The fastest VPN for outright speed in 2024 (2024)

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.

While the best VPNs protect your anonymity by routing your internet traffic through secure servers dotted around the globe, the fastest VPNs will do this with no impact your browsing speed. So, to help get you off the mark, I've shortlisted the fastest VPN providers available today.

The TechRadar VPN team is constantly putting VPN providers through their paces (and most of us use VPNs every day), regularly checking their speeds to identify which services go like a rocket—which is massively important if you'll be using your VPN to stream or play games. That said, my top picks consider more than pure speed. I've seen mega-fast VPNs that don't perform as well in other areas, so you won't find them on my list.

Written by

Written by

River Hart

River helps take care of cybersecurity content on TechRadar—ranging from breaking news pieces, reviews, and buying guides.

The three fastest VPNs at a glance

The fastest VPN services in 2024

Let's dig into my top five picks, where I compare not only the speeds, but also overall performance, stability, ease of use, and, of course, the privacy-enhancing features that make VPNs a must-have. I'll also tackle what I liked about each service compared to the competition—and any reasons you might want to avoid them.

The fastest VPN overall

Surfshark has previously been a half-step behind NordVPN in our speed rankings—but the results of our last few VPN testing sessions have had Surfshark claim, and retain, the top spot. With a wicked performance that's ideal for streaming HD and 4K content from just about any device you own, plus, blistering speeds for prices that are, frankly, borderline criminal, Surfshark is always going to be amongst the very best VPNs.

Surfshark's WireGuard speeds clocked in at over 950 Mbps, maxing out my test line, and easily earning its place in our rankings. These speeds are more than enough to handle resource-intensive activities (think gaming, streaming, video calls, and torrenting) without slowing your internet to a crawl. It's worth noting that Surfshark's OpenVPN speeds are also impressively quick, clocking in at 640 Mbps in our latest round of testing, over 200 Mbps higher than its nearest competition. This improvement comes as a result of Surfshark adopting DCO (Data Channel Offloading) on its OpenVPN protocols, which enables faster travel through OpenVPNs vast amounts of integral coding and consequently higher speeds for you, the user. This improvement, while initially great, does come at a small cost to security, as this method is less easily obfuscated and consequently can be subject to more risks.

▶ Try Surfshark with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Currently, there are more than 3,200 Surfshark servers scattered across 142 locations—which is a pretty impressive network. It's good to see that the VPN extends its coverage into Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, which isn't something you'll see all VPNs doing. You'll have no trouble hopping from location to location via the handy list, and I like that Surfshark supports P2P traffic on most of its servers, and even offers Camouflage mode when you want to disguise the fact you're using a VPN entirely.

The functionality doesn't end there, however. Surfshark backs up tough encryption and a no-logs policy with a customizable kill switch. It's up to you whether you set it to block your internet connection entirely unless you're connected to Surfshark, or whether it only cuts the internet if the VPN drops by accident. I also like the CleanWeb feature which gives ads, trackers, and malicious links the boot. Armed with all these tools, you'll be able to go about your day-to-day browsing without worrying whether your ISP, or an opportunistic hacker, is watching your every move.

Surfshark gets top marks for its unblocking capabilities, too. Plenty of VPNs promise to access big names like Netflix and BBC iPlayer with varying levels of success, but Surfshark was able to consistently unblock these sites during my testing. I could check out Netflix libraries from overseas, including the US, UK, and Japan, and even browse content on Asutralia's 9Now and 10 play services. Surfshark is, basically, your streaming skeleton key.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Surfshark is its value for money. You're getting incredible speeds, all of the aforementioned privacy features, unblocking power, and even unlimited simultaneous connections at prices that won't hurt your wallet. If you're still unsure, however, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee to take Surfshark for a test drive before committing.

The best VPN with antivirus

NordVPN is fast becoming one of those brand names that's synonymous with the products itself—a bit like Hoover or Tannoy. Why? Well, it does a ton of advertising (we've all seen the YouTube sponsorships), and it's incredibly quick. The proof is, basically, in the pudding.

