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When looking for a top-notch VPN, the two most important things to watch out for are privacy and speed. While privacy is crucial to a good VPN, speed shouldn’t be overlooked. Faster speeds mean quicker file downloads and website load times, higher-quality streaming, and just a better all-around experience.
I’ve tested numerous VPNs and run their servers through countless speed tests to determine the fastest services based on overall network averages. My picks showcase the very best with the fastest download speeds, the fastest upload speeds, and more. Read below to see PCWorld’s curated list of the fastest VPNs available now.
If you’re looking for even more VPN options, check out my comprehensive roundup of the best VPNs in all categories.
NordVPN – Fastest VPN
Pros
- Tons of VPN configuration options
- Outstanding speeds
- Included antivirus and password manager
Price When Reviewed:
Basic plan from $3.09 a month for two years. Usually $12.99.
Best Prices Today:
Who should use NordVPN?
With all of the great features included with NordVPN, it will appeal to a wide audience. Thankfully, you won’t need to sacrifice any speed for those features either. Other competitors might win out on a good day, but NordVPN has the most (and best) consistent speeds. If speed is what you’re seeking, NordVPN has it — in droves.
Nord regularly appears at the top of many VPN rankings, and it’s no surprise to see it here. In my tests, NordVPN retained a blazing fast 72 percent of the base download speed easily taking the checkered flag in a VPN race. It’s also inside the top 10 for upload speeds, maintaining an impressive 80 percent of the base.
NordVPN: Further considerations
Of all the VPNs currently on the market, NordVPN is probably the most feature-packed. It supports multi-hop connections, TOR over VPN, ad- and tracker-blocking at the server level, and a variety of other options.
The only real downside is that NordVPN’s pricing can be more expensive than many other VPN services. Even with the discounts offered by long-term plans, it’s still on the pricey side. But, you get what you pay for and in this case, that’s the fastest speeds and a huge feature set.
Read our full
NordVPN review
ExpressVPN – Second-fastest VPN
Pros
- Excellent speeds
- Unblocks all streaming services
- Great security and privacy practices
Cons
- More expensive than other VPNs
- Light on extra security features
Price When Reviewed:
From $4.99 a month for 2 years + 4 free months
Best Prices Today:
ExpressVPN (Monthly)
$3.49
Who should use ExpressVPN?
Again, this is a VPN that should please most anyone. As one of the best VPNs overall, ExpressVPN is, no surprise, also a good choice for speeds. It ranks second overall in my download speed tests, retaining more than 70 percent of the base speed, and uploads with 80 percent scores in testing.
While based on averages it placed second, just slightly behind NordVPN, at times it can even be the fastest service. Plus, the speeds have always been consistent in my testing over the years, meaning you can’t go wrong if you decide to go with ExpressVPN as your speedy VPN of choice.
ExpressVPN: Further considerations
ExpressVPN is one of the more costly VPNs out there. Having just revamped their membership tier model, though, you can opt for just the basic VPN service for a relatively affordable price nowadays—extra security features come with more expensive, premium tiers. For your money, however, you get solid speeds, a promise to work with Netflix, split tunneling, and unrivaled device support. The app is also extremely easy to use and there are a wide range of country locations to choose from.
Plus, the service is regularly bringing in third-party auditors to validate its privacy credentials. So, it might be a bit pricey but you get great value for your money.
Read our full
ExpressVPN review
Windscribe Pro – Fastest free VPN
Pros
- Good free plan
- Fast speeds
- Unlimited device connections
Cons
- Streaming unblocking is inconsistent
- Smaller server network than some competitors
Price When Reviewed:
1 year: $69 ($5.75/mo) I Monthly: $9/mo
Who should use Windscribe Pro?
This is the VPN for users who want speed at no cost. Windscribe Pro’s free version is one of my favorite free VPNs, period. But in terms of speed, there’s no contest. In my testing, Windscribe achieved a thoroughly impressive 64 percent of the base download speeds and 70 percent upload speeds. That’s good enough to warrant a place on the fastest VPNs list regardless. But its free plan with no speed restrictions means it’s a no-brainer if your looking for a fast VPN that you don’t have to pay for.
