How We Test
At kill-switch-kenny.com, we put every virtual private network through rigorous, repeatable examinations. Our goal is to provide honest, data-driven comparisons you can trust.
Our process
We maintain strict testing protocols to ensure no provider receives preferential treatment. Every evaluation follows a standard five-step lifecycle:
1. Buy anonymously
We purchase every subscription using standard consumer accounts paid for with independent funds. We never accept free accounts, press access, or review units from providers.
2. Install on 5 platforms
We deploy the official client applications across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android to evaluate cross-platform consistency and core feature parity.
3. Measure speed over 7 days
Using automated scripts connected to baseline 1Gbps fiber lines, we log latency, download speeds, and upload metrics across multiple global regions four times daily for a full week.
4. Check leaks and audits
We execute deep diagnostic tests looking for IPv4, IPv6, and DNS leaks while cycling servers. We also verify public cryptographic audits and check real-world kill-switch functionality.
5. Re-test monthly
Digital infrastructure changes constantly. We rerun our automated benchmarks every month to catch performance regressions, updated privacy policies, or app bugs immediately.
Scoring breakdown
Our final ratings are calculated using a transparent, weighted scoring system designed to reflect what matters most to daily users.
Test setup
To keep our evaluations consistent, all connectivity tests are run from standardized hardware environments located across North America and Europe. These configurations represent illustrative setups rather than guaranteed user experiences, as local Internet Service Provider routing and Wi-Fi interference will always vary.
Our baseline benchmark machines use dedicated ethernet hardware running up-to-date operating systems, isolated from background network traffic to isolate the performance impact of the VPN protocol itself.
Independence
No paid placements
Vendors cannot buy a higher rank, pay for a positive review, or remove critical feedback from kill-switch-kenny.com. If a service introduces security vulnerabilities or degrades in performance, our scores drop accordingly. Rankings update dynamically based entirely on our recurring benchmark data.
What we cannot test
While our diagnostic equipment is comprehensive, certain operational claims are impossible for any external reviewer to verify with absolute certainty:
- Absolute zero-log backend operations beyond what independent legal jurisdiction checks and server memory audits can infer.
- Future software updates deployed between our scheduled monthly testing cycles.
- Undiscovered zero-day vulnerabilities in proprietary protocol implementations.
Report a problem
Spotted an inaccuracy?
We strive for complete accuracy in all our benchmark numbers and feature summaries. If you find broken data, outdated pricing, or reproducible bugs in our methodology, please send your corrections to our editorial desk.