CactusVPN VPN Speed Test

How we tested

CactusVPN positions itself as a compact, curated network — servers in 25 countries rather than the thousands of nodes the big names advertise. So our Thailand testing focused on the genuinely nearby nodes instead of sweeping every country. With unlimited bandwidth and a steady base connection, we measured relative speed (what percentage of the base line survived) and latency tiers on WireGuard against the legacy SoftEther and SSTP protocols, averaging several runs across different times of day.

Singapore server results

Because CactusVPN's network is deliberately compact, choosing the right node matters more than the raw server count. For Thailand, Singapore is the closest node and the default first choice every time. On WireGuard we saw low-tier latency (tens of milliseconds) and a high retained download share — comfortably enough for everyday work, video calls, streaming and casual, non-twitchy gaming.

• Closest node in the 25-country network
• Low-tier latency on WireGuard
• Great for everyday use + Smart DNS for streaming

US / EU server results

US and EU nodes sit far from Thailand, so latency climbs to the hundreds-of-milliseconds tier and retained download speed falls off with the distance. Within CactusVPN's network these nodes earn their place through their exit IP — reaching region-specific content — rather than raw speed. When the goal is streaming from those regions, Smart DNS generally feels smoother than a full cross-continent VPN tunnel.

WireGuard vs OpenVPN

A defining CactusVPN trait is the sheer breadth of protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec and PPTP. Their speeds are far from equal. WireGuard is the newest and lowest-overhead, so it is consistently the fastest and our default. The older SoftEther and SSTP options are designed to punch through firewalls and disguise traffic, and that protection costs speed — reach for them only when WireGuard itself is blocked.

• WireGuard: fastest, the sensible default
• OpenVPN / IKEv2: next, well balanced
• SoftEther / SSTP: legacy, firewall-resilient but slower

What affects speed

Beyond the usual distance and server load, perceived CactusVPN speed depends on which "channel" you use. CactusVPN servers double as proxies, so if you only need to change the IP of a single app or browser without tunnelling the whole device, a proxy or Smart DNS carries far less overhead than full encryption. Matching the tool to the task is the real lever here.

Speeding up CactusVPN

CactusVPN's flagship feature is Smart DNS, which unblocks services without encrypting all of your traffic — so streaming runs at near-native speed. It is the speed shortcut to try first whenever the goal is streaming rather than privacy. When you genuinely need encryption, stick with WireGuard on the Singapore node and avoid the heavier legacy protocols.

• Use Smart DNS for streaming (skips encryption = full speed)
• Use WireGuard + the Singapore node when you need real encryption
• Avoid SoftEther/SSTP unless WireGuard is blocked