Best VPNs with Port Forwarding Support in 2025

In today’s digital world, port forwarding is an essential feature for many users who rely on a VPN for various activities, such as gaming, torrenting, or remote access. But how can you ensure you’re choosing the best VPN with port forwarding capabilities?

Today we will guide you through the top VPNs with port forwarding support, their features, and how to set them up. With one of these services, you can enjoy a secure, fast, and reliable online experience. If you are short on time, you can jump right to our list of the top services.

After testing and evaluating over 100 VPNs, we have identified the best 4 VPNs with port forwarding features for improved connectivity and performance. Each of these providers offers port forwarding support, along with robust security features and impressive server networks, providing you with a seamless and secure online experience.

Port forwarding boosts your VPN experience with faster torrenting, smoother gaming, and secure remote access. By directing traffic through specific ports, it enhances connection speed and stability. It also strengthens security by limiting open ports, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and cyberattacks, keeping your network safer.

These VPNs cater to a wide range of users, from casual streamers to dedicated gamers and torrenters. So let's meet the winners.

Meet the Best VPNs with Port Forwarding

1. Proton VPN – Secure VPN in Switzerland with port forwarding (with a 64% off coupon)
2. Perfect Privacy – Premium VPN with advanced features and port forwarding. Visit site >
3. OVPN – Reliable VPN from Sweden with port forwarding. Visit site >
4. ExpressVPN – A very popular VPN with port forwarding support on routers only. Visit site >

To help you quickly sort through the options, we have given you short descriptions of the top VPNs with port forwarding. Once you find one that you like, you have two options:

1. Click the button at the end of the section to join the VPN service immediately; or
2. Follow the link below the button to see the results of our testing and analysis of the VPN you are interested in.

Now let's get to it!

Proton VPN – Security, privacy, and port forwarding for Windows users

Proton VPN provides port forwarding for Windows users with a paid subscription. The server network includes a firewall that blocks all ports except those used by the VPN. Port forwarding routes the traffic you specify through the firewall, supporting uses like P2P file transfers (Bit Torrent) and online gaming with a VPN. Here's the new Proton VPN Windows interface:

It is easy to enable Port Forwarding from the main Proton VPN window. Proton VPN port forwarding is available on its P2P servers, so if the location you are interested in has P2P servers, you should be all set to go. Simply select the Port Forwarding icon (picked out in red in the image above), and turn Port Forwarding On.

Proton VPN will automatically connect you to an available P2P server, assign you a port, and activate the firewall. In the figure below you can see Proton VPN with Port Forwarding activated and the port number displayed.

The Proton VPN support center includes specific instructions for forwarding some popular apps.

Beyond port forwarding, Proton VPN is a premium service known for its strong security and privacy protections. A key strength of the service is its Secure Core network, a Double VPN feature that routes your data through servers in privacy-friendly jurisdictions before it leaves the Proton VPN network. Secure Core provides extra security and privacy, but our testing showed that it does slow down your connection. (We found the Double VPN servers in the NordVPN review to be much faster.)

Complementing its Secure Core network is Proton VPN's audited no-log policy, which ensures that your online activities are never recorded or shared. We see both ProtonVPN and NordVPN completing no-logs audits in recent years. In addition, Proton VPN is headquartered in Switzerland, a country known for its strong privacy laws.

Proton VPN's large server network delivers optimized performance for torrenting, streaming, or any other online activity. This network ensures reliable, high-speed connections worldwide. The table below highlights the latest server stats of Proton VPN:

ProtonVPN Servers:
Total Servers	14,730
Total Countries	126
Secure Core servers	112
Tor-Over-VPN servers	✅
See the latest Proton VPN server stats >

Note: If you subscribe to the free Proton VPN plan, you will be limited to 86 free servers in 3 countries and will not be able to use port forwarding at all. The free plan also does not work if you need a VPN for torrenting.

Proton VPN provides plenty of useful information in its Support Center. This includes detailed guides for setting up port forwarding. The company provides email support, but no live chat, which is frustrating. Happily, the Support team is competent and has always responded to our questions quickly.

