NoLagVPN review – is it any good (and is it really a VPN)?

NoLagVPN has a very specific mission statement: to provide you access to easier lobbies in Call of Duty: Warzone. And… that’s it.
It claims to achieve this without increasing ping times, decreasing your connection speed, or incurring packet loss. But a VPN – any VPN – will slow you down at least a little, right? Right. As we review the service, we’ll explain the rationale behind those claims.

NoLagVPN being what it is, this review will be somewhat different from our typical VPN provider reviews. As such, the questions I wanted to answer in the review were:

• How does NoLagVPN work?
• Does it impact the speed of your internet connection?
• Does it encrypt your traffic?
• Does it work with streaming services?
• What VPN protocols does it use?
• Is it actually a VPN?

I’ll cover all of the above and more in this review. I recommend reading the full review if you have the time and want all the details. If you don’t have the time, you can find a summary of my thoughts below.

NoLagVPN Summary

While Belgium-based NoLagVPN is technically a VPN and uses the OpenVPN protocol. Its sole purpose is to provide access to easier lobbies in Call of Duty: Warzone. It achieves this by splitting your connection, so only your CoD traffic goes through the VPN tunnel. Routing your gaming traffic through its VPN servers and using SmartDNS allows you to access easier Call of Duty lobbies – that is, lobbies in which players are less experienced and have high latency connections, making them easier to defeat.

While NoLagVPN gets you into easier CoD lobbies, it does not protect your internet traffic like a “regular” VPN does. NoLagVPN only sends your CoD traffic through the tunnel and forgoes encryption inside the tunnel. That’s how it manages to keep ping times low.

NoLagVPN is not a security & privacy-focused VPN provider. It’s a gaming service – designed only for Call of Duty: Warzone. It works very well for its intended purpose, but if you’re looking for a VPN to provide you with a layer of security, stream media, or torrent, then you will need to look elsewhere.

How does NoLagVPN compare to other popular VPN providers?

NoLagVPN pros and cons

Speed: Does NoLagVPN impact your connection speed?

No, it doesn’t. But the reason it doesn’t isn’t because NoLagVPN’s network is loaded with bandwidth, and it performs some networking magic to preserve your connection speed. NoLagVPN uses a split-tunnel VPN that only routes your gaming traffic through the tunnel. Other apps and services use your ISP connection and usual IP address.

Here’s a speed test conducted while connected to NoLagVPN’s Kenya server:

And here’s one conducted while connected to its Cambodia server:

Notice that, in both cases, Speedtest identified my location as Columbus, Ohio. Both tests use my regular ISP connection, so my location isn’t changed, and my speed is unaffected by the VPN tunnel’s extra hop.

Again, NoLagVPN’s use case is very specific.

See also: Fastest VPNs

Apps: What devices work with NoLag VPN?

To use NoLagVPN for console gaming, you’re actually going to need two devices:

• A device to access NoLagVPN’s dashboard (via its web browser)
• A gaming device (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox)

To use NoLagVPN for PC gaming, you just need the PC, but you’ll need to install some software.

NoLagVPN does not provide any apps for its service, which is a bit of a shame. But, for console gaming, you only need a web browser (and the console). You can run the service from NoLagVPN’s dashboard using almost any device – including mobile phones and tablets – it just needs to have a web browser.

For PC gaming, you’ll need to install the OpenVPN Connect app and download NoLagVPN’s OpenVPN configuration files to initiate and ultimately use the service. This only applies to PCs.

We’ll provide a short tutorial on how to get things up and running for both console and PC gaming.

Console gaming (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox)

1. Once you’ve signed up for the service, log into your NoLagVPN dashboard from a computer, smartphone, or tablet that’s on the same network as your console. It looks like this:
2. Choose your gaming platform. Options are: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox. I will choose the PlayStation 5. The Configure your console menu appears. Click the downward arrow to expand it. The menu provides you with instructions on how to manually change the DNS servers on your console. Follow the directions to set the displayed NoLagVPN DNS server on your console.
3. Once your console is properly configured, you have two options to use NoLagVPN:

• Use this device: Activate the connection to NoLagVPN’s network using the Activate this network button.
• Manually set the IP address: Here, you’re provided with instructions on obtaining your console’s public IP address and prompted to enter it in the Enter the IP address field. It should be the same IP as the device through which you’re accessing the dashboard if they’re on the same network (being connected to the same network is mandatory for it to work). Once you’ve entered the console’s IP address, click the Activate NoLagVPN button.

