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VPN Without Port Forwarding: Best 6 Tested & Ranked
All the VPN software here are entirely secure and without IP leaks
9 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
It’s widely agreed thatportforwarding is sometimes a feature that you need in a VPN.
However, as we’ve already established, port forwarding can often be hazardous, especially if mishandled.
Usually, you’d want as few openportson your PC as possible. An open port is like an open door to a hacker, who might see it as an opportunity to exploit any known vulnerabilities of services/programs running on it.
If you’re in the latter category, and you’d rather prefer that your VPN lacks port forwarding support, you might want to stick around.
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What is port forwarding?
Port forwardingis a useful feature that may unlock additional capabilities for you, network- and connectivity-wise.
Picture this: it’s a weekend afternoon, and you and the crew want to play a game, but one of you must be the host.
More often than not, you won’t be able to make the server public withoutportforwarding.
This goes double for those annoying situations where you’re behind adouble NATand not even port forwarding seems to be working.
Anyway, to put it simply,portforwarding lets you access resources on your home network remotely.
That’s why many may see it as a boogeyman and want nothing to do with it.
Ergo, the need of creating a compilation of top VPN services withoutportforwarding is totally justified.
Does VPN require port forwarding?
Your VPN doesn’t need a port forwarding process for connecting to other server addresses. If only you have a NAT Firewall on your router, then you can use port forwarding VPN tools.
In case you don’t need to share your connection and make it public for specific activities like gaming, then a VPN will work fine without it.
Otherwise, if you wish to access your network remotely and use the NAT (Network Address Translation) for group tasks, you can get VPN software that includes the port forwarding feature.
What are the best VPNs without port forwarding?
ExpressVPN– Most encrypted VPN
ExpressVPNprovides complete anonymity when networking because of its strong security and data protection requirements. Plus, it has lack of records for IPs, browsing history, metadata, and DNS queries.
Because ExpressVPN does not provide port forwarding, its services are immune to this risk, therefore no danger of data leaks.
By using the service, you get a privacy advocate who is dedicated not just to offering a private VPN service to enable individuals all over the world to be more anonymous, but also to promoting the cause of privacy itself.
ExpressVPN may be used on an infinite number of devices, but only on 5 devices simultaneously.
You will get the latest encoding security with AES-256-bit and limitless bandwidth to enjoy full downloads in no time, with the ISP throttling being evaded.
ExpressVPN’s key features include:
ExpressVPN
NordVPN– Secured servers without port forwarding
NordVPN needs no introduction, as it’s one of the most popular (and competent, for that matter) VPN services on the market.
This service is made available by Tefincom & Co., S.A., and packs a wide range of security options.
First and foremost, it’s worth mentioning that this is one of the VPNs that lack port forwarding features.
Of course, it lacks this feature for security and server management considerations.
Given that multiple users connect to the same servers, port forwarding would be a bit difficult to achieve.
However, according to their support page, NordVPN may consider implementing port forwarding in the future, but there’s no ETA.
So, to put it shortly, NordVPN blocks allportson your PC, except for the ones that are essential for VPN and regular Internet usage (including popular apps on your PC).
NordVPN’s list of features:
NordVPN
Surfshark– Advanced privacy tools
Surfshark is a solid VPN service offered by its namesake company, Surfshark LTD.
Since it made this list, you can rest assured that it has noportforwarding support, therefore it’s not possible to enable it by accident.
Surfshark stands by its decision to not implement this feature, arguing that openingportsmean exposing your system to potential threats.
According to a blog post on, you guessed, port forwarding, a vulnerability discovered in 2015, called Port Fail, leaked VPN users’ IP addresses online as a side effect of using port forwarding on VPN.
Since one of the most important purposes of a VPN is to keep yourIP addressprivate, Surfshark does make a strong point in refusing to implement port forwarding.
Plus, the whitelist feature lets certain websites and apps bypass VPN traffic. Hence, you won’t be recognized as using a VPN connection
Check out Surfshark’s feature list:
Surfshark
CyberGhost VPN– Dedicated random port
CyberGhost VPN is a great VPN service brought to you by Kape Technologies.
As you’d expect, it doesn’t have any port forwarding capabilities from security considerations.
According to CyberGhost’s knowledgebase, if this service would’ve had port forwarding, users would be easy to identify based on port assignment.
However, this may also have some shortcomings.
Port forwarding means that all incoming connections are blocked, so you may notice extremely slow download speed values.
But hey, at least you’re totally secure, right?
Pro Tip:If you truly want to run a tight ship, make sure you don’t miss CyberGhost VPN’s random port option. You can find it in the Settings menu of the app, under Connection, it’s calledUse a randomportto connect.
CyberGhost VPN’s main features:
CyberGhost VPN
VyprVPN– Reliable network security
VyprVPN is Golden Frog GmbH’s trustworthy VPN service. As you’d expect, it doesn’t support port forwarding, so there’s nothing for you to worry about,port-exploitation-wise.
VyprVPN does offer you the option to assign the OpenVPN port manually. However, if you’re not so sure about port forwarding, we’d suggest you stick to this VPN’s default settings and not mess with theportsettings too much.
Unless there’s an issue.
Currently, VyprVPN’s OpenVPN and Chameleon protocols only support UDP ports.
On the other hand, according to a VyprVPN knowledgebase article, TCP will also become available at some point, so as to provide the user base with a broader range ofports.
Here’s VyprVPN’s list of main features:
VyprVPN
ZenMate VPN– Best for P2P connection
ZenMate VPN is yet another excellent VPN service from Kape Technologies that lacks port forwarding capabilities.
But that’s a good thing since it means more security for you, the end-user.
Sure, you may not be able to host game servers for your friends while using ZenMate VPN, and your torrenting/P2P activities can get a bit slow from time to time.
But at least you won’t lose any sleep wondering whether you closed thatportafter you were done with it.
You can operate ZenMate VPN as easily as you would any other VPN service.
You just select a server and your whole traffic will be encrypted and routed through the VPN’s secure tunnel.
Check out ZenMate VPN’s features:
ZenMate VPN
Final thoughts on VPNs without port forwarding
Whether you feel thatportforwarding is a useless feature for a VPN or are a bit worried you might get compromised because of it, there are several VPN services that don’t allow you to forwardports. Mostly due to security concerns.
For additional guidance, you have ourbest VPNs for Windows 10to keep your privacy and security at optimal levels. You can also visit theVPN Hubto discover more tools and awesome guides on keeping your digital presence safe.
However, know that sometimes, as dangerous as it may be if not done right, forwarding ports can be a necessary evil.
Vlad Constantinescu
Vlad might have a degree in Animal Husbandry and Livestock Management, but he’s currently rocking anything software related, ranging from testing programs to writing in-depth reviews about them.
He spent 3-4 years as a software editor at Softpedia and another year as a VPN specialist before he landed his current job as an author at Windows Report.
In his free time, Vlad enjoys playing guitar, doing jigsaw puzzles, researching cybersecurity, and even having a good read on rainy days.
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