PureVPN Port Forwarding: Setup, Cost and Fixes When Ports Stay Closed
Does PureVPN have port forwarding? Yes, as a paid add-on. How to open all or specific ports in the Member Area, which ports to use for torrents, games and Plex, why ports stay closed, and PureVPN vs Proton VPN.
Quick Answer
Yes. PureVPN offers port forwarding as a paid add-on (or bundled with a dedicated IP). In the PureVPN Member Area, choose Enable all ports or Enable specific ports (up to 15 at once), click Apply Settings, then disconnect and reconnect the app. The ports open on the VPN server’s IP or your dedicated IP, not your home IP, so it works behind CGNAT. If a port stays closed, reconnect, test the VPN IP while your app is listening, and try OpenVPN if it still fails on a router.
Yes, PureVPN supports port forwarding, but as a paid add-on. Once you have it, you choose in the PureVPN Member Area whether to open all ports, block all ports or open specific ports (up to 15 at once), then reconnect the app so the rule applies. Incoming connections arrive on the VPN server’s public IP, or on your dedicated IP if you bought one.
That makes PureVPN one of the few VPNs that can forward the port number you pick rather than a random one, which matters for game servers, Plex and anything with a fixed port. It also gives you an open port behind CGNAT, where router port forwarding cannot work. Below: the setup, the reasons it shows “closed”, and how it compares with Proton VPN.
PureVPN Port Forwarding: What You Get
| Included? | No. Paid add-on to any PureVPN plan, or bundled with a dedicated IP |
| Port options | Open all ports, block all ports, or open specific ports |
| Specific ports | Up to 15 forwarded at once |
| Where you set it | PureVPN Member Area, not the app |
| Address players connect to | The VPN server’s IP, or your dedicated IP if you have one |
| Protocols | PureVPN lists OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 for dedicated IPs; some router users report port forwarding only working over OpenVPN |
| How you connect | PureVPN’s apps, or a router or device running an OpenVPN profile |
Price: the add-on is priced at checkout and changes with plan length and promotions. On October 31, 2026, PureVPN’s port forwarding page listed a 2-year plan with port forwarding at $90.75 for the first term. Check the cart total before paying, as renewal prices differ.
How to Set Up PureVPN Port Forwarding: 6 Steps
- 1
Add port forwarding to your plan
Buy the Port Forwarding add-on (or the Dedicated IP + Port Forwarding bundle) at checkout or from your account. A dedicated IP is worth it if people must reach the same address every time, such as a game server or remote camera.
- 2
Open the Member Area
Log in to the PureVPN Member Area on the web. Depending on your account layout, port forwarding is its own tab or sits under Subscriptions → Configure next to Port Forwarding.
- 3
Choose the port policy
Pick “Enable specific ports” and enter the port numbers you need, or “Enable all ports” to open everything. Avoid “Disable all ports”: PureVPN says it blocks all inbound traffic on the VPN connection. Click Apply Settings.
- 4
Connect, or reconnect, the app
Sign in to the PureVPN app. If you have several subscriptions, pick the dedicated IP account (PureVPN labels it with “0d”). Connect to a location; if you were already connected, disconnect and connect again so the new port settings apply.
- 5
Point your app at the forwarded port
Set qBittorrent, your game server or Plex to listen on exactly the port you opened, and allow that program through Windows Firewall or your OS firewall.
- 6
Test from outside
With the app running, check the port against the VPN IP (shown in the PureVPN app), not your home IP. A checker only reports “open” when something is listening on the port.
You do not touch your router. The VPN tunnel is an outgoing connection, so the port is opened on PureVPN’s server and traffic comes back through the tunnel. That is why it works on CGNAT, 5G home internet, Starlink and dorm Wi-Fi.
On a router: if the VPN runs on a router (GL.iNet, ASUS, OpenWrt) for a console or NAS, you also need a port forward on that router from the VPN interface to the device. See port forwarding through a VPN on UniFi and OpenWrt port forwarding.
Which Ports to Open for Common Uses
| Use | What to open in PureVPN | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| qBittorrent, Transmission, Deluge | One specific port (the one in the client) | qBittorrent port forwarding |
| Minecraft Java server | TCP 25565 (Bedrock: UDP 19132) | Minecraft port forwarding |
| Arma 3 or other multi-port servers | A fixed range, e.g. UDP 2302–2306 | Arma 3 port forwarding |
| Plex Media Server | TCP 32400 | Plex remote access |
| Console Open NAT via a VPN router | Open all ports | COD NAT type fix |
| Remote access to cameras or a NAS | The device’s web/app port, with a dedicated IP | Port forwarding behind CGNAT |
Prefer “specific ports” over “all ports” on a PC: only the ports you list are reachable from the internet, which keeps everything else on the machine closed.
PureVPN Port Forwarding Not Working? Check These First
You changed ports while connected
Testing the wrong IP
Nothing is listening yet
Firewall drops the traffic
Protocol quirks on routers
Location without port forwarding
App uses a different port
“Disable all ports” is selected
Still closed? Work through the general port forwarding not working checklist, which covers firewalls and app bindings in more depth.
PureVPN vs Proton VPN and Others for Port Forwarding
| VPN | Cost | Ports | Same port every time? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PureVPN | Paid add-on | All ports, or chosen ports (15 at a time) | Yes, with dedicated IP |
| Proton VPN | All paid plans | One random port on P2P servers | No, usually changes on reconnect |
| Private Internet Access | Included | One port, non-US servers | Usually kept on the same server |
| NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN | — | No inbound port forwarding | — |
The choice comes down to the port. If one port that changes now and then is enough, as with qBittorrent, Proton VPN includes it on every paid plan with no add-on. If you need a specific port number, several ports, or the same address every day (game servers, Plex, cameras, console NAT), PureVPN is the one that can do it.
PureVPN
- Pick exact port numbers, TCP or UDP
- Dedicated IP + Port Forwarding bundle for servers and remote access
- Gives you an open port behind CGNAT without router access
- 31-day money-back guarantee
5-year plan·$1.69/mo $12.95/mo
Proton VPN
- No add-on: every paid plan includes port forwarding
- Random port that usually changes when you reconnect
- Windows and Linux apps, macOS in early access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
2-year plan
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Full comparison of every provider that still forwards ports: VPNs with port forwarding. Proton users can follow qBittorrent with Proton VPN.
Is It Safe to Open All Ports?
Opening a port exposes whatever program listens on it, on the VPN address. With “all ports”, any service on your PC that accepts network connections, such as file sharing or remote desktop, becomes reachable. Use specific ports where you can, keep the listening programs updated, and switch the policy back when you stop hosting.
Related VPN Port Forwarding Guides
Sources (checked October 31, 2026):
- • PureVPN: Port forwarding add-on (all or specific ports, up to 15 at once, pricing)
- • PureVPN support: How to activate port forwarding and how to test it
- • GL.iNet forum: PureVPN dedicated IP + port forwarding over OpenVPN (user report, May 2026)
- • PureVPN: Dedicated IP (supported protocols, one device per IP)
- • Proton VPN: Port forwarding