Vpnify.me: VPN server speed ratings
Vpnify.me is a free speed testing service for VPN services and servers that runs upload and download bandwidth speed tests regularly to show to users of the service how servers of specific providers do speed-wise.
When it comes to the selection of a VPN Provider, speed, next to privacy, security and availability, is one of the main factors that many users are interested in.
Ideally, you would not notice a difference between the actual speed of an Internet connection and the throughput of the VPN server, but that is often not the case.
Vpnify
Vpnify.me is a free service, sponsored by Private Internet Access, that provides you with hourly-updated bandwidth information for select providers.
The service is easy to use for end users. It displays a list of VPN providers that you can select one from, and a list of test locations in the world.
As far as VPN providers are concerned, it supports several of them including Private Internet Access, Hide My Ass, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, TorGuard or Invisible Browsing VPN.
Location-wise, it supports locations in the US, Europe, Asia, Brazil and even Australia.
You pick the VPN provider that you want to check out first, and then the location in the world that is closest to you. Alternatively, you may also pick a location you will be at in the future to find out if the provider delivers suitable bandwidth there as well.
You will notice that different servers offered by the provider are highlighted on the map afterwards.
A click on any of those locations displays the most recent upload and download bandwidth that the Vpnify server got when the connection test was run the last time.
Surprisingly enough, these speeds differ significantly. For instance, the Dutch Private Internet Access server provided a throughput of 33.4 MB/sec and 62.6 MB/sec from the New York test location while the Floria Private Internet Access server speeds of only 8 MB/sec and 4.9 MB/sec respectively.
What you can do with the data
The data is highly useful, even though the bandwidth that you are getting from select servers may differ.
First, it can be useful when it comes to selecting a VPN provider. Depending on what you want to use the provider for, large data transfers, media streaming, improved security, you may want to pick one that delivers sufficient bandwidth for these tasks so that you don't get slow-as-a-snail downloads or buffering issues while streaming video or other contents.
Second, you can use it to select appropriate servers if you are already a customer of one of the supported providers.
You may resolve speed issues if you switch to a server that showed faster upload and/or download speeds during tests.
Sponsoring
Vpnify is sponsored by Private Internet Access, a fact that is displayed prominently on the project's website.
It is no surprise that Private Internet Access is the default VPN selected when you open the Vpnify website, but apart from that, the sponsorship does not have any impact on the tests conducted or the website itself.
Closing Words
Vpnify is a useful web service for users who want to know if one of the supported VPN providers and the servers this provider offers, deliver sufficient bandwidth. It is also useful for users of supported providers who want to pick a fast server best suited to their needs.
Now You: How fast is your VPN provider?
Sadly its very inaccurate
Further to Bret’s and james houston’s comments, it’s not just an ISP’s having a monopoly that affects delivery of services. Here in the USA, where “open competition” is supposedly axiomatic, the blatant collusion between the large telecommunication companies with each other, combined with the intentional naïveté of the Government agencies that are supposed to oversee and regulate them, we routinely get speeds that are WAY slower than in most European countries, Asia, much of the Middle East and substantial portions of Africa, for example. The paradigm seems to be to provide only that level of service/speed that keeps the masses from “revolting” while continuing to spend their money. I mean, for instance, why is it only Google that is making gigabyte-per-second noises?
Whew! Now that I got that off my chest, this Vpnify service/software looks to be really useful. But, to rant a bit more, I hope its real sponsor is not the NSA.
Okay. Done.
Very refreshing rant. Thank you.
Yes, one of my friend martin was also faced the same problem so i am agree with bret, but in NZ many people are willing to use free vpn that is the major reason of slow speed so i also recommend my friend to use a cheaper but paid vpn and now he is not facing any sort of speed issue. Although vpnranks is very important to realize or chose the best vpn.
I find the biggest factor in speeds for me in New Zealand is the one cable monopoly provider from NZ to the rest of the world. Even without a VPN my 100mbps fibre is slowed to 10mbps. I did a test with a friend, I did a speed test to his city from mine and he did the same from his city to mine. He got full line speed (100mbps) while I only got 10mbps.
So even though this vpn speed data is good for the rest of the planet, here the monopoly makes testing impossible.
@Martin: owning fast VPN servers is not enough, as some advanced ISPs have managed to redirect a user’s VPN traffic, or block some specific VPN servers! In other words, the paid user can still be unable to access those blocked content even though his or her VPN SW shows that it’s connected to the VPN server.
Good point. As I said, speed is not the only criteria that should count, but depending on what you want to use the VPN for, it may be one of the most important ones.