A VPN can slow your internet because it encrypts your traffic and sends it through another server. Start by comparing the same connection with the VPN off and on, then try a nearby server and a WireGuard-based protocol. Those steps usually tell you whether the problem is the VPN, Wi-Fi, your device, or the connection itself.
A small speed loss is normal, but there is no universal percentage that applies to every service. Surfshark says around 30% may be expected on its Windows service, while NordVPN reports that West Coast Labs measured an average of 817 Mbps on a 1 Gbps baseline in its 2025 testing. Those figures describe specific services and test conditions, not your home network.
Key takeaways
- Compare download speed, upload speed, and latency with the VPN off and on.
- Try a nearby server, then WireGuard or the provider's WireGuard-based protocol.
- Close background transfers and use Ethernet where practical.
- Split tunneling can improve speed, but excluded apps use the connection outside the VPN.
- A paid plan makes more sense when it supports your devices, has acceptable renewal terms, and performs well during its refund period.
Why Your VPN Feels Slow and What Counts as Normal
A VPN adds encryption and another route between your device and the website or service. The traffic travels from your device to the VPN server before it reaches its final destination, so the connection can take longer and may carry more processing overhead. Distance, server load, protocol, Wi-Fi, the underlying connection, and device performance all affect the result.
Start with a matched comparison. Keep the same device, network, test location, and time as close as possible. Record download speed, upload speed, and latency with the VPN disconnected. Connect the VPN, use the same test, and record the results again. A large difference points toward the VPN path or its settings, while similar results suggest the home connection, Wi-Fi, ISP, or device may be the limiting factor.
For browsing, a modest reduction may be difficult to notice. Streaming can continue normally if the remaining throughput is enough for the service, but a distant or busy server can cause buffering. Downloads can take longer, video calls can become less stable, and gaming can feel worse when latency rises. A VPN does not guarantee faster downloads or lower ping.
NordVPN says encryption overhead is generally smaller than the effect of protocol, distance, server load, and the underlying connection. Proton says a VPN can occasionally improve access when it routes around an internet bottleneck or avoids ISP throttling. That is possible, but it is not the usual reason to buy one.
What Usually Causes the Slowdown?
Distance is often the first setting to check. A server in another region adds physical distance and may send traffic across more network links. If a nearby server performs better than a distant one, distance or routing is likely contributing. If two servers in the same country perform differently, congestion or a route problem may be involved.
Server load matters because many customers share capacity. A provider's displayed load indicator can help you choose another location, but load changes over time. Try several nearby servers instead of treating one result as the service's normal speed.
The protocol controls how the VPN transports and processes packets. WireGuard is commonly presented as the speed-focused option, while OpenVPN may be useful for compatibility. Proton says WireGuard is usually its fastest protocol and that UDP is faster than TCP. NordLynx is NordVPN's WireGuard-based protocol, and ExpressVPN says its Automatic setting commonly selects Lightway.
Wi-Fi can be the real limit. Interference, distance from the router, congestion from other devices, and background transfers can reduce speed before the VPN is involved. A phone may also be affected by mobile signal quality, battery-saving behavior, background apps, and device processing.
Older routers, phones, and computers may not process encrypted traffic as quickly as the connection can deliver it. Multi-hop features add another server route and therefore more latency. Proton says its Secure Core feature can add substantial latency because traffic passes through an additional server.
Which Fix Should You Try First?
Change one setting at a time so the result tells you something useful. Try the fixes in this order:
- Connect to a nearby server.
- Select WireGuard or the provider's WireGuard-based protocol.
- Try another nearby server with lower displayed load.
- Close cloud backups, file-sharing clients, downloads, updates, and other data-heavy apps.
- Use Ethernet where practical.
- Try split tunneling for apps that do not need the VPN.
- Update the VPN app, operating system, router, and network drivers.
- Check whether antivirus or firewall inspection is competing with the VPN.
After each change, repeat the same speed and latency comparison. A nearby server that improves the result points toward distance or routing. A protocol change that helps points toward the original protocol or its implementation. If every VPN server performs poorly while the VPN is connected, check the app, security software, router, and device before replacing your internet service.
NordVPN recommends a nearby server, NordLynx, Ethernet, closing background apps, restarting the device and router, and split tunneling where available. Surfshark recommends changing from Automatic to WireGuard, trying several nearby locations, checking its server performance indicator, and checking antivirus, file-sharing clients, and other VPNs.