In conclusion, Proton VPN stands out with its multi-layered security, a strict, audited, no-log policy, and a large, geographically dispersed server network.

Proton VPN plans	Proton VPN Plus	Proton Unlimited
1-month	$9.99/month	$12.99/month
1-year	$3.99/month	$9.99/month
2-year	$3.59/month	$7.99/month

Deal: Get 64% OFF Proton VPN 2-year plans >

To learn more about Proton VPN's features and capabilities, check out this updated Proton VPN review.

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Perfect Privacy – Multi-hop connections and built-in ad blocker

Perfect Privacy VPN excels in advanced port forwarding, supporting unlimited ports, which makes it ideal for torrenting and gaming. Setup and management are straightforward, even for beginners. Beyond that, it offers a number of strong features that gained it its spot in this collection.

Perfect Privacy follows a strict no-logs policy, ensuring no recording or sharing of your activities with third parties. While it lacks a formal third-party audit, a server seizure by Dutch authorities years ago revealed no user data, as the company maintains no logs.

In terms of security, Perfect Privacy VPN supports the OpenVPN protocol with strong AES-256 encryption and the use of Perfect Forward Secrecy. Disappointingly, Perfect Privacy does not support the WireGuard VPN protocol, which would likely offer the service a noticeable boost in both speed and security.

The Perfect Privacy VPN also has a dynamic multi-hop VPN feature called NeuroRouting that routes your traffic through up to 4 servers in a row for enhanced privacy. Another advanced Perfect Privacy feature is TrackStop, a configurable filter that blocks traffic from untrusted and unwanted sites.

Perfect Privacy has a small network of a few dozen servers across 24 countries. This is not ideal for streaming, but the company is focused on the security and privacy of its users, and streaming videos isn’t one of their priorities. So if you want a VPN for Hulu or a VPN for Netflix, you should probably look elsewhere.

Perfect Privacy's Help Center offers extensive resources, including a comprehensive FAQ, email support, and a community forum for user-shared tips. This compensates well for the absence of live chat. Though the lack of live chat support is a drawback, the fact that it supports unlimited simultaneous connections is a major strength, making it an ideal VPN for multiple devices.

In summary, Perfect Privacy scores with strong port forwarding, privacy commitments, and features like NeuroRouting, as well as unlimited connections. Despite minor cons, it's an excellent pick for users needing flexible port forwarding in a full-featured service.

Get the full story on this privacy-focused service in this full Perfect Privacy VPN review.

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OVPN – Easy-to-use VPN with anonymous payments

OVPN is another VPN provider with strong port forwarding capabilities. With the ability to open up to 7 ports, OVPN is a top choice for activities that could benefit from having multiple ports open, such as gaming and torrenting.

OVPN is not just a VPN that offers robust port forwarding capabilities. It is a user-friendly VPN with strong encryption and a strict no-logs policy. OVPN’s easy-to-use interface makes it an attractive option for both beginners and experienced VPN users alike.

While the service is easy to use, the company's focus is on maximum user privacy and security. It has a strict no-logs policy which was confirmed in the real-world when the company proved in court that it keeps no logs while successfully defending against a lawsuit. Further confirming their commitment to user privacy, the company has an insurance policy that covers the cost of defending against data requests.

While not particularly fast, our tests confirmed that OVPN handles both streaming and torrenting reasonably well. In terms of its server network, OVPN has servers in 32 locations spread across less than two dozen countries. While the network is tiny in comparison to NordVPN or Proton VPN, it does have servers in the key countries for streaming video.

Like many other VPN services, OVPN offers big discounts for longer subscriptions. They also have VPN coupons around the holidays. It is one of the few VPN services that still offer 3-year subscriptions. OVPN isn't quite inexpensive enough to qualify for our cheap VPN price category, but it is still cheaper than the vast majority of VPN services.

OVPN customer support is comprehensive, but this is another VPN service that does not provide live chat support. This could be particularly troublesome during the testing phase since OVPN only offers a 10-day money-back guarantee (most leading VPN providers now offer 30 days).

