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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Kaspersky Secure Connection VPN Review: Updated 2024

Our Score: 6.6/10
Ranked 145th out of 305 VPNs
Ren Sayer Updated on 17th March 2024 Senior Writer

As a VPN from a leading cybersecurity company, you’d expect Kaspersky Secure Connection to be of a high standard. But its privacy policy has always concerned me because of its suspicious connections with the Russian FBS. Also, the US government has banned the use of Kaspersky software within its factions, which raises further concerns.

After conducting my testing and research, I can say that Kaspersky Secure Connection isn’t a safe choice for privacy enthusiasts. It keeps more logs than most VPNs and it’s still embroiled with its Russian accusations. However, it provides fast speeds and high-quality security features, giving you adequate protection from online threats like hackers.

If you’re not overly worried about privacy, then I’d highly recommend Kaspersky Secure Connection. Its low price makes it a great deal. You can even claim a full refund within 30 days if you’re not satisfied. But if you’re concerned about its privacy, or it doesn’t work out for you, you can always choose from a wide range of VPNs to better suit your needs.

Try Kaspersky Secure Connection Now!

Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

  • Unblocks Netflix most of the time. I was able to access Netflix libraries from some US servers and other countries. However, I ran into issues with some popular streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer. Click here to see the streaming test results.
  • Fast speeds across global servers. My speeds remained consistently fast on both its local and long-distance servers. None of my online activities were interrupted whatsoever. Find the results of my speed tests here.
  • Adequate security but questionable privacy. Its security features are of the highest standard, such as AES-256 bit encryption and an automatic kill switch. However, its no-logs policy and Russian background are controversial. See how well it protects you here.
  • Small server network. Its global server network is pretty small and only includes 72 countries in total. I could only choose server locations and not the actual servers, which was a bit annoying. Find out more about its server network.
  • Doesn’t work in China. It clearly states that it can’t be installed and used in countries with restrictive internet like China, Belarus, and Iran. Click here to see its China policy.
  • No Live Chat or email. I couldn’t get an immediate response to my questions because of the absence of live chat. The only way I could contact them directly was to lodge a support ticket, which wasn’t an email. See how I got on with their support here.
  • Affordable pricing options. You can choose between its free plan, which has limited features, and its paid plans, either monthly or yearly. The paid plans also come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can test them without commitment. Find out its pricing plans here.
  • Beginner-friendly app for most devices. Simply download and install it on your computer or smartphone and easily navigate your way around. While its app is excellent for beginners, it lacks technical settings. Click here to see how easy it is to use.

Kaspersky Secure Connection Features — 2024 Update

6.4
💸 Price 2.7 USD/month
📆 Money Back Guarantee 30 Days
📝 Does VPN keep logs? No
🖥 Number of servers 2000+
💻 Number of devices per license 5
🛡 Kill switch Yes
🗺 Based in country United Kingdom
🛠 Support Ticketing System
📥 Supports torrenting Yes

Streaming — Netflix Unblocked

Kaspersky Secure Connection isn’t renowned for its streaming. However, it can unblock Netflix. This includes both US Netflix and other global libraries. When it came to other streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, it couldn’t bypass geoblocks.

Unblocked: Netflix, France 2, SBS Australia

Netflix’s geoblocking technology can’t detect Kaspersky Secure Connection on most occasions. It doesn’t make any open claims about this on its website, so I wasn’t sure what to expect in my tests. I started by connecting to a US server in Washington, and after 30 seconds I was watching the movie London Heist, which is exclusive to US Netflix. There wasn’t any lag on my stream either.

From there, I connected to 4 server locations in the US (Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago), and watched other US exclusive movies like Radium Girls and Gimme Shelter on the Washington and Chicago servers. Unfortunately, the Miami and New York ones didn't work. I connected to servers in Brazil, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, and Germany, and unblocked Netflix libraries in Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands.

Graphic showing Kaspersky Secure working on NetflixKaspersky Secure Connection is a mostly reliable for unblocking Netflix libraries worldwide

Apart from Netflix, it also unblocks some other country-specific channels like France 2 and SBS Australia. If you want a VPN for unblocking Netflix, then Kaspersky Secure won’t disappoint.

