Best VPNs with a kill switch - Private browsing at all times

Want a secure VPN with a kill switch? A kill switch VPN cuts your internet to stop you from revealing browsing habits. Discover the best VPNs with a kill switch here.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a crucial privacy tool. It encrypts your data to prevent tracking by local networks, public WiFi, ISPs, governments, and other unwanted eavesdroppers. It also shields your browsing location and prevents you from exposing your home IP address during torrenting. Yet, without a VPN kill switch, these safeguards are limited.

A kill switch is a vital privacy feature that cuts your internet if the VPN connection drops. This ensures that no data can leave your device outside of the encrypted tunnel. This maintains your privacy at all times because you can’t access the internet until you reconnect the VPN.

A VPN with a kill switch is particularly useful for public WiFi or when using mobile data – when you are more likely to experience random disconnections. The kill switch ensures that you can’t reconnect to the internet until your VPN is active. This stops you from leaking private data to public hotspot providers and prevents attacks by hackers and evil twin hotspots.  

Without a kill switch, you would constantly need to monitor your VPN to check it's still connected. Even the most vigilant user will fail to notice their VPN has disconnected. When this occurs, you will expose your downloads, website visits, and communications data to your ISP and local networks.

Ultimately, a VPN is only half-baked if it lacks a kill switch. We always recommend using a kill switch to ensure the highest levels of privacy and data security. In this guide, we have done the hard work for you by pinpointing the best VPNs with a kill switch.

The list below gives you a quick look at the best VPNs for the job. If you are in a rush, you can pick one of these excellent services and start protecting your connection right away. If you want to know more about each VPN, and what differentiates it from its competitors, scroll down to read our detailed summaries.

The best VPNs with a kill switch:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN with a kill switch. System level kill switch prevents all internet access. Fast and reliable servers in 60+ countries are perfect for streaming Netflix, gaming, torrenting, and making VoIP calls. No logging policy and many advanced privacy features provide secure connections. Comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark: The best cheap VPN with a kill switch. Speedy WireGuard connections make it great for steaming. Works with Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix US, and other popular services. No logs policy, DNS leak protection, ad blocking, and strong encryption. Allows unlimited connections.
3. ExpressVPN: Kill switch for all platforms. Includes an auto-reconnect feature on all platforms. Fast speeds thanks to its Lightway protocol, making it great for streaming and torrenting. Strong security. A little pricey compared to some competitors.
4. CyberGhost VPN: The best kill switch VPN for beginners. A simple interface and features make it easier to learn and use. Dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android all come with a kill switch. Works to stream your favorite content via Netflix and other popular services. Servers in 100+ countries.
5. Proton VPN: A highly advanced VPN based in Switzerland. Comes with a kill switch, and a custom obfuscated-enabled WireGuard fork called Stealth. Some of the fastest servers and excellent reliability. Secure servers. A touch expensive, but has a free plan to test its service.
6. AtlasVPN: A solid option for streaming and getting privacy on public WiFi. Includes a kill switch. However, it leaks momentarily during reconnection (and you have to reconnect manually). This means you should pause your torrents (or any other sensitive activities) until the VPN has reconnected.

Summary Table

Choosing a VPN can be confusing. Around 100 consumer-facing VPNs are on the market, and they often claim to be the “best”, “fastest”, or “most secure” service. The unfortunate reality is that while some VPNs are exceptional, plenty are lackluster. Some of the worst VPNs are overpriced, whereas some of the best VPNs are affordable.

To make things easy, our tech heads test and review market-leading VPNs. Later in this guide, we will explain more about our review process. For now, however, we have included some criteria we used to pick the best VPNs with a kill switch below:

• Impressive speeds: We only recommend VPNs equipped with numerous high-speed servers and reliable high-speed protocols. This enhances the VPN's performance for streaming, gaming, torrenting, and video calls.
• Expansive server network: A wider choice of servers ensures the availability of IP addresses in a wider range of locations to let you bypass blocks and access region-locked website services.
• Robust security: Our recommendations focus on VPNs offering various protocols, strong encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS leaks. This guarantees comprehensive data protection regardless of your internet connection.
• Privacy above all else: We only recommend VPNs with a stringent no-logs policy. These VPNs never track their users, are located in countries that lack mandatory data retention directives, and never share any user data with third parties. 
• Cross-platform compatibility: Our recommendations have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Those apps all come with a kill switch to ensure you never leak data to local networks, ISPs, or government agencies.
• Dependable support: We recommend VPNs that offer live chat support, email support, setup guides, FAQs, and other excellent resources to help get you started and help you to use the VPN for any purpose you require.  

