Why does a VPN increase ping?

A VPN usually increases ping because packets travel from your device to the VPN server before continuing across the internet. A nearby server often adds little delay, while a faraway server can add noticeable latency.

How can I make my VPN faster?

Choose a nearby VPN server, use a modern protocol such as WireGuard when available, avoid overloaded servers, test on a stable connection and compare speeds with and without the VPN enabled.

Interactive VPN speed guide

Why Do VPNs Slow Internet Speed?

Q: Why do VPNs slow internet speed?

A VPN can slow internet speed because traffic takes an extra route through a VPN server, is encrypted and decrypted, and may pass through a busy server or distant network path. Distance and latency often matter as much as raw download speed.

A VPN can make your connection feel slower because your traffic has to travel to a VPN server first. This guide starts from a simple 150 Mbps connection, then shows how your location, server choice, latency, server load and protocol overhead change the result.

For the broader basics, start with how a VPN affects internet speed, then use the route builder below to see why a nearby VPN server usually feels faster than one on the other side of the world.

Location based Latency included Wi-Fi quality included Updated 19 June 2026

Build your VPN route

Start with the default 150 Mbps line speed, pick where you are, choose a VPN server, then select what you are doing. The tool estimates the likely speed drop, ping increase and the main reason the connection feels slower.

Balanced route

Start here

Your normal internet speed

The guide starts at 150 Mbps before the VPN so everyone can see the baseline. Change it to your own speed if you know it, then compare the estimated VPN result below.

Speed before VPN Mbps

Step 1: where are you?

Use the closest city or region to your real location.

Step 2: VPN server

Nearby servers usually reduce ping and speed loss.

Step 3: activity

Gaming and calls are more sensitive to latency than browsing.

Your VPN route

— km to VPN server

LondonYour actual location

encrypted VPN hop

LondonSelected VPN server

Starting speed 150 Mbps Your connection before the VPN.

Estimated VPN speed — Compared with your normal line speed.

Estimated VPN ping — Lower is better for gaming and calls.

Speed loss — From distance, load and overhead.

Jitter — Unstable ping causes stutter.

What is slowing it down?

Choose a route to see the main bottleneck.

Best next step

The guide will suggest the most useful fix for this route.

Advanced settings: normal ping, protocol, server load and Wi-Fi

Normal ping 18 ms

Server load 35%

Wi-Fi quality 85%

VPN protocol

Why the VPN server you choose matters

The easiest way to understand VPN speed loss is to start with your normal speed, then think about the route. This guide uses 150 Mbps as the default starting point, but you can change it to your own line speed. With a VPN, your traffic first goes to the VPN server, gets encrypted, and then continues across the internet. If that server is nearby and not overloaded, the extra delay can be small. If it is far away, busy, or using a heavier protocol, the connection can feel slower.

That is why two people using the same VPN can get different results. Someone in Manchester using a London VPN server may barely notice a change, while someone in London using Sydney may see higher ping even if the Mbps number still looks decent.

What usually causes VPN slowdown?

Distance: a faraway VPN server adds travel time to every packet.
Latency: ping matters most for gaming, video calls and interactive apps.
Server load: a busy VPN server may queue packets and reduce throughput.
Protocol overhead: encryption and tunnelling add work, although modern protocols are usually efficient.
Local network quality: weak Wi-Fi can make the VPN look worse than it really is.

How to test before and after using a VPN

First, test your internet speed with the VPN off. Note the download speed, upload speed and ping. Then connect to a nearby VPN server and test again. A small drop is normal, but a huge drop usually points to a poor server choice, overloaded server, weak Wi-Fi or a protocol issue.

After testing speed, also check whether your VPN is working so you know the VPN is actually connected and routing traffic correctly.

How to fix a slow VPN connection

The quickest fix is usually to pick a closer VPN server. If that does not help, change protocol, avoid overloaded servers and test on a stronger Wi-Fi or wired connection. For a deeper walkthrough, use our guide to speed up your VPN connection.

Choose the nearest server that still meets your privacy or streaming goal.
Try WireGuard or IKEv2 if your VPN app supports them.
Move closer to the router or test over Ethernet.
If speeds collapse suddenly, follow the steps to fix a slow VPN connection.

When it is not just speed

Sometimes the Mbps number looks fine, but the VPN still feels laggy. That is usually latency or jitter. High latency means each action takes longer to respond. High jitter means the delay keeps changing, which can cause stutters in calls and games.

If the VPN will not connect, disconnects often, or shows app errors, check our list of common VPN errors and fixes before assuming your internet provider is the problem.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal for a VPN to reduce speed?

Yes. Some reduction is normal because the VPN adds encryption and an extra server hop. The drop should usually be modest on a good nearby server.

Why does a faraway VPN server feel slower?

A faraway VPN server increases the distance packets travel before they reach the wider internet. That extra travel time raises ping and makes interactive tasks feel slower.

Does a faster VPN always mean lower ping?

No. Download speed and ping are related but different. A VPN can have enough Mbps for streaming while still adding too much latency for gaming.