Finding the fastest VPN can be a challenging task. After all, nearly every VPN on the market claims to offer the “fastest speeds” available. So how do you separate marketing slogans from real-world speed benchmarks?
To answer this question we tested numerous different VPN services and there was a clear winner that stands out from all the rest. In fact, if you want the fastest VPN, there is only one VPN we are recommending.
Generally speaking, a VPN isn’t going to serve as a reliable way to increase internet speeds, unless you’re dealing with some very specific causes. Of course, a VPN does offer privacy and security as well. So, even if it won’t speed up your internet, in many cases, it still is an excellent investment. With Turbo VPN, you can access to all your favorite content with complete anonymity! Get Turbo VPN for macOS Now! Turbo VPN — Best proxy VPN client for Wifi hotspot security and privacy protection. It is a unlimited VPN, which brings a high VPN speed and encrypted VPN connection to your macOS. Distinctive features of using Turbo VPN.
How we measure the fastest VPN
In assessing the fastest VPN, we examined four main areas that are all important for the best VPN performance:
Judging by these factors, we identified only one VPN service that consistently outperformed all other VPNs in our testing.
What is the fastest VPN?
Based on all of our tests, the fastest VPN right now is NordVPN.
It performed the best in our download speed tests, connection speed tests, and offers consistently fast performance. NordVPN also supports the WireGuard VPN protocol, which we found to be about 58% faster than OpenVPN in our testing.
Now we will examine how NordVPN performed in each of the four categories.
1. Fastest download speeds
When it comes to measuring VPN performance, the first thing we look at is raw download speed. This is the key metric to consider and it is an important benchmark in all VPN reviews we do.
For our speed tests, we used a 500 Mbps baseline connection speed with a physical Cat7 ethernet cable to our test computer.
Fastest download speeds: NordVPN with the WireGuard protocol
The fastest VPN speed we were able to achieve was with a NordVPN server in Seattle, using the WireGuard VPN protocol. Here was the speed test result of 445 Mbps:
The Seattle server was closest to our physical location and offered the lowest latency, at only 24 ms.
With all the speed tests we ran for the NordVPN review, it offered excellent performance across the board.
Here was another fast VPN NordVPN server in Los Angeles at 304 Mbps:
In my tests, even long-distance servers performed well with NordVPN. Here I’m testing a server in the UK and getting about 295 Mbps:
These test results make NordVPN the best VPN for raw download speed.
These test results are not an anomaly. We have seen NordVPN consistently improve performance over the past year as they have upgraded and improved their global server network.
With this level of performance, transferring large files, streaming movies, or even using a VPN for torrenting will work exceptionally well.
Third-party testing confirms NordVPN is the fastest VPN
About one month after publishing these findings, a report by AV-Test found that NordVPN leads the industry in speeds. They tested all of the top VPN providers in various locations around the world, with both download and upload speeds.
The combined speeds were added together in the table below to assess overall performance of each VPN. Notice NordVPN’s position:
NordVPN leads the industry in speeds and performance, by a very large margin.
2. Fastest connection speeds
Another important consideration when choosing the fastest VPN is connection speeds. In other words, how fast the VPN is at establishing a connection.
Why having fast connection speeds is important
In testing out dozens of popular VPN services, I found that many VPNs suffer from slow connections. After hitting the “connect” button, I have seen some VPNs take up to 30 seconds or more to actually connect. Aside from the annoyance and inconvenience factors, this is also a serious waste of time, especially if you frequently switch VPN servers.
There are many factors that can influence connection speeds. Perhaps one of the biggest factors, however, is the VPN protocol itself. We have found that the WireGuard VPN protocol offers the fastest VPN connections. The WireGuard protocol is supported in all NordVPN apps and you can use it by selecting “NordLynx” in the settings area.
When using the WireGuard (NordLynx) protocol, we found connections with NordVPN to be almost instant. Here is what I noted in the NordVPN review:
When using the WireGuard VPN protocol, I found that NordVPN was extremely fast at establishing a connection — nearly instantly. While OpenVPN can take a few seconds (or longer), WireGuard offers near-instant connections. This makes switching VPN servers all the more quick and easy.
As noted above, OpenVPN can be slow to establish a connection. These slow connection speeds are annoying, particularly when using a mobile device that may go in and out of connectivity.
If you want the fastest connection speeds, you will need to be using the WireGuard VPN protocol. Here is how to select the WireGuard VPN protocol (NordLynx) in the NordVPN client:
We will discuss the importance of choosing a fast VPN protocol further below.
3. Consistent performance
Nobody wants a VPN that is fast with one server while being slow with others. In short, you want a fast VPN that provides consistent speeds throughout the server network.
We find this consistency with NordVPN and you can see all the speed tests screenshots I posted in the NordVPN review. It is a consistently fast VPN without hiccups.
Many VPNs, even top-rated VPNs, do not offer this consistency. For example, we found Surfshark to have great speeds with nearby servers, but slower speeds with long-distance servers.
