5 Best VPNs with Port Forwarding in 2023

Port forwarding lets you open up ports on your devices so others can establish a connection (such as for gaming, torrenting, remote access, etc.). Naturally, this has its risks, but it can also be useful. That said, you'll want to open up ports securely without exposing your data - which can only be done with the help of a VPN with port forwarding.

Now, without port forwarding, your router blocks out unwanted traffic by default using a NAT firewall. Think of your router as a luxury restaurant. Anyone trying to get in will have to enter through one of the entrances (ports). The NAT firewall is the big bouncer at the door with the invitation list. If you're not on the list, you're politely shown the way out.

Your router's traffic control is highly useful to prevent hackers from remotely accessing your gadgets, but it can get in the way of certain activities as explained initially. However, a VPN with port forwarding lets you open up individual ports, while also securing your data against hackers and ISP data logging.

Also, there are very few VPNs with port forwarding today. If not implemented correctly, port forwarding can lead to data leaks. That's why our list of the best port forwarding VPN contains bulletproof picks only, hands-on tested by our team.

Let's jump right in!

How to Use a VPN With Port Forwarding

It shouldn't take long to start using a VPN with port forwarding. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Subscribe to a VPN with port forwarding (we recommend Private Internet Access).
2. Download and install the VPN app on your device(s).
3. Follow the provider's guides to enable port forwarding (via the app's settings, typically).
4. Use port forwarding while torrenting, gaming, or remotely accessing devices.

Don't forget to keep your VPN connection active at all times - especially if you're torrenting, remotely accessing files in the cloud, or doing other sensitive actions. Also, turn on your VPN kill switch (where available) to ensure your data doesn't leak during random disconnects.

Best VPN With Port Forwarding

To find the best VPN that supports port forwarding, we looked at a few different characteristics. First, we ranked VPNs by how many platforms (Windows, Android, etc.) they include port forwarding on. Next, we considered other useful VPN features to use with port forwarding - such as a kill switch, split tunneling, leak protection, and so on. Lastly, we looked at the overall value and usability of their apps, as well as whether they include helpful live chat support.

Based on the criteria explained above, these are the 5 best VPN services with port forwarding:

1. Private Internet Access - Best VPN With Port Forwarding
2. TorGuard - Best Option for Advanced Users
3. IVPN - Best Open-Source Port Forwarding VPN
4. ExpressVPN - Best VPN with Port Forwarding for Routers
5. Ivacy - Cheapest Long-Term VPN for Port Forwarding

1. Private Internet Access - Best VPN With Port Forwarding

Private Internet Access is the best port forwarding VPN as it offers this feature on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. Also, enabling port forwarding is simple - just turn on the setting inside the app. After you do, PIA's app will show you which servers support port forwarding.

Speaking of PIA's servers, there are a lot of them. PIA says all their non-US servers allow port forwarding. That's thousands of servers in over 80+ countries around the world. They've also added a useful ad-blocker called PIA MACE, which also doubles as a malicious domain filter. Not only are you kept safe from man-in-the-middle attacks, but also phishing and malware sites.

Besides that, we also like that PIA supports up to 10 parallel connections and that they offer split-tunneling (Windows, macOS, and Linux) so that you can better optimize your speeds. PIA also has powerful end-to-end encryption, a kill switch, and great data leak protection.

24/7 live chat support is available for any of your questions about the service or their apps. Also, when you buy a subscription, you're also covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. TorGuard - Best Option for Advanced Users

TorGuard offers great port forwarding support available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, although the setup may include some extra steps on mobile. Luckily, they have a useful guide for the whole port forwarding process on their website.

While you're limited to ports above 2048, you can use this feature with 3 protocols: OpenVPN, OpenConnect, and WireGuard. We really like that port forwarding is available over WireGuard since that protocol is very fast.

