A VPN assigns you a new virtual location so you can update your Steam region, but only if you have a payment method and billing address that matches your new location. After testing the top VPNs in 2023, I recommend ExpressVPN as its high-speed global servers work seamlessly with Steam. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can easily get a refund if you’re not fully satisfied. Try ExpressVPN with Steam risk-free
Quick Guide: How to Change Your Region on Steam in 2023
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Step-By-Step Guide: How to Change Your Steam Country
You can’t change your Steam region manually in your account settings. Instead, you can only change your Steam region while making a purchase using a payment method from that country. To stop people from jumping between stores to get cheaper games, Steam only lets you change regions once every 3 months. You can also change your store country by manually contacting Steam support. However, it’s not an easy process to find this option, and I can’t guarantee how long it’ll take to receive a response.
The Best VPNs for Steam (Tested in 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — #1 for Steam and Lag-Free Online Gaming
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the best VPN for gaming with Steam because of its fast and consistent speeds. My speed tests with ExpressVPN showed a minimal speed loss of only 14.6% on average, so I could play online games smoothly and without any lag or interruptions. This is further helped by its proprietary Lightway protocol that’s optimized for speed (and security).
These fast speeds are partly due to ExpressVPN’s large global network of more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries. With such a large network, you’ll have no trouble finding a server in the right region and changing your Steam country. There’s even a built-in speed test on the desktop apps so you have an instant idea of your connection quality. Ideally, ping should be less than 100ms for uninterrupted gaming. I was pleasantly surprised when my tests established that ExpressVPN’s ping was on average just 40ms with local servers while playing Rocket League. Speed isn’t the only reason why I rate ExpressVPN highly for gaming. It’s also extremely secure, offering some of the following features to keep you safe while using Steam:
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption — conceals your web traffic. Protection against DNS & IP leaks — to stop you from being identifiable while online. Obfuscation across all servers — conceals VPN activity, preventing connection blocks due to proxy detection. Auto kill switch — terminates internet connection if VPN is disrupted. Proprietary Lightway Protocol — gives you high speeds and security. DDoS protection — keeps you secure while online gaming.
The only minor drawback is that it’s a little pricier than other VPNs. However, I believe it’s worth the investment for best-in-class speed and security. Thanks to its frequent deals you can save up to 49% which brings its 1-year plan to a more appealing $6.67/month. You can try ExpressVPN with Steam for yourself by signing up with the 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with its performance, you can get a refund with no questions asked. When I tested the refund process myself, a support representative approved my request within a couple of minutes. I had the money back in less than 5 days.
Game on Steam with ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost — Gaming-Optimized Servers Offer Reliable Connections on Windows
Key Features: CyberGhost’s optimized gaming servers are a reliable and fast way to connect to Steam (on Windows only). They’re available in 4 locations — France, Germany, the UK, and the US. They focus on reducing ping and increasing speed for the best online gaming performance. It took less than 5 seconds to connect to my local server and start gaming. In addition, you can choose from CyberGhost’s 9.500+ regular servers in 91 countries. I ran multiple speed tests with CyberGhost and found my average speed drop was 34.7% from my regular internet speed. It’s the second-highest drop on this list, but I didn’t notice a major difference while downloading large games like Warzone 2 on Steam. Besides its great performance, CyberGhost also secures your gaming PC with a number of features, including:
Military-grade encryption and leak protection — ensure your data is safeguarded at all times. Auto kill switch — maintains your anonymity by halting your activity if the VPN connection is disrupted. Static IP address provision — makes detection by Steam’s systems less likely by offering a consistent IP. Audited no-logs policy — assures that no user data is stored, preserving your privacy. Ad and malware-blocker — protect against harmful files that could compromise your Steam login credentials or other sensitive data. NAT firewall — prevents unwanted traffic from reaching your devices by hiding your IP addresses, enhancing your security and privacy.