Besides the features mentioned above, our top three recommendations have diskless servers and fully audited apps and servers. The VPN can pull the plug on any server remotely, and the security of the VPN has been verified by a trusted independent third-party auditing company.

Best VPN kill switch: Detailed reviews

The list above gives you a quick look at the best VPNs with a kill switch. You can read the in-depth summaries below to find out more about each provider and what it has to offer. 

NordVPN is a highly advanced service based in Panama. This is an excellent location for a VPN to be based, due to its lack of mandatory data retention directives and invasive intelligence agencies. Servers are available in 60+ countries to let you change your IP address.

The VPN not only has a rock-solid kill switch that always cuts your internet, but also an auto-connect feature that works alongside the kill switch. On Windows, iOS, and Android, this feature will reconnect you to the VPN automatically and disengage the kill switch for you. Note that this is not available on Mac.

It is also worth noting that the Windows version of NordVPN has two different kill switches to pick from, one that kills your entire internet (the most secure version), and one that cuts VPN access for specific apps (such as your torrent client). This gives Windows users additional customization.

A no-logs policy ensures that NordVPN has no records of what its users do while connected. The VPN comes with a choice of protocols, including OpenVPN with reliable AES-256 encryption, and its custom NordLynx protocol, which is designed to give you even better speeds. These protocols offer the highest levels of privacy and security for your data.

This VPN works to watch Netflix US and various other catalogs. It also works with popular services like Hulu, BBC iPlayer, ESPN, Sky TV, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and many more. A Nord subscription lets you connect up to six devices simultaneously, which is usually enough for most power users and families. 

Live chat support is available 24/7, which means you can always ask questions and get help. NordVPN also comes with advanced features such as split tunneling, MultiHop, Tor over VPN, and obfuscated servers. You can test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee, and this VPN represents amazing value for money when you commit for two years.

BEST KILL SWITCH VPN: NordVPN is the best all-around VPN service with a kill switch. It is fast, secure, and offers superb privacy levels. Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix US. Ideal for torrenting, gaming, and streaming. Has had a full third-party audit to verify its security, and runs completely diskless servers. Has a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Surfshark is a cheap VPN option that encrypts your internet connection and includes a kill switch to stop you from leaking data outside of the VPN tunnel. A subscription starts at just $2.39 per month, which is truly mind-blowing considering the number of features you get. Plus, you can install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices, so you can share your account with friends and family.

The Surfshark apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Firestick, and also Linux (full GUI). Those apps all come with a kill switch, which is pretty rare. Note that although obfuscation is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, you will not be able to use the kill switch and obfuscation together on Mac. Unfortunately, you have to choose one or the other.

The kill switch is system-level and highly reliable. It will prevent all leaks outside of the VPN tunnel, which makes it a decent option for torrenting. It includes plenty of useful extras such as split tunneling, ad blocking, tracker blocking, and malware filtering.

Servers are available in 100+ countries, which is more than any other service on this list. Those servers work to watch Netflix on vacation and will let you access Hulu, ESPN, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, YouTube, social media services, VoIP apps, and other restricted websites whenever at work, at home, or on public WiFi.

Live chat support is available 24/7, to help you with setting up or using the VPN. The service comes with tons of useful resources, including setup guides and FAQs. You can test it out using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST BUDGET OPTION: Surfshark offers an excellent system-level kill switch that completely cuts your internet. Works to access Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, iPlayer, and other popular services. Fast WireGuard protocol is great for gaming and streaming in HD. Works to access VoIP services in restrictive countries, including China. Allows unlimited connections and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark.

ExpressVPN is a provider based in the British Virgin Islands that has been around since 2009. This makes it one of the longest-running VPN services on the market. It has maintained a solid reputation for providing privacy throughout that time and has an excellent no-logs policy, which means it never retains any record of what its users do while connected.

