8 Fastest VPNs in 2022 – Only These Passed Our Speed Tests

The fact is that all VPNs will slow down your connection speed: It's simply a side effect of encrypting data and sending it to servers around the world—some of which are thousands of miles away. I saw lots of VPNs that claimed to be the fastest, but most fell flat, leaving me with slow downloads, laggy streams, and lots of wasted time.

I've spent months testing over 300 VPNs to find the fastest; In addition to thousands of speed experiments, I also looked at security, privacy features, and ease of use to see which VPNs offer the complete package.

After all this testing, I found just 8 VPNs that are indeed fast enough to give you a smooth internet experience. There was one standout winner with a speed drop of just 3% (spoiler: it’s ExpressVPN). My research found that the fastest VPNs utilize technologies and techniques to minimize speed loss - and in some cases, you won't notice any difference at all. I've also found some useful hacks and tricks you can use to speed up your VPN and even some VPNs that you should avoid if streaming and torrenting are important for you.

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What Affects a VPN’s Speeds?

When you connect to a VPN, your traffic is routed through a private server before it reaches its final destination. If you use a service with a Double VPN or MultiHop feature, your traffic might even be routed through two or more VPN servers to give you better anonymity.

You can think of each of these servers as a stop on a journey. The more stops there are, the longer the journey gets.

An internet connection with one stop (such as a VPN connection) is always going to take longer than a connection with no stops (such as your direct ISP connection). Therefore, you can always expect some drop in speeds when connected to a VPN.

However, the best VPNs should be so fast that you don’t notice this decrease at all. The VPNs on my list have vast global networks or unique protocols that are specially designed to mitigate delays.

VPNs can make your connection faster in some cases: Many ISPs are purposely limiting their users' connection speed (throttling) when they use Torrenting platforms. A VPN may give you the ability to break free and enjoy faster speeds.

A fast VPN is vital for buffer-free streaming, rapid torrenting, smooth online gaming, and stress-free browsing. A slow VPN can make all of these activities difficult or even impossible.

The 8 Fastest VPNs - Full Analysis (Updated February 2022)

I put over 300 services through speed testing to bring you this list of the 8 fastest VPNs. I spent months testing these services, and I tested them repeatedly to ensure consistency—and I'll continue testing them to ensure you’re always seeing the most recent results.

I also looked at features like streaming and torrenting capabilities, security, and privacy to finalize my ranking. I'm happy to report that every VPN on this list is fast enough for streaming and torrenting. Most are even fast enough for latency-free gaming, and they'll all protect your personal information and identity.

1. ExpressVPN – Lightning-Fast VPN With a Focus on Security

During my tests from the US, ExpressVPN's average download speed was 45.89 Mbps, and its fastest speeds came from a nearby US server—that average speed of 56.74 Mbps is just a 3% drop from my starting speed.

As you can see from the speed averages above, ExpressVPN had impressive results. Many VPNs suffer huge speed drops when you connect to overseas servers, but I connected to the UK with just a 24% drop in speed and to Brazil at a 28% decrease.

When researchers from London and Manchester, UK, conducted tests for me, they found their connections to the US dropped only 13% and 16%, respectively. During most tests, ExpressVPN was slowest when connecting to Australia, but it was still many times faster than many other picks on this list. The bottom line: You don’t notice any real difference at all between your usual ISP connection and connecting to ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN's incredible speeds can be attributed to its huge network of 3,000+ servers across 90 countries. When there are this many servers, you won't see the congestion that often leads to slowdowns—this means fast downloading, streaming, and torrenting.

With ExpressVPN's ability to get around even the strictest geo-restrictions, there actually aren't many sites or platforms that won't open up to you with blazing-fast speeds. I was able to access Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO GO, and many other streaming providers. I could even use MediaStreamer, an unencrypted DNS proxy service, to stream buffer-free on devices that don't typically support VPNs.

For all of your other internet browsing, you're protected by AES 256-bit encryption and DNS/IPv6 leak protection. ExpressVPN supplements its no-logs policy with TrustedServer technology that writes data to its RAM, which is then completely wiped when the server is powered down.

Another useful feature is split tunneling, which lets you choose what traffic you route through your VPN and what traffic remains with your regular connection. This can further speed up your connection as you’re not routing unnecessary traffic through the VPN.