NordVPN invests in network performance
To achieve faster and more consistent speeds, NordVPN explains on its website that it has invested significant resources into improving network performance. Here were some of the milestones and ongoing work done by NordVPN:
Currently, NordVPN has over 5,100 servers in 59 different countries around the world.
No virtual server locations – Unlike with some other VPN services, such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN does not use any virtual server locations. This means that every NordVPN server that you connect to is in the true (advertised) location.
4. Fast and secure VPN protocols (WireGuard support)
By now you should realize that choosing a fast VPN protocol is important for performance.
In previous years, OpenVPN was considered the gold standard, offering good performance and solid security. But in terms of performance, OpenVPN comes with some drawbacks in comparison to WireGuard:
In our WireGuard vs OpenVPN comparison, we found WireGuard to outperform OpenVPN in all servers tested. And on average, WireGuard was about 58% faster than OpenVPN (tested on a Mac OS, which is faster than Windows with VPNs).
But don’t take our word for it. Below you can see benchmark speeds released by the WireGuard project, where WireGuard outperformed OpenVPN and other VPN protocols by a wide margin.
These results also match what we have observed in testing VPNs that support WireGuard.
Therefore if you want the fastest speeds, you will want a VPN that supports WireGuard.
Note: Some VPNs support WireGuard, but getting it set up and running can be convoluted, such as with VPN.ac. With NordVPN, WireGuard is supported directly in all apps, allowing you to easily use this fast VPN protocol in a matter of seconds.
How to achieve the fastest VPN speeds
Ok, so enough talk, you want to have a fast VPN. Here is your checklist for getting the fastest VPN speeds right now:
Note: When you use NordVPN and select a designated country, the app will automatically select the fastest server based on the following two factors:
What affects VPN speeds?
We have already discussed the importance of the following factors for getting the fastest VPN speeds:
We also recommended choosing the closest VPN server to your physical location. This will minimize latency and should give you the fastest VPN speeds.
It’s also worth noting that a VPN can never be faster than your baseline internet connection (from your internet provider). If you are on a budget plan with slow speeds, then you may want to call your ISP and upgrade to a faster line, because the VPN can’t be faster than your baseline speed.
We also recommend using a wired ethernet connection. Sure, it may be a bit inconvenient, but a wired ethernet connection will be faster than WiFi and also more secure.
Lastly, if your machine or device does not have adequate processing power, then it may struggle with VPN encryption. This isn’t an issue with most modern desktops, but it can be problematic with phones and routers. (See our VPN for Android guide for more information on performance with mobile devices.)
Why you should use a fast VPN
One drawback with VPNs is that they can slow down your baseline VPN connection speed. With a fast and reliable VPN, this problem will be greatly mitigated.
A slow VPN will seriously restrict your online activities, particularly for high-bandwidth activities:
Even with regular web browsing, a fast VPN offers noticeable benefits.
To get the best VPN performance and the fastest speeds, we recommend using NordVPN with the WireGuard VPN protocol.
Want the best deal on NordVPN? Check out this coupon:
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Get 68% off NordVPN (drops the price down to $3.71 per month) (Discount is applied automatically)
Have a question or comment about getting the best VPN speeds? Drop it in the comments section below.
Download iphone configuration utility for mac. For the average internet user, the concept of internet speed begins and ends with the numbers that their internet service provider (ISP) uses to sell their services. ISPs boil down internet speeds into theoretical maximums to justify the ever-increasing prices they charge.
Despite the grand promises, it’s common to find connection performance lacking when put to the test under normal usage.
In search of a way to increase internet speed, some of us try turning to VPNs. Plenty of commercial services claim that they offer speed improvements. There are also plenty of tech experts that insist that isn’t true.
The truth lies somewhere in between and to explain it I put together this guide. In it, I’ll briefly talk about the basics of real-world internet speeds and will help you understand when those speeds might be helped (or hurt) by using a VPN.
Your Internet Connection Speed![]() ![]()
If you have performed an internet speed test you should be familiar with (or at least have seen) things like ping times and download and upload speeds. Chances are, you arrived at that speed test page to try to get to the bottom of why your internet service felt slow, or why you were unable to stream a video smoothly.
In many cases, the test returns results which indicate that the connection is more than fast enough to handle the content you’re is trying to access. There’s a reason for that seemingly contradictory information.
Network Performance Factors
Online, connections to websites and services traverse a complex network. That network is under the control of countless individuals and companies all over the globe. That’s the reason for the name World Wide Web. The structure of the underlying network most closely resembles a spider web of interconnected machines.
When performing a speed test, the test data usually doesn’t ever leave the ISP’s network. So, the results don’t always reflect reality. On the other hand, when you visit a site, you have no control over the path your data takes to reach its destination. You also cannot control the network conditions along that path.
In the real world, things like network congestion, hardware failures, and denial-of-service attacks can bring even the fastest internet connection to its knees. And those are only a few of the things you may encounter on a regular basis.
Internet Access Over a VPN
A VPN service provides an encrypted and secure connection between you and the VPN service provider. From there, your internet traffic reaches its destination in the same way that it would have, had it come directly from the your device.
