VPN Leak Test — How to See If Your VPN Is Really Working

VPN services are primarily used to enhance online privacy, protect sensitive information, and ensure secure internet access. They help users maintain anonymity, prevent unauthorized data tracking, and bypass geographical restrictions. Many individuals and businesses rely on VPNs to safeguard their digital activities.

However, some VPNs leak your online data outside the encrypted VPN tunnel. So, how can you ensure that the very service you are using for online security is actually keeping you secure?

VPN leaks can expose your location, leaving you vulnerable to hackers and trackers. These leaks may include IP address, Domain Name System (DNS), or WebRTC. If you find any of these leaks while using a VPN, your internet traffic is not protected. One packet of data from these leaks is enough to compromise your online security.

My team and I have tested dozens of VPNs and only found a few that had no leaks. Out of all these VPNs, ExpressVPN performed the best and gave exceptionally fast speeds for streaming and browsing. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it risk-free and get a full refund if you decide it’s not for you. Plus, it comes with native apps for every popular operating system.

Our Top Leak-Free VPNs

1. ExpressVPN—The most secure and reliable VPN with consistently superfast streaming, browsing, and torrenting speeds.
2. Private Internet Access—Customizable security and privacy options to meet your requirements.
3. CyberGhost—NoSpy servers for better online security and privacy.

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Types of VPN Leaks and How to Test for Them

VPNs work by cloaking your data inside a secure encrypted channel so internet service providers cannot see your activity. They also mask your actual IP address by assigning you a virtual one so your location cannot be tracked down. This keeps your internet activity safe and ensures your online privacy.

When data is exposed outside the VPN tunnel, it’s known as a VPN leak. These leaks can compromise your online safety.

If your VPN is working, it should protect you from leaks. Below are the different types of VPN leaks and some quick tests you can perform to determine if your VPN is protecting you. Specifically, we’ll cover IP leaks, DNS leaks, and WebRTC leaks.

IP Leaks

As the name suggests, IP address leaks are caused when a VPN leaks your real IP address outside the secure VPN tunnel. These can be categorized into IPv4 (public IP) and IPv6 leaks. Unfortunately, most VPNs fail to prevent IPv6 leaks. You can block IPv6 traffic manually, but disabling IPv6 isn’t generally recommended, so it’s better to get a VPN that can protect you against both kinds of IP leaks.

Internet Protocol (IP) addresses can be traced back to users’ locations. Your ISP can also look at all your internet activity based on your IP address. Moreover, VPNs can leak your IP address in their reconnecting phase. So, for a secure online user experience, your VPN should have a kill switch and IP address leak protection. A kill switch prevents IP address leaks if your VPN connection drops or is interrupted.

How to Test for IP Leaks When Your VPN Is Connected

First, find and note your IP address (IPv4) by going to whatismyipaddress.com.

Then, connect your VPN to a server outside your country so that your actual IP address can be replaced with a virtual one.

Then, open ipleak.net in your web browser to perform the IP leak test.

If your VPN works correctly, you will see a different IP address and location from your real one, indicating that you do not have IP address leaks.

If you do not have any IPv6 leaks, you will see the statement “IPv6 test not reachable.” This can also mean that your internet is not using IPv6 addresses. In both cases, you do not have any IPv6 leaks.

How to Test for IP Leaks When Your VPN Is Reconnecting

• First, find and note your public IP address, as mentioned above.
• After this, connect your VPN to a server outside your country and turn off your internet connection till your VPN connection drops.
• Turn your internet back on and refresh whatismyipaddress.com in different tabs until your VPN connection is restored.
• If you find your actual IP in any of these tabs, your VPN has IP address leaks. Otherwise, your VPN connection is safe.

But remember, if your VPN’s kill switch is working, you cannot browse anything until the VPN connection is safely restored. This is because your VPN kill switch will cut off your internet connection until the VPN connection is restored so that your IP address is not leaked.

DNS Leaks

A Domain Name System (DNS) converts URLs into numerical IP addresses. Whenever you connect to the Internet to open a website, a DNS request is sent, and your ISP’s DNS servers convert it into an IP address.

If you’re not using a VPN, your internet service provider (ISP) can track all your internet activity based on these DNS requests. But DNS leaks can happen even if you’re using a VPN. A DNS leak can expose your ISP’s location and IP, ultimately revealing your actual IP address and location.

How to Perform a VPN Test for DNS Leaks

To find out if your VPN has DNS leaks, connect your VPN to a server outside your country.

Then, visit ipleak.net, test your connection, and look at all the DNS addresses displayed on the website.

If you see your actual IP address among these DNS addresses, your VPN has DNS leaks and is not working properly.

You can also perform a DNS leak test on your VPN at dnsleaktest.com to double-check whether your DNS is leaking.

To avoid DNS leaks, use a VPN with its own encrypted DNS server network. This excludes the third parties that come with public DNS servers. A private DNS network also reduces the chances of your DNS address getting exposed to hackers or trackers.