ExpressVPN recommends updating the app, changing the server location, and changing the protocol. Its Automatic setting commonly selects Lightway. On Windows, ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo cannot be used with split tunneling or Lightway TCP, so the fastest combination may depend on which feature matters more to you.
Proton recommends turning off Secure Core when it is unnecessary, changing servers, choosing a low-load server, using WireGuard and UDP, closing bandwidth-heavy apps, checking antivirus or firewall interference, and updating the application. Do not exclude confidential traffic merely to gain speed.
What Do WireGuard, OpenVPN, Lightway, NordLynx, and UDP Mean?
WireGuard is a newer VPN protocol designed with a smaller codebase and a straightforward approach to connection setup. Published measurements often show a throughput advantage over OpenVPN. RTINGS displayed 353.6 Mbps download and 366.0 Mbps upload for WireGuard in one test context, compared with 149.1 Mbps download and 125.8 Mbps upload for OpenVPN UDP. RTINGS used 19 speed tests for each protocol except OpenVPN UDP, where 10 tests failed and 9 were used, so the figures apply to that test design.
OpenVPN is an established protocol with broad support. It can use UDP or TCP. UDP generally favors speed and lower delay, while TCP can behave more reliably on networks that restrict or disrupt UDP traffic.
Lightway is ExpressVPN's protocol. Praetorian assessed its Lightway Rust client, server, protocol, cryptographic primitives, memory safety, and attack paths between September 16 and October 10, 2024, then retested fixes on December 16 and 17, 2024. Praetorian reported two low-risk findings and recorded both as fixed during retesting.
NordLynx is NordVPN's WireGuard-based protocol. For a speed problem, WireGuard, NordLynx, Lightway, or a provider's equivalent is usually the first protocol setting to try. Automatic can still be the practical choice when it selects a suitable protocol for the network.
How Does the Setting Change on Phones, Routers, TVs, and Consoles?
On a phone, check the mobile signal or Wi-Fi before changing providers. Background apps, battery-saving behavior, server distance, and network changes can affect performance. ExpressVPN describes Lightway as designed for mobile devices and changing networks. Its split tunneling support differs by platform, and iOS support applies to selected web traffic depending on configuration.
On Windows, macOS, and Linux, the VPN app usually provides the widest choice of protocols and split tunneling settings. Proton's macOS split tunneling works with WireGuard and Stealth but not IKEv2. ExpressVPN documents split tunneling across selected Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS configurations. Check the current app documentation for the exact operating system version and feature.
A router protects devices that do not have a suitable VPN app, including some smart TVs, streaming devices, and consoles. The tradeoff is that the router handles the encryption for every connected device, and an older router may become the bottleneck. For a speed issue, compare the router connection with a direct app on the same network when possible.
Fire Stick support depends on the Fire OS version and the provider's current app. Confirm the version under Settings, install only the provider's supported app, and compare a nearby server with the VPN disconnected. A PS5 usually requires a router setup or a shared connection from another device because direct app support may not be available. The provider's current device list should decide the setup.
For streaming, a VPN can change the IP address a platform sees, but platforms can detect VPN or proxy use. Netflix says VPN use can produce an error, cannot be used for live events, and is unsupported on its ad-supported experience. Check the platform's current terms before changing location.
What Do the Named VPN Plans Cost in the United States?
The figures below are US prices checked October 28, 2026. Promotional bonus months are bonus time, not additional paid months. Confirm the United States region and the USD total before paying. Also confirm the renewal price on the final checkout screen and in the provider's renewal email.
ExpressVPN's plans list a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, but its terms exclude renewal purchases, redemption-code subscriptions, and purchases through Apple's App Store or Google Play. App-store refunds are handled by Apple or Google.
Proton Free is a free tier, not a free trial. It costs $0.00 per month, allows one simultaneous device, and uses randomly selected servers in 10 countries. Proton Plus has a 30-day money-back window. A free tier provides continuing limited access, a free trial is temporary access before payment, and a money-back window applies after an eligible purchase. Prices checked October 28, 2026.
A conditional pick makes sense. NordVPN or Surfshark fits a buyer focused on a low introductory monthly figure and many devices, but renewal terms need confirmation for the first two. Proton VPN Plus fits someone who wants a free tier to try the apps before paying and accepts its listed plan structure. ExpressVPN fits someone who values Lightway and platform support, but its renewal prices are higher, so compare them before choosing a long plan.
What Are the Tradeoffs for Streaming, Privacy, and Latency?
