Best VPNs for Pokémon Go in 2024: Unlock New Regions

Pokémon Go enthusiasts come in every shape and size, from every walk of life, and from all corners of the globe. The mobile app gives gamers a chance to escape their gaming dens and explore the outdoors, and promotes social connection and fitness. It’s no wonder that its popularity hasn’t waned since its release in 2016.

Pokémon Go is a fantastic virtual game option for people who don’t normally play video games. Your grandma, dad, and your kids can all take part in the endless fun. But is it safe to play Pokémon Go without a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Let’s take a look at the history of the game, the benefits of using a VPN for Pokémon Go, and the best VPNs you can use to find Pikachu and his wild Pokémon friends.

A quick guide to Pokémon Go

A brief Pokémon history

In 2014, Google, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company collaborated to create the easily downloadable mobile game. By 2016, Pokémon Go was ready to be released to the general public. Initially known as Pocket Monsters, previous Pokémon games became popularized as GameBoy favorites in the late 1990s. 

In the decades after the games first rose to popularity, Pokémon cartoons, valuable trading cards, and movies like Detective Pikachu starring Ryan Reynolds, became part of the pop culture zeitgeist. Three years after the release of Pokémon Go, the viral mobile app surpassed over a billion downloads and shows no signs of slowing down.

How Pokémon Go works

Pokémon Go uses augmented reality and satellite technology to allow players to explore outdoor locations. Once you’ve downloaded the free app (from the Google Play Store for Android or the App Store for iPhone users), the game uses your phone’s GPS tracking to help you locate virtual Pokémon hiding out in the real world.

You then embark on a real-life journey to track down the Pokémon, “catch” them, and complete various tasks to “train” them. You can use your collection of the virtual Pokémon to battle other players at specific “gym” locations and level up your Pokémon along the way. Many Pokémon Go enthusiasts find the game extremely addictive, play every day, and discover it’s a great way to combine fitness and gaming.

Why you should use a VPN on your phone

VPNs are an excellent cybersecurity option for WiFi connectivity on computers and smartphones alike. If you’re frequently using your smartphone to access global content or for gaming, a VPN can help you to safely do so. 

Some of the benefits of using a VPN include:

• Anonymous Internet Browsing
• Bypass of Geolocation Restrictions
• Encryption of IP address (enabling privacy from search history and activity tracking)
• Globalized Gaming Abilities
• Security when using public WiFi networks
• Throttling Prevention (your internet service provider won’t slow down your speeds) 
• Travel Use Protection (you won’t have to worry about the security of WiFi networks you’re connected to in new locations)

What you need to know about Pokémon Go and VPNs

Although ostensibly, you can play Pokémon Go without a VPN, you may run into georestrictions, throttling problems, and connectivity issues. Here’s what you need to know about Pokémon Go and VPNs.

Is Pokémon Go georestricted without a VPN?

Imagine you’re on an overseas vacation and want to pick up Pokémon Go where you left off and access the game’s content — you may not be able to do so without a VPN. Pokémon Go relies heavily on your phone’s GPS to open Pokémon characters and determine which are available in your area. 

You can choose a virtual location via a VPN. This allows you to bypass georestrictions and choose a specific location where you can play the game. Nevertheless, a VPN should primarily be used for security and privacy purposes.

How does a VPN work for Pokémon Go?

A VPN can mask your physical location by routing your WiFi connection through a server in the location you choose, and allows you to choose a different location each time you play Pokémon Go. This isn’t recommended, though, as doing so can violate the game’s terms of service.

More importantly, a VPN can add security and privacy to your game time. 

If you choose to roll the dice and use a VPN to change your location, you’ll also need to use a VPN with a dedicated GPS spoofing app like GPS Emulator, as the game accesses your phone’s geolocation and heavily relies on GPS tracking to allow you to catch Pokémon. However, if you’re simply using a VPN for an extra layer of cybersecurity, you won’t need a GPS spoofing app.

It’s also important to remember that frequent VPN location “spoofing” (masking your actual location and replacing it with another) can raise red flags and get you banned from the game. Spoofing can also slow the app down and disrupt functionality.

Using a VPN to protect your privacy and prevent hackers from stealing your personal data is perfectly fine. However, use a VPN to change your location sparingly to avoid getting flagged and banned from the game.

How to connect your VPN to Pokémon Go

Choose a VPN and download the app. In the app settings, choose a VPN server and connect your phone. Open Pokémon Go and start playing.

Although you can use a free VPN with Pokémon Go, the server and connectivity options may be limited. The best VPNs for Pokémon Go aren’t free, but do have reasonably priced subscription plans to choose from.

3 of the best VPNs for Pokémon Go

The best VPNs for Pokémon Go offer high speed, optimized connectivity, multiple servers in multiple locations, and strong cybersecurity protection. Here are a few options that can protect you from hackers who may lurk for prey in the game and offer seamless play so you can fulfill your Pokémon Go collection dreams. 

CyberGhost

CyberGhost hides your IP address and encrypts your internet connection to prevent malicious actors from stealing your personal data. You can choose from extremely affordable monthly, biannual, and two-year subscription plans to enjoy high connection speeds and secure encryption. 

With CyberGhost, you can play Pokémon Go without worrying about malware, phishing attacks, and other nefarious cyberattacks. A free version of CyberGhost includes VPN connection in 23 servers in 15 countries.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers lightning fast connection speeds, and a plethora of servers located in over 160 countries. This is one of the best VPNs for Pokémon Go as it allows incredibly secure access to mobile Internet connections and public WiFi channels—often the only WiFi connections available as you traverse the great outdoors to find Pokémon.

ExpressVPN offers a free 7-day trial to both Android and iOS users, along with a thirty-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with your VPN.

SurfShark

SurfShark has over 3,200 servers in over 100 countries and allows you to use one VPN account for all of your devices. This means that you can use multiple smartphones to collect your favorite local Pokémon. 

For example, if you and your family want to spend a Saturday playing Pokémon Go and work as a team, you can use your SurfShark VPN account and log into your game account on every family member’s smartphone. 

SurfShark recommends reviewing the compatibility of your device and the Pokémon Go terms of service before using their VPN to play, and ensuring you connect to a server in your home country so that your game account won’t be flagged for cheating. 

For more on the best VPNs for Pokémon Go and gaming systems, visit our blog. You can also utilize the free privacy tools from What Is My IP Address and for more tips on cybersecurity, listen to the Easy Prey podcast, available to stream on your favorite podcast platforms.