With the ability to connect 7 devices at the same time, CyberGhost is one of the most affordable premium VPNs on the market — its subscriptions start at just $2.11 for a 2-year + 3 months plan. While it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN, it’s a reliable option for connecting to Steam. You can try CyberGhost with Steam to see how well it works for you. There’s a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is the longest on this list. I even tested it myself — and had my money back in less than a week after contacting customer support over 24/7 live chat. The process was simple and took only a couple of minutes to complete. Game on Steam with CyberGhost
3. Private Internet Access — Huge Server Network Enables Global Access to Steam
Key Features: Private Internet Access (PIA) has an enormous server network of over 35,000 servers in 84 countries. I’ve found that PIA’s giant network makes accessing Steam easy due to the many server choices all across the world, even if you’re logging in while traveling away from home. I had decent speeds for browsing games on Steam and playing online with PIA, although I didn’t find it to be as fast as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. However, I successfully boosted my server speeds by around 10Mbps by connecting to the WireGuard protocol instead of OpenVPN. On the other hand, the ping rates I measured while gaming with PIA were some of the lowest that I’ve tested. With a local server (in the city I live in), I had a ping of just 8ms while playing Splitgate! However, even the average of 45ms that I measured was unexpectedly good. When it comes to security, PIA uses the following:
Military-grade encryption and leak protection — keep online data anonymous and secure. No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks — ensures privacy across multiple servers and tests. Kill switch — blocks all online traffic if server connection drops. MACE tool — automatically blocks all ads and malware.
My issue with PIA is that it’s based in the US, which isn’t ideal if you’re privacy-focused. The US is part of several intelligence-sharing alliances and has strict data-retention laws. However, PIA is not only independently audited, but has been subpoenaed several times and handed over zero data, which inspires plenty of trust. PIA offers great value for money as you can connect Unlimited devices at the same time. Plus, its subscriptions start at just $2.11 for a 2-year + 3 months plan, making it the most budget-friendly option on this list. I recommend you try PIA with Steam risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee and see if it’s the right fit for you. Game on Steam with PIA
4. NordVPN — Excellent for Virtual LAN Gaming with Meshnet Technology
Key Features: NordVPN is a top choice for Steam gamers — you can use its Meshnet feature to set up a secure virtual LAN for gaming with friends, regardless of their location. This means you can essentially have a LAN party without needing to be physically present. It’s an extremely unique feature that I haven’t seen implemented by other top VPNs. I ran several speed tests on NordVPN and found the speeds to be consistently high, even when connecting to servers far away. The average speed loss from my baseline was just 15.2%, which won’t noticeably affect your online gaming experience. Ping was also generally below 60ms on local servers, which served me well while playing Overwatch 2. To ensure you’re safe while gaming on Steam, NordVPN also offers the following security features:
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption — protects your online data. Protection against DNS & IP leaks — maintains your anonymity online. Double VPN — encrypts your traffic twice by routing it through two different servers, adding an extra layer of security and anonymity. Auto kill switch — disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops. NordLynx Protocol — ensures optimal speed and security. DDoS protection — offers additional security during online gaming.
One minor drawback of NordVPN is the relatively limited number of obfuscated servers. Although it provides at least two obfuscated servers per region, for those in heavily restricted regions or who regularly require obfuscated connections, this might not be quite sufficient. Starting at $3.49 per month for the 2-year plan, NordVPN offers good value for its robust features. You can try it with Steam with no risk thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee. When I tested this, the support representative suggested extending my trial but promptly processed my refund when I declined. I had the money back 6 days later. Game on Steam with NordVPN
5. Surfshark — User-Friendly Interface and Robust Performance for Steam Gaming
Key Features: With an extremely user-friendly interface, Surfshark makes an excellent choice for Steam users who prioritize ease of use. The intuitive design allows you to effortlessly connect to the best server for your needs. To help you choose the best server for Steam, Surfshark either auto-connects you to the best available server, or you can choose manually. Average speeds were the slowest on this list, dropping an average of 36.3% from my baseline. However, I found this was plenty for large downloads. I also found Surfshark’s ping rates fine for gaming, hovering around 70ms when connected to local servers. This introduced no noticeable lag while playing CS:GO. But Surfshark doesn’t stop at speed and usability. It also offers a strong suite of security features to protect you while gaming on Steam:
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption — safeguards your online activities. Protection against DNS & IP leaks — maintains your online anonymity. MultiHop mode — routes your connection through multiple servers for additional privacy. Auto kill switch — disconnects your internet if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops. CleanWeb — blocks ads, trackers, and malware.
