VPN providers often claim to be the fastest in the business. But it is no secret that even the quickest VPN will negatively affect your speed. This is is a necessary effect of the way VPN encryption and routing works.
Yet, it is also true that some VPNs are faster than others. The question that immediately springs to mind then is “how fast”? To answer that question, we measured the speeds across the same 4 server locations for each provider (UK, US Germany, and Australia). In addition, we also looked into features such as unblocking ability, security, and advanced features to figure which VPNs cover all bases.
List of the 7 Fastest VPN Service Providers of 2021
Here is a list of VPN speeds measured for different providers:
Note: All VPN testing was performed on a base Internet speed of 30 Mbps.
| Provider | VPN Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | 27.91 Mbps | $2.49/mo |
| ExpressVPN | 27.17 Mbps | $6.67/mo |
| PureVPN | 26.01 Mbps | $3.33/mo |
| NordVPN | 24.91 Mbps | $3.30/mo |
| Astrill VPN | 24.76 Mbps | $10.00/mo |
| Ivacy VPN | 18.71 Mbps | $1/mo |
| CyberGhost VPN | 17.10 Mbps | $1.99/mo |
Fastest VPN Services in 2021: Detailed Rundown
Here the 7 fastest VPN service providers for 2021:
1. Surfshark – Super fast VPN Provider
Average download speed: 27.91 Mbps | Servers: 3200+ | Price: $2.49/mo
Surfshark proved to be the answer to the question “what is the fastest VPN?”. To test the provider’s performance, I conducted a series of speed tests and determined how it impacted user experience and internet connection. The reason why it deserves a place as one of the fastest VPNs is provided below:
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 28.45 Mbps | 18.61 Mbps | 187 ms |
| UK: 26.07 Mbps | 6.00 Mbps | 140 ms |
| GER: 28.73 Mbps | 24.81 Mbps | 134 ms |
| AUS: 28.41 Mbps | 10.20 Mbps | 237 ms |
| Avg: 27.91 Mbps | 14.91 Mbps | 174.5 ms |
The fact that the VPN is continuing to expand its network and now offers 3200+ servers in 65+ countries will translate into continued fast performance.
These fast speeds are also excellent when it comes to streaming. Surfshark can easily unblock streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Plex, HBO GO, ESPN, and more. The streams work well even in higher quality due to the ability of Surfshark to maintain fast speeds.
For the same reason, Surfshark is a good choice for torrenting and gaming purposes. Although all providers reduce latency, Surfshark still maintains it to an acceptable level.
Furthermore, the VPN is equipped with powerful advanced features that go beyond basic VPN protection. These include a kill switch, MultiHop, CleanWeb, and more.
Overall, Surshark is a complete package that delivers lightning-fast speeds without compromising on other aspects of VPN functionality. To test all these features for free before buying, check out Surfshark’s free trial.
Read Surfshark review for further details.
2. ExpressVPN – Fastest for Streaming
Average download speed: 27.17 Mbps | Servers: 3,000+ | Price: $6.67/mo
ExpressVPN is one of the leading providers that have been operating in the industry for years. ExpressVPN’s US server speed is lower than both NordVPN or PureVPN. Nonetheless, it is still fast enough overall to make its way 2nd on the list. You can further dig into its speed in ExpressVPN Speed Results.
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 26.62 Mbps | 18.0 4 Mbps | 193 ms |
| UK: 26.68 Mbps | 17.85 Mbps | 122 ms |
| GER: 28.97 Mbps | 15.76 Mbps | 130 ms |
| AUS: 26.43 Mbps | 12.45 Mbps | 283 ms |
| Avg: 27.17 Mbps | 16.02 Mbps | 182 ms |
Moreover, it is one of the best VPN for streaming Netflix and easily unblocks popular streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO GO, ESPN, Stan, YouTube TV, and more.
The user interface is simple and effective, and connecting to a server takes only a few seconds. This isn’t surprising, considering the fact that ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 94 countries.
All ExpressVPN servers support P2P torrenting. You can unblock torrent websites and commence fast P2P file-sharing. In addition, the VPN is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, Android TV iOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, some routers and provides 5 simultaneous connections.
Overall, ExpressVPN is a powerful VPN that veritably lives up to its name, offering impressive speeds, countless payment methods including bitcoins and industry-leading features.
