5 Best VPNs with Port Forwarding in 2023 [Updated]

If you are an avid gamer or one who loves torrenting then know how a VPN with port forwarding and static IP can improve speed and reliability. Stay with us to discover the best VPN with port forwarding, primarily based totally on our research.

Other helpful uses for this feature include hosting a website on your device or remotely accessing the devices. A VPN is a robust tool that can help you be secure on your connection and enjoy activities like gaming and torrenting.

However, using the best VPN with port forwarding, you’ll be allowed to pass unsolicited connections using certain ports through the NAT firewall.

Keep in mind, not all VPNs support port forwarding. While the feature allows incoming data to get around your NAT firewall, it can endanger users’ privacy, if not used properly. However, if you keep your system’s firewall turned on and equipped with an antivirus, you should be fine.

We tested 40+ VPN services to find out which VPN supports port forwarding, offers fast speeds, and lets you customize your network. The ones mentioned below worked the best, with ExpressVPN taking the lead. Let’s check them out!

Why You Might Need a VPN with Port Forwarding

VPNs with port forwarding come in handy as it allows your incoming data to pass through the NAT firewall, which increases your online connection’s speeds. Using a VPN with port forwarding support helps you boost your download speeds, connect directly with your gaming/torrenting server, and access your PC and other devices remotely.

However, there are certain things you need to know before using this VPN port forwarding feature. Your NAT Firewall contributes to the protection of your computer from the global internet. It decides which devices can connect to your local network and interact with your device. Port forwarding is meant to get around this firewall, so it ceases to function as intended.

Because of this, port forwarding, whether done with or without a VPN, can result in significant security flaws. If used carelessly, it could be used by hackers and other malicious attackers to steal your info or even take over your device.

Also, when torrenting, port forwarding can also result in IP breaches. So, before connecting to any openly accessible torrents, it’s critical to check for data leaks because doing so poses both a privacy and security risk.

Since not every VPN offers port forwarding for torrenting/gaming, we shortlisted the ones that do and then extensively tested this feature to ensure that the providers we list down are simply the best for port forwarding.

5 Best VPNs with Port Forwarding in 2023 [In-Depth Analysis]

Most VPNs do not offer port forwarding. So, looking for the best VPN for port forwarding support was a difficult task. We tested 40+ VPNs to check out their Port Forwarding features. Along with that, we also tested their reliability, speed, compatibility, and security.

Out of them, there are 5 best VPNs that allow port forwarding and got listed below:

1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN Service with Port Forwarding

ExpressVPN is hands down the best VPN with port forwarding in the industry. Although ExpressVPN port forwarding is not allowed on its applications, you can activate it easily on its router. It further also lets you configure the internal and external port numbers manually. However, you must get an ExpressVPN-compatible router or the v1/v2 router firmware.

What’s great about setting up ExpressVPN on a router is that you can enable ExpressVPN port forwarding on as many devices as possible. While the VPN only offers five multi-logins, using it on a router comes with the advantage of unlimited simultaneous connections. Isn’t it simply the best VPN with port forwarding?

For user safety and anonymity, the VPN offers various advanced security features. ExpressVPN’s kill switch would ensure that your activities aren’t leaked in case of any connection drops.

Its AES 256-bit encryption would prevent malicious actors and ISPs from snooping. Thus, you can use ExpressVPN for torrenting safely. The features also include a strict zero-logging policy that reliable audit firms confirmed, like Cure53 and PwC.

ExpressVPN equips 3000+ servers in 94 countries, built-in DNS data leak protection and uses the Lightway protocol for fast speeds and secure connection. As a result, you can bypass geo-restrictions and access streaming services worldwide, like Hulu, Amazon Prime, American Netflix, and Disney Plus with ExpressVPN.

Moreover, after enabling the ExpressVPN port forward feature, we took an ExpressVPN speed test. It delivers an exceptional download speed of 89.38 Mbps and an upload of 84.66 Mbps on our 100 Mbps base connection speed.

ExpressVPN performed well on our speed test, offering fast speed.

Now you got the answer does ExpressVPN have port forwarding, you can get it for $6.67/mo (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan), and each subscription is backed with a 30-day refund policy, so you can try it risk free for 30 days.

Other than the port forwarding ExpressVPN feature, you can check out the ExpressVPN review for a complete list of its features.

2. PrivateVPN – Enables Port Forwarding by Default

PrivateVPN is a service that offers port forwarding support that’s enabled by default. Due to this, there is no long and complicated configuration process. In fact, it’s absolutely hassle-free.

This VPN has robust encryption protocols to protect you from cyber threats and keep you anonymous over the internet. These include IPsec, PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), and IKEv2. It also offers DNS leak protection to prevent your actual IP address any leaks.

Moreover, the VPN encrypts your entire traffic using its AES 256-bit encryption and ensures that your ISP doesn’t detect VPN usage on your connection through its Stealth VPN feature. With its split tunneling feature, you can use the VPN connection and your regular internet traffic together.

