Regardless of what you may need a VPN for, speed always matters. Actualy, search for the fastest VPN is a big trend.
This comes as no suprise. Low speeds directly affect file downloads and uploads, create buffering, make Skype and other programs unproductive, infuriating and annoying. A weak signal is a pixelated mess and perpetual downloading.
Connecting through a slow VPN to work with BitTorrent or other P2P networks can turn into a silent horror. Few people want to spend half a day waiting for a download. Probably many people went through this in the early noughties and remember this nightmare well.
A VPN is also useful for protecting your connection when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks and even for everyday Internet use in your home, so that your Internet service provider can’t track which sites or applications you visit.
The speed of the VPN is of great importance, because a slow Internet simply loses its functionality.
What affects VPN speed
There are several factors that can significantly affect the speed of a VPN connection. Not all are fundamentally important, but some are really worth paying attention to.
VPN server locations
At the top of the list is the physical location of the server you want to connect to.
When we use a VPN, the requested data must go through a VPN server before we can open a particular site. The further away from this server we are, the longer it will take for this data to be sent.
In computer networks, distance is the antidote to speed, and any increase in distance slows down the connection.
Therefore, closer servers produce the best results.
For the same reason, the fastest VPN providers tend to have large networks of servers. No matter where you are, they will always have a server located in close proximity.
VPN server load
Another thing to consider when choosing a server is the number of users on that server at a given time. In other words, the load on the server.
Server resources such as CPU, memory, and bandwidth are evenly distributed among all the users that are currently passing through that server. The more people connected to the server, the less allocated resources you get.
Conversely, the lower the load on the server, the faster the VPN connection.
High-speed VPN providers are distinguished by a larger network of servers. This allows them to distribute users throughout the network in a balanced manner, ensuring an optimal connection for each client.
VPN Encryption
One of the key functions of a VPN is to encrypt the connection between your device and the VPN server.
Encryption is a costly affair. It’s the cash outlay required to support the processing power at both ends of the connection – encryption on one end and decryption on the other. And the stronger the encryption standard, the more expensive it is.
Strong encryption is not always necessary, above all it has to be strong.
Take streaming video with geo-blocking, for example, where the level of encryption is not a priority. Choosing 128-bit encryption over 256-bit would be more rational, especially on less expensive devices.
VPN encryption can be changed in the client settings. Providers with more comprehensive features always have a level of encryption to choose from.
VPN Protocoling
Similar to encryption, the choice of VPN protocol also affects the speed of the connection.
There is a classification of internet protocols and each one affects speed differently. Currently, the fastest protocol is WireGuard (currently implemented only by NordVPN under the name NordLynx). The hierarchy looks something like this, WireGuard is followed by the most commonly used OpenVPN, then with a slight lag no less frequently used L2TP. OpenVPN also offers a choice of TCP and UDP – the latter usually works better.
As with encryption, a good VPN should have several protocols to choose from, so you can always experiment if necessary.
For best value, choose a VPN that has the above settings. All providers mentioned in this material have such functionality.
How to check VPN speed
Each speed test should consist of two parts- with VPN connection and without.
- One part establishes the maximum VPN speed. The second confirms that the results were not limited by internet connection.
- Several speed tests on different servers at different times of the day should be done. This balances out possible periods of heavy network and VPN server load.
- Tests can be done using Speedtest.net
Fastest VPN provider
VPN speed test results are periodically updated, the last test was conducted in February 2021. Tests done with on a 100 Mbps internet connection on 5 different locations.
ExpressVPN speed test
| Server location | Download speed | Upload speeds | Pings |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 85.79 Mbps | 68.57 Mbps | 348 ms |
| United Kingdom | 89.12 Mbps | 74.52 Mbps | 131 ms |
| Australia | 86.01 Mbps | 93.87 Mbps | 165 ms |
| Hong Kong | 86.12 Mbps | 93.89 Mbps | 256 ms |
| Singapore | 78.64 Mbps | 93.90 Mbps | 92 ms |
NordVPN speed test
| Server location | Download speed | Upload speed | Pings |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 92.9 Mbps | 94.50 Mbps | 191 ms |
| United Kingdom | 91.98 Mbps | 96.82 Mbps | 262 ms |
| Australia | 91.02 Mbps | 92.12 Mbps | 129 ms |
| Hong Kong | 91.10 Mbps | 93.01 Mbps | 109 ms |
| Singapore | 90.05 Mbps | 98.46 Mbps | 83 ms |