Windscribe Pro: Further considerations
The free version does come with a maximum 10GB per month data restriction, so you’ll need to be cognizant of your bandwidth usage, and the server network is smaller. But otherwise you pretty much get the full feature-set of the premium subscription. And did I mention those speeds?
While testing Windscribe, I did notice that both the free and paid versions struggled a bit to unblock streaming services. Additionally, some users might be turned off of the interface, which is a bit over-designed and not as intuitive as it could be.
Read our full
Windscribe Pro review
CyberGhost VPN – Fastest upload speeds
Pros
- Independently verified no-log policy
- Seriously impressive server spread
- Fast average upload speeds
Cons
- Server speeds can be hit-or-miss
- Lacks some extra security features
Price When Reviewed:
$12.99
Best Prices Today:
Who should use CyberGhost VPN?
If upload speeds are your primary concern, you should consider CyberGhost VPN. While I found that the service had rather average download speeds, I was absolutely blown away by its upload speeds. CyberGhost retained an unbelievable 89 percent of the base upload speed across all of my tests — the VPN’s servers might as well have been in my backyard with those numbers.
Upload speeds can be extremely important, particularly if you work from home and need to connect to a remote work server or you’re looking to securely upload data. If this is you, then CyberGhost should be at the top of your list for fastest VPNs.
CyberGhost VPN: Further considerations
CyberGhost VPN also has extra features that may interest some, such as streaming optimized servers and a dizzying 9,000 plus servers to choose from all over the world. If the super-fast upload speeds and large server network aren’t enough, the service also offers good privacy with an independently verified no-logs audit and seriously affordable pricing on its long-term plans.
Read our full
CyberGhost review
Mullvad – The most private speed demon
Pros
- Good speeds
- Inexpensive monthly plan
- Unrivaled anonymity
Cons
- Struggles with unblocking streaming services
- Smaller server network
- Lacks some extra features that other VPNs offer
Price When Reviewed:
$5.26 a month (€5)
Best Prices Today:
Who should use Mullvad?
If you don’t want to compromise on privacy and anonymity, while still getting solid speeds, then Mullvad is the best choice. Mullvad should be considered the “Swiss bank account” version of a VPN, as it actively resists obtaining any of your personal information and provides premium service. Instead of signing up for an account with the standard email and password, Mullvad assigns you a random account number and that’s it. No birth date or anniversary passwords to give you away. One number and that’s it.
In my tests, Mullvad performed well in download and upload speeds, maintaining around 48 percent of the baseline with each. That puts it firmly in the top half of all VPNs I’ve ever tested and it’s plenty fast enough to do just about everything you’d want to do. There may be a few faster VPNs on the market, though they won’t provide the same amount of anonymity as you’ll get with Mullvad and sometimes it’s worth sacrificing a little speed for a whole lot of privacy.
Mullvad: Further considerations
This super-simple VPN also supports connections via 41 different countries, and it costs just 5 euros per month (around $5.40 at this writing). That price is locked in for all plans, no matter the length though. So, while it’s very affordable month-to-month, it does lose value compared to other top VPNs that significantly reduce their prices in the long-term.
I also found some hiccups when trying to access streaming services, so users who want their VPN to bypass location-restricted content may want to take that into consideration before subscribing.
Read our full
Mullvad review
Other VPNs we liked
While we believe that the above VPNs are currently the best money can buy, there are a few other noteworthy services that deserve attention: Hotspot Shield, the former long-time fastest VPN, is another solid service with great average speeds that just narrowly missed out on this list. PrivadoVPN is a strong overall service, but the free version of the VPN really stands out and is second only to Proton VPN. Hide.me is a well-rounded service that ticks almost every box and the fantastic array of configurable settings make it a power-user’s dream. U.S.-based IPVanish nails all of the basics: good speeds, a large server network, and privacy promises backed up with independent audits. TunnelBear is an undeniably charming VPN that is extremely easy to use, and doesn’t overwhelm with too many features or country options, which makes it ideal for VPN novices or those who aren’t the most tech-savvy.
I’m continuously evaluating new VPNs and reevaluating services I’ve already tested on a regular basis, so be sure to come back for more recommendations and to see what else we’ve put through their paces.