The VPN has servers in 105+ countries, and all those servers run on RAM. This allows ExpressVPN to pull the plug on any server to erase it instantly. Both Nord and Surfshark also have this security feature, which helps to protect their users in an emergency. Plus, ExpressVPN has had a full audit of its infrastructure and apps.

A built-in kill switch (called Network Lock) is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. This feature includes an auto-connect feature that reconnects you to the VPN and disengages the kill switch without you needing to do anything. 

The VPN comes with a choice of protocols: OpenVPN with native obfuscation and its custom Lightway protocol, which is designed to give you faster speeds. The latter makes the VPN a superb option for HD streaming, gaming, torrenting, and making video calls. The former is great for protecting your browsing habits in countries with strict censorship.

Live chat support is available 24/7, which means you can always ask questions and get help and you can try the VPN using its 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN works with Netflix, Hulu, iPlayer, Peacock, HBO Max, and many other popular services.

FANTASTIC ALL-ROUNDER: ExpressVPN's high-speed connections and robust encryption make it highly reliable to gain privacy and online security. The kill switch is available for all devices and includes an auto-reconnect feature. Works with popular streaming services. Zero-logs policy and obfuscation for OpenVPN. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

CyberGhost VPN is not the most advanced VPN on this list, but it provides fast connections protected with watertight encryption. It has a kill switch, called Secure Connect, for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. This actually makes it more secure than many competing services on the market, which are often lacking the kill switch in one or more of their apps (particularly the mobile apps, from our experience).

The provider’s simple interface is perfect for beginners. The learning curve is short, and you will be up and running with a secure, kill switch-protected connection in no time. The kill switch is always on and can’t be disabled on Mac, Android, or iOS.

CyberGhost VPN comes with a choice of protocols, including the ultra-modern WireGuard protocol.  DNS leak protection prevents your ISP and local networks from monitoring what you do online. It also includes ad blocking and malware filtering.

This VPN gives you fantastic speeds for gaming, streaming, torrenting, and making video calls. CyberGhost VPN works with popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Best of all, it has streaming-optimized servers for over a dozen countries that specifically tell you which platforms they work with in the app.

If you want additional features such as MultiHop, port forwarding, split tunneling, or Tor over VPN, you will need to shop elsewhere. You can check that it works with your favorite streaming services using its 45-day money-back guarantee.

EASY TO USE: CyberGhost VPN makes using a kill switch VPN easy for beginners. Fast WireGuard connections are perfect for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. Servers are available in 100+ countries. Works to access popular streaming services, including Netflix. 24/7 live chat support and includes a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

Proton VPN was launched in 2017 by the developers of the excellent encrypted email service ProtonMail. The VPN has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and those apps come with a solid, system-level kill switch that completely cuts your internet until you reconnect to the VPN. 

An auto-connect feature (“always on VPN”) will re-establish a secure VPN connection and disengage the kill switch for you. The Proton VPN clients are some of the most advanced VPN apps we have ever tested. They include a choice of secure protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard, DNS leak protection, obfuscation, MultiHop, Tor over VPN, ad blocking split tunneling, and port forwarding.

Servers are available in 71+ countries, which makes it an excellent option for bypassing geo-blocks and censorship in restrictive countries like the UAE, Iran, and Egypt. Proton is fast and works to access Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and plenty of other services. We recommend testing it with your favorite streaming services yourself. Streaming will not work on the free plan, which also only has three server locations to pick from.

The split tunneling and port forwarding features (along with the seamless kill switch), help to make this one of the best VPNs for torrenting. If you want to seed torrents, it is worth taking Proton for a test drive using its 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Live chat support is available for members only, but the agents are excellent. Free users or prospective customers can ask questions via email. 

HIGHLY ADVANCED: Proton VPN has a free plan to test its service, and it includes a kill switch. Premium works to access most popular streaming services. We recommend you test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Super-fast WireGuard connections.

Read our full review of Proton VPN.

AtlasVPN is a reliable VPN that provides you with online privacy at home, on public WiFi, and at work. The VPN has applications for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. You can install those apps on an unlimited number of devices, which makes the VPN suitable for people who own many devices or larger families who all need the use of a VPN.