Blocked By: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, ESPN+, DAZN, ITV, and YouTube TV

Kaspersky Secure Connection was unable to unblock popular streaming sites in the US and UK. These included Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer, among others. After trying all of the 5 server locations in the US, I kept getting the following message on Amazon Prime Video:

“Your device is connected to the Internet using a VPN or proxy service. Please disable it and try again.”

A lot of VPNs have a hard time unblocking Amazon Prime Video, so this wasn’t surprising. I then tried out 3 of its UK servers to watch BBC iPlayer, but again I was denied access. Even though I had registered my account with a UK postcode and used a UK server, the platform could still detect my VPN use.

Similarly, I also couldn’t unblock Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and ESPN+. As soon as I tried watching shows on these platforms, they detected that I was using a VPN or proxy. I experienced this issue on all of Kaspersky Secure’s US server locations.

Speeds — Faster Than Expected

I was pleasantly surprised by how fast, and consistent Kaspersky Secure Connection’s speeds were. The speeds were fast on both its short and long-distance servers, and I could conduct all my usual online activities without interruption. To test its speeds, I used Ookla’s speed test tool, which tested the following factors:

  • Download speed — How fast you can obtain files and data from the internet to your computer.
  • Upload speed — The time it takes to upload files and data from your computer to the internet.
  • Ping — How quickly a website responds when you click its link. In other words, your connection’s reaction time.

Local Speeds

To get a baseline for my speed tests, I tested my local, non-VPN connection in Australia. The results were:

  • Download: 50.98 Mbps
  • Upload: 20.76 Mbps
  • Ping: 5 ms

When I connected to a Kaspersky Secure Connection server in Australia, the speed dropped significantly. It’s very common for your speeds to drop on a VPN connection because your internet traffic has to travel a further distance, and it goes through more layers of encryption. However, it was still fast enough to watch HD videos without lag, and it easily surpassed my expectations. My results were:

  • Download: 29.73Mbps (41% decrease)
  • Upload: 9.68 Mbps (53% decrease)
  • Ping: 238 ms

While it might seem like a massive difference on paper, that was hardly the case.

Long-Distance Speeds

Graphic showing long-distance speed results with Kaspersky SecureKaspersky Secure Connection provides fast speeds across its global server network

I expected my speed to drop even further on its long-distance servers. Even though this occurred, it didn’t drop to the extent I expected. Its long-distance speeds were very similar to its local servers. The servers I tested first were its US and UK servers, probably the two most common server locations for accessing streaming sites. These were my readings:

US

  • Download: 21.89 Mbps (57% decrease)
  • Upload: 6.97 Mbps (66% decrease)
  • Ping: 223 ms

UK

  • Download: 22.49 Mbps (55% decrease)
  • Upload: 5.65 Mbps (72% decrease)
  • Ping: 327 ms

The US one was a bit slower, which was probably because it’s farther away. From there, I tested a wide range of different servers in various parts of the world, and the speeds were similar and fast. Compared to local connections, the long-distance connections took a little longer to download videos on YouTube. But once streaming began, I didn’t experience any lag.

Overall, I was amazed at Kaspersky Secure Connection’s speeds and consistency, which puts it right up with the best VPNs. There is honestly nothing bad to say here.

Are Kaspersky Secure Connection’s Speeds Fast Enough for Gaming? — Definitely

Kaspersky Secure Connection’s speeds make it an excellent choice for online gaming. Some of the advantages of using a VPN for online gaming are buying and downloading games from anywhere, bypassing geoblocks to play multiplayer games, and staying protected from DoS attacks.

However, the most important benefit is the improved lag and reduced ping rate, which is especially true for Kaspersky Secure Connection. I tested it out by playing Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition online, and I could game the entire time without any lag or interruptions.

As a baseline measure, I connected to a local server in Australia without a VPN, which produced a download speed of 49.63 Mbps and a ping rate of 5. The ping rate measures latency, so the lower the ping, the less lag. Then, I connected to Kaspersky Secure Connection’s servers in Australia and the US, which produces speeds of 28.63 Mbps and 21.07 Mbps and ping rates of 186 and 193, respectively.