Read our ExpressVPN review for further details.
3. PureVPN – Value for Money
Average download speed: 26.01 Mbps | Servers: 6500+ | Price: $3.33/mo
PureVPN, the veteran Hong Kong based VPN provider, ranks 3rd among the quick VPN services. The provider ensures fast connection speed along with reliable connectivity every time.
The overall performance of PureVPN is remarkably consistent with an average of 26.01 Mbps. This is how the VPN speed comparison for different server locations looks:
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 29.07 Mbps | 3.74 Mbps | 192 ms |
| UK: 29.34 Mbps | 26.76 Mbps | 123 ms |
| GER: 20.85 Mbps | 12.21 Mbps | 157 ms |
| AUS: 24.79 Mbps | 11.55 Mbps | 274 ms |
| Avg: 26.01 Mbps | 13.56 Mbps | 186.5 ms |
Based on these results, it can be safely said that PureVPN offers reliable and fast performance. Particularly for US-based servers, PurVPN’s performance is exceptionally reaching the speed of 29.07 Mbps. This is almost 100% of the base connection speed of 30 Mbps.
The UK server performed even better, measuring up to 29.34 Mbps. However, it could not maintain the same high levels for Germany and Australia with speeds of 20.85 Mbps and 24.79 Mbps respectively, though they still provide remarkably high speeds.
In fact, its fast speed makes it an ideal choice as a VPN for streaming. It works flawlessly at high-quality video with HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video, Bein Sports, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix HBO GO, Voot, Hotstar, ESPN, and more. In addition, there are many p2p-optimized servers in its network of 6500+ servers in over 140 countries.
The only drawback is that it takes a bit long to successfully establish a connection with the desired server. But PureVPN offers some great features as part of its package such a split-tunneling, kill switch, and more. With strong AES-256 encryption, effectively protects users from any security threats on the web and strongly protects user privacy.
PureVPN is on top of the list of VPN on Firestick and on VPN on Kodi to boost the streaming experience. The provider offers 10 simultaneous connections and is compatible with most common devices including Windows, macOS, Android, Android TV iOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, routers, Amazon Fire TV, Chromebook, and more.
Read PureVPN review and this cheap VPN guide for an exclusive price offer by the provider.
4. NordVPN – Fast and Secure
Average download speed: 24.91 Mbps | Servers: 5500+ | Price: $3.30/mo
NordVPN is based in Panama and is one of the best VPN for speed. But exactly how fast is NordVPN? The speed results of the provider are also more than impressive, as you can see below.
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 25.46 Mbps | 7.27 Mbps | 194 ms |
| UK: 25.09 Mbps | 8.05 Mbps | 107 ms |
| GER: 24.29 Mbps | 5.48 Mbps | 153 ms |
| AUS: 24. 81 Mbps | 6.37 Mbps | 186 ms |
| Avg: 24.91 Mbps | 6.79 Mbps | 160 ms |
It is quite popular among streaming fans as it works well with HBO Go, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Showtime, Sling TV, ESPN, Bein Sports, and Netflix.
With servers spanning more than 5,400 in 59 countries, it is easily able to deliver quick connection speeds. Many of these servers are compatible with p2p, which is great for people that regularly download torrents. NordVPN offers a wide range of features such as CyberSec, DoubleVPN, Onion over VPN, kill switch, obfuscated server, and more.
Using these features, you can effectively keep yourself private on the web while experiencing super-fast speeds on your chosen server location. The VPN is compatible with most major platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, Android TV devices, Amazon Fire TV, Linux, Chrome, and Firefox. It is also the best VPN providers in Hong Kong.
Read the NordVPN review for more details.
5. Astrill VPN – Underrated but Super Fast
Average download speed: 24.76 Mbps | Servers: 335 | Price: $10.00/mo
Astrill is another reasonably fast VPN service based in Seychelles. It offers a lightweight app that is quite simple but bland, which is one area of improvement.
The provider has a small server network of 380+ servers in 50+ countries, but its speeds are outstanding across the whole range.