4. The NoLagVPN service is now active and running. Launch Call of Duty on your console and you should be able to access easier Call of Duty: Warzone lobbies.
5. You can click the Change location button to choose a different VPN server and location.

PC Gaming

1. Download and install the OpenVPN Connect app for Windows.
2. Once the OpenVPN Connect app is installed, sign up for NoLagVPN and log into your NoLagVPN dashboard from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. From the dashboard, select PC as your platform.
3. Click the Download VPN configurations button and download the configurations for the servers to which you’d like to connect.
4. Import the OpenVPN configuration files into the OpenVPN Connect app.
5. You simply need to connect to the VPN server and launch Call of Duty, and you should be able to access easier Call of Duty: Warzone lobbies.

Routers

Does NoLagVPN support routers? Well, kind of…

Officially, NoLagVPN does not support routers. However, in its FAQ, there’s an entry entitled How to install with a capable/Netduma router.

Because NoLagVPN uses the OpenVPN protocol, you should be able to configure it on a DD-WRT, OpenWRT, or Tomato router if you have the know-how.

If you’d like more information on setting up a VPN connection on a router, check out our guide on VPN routers.

Streaming and Netflix

NoLagVPN does not unblock region-locked streaming services.

Can you watch Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime Video while connected to NoLagVPN? Yes, you can. Will it be any different to watching either of those streaming services without NoLagVPN? No, it won’t.

As mentioned above, NoLagVPN is a split tunnel VPN. Only your Warzone traffic is sent through its tunnel. Everything else goes through your ISP connection. That’s why the service can make the claim it doesn’t add any latency to your connection – it’s referring to your non-VPN connection, which it doesn’t touch.

If you’re looking for a VPN to access different streaming libraries, you probably want to look elsewhere than NoLagVPN. You can check out our recommended VPNs for streaming.

Does NoLagVPN allow torrenting?

The above also applies to torrenting (and everything else that isn’t gaming traffic). Connecting to NoLagVPN does not change your IP address or benefit from any encryption. That’s not part of NoLagVPN’s mission, and the service doesn’t claim to do anything beyond allowing you to find easier lobbies in Call of Duty: Warzone, so this isn’t a criticism.

As long as you know what NoLagVPN is about before signing up, you’ll have gotten what you paid for – NoLagVPN works very well for its intended purpose.

But if torrenting behind a VPN is what you’re after, have a look at our recommended VPNs for torrenting.

Does NoLagVPN support split tunneling?

Again, yes. That’s all it does – and only for gaming.

If you’re looking for a “normal” VPN that supports the feature, look at our recommended VPNs for split tunneling.

Security, privacy, and logging

In the past, NoLagVPN collected a lot of data from its users. It updated its privacy policy to state that collection has ceased but we found some pretty glaring contradictions in there.

Looking through its privacy policy, we find the following:

So NoLagVPN claims it’s committed to not collecting:

• Your browsing history
• Your VPN connection timestamps
• Connected VPN servers
• Originating IP address

But right below this section, NoLagVPN’s privacy policy goes into the data points it does collect and states the following:

The following statement:

“We collect information about whether you have successfully established a VPN connection on a particular day and the time of the day, to which VPN location, and your source IP address.”

… directly contradicts the statement below:

“We do not know which user was connected to the VPN at a specific time or which VPN server IP addresses they used.”

Perhaps it’s an oversight, and the company meant to delete that part in the “collected data” section. But I’d err on the side of caution and assume connection logs and originating IP addresses are being collected.

Hopefully, this can be cleared up in the near future.

Regarding VPN protocols and encryption, NoLagVPN uses the OpenVPN protocol, but no encryption is used to keep the added latency to your gaming traffic to a minimum. Again, to be clear, NoLagVPN is not a privacy service; it’s a gaming service. So, the usual security babble has no place here. NoLagVPN isn’t encrypting your traffic or spoofing your location. It’s proxying your gaming traffic to give you access to easier CoD lobbies. That’s it.

There are no IP or DNS leaks to speak of because only your gaming traffic is using NoLagVPN’s DNS servers. And if you run a speed test on your connection, whether or not you’re connected to one of its servers makes absolutely no difference. Your web browsing traffic never goes through the VPN tunnel.