Gaming online with Kaspersky Secuer ConnectionKaspersky Secure Connection works very well with online gaming

Even though the speeds dropped with a VPN connection, which was expected due to the longer distances, Kaspersky Secure Connection really surprised me with its gaming. It’s safe to say that you can enjoy a hassle-free gaming experience from anywhere in the world.

Server Network — Small Network but Secure Servers

With 2,000 servers in only 72 countries, Kaspersky Secure Connection’s server network is small for a paid VPN. This list includes major countries like the US, UK, France, Australia, Japan, and more restrictive countries like Russia and Turkey. A large number of server locations increases your likelihood of bypassing geoblocks and using a reliable connection.

It’s also impossible to know which cities their servers are located in and its total server count, which it doesn’t disclose. You can only choose the server location and not the exact server, which I found to be disappointing for a paid VPN. However, it gives you unlimited server switches.

Kaspersky Secure Connection also has thousands of IP addresses, which include both dynamic and static IP addresses. A dynamic IP address changes every time you use Kaspersky Secure Connection, whereas a static one stays the same. You have the choice of using either, so this is very handy.

Even though Kaspersky Secure Connection uses Hotspot Shield’s Hydra VPN technology, their server networks are entirely different. However, it leases its server infrastructure from Hotspot Shield, which means that Kaspersky Secure rents its servers. Since Hotspot is a secure VPN that’s had independent audits, it’s safe to say that Kaspersky Secure Connection’s rented servers are safe and secure.

Security — Highly Secure

Security Breaches

The parent company of Kaspersky Secure Connection, Kaspersky Lab, had its technologies infected by a type of Malware called Duqu 2.0 in 2015. Duqu 2.0 is well-known for infecting hotel computers in Austria and Switzerland, where international talks were taking place about Iran’s nuclear program.

It had infected Kaspersky Lab’s technologies for several months without being detected. It was believed to have been carried out by Israel to prove to the US of Kaspersky Lab’s collaboration with the FSB in Russia. Luckily, no such evidence was found, and none of Kaspersky Secure Connection’s customers were affected in any way.

Kaspersky Lab used the knowledge gained from this attack to improve their defensive technologies, so you could say that it has had a positive effect.

Independent Audits

Kaspersky Secure Connection passed a SOC (Service and Organization) 2 audit in 2019, which a “Big Four” company conducted. It’s essentially an international audit that reports the standards and procedures of cybersecurity risk management systems. The audit carefully examined the 5 fundamental principles of security, which are:

  • Availability — How functional the security process is.
  • Protection — How well the security process is protected from unauthorized access.
  • Process integrity — How safe data is kept when delivered to another client.
  • Confidentiality — The extent to which third parties can access data.
  • Privacy — If and how the company stores personal data.

To examine these principles, the “Big Four” company looked at Kaspersky Lab’s services, systems interaction, process controls, users’ control tools, and service risks. The end result was that all of Kaspersky Lab’s services, including Kaspersky Secure, were well-protected against external security and privacy threats. Nothing was of concern.

The audit is only available to clients with a business account with Kaspersky Lab, so that I couldn’t get a copy of it.

Encryption and Security Protocols

Kaspersky Secure Connection uses the OpenVPN protocol on Android and iOS and Hotspot Shield’s Catapult Hydra protocol on Windows and macOS. Unlike many other top-tier VPNs, you cannot change protocol settings with Kaspersky Secure Connection, meaning that the two protocols listed are automatically selected by default. Here are the two protocols explained:

OpenVPN — A standard VPN protocol that’s commonly used and highly configurable with plenty of port types. It’s well-known for balancing speed and security, as well as being an open-sourced protocol. This means its source code is hosted publicly on the internet, which provides excellent transparency.

Catapult Hydra — A protocol that’s unique to Hotspot Shield. It establishes secure client-server connections and strong encryption by using TLS-based security. This level of protection is among the strongest for the transfer of data. However, since Catapult Hydra’s information level is limited, it hasn’t quite proved its worthiness like OpenVPN.

If you use an outdated network or service, you can choose to use other protocols like IKEv2, SSTP, and L2TP/IPSec. Also, Kaspersky Secure Connection doesn’t support WireGuard on any of its apps.

Kaspersky Secure Connection uses AES-256 bit encryption, which is the gold standard of encryption. It’s commonly referred to as military-grade encryption and is used by top intelligence agencies worldwide to protect sensitive information. 256 refers to the size of the key used to encrypt data, which involves 2^256 possible key combinations.

