Fastest VPN of 2024

NordVPN remains a popular virtual private network option thanks to its fast connections, privacy-focused features and excellent geo-unblocking for streaming services. Its user-friendly design that doesn't compromise on settings makes it an outstanding choice for casual VPN newcomers and seasoned power users alike. 

In our 2024 speed tests, NordVPN solidified itself as the fastest VPN we tested, with an average internet download speed loss of just 11%. Our CNET Labs team clocked an average speed loss on its NordLynx VPN protocol of merely 3.2% with Windows and 12.6% on MacOS. With OpenVPN, NordVPN averaged a 10.1% speed loss on MacOS and 18.6% using Windows. We recommend using OpenVPN for privacy-critical use cases and bypassing firewalls, but otherwise you should be fine using the NordLynx protocol. With apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS, browsers and even Apple TV, NordVPN runs on almost any platform you can think of.

We appreciate NordVPN's commitment to privacy and security. In addition to features like Onion over VPN (Tor) and a Double VPN, which deliver additional encryption, a 2023 audit by Deloitte backed up its no-log claims for improved transparency. While zero-logging policies are impossible to verify with absolute certainty, third-party audits provide peace of mind. On the entertainment side, we had no issues streaming US and UK Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus libraries on most devices. 

Mullvad is a new addition to CNET’s fastest VPN list, thanks to the impressive 13% speed loss we benchmarked in our 2024 speed tests. Mullvad’s 13% speed loss is good for second place behind current frontrunner NordVPN’s 11%. If you’re looking for a fast VPN that delivers unique, forward-thinking privacy protections at a great price, Mullvad is a solid choice.

Mullvad is an independently owned open-source VPN provider from Sweden that puts user privacy at the forefront of everything it does. It’s the only provider on this list that requires zero personal information at signup. To get started with Mullvad, you create a randomly generated 16-digit account number used to manage your account, eliminating the need to provide your name, email address or any other personal data. The provider even did away with subscriptions entirely to collect as little data as possible. Mullvad costs a flat fee of $5 per month, regardless of whether you use it for a month, a year or a decade. You can top up your account with as many months as you’d like at any time. 

In addition to an always-on kill switch, double hop connections, obfuscation and a RAM-only server infrastructure, Mullvad is rolling out some impressive features aimed at addressing privacy concerns of the future. The VPN’s Quantum-resistant tunnel helps protect against potential threats from quantum computers and its Defense against AI-guided Traffic Analysis, or DAITA, helps protect against AI-driven traffic analysis that could potentially use artificial intelligence to determine what sites you’re visiting even if your traffic is encrypted.

Surfshark briefly dropped off our fastest VPN list with a disappointing showing in our previous speed tests, slashing our internet speeds by an average of 40%. At the time, Surfshark’s speeds were wildly inconsistent, especially through OpenVPN on Windows, where it cut our speeds by 77%. Surfshark promised to fix its OpenVPN speeds on Windows, and we were impressed with the improvement in performance after re-testing the VPN’s speeds. During our most recent tests, we recorded an overall average speed loss of 17%, with OpenVPN speeds on Windows cutting our speeds by an average of 28% (a marked improvement from the previously recorded 77%).  

We were also pleased with the overall consistency of Surfshark’s speed performance across the board. In our latest benchmarks, Surfshark’s speeds were generally fastest through WireGuard and server locations closest to our testing locations. Speeds through Surfshark’s New York and UK servers were the fastest, but speeds to France and Germany weren’t far behind. As expected, speeds to distant server locations like Singapore and Australia were generally a bit slower, but still fast enough for just about any online activity, including streaming. 

Surfshark is the only VPN at the top of this list that offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so it’s an excellent option if you have many devices or if you live in a large household. It’s also by far the most budget-friendly of the top three if you opt for a yearly plan. Surfshark’s monthly plan is expensive at $15.45 per month, but you’ll see considerable savings with its yearly plan at $43 for the first year (then $60 annually) or $60 total for the first two years combined (then $60 annually). We don’t recommend signing on with any VPN provider for more than a year at a time, given how quickly things tend to shift in the VPN industry.

Proton VPN returned triumphantly to CNET’s Fastest VPN list after a rather dismal performance in our previous speed tests where its speeds fluctuated wildly, resulting in an unimpressive 36% speed loss in 2023. However, Proton VPN turned that around with a far more consistent performance en route to a much better average speed loss of 21% -- which is plenty fast enough for even the most data-heavy online activities like streaming, gaming, torrenting and videoconferencing. Proton VPN’s VPN Accelerator feature claims to be able to boost your speeds by up to 400%, we didn’t notice much difference in our speed readings whether we had enabled or disabled the feature. The VPN Accelerator feature makes the biggest impact on speeds on internet connections with high packet loss, like satellite internet or mobile networks, according to a Proton spokesperson.

Like Mullvad, Proton VPN’s apps are fully open-source, with its source code publicly available online for anyone to scrutinize. Proton VPN is also a solid choice for privacy-focused VPN users thanks to its Swiss jurisdiction -- which sits comfortably outside the 14-eyes data-sharing alliance. Its Secure Core servers deliver additional encryption by routing your connection through secure servers located in Switzerland, Iceland and Sweden before forwarding to your selected location. 

Although Proton VPN’s primary focus is on user privacy, it does a respectable job unblocking geo-restricitons on various streaming services. During our tests, we were able to access streaming content on popular services like Netflix, Hulu, Max and Peacock. Proton VPN has an impressive network of 9,100-plus servers across 112 countries, which covers more countries than top VPNs like NordVPN (111 countries), ExpressVPN (105 countries) and Surfshark (100 countries). 

ExpressVPN is currently CNET’s pick for the best VPN overall, scoring an 8.8/10 on our VPN rating scale. It’s a veteran VPN provider that consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to privacy and transparency. It’s also excellent for streaming and the easiest VPN app to use on any platform.

In 2024, we measured a 25% average speed loss with ExpressVPN. This is fast, considering that many VPNs can slash your internet speeds by 50% or more. However, we saw substantially better speeds from NordVPN (11% speed loss), Mullvad (13% speed loss) and Surfshark (17% speed loss). Still, ExpressVPN’s speeds were largely consistent and aligned with our expectations across protocols and server locations. Overall, we registered the fastest speeds through ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol on MacOS (7% speed loss).

On the other end of the spectrum, the slowest speeds we measured were through OpenVPN on Windows, at a 62.5% speed loss. Speeds were generally faster to relatively closer server locations like New York City and the UK, and slower to distant locations like Australia and Singapore. Either way, ExpressVPN’s speeds are still plenty fast for general browsing and data-intensive activities like streaming, gaming and videoconferencing -- especially if you use Lightway.