Can I get a better VPN deal?
Here at PCWorld, we are regularly hunting down the best VPN deals to help you get the most bang for your buck. VPN services are frequently running deals throughout the year, so you should have a few chances to snag your favorite VPN on a steep discount if you can time it right.
While the prices for all VPNs on this list are updated daily, they do not account for special deals or offers. It’s best to keep checking our deals article to see what new limited-time discounts are on offer each week. Additionally, sales events such as Amazon Prime Day in mid-July and Black Friday at the end of November provide excellent opportunities to find even cheaper VPN deals.
How we test VPNs
We judge VPNs on a variety of criteria including server network, connection speeds, privacy protections, ease-of-use, additional features, and cost. For a more detailed guide on our evaluation process, check out PCWorld’s comprehensive guide on how we test VPN services.
Speed tests are kept as simple as possible. We average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to our baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds.
We thoroughly research and analyze the privacy policies and histories of each VPN and note any outstanding discrepancies or data collection issues. Experience and ease-of-use are subjective, but we try our best to give an accurate representation of how it feels to work with the VPN. And finally, we compare the value of the service based upon its price and additional features to the industry average to help you gain an accurate picture of what you’ll get for your money.
Why you should trust PCWorld for VPN reviews and buying advice
Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software, and services since the 1980s. As reviewers and users of PC hardware and software, we put every product through its paces using rigorous benchmarking and hands-on evaluation. We’d never recommend something we wouldn’t want for ourselves.
Who curated this article?
Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.
How to choose the best VPN
The number of servers and locations that a VPN service offers is important. Indeed, server count alone can be a semi-reliable way to tell if a VPN is even worth your time. Anything with 1,000 or more servers and 30 or more country locations will do.
Speed
Next you want to consider a VPN’s speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without paying for the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons, for a more accurate picture.
Privacy
Take into account a VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? These answers will give you an idea of whether a VPN is transparent with its data collection policies and if it’s subject to government data sharing requirements.
Price
As with all subscription services, you’ll want to review the price of a VPN service. Do you want a monthly or yearly subscription? Some top VPNs might be pricey month-to-month, but actually become quite affordable with long-term plans.
Additional features
Other factors you’ll want to take into consideration are the overall ease-of-use, user experience, and any additional features. Some of these features, such as split-tunneling and kill switches, can be extremely useful for certain purposes and might sway your subscription decision one way or the other.
FAQ
1.
What is the fastest VPN?
The fastest VPN is currently NordVPN. No other VPN can match the average download or upload speeds of Nord. It is ideal for all online tasks that require good speeds including: streaming, gaming, downloading files, video calls, and more.
2.
What is the fastest free VPN?
The fastest free VPN is Windscribe. The speed results for the free version were very fast in our testing and ranked among the top 10 for all VPNs, paid or free.
3.
What is a VPN?
VPNs create a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. When you connect to a VPN your web traffic is routed through the chosen VPN server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location, and not from your actual location. The VPN app will also encrypt your data so that any third parties such as your ISP can’t see your specific online activities. A VPN can be a great response to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations.
4.
Is speed important for a VPN?
While it’s easy to choose your VPN based solely on speed results, it shouldn’t be the only factor when considering a good service. For a start, a VPN is almost always going to slow down your connection to some degree. Also, speed tests should always be taken with a grain of salt as they can fluctuate widely depending on the difference in home internet speeds, physical location, time of use, and server load, among others.
When considering the best VPN for your needs, factors such as privacy, security features, streaming compatibility, server count, and price should all be taken into account along with speed.
5.
Will a VPN slow down my internet?
Most likely you will see a moderate speed decrease to your internet while using a VPN. This is mainly due to the process of your internet traffic being rerouted and encrypted through a VPN server before heading on to its destination. The amount of latency you will experience through this process is down to what country’s server you choose to route your traffic through. If you choose a server located on the other side of the world, then you will generally notice a much greater hit than if you were to connect to a server nearby in your same country.
Thankfully, most modern VPNs should have the infrastructure to maintain high-speed, secure data transfer rates. So it’s likely you can still browse and stream without much of a noticeable impact while using a reliable VPN like those on this list.
Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld
Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.