The processing power required to break this encryption is so big that it’ll take more than a few lifetimes for the world’s strongest supercomputers to crack. You can be assured that your data is protected to the highest degree.

Leak Tests and Leak Protection

Your DNS requests are protected from DNS leaks with Kaspersky Secure Connection. A DNS leak is a security flaw that accidentally leaks your IP address to your ISP, which can then leak your online data and activity to unauthorized third parties. It usually happens because of a VPN misconfiguration.

To make sure that Kaspersky Secure Connection protects against DNS leaks, I ran a few tests on IPleaks.net. When I connected to Kaspersky’s servers in the US, UK, France, Japan, and Russia, my DNS requests weren't leaked at all. My IPv4 connection was protected, and IPv6 wasn’t reachable because the fallback was a failure. It meant that my connection wouldn’t fall back to another protocol unexpectedly, which is a DNS leak.

Graphic showing DNS leak tests with Kaspersky SecureYour DNS requests are well protected with Kaspersky Secure Connection

Other Security Features

  • Kill Switch — Kaspersky Secure Connection has a kill switch that prevents your online data from being intercepted if your VPN connection unexpectedly drops. This can be turned on or off in the settings tab. When I tested it, I couldn't use the internet while changing servers.
  • Smart Protection — This feature alerts you about possible internet threats like unsecured connections. It also enables a VPN connection when you’re using an unsecured WiFi network in a public place. I tested this out by using the public WiFi in my local library, and it automatically connected me to a Kaspersky Secure Connection server in the US.
  • Secure Keyboard Input — This prevents any website data entered on a computer keyboard from being intercepted. You can enable this setting by installing the secure keyboard extension. It protects single-line entry fields more than 3 characters long and stops the autocomplete feature on browsers from working. When I installed it, my browser could no longer detect my standard inputs.

The only security features it lacks are split tunneling and multi-hop servers, also known as Double VPN. This means you can’t divide your internet traffic between VPN and non-VPN traffic and connect to 2 different servers for extra security.

Privacy — Not Great

Location — Controversial Russia

Kaspersky Secure Connection is located in Russia, which is outside of the 14-eyes alliance. However, Russia has its own controversies around internet freedoms and privacy. It only allows VPNs that have been approved by the Russian government and requested that VPN providers remove their servers from Russia unless they complied with Russian censorship. In other words, the Russian government fully censors the country’s internet use.

In February 2020, Russia orchestrated a brief disconnect from the internet to make all internet traffic go through Russian servers. According to the government, the reason for it was to protect Russia from cyber attacks. However, opponents would argue that it’s a way for them to spy and conduct their own cyberattacks. Kaspersky Secure Connection openly supported this initiative, which is of concern.

Also, a couple of former Kaspersky employees accused the company of creating fake malware to harm Microsoft and AVG in 2015. Luckily, these accusations have never been proven, and Kaspersky regards them as “unethical and dishonest.”

However, they are making an effort to steer away from the Russian controversy, which mainly comes from their antivirus software — not the VPN. Most notably, they’ve moved their core processors from Russia to Switzerland and have started a Global Transparency Initiative. This initiative aims to engage the broader cybersecurity community with stakeholders to verify the trustworthiness of their products. Still, many countries are concerned about their practices, and rightly so.

Ownership — Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab owns Kaspersky Secure Connection, which is a world-renowned cybersecurity company in Russia. Apart from Kaspersky Secure Connection, it provides anti-virus software, cloud storage solutions, endpoint security, and password management software, among other cybersecurity products and services.

It has a controversial reputation worldwide because of its perceived ties with the FSB (Federal Security Service) in Russia, which the company actively denies on an ongoing basis. Most notably, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2017 that banned the use of Kaspersky Lab products on all US government computers and devices.

Its CEO, Eugene Kaspersky, had previously worked in the Russian military and studied at a KGB-sponsored technical college. In recent years, the company has fired high-end managers and replaced them with people who have close military and government ties — raising further concerns.

To help rid itself of these allegations, Kaspersky Secure Connection has solicited independent reviews and audits of its products and services. It has also moved a lot of its main infrastructure from Russia to Switzerland, alleviating such concerns.

