to playing Fortnite as soon as possible. A Fortnite VPN lets you do just that.
— Last Updated: 2022-03-18T17:45:18+00:00 Facts checked by Eugenie Tiu
While there is definitely no shortage of new battle royale games in recent years, there is one that has amassed incredible popularity and a huge player base — Fortnite. The cartoon-like graphics and simple yet engaging gameplay make it a fun way to spend hours at a time. That being said, players have complained about getting IP bans recently, oftentimes unjustified, which can get frustrating. The solution to this is a Fortnite VPN.
You can receive an IP ban in Fortnite for a variety of reasons, some of which you can’t control — your internet connection being slow and laggy is a prime example. Your IP address can get restricted from accessing Fortnite’s servers for a period of time, usually up to 30 days. Utilizing VPN servers will get you a new IP address and you’ll be able to bypass the ban.
Key Takeaways:
- A Fortnite VPN is an easy way to bypass an IP address ban and access Fortnite servers so you can keep playing.
- The best VPN for the job is ExpressVPN, thanks to its negligible impact on both speed and latency, and great security.
- If ExpressVPN is out of your budget, NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost are more affordable alternatives that do a good job of getting you new IP addresses.
- Windscribe is a bit of a compromise in terms of speeds, but it’s very affordable and even has a free plan.
When you start looking into VPN providers, you’ll realize that not all of them are equal. When it comes to playing Fortnite, ExpressVPN is the best VPN provider, but it’s a close battle with some of its main competitors. Without wasting any more time, these are the best Fortnite VPNs if you’ve been handed an IP ban.
Yes, Windscribe’s free plan can get you a new IP address and bypass the ban, but the 10GB data limit isn’t ideal for gaming online.
If Fortnite keeps kicking you out, it could be an issue with the game, an issue with your system or an IP address ban.
An IP ban in Fortnite is temporary, and can last up to 30 days. If you’re caught cheating, though, that’s going to result in a permanent ban.
Top VPNs for Fortnite
- 1
- : PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, regional payment systems, WebMoney
- : 5
- :
- :
- :
- :
- 2
- : Credit card, Google Pay, AmazonPay, ACH Transfer, UnionPay, Crypto Currencies, PayPal (via Paddle)
- : 6
- :
- :
- :
- :
- 3
- : PayPal, Credit card, Google Pay, Amazon Pay
- : Unlimited
- :
- :
- :
- :
- 4
- : PayPal, Credit card, bitcoin
- : 7
- :
- :
- :
- :
- 5
- : PayPal, Credit card, bitcoin, Paymentwall
- : Unlimited
- :
- :
- :
- :
What Makes the Best Fortnite VPN
When choosing the right VPN to play Fortnite, several criteria can make or break your entire experience. The key ones are latency, speed and security, and these are the five VPNs that did great in all of those areas.
- ExpressVPN — Premium VPN with blazing-fast speeds
- NordVPN — Low-latency VPN with excellent security
- Surfshark — Excellent value VPN provider
- CyberGhost — Budget VPN with specialty gaming servers
- Windscribe — Versatile VPN with a free plan
The key factor for a VPN for gaming, especially when it comes to online games that require quick reaction, is latency. Routing your connection through a VPN server will introduce additional latency regardless of which VPN provider you use, which is why it’s important to pick one that has a minimal impact.
Speed is equally important, and with a VPN, faster equals better. As with latency, you will sacrifice a bit of speed when you route your connection through a VPN’s server, but a fast VPN won’t have as much of an impact on your gaming experience. To add to this, a slow VPN might even lead to an IP ban, so definitely stay away from such providers.
Security is the third big thing you should keep in mind. A secure VPN will keep your connection encrypted and away from prying eyes. Also, aim for a VPN that has an automatic kill switch to protect you from DDoS attacks, a strict no-logs policy and if possible, split tunneling. All of the VPNs below check these boxes, which is one less thing to worry about.
Last but not least, there currently aren’t any dedicated VPNs for consoles. If you play Fortnite on console, you should make sure the VPN of choice has a router app, which will secure your connection on all your devices that are connected to the router, including your console.
The 5 Best VPNs to Get Unbanned & Play Fortnite
Based on the aforementioned criteria, as well as things like pricing, features and ease of use, these are the best VPNs for playing Fortnite and bypassing an IP ban.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.67 per month for the yearly plan, plus three months free
- Provider website: expressvpn.com
Pros:
- Very fast speeds
- Apps on all platforms & routers
- Minimal impact on latency on nearby servers
Cons:
- Expensive
ExpressVPN gets the top spot for several reasons, but considering it also topped our list of best VPNs, we’re hardly surprised. The speed is better than any of its competitors, which we noted in our fastest VPNs roundup. Paired with the excellent latency, this makes it perfect for Fortnite or other online games. You can read more about it in our ExpressVPN review.
The Lightway protocol ExpressVPN uses is very lightweight, which results in a minimal impact on latency — it increased from 23ms to 26ms during testing, and it remained very consistent when connecting to nearby servers. ExpressVPN also has an app for desktop platforms and routers, so you can bypass an IP ban on PC or console.
Pricing isn’t ExpressVPN’s strong suit. You do get a better deal if you opt for the yearlong subscription, but it’s still far from cheap. The top-notch experience is definitely worth it, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you don’t like it.
[pricingtableid=8428]2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.71 per month for the two-year plan
- Provider website: nordvpn.com
Pros:
- Very low latency
- Excellent overall security
- Obfuscated servers
Cons:
- Inconsistent speeds on OpenVPN
- Advanced settings are complicated to use
We seldom see a battle for the top spot that’s as close as this one — NordVPN came very close to being the best VPN to play Fortnite with. Speed-wise, it is every bit as good as ExpressVPN, but the inconsistencies across servers and the slightly higher latency (12ms increase over our unprotected speed) put it in the second spot.