ExpressVPN lets you use its apps on up to 5 devices at the same time. It has a very friendly and helpful 24/7 live chat service and a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try the service risk-free.

Want to know more? Explore our ExpressVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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2. CyberGhost — Superfast Speeds and Optimized Connections

CyberGhost’s speeds are lightning-fast, which can be seen in my speed test results. I started out by testing one of its US servers in New York. Even though I was over 5,000 km away from it, my speed only dropped by 23% to an average of 179.8 Mbps.

I also tested its servers in the UK, which is fairly close to my location. The average speed decrease was 7%, calculated on its London and Manchester servers. This allowed me to browse and watch my favorite shows in full HD quality, without lag or buffering.

Even on its Australia and Brazil servers, CyberGhost didn’t disappoint. I did encounter a 46% decrease, but it’s understandable since I was 16,000 km away from the server location. The average download speed was well over 100 Mbps, which was perfect.

CyberGhost has 7,670 servers in 90 countries, so you won’t experience slowdowns due to server overcrowding. This allows you to freely browse and stream shows without dealing with annoying interruptions or connection failures.

It has specialized servers for streaming, so you’ll have no problems bypassing geoblocks and watching your favorite movies or shows. With the click of a button, you can instantly unblock Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and many other services. You can use it to access geo-restricted platforms from the US, UK, Italy, France, Germany, etc.

For increased security, it features AES-256 encryption, which is the strongest out there. This way, you’ll be completely protected even when you download torrents using its specialized P2P servers. Since it doesn’t keep any connection logs, you don’t have to worry about your ISP or authorities snooping through your browsing history.

CyberGhost allows you to connect up to 7 devices at the same time. If you encounter any problems, you can contact the support team through its 24/7 live chat service. To make the package complete, it has a 45-day money-back guarantee on its plans, so you can try it out risk-free before making a commitment.

If you want to find out more, check out the full review to see everything you can do with CyberGhost.

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3. Private Internet Access - Blocks Ads and Malware by Default

Private Internet Access is a smart choice for multi-device households and those concerned with privacy. Its overseas speeds aren't always the best, but it beat out a majority of the competition.

My research showed Private Internet Access to have an average download speed of 27.00 Mbps. It was fastest when I connected to a US server, coming in at 45.58 Mbps—22% slower than my regular connection.

While Private Internet Access' connection speeds dropped up to 64% when connecting to Europe from the US, speeds were still 21+ Mbps, so I saw no noticeable lagging when browsing or streaming. When a Canadian researcher connected to a US server, she only experienced a 27% drop in speed; and a UK tester saw a decrease of about 43% when connecting to the States.

Even though my connection to Australia resulted in an 84% speed drop, I was still impressed to see speeds of 9+ Mbps. Many other VPNs that did not appear on this list were only seeing 2 to 3 Mbps. I could not test a connection to Brazil as this VPN didn't have any servers there, so keep that in mind if you're trying to bypass South American geo-restrictions.

Private Internet Access' global network is made up of 29,650+ servers in 70 countries. The bulk of these servers are located in the US, which explains why it's able to provide such fast speeds there, with the rest spread primarily through Europe, Asia, and the rest of North America.

These strategic server locations allow the VPN to get around lots of geo-restrictions, including those of Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

Private Internet Access' security is top-notch. It offers both AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and an array of security protocols to satisfy your needs. It also has a built-in ad and malware blocker called MACE that speeds up your connection by blocking harmful or annoying interruptions.

Private Internet Access allows up to 10 simultaneous connections—this is a lot more than most services and ensures you can protect all your devices, including computers, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets.

You can use Private Internet Access' live chat for help, but disappointedly, it's only available during certain hours. You also have access to a ticketing system and a knowledge base. To ensure your satisfaction, the VPN offers a 30-day guarantee.

Want to know more? Explore our Private Internet Access review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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4. PrivateVPN – User-Friendly VPN With Solid Security

PrivateVPN may not have as extensive a server network as some of our other recommended services, but it’s still a quick VPN.

I tested its speeds from the US and found it to have an average download speed of 28.62 Mbps. When I connected to another US server, I saw its fastest average speeds of 45.02 Mbps, which is about 23% slower than my starting speed.

Like my previous picks, PrivateVPN offers speedy connections to nearby servers. I maintained speeds of 39+ Mbps when connecting to US servers, which allowed me to torrent multiple files without long waits. When colleagues in the UK connected to European servers, they saw similar results with speed losses of 24 to 28%.