No Logs Policy — Raises Concerns

Unfortunately, Kaspersky Secure Connection admits to some logging practices. While it’s common for VPN providers to collect some user data to improve their services, Kaspersky Secure Connection’s extent is problematic. This extent is revealed in their Application Usage Agreement, which states as follows:

Graphic showing Kaspersky Secure logging practicesKaspersky Secure Connection admits to collecting some logs of its users

This final point is concerning because it states that they will hand your data over to authorities if you violate their terms and conditions. What makes it concerning is that we don’t know what constitutes a violation of their terms and that personal logging data must be collected to identify individuals and report them — should the situation arise.

What’s also worth mentioning is that Kaspersky Secure Connection uses the same infrastructure as Hotspot Shield, another VPN provider based in California. Even though Hotspot Shield claims to not record any logs of your online activity, they make it clear that they collect some data like your location, session durations, and IP address.

Combine all of this with Kaspersky Secure Connection’s perceived connection to the Russian FBS, and you have every reason to be worried.

Torrenting — Fast and Reliable

Kaspersky Secure Connection enables torrenting and P2P sharing services on its servers. Even though it doesn’t have specialized servers for P2P sharing, you can still torrent from any server. I connected to a US and Australian server for my tests to download a couple of movie trailers on uTorrent.

Please also note that downloading torrents of copyrighted material is illegal, and we do not condone such behavior.

The first trailer was for the film Bananas, which was 41.7 MB. My download speed averaged 1.4 Mbps on the US server, and I downloaded it in 40 seconds. Next, I downloaded The Princess Bride trailer, which took 1 minute and 20 seconds for the 30.9 Mbps file. Even though this was on the Australian server, it took longer because it had fewer seeds. The more seeds a torrent has, the faster it’ll download.

Graphic showing torrenting on kaspersky SecureP2P sharing is enabled on all of Kaspersky Secure Connection’s Servers

Kaspersky Secure Connection is a viable option for torrenting, particularly given its high speeds, but if privacy is a major concern for you during torrenting, it might not be the best choice. This is because Kaspersky Secure Connection does keep certain logs, which could potentially be used against you for infringing upon their terms and conditions. As torrenting can sometimes be in violation of copyright laws in many countries, it might lead to a breach of Kaspersky Secure Connection's terms and conditions.

Does Kaspersky Secure Connection Work in China? — No

Kaspersky Secure Connection cannot bypass the Great Firewall of China. It makes it very clear in its terms and conditions that it can’t be installed in China and some other nations because of their laws around VPNs.

Graphic showing Kaspersky Secure's policy on ChinaKaspersky Secure Connection can’t work in China and other countries with VPN limitations

However, Kaspersky Secure Connection does have servers in Hong Kong. This means that people in Hong Kong can’t use Kaspersky, but Hong Kong residents abroad can connect to a Kaspersky Hong Kong server, which is rather unusual.

Simultaneous Device Connections — The Standard 5 Connections

Kaspersky Secure allows up to 5 simultaneous device connections under one subscription. When I tested this by connecting my Windows laptop, Android tablet, smartphone, and old MacBook Pro, it worked. Kaspersky Secure Connection ran smoothly on all of my devices while protecting them at the same time.

The bad news is that there’s no way to increase the number from 5. Many VPNs can be installed on home routers to enable unlimited device connections at home, but Kaspersky Secure can’t be installed on home routers. Also, Kaspersky Secure Connection keeps track of all connected devices, which raises questions.

Device Compatibility — Compatible with Major Systems

Major operating systems like Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS are compatible with Kaspersky Secure Connection, but not Linux. It has a native app for these systems, so there’s no need for manual configuration. What’s also worth mentioning is that it has separate user agreements for each device, which is rather unusual. However, after having a look at them, they are mostly similar.

Devices that can’t support apps, like gaming consoles, certain smart TVs, and home routers, aren’t compatible with Kaspersky Secure Connection. This also extends out to some media players like Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Apple TV, as well as the Tor network. It doesn’t have any browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox either, which means you can’t use it on Chromebook.