Get the full story on this easy-to-use service in our OVPN review.

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ExpressVPN – Excellent VPN, but forwarding only available on routers

ExpressVPN differs from the other services in this roundup in that it only supports port forwarding on routers that have the ExpressVPN app running on them. This includes Aircove routers. Furthermore, the availability of the feature depends on whether or not your ISP (Internet Service Provider) supports port forwarding.

With all these complications, why should you consider using ExpressVPN for port forwarding when there are so many other VPNs that don’t have such complications? The answer is that ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs in the world. It consistently ranks near the top in almost every feature and performance test we run here at Cyber Insider.

ExpressVPN is renowned for its security features, which include AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption, strong DNS and IP leak protection, and the Network Lock automatic VPN kill switch to maintain privacy even if the connection drops. These features work in synergy with ExpressVPN’s audited no-logs policy and the privacy-friendly Netherlands jurisdiction to provide a strong layer of security, ensuring that your data and activities remain private and secure. A recent addition to ExpressVPN's security repertoire is PQC, Post-Quantum Cryptography, a type of cryptography believed to be resistant to attacks by future quantum computers.

ExpressVPN leads port-forwarding VPNs with its speedy Lightway protocol, ideal for gaming and torrenting. It easily bypasses geo-restrictions for global streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime from anywhere, supported by a Firestick app and 3,000+ secure servers in 105 countries.

Customer support shines with 24/7 live chat from responsive experts, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee that doubles as a risk-free trial.

The combination of advanced security, impressive speeds, an extensive server network, robust port forwarding capabilities, exceptional customer support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee makes ExpressVPN an ideal choice if your ISP supports port forwarding, and your router can run the ExpressVPN router app.

ExpressVPN plans	Basic	Advanced	Pro
1-month	$12.99/month	$13.99/month	$19.99/month
1-year	$4.99/month	$5.99/month	$8.99/month
2-year	$3.49/month	$4.49/month	$7.49/month

Deal: Get 73% OFF ExpressVPN 2-year plans >

Learn more about this quality VPN service in our complete ExpressVPN review.

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How to choose the right VPN with port forwarding

Given the myriad of options available, choosing the right VPN with port forwarding support can be overwhelming. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled guidelines and criteria to consider when choosing a VPN with support for forwarding ports.

Criteria for selecting the best VPNs with port forwarding

Here are the key criteria to consider:

Security features:

• Kill switch to prevent data leaks during connection drops
• Advanced encryption to protect data in transit
• Apps that are free from DNS and IP leaks
• Strict (third-party audits are ideal) no-logging privacy policy to safeguard your online activity

Speed and performance:

• High download speeds for efficient data transfer
• Low latency to minimize delays in real-time activities like torrenting and gaming
• Minimal impact from port forwarding, which can otherwise increase latency by disrupting data flow—especially with high data volumes or multiple ports

Compatibility:

• Broad device and platform support to ensure seamless integration across your setup

Understanding port forwarding, its benefits, and its drawbacks

Port forwarding is a VPN feature that routes specific internet traffic through designated ports on your device or router. Its main benefit is secure remote access to resources behind firewalls or routers, such as company email or online gaming services.

Properly configured, port forwarding also lets you access home computer files or networks while away. To optimize your VPN for better connectivity and performance, understand this feature and follow your provider's setup instructions.

How port forwarding works

Normally, traffic flows through the system based on the instructions in your router's NAT (Network Address Translation) system. A VPN capable of forwarding traffic to different ports works much like your router, intercepting specific data packets and changing the port number in those packets to route the traffic where the VPN wants it to go, rather than where the router wants it to go.

The benefits of port forwarding

Port forwarding with a VPN boosts torrenting speeds, gaming performance, and remote access to private network devices/services. It enhances connection speed and stability by enabling targeted incoming/outgoing traffic to specific ports. It also improves security by restricting traffic to designated ports, minimizing risks of unauthorized access or attacks since hackers often exploit unprotected ports. So restricting traffic reduces your system's overall attack surface.

