Protecting our online privacy is important, in this case, a virtual private network, aka VPN is one of the solutions. But what if this decreases your internet speed? Is there anything more frustrating than slow internet? Pages taking forever to load and continually facing the buffering circle of doom can be a real online low. And this issue of speed is just as important in the world of VPNs.
The best VPNs protect your anonymity by routing your internet traffic through secure servers dotted around the globe. In the meantime, the fastest VPNs will do this with no impact on your browsing speed. So, check out the fastest three VPNs for you.
Surfshark
A strong competitor that allows for an infinite number of simultaneous devices. It provides users with fast connections. Different servers show an average speed loss of 23%, however, it was really impressive that all devices could be secured with a single account. The software has an auto-connect option that chooses the fastest server for you depending on your location, but users can also manually select from a network of more than 3,200 servers in more than 100 countries.
Surfshark provides affordable prices and ease of use, which are two other important aspects. Monthly subscriptions of as little as $2.19 are available, although the low-cost benefit is only available if you choose one of the extended plans. Strong security features of Surfshark additionally include perfect forward secrecy (PFS) and AES-256-bit encryption.
NordVPN
NordVPN gets proper server connections in many regions, primarily North America and Europe. With an average 89% speed retention (11% reduction), it registered the least speed drops from the baseline 250Mbps internet connection. This great performance is partly due to the NordLynx protocol, an optimized version of the renowned WireGuard protocol used in most fast VPNs. The extensive network of 6,400+ servers in 111 countries is another reason NordVPN tops the list of the fastest VPNs. You can easily find secure and fast servers in many more locations than what most competition offers.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN has numerous capabilities to protect your peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing activity, and it is designed for ultimate anonymity. Its server fleet spans more than 110 countries and includes Secure Core servers as well as servers targeted for torrenting. The latter avoids data retention by rerouting your P2P traffic through nations that respect privacy, including Switzerland. The NetShield function of the VPN is a torrent’s dream come true because it prevents viruses, trackers, and adverts from loading anytime you visit dubious websites.
Proton VPN’s maximum speeds were 230Mbps, however, some servers experienced a 20% reduction to 200Mbps. In addition to providing the quick WireGuard protocol, the app has a VPN Accelerator feature that speeds up your device’s connection. Additionally, its P2P servers provide port forwarding, greatly accelerating download speeds when torrenting.
While these VPNs are among the fastest, users should keep in mind that actual speeds can vary based on several factors. The distance between the user and the VPN server, the server’s load, and the user’s baseline internet speed all play significant roles. Additionally, while some encryption protocols are more secure, they may also slow down the connection. Choosing a VPN with modern, efficient protocols like WireGuard or Lightway can mitigate these speed losses.