A kill switch is available for all of its apps. The only caveat is that while the kill switch works perfectly to cut your internet when the VPN connection drops – it leaks data momentarily during reconnection to the VPN. It has no automatic reconnection feature. This is actually a benefit under the circumstances, because it means you can pause any sensitive tasks (such as your torrents) and then reconnect to the VPN manually to regain complete privacy.

Servers are available in 44 countries; fewer places to choose from than our other recommendations. It’s fast thanks to its WireGuard protocol, and it works with Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and many other streaming services around the world.

A free version lets you connect to servers in two countries, which is great if you need to access social media, news, or some other censored website during times of political upheaval, or if you want to connect to public WiFi safely, but don't want to pay for a VPN. Just bear in mind that the free version will not work for streaming, and is limited to 5 GB of data per month.

If you want to test premium, you can do so using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Although it has live chat support, it’s only available to paying subscribers. The VPN has MultiHop connections, split tunneling, and built-in ad blocking. It costs just $1.83 per month when you subscribe for three years.

EXCELLENT ALL ROUNDER: AtlasVPN lets you connect an unlimited number of devices. The kill switch is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. WireGuard connections work with popular streaming services and allow torrenting. Apps come with DNS leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, MultiHop, and ad blocking. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Atlas VPN.

Kill switch VPN – testing methodology

When picking our favorite VPNs with a kill switch, we prioritized privacy and security. We avoid recommending any VPN that positions itself as good for streaming, or some other purpose, without providing adequate privacy and data security.

When picking VPNs with a kill switch, our primary focus was on services that have a trusted no-logs policy, modern protocols with strong encryption, and a kill switch that instantly blocks your internet if the VPN connection fails. If you are interested in how we test VPNs, you can find out more in our testing methodology guide. 

Below, we have included additional information about how we recommended the best VPNs with a kill switch.

• Privacy and security: Our recommended VPN providers prioritize robust 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a solid no-logging policy. This shields your data from ISP and government surveillance, prevents tracking on local networks, and safeguards against hacking attempts on public Wi-Fi connections. A kill switch is an essential feature if you're worried about VPN disconnections or accidental data leaks. 
• Lightning-fast speeds: Our VPN recommendations offer fast servers worldwide, including optimized options for international locations. With WireGuard, you can enjoy seamless video calls, speedy torrent downloads, and uninterrupted streaming of international TV shows and video-on-demand services.
• Reliable support: Our recommended VPNs provide reliable customer support through email assistance, live chat, and useful setup guides. This makes it easy for VPN beginners to get the help they need.
• Unrestricted access: These VPNs reliably access international streaming platforms like Netflix US, and have a wide choice of servers worldwide, ensuring constant access to content from various countries.
• Value for money: Our recommended VPNs offer exceptional service at a reasonable price, striking the right balance between quality and affordability. Some even provide a limited free plan, allowing you to try them without spending a dime.
• Third-party audits: Our top three recommendations have completed third-party audits of their infrastructure and policies.
• Diskless servers: Our top three VPNs feature diskless servers that operate on RAM. This ensures that servers can be remotely erased to protect users in emergencies. Moreover, it facilitates the automatic replacement of old data with new data due to the limited RAM on each server.

Kill switch VPN FAQs

Can I get a free VPN with a kill switch?

Yes. Two of the VPNs that we recommended in this guide have a limited free plan. This allows you to use the VPN risk-free. The free plans both provide all the privacy and security benefits you get from a premium subscription (with the exception of port forwarding). Also, you do get a reliable kill switch, even when using the free versions.

That said, it is important to remember that the free plans only allow you to connect to a few server locations, implement bandwidth limitations (which makes it slower than the premium service), may limit downloads, and do not work to access popular streaming popular services like Netflix. Premium accounts do not have these limitations.

The free plans we recommend still give you online privacy, whether you’re at home, at work, or connected to public WiFi. This makes the free plans an excellent way to gain privacy and data protection – or freedom of access – during an emergency (such as when governments block social media during protests or elections).

Although the free VPNs we have recommended in this guide are completely safe, it is important to remember that many others aren't. The internet and app stores are packed with free VPNs that have lousy privacy policies. These free VPNs harvest your data and sell it to third parties to create a revenue stream.

Free VPNs have been found to lack encryption, suffer from app and server vulnerabilities, include spyware in their apps, and suffer from leaks that render them incapable of providing online privacy. 