A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server and changes the IP address websites see. It does not make you anonymous or invisible. Accounts, cookies, tracking pixels, GPS data, and device fingerprints can still identify you. The FTC says a VPN shifts trust from the local network or ISP to the VPN provider, and Apple says the provider controls how traffic is routed and what data may be exposed.
A VPN works alongside software updates, account security, antivirus protection, and phishing protection. It does not remove malware, make a weak password safer, or prevent a website from recognizing a signed-in account.
Streaming services may reject VPN traffic. Netflix says it can identify VPN or proxy use, requires users to turn off the VPN for certain errors, prohibits VPN use for live events, and does not support VPNs on its ad-supported experience. A VPN can change the region a service sees, but it does not guarantee access to a particular catalog.
Split tunneling can improve speed because selected apps bypass the VPN. The tradeoff is direct: excluded traffic is outside the VPN. Multi-server features such as Secure Core can improve the route's privacy design while adding latency. Check the law where you are and the terms of the particular service before changing location or accessing restricted content.
What Should You Check Before Paying?
Choose the service that supports the device that matters most, then compare the same connection with and without the VPN during the refund period. Try nearby servers and the provider's current speed-focused protocol. Treat provider performance claims as provider claims, and treat independent figures as limited to their stated test scope.
Before checkout, confirm the US region, currency, amount due today, paid term, bonus time, renewal amount, supported devices, protocol choices, split tunneling limits, and refund route. Confirm the renewal price at checkout and in the renewal notice. The law where you are and the service's current terms apply when you change location or access restricted content.
For a provider comparison, see the ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison, the Surfshark review covering price, devices and tradeoffs, or the Proton VPN review covering Free, Plus and privacy. If the problem is a streaming message rather than general speed, the Netflix VPN and proxy error guide is the more useful next step.
Frequently asked questions
Use the answers below to decide whether the slowdown is acceptable and which setting to change next.
Does a VPN always slow down internet speed?
No. A VPN often reduces speed or increases latency because it encrypts traffic and adds another server route, but Proton says it can occasionally improve access around a bottleneck or ISP throttling. The result depends on the server, protocol, connection, device, and network conditions.
Is a 30% speed loss normal with a VPN?
It can be a provider-specific expectation, not a universal rule. Surfshark's Windows support guidance says around 30% may be expected on its service, while NordVPN reports a different result from West Coast Labs' 2025 laboratory testing.
Which VPN protocol is usually fastest?
WireGuard or a provider's WireGuard-based protocol is usually the first choice for speed. Proton says WireGuard is usually its fastest protocol, NordLynx uses WireGuard, and ExpressVPN's Automatic setting commonly selects Lightway.
Should I use UDP or TCP?
UDP is usually the first choice when speed and lower delay matter. TCP can be useful when a network restricts or disrupts UDP, so try TCP if UDP will not connect reliably.
Can a VPN make gaming worse?
Yes. A distant or congested server can increase latency, which can make games respond more slowly. Compare latency with the VPN off and on, then try a nearby server and a speed-focused protocol.
Does split tunneling make a VPN faster?
It can improve performance for apps that do not need the VPN because only selected traffic uses the encrypted route. The excluded apps connect outside the VPN, so do not exclude traffic that needs its protection.
Can a VPN stop Netflix from showing a proxy error?
No. Netflix says it can identify VPN or proxy use and may require the VPN to be turned off for certain errors. Netflix also says VPNs cannot be used for live events and are unsupported on its ad-supported experience.
Does a VPN protect every device in the home?
A router setup can cover devices that lack a suitable VPN app, but the router's processing power and configuration affect performance. A device app may provide better protocol and split tunneling controls for that individual device.
Is a free VPN the same as a free trial?
No. A free tier continues without payment but normally has limits, while a free trial provides temporary access before payment. Proton Free is a $0.00 tier with one simultaneous device and randomly selected servers in 10 countries, while a money-back window applies after an eligible paid purchase. Prices checked October 28, 2026.
Can a VPN hide my identity completely?
No. A VPN changes the IP address some websites see and encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server, but accounts, cookies, GPS, tracking pixels, and device fingerprints can still identify you. The VPN provider also becomes a party you must trust with traffic passing through its service.
Is using a VPN to change location always allowed?
No. The law where you are applies, and the website or service may have its own terms. Check both before changing location or accessing restricted content, because a VPN does not make an otherwise prohibited action lawful.
Glossary
Find more VPN guides on Tunnel Verdict. Have a question about your own setup? Contact us and include your device and the VPN you use.
