VPN Speed Comparison for Torrenting

Speed tests conducted in March 2026 from data centres in the EU and US using a 500 Mbps baseline connection. Each VPN was tested 10 times and results averaged. All tests used the fastest available protocol for each provider.

Download Speed Results

VPN	No VPN	With VPN	Protocol	Overhead
NordShield VPN	500 Mbps	310 Mbps	WireGuard	38%
PrivacyRoute VPN	500 Mbps	300 Mbps	WireGuard	40%
SwiftGuard VPN	500 Mbps	295 Mbps	WireGuard	41%
ProxyShell VPN	500 Mbps	280 Mbps	WireGuard	44%
VaultNet VPN	500 Mbps	270 Mbps	WireGuard	46%
CipherTunnel VPN	500 Mbps	260 Mbps	OpenVPN	48%
TorrentSafe VPN	500 Mbps	245 Mbps	OpenVPN	51%
StealthLink VPN	500 Mbps	190 Mbps	OpenVPN	62%

Speeds are averages from 10 tests each. Actual speeds vary by server load, location, and ISP.

Protocol Speed Comparison

WireGuard

Avg Speed291 Mbps

LatencyLow

CPU UsageLow

SecurityExcellent

Best for: Default choice for all use cases

IKEv2/IPSec

Avg Speed245 Mbps

LatencyLow

CPU UsageMedium

SecurityVery Good

Best for: Mobile devices, fast reconnects

OpenVPN (UDP)

Avg Speed210 Mbps

LatencyMedium

CPU UsageHigh

SecurityExcellent

Best for: Compatibility with strict firewalls

OpenVPN (TCP)

Avg Speed155 Mbps

LatencyHigh

CPU UsageVery High

SecurityExcellent

Best for: Bypass deep packet inspection

How to maximise torrenting speed with a VPN

Use WireGuard protocol

WireGuard uses modern cryptography and a lean codebase, resulting in significantly lower overhead than OpenVPN. Switch to WireGuard in your VPN settings if it is available.

Connect to a nearby P2P server

Physical distance adds latency. Choose a P2P-optimised server in the same country or a neighbouring one. Connecting to a server 5,000 miles away adds unnecessary round-trip time.

Enable port forwarding if available

Port forwarding allows incoming peer connections, which improves download speeds on many torrent clients. Check if your VPN supports it on P2P servers.