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 25.1 Mbps | 2.87 Mbps | 259 ms |
| UK: 24.19 Mbps | 5.88 Mbps | 140 ms |
| GER: 25.59 Mbps | 5.68 Mbps | 128 ms |
| AUS: 24.17 Mbps | 1.06 Mbps | 286 ms |
| Avg: 24.76 Mbps | 3.87 Mbps | 203.25 ms |
Astrill is truly an impressive VPN service that offers great speed with a lightweight app. The fastest server that we tested proved to be the German server, which reached a level of 25.59 Mbps.
The impressive thing is that the speed never dropped below 24 Mbps when testing Astrill’s various servers. Surprisingly, even the ping of 128 ms that we received from its German server was quite unexpectedly low considering the large physical distances between our actual location and Germany. With an average of 24.76 Mbps, Astrill is truly worth it’s salt when it comes to the race between fast VPNs.
It also has great customer support and servers in numerous server locations. The providers should revamp its design to make it look more appealing and make a greater impact in the market.
The VPN supports streaming services such as Netflix, Sling TV, ESPN, Bein Sports, and more. With the fast servers, you can easily unblock Geo-restrictions on these services and obtain high-quality videos. For torrenting, Astrill offers multiple servers that support p2p.
It also offers innovative features such as Smart Mode that uses networking wizardry to reduce the chances of being spotted as a VPN user by the government. In addition, it also provides features such as port forwarding and a kill switch.
You can use Astrill apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android devices. For other devices such as routers, you can also perform a manual setup.
Read our Astrill review for details.
6. Ivacy – Best P2P Speeds
Average download speed: 18.71 Mbps | Servers: 3,000+ | Price: $1/mo
Ivacy is a Singapore-based VPN service. It is on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of the speeds it offers.
Nonetheless, it has strong security mechanisms such as DNS leak protection and AES-256 bit encryption. Its servers are located in more than 100 countries in the world with a total number of 3,000 such servers.
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 19.68 Mbps | 7.84 Mbps | 194 ms |
| UK: 17.22 Mbps | 8.68 Mbps | 312 ms |
| GER: 17.84 Mbps | 8.00 Mbps | 232 ms |
| AUS: 20.1 Mbps | 7.25 Mbps | 206 ms |
| Avg: 18.71 Mbps | 7.70 Mbps | 236 ms |
For streaming, Ivacy works well with channels and platforms such as Sky News, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, HBO Go, Voot, Hotstar, and more.
Ivacy is also fast enough to allow quick downloads on torrenting, so you can use Ivacy to get better security for p2p activities without affecting your speeds too noticeably. The downside is that it often takes several attempts before you can connect to the server of your choice. Overall, Ivacy is a VPN that can get the job done.
The provider offers dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV.
Read our Ivacy review for more details.
7. CyberGhost – Decent Speeds With Security
Average download speed: 17.10 Mbps | Servers: 6500+ | Price: $1.99/mo
CyberGhost is a Romanian VPN service with one a great looking user interface. It is one of the slower VPN providers in the market, albeit it offers a huge network consisting of 6500+ servers in 90 countries.
It does not vary much in speed when you move from one server to another and remains almost at the same moderate level of speed with unlimited bandwidth. The range of speed fluctuations spans from 14.8 Mbps (AUS) to 18.78 Mbps (USA)
| Download Speed | Upload Speed | Ping |
|---|---|---|
| USA: 18.78 Mbps | 5.59 Mbps | 132 ms |
| UK: 17.2 Mbps | 6.48 Mbps | 312 ms |
| GER: 17.64 Mbps | 7.96 Mbps | 182 ms |
| AUS: 14.8 Mbps | 8.72 Mbps | 201 ms |
| Avg: 17.10 Mbps | 7.18 Mbps | 206.75 ms |
Although CyberGhost doesn’t offer advanced features such as obfuscation, it covers the basics well functionalities such as kill switch and IP/DNS leak protection.
CyberGhost offers dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome OS, and can also be manually set up with routers and Raspberry Pi. CyberGhost also features a great Android VPN app for various devices, including Android TV.
Read our CyberGhost review for more information.
Fastest Free VPN Providers
Free VPN services are generally slower compared to some of the paid best VPN services for 2021.
This is understandable because no provider would be so generous as to allow full bandwidth to you without charging money for it. But given the choices we have available among free VPNs, here is a list of those that fare better in terms of speed and can be considered the fastest free VPNs:
These free VPNs work with Netflix and other streaming platforms. For more information, read this article about free VPN services.
