Does a VPN Really Slow Down Your Internet? We Measured It

Encrypting your traffic and routing it through a remote server adds some overhead, but with a fast modern provider the difference is often small.

What we found

The gap between the fastest and slowest providers we tested was large — some barely register, others cut speeds by more than half.

What actually affects speed

• Server distance from your real location
• Protocol (WireGuard is consistently faster than OpenVPN)
• Server load at the time you connect

Choosing a nearby server on a fast protocol keeps the impact minimal — see our full rating for measured speed scores on every provider.