Where NordVPN excels is security, with a strict no-logs policy, DNS leak protection and our favorite, obfuscated servers. These servers hide the fact that you’re using a VPN –another bannable offense in Epic Games’ eyes — thus keeping you safe from any kind of Fortnite ban. You can find out more about NordVPN in our NordVPN review.
Even though NordVPN is far from the cheapest VPN to play Fortnite with, it’s a lot more affordable than ExpressVPN. To get the best deal, you’ll want to subscribe for two years, and if you find that the inconsistencies are too much for you, you have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. Surfshark
More details about Surfshark:
- Pricing: $2.30 per month for the two-year plan, plus two months free
- Provider website: surfshark.com
Pros:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Multi-hop servers
- Optional static IP address
Cons:
- Only affordable on longer plans
Surfshark is the only VPN on our list that gives you unlimited simultaneous connections, unlimited speed, and unlimited bandwidth and data. You can also connect with the same IP address every time. This will significantly reduce the chances of your account being flagged for sharing, which is not allowed with Fortnite.
Another interesting feature is the multi-hop servers, which route your connection through not one VPN server, but two. This adds a bit of security, but also increases your internet lag. Fortunately, Surfshark’s overall latency was low enough for this not to be a problem if you want to play Fortnite. You can find out more about Surfshark in our Surfshark review.
Surfshark is certainly affordable if you stay subscribed for a while, but you can always share the unlimited bandwidth and connections and save even more. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind.
- : Unlimited GB bandwidth,Unlimited devices
- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
- :
4. CyberGhost
More details about CyberGhost:
- Pricing: $2.15 per month for the three-year plan, plus three months free
- Provider website: cyberghostvpn.com
Pros:
- Cheap on longer plans
- Apps for any platform, including routers
- Specialty gaming servers
Cons:
- Middling performance with OpenVPN
CyberGhost gets the title of the most affordable VPN provider on this list, with a caveat: You need to subscribe for three years to get the aforementioned pricing. That’s not the only reason it’s on this list, though, because it also has a huge server network and apps for desktop platforms and routers. You can read more about it in our CyberGhost review.
What makes it perfect for connecting to a Fortnite game server are the specialty gaming servers. These servers aim to get you the lowest possible latency, and each one lists the predicted (and usually very accurate) latency right next to it. We should mention that performance with the more secure OpenVPN was mediocre at best, whereas IKEv2 only increased latency by 10ms.
The three-year plan makes CyberGhost a bargain compared to some of the other VPNs for Fortnite, but admittedly, it is a long commitment. There is, however, a 45-day money-back guarantee, compared to the usual 30 days offered by the competition.
5. Windscribe
More details about Windscribe:
- Pricing: Free plan;$1 per location per month, plus $1 for unlimited data
- Provider website: windscribe.com
Pros:
- Very low latency
- Optional static IP address
- Free plan
Cons:
- Slow network speeds
Even though Windscribe is usually touted as the best free VPN, that plan comes with a 10GB data limit that won’t be enough if you want to play Fortnite. However, the very affordable paid plan more than does the job with features like a strict no-logs policy, kill switch, split tunneling, and a built-in ad blocker.
Windscribe’s performance was a bit of a mixed bag. We did get lower ping than some of the competitors, but the VPN had quite the impact on our speeds, and not in a good way. If you have a fast internet connection, though, you should still be able to use it as a VPN for Fortnite. You can read more about it in our Windscribe review.
Windscribe’s 10GB plan won’t be enough if you play often, but the paid plans are very affordable — you can get access to all server locations for a price that’s cheaper than some competitors. The three-day money-back guarantee, on the other hand, is underwhelming.
- : Per “Pro” server location
- : 10 GB
- : Unlimited
- :
- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
- :
How to Get Unbanned From Fortnite With a VPN Connection
Bypassing an IP address ban is actually much easier than you might think — all it takes is a VPN subscription. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it. We’ll use ExpressVPN as an example, but you can do the same thing with any of the VPNs we reviewed above.
- Download ExpressVPN
Head to ExpressVPN’s website and download ExpressVPN for the platform you’re playing on. If you play on a console, your best bet is to download it for your router as there are no console-specific apps at the moment. Then, install ExpressVPN on your device and log in.
- Choose a Nearby Server
ExpressVPN has an extensive list of servers, but to keep latency to a minimum and get the best speeds possible, connect to a server that’s physically close to you. It will still give you a new IP address, but with little impact on latency and speed.
- Play Fortnite
Once you’ve connected to your server of choice, start the Epic Games launcher and start playing Fortnite.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, you can bypass a Fortnite ban on your IP address with any of the VPNs above, but ExpressVPN is the best tool for the job. It gets you a very fast and stable connection, as well as very low latency and excellent security. It is also the best VPN for PUBG and Call of Duty Warzone, in case you love battle royale games. It’s also an adept Lost Ark VPN and FFXIV VPN if MMORPGs interest you.
NordVPN comes in at a close second with a more affordable subscription, and Surfshark, CyberGhost and Windscribe will save you even more money.
All of the VPNs for Fortnite we mentioned will get you a new IP address and let you bypass the IP address ban without waiting for 30 days. Static and dedicated IP address saves you from the “bad neighbor effects” often associated with shared IPs. To add to this, they’ll protect you from a DDoS attack, DNS and IP leaks, and keep your connection private.
Do you practice your building speed skills in Fortnite often? If so, which one do you prefer: ExpressVPN’s no-compromise performance at a cost, or one of the more affordable options like NordVPN or Surfshark? Let us know in the comments, and thank you for reading.