It's hard to overstate just how quick NordVPN is. When I tested it via US servers, I saw connection speeds maxed out at over 950 Mbps using the proprietary WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol. Because of these blazing speeds, and the fact that most homes don't have broadband as quite as quick as our test line, you can leave NordVPN switched on in the background and go about your streaming as usual without noticing a huge impact on your download speeds.

▶ Try NordVPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

I found that NordVPN is consistent across its global network of servers—which is just what you'd expect from a huge name with the resources to spare on ensuring quality. The speeds I saw in the UK were mostly on par with those in the US, too, which is great news for travelers or anyone trying to access streaming feeds from overseas.

Outside of its performance, NordVPN continues to draw customers with a well-rounded privacy package. A single subscription bags you a ton of tools, like Double VPN and Onion Over VPN that'll ensure your private details don't end up leaking into the hands of shady cybercriminals. I was also impressed by the kill switch, and NordVPN actually has two kill switches that can cut your internet access and close any apps if the VPN connection drops.

If you've got the need for speed, it's probably because you're probably looking for a top streaming VPN. NordVPN has you covered on that front, too—it nails Netflix, unhooks Hulu, delves into Disney+, and unblocks BBC iPlayer without any issues. So, whether you want to check out international content or catch up on your favorite local shows when journeying abroad, you'll have plenty of libraries at your fingertips—and the speeds to enjoy them in HD.

NordVPN is, basically, the full package; it's quick and easy to use, available for all devices, and really cares about safeguarding your digital privacy. For example, if you're in the UK or the US and have an Ultimate subscription, you can sign up for extra cyber insurance—which will help you recoup some cash if the worst happens and you're involved in a cyber scam.

The best VPN with a free plan

Proton VPN is mostly known for advocating for digital privacy rights around the world, but it's also now among the fastest VPNs available. With servers in 91 locations around the world, you can access your favorite streaming services and websites from almost anywhere in the world with little difficulty.

In our latest round of testing we saw Proton VPN peak at an average of over 950 Mbps for WireGuard—maxing out my testing line— and a well above average of 400 Mbps for OpenVPN traffic. This launches Proton VPN to among the very fastest VPNs we've tested.

Proton is putting a keen focus into Technical privacy and security features, all of which start with strong encryption. Proton is investing in WireGuard so much that it's sunsetting OpenVPN and IKEv2 support on Mac, which likely means we will see these encryption methods sunsetted altogether in the not-too-distant future. If anonymity is a focus for your VPN needs, Proton not only offers MultiHop to pass your traffic through several VPN servers, but also a rock-solid kill switch keeps your identity safe if the your connection drops.

▶ Try Proton VPN

If you want to access your favorite shows hassle-free. Our latest tests round of testing showed Proton allowed us access to content from US, UK, Aussie, and Canadian Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, and BBC iPlayer. However, unlike PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN doesn't offer the same unblocking reliability to both premium and free users.

If you like a full security suite to come as part of your VPN experience, Proton's calendar, password manager, secure email, and cloud storage tools provide everything you'll want for a fraction of the cost of the competition. If you're looking to try out Proton's free app first, you're also in luck, as some of these features are also available to try without paying the full cost, even if the experience is more limited.

While Proton VPN isn't cheap, it is open source and superbly transparent, bringing an abundance of features and great unblocking abilities. Plus, with its improved speeds and coverage, and a generous ten-device limit—more than the likes of Express or Nord— you can connect and use all your devices at the same time.

Other VPNs I've tested and recommend

PrivadoVPN offers both a paid and free VPN experience, with the latter being the standout performer in comparison.If you choose the full, paid, PrivadoVPN experience, you get 10 simultaneous connections, a zero-logs policy, an ad blocker, parental controls, and even threat protection to help keep your devices safe from malware.

Our latest round of testing saw PrivadoVPN record a whopping 950 Mbps download speed, putting it among the fastest VPNs available. These speeds are also more than enough for streaming in 4K, gaming online, and seamless torrenting, with the service even handling its own bandwidth and transit routes, meaning you experience fantastic speeds and almost no server congestion—even on free servers.