Installation & Apps

6.6

Nothing is complicated or technical when using Kaspersky Secure Connection’s apps. Its home interface on the desktop has an on/off switch at the top, the VPN server location on the left, and your current version on the right. Clicking on the server location lets you choose the country you want, while clicking the current version takes you to your subscription settings. You can choose to connect to the fastest server under the server locations, which is the one that’s closest to you.

The left-hand side has a taskbar, which provides a wide range of options. This includes a “Useful to know” tab, which lays out all the features and benefits of Kaspersky Secure Connection, and an “Other devices” tab, which provides a QR code. Once you scan the QR code on another device, it’ll take you straight to the Kaspersky download page, making it much easier to download and install the app.

Graphic Showing Kaspersky Secure appKaspersky Secure Connection has an app that’s easy to understand

The settings tab lets you enable/disable the kill switch, smart protection, and notifications. You can also choose to open the app at the computer startup or automatically connect to a server when opening the app. Apart from these settings, you can manage your profile and request technical support, should you wish.

Its mobile apps are not so different from the desktop ones. The interface lets you turn the connection on or off and select the server location. When you go to settings, you can see the kill-switch, notifications, and account settings and change them. The Android app has a user rating of 4.3, and the iOS app has a rating of 4.7, making them user-friendly.

In short, Kaspersky Secure Connection has intuitive apps that are great for inexperienced VPN users, but more advanced users may be disappointed due to the lack of technical settings.

Setup & Installation — Mixed Results

Downloading the app was straightforward and quick, but installing it on my laptop took much longer. I also found it confusing to download the right app from its website because it didn’t differentiate between the free and paid versions. Also, its 30-day money-back guarantee was nowhere to be seen until the checkout section. Had this been mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t have gotten confused earlier.

Once I downloaded the app, it took me just under 5 minutes to complete the installation for some reason. Other VPNs take nowhere near as long, so I was surprised. Once the app was installed, I had to create a Kaspersky account and then log in using my email and password, which was easy.

It was much easier to install the Android app on my smartphone, mainly because I could scan a QR code on the desktop app. Once I scanned the QR code, it took me to the Google app store to download the Kaspersky Secure Connection Android app, which was easily downloadable. After downloading the app, I just had to open it and log in, which took under one minute.

Quick Guide: How to Install Kaspersky Secure Connection in 3 Easy Steps

  1. Choose Kaspersky Secure Connection. Go to the Kaspersky website, click the “Products” button and then select Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection from the carousel. graphic showing Kaspersky Secure PlansKaspersky offers many products in addition to its VPN
  2. Create an account. Choose the number of devices and click “Buy Now.” Then, enter your billing information and payment method before creating an account. raphic showing Kaspersky Secure pricing plansKaspersky Secure Connection has different pricing plans
  3. Download and install. Log in to your Kaspersky account and download the Kaspersky Secure Connection app. Then, follow the installation instructions on your device. Graphic showing Kaspersky Secure interfaceDownloading the Kaspersky Secure Connection app is easy

Pricing

7.0
5 Devices 2 Years
$ 2.7 / month per month
10 Devices 1 Year
$ 5 / month per month
5 Devices 1 Month
$ 6.99 / month per month

Kaspersky Secure Connection has three pricing plans: a free, monthly, and yearly plan. Compared to the paid plans, the free plan is very basic and comes with limitations. These limitations include 200 MB of data per day, a reduced server count, and no simultaneous device connections. You can also buy it as part of a bundled package with other Kaspersky software, like the antivirus or password manager.

The monthly plan costs $4.99/month, while the yearly plan costs $2.50/month. Compared to Hotspot Shield, which uses the same infrastructure as Kaspersky Secure Connection, it’s much cheaper. You can only make payments via credit card or PayPal, but not through other methods like cryptocurrencies.

Both paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, too, so you can test everything before committing. However, the UK version only comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

To test it out, I asked to cancel my subscription through its technical support channel on day 27. I got a reply after 16 hours, and they agreed to refund my payment. Once confirmed, it took me 5 business days to receive my full refund, which was a bit longer than expected.

Even though Kaspersky Secure Connection comes at a low price, I’d still recommend more expensive VPNs if you can afford them.