TorGuard is an excellent option for advanced VPN users. The UI isn't very user-friendly and there are dozens of options to tweak. For example, you can make the app execute scripts or use different DNS servers at various stages of the VPN connection.

With TorGuard, you also get powerful encryption, obfuscation (Shadowsocks, Stunnel, OpenVPN obfuscation, and OpenConnect), a versatile kill switch (both system and app-level), reliable leak protection, and 24/7 support.

TorGuard has a few drawbacks as well. First, the 24/7 support doesn't include live chat. You can only reach them by email. The second issue is the money-back guarantee. It's a no-questions-asked type of deal, but the period is only 7 days. Most VPNs offer a 30-day refund period. And, finally, there's no split-tunneling.

3. IVPN - Best Open-Source Port Forwarding VPN

IVPN has a straightforward port forwarding process. You enable it in the client area and then use the port that's displayed. The port number will expire if you don't connect to the VPN in 14 days.

Also, you can only use port forwarding over WireGuard and OpenVPN connections on non-US servers. Unfortunately, port forwarding is only available on their IVPN Pro plan.

There's another reason why Ivacy is the best VPN with port forwarding for certain types of users. It's one of the few VPNs to combine port forwarding with open-source software. If you want to inspect the VPN provider's code before you buy a subscription, this is the right service for you.

With IVPN, you get great encryption, a kill switch, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Split-tunneling is only supported on Windows, Android, and Linux. They offer email support (they answer in 24-72 hours) as well as a live chat option.

That said, we really only recommend IVPN for privacy buffs that also want port forwarding, as they have a limited number of servers and can only unblock Netflix US. Also, IVPN's long-term plans are more expensive than their competitors' yearly subscriptions.

4. ExpressVPN - Best VPN with Port Forwarding for Routers

ExpressVPN doesn't support port forwarding through its apps. This provider lets you enable port forwarding on your router - provided you have an ExpressVPN router firmware v1 or v2.

That means you need to upgrade your router to ExpressVPN's v1 or v2 firmware. Or you need to buy a VPN router. Expect to pay around $100-$200 or more if you go the second route.

On the plus side, by using ExpressVPN on a router, you can use port forwarding on as many devices as you want. ExpressVPN supports up to 5 connections, but using a VPN router means any device that goes online through that router will automatically use an ExpressVPN connection. Of course, that depends on how many connections the router allows. Ideally, it should be over 8.

The setup is the only drawback, really. Other than that, ExpressVPN is a top-notch provider. It offers reliable encryption, excellent leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and 3,000+ high-speed servers in 94 countries. You also get Threat Manager, which blocks intrusive ad trackers from creating detailed profiles about you online.

ExpressVPN also has 24/7 live chat support and a no-questions-asked refund. We recommend their easy-to-use apps even if they don't provide port forwarding.

5. Ivacy - Cheapest Long-Term VPN for Port Forwarding

Ivacy supports forwarding, but it comes as a Windows-exclusive add-on. So, you have to pay for it. Luckily, it's extremely cheap. And even better, Ivacy's two-year plan is really cheap too, especially when compared to its competitors.

Besides port forwarding, Ivacy also offers great encryption, split-tunneling (Windows and Android), it's leak-proof, and has a kill switch (only available on Windows and Android, however). One cool highlight includes the "Secure Downloading" feature. It apparently checks the files you download for malware (but don't expect it to replace a dedicated anti-virus app).

Despite its cheap price point, Ivacy is actually great for streaming, as it can unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and dozens of other popular services. If you're looking for a budget-friendly streaming VPN that's also one of the best VPN with port forwarding, know that Ivacy is more than a decent option.

Other than that, Ivacy has 24/7 live chat support and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Great for testing out their port forwarding option on Windows, or streaming purposes on all other supported platforms.

Why Do I Need a VPN with Port Forwarding?

You need a VPN with port forwarding to securely unblock ports for various purposes. Using port forwarding without a VPN protecting that activity will let others see your IP, location, and other sensitive information.

