What Are the Top Tools to Verify VPN Privacy Before Browsing?

The most used free VPN leak test tools are ipleak.net, BrowserLeaks and dnsleaktest.com, plus test-ipv6.com for IPv6 and the Mullvad connection check. They show which IP address, DNS servers and WebRTC addresses websites can see while your VPN is on. This guide compares these VPN leak test tools by what each one checks, who runs it and where its limits are.

A leak means data leaves the encrypted VPN tunnel and shows your real IP address or the DNS servers of your internet provider (ISP). Our online privacy check guide explains all leak types. speediq.org is this website, and it also runs a VPN leak test.

How Do the Best Privacy Leak Test Tools for VPN Users Compare?

The tools differ in what they check: some cover IP, DNS and WebRTC on one page, others focus on one leak type. The table lists the checks each site describes on its own pages (accessed 2026).

ToolRun byIPDNS leak testWebRTCIPv6
ipleak.netPowered by AirVPN (a VPN provider)YesYesYesNot stated
BrowserLeaksNot named on the siteYesYes, 50 random domainsYesYes
dnsleaktest.comIVPN Limited (a VPN provider)YesStandard and extended testNoNo
test-ipv6.comAPNIC LabsYesChecks IPv6 of your ISP's DNS serverNoYes
Mullvad connection checkMullvad VPN AB (a VPN provider)Not statedYesYesNot stated

Three of these tools come from VPN providers. That does not make the results wrong, but you should know who runs a test.

ipleak.net

ipleak.net shows your IP addresses, the addresses WebRTC finds and the DNS servers that answered its probes on one page. A torrent client check is optional (ipleak.net, 2026). It defines a DNS leak as name lookups that leave the VPN tunnel. Common causes it names are DNS over HTTPS in the browser, split tunneling and IPv6 DNS when the VPN covers only IPv4.

BrowserLeaks

BrowserLeaks splits its checks into pages. The DNS leak test resolves 50 random domain names, 25 for IPv4 only and 25 for IPv6 only, and shows which DNS servers your browser uses (BrowserLeaks, 2026). The IP page also lists WebRTC, IPv6, TCP/IP and TLS details. For Firefox, the WebRTC page explains how to turn off media.peerconnection.enabled.

dnsleaktest.com

dnsleaktest.com offers two DNS leak tests. The standard test sends 6 queries, and the extended test sends 36 queries and takes 10 to 30 seconds longer (dnsleaktest.com, 2026). The extended test is the better choice when you want to find every DNS server that handles your DNS requests.

test-ipv6.com

test-ipv6.com checks whether IPv4, IPv6 and large packets work and whether your ISP's DNS server uses IPv6. It runs in your browser and is not a VPN tool: its FAQ says "No, I can not fix your VPN" (APNIC Labs, 2026). Use it to see whether your connection has IPv6 at all, then read our IPv6 leak test guide.

Mullvad connection check

The Mullvad check needs JavaScript and shows a green, yellow or red result for DNS leaks. Yellow means the check itself failed (Mullvad, 2026). It defines a DNS leak as using a DNS server that does not belong to Mullvad, so the result fits Mullvad users best.

How Do You Use VPN Leak Test Tools Step by Step?

Run each test once without the VPN and once with it, then compare. This order works with any of the tools above:

  1. Disconnect the VPN and note your public IP address, your ISP and your DNS servers.
  2. Connect the VPN and open the test in a new tab. ipleak.net notes that an old tab can keep an address from before the VPN started.
  3. Check the IP: it should belong to the VPN server, not to your ISP.
  4. Run the extended DNS leak test: no DNS server of your ISP should appear.
  5. Check WebRTC and IPv6: no address from your home network should show up.

If the test shows your ISP, turn on the DNS leak protection and kill switch of your VPN app, then test again. Our guides on DNS leaks and WebRTC leaks show how to fix each one. RFC 8828 explains why split tunneling matters: WebRTC can then reveal both the VPN address and the ISP address (IETF, 2021).

Which VPN Detection Website Is the Most Accurate?

No independent public benchmark shows which VPN detection website is the most accurate. Accuracy figures come from the vendors themselves, for example IPQualityScore states a 99.95 % accuracy rate for its residential proxy detection (IPQualityScore, 2026). We found no study that tests these claims.

VPN detection sites do something different from leak tests. They look at an IP address and decide whether it belongs to a VPN, proxy, Tor exit or hosting provider.

Which free VPN detection test tools can you use?

You can check an IP address for free on the web pages of IPQualityScore and Scamalytics. The free web check of IPQualityScore has a daily limit, and a free account gives 1,000 lookups that renew every month (IPQualityScore, 2026). Scamalytics shows a fraud score and the proxy and Tor status (Scamalytics, 2026).

  • MaxMind Anonymous IP: a paid database that flags VPN, hosting, public proxy, Tor exit and residential proxy addresses. MaxMind says VPNs that do not register their own address ranges are likely flagged only as hosting (MaxMind, 2026).
  • IPinfo: its privacy detection marks an IP as vpn, proxy, tor, relay or hosting (IPinfo, 2026).

Our IP reputation check guide explains how to read such results.

How Do All-in-One Online Privacy Diagnostic Tools Compare for Everyday Users?

All-in-one privacy tools for everyday users check different things: your browser, a website or your accounts. None of them replaces a VPN leak test.

  • Cover Your Tracks (EFF): tests whether your browser blocks trackers and how unique your fingerprint is. It started in 2010 as Panopticlick (EFF, 2026).
  • Have I Been Pwned: a free service that checks whether an email address appears in known data breaches. Troy Hunt has run it since 2013 (HIBP, 2026).
  • Blacklight (The Markup): scans any website for ad trackers, third-party cookies, fingerprinting and session recording in 30 to 60 seconds.
  • Google Privacy Checkup: reviews the privacy settings of your Google Account and needs a sign-in.

For fingerprint tests, see our comparison of browser fingerprint test tools.

Are there all-in-one privacy test tools with speed and leak checks?

Yes, a few sites combine a speed test with privacy checks. SpeedIQ, this website, runs a speed test and 18 browser checks, including IP reputation, WebRTC and IPv6. Its DNS check is a hint and not a full DNS leak test, so use dnsleaktest.com or BrowserLeaks for that part.

Summary

VPN leak test tools show whether your IP address, DNS requests or WebRTC addresses leave the VPN tunnel. ipleak.net and BrowserLeaks cover most leaks on one page, dnsleaktest.com offers an extended DNS leak test with 36 queries, and test-ipv6.com checks IPv6. VPN detection sites answer a different question, and no independent benchmark ranks them.

FAQ

What is the best free VPN leak test tool?

There is no independent ranking. ipleak.net and BrowserLeaks test IP, DNS and WebRTC on one site, and dnsleaktest.com offers an extended DNS leak test with 36 queries.

Can a VPN leak test fix a leak?

No. A test only shows the leak. You fix it in your VPN app, for example with DNS leak protection and a kill switch, or in your browser settings for WebRTC.

Who runs the free VPN leak test sites?

Three of the five sites in this guide belong to VPN providers: ipleak.net is powered by AirVPN, dnsleaktest.com is run by IVPN and the connection check by Mullvad. test-ipv6.com is run by APNIC Labs.

How accurate are VPN detection websites?

No independent public benchmark exists. Accuracy numbers come from the vendors, and MaxMind notes that some VPN addresses are only flagged as hosting.

Does a DNS over HTTPS setting cause a DNS leak?

It can. ipleak.net and dnsleaktest.com both say that DNS over HTTPS in the browser can send lookups outside the VPN tunnel.

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