Minecraft is not available from all corners of the globe and even in countries where you can play it, you may not be able to access the popular game from some universities and/or workplaces. In any case, you’re better off getting a VPN to be able to bypass any restrictions that come your way — whether they include the country’s censors or your ISP.
That being said, the best VPNs will not only allow you to play Minecraft as much as you want to, but will also let you do other things that could otherwise be outside of your reach. Perhaps most important is the VPN’s ability to make you anonymous on the Internet so that the likes of Google and Facebook — as well as some government agencies — can’t track you online.
Moreover, a VPN will keep you protected while connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots where a savvy hacker could potentially get ahold of your personal information.
With all that in mind, we think that everyone should be using a VPN these days, and since you’re into Minecraft – here’s our selection of the best services for it (though they will also cover all your other needs):
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
Summary
Its network includes more than 6,200 servers spread across 111 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- It's super fast!
- Works with Netflix, BBC and others
- Easy to use apps, browser extensions
- You can try it for free!
- Some advanced features are not configurable
- Not the best for high-censorship countries
Summary
Furthermore, thanks to the availability of browser extensions - Hotspot Shield is also one of our top choices for Chrome and Firefox VPNs.
Your privacy is equally well protected, with the software only collecting some anonymized that help continually improve its service.
There is one caveat though - it won't work in high-censorship countries like China. If you don't need that in the first place, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield.
As that's typically the case with most VPN services out there, the longer you commit - the better deal you get. However, what makes Hotspot Shield even better is the fact that it offers a 7-day free trial of its service. A few other top VPN providers do the same. Plus, its money-back guarantee lasts for 45 days, making for a risk-free purchase. Cause, you can always get your money back. Sweet and just the way we like it.
Pros
Cons
- Reliable download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Lets you use it on unlimited number of devices
- Low number of servers in Africa and Australia
Summary
You can rely on it for streaming and torrenting, with included extra features like CleanWeb and MultiHop, delivering a that much better — and more secure — experience.
Surfshark, the company, is based in the British Virgin Islands and with its zero-logs policy makes for a powerful combo to anyone looking to keep its web whereabouts under the radar.
The service is easy to use and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
Cons
- One the best VPNs for torrenting
- Works well with Netflix
- Simple setup on all popular devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Doesn't work with BBC iPlayer
- Doesn't work in China
Summary
Its desktop apps are not among the prettiest ones, but they get the job done. The important thing is that installation is easy and straightforward, and that no logs are kept by the company.
When it comes to pricing, IPVanish is somewhere in the middle — it's not the most affordable option but also not the most expensive one. As noted, it will be most appreciated by heavy BitTorrent users, and — related — Kodi fans.
Minecraft 101
Minecraft was originally developed by the Swedish video game developer Mojang Studios and was first made public in May 2009 before being fully released in November 2011, with Jens Bergensten then taking over development. The game has since been ported to several other platforms and is the best-selling video game of all time, with 200 million copies sold and 126 million monthly active users as of 2020.
Inside Minecraft, players explore a blocky 3D world with virtually infinite terrain, and may discover and extract raw materials, craft tools and items, and build different structures. Depending on the game mode, players can fight computer-controlled “mobs”, as well as cooperate with or compete against other players in the same world. Players can modify the game to create new gameplay mechanics, items, and assets.
Minecraft has won several awards and is being cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. Social media, parodies, adaptations, merchandise, and the annual MineCon conventions played large roles in popularizing the game.
It has also been used in educational environments, especially in the realm of computing systems, as virtual computers and hardware devices have been built in it. In 2014, Mojang and Minecraft intellectual property were purchased by Microsoft for $2.5 billion. A number of spin-off games have also been produced, such as Minecraft: Story Mode, Minecraft Dungeons, and Minecraft Earth.
Minecraft game modes
There are several game modes included in Minecraft, including:
Survival mode
In survival mode, players have to gather natural resources such as wood and stone in order to craft certain blocks and items. Depending on the difficulty, monsters spawn in darker areas outside a certain radius of the character, requiring players to build a shelter at night. The mode also has a health bar which is depleted by attacks from mobs, falls, drowning, falling into lava, suffocation, starvation, and other events. Players also have a hunger bar, which must be periodically refilled by eating food, except in peaceful difficulty. If the hunger bar is depleted, automatic healing will stop and eventually health will deplete. Health replenishes when players have a nearly full hunger bar or continuously on peaceful difficulty.
Hardcore mode
This is a survival mode variant that is locked to the hardest setting and has permadeath. If a player dies in a hardcore world, they are no longer allowed to interact with it, so they can either be put into spectator mode and explore the world or delete it entirely. This game mode can only be accessed within the Java Edition.
Creative mode
In this mode, players have access to nearly all resources and items in the game through the inventory menu and can place or remove them instantly. Players can fly freely around the game world at will, and their characters do not take any damage and are not affected by hunger. The game mode helps players focus on building and creating projects of any size without disturbance.
Adventure mode
Designed specifically so that players could experience user-crafted custom maps and adventures, gameplay in the adventure mode is similar to survival mode but with various restrictions, which can be applied to the game world by the creator of the map. This forces players to obtain the required items and experience adventures in the way that the map maker intended. Another addition designed for custom maps is the command block, which allows map makers to expand interactions with players through scripted server commands.
Spectator mode
Spectator mode allows players to fly through blocks and watch gameplay without directly interacting. Players do not have an inventory but can teleport to other players and view from the perspective of another player or creature.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer enables multiple players to interact and communicate with each other in a single world. It is available through direct game-to-game multiplayer, LAN play, local split screen (console-only), and servers. Players can run their own servers, use a hosting provider, or connect directly to another player’s game via Xbox Live. Single-player worlds have local area network support, allowing players to join a world on locally interconnected computers without a server setup. Minecraft multiplayer servers are guided by server operators, who have access to server commands such as setting the time of day and teleporting players. Operators can also set up restrictions concerning which usernames or IP addresses are allowed or disallowed to enter the server. The largest and most popular server is Hypixel, which has been visited by over 14 million unique players.
Minecraft Realms
Announced in 2013, Minecraft Realms is a server hosting service intended to enable players to run server multiplayer games easily and safely without having to set up their own. Unlike a standard server, only invited players can join Realms servers, and these servers do not use IP addresses.
Minecraft: Java Edition Realms server owners can invite up to twenty people to play on their server, with up to ten players online at a time. On the other hand, owners of Minecraft Realms servers can invite up to 3,000 people to play on their server, with up to ten players online at one time.
The Minecraft: Java Edition Realms servers do not support user-made plugins, but players can play custom Minecraft maps. Minecraft Realms servers support user-made add-ons, resource packs, behavior packs, and custom Minecraft maps.
You (may) need a VPN for Minecraft…
Minecraft is still not available all across the world. Users in most countries can play it but not from everywhere. And so, those users who want to join the party are turning to VPNs in order to play Minecraft.
Further, Minecraft may be banned even in some democratic countries, like at some workplaces and in some universities. Here, again, a VPN could help by letting you connect to one of its servers and then play Minecraft without anyone knowing what you’ve been doing online.
However, the point is to get a VPN for all your different needs, not just for Minecraft. In fact, a good VPN will have your back in various situations. For instance, it will:
- Protect your privacy from the government and big corporations
- Bypass restrictions imposed by the government or various organizations
- Change your IP address so you get unrestricted access to Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer, HULU, and other video streaming services
- Encrypt and protect private data from cybercriminals
The top contenders that check all these boxes include the following:
