Does a VPN Slow Down Your Internet?
Yes, slightly - a VPN adds some overhead, but the best keep 80-90% of your speed. Learn why it happens, how much to expect, and how to minimise the slowdown.
The Short Answer
Yes - a VPN slows your internet slightly, but with a good provider the loss is small enough to be imperceptible. Encryption and the extra hop through a VPN server always add some overhead. With a modern protocol like WireGuard and a nearby server, the best VPNs retain around 80-90% of your base speed in our ratings - more than enough for 4K streaming, gaming, and calls. Big slowdowns usually come from a distant server or an outdated protocol, both of which you can fix.
Why a VPN Adds Some Overhead
A VPN does two things that cost a little speed: it encrypts your traffic (which takes processing time) and it reroutes it through a server that may be farther away than your normal path. The farther the server and the older the protocol, the more speed you lose. Modern protocols like WireGuard are lightweight and keep the overhead minimal.
How Much Slowdown to Expect
In our ratings, measured against a consistent 8ms, 487 Mbps reference baseline, the top providers retain:
- NordVPN: 89% (433 Mbps, 12ms) - the fastest we track.
- ExpressVPN: 85% (414 Mbps, 14ms).
- Surfshark: 83% (404 Mbps, 16ms).
- CyberGhost: 78% (380 Mbps, 18ms).
On a 100 Mbps home connection, keeping ~85% means about 85 Mbps - far above the ~25 Mbps 4K streaming needs. See the full data in our speed test results.
When a VPN Can Be Faster
Occasionally a VPN can actually improve your speed. If your ISP throttles specific traffic - such as streaming or P2P - a VPN hides that traffic type, so the throttling can't be applied and you get your full speed back. It won't make your connection faster than your plan allows, but it can remove an artificial slowdown.
How to Minimise the Slowdown
- Connect to a nearby server - distance is the biggest factor in speed loss.
- Use a modern protocol - WireGuard, NordLynx, or Lightway rather than OpenVPN.
- Switch servers if one is congested - a busy server is slower than an empty one.
- Use a fast provider - see our fastest VPN ranking.
If your VPN feels unusually slow, our VPN speed fix guide walks through the full checklist.