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GearUP vs ExitLag for MW4: Which Lag Fix to Try

Both reroute your game traffic on PC to cut ping and packet loss, and both have a 3-day free trial. GearUP says it supports MW4 and sells a router for PS5 and Xbox; ExitLag lets you start the trial without a card. First check that a routing app can help at all.

Last updated Game version: Launch (October 23, 2026)

We earn a commission if you buy GearUP or ExitLag through the links on this page; each one is marked Affiliate link. We have not tested either app ourselves: everything below is what their own sites say, checked on October 26, 2026.

GearUP vs ExitLag at a glance

Here is GearUP vs ExitLag on the points that matter for MW4: what each one does, where it runs, the free trial and the price.

GearUPExitLag
What it doesGearUP says it lowers ping, packet loss and jitter by sending your game traffic along routes it picks for you, and that it only changes your connection, not the game.ExitLag says it is not a VPN: it sends your game traffic along several routes at once and moves it to another route when one gets congested.
Modern Warfare 4GearUP says it supports Modern Warfare 4's servers on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.We have not confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 is in ExitLag's game list yet. Check that it is during the free trial, before you pay.
PC and phonesWindows PCs (Windows 7 to 11) and Android and iOS phones.Windows PCs and Android and iOS phones.
PS5 and XboxFor PlayStation and Xbox it sells HYPEREV, a game router your console plugs into, which also needs a GearUP membership.Does not run on PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo consoles.
Free trialThe free trial lasts 3 days: you add a payment method to start, and GearUP bills it when the trial ends unless you cancel first.New accounts get a 3-day free trial with every feature; ExitLag says no card is needed to start.
PriceGearUP shows its PC prices inside the app. Its shop lists the router membership at $9.99 a month and the phone membership at $6.99 a month.Listed on ExitLag’s plans page.

GearUP or ExitLag: which to try for MW4

  • On PS5 or Xbox: ExitLag will not work. For PlayStation and Xbox it sells HYPEREV, a game router your console plugs into, which also needs a GearUP membership. Before you pay for hardware, try the free console fixes in our MW4 lag fix: a cable, QoS and an Open NAT.
  • On PC, without giving a card: start with ExitLag. New accounts get a 3-day free trial with every feature; ExitLag says no card is needed to start.
  • On PC, if MW4 support matters most: GearUP says it supports Modern Warfare 4's servers on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. We have not confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 is in ExitLag's game list yet. Check that it is during the free trial, before you pay.
  • Either way: play a few DMZ matches with the app on and a few with it off, and keep it only if your ping or packet loss is clearly better. If you take the GearUP trial, cancel before day 3 unless you want to keep it: gearUP's terms say it does not remind you before the trial ends, and that there are no refunds or credits for a partly used month unless the law requires one.

Will GearUP or ExitLag help you? Check first

GearUP and ExitLag only fix a slow route to the server. Wi-Fi, a Strict NAT and server outages need other fixes, and most of them are free. Five clicks tell you which one you have.

You play on
Your connection
What you notice
Friends elsewhere lag at the same time
Your NAT type

Try these, in order

  1. Stop downloads and streams while you play. Game updates, video streams and cloud backups on any device in your home share the same line. Activision suggests limiting bandwidth-heavy apps; pause them and test again.
  2. Restart the router and test your speed. Turn the router (and modem) off for a minute, then run a speed test. Both are on Activision's list of connection tips. Run the test at the time you usually lag, too.
  3. Test a different route to the server. When your connection is wired and fast but your ping is still high, or it spikes at the same time every evening, the slow part is usually the route your internet provider takes to the game server. You cannot change that route yourself; a routing app can, so compare your ping with and without one.

A routing app like ExitLag or GearUP: Worth a free trial

On a wired PC with high ping, evening spikes or packet loss, the route to the server is a likely cause, and that is what a routing app changes. Try it free and compare your ping.

Start the ExitLag free trial or try GearUP free Affiliate links

Can GearUP or ExitLag get you banned in Call of Duty?

Activision has not said anything about GearUP, ExitLag or game boosters by name. Activision's Terms of Use bar third-party software that intercepts or collects data from its games, and intercepting or redirecting the network traffic its games use unless Activision allows it in writing. They do not name game boosters or VPNs. Its Call of Duty Security and Enforcement Policy bans software Activision has not approved that gives an unfair advantage or changes game data, and names IP flooders and lag switches; it does not mention game boosters or VPNs. Our page on whether GearUP Booster is safe goes through the ban question, the billing catch and who makes it.

Lag is not the only thing that stops you on PC: if MW4 will not go online at all, our fix for MW4 failed attestation covers TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, and the MW4 system requirements checker tells you if your PC is the bottleneck.

Questions

Is GearUP better than ExitLag for MW4?

Neither is better for everyone. On PC both reroute your game traffic and both have a 3-day free trial, so try one and compare your ping with it on and off. GearUP says it supports Modern Warfare 4's servers on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. We have not confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 is in ExitLag's game list yet. Check that it is during the free trial, before you pay. On PS5 or Xbox only GearUP has an option, and it needs its HYPEREV router.

Does GearUP have a free trial?

Yes. The free trial lasts 3 days: you add a payment method to start, and GearUP bills it when the trial ends unless you cancel first. GearUP's terms say it does not remind you before the trial ends, and that there are no refunds or credits for a partly used month unless the law requires one.

How much does GearUP cost?

GearUP shows its PC prices inside the app. Its shop lists the router membership at $9.99 a month and the phone membership at $6.99 a month.

Does ExitLag have a free trial?

New accounts get a 3-day free trial with every feature; ExitLag says no card is needed to start.

Do GearUP or ExitLag work on PS5 and Xbox?

ExitLag does not run on consoles. For PlayStation and Xbox it sells HYPEREV, a game router your console plugs into, which also needs a GearUP membership.

Can you get banned for using GearUP or ExitLag in Call of Duty?

There is no official answer either way. Activision's Terms of Use bar third-party software that intercepts or collects data from its games, and intercepting or redirecting the network traffic its games use unless Activision allows it in writing. They do not name game boosters or VPNs. Its Call of Duty Security and Enforcement Policy bans software Activision has not approved that gives an unfair advantage or changes game data, and names IP flooders and lag switches; it does not mention game boosters or VPNs.

Official sources

Continue reading

An Operator in a hooded mask holding a rifle in front of a large helicopter above a pine forest, MW4 DMZNext stepNot sure an app is the fix? Try the free fixes for Wi-Fi, NAT and packet loss first.MW4 Lag Fix: High Ping, Packet Loss and DMZ LagA checker for MW4 lag: whether it is you or the servers, the free fixes for Wi-Fi, NAT and packet loss, and when a routing app helps.Go there

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