Using a virtual private network (VPN) is one of the best ways to secure your privacy online. They work by encrypting your internet traffic and masking your IP address to make it harder for websites, advertisers and internet providers to track your activity across the web, especially when travelling or connecting to public wifi, like when you’re at a hotel, airport or cafe.
While security is obviously the most important factor when choosing a VPN, according to a study of VPN users conducted in 2026 by The Independent, speed isn’t far behind. More than four in 10 respondents said connection speed was one of the most important considerations when selecting a provider, ahead of privacy protection and ease of use. After all, nobody wants a VPN that sees your streaming and gaming slow to a crawl.
I’ve tested dozens of providers to find the fastest VPNs. The best VPNs minimise the performance hit that comes with routing your traffic through an encrypted server, delivering speeds that feel almost identical to an unprotected connection. I’ve measured download and upload performance, connection stability and overall reliability to see which services offered the speediest experience – these are the fastest VPNs around.
Read more: The best VPNs, reviewed