Reliability & Support

6.4

There isn’t a live chat option on the Kaspersky Secure Connection website, which means you can’t get an instant reply to your questions. You can’t even email them, which is even more frustrating. Instead, they direct you to their knowledge base for help, which contains support documents for all of Kaspersky Lab’s products. Because of this, it took me just over a minute to find the answer to my question on protocols, which I thought was a bit slow.

But you can lodge a technical support ticket under your Kaspersky Lab account if you need to speak to someone. When I lodged a ticket, I got a reply after 17 hours, which wasn’t so bad. The response I got was very detailed, friendly, and polite, which surprised me.

Graphic showing customer support email from Kaspersky SecureKaspersky Lab provides great help when you can reach them

In addition to these two support channels, they also have a community page where you can ask questions to other Kaspersky Lab users and an FAQ page with answers to general questions. There's even more technical support where you can scan files and links to check for malware threats and a decryption tool to help ransomware protection.

Even though Kaspersky Lab’s response to my support ticket was detailed, the lack of live chat and email was disappointing. I felt that there were too many support options in its knowledge base and support center, which confused me. A simple FAQ section with live chat and email options would’ve been more than sufficient.

Compare Kaspersky Secure Connection With The Top Alternative VPNs
Our Score: 9.9
Our Score: 9.7
Our Score: 9.5
Our Score: 9.4

The Bottom Line

Final Verdict

Kaspersky Secure Connection still raises several red flags when it comes to privacy. Its logging policy is vague, it has been compliant with Russian legislation, and it can’t shake off its perceived connections with the Russian FBS. However, its speeds and security are right up there with top-tier VPNs, and its price is very competitive.

Aside from its privacy, it isn’t the greatest for streaming either. It struggles to unblock a lot of popular streaming sites, although it has no issues unblocking Netflix. There are other VPNs out there that are much better for both privacy and streaming.

Still, if you want to use a VPN that offers great value for the price, I’d recommend Kaspersky Secure Connection. By using its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can even test out all of its features before fully committing to an ongoing subscription.

  • Good for VPN beginners
  • Clean, user-friendly design
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Supports five devices

FAQs on Kaspersky Secure Connection

Is Kaspersky Secure Connection free?

Kaspersky Secure Connection has a free version that comes with limitations. These limitations include a significantly reduced server count, a 200MB per day data cap, only one device connection at a time, and a reduced ability to bypass geoblocks. The paid version of Kaspersky Secure Connection is free of these limitations and is relatively cheap. You can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee, where you can cancel and get a full refund within this period.

Does Kaspersky Secure Connection keep any logs?

Kaspersky Secure Connection does keep some logs of its users. Their Application Usage Agreement states that they will hand over your personal data to authorities if you violate their terms and conditions, which is alarming. It’s disturbing because it means that they log personal data for this possible occurrence and don’t define a violation. It’s normal for a VPN to keep some logs to help improve their service, but what Kaspersky Secure Connection does is concerning.

Is Kaspersky Secure Connection a safe VPN to use?

Kaspersky Secure Connection comes with world-class security features, so it’s safe from a security perspective. However, its no-logs policy is controversial as it admits to collecting some user data. Also, Kaspersky Secure Connection is based in Russia and has been accused of having connections with the Russian FBS. Russia is a country that heavily censors the internet so it’s not the best place for a home base.

How can I remove Kaspersky Secure Connection?

You can remove Kaspersky Secure by uninstalling it on your device. To do this on Windows, you’ll need to go to your device’s apps & features setting and click the Kaspersky Secure Connection app. From there, you just click the uninstall button and let the device do all the work. Other operating systems will have their own procedures that are very similar.

Can Kaspersky Secure Connection unblock Netflix?

Yes, you can access Netflix by using Kaspersky Secure Connection. All you have to do is connect to a Kaspersky server in your location and log into your Netflix account. During my tests, I connected to 5 different US servers and accessed Netflix in under 30 seconds on each occasion.

Where is Kaspersky Secure Connection based?

Kaspersky Secure Connection is based in Russia. Russia is a controversial location for a VPN provider because only government-approved VPNs can operate there. Also, the Russian government is known to censor a lot of the internet, which is a big breach of online privacy and freedoms. To help rid itself of this negativity, Kaspersky Secure Connection has moved a lot of its infrastructure to Switzerland, which doesn’t have controversial privacy laws like Russia.

