TRY EXPRESSVPNS LIGHTWAY PROTOCOL
What Is a VPN Protocol?
The choice of VPN protocol affects security, speed, and reliability.
Some protocols might be super secure but slow, while others are blazing fast but less secure.
What Are the Most Common VPN Protocols?
WireGuard
WireGuard is one of the newest VPN protocols out there.
Thats the main reason for its extremely fast speeds and why most top VPNs offer it.
In short, I recommend WireGuard if youre prioritizing speeds, especially when streaming or gaming.
That said, being relatively new, its not as thoroughly tested as older protocols.
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is another very popular VPN protocol.
Its an all-round solid protocol that doesnt share the privacy concerns of WireGuard.
Like the WireGuard protocol, its open source.
Additionally, it can be run via either UDP or TCP.
In other words, use TCP if you experience frequent connection issues or broken downloads.
The main downside of the OpenVPN protocol is its slow speeds.
It is, however, closed source, unlike WireGuard and OpenVPN.
In fact, many top VPNs have stopped offering this protocol entirely onlyPrivateVPNstill supports it.
And for good reason: it cant really compete with WireGuard or OpenVPN in terms of speeds or security.
PPTP
PPTP is an outdated VPN protocol.
Its also built into many devices, so its quite easy to set up yourself.
The only top providers that offer the PPTP protocol are PrivateVPN and IPVanish.
SoftEther
SoftEther is very fast, provides excellent security, and is open-source.
Its lighter than even WireGuard, as it consists of just about 2,000 lines of code.
It has very strong encryption as well, and its core codebase is completely open source.
It can even handle obfuscation most VPNs force you to use the OpenVPN protocol for obfuscation.
The NordLynx protocol is NordVPNs proprietary protocol thats built around WireGuard.
If you need obfuscation, however, youll have to switch to the OpenVPN protocol.
Some VPN protocols are more suitable than others for certain types of activities.
It all depends on whether you want to prioritize speeds, security, or privacy.
Best VPN Protocol for Streaming
ExpressVPNs proprietary Lightway protocol is the best VPN protocol for streaming.
Its one part of the reason why ExpressVPN isthe best VPN for streaming in 2025.
Other good options include NordVPNs NordLynx and the WireGuard protocol.
Both offer very fast speeds for a smooth and secure streaming experience.
If youre worried about WireGuards privacy problem, it isnt really an issue for streaming.
And if you know what youre doing, you could consider the PPTP protocol as well.
Best VPN Protocol for Gaming
ExpressVPNs Lightway protocol wins again.
The best alternatives are NordLynx and WireGuard.
The WireGuard protocol is similarly fast, so your game wont have to suffer because of lag.
Allthe best VPNs for torrentingoffer one of these.
Best VPN Protocol for Privacy
Lightway and OpenVPN are the top VPN protocols for privacy.
Ill useExpressVPNas an example in my guide below, but these steps work with most VPNs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which VPN protocol is the fastest?
ExpressVPNs proprietary Lightway protocolis the #1 choice.
A good alternative is the WireGuard protocol.
Its a relatively new protocol thats well-known for providing extremely fast connection speeds.
Its only significant disadvantage is that its not a great choice for privacy.
Which VPN protocol is the most secure?
ExpressVPNs Lightway protocol offers very strong encryption.
However, there areother VPN protocols that are just as good for securing your online traffic.
Whats the most stable VPN protocol?
Its fast, lightweight, and its auto-reconnect feature ensures that there are no interruptions in your protection.
The IKEv2/IPSec protocol is another good option.
Its not quite as fast as Lightway, but it provides very stable connections.
Which VPN protocol is the easiest to set up?
Generally, this shouldnt be an issue since VPN providers will set up their protocols for you.
Neither protocol is especially great overall: SSTPs speeds are mediocre, and PPTP provides very weak encryption.