PrivateVPN works great with bypassing geo-restrictions and unblocking all popular streaming services and websites. With its 200+ servers in 63 countries, you can enjoy Comedy Central, US Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, Crackle, and more easily.

PrivateVPN supports all popular devices, so you can easily connect it to Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and more. It also offers six simultaneous connections and dedicated installation guides for Kodi, Roku, and Linux.

We took a PrivateVPN speed test on a 100 Mbps connection and the result was quite impressive. It delivered a download speed of 72.38 Mbps and an upload speed of 67.36 Mbps.

This VPN costs $2.00/month, making it a reliable cheap VPN on our list. However, if you want to test it first, you can try it out through its 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more information regarding its features, read the PrivateVPN review.

3. PIA – Secure Port Forwarding VPN Service

Private Internet Access is a secure VPN with port forwarding support. Enabling the feature through PIA is super-easy on its compatible devices like Android, Mac, Windows, iOS, and Linux. Once you’re done, you’ll be displayed the list of servers that offer port forwarding.

Please note that PIA doesn’t provide a specific number for its port forwarding servers. However, as mentioned on its official website, servers that do not offer port forwarding would not have its icon.

PIA protects your connections and activities through its various powerful security features. It offers two encryption levels: 128 and 256-bit encryption, and allows you to choose the one per your needs. It also provides a kill switch and DNS leak protection that prevent leaking your activities and actual IP address.

PIA is completely torrent-friendly. Its WireGuard and OpenVPN protocol are highly recommended for torrenting. You can also choose from a range of protocols such as 53, 80, 443, 501, and 1194. Moreover, you also get a SOCKS5 proxy for safe torrenting.

PIA offers users 35000+ servers in 84 countries. However, keep in mind that port forwarding is only allowed on servers outside the US. You can use this extensive network of servers to unblock streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and Netflix with PIA.

To check how fast PIA works, we did a PIA speed test while its port forwarding was enabled. We got a download speed of 65.79 Mbps and an upload speed of 57.16 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. With these speeds, you can enjoy gaming with minimal lags.

PIA speed test on a 100 Mbps connection using the Port forwarding feature.

The service also offers 10 simultaneous connections on a single PIA account. You can get install a dedicated app or manually configure PIA on Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, FireStick, iOS, and more.

PIA is highly affordable and a great VPN with static IP and port forwarding support. It costs only $2.03/mo with an extensive 30-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee as well.

For more information, read the PIA review.

3. TorGuard – Offers SSL-based Protocol and Supports PF

TorGuard uses the Secure Sockets Layer protocol to ensure user privacy and integrity. This VPN prioritizes P2P sharing traffic and is excellent for seeders who require fast speeds.

TorGuard offers port forwarding only via OpenVPN, WireGuard, and OpenConnect, and on ports above 2048. Unfortunately, this means that you’ll be deprived of this feature on the L2TP, SSTP, and PPTP protocols.

While testing, we noticed that activating port forwarding on TorGuard was a bit complicated. You must request access to this feature from the Management Action toolbar, after which you’ll receive an email with a guide to open ports.

This offers quick and advanced security features, including DNS leak protection and an ad-blocker. It also provides a Stealth VPN protocol that obfuscates your VPN traffic and makes it look like regular traffic. This feature helps bypass VPN firewalls. It is available on port 4443 on OpenVPN.

It encrypts all your traffic through the AES 256-bit encryption and routes it through more than a single server using its MultiHop feature. Moreover, you also get a kill switch to prevent your online activities from leaking.

It offers 3000+ servers in 50 countries and supports P2P on all its servers. It also provides a SOCKS5 proxy. In addition, this VPN offers ultra-fast speeds. We confirmed this through TorGuard’s speed tests.

TorGuard speed results on a 100 Mbps connection.

You can easily unblock Netflix with TorGuard and other services like Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. Furthermore, it allows you to connect 5 simultaneous devices on a single TorGuard account, which is interesting.

You can get TorGuard for $9.99/mo, which is a bit expensive. However, to test the VPN first, you can use its 7-day money-back guarantee.  

To learn more about this VPN, read the TorGuard review.

5. PureVPN – Affordable VPN with Port Forwarding Support

PureVPN is the most affordable VPN that allows port forwarding. Sadly, this feature is not included in its basic subscription plan, thus you will need to purchase the port forwarding add-on for an extra amount of $0.99/mo.

You can access this VPN’s port forwarding services from the Settings tab. Then, you can easily configure a port forwarding table on this VPN and route signals through a sequence of multiple ports.

The VPN has a respectable network with over 6,500 servers spread across 78 different countries. Also, it has a fantastic unblocking feature, making it easy to access banned services like you can unblock Netflix with PureVPN from anywhere.

PureVPN supports torrenting on multiple servers. The only servers that do not allow P2P connections are those located in countries where torrenting is illegal, such as the US and Canada.

