In the fast-paced digital world, online security and privacy have become paramount.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) offer a solution to protect your online activities, but the concern remains: will a VPN slow down your internet connection?
While it’s true that the fastest VPN can impact speeds, some providers are more adept at maintaining high-speed connections.
In this review, we present the top 10 VPN providers that prioritize speed while keeping your online experience smooth and secure.
We’ll delve into their merits, demerits, and overall performance, allowing you to make an informed choice.
Taking A Closer Look At Our Choices Of The Fastest VPNs
Let’s dive into our top picks for best VPNs for iPhone and best VPNs for Android besides others, along with essential factors to consider when choosing the right one for your needs.
NordVPN
NordVPN server impressively minimizes download speeds by just 0.7%, making it one of the best available. It reduces latency by 5.6%, providing an overall exceptional experience.
NordVPN offers multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections, making it a robust choice for those seeking top-notch security. However, it is expensive and offers limited utility for free Meshnet traffic routing.
Merits:
- NordVPN speed – Minimal impact on download speeds (0.7% reduction).
- Strong focus on security with multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections.
- Excellent latency performance (5.6% reduction).
Demerits:
- Relatively expensive.
- Limited utility of free Meshnet traffic routing.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN reduces download speeds by only 7.2% and demonstrates solid privacy features. It boasts the best free VPN subscription and a strong customer privacy stance.
However, there’s room for improvement in terms of its ChromeOS implementation.
Merits:
- Solid privacy features.
- The best free VPN subscription.
- Strong customer privacy stance.
Demerits:
- Download speed reduction of 7.2%.
- Suboptimal ChromeOS implementation.
HMA VPN
HMA VPN, one of the fastest VPN options, slightly hampers download and upload speeds by 8.8% and 5.3%, respectively.
It stands out with the most extensive server locations, making it an ideal choice for those requiring many options.
However, it lacks multi-hop connections and split tunneling, which may limit its appeal to some users.
Merits:
- Extensive server locations.
- Handy IP shuffler for enhanced privacy.
- Competitive speed test scores.
Demerits:
- Download speed reduction of 8.8%.
- Limited transparency about server locations.
- Lack of multi-hop connections and split tunneling.
IPVanish VPN
IPVanish VPN impressively allows unlimited simultaneous connections and minimizes upload speeds by 4.8%. It offers excellent geographic diversity of servers, making it suitable for large families or individuals with multiple devices.
However, it has a dated interface and fewer additional privacy features.
Merits:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Geographic diversity of servers.
- Customizable connection settings.
- Fast VPN for PC
Demerits:
- Dated interface.
- There are hardly any additional privacy features.
- No publicly released audits.
Mozilla VPN
Mozilla VPN is among the fastest VPN options and maintains a balance between upload and download speed reduction, at 6% and 16.1%, respectively.
The privacy-focused Mullvad VPN powers it and features a simple and classy design.
It supports multi-hop and split tunneling but has limited server locations and a higher price tag than Mullvad VPN.
Merits:
- Powered by privacy-focused Mullvad VPN.
- Supports multi-hop and split tunneling.
- Stylish design.
Demerits:
- Limited server locations.
- Collects some user information.
- Higher cost compared to Mullvad VPN.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a fast VPN that reduces download speeds by 20.4% and upload speeds by 10.5%.
It offers a visually appealing interface but comes at a higher cost than some competitors. It provides large server diversity and robust privacy practices.
Merits:
- Visually appealing interface.
- Large server fleet.
- Strong privacy practices.
Demerits:
- Download speed reduction of 20.4%.
- No multi-hop connections.
Mullvad VPN
Mullvad VPN shows a substantial impact on download results, reducing them by 23.6%.
Nevertheless, the fastest VPN free offers radical transparency, no email or account requirements, and is budget-friendly.
Its multi-hop, split tunneling and port forwarding capabilities are praiseworthy, but it has an awkward desktop interface and a limited server range.
Merits:
- Budget-friendly
- No email or account information is required.
- Radical transparency.
Demerits:
- Significant download speed reduction (23.6%).
- Limited server locations.
- The pay-as-you-go system may confuse some users.
StrongVPN
StrongVPN reduces download results by 26.5% and upload results by 11.2%, as seen in the VPN speed test.
It improves latency by 1.4%, making it a reliable choice for minimal latency impact. With good server distribution and support for various devices, it offers a commendable experience.
However, it is relatively expensive and lacks some advanced privacy tools.
Merits:
- Minimal impact on latency.
- Good server distribution.
- Supports multiple devices simultaneously.
Demerits:
- Relatively expensive.
- Lack of advanced privacy tools.
- Dated interface.
PureVPN
PureVPN is known as one of the fastest VPN services, reducing download results by only 14.5% and upload results by 19.2%, while latency sees a minimal increase of 8.1%.
PureVPN offers robust support for up to ten simultaneous connections, maintaining a strong commitment to transparency policies. Its user-friendly interface ensures a seamless experience, although it may fall short regarding server locations and privacy tools.
Merits:
- Supports up to ten simultaneous connections.
- Emphasizes transparency policies.
- User-friendly interface.
Demerits:
- Download speed reduction of 14.5%.
- Limited server locations and privacy tools.
- No public audit.
Private Internet Access VPN
Private Internet Access VPN reduces download results by 27.8% and upload results by 10.5%, with latency increasing by 37.3%.
It offers unlimited simultaneous connections, split tunneling, multi-hop, and numerous servers.
A third-party audit is completed, but it comes at a relatively high cost and is a high speed VPN.
Merits:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Offers split tunneling and multi-hop.
- Numerous server locations.
- Completed third-party audit.
Demerits:
- Download speed reduction of 27.8%.
- Relatively high cost.
- No free version.
Conclusion
Choosing the fastest VPN for your needs requires balancing speed and security. NordVPN, PureVPN and Proton VPN stand out for their excellent performance and robust privacy features.
HMA VPN’s extensive server locations cater to those with diverse location needs. IPVanish VPN impresses with its unlimited simultaneous connections, which are ideal for large families.
Mozilla VPN, ExpressVPN, and Mullvad VPN offer unique features and designs. StrongVPN ensures minimal latency, while AVG Secure VPN focuses on transparency.
Private Internet Access VPN provides many features but comes at a higher cost. Consider your priorities and budget to select the VPN that best suits your requirements.
While all these VPNs may impact speed to some extent, they enhance online security and privacy significantly.