| Updated: December 3, 2024
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You have probably checked the settings of your VPN and found multiple options in the VPN protocol section, but you didn’t touch them because you don’t know what they are or what they do.
VPN protocols are methods of encryption through which your device is connected to a VPN server. Most modern VPNs offer multiple VPNs, which are best for online security, privacy, streaming, etc. However, selecting the best VPN protocol is difficult for VPN users because they are not technically sound and do know how these protocols are different from one another and how they operate.
In this article, I will discuss every VPN protocol in depth, its pros and cons, and which protocol is best suited for your needs.
A VPN protocol is a set of rules that regulates the flow of data between a VPN server and a connected device. Your data is encrypted by a VPN using these protocols and encryption methodologies.
VPNs do that by using several VPN protocols and encryption methods, which are different from one another, use different technologies, and have their pros and cons.
I have created a table that will determine the technology behind a VPN protocol and its best usage.
| Protocol | Description | Strengths | Weakness | Verdict (Y/N) |
| L2TP/IPsec | Combines Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with IPsec for AES-256 encryption.
It has better security than PPTP/SSTP but is slower. |
– AES-256 encryption
– Suitable for anonymization |
– Slower speeds
– Weaker than OpenVPN for security |
No |
| IPsec | Encrypts and authenticates individual IP packets. Often paired with non-encrypting protocols like L2TP. | – Flexible
– Ensures packet-level security |
– Requires pairing with other protocols for tunneling | No |
| OpenVPN | Highly configurable open-source protocol evades detection and is widely adopted. | – Open-source
– Reliable for sensitive environments – Maskable traffic |
– TCP prioritizes reliability, slowing speed
– UDP may lose packets |
Yes |
| IKEv2 | Modern protocol is fast and suitable for mobile platforms, often used automatically by VPN apps. | – Fast
– Great for mobile – Open-source implementation available |
– Limited configurability
– Not natively supported on Linux |
Maybe |
| PPTP | Early VPN protocol is fast but highly insecure and easy to crack.
Not supported by modern VPNs like ExpressVPN or NordVPN. |
– Fast speeds | – Weak security
– Data visible to ISPs, Wi-Fi operators, etc. |
No |
| WireGuard | Modern, lightweight open-source protocol with high speeds, adopted by many VPN providers. | – Fast
– Lightweight codebase – Open-source |
Still in testing | Yes |
| SSTP | Microsoft-developed protocol, early encryption similar to PPTP wrapped in SSL. Limited to Windows devices. | – Easy setup on Windows | – Limited configurability
– Lack of cross-platform support |
No |
Different VPN protocols have different sets of rules and encryption methods. However, their job is similar, and that is to authenticate your device and encrypt your traffic.
Various encryption standards and authentication methods influence the speed and security levels experienced by VPN users. Additionally, VPN protocols differ in how they manage potential errors, which impacts their overall stability and reliability.
Some of the most commonly used VPN protocols are OpenVPN, WireGuard, L2TP, PPTP, IKEV2, and SSTP. Some of them are known for their tight security and encryption, while others are used for speed.
The best VPN protocol will depend on your needs, some of you may use a VPN for streaming and torrenting, while others use it for access blocked websites and social media.
Let’s discuss these VPN protocols in detail, including their pros, cons, and use cases.
WireGuard has quickly risen to become one of the most popular VPN protocols since its release in 2018 by Jason Donenfeld. Its streamlined design, featuring improved encryption and a minimal codebase, ensures both robust security and exceptional speed. These advantages have led to its widespread adoption by many VPN providers.
WireGuard launched in 2018 and is relatively new in comparison with other VPN protocols like OpenVPN and L2TP. However, with a number of third-party audits have been conducted to test the security of WireGuard and none of them reported flaws with its security.
It employs the ChaCha20 chipper to encrypt data, which is top-notch encryption technology. The VPN protocol has 4000 lines of code, making it lighter than its predecessors. I have written a researched article on the WireGuard VPN protocol that will give you more information.
WireGuard is faster than OpenVPN and other fast VPN protocols. I have tested it myself, and many VPN reviewers also claim this. Most modern VPN providers now offer the WireGuard protocol and have incorporated it into their applications.
NordVPN has developed its own VPN protocol, ‘NordLynx,’ which is based on WireGuard. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, has its own ‘Lightway’ protocol, which is the advanced version of WireGuard with lesser code and faster speed.
The bottom line is that WireGuard is fast, secure, and easy to integrate if you are using a Linux device. I recommend VPN users use WireGuard as their default VPN protocol.
This VPN protocol is fast and secure at the same time and doesn’t reduce your internet speed. I recommend VPN users employ WireGuard for online streaming, gaming, torrenting, and sensitive file sharing.
It’s also beneficial for accessing public Wi-Fi and bypassing firewalls. Travelers should consider using it when visiting countries with strict internet censorship. However, I strongly recommend using obfuscated VPN servers in such countries for enhanced privacy and security.
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I know you have heard about this VPN protocol. OpenVPN is the most popular VPN protocol in the world and is offered by almost all VPNs in the market. It is fast, secure, reliable, and has been battle-hardened with years of testing.
It is a cryptographic protocol that protects online security. The best part is it’s open source, so users can check, and third parties can audit it for vulnerabilities. Another reason for OpenVPN’s popularity and acceptability is its compatibility and configuration options. It works on all major platforms, including Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and Linux.
OpenVPN is used as a standard VPN protocol by several VPN providers and the reason behind this is the security and speed it offers. It was developed by a group of programmers and not by a company and is open-sourced.
OpenVPN’s security protocols use the OpenSSL library to encrypt your traffic, just like websites use HTTPS. It supports AES-256-bit encryption, which is also advertised as military-grade encryption by VPNs.
OpenVPN is fast but not the fastest. It is fast enough to stream movies and TV shows and download torrents and other files. However, in comparison with WireGuard and PPTP, OpenVPN is slow.
The best part of this VPN protocol is that it gives user the choice to decide what they want. OpenVPN has two types, TCP and UDP one is secure and the other gives you speed.
OpenVPN is the default set protocol in most VPN apps. This is due to its flexibility, speed, security, and reliability. You can use OpenVPN to access restricted websites, access social media, bypass VPN blocks and firewalls in countries like Russia and China, etc.
I use OpenVPN for streaming, WhatsApp, and Zoom video calls, downloading torrent files, and using public WiFi.
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L2TP was a joint venture between Cisco and Microsoft and was released in 1999. It connects a user to a VPN server but does not encrypt data. IPSec is often paired with L2TP for authentication, security, and encryption. That is where the name L2Tp/IPSec came from.
This VPN protocol has been retired by most modern VPN providers, not because it had flaws but because its successors had more options.
ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PIA, and CyberGhost do not offer the L2TP VPN protocol. However, Surshark allows its users to use L2TP.
L2TP is primarily used to connect users to a VPN server. While it does not provide security on its own, it is paired with IPsec to encrypt data and create a secure tunnel for data transmission. L2TP encapsulates your data, similar to PPTP, with additional encryption provided by IPsec.
Overall, L2TP/IPsec is a secure VPN protocol, but its reputation has been tarnished by allegations of NSA interference. Additionally, it relies on only three ports, making it vulnerable to firewall blocking.
L2TP offers reasonable internet speeds but doesn’t rank among the fastest VPN protocols. On its own, L2TP can deliver high speeds due to the absence of data encryption. However, when combined with IPsec for added security, the speed is noticeably reduced.
L2Tp requires high resources and is not designed for users with slow internet connection. In my experience, you should at least have a 100 Mbps connection with a modern PC to use L2Tp.
L2Tp is not for users who want to unblock Hulu or stream Netflix. Modern VPN protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard can provide fast streaming and downloading speeds with top-notch security. Additionally, it is not something I would recommend for online gaming since it requires higher speed and lower ping.
However, if you are looking forward to building your own VPN, L2TP is a good option.
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There are some similarities between IKEv2 and L2Tp. Both are developed by Microsoft and Cisco, and both are combined with IPSec to create a secure tunnel for data transportation. However, IKEv2 was developed primarily for mobile users who want to stay secure online.
IKEv2 is compatible with most advanced encryption techniques, including 256-bit ciphers, AES, 3DES, and ChaCha20. It also uses security certificates to authenticate connections between devices, ensuring they are verified even if the connection drops.
However, since IKEv2 relies on UDP packets and specific ports, it can be easily detected and blocked by firewalls. As a result, some VPN apps have discontinued its support.
In my experience, IKEv2 is one of the fastest VPN protocols I have ever used, especially on a Linux system. The addition of IPSec for data encryption reduces internet speed but you have to tradeoff speed with security.
Additionally, IKEv2 is known for its MOBIKE feature, which stabilizes speed even if you change your network.
IKEv2 is undeniably one of the fastest VPN protocols available. It is particularly popular among mobile users as it prevents data leaks when switching between mobile networks and Wi-Fi.
Personally, I rely on NordVPN’s IKEv2 protocol while traveling abroad, thanks to its exceptional ability to maintain secure connections and prevent mobile data leaks during reconnections.
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PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) is one of the oldest VPN protocols, now considered obsolete and largely retired. It was originally developed by Microsoft in the 1990s for dial-up networks.
While PPTP offers fast speeds, it is no longer supported by most VPN providers, as it has been replaced by more modern and secure protocols.
PPTP can provide fast speed but not top-notch security. Hackers can easily break its encryption with today’s sophisticated tools. However, its security has been breached in the past by NSA when it cracked the PPTP encrypted tunnel back in the 90s.
PPTP uses MPPE (Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption) and keys up to 128 bits. This type of encryption is inferior to AES 256-bit and ChaCha20, which are offered by modern VPN protocols. PPTP can be used on any device and platform but using it can put your online security at risk.
PPTP is one of the fastest VPN protocols on the market due to its low encryption level. However, using it to bypass restricted content or torrenting is not recommended due to online security risks.
Commercial VPNs do not offer PPTP and have been retired by Microsoft. PPTP VPN protocol does not offer high-level data encryption and is useless for online security. I won’t recommend using this VPN protocol for anything.
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Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) was developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista as a replacement for earlier VPN protocols on Windows. It provides fast speeds and robust security.
However, its compatibility is limited to Windows, which is why most commercial VPN providers do not include it in their offerings.
SSTP is one of the safest VPN protocols available on the market. It was solely developed with two things in mind: speed and security. It uses SSL and encapsulates data over HTTPS, making it invisible for ISPs and firewalls to get identified and blocked.
SSTP also utilizes AES-256-bit encryption to establish a secure tunnel for data transmission. Since its release in 2007, there have been no reported data breaches, making it one of the safest VPN protocols for PC users. However, to ensure maximum security, it’s recommended that the kill switch be enabled.
SSTP is relatively fast compared to many other VPN protocols, even with its strong encryption. However, it requires significant system resources and high bandwidth to perform well. If your device or internet connection isn’t powerful enough, you might notice occasional lag or slower speeds.
The SSTP VPN protocol is best suited for Windows PCs. However, I won’t say it’s the best VPN protocol for Windows because OpenVPN and WireGuard are better than SSTP and require fewer resources to operate.
Still, if you want to use a VPN protocol that is highly compatible with Windows OS, SSTP is your option.
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Most commercial VPNs at least offer WireGuard and OpenVPN, which are the best in today’s world and are tested by third parties. However, your speed depends on the best VPN servers and protocols you have selected.
Here are some popular VPNs and their offered protocols:
This would depend upon your needs and the level of preference you give to online security and privacy. PPTP is the fastest VPN protocol, even faster than OpenVPN, but it does not provide the required security and encryption.
Here is a head-to-head comparison of popular VPN protocols:
We have discussed the most popular VPN protocols and mentioned their pros and cons. Which VPN protocol is best suited for you depends on your needs and location.
In general, I would recommend the WireGuard VPN for the best data encryption, online security, fast speed, and downloading. However, you can also employ OpenVPN (UDP) for even more fast speed and OpenVPN (TCP) for enhanced security.
On the other hand, I don’t recommend using the PPTP VPN protocol, as it lacks robust security. Additionally, many other options are available that offer both excellent speed and strong security, making PPTP an outdated choice.
Ultimately, it depends on your needs and how you want to use your VPN. As an alternative to OpenVPN, I recommend IKEv2, which offers decent speed and security.
Also read:
A VPN protocol is a set of rules and processes that determine how data is securely transmitted between your device and the VPN server.
In simple words, it is a language to enable communication between your device and the VPN server.
The best VPN protocol depends on your specific needs. WireGuard and OpenVPN offer excellent security, encryption, and speed. Both have been independently tested, with no vulnerabilities reported.
It depends on what your goal is. Here are a few things I do online with specific VPN protocols selected:
WireGuard is undoubtedly the fastest VPN protocol available today. It offers top-notch online security, robust data encryption, and the ability to bypass firewalls.
If speed is your primary concern and security or privacy isn’t a priority, you can consider using the PPTP protocol.
Mustafa is a cybersecurity analyst and a co-founder of VPN for What. Since 2017, Mustafa has gained international experience, working with governments, NGOs, and the private sector as a cybersecurity and VPN expert and advisor.