However, even when I connected to servers overseas in the UK and France, I was still seeing speeds of over 20 Mbps. As is the case with many VPNs, my slowest speeds came when I connected to Australia. I also need to note that even though PrivateVPN has a server in Brazil, I couldn't connect because it was full.

PrivateVPN has servers in 200+ locations in 60 countries. This isn’t a lot, but these are high-quality servers that are optimized for P2P and streaming, which is why the service is able to offer such fast speeds. As we saw with Brazil, congestion can sometimes be an issue, but my team and I never saw this when connecting to more popular countries like the US, the UK, and Germany.

PrivateVPN can unlock many streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO GO, and multiple Netflix libraries. It even labels its servers so you can get around geo-restrictions faster. I was consistently able to access these services during my tests, and my picture was crystal-clear with no buffering issues.

All of PrivateVPN’s security measures come as default for ease of use. They include 256-bit military-grade encryption, a 2048-bit DH key, and DNS and IP leak protection—all of which guard your personal info from hackers and snoopers. There's also an automatic kill switch that cuts off your internet connection should you somehow disconnect from the VPN.

You can connect up to 10 devices to PrivateVPN at one time and you can test the VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you need help getting set up, there’s a live chat function, but it’s not open all the time. You might find its online knowledgebase more helpful, depending on your time zone.

Want to know more? Explore our PrivateVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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5. Hotspot Shield – Catapult Hydra Protocol for Faster Connections

Hotspot Shield has been around a long time and is regarded as a high-quality VPN. It’s on my list here because it’s an innovative service that manages to maintain steady speeds while providing superior security.

From the US, Hotspot Shield provided an average download speed of 24.28 Mbps. Its US servers gave the fastest average speed of 39.59 Mbps, a decrease of 32% from my regular connection.

My tests showed that Hotspot Shield's speeds were great—my connections to Europe stayed above 20 Mbps, and a UK researcher reported just a 49% drop in average speed when he connected to the US. I was also happy to see strong results with my connections to Australia and Brazil—and my upload speeds stayed super-consistent no matter where I connected, so I could continue using services like Skype and WhatsApp.

The secret to Hotspot Shield’s fast speeds is Catapult Hydra, the VPN protocol the company invented to use instead of OpenVPN. This unique protocol reduces the time it takes you to connect to a VPN server and to transfer data. Hotspot Shield also has 1,800+ P2P-friendly servers in 110+ countries, so that definitely prevents congestion and increases speed.

Tons of servers also means more power to break through geoblocks. During my testing, I was able to access Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and even Netflix. Binge-watching was easy as there was no lagging or blurring thanks to the speedy connections.

Hotspot Shield's apps come with good security features, including 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, and anti-malware software. However, take note that only its Windows client has an automatic kill switch. This means your information could be exposed if you get disconnected from the VPN on any other app.

A significant drawback of Hotspot Shield is that it doesn't have a strict no-logs policy. It keeps some non-identifying logs like your operating system and device model, but it doesn’t store any data pertaining to your usage or online behavior. This might not suit users who want complete privacy, like journalists or activists, but it’s fine if you want a speedy VPN for streaming or downloading.

You can only connect 5 devices to the VPN at the same time, which isn't great, but that’s still enough to cover your smartphone, tablet, and laptop or desktop.

Hotspot Shield gives you a generous 45-day money-back guarantee so you can test it as much as you like, risk-free. Its 24/7 live chat is super prompt—I got a response within minutes of submitting my question and the representative provided just what I needed to know.

Want to know more? Explore our Hotspot Shield review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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6. VyprVPN – Reliable Unblocking With Encrypted DNS

VyprVPN has its pros and cons, but it's still a speedy service worthy of your consideration.

My tests showed that VyprVPN has an average download speed of 23.00 Mbps. I had the fastest average speed—25.76 Mbps (a slowdown of 55% from my starting connection)—on its US servers.

At this point in my list, you're going to start seeing some steep drops in connection speeds; they're still fast enough for browsing and streaming, but you'll see better results for gaming and torrenting from a VPN that ranks higher.

Right off the bat, VyprVPN took more than 50% off my connection speed when I connected to other US servers. This is the kind of drop I saw when connecting overseas with other top services, so it was a bit disappointing to see. However, I have to give credit where it's due: VyprVPN's speeds were consistent no matter where I connected, so even my connection to Australia averaged over 20 Mbps.