WebRTC Leaks

Web Real-Time Communication, or WebRTC, is used by different browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. It allows real-time communication, like audio and video calls, within a web browser without additional plugins. Plus, it’s responsible for P2P file sharing in any web browser.

A WebRTC leak occurs through your browser’s WebRTC system. Such a leak exposes your IP address and can reveal your location to third parties like your ISP, hackers, or even advertisers.

How to Perform a VPN Test for WebRTC Leaks

First, find and note your real IP address, as explained previously. Then, connect to a VPN server outside your country and open ipleak.net.

If your VPN works, you will not find an IP address under the WebRTC detection box.

However, if you find your actual IP address during this WebRTC leak test, your VPN is not keeping you safe.

You can also test for WebRTC leaks using ExpressVPN’s leak test tool.

Best VPNs to Avoid VPN Leaks in 2024

I’ve selected these VPNs based on their performance on different VPN tests, including leak tests. I prioritized VPNs with their own private DNS network.

I also performed VPN tests for speed and unblocking capabilities. Your VPN may not have leaks, but it’s still not working well if it doesn’t give you good speeds or allow you to unblock your favorite content.

1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN For Security, Privacy, and Speed

ExpressVPN secures your internet session with its DNS, IP, and WebRTC leak protection. It also has an efficient kill switch to protect your data from being exposed if your connection drops. Plus, it uses its own private DNS servers, reducing the chances of DNS leaks.

During my testing, I found no leaks on ipleak.net using its US, UK, and France servers. I also tested its kill switch by changing servers during my online session, and it completely cut off my internet as expected.

In addition to security, ExpressVPN ensures your privacy with its strict no-logs policy. This means it does not record any of your online activity. It also uses RAM-based servers that erase data after every reboot to maintain privacy. Plus, it is not subjected to any data retention laws.

ExpressVPN is the market’s fastest and most reliable VPN. It also has reliable unblocking capabilities, allowing you to consistently access your favorite geo-blocked streams. These speeds also make it an ideal option for torrenting since all its servers allow P2P traffic.

The amazing service you get with ExpressVPN justifies its high price. But you don’t have to take my word for it—ExpressVPN offers a solid 30-day money-back guarantee to test all its features. I recommend this VPN to everyone who never wants to compromise their online security and speed.

2. Private Internet Access — Customizable Security and Privacy Features

To secure Internet traffic, PIA uses military-grade encryption with IP/DNS and WebRTC leak protection. It also has a kill switch that cut off my internet connection to prevent VPN leaks when my internet dropped unexpectedly during my testing.

For increased online security, you get a double VPN feature called Multi-Hop. It hides your IP and internet traffic behind two VPN servers, reducing the chances of your data being accidentally exposed. However, this feature is unsuitable for streaming since the double layer of encryption can reduce your speeds.

PIA is an excellent option for streaming geo-restricted content. Its extensive network of fast servers in more than 84 countries can unblock the most popular platforms and stream content.

However, PIA does not work reliably in China. PIA’s support does not say that you cannot try it, but they do not guarantee that it will work in China.

PIA is suitable for users who want security and speed. However, if you’re looking to connect to long-distance servers most of the time, ExpressVPN is a better option because it’ll maintain your speeds better. PIA also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, just like ExpressVPN, so you can try the service for free and make a decision after using it.

3. CyberGhost — Specialized NoSpy Servers for Better Online Security

CyberGhost protects your online data with DNS/IP and WebRTC leak protection. It also has military-grade encryption and an automatic kill switch to secure your VPN connection. During my testing, I found no VPN leaks on 7 of its servers on multiple leak test sites. Moreover, the kill switch also efficiently blocked my internet connection when I changed servers mid-session.

In addition to a vast server network, CyberGhost offers highly secure NoSpy servers for your security. These servers are located in CyberGhost’s headquarters in Romania and cannot be accessed by an outside authority. Plus, due to its strict no-logs policy, the service does not log any of your online data.

CyberGhost has many servers globally, making it ideal for unblocking streaming content. It also offers specialized servers for streaming, each optimized to unblock a specific streaming platform.

It’s worth noting that, just like PIA, CyberGhost also doesn’t work in China.

CyberGhost is a good VPN for anyone looking for a straightforward, solid service. The annual plan comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, which allows you to test all the VPN’s features.

Get a VPN Without Leaks Today

Any VPN with data leaks can risk your online security. Free VPNs, in particular, do not have the resources to upgrade their security infrastructure, so they use public DNS services instead. This can expose your data to advertisers and hackers. I recommend trying a paid VPN with watertight security features and a money-back guarantee.

Among all the VPNs I tested, ExpressVPN proved to be the best. It has robust security features, including DNS/IP and WebRTC protection, DNS servers, and a functioning kill switch. It also gives you speeds very close to your base internet speed. It has excellent unblocking capabilities, so you don’t have to sacrifice performance to gain leak-proof security. I hope this article has helped you in identifying the VPN leak. If you have any questions or comments, you can use the below comment box to reach out to me.

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Topic: About VPNs, How To Guides