And if you’re looking for premium VPNs at cheaper rates, we have some amazing VPN deals and the best VPN Christmas deals 2021 for you!
How to Choose a Fast VPN?
At present, nearly all providers claim to offer blazing fast speed along with stable performance and reliable connection. But, in reality, such claims have proven to be bogus marketing techniques only.
Therefore, I have created a dedicated section below that highlights each and every factor of a VPN service that ensure high-speed connection at all times.
After reading the following factors, you will be able to select a true VPN service with ultimate fast speed:
- Server load: Since the same VPN service is used by a multitude of subscribers, a single server has many users at the same time. More traffic on a single server result in lower speeds. So, you should select a server with the lowest load. VPNs like NordVPN and IPVanish display existing load on a server, so you can decide which servers to avoid.
- Proximity: The closer the server is physically situated to your location, the faster will be the speeds you receive. Therefore, for the fastest speed, choose a server located nearest to you.
- VPN protocol: The speed of your VPN also depends on the protocol it is configured to apply. PPTP is the fastest protocol, but also the least secure. For the best balance of speed and security, we recommend using OpenVPN.
- Ping Rate: Ping rate is the time it takes for your connection to communicate with the desired server. The faster the response time between your PC and the server, the more responsive is your connection. Ping rate is measured in milliseconds (ms) and is critical for applications where timing is important. Therefore, you should select a VPN that offers the lowest ping rates.
- Download Speed: The service should offer good download speeds. It should enable you to pull data off the internet without compromising your speed. You can switch between protocols and servers to get quick download speeds from your VPN.
- Upload Speed: The upload speed shows how quickly you can send data to other users over the internet. You should select a VPN that offers swift data transfer without any interruptions.
- VPN Speed Test Results: Check this guide for detailed overview and results for top 15 VPNs
Why Does Speed Matter?
The primary function of a VPN is to make your internet connection more secure and enhance your privacy on the internet. But the cost of greater security is that it slows your speed. The slower speeds are more noticeable for some VPNs as compared to others.
This difference is more prominent when you perform bandwidth-intensive tasks such as torrenting, gaming, and streaming. However, the magic of fast VPNs is that they remain very close to your base connection speed even when you perform these activities. These VPNs will maintain your download speed, upload speed, as well as latency to allow a seamless streaming and gaming experience.
But there are only a few VPNs that constantly deliver fast speed, as shown in the table above and the details below:.
How Do We Test the VPN Speeds?
For conducting these tests, I used Ookla’s speed online tool. The tests were manually conducted on a Windows PC. The website tool used for measuring the speed is speedtest.net.
The Internet connection I used as a baseline was 30 Mbps. For each VPN, I performed tests on 4 different server locations: the UK, the US, Germany, and Australia. These locations were chosen since these are the major regions that host content viewed all over the world.
For measuring overall performance in terms of speed, I averaged the results across each of the four servers chosen. This approach allowed me to determine the extent to which a VPN’s speed varies with respect to changes in server, thus revealing a reasonably accurate picture.
Choosing the Fastest Server for Gaming
Hardcore online gamers frequently use VPN services to access gaming servers from other regions. VPNs also come in handy if you got your regular IP address banned, which happens often enough on competitive gaming platforms.
The performance of a VPN for gaming depends primarily on ping or latency. Ideally, you want a low ping to experience fluid and seamless online game-play.
As such, a VPN for gaming should have a wide number of servers distributed throughout the globe, so you can pick a server that isn’t too far from your physical location and obtain decent pings.
VPN Speed – Key Factors
There is a multitude of factors that affect the speed of VPN services. From the core technology infrastructure of the provider to the quality of equipment and type of network topology they use, these are all factors that play a key role in affecting your VPN speed.
It would take a lot of space to cover all these factors in this article, so I’m just going to describe the surface-level factors that can have a noticeable impact on your speed.
Base Internet connection speed: Your internet connection is the primary factor that determines your speed. A stable ISP connection with no faults in connection lines and sophisticated infrastructure ensures a good download/upload speed, and pings.
So, the very first thing you need to consider if you want a high-speed VPN connection is to get your Internet from a reliable ISP and choose a bandwidth package that suits your needs.