For example, you can allow incoming traffic for video games that may be blocked by a firewall at school, work, hotels, airports, and similar public hotspots. Similarly, port forwarding is useful if you want to host a multiplayer game/server and allow your friends to connect to your gaming device. Hosting a Minecraft or Team Fortress 2 server are a couple of concrete examples.

Also, port forwarding lets you connect to cloud-hosted virtual machines or computers without your router blocking unidentified traffic. Security-wise, a VPN with port forwarding installed on your router lets you remotely access your home devices, while also keeping out eavesdroppers.

Finally, a port forwarding VPN may speed up slow torrent downloads by letting you connect to more peers in the swarm. More details later on.

What Do People Use Port Forwarding For?

Here are the most prominent reasons VPN users might want to use port forwarding:

• They want to play online games whose traffic gets blocked by router firewalls.
• They host gaming servers and want to help their friends connect.
• People need to use port forwarding to access virtual machines and desktops that are hosted in the cloud. Without it, your router might interfere with your connection.
• Port forwarding helps VPN users who have a VPN running on their router get fast and safe VPN connections to private IPs on their home network while they're away.
• May speed up torrenting in specific scenarios.

Why Don't All VPNs Offer Port Forwarding?

Most VPNs don't support port forwarding. We checked FAQs from providers like Surfshark, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN and asked their support reps why. Apparently, it all comes down to one thing - they're worried that port forwarding isn't secure.

Basically, they believe that opening a random port creates a security vulnerability that a cybercriminal could exploit. For example, in 2015, a security issue called Port Fail made it possible to leak the IPs of VPN users who used port forwarding.

To do that, hackers needed a VPN account with the same provider and a way to trick a VPN user into interacting with a link that sends traffic to a port they control. Translated, that means they could easily find out any user's IP by having them click on an image file.

Of course, that's not something the best VPN with port forwarding can't address. That said, you can be sure that all our recommendations are more than capable of preserving your privacy.

Will Port Forwarding Improve Your Torrenting Speeds?

In theory, port forwarding should give you faster download and upload speeds because you can connect to more peers (seeders and leechers) by opening new ports. Many Reddit users swear by this and say they always get faster torrenting speeds thanks to port forwarding.

However, you might not notice a speed increase if the torrent doesn't have enough seeders. If there are only 5 people seeding, you won't magically connect to 20 more peers by opening up ports (as those peers don't exist). And if you're downloading a torrent with hundreds of seeders, the speed increase might be minimal.

Overall, it's up to you. If you want to be 100% sure you connect to as many speers as possible, use port forwarding. However, if you only download torrents with high seeder numbers, you probably won't need it.

Can I Use a Free VPN with Port Forwarding?

No, you can't, as there aren't any free VPNs that support port forwarding. At least not any worth mentioning.

On the other hand, there are VPNs with free plans that offer port forwarding, but only with a premium subscription. And at that point, you can't call it "free" anymore, right?

Even if there were, most free VPNs tend to log and sell your Internet activity. They also come with poor performance and generally crowded servers. Overall, a bad idea, seeing as most people are looking for a VPN that allows port forwarding for speeding up torrents, gaming, or remotely accessing sensitive data.

Final Thoughts

Using a VPN with port forwarding can be a versatile option if you want to unblock traffic for various apps. Whether it's to game with friends, speed up torrents, or gain remote access to hosted devices, you have plenty of options at your disposal.

Private Internet Access is the easiest way to enable port forwarding on all major platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android). You can enable it from the app itself without complex setups. However, our top pick for routers is ExpressVPN, thanks to all its advanced features, fast servers, and top-notch security.

Finally, here's our useful guide on the best VPN services - if you need more options. We've included more than a dozen of VPN providers with all sorts of different features fit for a wide variety of users. Check them out!

That would be all you need to know about the best VPN with port forwarding. If you have any questions, make sure to post your comment below. Thanks for reading!