Table of Contents
Introduction
When it comes to choosing a VPN, speed is often a top priority. The faster the VPN, the better your online experience will be. In this article, we will review the ten fastest VPNs and provide ratings for each subcategory, as well as an overall rating. Our testing process is rigorous and follows a strict scientific method that has been refined over 8 years. By following our methodology and using our data, you can reproduce our findings yourself.
Download Speed (80% of Overall Rating)
Download speed is an essential factor when choosing a VPN. It determines how quickly your device can retrieve data from the internet. For most internet activities, such as streaming videos, downloading files, and browsing geo-blocked web pages, a fast download speed is crucial. Therefore, download speed constitutes 80% of our overall rating.
To accurately measure download speed, we tested each VPN on a Windows 10 PC connected to the internet via Ethernet. Our unique speed testing tool provided precise measurements. We also considered server location performance, as different locations may have varying speeds. Our rating breakdown by server location is as follows:
- Local (New York, US): 40%
- US (West Coast): 10%
- UK (London): 10%
- Canada (Toronto): 5%
- Brazil (São Paulo): 5%
- Japan (Tokyo): 5%
- Australia (Sydney): 5%
- Other Locations: 5%
We prioritize short-distance speeds as most users connect to local VPN servers frequently. The UK and the US have a higher weighting due to their usefulness in accessing geo-blocked streaming services and bypassing US sports blackouts, respectively. All other locations have equal weighting. You can find the fastest VPN for a specific location by using our VPN speed test comparison tool.
Upload Speed (10% of Overall Rating)
Upload speed measures how quickly your device can transmit data to the internet. While not as crucial as download speed, a faster upload speed is beneficial for activities such as torrenting, video calling, and uploading files. We assign a weight of 10% to upload speed in our overall rating.
Since most users are unlikely to perform these tasks while connected to VPN servers worldwide, we only consider results from the local VPN server.
Ping (10% of Overall Rating)
Ping is a measurement of the time it takes for a data packet to travel back and forth between your device and the speed test server. A lower ping is desirable for fast-paced online gaming without lag or performance issues. Therefore, ping constitutes 10% of our overall speed rating.
To account for different use cases in online gaming, we break down ping into two server locations:
- Local (New York, US): 6%
- UK (London): 4%
The higher weighting for the local server is due to users often using a VPN to hide their IP address or change their NAT types. We also consider the UK as an international location for users who want to access easier gaming lobbies.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best fastest VPN, speed is a crucial factor. Our ratings for download speed, upload speed, and ping provide a comprehensive evaluation of each VPN’s performance. By following our methodology and using our data, you can make an informed decision and find the fastest VPN that suits your needs. Remember to prioritize your specific server location requirements and consider the activities you will be performing while connected to the VPN. With the right VPN, you can enjoy a fast and secure online experience. Visit http://bestvpn.host for more detailed information and comparisons.