You may have heard that VPNs can lower ping and let you play on Apex bot lobbies (or at least more casual ones). That’s true to an extent, as VPNs can change your location and reroute your data through more efficient paths to the game servers, leading to better performance. But can you use a free VPN with Apex Legends and expect the same quality as a paid one?
In this article, we explore how to set up a VPN for Apex Legends and the benefits and drawbacks of using a free one. Then, we provide a solid alternative, examine whether bot lobbies are accessible for free, and answer some FAQs from other Apex fans.
How to setup a VPN for Apex Legends
Whether you use a paid or free VPN for Apex, the setup process is the same and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Here’s what you need to do:
- Subscribe to a VPN that works with Apex Legends. NordVPN has a risk-free trial for 30 days if you’re testing out ways to reduce ping.
- Download the VPN app and install it on your system.
- Launch it and connect to a server of your choice. For better speeds, choose one close to your location (or the Apex servers).
- Open Apex Legends, and enjoy the game lag-free.
If you encounter an “Engine Error” or other issues, check out how to get a VPN working with Apex Legends. We provide easy fixes to the most common problems affecting VPN users.
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Using a free VPN with Apex Legends: Pros and cons
Is there any benefit to choosing a free provider over a premium one? What about the drawbacks? Here are the pros and cons if you decide to use a free VPN for Apex:
Pros:
- No cost: The most obvious perk is not having to pay a monthly subscription for your VPN. Of course, nothing is truly “free,” as we’ll see in a bit.
- Bypass restrictions: If Apex Legends is blocked on your network (e.g., on campus, at a hotel), a free VPN may unblock the game by encrypting your data and connecting through commonly used ports (like 443) that are rarely blocked.
Cons:
- Slow speeds: Free VPNs often limit your bandwidth, leading to lag and higher ping.
- Unreliable connections: Free services may drop connections, causing gameplay issues. You’ll have no chance of playing high-level Apex.
- Few server locations: With an average of three locations, you don’t have much choice regarding finding bot lobbies in Apex or a fast server near you.
- Data caps: There are only a handful of providers that don’t impose monthly data caps for free users. On average, Apex uses 200 MB/hour of data, so you could reach your limit mid-match if you play for a couple of hours every day.
- Privacy concerns: Thanks to intrusive data logging and selling your browsing and location data to shady third parties, many free VPNs aren’t as “free” as they seem.
- Browser ad injection: There are already enough ads out there without your VPN adding to the pile.
Related: Is a VPN for Apex Legends worth it?
What’s the best alternative to a free VPN for Apex Legends?
Rather than put your data at risk or deal with performance issues, you could try out the best free trial VPNs. Basically, you get all the benefits of a premium VPN, including breakneck speeds, thousands of servers worldwide, great streaming support, and a no-fuss money-back guarantee.
If you find that your Apex ping hasn’t improved, or you can’t get into bot lobbies reliably, you can contact support and ask for a refund.
Can I get into bot lobbies with a free VPN?
It’s possible to get bot lobbies with a free Apex VPN, though your location options are severely limited. Most VPNs with a free plan offer servers in popular locations such as the US, the UK, the Netherlands, or Japan.
The popular opinion among Apex players on Reddit is that Tokyo and London lobbies are more relaxed. Your mileage may vary, but it’s worth a shot. Actual bot lobbies are located in parts of Asia, the Middle East, or Brazil, where Apex player counts are lower. Unfortunately, most free VPNs won’t have servers in these areas.
Can I use a free VPN with Apex Legends? — FAQs
Can you use a VPN while playing Apex?
Yes, you can use a VPN while playing Apex Legends. You won’t get banned, and it’s a good way to lower ping if your games are frequently laggy. That’s because your game data is forced to follow a different path to the Apex servers, bypassing any faulty nodes on the way.
Can I use a free VPN for gaming?
Yes, you can use a free VPN for gaming, but you’ll have a vastly worse experience than with a premium provider. Not only do many free VPNs cap your monthly data, but most throttle your bandwidth and sell your browsing activity to data brokers and other third parties for a profit.
With Apex requiring a fast connection and using up to 200 MB of data an hour, a free VPN won’t cut it most of the time. If you want to try your luck, some free providers with unlimited data include Proton VPN, Hotspot Shield, and Hide.me.
Does NoLagVPN work for Apex Legends?
NoLagVPN is advertised as a service that split tunnels Call of Duty traffic (e.g. Warzone, Modern Warfare) to connect to bot lobbies. Considering Apex and COD use different ports to connect to their respective servers, it’s unlikely that NoLagVPN works for Apex Legends.
