After testing ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, MullvadVPN, and many others, I can safely say that speed is the factor most often overlooked by VPN users.
It’s easy to subscribe to a speed test tool, but it’s very difficult to understand the results accurately.
So before we dive into testing VPN speeds, let’s go over some basics.
Factors affecting VPN speeds
This section contains a non-exhaustive list of things that affect VPN speed and some «standard» things you need to know before you start the actual testing.
#one. No two servers perform the same
This largely depends on the server you are connecting to, as the hardware has many differences that are hard to see, as well as the server load, which also varies.
And this difference in performance is clearly visible when connecting to servers from two separate physical locations. This is due to the unique internet infrastructure that connects you to these machines, including cable quality, distance, routers, etc.
#2. Choice of VPN protocol
Think of VPN logs as the soul of a VPN connection. They determine how VPN tunnels work, including encryption strength, speed, efficiency, overall security, etc.
Some are built for speed, like WireGuard, while others are proven all-rounders, like OpenVPN.
In addition, some VPN providers also develop their own custom protocols for maximum flexibility.
#3. Additional security
Security slows down the speed. And, conveniently, most of us don’t need features like multi-hop, Tor over VPN, bank-level encryption, etc.
Although such qualities are ideal for people in authoritarian regimes, journalists and activists; For others, this unnecessary security is an overkill that inevitably slows down network speed.
In particular, proxies are a decent substitute for a VPN when it comes to spoofing your location.
#4. original factors
The first is your normal internet speed. VPNs can only reduce the typical speeds we get from our ISPs.
So it’s important to check your default network speed before you point your finger at your VPN.
In addition, your distance from the WiFi router also plays a role in the final result – more distance means slower speeds.
The type of connection, WiFi or Ethernet, is also important, with an Ethernet connection being the faster of the two.
Finally, the quality of your computer’s hardware (quality of cable, modem, etc.) affects the overall experience.
So these are some things that your final connection speed will depend on.
VPN speed testing
I will demonstrate the process using some speed testing tools.
Specifically, I have a symmetrical 40 Mbps broadband connection (same download and upload speeds) with a router installed upstairs. My approximate distance from a wireless router broadcasting internet at 2.5GHz is 7m horizontally and 5m vertically. And this laptop I’m working on is the only device connected to the router.
Also, I have no active downloads during this test. And there is no active app except the browser I use to test speed and typing (so two tabs open) and the screen capture app. Also, I disabled all browser extensions except the VPN itself.
Also, I’m not using any app to control background processes on my Windows 11 laptop.
Finally, it is advisable to measure several times at least 3 times a day and finally take the average values for the best accuracy.
However, I will do it once with the tools for this demonstration.
Ookla speed test
speed test is one of the most popular speed testing tools. It provides detailed information about upload speed, download speed, ping parameters, IP address, etc.
It also assigns a unique URL to share your results and you can also export the results.
The testing procedure is simple. Just visit speedtest.net and click the circled GO.
My default parameters:
I then connected to the VPN’s Singapore server, about 4,000 miles from my home.
You can check if upload speed (almost 30%) and ping (11➡️79) suffered the most damage. While a VPN could improve transfer performance, a higher ping is a direct result of distance and several factors unrelated to the VPN.
So that was the Ookla speed test.
Quickly
Quickly is a Netflix offer for testing network parameters. It offers a much cleaner interface; However, the result is similar in terms of download speed, upload speed and latency (ping) results.
Likewise, I ran the speed test twice with and without VPN by connecting to the same VPN server.
We see a clear difference between the two tools tested so far. And that’s to be expected, since the servers that test these properties also vary.
Here, the unloaded latency value refers to a network with no traffic compared to a loaded network with data-intensive applications.
Broadband speed check
Broadband speed check works to compare internet speeds and service providers for Britons. However, it can check your network speed regardless of location.
If you’re in the UK, you can use this tool to check ISPs, their plans, speeds, etc. to choose the right one.
It’s subjective!
As you can see, the speeds vary greatly. In fact, I used these tools multiple times to get two consistent results for illustration.
Also, no two tools produce the same results. And several tools are supported by others. For example, Google SpeedTest (along with many others) supports Ooklin Speedtest.
In addition, you can also check a few, e.g WiFi man, Cloudflare speed testetc.
But these speed tests have little weight, and the values are different every time you run them, even with the same tool. What counts is real performance.
And for that, we have listed some that can serve you well.
#one. ProtonVPN
Based in Switzerland, ProtonVPN is one of the best in the entire VPN industry. In fact, they have several privacy-focused products, including an encrypted email service, a secure cloud drive, a calendar, and a VPN.
They offer incredible speeds and have an excellent geo-unblocking track record.
Additionally, ProtonVPN offers a native ad blocker, Tor over VPN, worldwide servers, and a sleek user interface.
There’s more to learn in our in-depth ProtonVPN review.
#2. surfing shark
We’ve tested Surfshark VPN here at Geekflare and recommend it found.
It has a respectable global footprint, advanced security features such as multi-hop and excellent geo-unblocking performance.
Like Proton, Surfshark has «One» which combines VPN, antivirus, (breach) alert and (private) browsing in one package. You can also subscribe to a VPN on your own.
You can read our Surfshark One review for better understanding.
#3. ExpressVPN
A VPN list is hardly complete without mentioning ExpressVPN. This one has expert reviews marking it as the fastest VPN of all.
I personally rate it as the best VPN for entertainment and comparable to ProtonVPN in terms of speed.
It has a nice set of features that strike the perfect balance between security and performance. In everyday work, the user interface shines without any complaints.
Check out this ExpressVPN review for more information.
However, we are not limited to them and have much more to suggest in this best VPN services review.
That’s it for this VPN testing guide.
Till next time!