VPN server location: The server location you are connected to affects your latency as well as download and upload speeds. This is because when you connect to a remote VPN server, your data has to travel a longer route before reaching the destination than it normally would if you were connected to the web directly.
Although VPN providers with a well-designed server infrastructure can still maintain your speeds throughout the network, the distance to your desired server still plays a role. So, to get maximum speeds, you should select servers closer to your physical location and your data packets will have to travel less.
Security vs Speed: Adding security to a VPN connection inevitably results in a loss of speed. Using a stronger encryption algorithm, for example, means it takes longer to encrypt data traveling through the VPN and longer to decrypt it once it arrives at its destination.
Similarly, more secure VPN protocols tend to be slower than less secure ones. PPTP, despite being the oldest protocol, is still significantly faster than OpenVPN or L2TP/IPSec. However, it also has known security vulnerabilities.
You don’t necessarily need the strongest available security all the time when using a VPN, but there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed in order to increase speed. Hence, we recommend against using PPTP and advise readers to opt for a protocol that uses SSL (OpenVPN) or IPSec encryption (L2TP, IKEv2).
Most VPN providers don’t give you the option, anyway, but don’t disable encryption altogether. Additionally, 128-bit AES is the minimum strength encryption necessary for a VPN to do its job and keep your data safe.
It’s effectively unbreakable and is slightly faster than 256-bit AES, which is also common. A handful of VPNs use Blowfish encryption, which tends to be slower than its AES counterpart. We recommend at least 448-bit Blowfish encryption if you go that route.
Moreover, how much of a speed boost you’ll get out of tweaking encryption and VPN protocols depends on your hardware. More powerful devices will be able to encrypt and decrypt data more quickly.
FAQs
Which is the fastest free VPN?
Surfshark is one of the fastest free VPNs. Although the service is not exactly free, you can utilize the 30-day money-back guarantee to use the VPN totally free for a whole month and demand a refund if you’re not satisfied.
Does a VPN slow down internet speeds?
Yes, VPNs almost always slow down your internet. However, the good ones can maintain your speed by as much as 70% of your base speed. Therefore, you shouldn’t go with a VPN that drops speed by too big of a margin.
How much speed do you lose with a VPN?
The speed you lose with a VPN depends on multiple factors including your ISP, your proximity to the server location, the current load on the server, etc. In general, you lose 30% to 40% of your speed when you connect to a server close to you, whereas the number can rise up to as much as 70% for distant servers.
Final Verdict
Surfshark came out on top as the best fast VPN on the basis of average download speed i.e. 27.91 Mbps. Moreover, the provider has impressed us with almost perfect speeds on what would be considered a pretty slow internet connection in the modern-day. Thus, this shows how reliable this VPN is if speed is what you’re after.
As such, if you’re looking for a VPN specifically for purposes where speed is paramount, these providers should be your top choice without a shadow of a doubt.
See also:
I’m on Cox Gigablast and Expressvpn. I get 976 Mb/s down in Win 10 and 36Mb/s up. In Linux, (where I’m at 99.9% of the time) get 921 down, still 36 up.
During the last year on ExpressVPN I got 731 down and still 36 up.
I’m sorry to sound spoiled and snotty, I just haven’t run at 26 megs in like 12 years and 10 megs in almost 20 years.
Hi Mark H,
You are right about the sluggish speeds used to test the VPNs, but it makes for an interesting test environment to gauge performance because every VPN would deliver good enough speeds on a 100 Mbps connection.
I’m sorry to sound spoiled and snotty, It’s just that on Cox I haven’t run 26 megs in like 12 years? I haven’t run 10 megs in like 20 years?
Speed is all well and good, but what about their reputation?
ExpressVPN is blazingly fast on my 50mbit symmetrical fiber connection, but when I try to do things like e-mail, webmail, etc. etc. etc. I keep getting blocked because they appear to be on just about every spam-list out there.
I logged an issue with their tech-support, let’s see what happens.
Jim “JR”
Hello Jim Harris,
That’s strange. Because ExpressVPN is arguably the cleanest VPNs out there in terms of reputation.
I’d like to know what the tech support has to say about. Hoping to hear back from you, Mr Jim!