As far as unblocking power, VyprVPN did a good job: Its 700+ servers in 70countries allowed me to access several different Netflix regions, as well as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. This is all possible due to VyprVPN’s impressive Chameleon technology that prevents Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to get around anti-VPN software.

VyprVPN uses military-grade encryption to ensure your traffic is hacker-proof. Its VyprDNS protocol goes one step further by encrypting your DNS requests, too. The result is that third parties like ISPs and government agencies can’t monitor your online movements or prevent you from accessing censored content.

You get 5 simultaneous connections with one VyprVPN subscription. Its apps are easy to install and use, but there’s a 24/7 live chat if you have any issues. You can test Chameleon tech and VyprDNS for yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Want to know more? Explore our VyprVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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7. ProtonVPN — Small But Reliable Server Network

As with the other vendors this far down on the list, ProtonVPN is slower than our top picks, but it’s still faster than most.

Its average download speed stands well over 40 Mbps, but with some inconsistencies. My fastest download speed was 59.2 Mbps, meaning a 15% drop from my original speed.

I used ProtonVPN’s quick-connect feature and found a US server to test. My speed dropped by 64% at first, which is a big difference. However, the results are somewhat inconsistent. Usually, the speed drops as you connect to further away servers, but it wasn’t necessarily the case. When I manually connected to a US server, I only experienced a 15% drop in speed. This result is comparable to the top VPNs, but the inconsistencies brought ProtonVPN down on the list.

ProtonVPN has 1,610 servers in 60 countries, and even though it’s not the largest server network, it does a great job. It can unblock some of the most popular streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and Hulu with ease across all the mainstream operating systems.

The VPN also has P2P support on some servers, but the speed varies depending on the moment you connect. Sometimes, its server network is busy, and the speeds drop if too many people are connected to the same location. However, the speeds were still good enough to stream any movie or show in HD, even on crowded servers.

ProtonVPN has a strict no-logs policy. This means that it doesn’t store any information about you when you use it. It comes with AES-256 encryption so no one can hack your connection and access your sensitive data, and a kill switch to protect you in case of a VPN error.

Overall, ProtonVPN is a good service. Its apps are straightforward and easy to use, you get up to 10 simultaneously connected devices, and you can test it out for 30 days with its money-back guarantee.

Check out the ProtonVPN review to find out more about its features and performance.

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8. IPVanish – Global Server Network

IPVanish is last on my list, but its speeds are still fast enough for HD streaming and fast downloading. Its average download speed is 16.75 Mbps, with its fastest servers in the US outputting an average of 23.13 Mbps—a drop of 60% from my starting speed.

IPVanish's large speed drops aren't ideal, but the VPN's far from slow—my webpages loaded quickly and I had no buffering issues while streaming. I was pleasantly surprised to see servers in Australia offering the same kinds of speeds as servers in the US, but I was disappointed to see that IPVanish's quick-connect feature didn't work as intended. In most cases, I found faster servers when I looked for them on my own.

IPVanish has a global network of 2,000+ servers in 70+ countries. This is a decent number and could get me around the region-locking of many streaming providers. However, it did struggle with the anti-VPN software used by some. For example, I was able to access Netflix, Vudu, Disney+, and HBO GO—but I couldn’t get to BBC iPlayer.

When you’re connected to IPVanish, all of your gadgets are protected by 256-bit AES encryption and a no-logs policy. The VPN also uses leak protection and an automatic kill switch to prevent your information from being exposed under any circumstances.

IPVanish is compatible with most devices and platforms and allows up to Unlimited connections at one time. That’s more generous than most VPNs and lets you cover a whole range of gadgets.

If you want to give the service a try, you have two options. There’s the 7-day free trial if you want to go the no-cost route. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you need help getting set up, there’s 24/7 live chat support.

Want to know more? Explore our IPVanish review to see the full results of our research and testing.

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Research Methodology

You can expect every VPN to slow you down somewhat—it’s just how they work. However, the best VPNs will be fast enough that you don't notice any delays while browsing, downloading, streaming, or torrenting.

