WhatVPN

Category

Fastest VPN 2026

Speed is dominated by protocol and network quality — WireGuard-based providers lead the field. This ranking orders by measured throughput, with the honest caveat that your own line speed is the ceiling no VPN can beat.

★ Editor's pick

PremierVPN IndependentProvisional 78

PremierVPN runs WireGuard and reports ~400–500 Mbps on a gigabit line. That's a single self-reported reading, not an independent benchmark yet — featured on the protocol, with our own speed run still to do.

#1 for censorship resistanceStrong for torrenting

Editor's pick by WhatVPN. It now carries a provisional 78/100 from our first-look testing — speed and streaming measured on our own line, privacy capped pending an independent audit. Its ranked position will move as the review completes.

Read the review →

The scored ranking

Fully-tested providers, ordered on merit for this category. PremierVPN is featured above with its provisional score and joins these category tables once its review is complete.

1

NordVPN

NordTop rated

The most thoroughly audited mainstream VPN, and among the fastest thanks to NordLynx. Marketing is heavy and monthly pricing is steep, but the underlying product is genuinely strong.

8,400 serversPanamafrom ~£3/mo
90
/ 100
2

Surfshark

Nord

The value pick: unlimited devices at the lowest audited entry price here, with fast local speeds. Cross-Atlantic performance drops off, and it shares a parent with NordVPN — worth knowing when a review tells you to 'switch' between the two..

3,200 serversNetherlandsfrom ~£2/mo
87
/ 100
3

Proton VPN

Independent

The strongest all-rounder on the list. Swiss jurisdiction, fully open-source apps, a genuine free tier and a rare combination of port forwarding with reliable streaming.

6,000 serversSwitzerlandPort forwardingfrom ~£4/mo
90
/ 100
4

ExpressVPN

Kape-owned

Polished, fast and excellent for streaming, with the friendliest apps here. The caveats are ownership (Kape, now taken private and less transparent) and past controversy around a former CTO — worth weighing if provenance matters to you..

3,000 serversBritish Virgin Islandsfrom ~£5/mo
84
/ 100
5

Private Internet Access

Kape-owned

One of the best torrenting toolkits here — port forwarding, a vast network and open-source apps — and its no-logs claim has actually survived court scrutiny. The counterweights are US jurisdiction and Kape ownership..

10,000 serversUnited StatesPort forwardingfrom ~£2/mo
84
/ 100
6

Mullvad

Independent

The privacy purist's choice. No email to sign up, flat €5 pricing with no dark-pattern discounts, annual audits and a track record of literally having nothing to hand police.

650 serversSwedenfrom €5/mo flat
82
/ 100
7

CyberGhost

Kape-owned

Beginner-friendly with dedicated streaming servers and the longest refund window here. The trust caveat is real: Kape owns CyberGhost and also owns VPN 'review' sites, which is a conflict worth naming..

11,000 serversRomaniafrom ~£2/mo
82
/ 100
8

Mozilla VPN

Independent

A simple, trustworthy VPN riding on Mullvad's network with Mozilla's name behind it. Great if you want a no-fuss, reputable option; limited if you need features — it's WireGuard-only with no port forwarding and modest streaming..

500 serversUnited Statesfrom ~£4/mo
79
/ 100
9

Windscribe

Independent

An independent, flexible option with a build-your-own-plan model, port forwarding and a capable free tier. Handled a 2021 server seizure transparently and hardened its fleet afterwards.

1,300 serversCanadaPort forwardingfrom ~£4/mo
84
/ 100
10

IPVanish

Ziff

Owns its own network and allows unlimited devices, which helps consistency. Trust is the sticking point: a 2016 logging episode (under prior ownership) and US jurisdiction mean the no-logs claim carries more historical baggage than the leaders'..

2,400 serversUnited Statesfrom ~£3/mo
78
/ 100
11

Hide.me

Independent

An underrated independent with port forwarding, a broad protocol line-up and a decent free tier. Not the fastest or best for streaming, but a solid, privacy-respecting all-rounder that avoids the big conglomerates..

2,400 serversMalaysiaPort forwardingfrom ~£3/mo
80
/ 100
12

PureVPN

Independent

Has invested heavily in audits and now offers a broad feature set including port forwarding. But history matters in this category: PureVPN handed user logs to the FBI in 2017, and that episode still weighs on its trust score despite genuine reform since..

6,000 serversBritish Virgin IslandsPort forwardingfrom ~£2/mo
76
/ 100
13

PrivadoVPN

Independent

A Swiss-based independent with a generous free tier and port forwarding. The privacy story is promising, but its audit history is thinner than the leaders', so some of the no-logs claim rests on trust rather than verification..

1,000 serversSwitzerlandPort forwardingfrom ~£2/mo
79
/ 100
14

IVPN

Independent

A trust-first provider that leans into transparency over reach: anonymous account IDs, independent audits and no marketing spin. The trade-offs are a small network, higher prices and weak streaming — this is a privacy tool, not an entertainment one..

90 serversGibraltarfrom ~£5/mo
77
/ 100