It’s a useful tool for anyone who wishes to prevent others from seeing the contents of their web traffic. It’s also a favorite of those that prefer to remain anonymous online.
The nature of a VPN connection means that web traffic no longer takes the most direct path possible. It first has to flow through the servers of the VPN service provider. The encryption of the traffic and the change in the data path can sometimes speed up a slow internet connection. However, it all depends on the reasons it was slow in the first place.
When a VPN Can Improve Internet Speeds
There are some situations when using a VPN may improve internet speeds. For example, if your connection is slow due to delays in the typical data path. By having to go to a server first, a VPN connection might solve the problem by avoiding the parts of the path that are causing the slowness.
You may also experience a speed boost if your traffic is destined for a network that has a better connection with the VPN provider’s network than your ISP does. Both those conditions aren’t all that common, however.
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How to download disk for mac. One of the most common causes of internet slowness is bandwidth throttling, and it is something that a VPN can help stop. ISPs often resort to controlling traffic in this way, often without as much as a notification that it’s happening. It can be one of the most frustrating causes of a slow internet connection. Not only is it difficult to detect, but it’s also a slowdown which is being inflicted purposefully.
Bandwidth Throttling Explained
If you’ve never heard of it, bandwidth throttling refers to a situation when an ISP deliberately slows down traffic for a specific type of data. It can also happen when you reach a predetermined data transfer limit.
It’s a practice which is likely to become even more common among American ISPs. This is in no small part thanks to the FCC removing regulations which ensured net neutrality. When an ISP resorts to bandwidth throttling, they most often target very specific types of data. This reason is why the practice is so irritating and difficult to detect.
In many cases, ISPs throttle traffic which uses the BitTorrent protocol. They will also often target high-bandwidth connections to video streaming services like Netflix or Hulu.
In the case of BitTorrent, ISPs claim that their throttling controls intellectual property theft and piracy on their networks. That, however, is not exactly true. They do it because BitTorrent generates a good chunk of the total traffic on the internet. They like to target video streaming platforms for the same reason – they are rapidly becoming the most significant source of internet traffic worldwide.
ISPs actively monitor for the types of traffic that they wish to control and aggressively act to slow down those specific connections. They will also often act ignorant of the practice when you call them out on it. Instead, ISPs will often try to sell you a more expensive internet speed tier instead.
A VPN, however, can help you stop your ISP from interfering with your traffic altogether.
How Does a VPN Stop Bandwidth Throttling
If you’re dealing with targeted bandwidth throttling by your ISP, a VPN is an excellent way to solve the problem. The secret lies in the anonymity that a VPN provides.
ISPs determine which traffic to throttle based on a set of predetermined identification rules. For instance, they may look for connections to specific servers online, or traffic that uses common ports they would like to restrict.
When a VPN is in use, however, all traffic is encrypted and appears to be destined for the VPN server, instead of its actual final destination. This leaves the ISP unable to classify the traffic passing over the VPN connection. If they can’t identify it, they can’t throttle it. This inability to act very effectively shields you from intentional slowdowns.
When a VPN Won’t Improve Internet Performance
Unfortunately, a VPN isn’t a solution for every cause of a slow internet connection. In some situations, they can even make things slower than it otherwise would be.
In fact, there are several instances when you may be better off disabling your VPN altogether. These include:
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There are also several other things you can do to try and speed up your VPN connection for those situations when turning it off is either not possible or not desirable.
Best VPN for Faster Internet
If you’re looking for a VPN service to prevent bandwidth throttling or for one which will give you the best shot at improving your internet’s performance, right off the bat avoid free providers.
One of the big differences between paid and free is performance. Free VPN servers are notorious for being overloaded, and an overloaded server always results in slower speeds. There’s just no way around it.
Just based on that fact alone, premium providers are the way to go. Yes, they cost money, but it’s probably less than you may be thinking. You can easily get a subscription to some of the top VPNs for as little as a few dollars per month. That subscription gets you access to hundreds of VPN servers worldwide. All those server use top of the line hardware and all implementing proper user load balancing.
As part of running this site, I regularly measure the performance of dozens of VPNs. While I invite you to take a look at my full list of the fastest providers, below are the top three. These are by far your best bet to stop bandwidth throttling and increase the download and upload speeds of your internet connection.
Fastest Free Vpn
The Bottom Line
Generally speaking, a VPN isn’t going to serve as a reliable way to increase internet speeds, unless you’re dealing with some very specific causes. Of course, a VPN does offer privacy and security as well. So, even if it won’t speed up your internet, in many cases, it still is an excellent investment.
Download Free Speed Vpn
If you do have a slow connection, first try to identify the cause of the problem before turning to a VPN as a potential solution. An excellent place to start is to test for bandwidth throttling. If throttling is indeed the culprit, using one of the above VPNs should make a big difference and help increase your internet speed. If the problem lies elsewhere, however, it might be an issue best left to the ISP itself.
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