These VPNs are a massive threat to your online privacy and the health of your devices, so please do your research and be extremely careful when picking a VPN.

Why do I need a VPN kill switch?

A VPN kill switch is a feature that instantly blocks all incoming and outgoing traffic from your devices any time the VPN disconnects. It’s a failsafe that guarantees your privacy. 

When you engage a VPN kill switch, you will not be able to use the internet without the VPN. This ensures that your data always travels inside the encrypted tunnel, which prevents local networks, ISPs, government agencies, and other eavesdroppers from being able to track you online.

A VPN kill switch is particularly important if you intend to torrent or have an elevated threat model. Without a kill switch, disconnecting could allow your ISP to find out what files you’re downloading, or for websites, apps, and streaming services to see your real IP address.

So, if you require the highest levels of privacy for torrenting, or to prevent your government from finding out you accessed news or other resources that have been blocked, then we strongly recommend using a VPN with a kill switch.

How does a VPN kill switch work?

A VPN kill switch monitors your connection to the VPN server and has the power to block your internet if the connection fails. When a VPN kill switch is enabled, you never have to worry about traffic leaving your device unencrypted, which gives you peace of mind.

A VPN kill switch is useful for the following reasons:

• It lets you use the internet at work privately without worrying that you will accidentally leak your traffic to your employer. This privacy lets you bypass blocks without concern.
• You can use public WiFi without worrying that you may accidentally expose your browsing to the hotspot provider, or put yourself at risk of hackers should the VPN connection drop out.
• You can use the internet at home to torrent or engage in any other activity free of tracking by your ISP, and without needing to monitor your VPN to check that it is still connected.
• You can torrent, use Omegle, enjoy P2P gaming parties, or do any other Peer-to-Peer activities without worrying that you will expose your IP address to other users.
• You can work remotely in a safely protected environment, without worrying that you may leak work data or activities to local networks, ISPs, or other eavesdroppers.
• You don’t need to worry about leaking unencrypted data when you switch networks, when the VPN app crashes, or when your connection is disrupted.

Is a VPN kill switch available for all devices?

VPN services that include a kill switch in all of their apps are pretty rare. You can often find a VPN that has a kill switch for desktop machines running Windows and Mac, but a kill switch that also protects you on Android and iOS is harder to find. 

The VPNs in this guide were recommended because they have a kill switch that cuts your internet on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Please note that performance may vary, so check each summary carefully to find out whether the kill switch has any limitations on specific devices.

Some of our recommendations have a kill switch that works on Firesticks, Fire TVs, and Android TVs. If you require a kill switch on these platforms, stick to these recommendations.

Does a VPN kill switch block all internet traffic?

This depends on the type of kill switch that the VPN implements. Some VPNs have an app-level kill switch that only blocks your internet when the app is running. This is pretty reliable, but means that you will not be protected if the VPN application itself crashes or fails.

The VPNs we have recommended include a system-level kill switch. 

This type of VPN kill switch attaches itself to your operating system and blocks your internet by default any time the VPN connection drops out.

How do I enable a VPN kill switch?

The VPN kill switch is a setting that is available inside the VPN application. To enable it, simply launch the version of the app you have installed, open the VPN’s settings, and look for a tab called privacy and security feature (or something similar). Here, you will be able to turn the kill switch on.

Do I need a VPN kill switch for torrenting?

Yes. When it comes to torrenting with a VPN, most people are preoccupied with finding a VPN that includes port forwarding. Although it is true that port forwarding can make it easier to seed torrents, it is important to remember that a kill switch is just as important.

A VPN prevents local networks and ISPs from tracking your torrents. This stops anybody from monitoring the file pieces you are leeching or seeding to other users. A kill switch ensures that you do not accidentally expose these activities to your ISP, government snoops, or other eavesdroppers.

It is also important to remember that a VPN helps to protect you against malicious peers. When you torrent, you connect directly to users all over the world. If you do this without a VPN, each of those users can see your home IP address. 

This makes a VPN kill switch even more important because it is the last line of defence against exposing your IP to potentially unsavory characters any time you connect Peer-to-Peer (whether torrenting, playing games, or using other Peer-to-Peer apps such as VoIP).