Its easy-to-use apps allow for plenty of customization. It comes with options to utilize one-click connections, and a kill switch to make sure you're always protected, even if your VPN connection drops. However, in testing we did find the app wasn't the most efficient, taking longer to connect than we expected, and recording up to 5% CPU usage on the PC app, while the Android app for mobile saw increased power drain during use.

▶ Try PrivadoVPN absolutely free.

While PrivadoVPN reliably unblocked US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime in our tests, it doesn't quite match the unblocking capabilities of other providers such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, despite its dedicated geo-unblocking team and continued service improvements.

If you find yourself stuck, Privado has 24/7 email and live chat support for customers—regardless of whether they're using the free or paid plan. In a cost-of-living crisis, it's refreshing to see a VPN provider go so far with its freemium plan, retaining and reassuring that digital privacy is a right and one that PrivadoVPN will continue to defend across any of its plans.

While every VPN claims to be crucial for your privacy, Mullvad goes above and beyond. With options to open an account without handing over any personal details, for instance paying by crypto, or even cash, Mullvad takes more steps than any of the best VPN providers to ensure the company knows nothing about you, without compromising on the security experience you receive.

If you're looking for impressive perfomance capabilities Mullvad recorded over 950 Mbps download speeds using WireGuard, putting it among some serious competition. That said, its OpenVPN speeds, while still admirable, have dropped from the 530 Mbps we previously recorded to around 410 Mbps, which is still better than all providers but Surfshark.

Given its focus on your privacy, the suite of tools you recieve with Mullvad isn't surprising. Mullvad includes a reliable kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a variety of stealth options to help keep your personal information as secure as possible. Mullvad ensures you can trust its continued pursuit of true privacy by putting its entire infrastructure—apps, servers, websites, and more—through comprehensive security audits, ensuring there are no previously undiscovered flaws in its service that may leave you at risk.

▶ Try Mullvad with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Whilst its security and privacy capabilities are near-unmatched, Mullvad does have its drawbacks. The apps can seem basic in comparison to other providers, and more significantly, Mullvad ranked among the worst providers in terms of unblocking capabilities, making it a poor choice for those looking for a top streaming VPN.

If that wasn't enough, Mullvad doesn't live chat or 24/7 support, leaving you near enough alone in moments when you need quick and easy support. It also only offers a single 5 Euros a month plan, which is great if you're happy with the monthly billing, but lacks a traditional discount if you'd prefer to sign up for a longer period.

If you're looking to torrent using your VPN, Mullvad removed port-forwarding from its service, meaning you'll likely be better off with providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or PIA.

TechRadar's VPN speed rankings

Want to know the raw speeds that we discovered in our testing? Check out the table below where each provider is listed according to its US speed. You'll find some of our top performers, consistently quick providers, and a few newcomers who have shot through the ranks.

Remember, the table is based solely on speed, which is why curate providers that combine maximum performance, consistent speeds across regions and protocols, and other qualities in our countdown above.

How we test VPN services - our review methodology

It takes us a long time to test the top VPNs every six months, and speed testing is one of the most time-consuming parts.

To keep every provider on an even playing surface, we use the same Windows set-up and a 1 Gbps Ethernet-based connection for each VPN. Then, combining at least three respected speed testing sites, we test our normal connection speed with the all VPNs turned off. One by one, we turn on the VPNs, test the speed at least five times, and take the median average as our result.

If the default VPN protocol for the service was OpenVPN, we then do the same thing with WireGuard or its own proprietary protocol (i.e. Lightway for Express, NordLynx for Nord, Catapult Hydra for Hotspot Shield, etc.), or vice versa.

We'll also do our testing in the morning to ensure a fair outcome and, because connection speeds can fluctuate depending on location, we test in the US and the UK to try and give the fairest representation possible.

Fastest VPN FAQs

Edited by

Edited by

Andreas Theodorou (MRes, BA)

As a digital privacy advocate and expert, he's spent the past four years leveraging his master's degree to research VPNs, cryptography, and other cybersecurity topics.