Fastest VPN in 2026: The 5 Quickest VPNs We Track, Ranked

Speed is the first thing people notice about a VPN, and the first thing they complain about. Ten of the 49 VPNs in our database score a perfect 5/5 on speed. That sounds like a lot of winners. In practice, a few of them are only fast on their best servers, and some are fast but weak on everything else.

So here’s the shortlist we’d actually pick from if speed is your priority, and why.

Quick answer: the fastest VPNs in 2026

1. NordVPN: fastest overall, 5/5 speed and the biggest network of the group
2. Proton VPN: fast and private, with the best price of the 5/5 group
3. Surfshark: fast on unlimited devices, good value for families
4. ExpressVPN: fast and excellent for streaming, but the most expensive
5. Mullvad: fast, WireGuard-only, and the pick for anonymity

How we score VPN speed

Our speed score comes from tests on Speedtest.net across three server regions, averaged, then turned into a score out of 5. It’s one of 18 criteria in our database, and you can read the full method in how we test VPNs.

Two caveats before the ranking. First, your own result depends on your base connection, your distance to the server and the time of day. Second, a 5/5 score means a VPN keeps up with a fast connection in our tests. It doesn’t mean every server in its network will.

That’s why we don’t just rank by the speed score. We also look at network size (more servers means more chances of a quiet one near you), the protocols on offer, and the overall score, because a fast VPN that leaks or logs isn’t worth the speed.

The fastest VPNs compared

All figures come from our comparison database. Scores are out of 5.

TorGuard, VPN.ac, VyprVPN and Hide.me also score 5/5 on speed, but they drop off fast on other criteria. VPN.ac has only 24 servers in 10 countries. Hide.me has no audited no-logs policy and runs no RAM-only servers. We’d only consider them for a very specific need.

1. NordVPN: the fastest VPN overall

NordVPN scores 5/5 on speed and has the largest network in this group: 6,274 servers in 104 countries. That second number matters more than people think. A big network means you’re rarely stuck on a crowded server, and you can usually find one a few hundred kilometres away instead of across a continent.

Its NordLynx protocol is built on WireGuard, which is the main reason it stays quick on gigabit fibre. The rest of the package is strong too: 4.63/5 overall, the highest score in our database, a PwC-audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers and 5/5 on streaming.

The 1-year plan costs $68.85 (about $5.74 a month), with a 60-day money-back guarantee. That’s long enough to run your own speed tests at different times of day before you commit.

Try NordVPN’s speed with the 60-day guarantee

2. Proton VPN: fast, private and cheaper

Proton VPN also gets 5/5 on speed, and it’s the cheapest of the top group at $47.88 for the first year (about $3.99 a month). It supports WireGuard on every platform, and Proton says its VPN Accelerator feature improves speeds over long distances, which helps if you connect to servers on another continent.

Where Proton really earns its place is privacy: Swiss jurisdiction (5/5), a KPMG-audited no-logs policy and RAM-only servers. If you want speed without giving up anything on privacy, it’s the obvious pick.

The weak spots are elsewhere. Streaming is 4/5 (Very Good on Netflix, only Variable on BBC iPlayer and Disney+), and it scores 2/5 for getting through restrictive networks.

Get Proton VPN

3. Surfshark: fast on every device in the house

Surfshark matches the others with 5/5 on speed and adds something none of them offer: unlimited simultaneous devices. If you want every phone, laptop and TV in the house on a fast VPN at once, that’s a real advantage.

It has 3,200+ servers in 65 countries, a Cure53-audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers and 4.5/5 on streaming. The 1-year plan is $59.76 (about $4.98 a month). It’s registered in the Netherlands, so it scores 4/5 on jurisdiction.

4. ExpressVPN: fast and great for streaming, at a price

ExpressVPN scores 5/5 on speed and 5/5 on streaming, with Excellent results on every service we test, from Netflix to Peacock. Its own Lightway protocol connects quickly and holds speed well.

The problem is value. At $99.95 for the first year (about $8.33 a month) it’s the most expensive VPN in this table, and its overall score of 3.72/5 is dragged down by ownership transparency (1/5, owned by Kape Technologies since 2021) and leak protection (1/5 in our database). Fast, yes. The best deal, no.

5. Mullvad: fast and anonymous

Mullvad is the outlier here. It’s smaller (769 servers in 37 countries) and weak on streaming (2/5), but it’s fast (5/5) and the most private option on the list: no email to sign up, cash accepted, RAM-only servers.

It’s also WireGuard-only now. Mullvad removed OpenVPN from its service on 15 January 2026, which means every connection uses the faster protocol by default. The price is a flat $5.50 a month, with no discount for longer plans.

Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.

Why protocol matters more than brand

If there’s one setting that changes your speed, it’s the protocol. WireGuard is lighter than OpenVPN, with less code and less overhead per packet. In everyday use, that translates into faster connections and quicker reconnects when your network changes.

Most of the fastest VPNs default to WireGuard or a protocol built on it:

• NordVPN uses NordLynx, its WireGuard-based protocol
• Proton VPN, Surfshark, Windscribe and Mullvad support standard WireGuard
• ExpressVPN uses Lightway, its own lightweight protocol

OpenVPN still has a role, mainly on networks that block unusual traffic, where OpenVPN over TCP port 443 blends in better. But it’s slower. Our WireGuard vs OpenVPN comparison goes into the trade-offs.

How to get the most speed out of any VPN

A fast VPN can still feel slow if it’s set up badly. These are the fixes that make the biggest difference:

1. Pick the closest server. Every extra thousand kilometres adds latency. Use a server in your own country unless you need a specific location.
2. Use WireGuard (or NordLynx, or Lightway). Check the protocol setting. Some apps fall back to OpenVPN on certain networks.
3. Avoid peak hours on popular servers. Evening traffic in big cities slows shared servers down. Try a different city in the same country.
4. Use Ethernet for big downloads. Wi-Fi is often the real bottleneck, not the VPN.
5. Turn off features you don’t need. Multi-hop (double VPN) routes you through two servers and costs speed.

If your VPN is still crawling after that, our guide to why your VPN is slow covers the less obvious causes. To measure the difference properly, follow our VPN speed test method so you compare like with like.

Will a fast VPN lower my ping?

Usually not. A VPN adds a step between you and the game server, so ping tends to go up slightly. The exception is when your provider routes traffic badly and a VPN takes a cleaner path. We tested this in detail in does a VPN reduce ping for gaming?, and our guide to the best VPN for Fortnite applies the same logic to one popular game.

What about the slowest VPNs?

For balance: TunnelBear scores 1/5 on speed in our database, the lowest of all 49. Astrill, X-VPN, AzireVPN and Avast SecureLine sit at 2/5. If your current VPN is one of these and you’re unhappy with speed, switching will make a bigger difference than any setting.