Thanks for the comment.
I know there might be many VPN providers that are fastest, but are there any fastest free VPN around?
If there’s so please can you name a few ?
Hello smith, to name a few fastest free VPN providers, Windscribe and Hide.me are the best in the business. Irrespective of what a free VPN can do to your online security, but there’s no denying that these two VPN providers have no impact on the speed of the internet. Windscribe gives you 11 different server, while Hide.me gives you 3 different servers for free.
Currently im using a not-so familiar VPN provider and the reason I bought it was due to its lower cost. But this has cost me soo much as it isn’t the fastest. Recommend me some of the fastest paid VPN so I can try them as well.. But it shouldn’t me much expensive.
Hi Martin, the list of VPN providers that we have highlighted in the table above are the 5 fastest paid VPN providers. PureVPN and NordVPN is amongst the list that are very much affordable, but that doesn’t mean other VPN providers are expensive. Their increased online security and increased internet speed makes other VPN providers’ price to differ.
I’ve heard from soo many vpn review websites about using certain vpn protocols. Ive never get a hold of it since Im not a tech geek. Just let me know which VPN protocol is the best.. so I could connect to that protocol via my system. Thanks
Hellow Monfils, OpenVPN is the most preferred protocol and I would recommend you the same. It has a 256-bit encryption that lets you browse the internet safely. It gives you fastest VPN speed across great distances. If you’re happy with a basic encryption and wants a fast VPN speed, then I would recommend PPTP protocol. If OpenVPN isn’t support by your device, then you should prefer PPTP.
Is there a possibility to make a VPN faster? I mean like I have just turned towards a paid VPN after using a free vpn for so many years. But it was too slow for a starter. But since Im using a paid vpn it does all the work, but isn’t fast enough. I called their customer support but they wouldn’t respond. Can you tell me please how I can make my vpn faster?
Hello Fedir, there are many ways you could make your VPN faster. When you want to stream movies, download songs, and play games, while at the same time do not want to compromise on speed, you better connect to a nearby server. If you’re using a VPN at home, you can connect to a wired internet connection and chucking Wi-Fi away. You can experiment with changing your protocol. Hope these tips will help you make your VPN faster.
Just my experiences…..I am currently in Saudi Arabia. I have been using Vypr from GoldenFrog and I love their app for my Mac and iPhone as well as their fast download speed BUT….. they log your usage (just received a DMCA notice) and so I have decided to change to a more secure provider.
I went to the Torrentfreak review of truly anonymous vpn providers.
I have tried Nord, Secure Me and IP Vanish – none of them, despite their advertising/web site blurb, provide an app that works simply and out of the box if you live in Saudi (or probably China or any other place with internet restrictions). All require you to manually set up Tunnelblick, download a load of config files etc. – not what I want.
I tried all these over the last three days.
Nord refunded my $79 straight away (well, it is still pending in my PayPal account, but at least it is showing).
Secure Me charged just £2 for 48 hour access to try out their service.
IPVanish is yet to refund my $58 but I presume they will honour their money-back claims on their web site.
My next trial will be Express VPN – another money-back guarantee (so they claim) but certainly more expensive than the others.
Will keep you posted.
Hey Dan,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Any updates yo’d like to share with us regarding ExpressVPN?
Just signed up to expressvpn, used all protocols, my 220Mb connection went down to a max of 30Mb…. nothing could do to improve… luckily they allowed my full money back tried so many servers was quite disappointed
Hi Scott,
Thanks for sharing your experience. ExpressVPN works pretty well for most customers, but they are always cases where things don’t go that well.
I’m glad they stood up to their money-back guarantees in your case! 🙂
I am looking for a VPN for gaming. The main purpose behind it is to prevent DDoSing while I am in game. So which VPN you suggest?
Hi Kimberly,
Thanks for posting your query. You can give PureVPN with DDoS protection add-on a try, as it offers good performance and will also protect you from DDoS attacks. Alternatively, ExpressVPN is also a good VPN to use while gaming.
I have a question. I subscribed to yearly plan of Vypr VPN about 6 months ago in the Chicago, US. Now, I have freshly moved to India on a job trip. My concern is that I am unable to access Netflix US with Vypr VPN. Also, the BBC iPlayer is taking too long to buffer videos. I believe Vypr is one of the fastest VPN services in industry and Golden Frog surely doesn’t compromises a bit when it comes to their standards. But, still I am left with sluggish network speed. Can you help me with it?