In addition, the VPN claims to be completely aware of the port forwarding risks and ensures that all users are completely safe as they offer multiple IP addresses and client firewalls for the same reason.

To protect your online connections, PureVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption which makes your personal data impossible to hack. Also, it has a reliable kill switch that disconnects your internet if your VPN connection breaks. Another feature you get from this VPN provider is traffic obfuscation, which hides your VPN traffic.

You can get this VPN on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. Moreover, it’s compatible with all major OSes and devices, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and more.

PureVPN makes use of the WireGuard protocol which is one of the fastest VPN protocols. Since it’s a superb combination of speed and security as it improves the performance of a VPN with port forwarding feature. When doing a PureVPN speed test, on average, the VPN delivered 81 Mbps of download speed and 63.25 Mbps of upload speed.

We received these speeds on PureVPN p2p-supported servers.

Port forwarding configuration guides for this VPN can be found in the PureVPN knowledge base on its website. You can get in touch with their team for any problems via their email or the live chat service which is available 24/7.

While being the last provider in our best VPN for port forwarding list, it allows 10 simultaneous connections at $2.08/month. There is also a 31-day money-back guarantee available just in case you want to cancel PureVPN services in the future.

For more information, read the PureVPN review.

How to Set up Port forwarding for your VPN server

Here’s a general guideline on how to port forward with a VPN:

Note that the exact procedure depends on what VPN provider you’re using.

How to Configure Port Forwarding on your router

Follow this step-by-step guide to set up port forwarding. Note that this is simply a general overview, and the steps might differ from router to router:

If you’re unable to find your device’s local IP address, you might find it in the admin panel of your router under the list of all connected devices, probably under DHCP settings.

Methodology: How to Choose the Best VPN with Port Forwarding

Choosing a VPN with port forwarding is not an easy task. Besides port forwarding support, the VPN should offer many other great features. Let’s check out the criteria on which we tested the port forwarding VPNs before listing them above:

1. Support Port Forwarding: We have only included those VPNs which offer a simple-to-use port forwarding feature.
2. User-friendliness: You want a VPN that doesn’t come with any technical steps to enable port forwarding. Therefore, we ensured that the VPNs we listed down let you port forward easily.
3. Fast speeds: While it mostly depends on the size of your server network, you should know that the VPNs you choose offer good speeds for gaming and torrenting.
4. Privacy and security: A VPN should encrypt and secure your traffic using features like military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, a stringent no-logging policy, and protocols like OpenVPN.
5. Supports P2P: Since torrenting is one of the main purposes of port forwarding, you should ensure that your VPN supports P2P connections.
6. Customer service: In case of any queries, you should get the answer to your problems ASAP. This is why we recommend you always choose a VPN that offers 24/7 live chat support to get immediate answers to all your port forwarding questions.

Benefits of Port Forwarding

Using port forwarding is a great approach to keep public IP addresses safe. It has the ability to “hide” the servers and services that are accessible on a network, secure servers and clients against unauthorized access, and control who has access to a network.

Also, Port forwarding gives networks an additional degree of protection while being transparent to the end user.

Other benefits of using the best VPN port forwarding are as follows:

• Keep your internet privacy secure. You may instruct internet traffic, for instance, to ask for a special key associated with your private IP. The only people who can access your device are those with public IP addresses and port numbers.
• Remotely connect to your VPN. As a result of port forwarding’s secure connection to your private IP, you will be able to remotely benefit from the VPN’s protection.
• Enhance your gaming experience. Most routers typically filter out traffic from risky gaming servers. Setting up a private server will confuse the router into understanding the port numbers, providing you with an amazing gaming experience.

Note: Be careful with port forwarding because hackers may use the ports you open to get access to your system. Also, if you choose a specific port for torrenting, it is simpler for outside parties to locate you.

Can You Use a Free VPN with Port Forwarding feature?

No, you can not use a free VPN with port forwarding feature. This is something we don’t recommend because firstly it is a paid feature that can be difficult to find in a free VPN service. However, even if you find one, that free VPN service could not be trustworthy because free VPN providers must find a way to generate revenue, thus untrustworthy ones may end up selling your data.

So it’s better to use premium VPNs and take advantage of their money-back guarantees or free trials instead of looking for the best free VPN with port forwarding. This will make sure that you get a reliable service with cutting-edge features and security.

FAQs – Best VPN with Port Forwarding

Conclusion

Multiple VPNs don’t offer port forwarding due to security reasons. But, let’s be honest. Port forwarding has become necessary on a few apps since a large audience on the internet depends on sharing information.

Our top recommendation for the best VPN with port forwarding is ExpressVPN. It only requires an initial setup, and there is a dedicated guide on how to open your ports. Additionally, all ExpressVPN servers support P2P. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free for 30 days.

This ends our best VPN with a port forwarding guide. In case of any questions, feel free to comment, and we’ll get back to you!