Can VPN speed up internet?

Yes for ISP-throttled services. Bypasses throttling on streaming/gaming.

ExpressVPN marginally. Both NordVPN and Express stream 4K without buffer.

VPN Speed Comparison India 2026: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN vs Surfshark

Speed is the most important factor when choosing a VPN in India. A VPN that slashes your internet speed by 50 percent is unusable for streaming, gaming, or video calls. We tested the three most popular VPN services from multiple Indian cities and ISPs to find which delivers the best performance.

Testing Methodology

We tested from Mumbai (Jio Fiber 100Mbps), Delhi (Airtel Broadband 100Mbps), and Bangalore (ACT Fibernet 150Mbps) using Speedtest.net. Each VPN was tested 10 times per server location with the fastest available protocol.

Speed Results — Indian Servers

VPN	Download	Upload	Speed Loss
NordVPN (NordLynx)	87 Mbps	76 Mbps	13%
ExpressVPN (Lightway)	91 Mbps	79 Mbps	9%
Surfshark (WireGuard)	78 Mbps	65 Mbps	22%

Speed Results — International Servers

Server	NordVPN	ExpressVPN	Surfshark
Singapore	76 Mbps	82 Mbps	68 Mbps
UK London	62 Mbps	67 Mbps	52 Mbps
US New York	54 Mbps	58 Mbps	45 Mbps
Japan Tokyo	65 Mbps	70 Mbps	55 Mbps

Winner by Category

Raw Speed: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol consistently delivers 5-10 percent faster speeds than NordVPN and 20 percent faster than Surfshark across all server locations.

Value for Money: NordVPN

NordVPN is almost half the price of ExpressVPN while delivering speeds that are close enough for any practical use case. At INR 275 per month (2-year plan), the performance-per-rupee ratio is unbeatable. The 87 Mbps on Indian servers is more than enough for 4K streaming, gaming, and video calls.

Budget: Surfshark

Surfshark's unlimited connections and lower price make it attractive for families, but the 22 percent speed loss is noticeable on slower connections.

ISP Performance

ISP	Best VPN	Notes
Jio Fiber	NordVPN/ExpressVPN	Both perform well, minimal throttling detected
Airtel Broadband	ExpressVPN	Slightly better routing to international servers
ACT Fibernet	NordVPN	NordLynx protocol optimizes well on ACT
BSNL	NordVPN	Obfuscated servers bypass BSNL restrictions

Our Recommendation

For most Indian users, NordVPN offers the best balance of speed, features, and price. ExpressVPN is marginally faster but costs nearly double. Surfshark works for budget users who need unlimited connections. All three are fast enough for streaming, gaming, and general use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which VPN protocol is fastest?

WireGuard-based protocols: NordLynx (NordVPN), Lightway (ExpressVPN), WireGuard (Surfshark). Avoid OpenVPN for speed-critical tasks.

Does a VPN slow down Jio Fiber?

Yes, but minimally. NordVPN on Jio loses only about 13 percent speed. On a 100 Mbps connection, you still get 87 Mbps which is plenty for any use.

Can a VPN speed up my internet?

Rarely for general browsing, but yes for ISP-throttled services. If your ISP throttles specific streaming or gaming traffic, a VPN can bypass this and effectively restore full speed.

Which is fastest for Netflix?

ExpressVPN marginally, but NordVPN's Smart DNS feature is excellent for streaming devices. Both stream 4K Netflix without buffering from Indian connections.