Hello Allison,
In these situations, the best solution you can get is by reaching out to technical customer support and mention the issue they are having.
As you said, VyprVPN and Golden Frog are big brands and they’re normally very efficient at resolving customer complaints.
Hi,
I am traveling very soon to South East Asia to attend conferences in multiple countries. You have put to gather a detailed article on fastest vpns, but what would you suggest I should use? I am really confused between express and nordvpn. A friend of mine recommended express, but it seems a bit expensive. I don’t know anything about nordvpn, but it seems like a good deal. While you have put PureVPN number one on your list, I have had mixed experience with them. Last time I tried it, I faced frequent disconnections on my iphone. What’s your take on nordvpn and expressvpn? Pls reply.
Hello Rodrigo,
The decision between NordVPN and ExpressVPN is a tough one. But I always say that if pricing is an issue for you, than NordVPN is a very good VPN for its price. Many users receive just as fast performance in download speed with NordVPN as ExpressVPN.
I think you can safely go ahead with NordVPN. In case it doesn’t work out for you, you can always claim a refund within 30 days of your subscription.
I think speed is just one factor when finding great VPN. I prefer the one which is the most reliable in securing my online activities and all. I am a businessman who’s been in and out China.
Hello Masterpuppet35,
Excellent point. Speed should never be the only factor you should pay mind to when searching for a good VPN. Factors such as logging policy, server strength, encryption, and security/privacy features are extremely important to keep in mind as well.
While everything makes sense and all is good, what were the speed test results for China? Sorry for being so upfront but I have gone through a dozen or so websites to find a vpn that works in china. I have an upcoming business trip to china and a vpn would be really handy. But with complicated cyber laws in china, its hard to put a finger on anyone service. I used a free vpn service, like zenmate, when I was in Germany and it worked perfectly. What would you advise, which service is best for china? Also, can I purchase the service once I am in China or should I buy it before? Pls reply!
Hi Loren,
Your concerns about China are perfectly valid. The information in this article is purely for general purposes and not for extreme cases like those in China.
If you’re looking for a VPN that works well in China, we have a dedicated article on Best VPN for China that you’ll find helpful.
I read your post about fast vpns and everything makes sense, but which servers did you use? The distance between your location and the servers might be a significant aspect in determining the actual speeds. The distance the data packets have to travel can result in delayed response or increased ping times. If you place that as well in your post, it will be very helpful. As a reader, more info will available to make a solid choice. I have used various VPN services in the past, and have referred to your website for suggestion. The list seems appropriate but adding that suggested info can be really beneficial. Cheers!
Hello Jesika Cook,
You have made excellent points and I totally agree. The factor of speed depends on a lot of other factors and the speed that one user gets won’t necessarily be what another user, living in another part of the world, would get.
We used 4 different servers for each test performed in this article, with one server from each of these countries UK, US, Germany, and Australia. This can help you make a better decision about which VPN you should go for, depending on your region.
Your testing methods leave a lot of uncertainty.
You didn’t test YOUR own download speeds by connecting to a NEARBY server, WITHOUT the use of VPN to demonstrate what your BASE line (maximum download speed) of your internet service.
You didn’t control the VPN’s use of compression (all use them, to some extent) with known file types: Jpeg, TXT, and some common types of Video files.
Without such testing, your article reads like an informative commercial for those VPN services you mentioned.
Thank you for your response. Would you like to submit your own speed tests for these VPN providers? or any provider you like?
I am researching multiple sites to get a firm idea with supporting data from multiple sources.
If you tested more than 5 vpn services why aren’t they listed. Along with details like some other sites.
Its rough trying to find a website to trust. Lots of reading and patience. But I will get to the bottom of the pile of conflicting data and makes sure I push my peers, friends and family away from inaccurate sites and toward truthful ones without hidden agendas or monitory gains.
Not saying yours is wrong, just lacking the data that you actually gave all the VPN services a fair chance and not hand picked ones. Need more info of that.
Hello Mr Taff,
We have improved our testing process considerably from the past. I hope you’ll find this article much more informative now. 🙂