There are lots of different ways to test and interpret VPN connection speeds. Some review sites use labs and complicated configurations to make VPNs seem faster than they really are. We want you to have access to the best, most accurate data, so we used a simple but thorough process to really determine how fast these VPNs perform. Here's how I spent several weeks testing over 300 VPNs:

• I used speedtest.net and noted my connection speed before connecting to a VPN. As internet speeds are constantly in flux, I noted my starting speed before every set of tests and whenever I changed VPNs to be sure I had plenty of data points.
• Using the same service, I noted my connection speed after connecting to a VPN, and then I worked out the percentage decrease in download speed per test. I conducted thousands of tests and carefully recorded my results after connecting to multiple servers across the world. I also called on researchers in 30+ countries so I could record their speeds and experiences.
• To determine the fastest VPNs, I reviewed the collected data, averaged it, and ranked the VPNs in order of fastest, most consistent speeds. Note that VPNs with inconsistent speeds are ranked lower, even though they may have some servers that are super fast.

An important note about internet connection speeds: They're never linear. There are just so many factors that affect speed, including the number of people in your area using the internet at the same time, the server to which you connect, and even hardware and software configurations like your router or anti-virus software.

We conducted thousands of speed tests on these VPNs to provide a snapshot of their capabilities. But remember that everyone's experiences can be different based on location, hardware, and even time of day. VPNs are also constantly updating software and servers, which can affect speed from one day to the next.

How to Get Faster VPN Speeds - Simple Hacks

Using a VPN will slow down your internet connection, but if you follow these tips, you can minimize the impact.

1. Use an ethernet cable. You'll see the fastest base speeds when you hardwire your computer to the internet. A faster base speed will result in a faster VPN connection speed. Use WiFi only when necessary.
2. Connect to a nearby server. In most cases, the further your data has to travel, the more your connection speeds will slow. Use the closest available server based on what you're trying to do. If you just want to protect your identity and personal info, connecting to a server in your city or state is sufficient.
3. Use the right VPN protocol. A VPN's protocols determine the level at which it encrypts your data. Some protocols are super secure, but the tradeoff is that your encrypted data takes longer to travel back and forth. Other protocols reduce security, which improves speed. Determine which VPN protocol to use based on what you're doing online and how much protection you need.
4. Try different ports. Some anti-VPN technology works by blocking or restricting particular ports that VPNs are known to use. You can sometimes get around these limitations by trying a different port
5. Review your software and hardware configuration. If you're using an older computer, a weak processor or insufficient RAM could prevent you from realizing the fastest internet speeds. Likewise, some computer programs may interfere with VPN usage. If possible, temporarily shut down programs that may eat up bandwidth (torrenting software) or prevent your VPN from accessing the internet (antivirus software).

FAQs

Will using a VPN affect my internet speed?

Due to how they work, encrypting data and sending it through a server, most VPNs will have some effect on your internet speed. The good news is that better services will have little to no effect, while the best services may actually increase your speed by overcoming any throttling that your ISP is imposing.

How much speed do you lose with a VPN?

VPN speed depends on a range of factors, including the size of its network, the server’s distance from your real location, and the current load on each server.

Services with bigger networks can absorb more traffic and don’t get slowed down by overloaded servers. VPNs like ExpressVPN are so fast that you barely notice any loss of speed at all.

What’s the fastest VPN for streaming?

As well as being my fastest VPN overall, ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN for streaming, too.

What’s the fastest free VPN?

Sadly, you don’t often find the words fast and free together in the same sentence when talking about a VPN.

Free VPNs are usually much slower than premium services. That’s because they can’t afford the same infrastructure and innovation that makes the VPNs on my list so speedy.

Some free VPNs also limit the number of servers you can access, meaning their free servers become overcrowded and slow. Other free VPNs even restrict your speeds intentionally.

I will always recommend that you use a low-cost premium VPN like ExpressVPN instead—it’s the only way to get reliable, super-fast speeds.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a lightning-fast VPN, you’re spoilt for choice! Every one of the VPNs on my list gives you fast enough speeds for a whole range of online activities, including streaming, torrenting, and gaming.

If you want the very fastest VPN though, choose ExpressVPN—it's so quick that you don’t notice any delay at all when connected. While it can be a bit pricier than other VPNs, you can make it way more affordable if you use our latest ExpressVPN coupon code.

Want to know how to torrent even faster? Check out our guide to speeding up torrents and blocking throttling.

To summarize, the fastest VPNs in February 2022 are...