VPN Speed Tests for Torrenting: Real Results(April 2026)
Every VPN was tested on a 100 Mbps baseline connection using WireGuard protocol (or the fastest available equivalent). Each result is an average of 10 tests across EU and US server locations.
Test Methodology
Speed Results
| VPN | Download | Upload | Latency | Overhead | Protocol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FASTESTNordVPN | 92 Mbps | 48 Mbps | 28ms | 8% | NordLynx (WireGuard-based) |
| ExpressVPN | 89 Mbps | 45 Mbps | 31ms | 11% | Lightway (proprietary) |
| Surfshark | 85 Mbps | 42 Mbps | 34ms | 15% | WireGuard |
| Mullvad | 84 Mbps | 44 Mbps | 26ms | 16% | WireGuard |
| ProtonVPN | 82 Mbps | 41 Mbps | 32ms | 18% | WireGuard + Stealth |
| Private Internet Access | 76 Mbps | 38 Mbps | 38ms | 24% | WireGuard + OpenVPN |
Download Speed Comparison
Speed by Protocol (Mbps Download)
WireGuard is consistently 10-30% faster than OpenVPN. Use WireGuard (or NordLynx/Lightway) for the best torrenting performance.
| Protocol | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Mullvad | ProtonVPN | PIA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | 92 Mbps | - | 85 Mbps | 84 Mbps | 82 Mbps | 76 Mbps |
| NordLynx | 92 Mbps | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lightway | - | 89 Mbps | - | - | - | - |
| OpenVPN (UDP) | 78 Mbps | 74 Mbps | 71 Mbps | 72 Mbps | 69 Mbps | 62 Mbps |
| OpenVPN (TCP) | 65 Mbps | 63 Mbps | 60 Mbps | 61 Mbps | 58 Mbps | 51 Mbps |
| IKEv2 | 82 Mbps | 80 Mbps | 76 Mbps | - | 74 Mbps | 68 Mbps |
Speed Optimisation Tips
Use WireGuard protocol
WireGuard consistently delivers 10-30% faster speeds than OpenVPN. NordLynx and Lightway are built on similar foundations.
Connect to nearby servers
Choose a P2P server in your country or a neighbouring country. Each additional hop adds latency and reduces throughput.
Enable port forwarding
If your VPN supports it (ProtonVPN, PIA), port forwarding improves initial connection speeds and seeding ratios.
Check for ISP throttling
Run a speed test without VPN, then with VPN. If VPN speeds are higher, your ISP was throttling torrent traffic.
Try split tunneling
Route only your torrent client through the VPN. Other traffic uses your normal connection, reducing VPN load.
Bind client to VPN interface
In qBittorrent, bind to the VPN adapter. If the VPN drops, the client cannot connect at all, preventing any IP leaks.
Does a VPN Slow Down Torrenting?
Yes, but the impact is smaller than most people expect. Premium VPNs with WireGuard typically add 8-25% overhead. On a 100 Mbps connection, that means 75-92 Mbps effective download speed.
There is one scenario where a VPN can actually increase your torrent speeds: if your ISP is throttling BitTorrent traffic. Since the VPN encrypts your traffic, your ISP cannot identify it as torrent data and cannot selectively slow it down.
The biggest factors affecting VPN speed are: the protocol used (WireGuard is fastest), the distance to the server (closer is better), and the VPN provider's infrastructure investment.