More and more people around the world are turning to it best VPN services on a daily basis. Whether they want to bypass online censorship, improve their online privacy, unblock foreign streaming platforms, or a mix of all, connection speeds will always be crucial for all users.
How it works a VPN encrypts all data leaving your device, only to decrypt it when it reaches its final destination.
And although you probably won’t notice much of a difference if you use that fastest VPN services in the area, the encryption process will inevitably affect your Internet connection – even if it’s just a few Mbit/s.
At the same time, there are some situations where using a VPN can actually help boost your overall online performance.
Let’s take a closer look at both scenarios.
Why a VPN might slow down your connection
We’ve already mentioned that the main factor affecting your VPN speeds is encryption. This is because encrypting data inevitably takes time.
Every time you turn on a VPN, all data is saved as well runs through one of its servers. This adds an extra step that can negatively impact your internet connection results. Don’t worry too much though, as the drop in speed here is often imperceptible.
Other factors that could slow down your VPN speed include:
- VPN server location. The distance between you and your chosen server is often the main reason your connection speed drops. Since all traffic from your device has to go through the VPN server, the connection will obviously be faster if the physical gap between the two is reduced.
- load on the VPN server. Unless you get a dedicated IP that only you can use (some services like e.g NordVPN and CyberGhost offer such an option for an additional fee), many users will be connected to the same network while you are. If this is overloaded, the connection may be lost. Free VPN Services are more likely to suffer from this problem.
- protocol. We’ve already said that encryption is the main reason a VPN slows down your internet speeds. Consequently, the security protocol that defines the type of encryption used is a big determining factor here. Modern protocols like WireGuard and Lightway are much faster than older protocols like OpenVPN.
When a VPN can improve your connection
Using a VPN doesn’t necessarily mean your internet speed will drop. If you choose a reliable service while being careful to choose the best server and protocol encryption according to your needs, you are unlikely to notice any difference from your normal connection.
Additionally, sometimes a VPN can even help improve your overall internet speed.
Because turning it on will block your ISP from tracking your online activity. This way you can avoid ISP or bandwidth throttlingultimately making your internet faster.
Bandwidth throttling is the practice where your internet service provider intentionally slows down your internet connection. This can be used, for example, to manage network congestion. Therefore one uses a Gaming VPN can help you get better performance rates while playing online.
Internet throttling can also occur when you hit your monthly data caps, and authoritarian countries often throttle internet to enforce online censorship of unwanted content.
How to improve your VPN speed
If your internet connection is slowing down while using a VPN, there are a few hacks you can use to improve your overall online performance.
However, before you start messing with the settings, you should make sure your VPN is actually the one slowing you down. That’s why we recommend running a few speed tests with and without the software first.
speed test (opens in new tab) is one of the best Speed Test Tools around, and it’s one of the services we use when reviewing VPNs. Check our dedicated Broadband Speed Test Explainer to know all the details.
Once you determine that the VPN app is the reason for your poor connection, try the following tips:
- Change VPN server: As we’ve said before, the VPN server you choose can have a huge impact on your connection — whether it’s in terms of distance or congestion. Changing servers may be just what you need to get better performance. Don’t worry though, as all the top providers offer a huge selection of international servers – our favorite provider for example ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 of them in 94 countries.
- Change encryption protocol: Since encryption is another major factor affecting your internet speed, make the switch VPN protocol can also be an advantage here. Just go to your VPN app’s settings and adjust your selection. Among all available WireGuard is the fastest option you can choose right now.
- Enable split tunneling: Many VPN services also offer an interesting feature that can be useful to increase internet speed. As the name indicates, split tunneling you can decide which traffic should be passed through the encrypted tunnel and which should be left out. Such an approach can be very handy when your broadband speeds are already pretty bad.
- Restart your device: An old and simple way to fix tech problems, restarting your device or home router might be just what you need to get things moving. It could be that your hardware’s memory buffer needs to be flushed, or maybe some heavy programs are running in the background. Likewise, you can try the same with your VPN app.
- Update your operating system: Sometimes the device you are using is the culprit for your sluggish connection. Check if your operating system is up to date. If not, upgrading to the latest version may help.
- Use a wired connection: A Wi-Fi connection is much more convenient, but it can also be more unstable at times. If your broadband speed isn’t already the best, try switching to a wired connection instead to stabilize your internet.
The currently fastest VPN:
