Why Is Proton VPN So Slow?

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Turn off Secure Core

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   1. Disable Secure Core in the app unless you need it
   2. Reconnect to a regular server and test again
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Pick a nearby, low-load server

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   1. Open the server list and check the load shown for each server
   2. Choose a server close to you with low load
   3. When switching, jump at least 10 server numbers away (e.g. CH#1 to CH#21) to avoid the same bottleneck
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Use WireGuard over UDP

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   1. Open Settings > Protocol
   2. Choose WireGuard (usually fastest); prefer UDP over TCP
   3. Only use Stealth when your network blocks VPNs
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Make sure VPN Accelerator is on

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   1. Open the app settings and find VPN Accelerator
   2. Turn it on if it is off; it is free on all plans and helps most on long-distance connections
   Did this fix it? Yes No

5. 5. Free plan: change server or use quiet hours

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   1. Press Change server to get another random free server (there is a short wait between changes)
   2. Run large downloads or video calls outside your region's peak evening hours
   Did this fix it? Yes No

6. 6. Close heavy apps and update

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   1. Close torrent clients and other bandwidth-heavy apps
   2. Temporarily disable antivirus to test, then re-enable it
   3. Update Proton VPN to the latest version
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Pages load slowly, downloads crawl or video buffers while Proton VPN is connected, especially in the evening on the free plan.

Why it happens

• Secure Core routes through an extra server (about 35% slower in tests)
• Connected to a distant or high-load server
• Using Stealth, OpenVPN or TCP instead of WireGuard UDP
• Free servers are busy at peak times
• Tor servers in use
• Antivirus or torrent clients eating bandwidth
• VPN Accelerator turned off

This guide also covers

• why is proton vpn so slow
• proton vpn slow
• proton vpn free slow
• proton vpn speed
• proton vpn secure core slow

The same problem in other apps

All slow, laggy or resource-hungry guides →

• Why Is Mullvad So Slow? (Mullvad VPN)
• Why Is NordVPN So Slow? (NordVPN)
• Why Is Surfshark So Slow? (Surfshark)
• Why Is ExpressVPN So Slow? (ExpressVPN)

Other Proton VPN errors

• Proton VPN Not Connecting
• Proton VPN Not Working With Netflix
• Proton VPN Keeps Disconnecting on Android
• No Internet After Disconnecting Proton VPN
• Proton VPN Port Forwarding Not Working
• Proton VPN Getting CAPTCHAs and Blocked Websites
• Proton VPN Login Not Working
• Proton VPN Blocked on School or Work Wi-Fi