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VPN shutdowns happen more often than subscribers expect, and how a service closes decides what happens to your money. Google shut VPN by Google One on 20 June 2024 for lack of use, 9to5Google reported. Atlas VPN closed on 24 April 2024 and moved paying users to its sister service, NordVPN, NordVPN’s blog explains. Microsoft ended the VPN in its Defender app on 28 February 2025. Smaller providers such as WeVPN have folded too.
This page lists the major closures, what users got, and how to judge whether your own provider is built to last.
VPN Shutdowns: The Major Closures
| Service | Closed | What users got |
|---|---|---|
| WeVPN | April 2023 | Windscribe honoured remaining time as a goodwill gesture |
| Atlas VPN | 24 April 2024 | Paid plans moved to NordVPN; free users lost service |
| VPN by Google One | 20 June 2024 | Pixel 7 and later kept a built-in VPN; others nothing |
| Microsoft Defender VPN | 28 February 2025 | Nothing; Android users told to remove the profile |
| Surfshark Smart DNS (feature) | 2 February 2026 | Users told to remove DNS settings |
Among VPN shutdowns, Atlas shows the best-case exit. Paid subscriptions carried over to NordVPN for the rest of their term with auto-renewal off, and only the subscription length and email moved, NordVPN says. App Store subscribers were refunded instead, Tech.co reported. Nord Security had bought Atlas in 2021.
Big Tech VPNs Were the Least Durable
Google’s VPN lasted under four years. Launched in October 2020, it closed in June 2024 because too few people used it, 9to5Google reported. Pixel 7 and later phones kept a built-in version, but without a kill switch or broader IP regions.
Microsoft’s lasted even less. Defender’s privacy protection VPN ended on 28 February 2025, as our Edge guide explains; Edge’s Secure Network carried on. Bundled VPNs are extras a company can drop without affecting what you mainly pay for.
How to Judge Whether a VPN Will Last
| Sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| VPN is the core product | Bundled extras get cut first |
| Independent audits | Shows ongoing investment |
| Clear ownership | You know who inherits your account |
| Refund window | Limits your loss on a new plan |
| Shorter plans at first | Less money at risk if it folds |
Watch the parent company to see VPN shutdowns coming. Consolidation moves users between brands: Atlas went to NordVPN, and our VPN ownership guide maps who owns what. Our audit tracker shows who keeps paying for outside checks, and our no-logs guide explains what those audits test.
Mind the long plans. Multi-year deals are cheapest, but if a service closes, a goodwill transfer isn’t guaranteed; our refund guide covers what you can claim back.
What to Do If Your VPN Closes
Remove the old app and its VPN profile. A leftover profile can keep trying to connect to servers that no longer exist, which is why Microsoft told Android users to delete Defender’s; our Android guide and our guide to turning off any VPN show where profiles live.
Check what you’re owed. Read the closure notice for transfers or refunds, and note whether auto-renewal was switched off, as it was for Atlas users.
Replacing a closed service? See our ZenMate alternatives, what changed for Atlas users and Kaspersky alternatives for US users.
How We Research
Google One VPN’s timeline comes from 9to5Google; Atlas VPN’s closure from NordVPN’s blog, Tech.co and Android Police; WeVPN from Wikipedia’s Windscribe article; Microsoft Defender’s VPN from Microsoft’s support page; Surfshark’s Smart DNS from Surfshark’s support page. 9to5Google’s report is here. We read all sources on 28 September 2026. NordVPN is one of our affiliate partners. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
VPN Shutdowns FAQ
Major closures include WeVPN (2023), Atlas VPN and VPN by Google One (2024), and Microsoft Defender’s VPN (2025).
Paid subscribers moved to NordVPN for the rest of their term. Free users lost the service, and App Store subscribers were refunded.
Google said too few people used it. Pixel 7 and later phones kept a built-in VPN.
It depends on the provider. Some transfer you to another service, some refund, and some give nothing.
Choose a provider whose main product is the VPN, with independent audits and clear ownership.
The Verdict
VPN shutdowns hit bundled extras hardest: Google’s and Microsoft’s VPNs both closed within a few years.
Choose a provider whose business is the VPN, check its audits and ownership, and avoid over-committing to long plans with unknown brands.