Whenever you’re connecting to an online server, think of this connection as a single stop on your data’s long trip. Consequently, of course, the more stops your data makes, the longer the trip will take to get where you want to go. A connection with no stops—such as your standard, direct ISP connection—is, therefore, the shortest.

A connection with just one single stop, such as a VPN connection, is always going to take a bit longer, so you can and should expect some drop in connection speed with almost any VPN service. Because when connecting to your VPN, all your data or traffic is routed through a preferred or default private server before it reaches its end user. When using a service with a Double VPN or MultiHop feature, your data or traffic may even be routed through two or more servers. This may not be your choice, but it nevertheless provides even greater online anonymity and security.

The best VPN services can make your connection faster in many cases, or at least with little to no decrease at all, regardless of the data load. This is because the fastest VPN services offer:

  • Vast global networks
  • A multitude of available servers with unique protocols specially designed to mitigate all delays

These are just two of the features you should be looking for with your fast VPN choice! With the many options you will encounter, it’s best to determine your specific needs and do your due diligence regarding research. Know what type of cybersecurity protection tool you need by browsing McAfee Secure VPN’s features and exploring other McAfee’s cybersecurity offerings.

The VPN Difference

While far too many standard ISPs purposely limit user connection speed via throttling, whenever a user attempts to access websites or a torrenting platform, a reliably fast VPN will provide you with the online capability to break through and enjoy consistently faster speeds. And a fast VPN is critical if you’re in the market for fast torrenting, buffer-free streaming, smooth online gaming, and safe, stress-free online browsing.

An unfortunate side effect of using any reliable and safe VPN—to encrypt sizable data chunks and then send this massive amount of data to multiple servers worldwide—is that it can slow down your connection speed. It will cause some streaming lag and it will result in some frustrating amount of wasted time.

Those are the facts, and the only real questions are- How much will it slow my connection speed, and how frequently will it happen? But we trust that the better question is—how fast can I get my VPN to work for my specific requirements and maintain maximum streaming efficiency?

→ Dig Deeper: Top 10 Benefits of a VPN in Everyday Use

Top Tips for VPN Novices

Search for good speed for your novice needs—US- 10.1 Mbps download/8.1 Mbps upload—that should cover most, if not all, of your newbie needs. Also, look for uncrackable AES 256-bit encryption and your choice of security protocols, which should be conveniently available inside your VPN’s settings menu.

In addition, search for a service that blocks all IPv6 requests and effectively disguises all DNS requests. Also look for one that offers a cool kill switch when securing P2P traffic if or when your connection drops. And last but not the least, consider a range of payment plans that are both flexible and affordable. These VPN attributes should cover more than any novice VPN needs.

As your requirements evolve, you may feel the need to upgrade your VPN service, specifically in terms of speed. We offer a few useful steps when you make the decision to upgrade. Read on below.

Our Criteria: How To Choose the Best VPN

To find the perfect VPN for you, whether it’s about speed, performance, or security, you can follow our criteria and the answers to these questions.

What Is the Fastest Free VPN?

The fastest free VPN in the market can change from time to time since there is competition and constant updates. However, you can look for the fastest free VPN based on your device, needs, and our criteria.

As previously stated, you can expect nearly every VPN to slow you down to some degree. However, high-quality VPNs will always perform with more than sufficient speed so that you don’t even notice any delays while browsing, downloading, streaming, or even torrenting.

How Do I Find the Fastest VPN Server?

Of course, there are several methods to test VPN connection speeds. But you may want to access the most accurate data, so we employed a simple but thorough process to establish VPN speed and performance accurately. We strongly suggest using the same method when searching for the VPN service that will best suit your specific needs.

  • Use speedtest.net to record your standard connection speed before connecting to your VPN. Internet speeds fluctuate, and it can affect the accuracy of this process. Follow this step to get an accurate baseline.
  • Record your connection speed after connecting to your VPN. This process will provide any or all critical percentage decrease in download speed per test. Run as many tests as you feel to get the most accurate average decrease information.
  • Contact other VPN users, preferably in different countries or regions, and request their feedback.

Moving ahead, please remember that internet connection speeds are never strictly linear. There is a multitude of factors that affect speed, including:

  • The number of users simultaneously online.
  • The specific server you’re connected to online.
  • Numerous hardware and software configurations, such as your router or antivirus software.

Please consider that each VPN user experience can vary considerably based on your specific location, hardware, and even time of use. Almost all VPNs, free or paid, are also constantly updating servers and software, and this too can and will significantly affect speed.

What is the Number 1 VPN For My Device?

The best and Number 1 VPN in the market is a VPN that works for just about any device type (Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, or Linux) and user. To know what works best for you, see if the VPN can give you a stellar performance based on speed, reliability, bandwidth capacity, security, global reach, and user interface.

What Is the Fastest VPN for Gaming?

To find the fastest VPN for gaming, you need to consider your gaming needs, gaming habits, and device specifications. Computer and mobile games have specific system and hardware requirements, so you need to pick and nitpick the best and worst features of a VPN. For gaming, you need a VPN with ultra-fast servers, huge or unlimited data, excellent security, and a wide range of regional and global servers. For more tips on how to stay safe while gaming, read this blog.

Protecting All Your Devices

Industry leader McAfee provides one of the most consistent VPNs available anywhere with its McAfee Secure VPN service. This industry-leading service is definitely worth researching as you make your decision. In addition to its reliable speed, McAfee Secure VPN offers:

  • Bank-grade Wi-Fi encryption that can keep all your personal data and online activities private and secure.
  • Comprehensive protection for your IP address to keep your physical location, banking account credentials, and credit card info safe and secure.
  • Automated protection as it turns on automatically when you need it
  • Unlimited data protection without monthly limits or hidden fees with their premium plans.
  • Worldwide coverage with almost 50 server connections

When it’s time to get fast, McAfee Secure VPN is a smart choice. To test its speed, you can download the 30-day free trial with 500MB of VPN data.