IP & DNS test – Without VPN

IP & DNS test – With VPN

As you can see, both my IP address and my DNS server address remain unchanged regardless of whether or not I’m connected to NoLagVPN.

Server Locations

NoLagVPN hosts a very small VPN server network. We can’t blame it for that, given its sole purpose. The service optimizes its server locations to be located in areas where lobbies with less experienced players with higher latency connections and provides you with the opportunity to rake up some easy victories.

Does NoLagVPN work in China?

NoLagVPN doesn’t mention working from China on its website. But its server network does host a Taiwanese server, so I felt there was a good chance it would.

I wrote to NoLagVPN’s support department to find out and received a positive answer within 24 hours. The service works in China.

For more information on connecting to a VPN from China, have a look at our recommended VPNs for China.

How’s NoLagVPN’s customer support?

In terms of support, NoLagVPN provides an online FAQ and email support.

The FAQ answers the most common questions users are likely to have. However, some of the questions could be formulated more clearly. For example, if you’re looking for a setup guide, you need to click on the last question in the FAQ: Is it easy to install? I trolled around on the site looking for install guides before I ended up clicking on that question after not finding what I was looking for.

Still, the FAQ is helpful.

As for email support, as I mentioned above, I emailed NoLagVPN to confirm that the service works from China and I got a reply roughly 24 hours later.

Answering support emails within 24 hours is fine support, even though that may be a long time to wait for a response if you’re in a jam.

NoLagVPN pricing

NoLagVPN offers three subscription lengths:

• Monthly: $7.90
• Bi-yearly: $6.50/month – works out to $39 every six months
• Yearly: $4.90/month – works out to $58.80 per year

That seems somewhat steep, given NoLagVPN’s extremely narrow use case. Even on a yearly plan, paying five dollars a month for a VPN that only proxies your gaming traffic without encryption doesn’t seem worth it when you consider that for less money, you could sign up for a full-fledged VPN provided by a reputable provider. Of course, such a VPN won’t make promises about easier CoD lobbies, but you’ll be getting much more for your money.

It just depends on how seriously you take your gaming. Leveling up at CoD might be worth it for you. And NoLagVPN will deliver the goods.

Do I recommend NoLagVPN?

Whether or not I recommend NoLagVPN or not really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a VPN to protect your web browsing, encrypt your connection, allow you to torrent anonymously, and bypass streaming services’ geo-restrictions, then no, I wouldn’t recommend NoLagVPN. It does none of that (nor does it claim to).

Also, in contradiction with a trustworthy VPN provider, NoLagVPN collects a lot of user information, namely:

• Your VPN connection timestamps
• Connected VPN servers
• Originating IP address

So do bear that in mind.

But if all you’re really looking for is a way to access easier Call of Duty lobbies rather than a VPN, and you’re not looking for enhanced privacy (and don’t mind yet another third party collecting your PII), then NoLagVPN is right up your alley. But be aware that it’s more of a cheat code than an actual VPN. Once that distinction is made clear, then it’s really up to you to decide what suits your needs better between NoLagVPN and an actual VPN for the price.

So, do I recommend NoLagVPN as a VPN? No. Do I recommend NoLagVPN as a way to raise your ranks in CoD? Yes, but there’s a privacy cost.

NoLagVPN alternatives

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the more prominent players in the commercial VPN market and benefits from an excellent reputation. Its privacy and security practices are excellent. All VPN servers run from volatile memory (RAM) and are booted from read-only disks. This setup essentially guarantees that no remnant data (logs) can exist on the system’s hard drives, which is great for user privacy. ExpressVPN is a little more expensive than most providers, but it’s fast, secure, unblocks streaming sites, and works in China.

NordVPN

NordVPN is a very well-known Panama-based VPN service. It provides a wealth of features for security, privacy, and convenience. Ad-blocking, DNS leak protection, robust encryption, and a VPN kill switch have you covered on the security front. A strict no-logging policy, a thoughtful Privacy Policy, and anonymous payments have your back for privacy. Dedicated P2P servers, native apps for every major platform, and up to six simultaneous connections (or more with a VPN router) make NordVPN a very user-friendly service.

Surfshark

Surfshark is another provider worth looking at. I believe it to be the cheapest VPN service I’ve seen, with subscriptions starting at only $1.99/month. Surfashark only supports secure protocols and unblocks streaming services. It adheres to its strict no-logging policy and works in China. Surfshark also allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. Definitely worth checking out.