The drawbacks of forwarding traffic through different ports

While port forwarding offers benefits, it also has notable drawbacks. Configuration can be complex, requiring technical expertise. Doing it incorrectly may cause connectivity problems or heighten security risks.

Port forwarding can also increase latency by slowing your network. Picture a traffic jam from too much (message) traffic going on the same road (port). Latency problems become more common with high data volumes or multiple connections. Ultimately, you need to weigh these potential drawbacks against the advantages to assess if port forwarding suits your needs.

Setting up port forwarding

Setting up port forwarding with your VPN service and router might sound tricky, but it shouldn't be a problem if you follow the step-by-step instructions provided by the service. Carefully following those instructions will let you get set up safely and without a hitch.

At a really high level, the process will go something like this:

1. Find Port Forwarding in the VPN app's Settings section.
2. Activate Port Forwarding. The app will contact the VPN server and either ask you to specify the port you want to use or randomly assign you a port number you can use.
3. Configure the outside service or app to use the port or establish a VPN connection using the public IP address of the server you are connecting to.

Since the process varies significantly from one VPN provider to the next, the key to painless port forwarding will be to carefully follow the instructions on the VPN's website. Also, do not hesitate to contact the VPN's Customer Support team if you have any questions or problems.

Security considerations when using a VPN with port forwarding

Although port forwarding comes with numerous benefits, it’s vital to stay informed about the potential risks and adhere to security best practices when using a VPN with port forwarding. Opening specific ports can expose your device or personal network to external threats, including cybercriminals.

It is essential to protect open ports from unauthorized access or attacks in order to mitigate these risks. Implementing additional security measures is key to this protection. Some ways to protect open ports include:

• Configuring firewalls

• Using strong passwords

• Keeping your software up to date

• Using a VPN

These measures can help ensure the highest level of security for open ports.

The importance of speed and performance in VPNs with port forwarding

In the process of choosing a VPN with port forwarding support, the speed and performance will play a critical role in determining the efficiency and reliability of your internet access. The port forwarding feature can improve download speeds, particularly when using P2P software, by allowing incoming and outgoing connections to specific ports. It can also reduce latency and improve connection stability, which is beneficial for activities such as torrenting and gaming.

However, port forwarding can also add latency, especially in situations where there is a lot of traffic to manage or traffic is being forwarded through several different ports.

Compatibility and platform support

As you choose a VPN with port forwarding, taking into account compatibility and platform support is crucial, as these factors will dictate its usability across various devices and operating systems.

All the VPNs featured in this article support the Windows, macOS, and Android operating systems. All except Perfect Privacy offer an iOS VPN app. There are also a few VPNs that support Linux with full GUI apps, or other means.

If you need support for other, less-common devices or operating systems, or want a VPN service that also provides browser extensions, You will need to check the list of supported platforms and devices provided by the VPN provider.

Remember that while it has apps for all the major operating systems as well as the major web browsers, ExpressVPN only provides port forwarding in their router app.

Free vs. paid VPNs with port forwarding

In the process of selecting a VPN with port forwarding support, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of free versus paid options is a crucial step. Free VPNs may be cost-effective, but they often lack the security features, reliability, and performance of paid VPNs. Additionally, port forwarding is typically not offered with free VPNs, limiting their usefulness for users who require this feature.

On the other hand, paid VPNs with port forwarding support offer robust security features, reliable connections, and better performance. While they may be more expensive than free options, the benefits of using a paid VPN with port forwarding can outweigh the costs, providing a more secure and enjoyable online experience.

Conclusion on port forwarding VPN services

In conclusion, port forwarding is an essential feature for many VPN users who require improved connectivity and performance for activities such as torrenting, gaming, and remote access. By understanding the benefits of port forwarding, selecting the right VPN with port forwarding support, and following best practices for security and performance, you can enjoy a seamless and secure online experience.

Our top recommendation for a VPN with port forwarding remains Proton VPN. While it does have some drawbacks, it offers some great features and is the most versatile option in this guide.

Choose wisely and unlock the full potential of your VPN with port forwarding.