One minor drawback of Surfshark is that it doesn’t display the ping and server distance information in an easy-to-read way. This can be useful for online gaming, as it helps you choose the lowest-latency server. However, it’s not a deal-breaker, as Surfshark’s “Fastest Server” feature connected me to the best server for my needs the vast majority of the time. Surfshark’s pricing is competitive, with the 2-year plan starting at $2.39 per month. And you can put Surfshark to the test risk-free, thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee. During my test, the customer support representative was quick to process my refund request, and I had my money back within a week. Game on Steam with Surfshark
Comparison Table: 2023’s Best VPNs for Steam
Will Steam REALLY Ban You for Using a VPN?
Contrary to popular belief, using a VPN does not generally breach Steam’s Terms of Service. In fact, many users turn to VPNs for a range of legitimate reasons such as enhancing their privacy or maintaining secure connections when playing on public networks. However, it’s crucial to note that using VPNs to exploit Steam’s regional pricing can result in account bans. If you’re disguising your location to take advantage of lower game prices, Steam views this as misuse.
How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs for Steam
I tested all the best VPNs in 2023 against the following criteria and ranked them based on their performance.
Global server network — across a wide range of countries, as well as multiple server options in each location. Strong security and privacy features — such as AES-256-bit encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and a no-logs policy so your private data can’t be tracked or traced. Blazing-fast speeds — ensures fast downloading, streaming, and browsing. Consistently low ping — for lag-free online gaming even in competitive titles like Call of Duty: Warzone 2. Unlimited bandwidth — since downloading games can be data-intensive, and you don’t want to face any data caps. Ease of use — such as a user-friendly interface and intuitive functionality was taken into account to ensure a smooth experience, particularly for VPN newcomers. Responsive customer support — should be available in case issues arise, through various channels like live chat and email. Competitive pricing — established by a combination of powerful features and excellent performance at a reasonable price.
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Change Your Steam Region Easily With a Quality VPN
Using Steam with a VPN doesn’t automatically result in a ban — in fact, it can help secure your data against hackers and DDoS attacks when gaming, and even navigate around network restrictions that block access to the service. A VPN can even help you update your Steam region if you’re facing technical issues with your local IP address. However, using a VPN to get lower game prices or restricted content goes directly against Steam’s Terms of Service and is absolutely punishable by a ban. If you’re caught using a VPN or proxy server in this way, you could face a permanent account ban and lose access to all of your purchased games. You will face a Steam account ban if you use a VPN in a way that violates the Subscriber Agreement. This means using a VPN to access games and content not available in your region, or changing countries to purchase games at a lower price. Some users have reported that using a VPN while connected to Steam can reset the cooldown period, especially if Steam detects that you’re hiding your true IP address. This is why it’s so important to only use a high-quality VPN with Steam, so it won’t be detected by Steam. However, there could be a few different reasons you can’t change your Steam region:
You’ve changed your region before and the 3-month cooldown period isn’t over. If you’re using a VPN, it could be leaking your location data or not hiding your IP address. Steam has detected your VPN use and reset the 3-month cooldown period — a service like ExpressVPN has obfuscation on all servers so Steam can’t detect your VPN connection.
If none of these work, try contacting Steam support and explaining your situation. In some cases, they can manually approve the change. If you’re relocating to a different country and want to change your Steam region prior to traveling, you can only do this with a VPN. Plus, to confirm the region change you’ll need to have a payment method and billing address linked to that country. To minimize the risk of unfair bans, I recommend using a high-quality VPN like ExpressVPN. You can use ExpressVPN’s global server network to connect to Steam, as well as enjoy blazing-fast speeds and top-tier security. You can even buy ExpressVPN with confidence knowing you can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase if you’re not satisfied. Access Steam with ExpressVPN