Why is my Kaspersky Secure Connection not working?

Your Kaspersky Secure Connection stops working when it can’t establish a secure internet connection. You’ll usually get a message saying, “Cannot connect to the VPN provider. Please try again later.” To solve this problem, double-check your internet connection and see if your ISP permits VPN connections. If you still can’t get it to work, then you’ll need to contact customer support.

Will Kaspersky Secure Connection slow down my computer?

Kaspersky Secure Connection may slow down your computer if you’re using an older version of its app. If you’re using an updated version of the app, it might have to do with the computer you’re using. Common problems that slow down computers are obsolete hardware, an outdated operating system, and a hard drive that’s barely empty.

Make sure you download the latest version of Kaspersky Secure Connection from its official website and regularly update your app to avoid any slowdowns.

What is Kaspersky Secure Connection’s keyboard input?

Kaspersky Secure Connection’s keyboard input stops the interception of any online data that’s being entered by a computer keyboard. Sometimes web browsers can automatically fill out information boxes based on data they’ve stored, which could leak private information. The Kaspersky Secure Connection keyboard input stops this from happening. For it to work, it needs to be installed as an extension on your Kaspersky Secure Connection app and enabled on your browser.

Will Kaspersky Secure Connection slow my speeds down?

Like any VPN, Kaspersky Secure Connection will slow your speeds down. This is because it adds extra layers of encryption and makes your data travel a further distance. But during my speed tests, Kaspersky Secure Connection proved to be fast enough for streaming, gaming, and torrenting, which are the main activities that rely on speed.

Will Kaspersky Secure Connection hide my IP address?

Yes, Kaspersky Secure Connection will hide your IP address. Like all VPNs, Kaspersky Secure Connection will encrypt your data and send it through one of their private servers. This means you’ll use the IP address of that server instead, which effectively hides yours. But be warned that it records some of your online activity, so be careful.

Money Back Guarantee (Days): 30
Mobile app:
Number of devices per license: 5
VPN Plans: kaspersky.com
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Kaspersky Secure Connection User Reviews (User reviews are not verified)
7.5
Based on 69 reviews in 8 languages

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All Speed Streaming Security Сustomer service
Bapel
Bapel
10/10
Best VPN service around the world

Submited on kaspersky plus subscription & impressed how fast antiviruss & vpn speed. Connect fast, fast download speed & support for Netflix near most their server & torrent. Checked connect to UEA, US, Australia, Japan all worked. But for router its only support Openvpn. Wireguard still on road map.

Arseny Pravdorubov
Arseny Pravdorubov
10/10
The best VPN service so far on the planet Earth!

Don't be confused by relatively low scores you can find on the internet at Kaspersky Secure Connection VPN reviews by "competent" software experts. The low scores are generated mainly due to Eugene's team's refusal to pay advertisement fees to those "leading experts", as other "best VPN" developing companies do. As I told you in Title, Kaspersky VPN is actually the best VPN in the world now! Advantages: Extremely low fee (EUR 14.94 / month only); - Speed loss is almost absent; - Wide server location range; - Fully supports a combo use with torrent applications; - Extremely easy to use. Disadvantages: - 5 devices per account for unlimited data transfer (however it barely can be called a disadvantage for a single user person, for the family might be). Used it before and will continue to do so. Have experience in comparing Kaspersky with Surfshark (tried to grab Surfshark through promotion price). The only advantage found in Surfshark against Kaspersky is that unlimited devices can be tied to a Surfshark account. The rest is Kaspersky's features are way above. Made myself sure not to extend Surfshark, once it's subscription expires.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10/10
BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK

Very Good Deal pricing wise, very simple to operate, love the KILL SWITCH option, which protects you from KSC loss while online, and protects; banking, bitcoin, ethereal, litecoin, B2B, etc. Only two drawbacks witnessed are; sometimes there's the slowness with throughput or latency with the limited amount of servers/growing popularity AND you have to manually update to new improve releases/versions (wish KSC was auto-update or at least notified you when a new version is available.

About the Author

Ren Sayer is a former writer for vpnMentor. Ren conducted research and performed VPN tests, specializing in creating in-depth guides to help readers make the most of their VPN’s features and capabilities.

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