and HTML tags if necessary. Text: If you’ve been looking for the best antivirus with VPN – that magic combo of top-end security and no-compromise privacy – you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done a massive amount of testing to narrow down the top 10 antivirus tools with VPNs.
We put each of these products through their paces, testing their server speeds, what sites we could access, and how well they protected our privacy. Grab a coffee and settle in while we explain why these made it onto our list.
In This Guide
After much research and testing, these are the best antivirus tools with VPN that made our top 10 list.
- TotalAV – Overall, The Best Antivirus With Smart Scanning and a Top VPN
- Nord Threat Protection – Premium Threat Protection Against Trackers
- Norton – Renowned AI-enabled Antivirus With a Powerful VPN
- Surfshark One – Top Antivirus Protection and Extensive VPN Locations
- TrendMicro – Robust Antivirus and VPN Functionality Ideal for Secure Online Payments
- ESET – Fantastic Antivirus and VPN That Includes Parental Control
- Avast – The Best Free Antivirus Software With Real-Time Protection and VPN
- Intego – Super-Efficient Antivirus and VPN Designed Specially for Apple Mac
- Panda Dome – Powerful Antivirus and VPN for an Unlimited Number of Devices
- Malwarebytes – User-Friendly Antivirus and VPN Combo
Best Antivirus with VPN | Detailed Reviews
Now, it’s time to examine each of these leading antivirus solutions with a VPN in depth. In these reviews, we’ll examine each solution’s key features, including malware detection rates, overall security, and much more. Let’s dive in.
1. TotalAV – The Overall Best Antivirus With Smart Scanning and a Top VPN
TotalAV is a powerful antivirus solution with excellent real-time protection. This is super important to keep malware off your device between your manual and scheduled scans. Plus, if you opt for TotalAV Internet Security, you’ll get the antivirus paired with a VPN.
TotalAV, with real-time protection enabled by default, is on the constant lookout for anything suspicious, which it immediately puts into quarantine. You’ll then be notified about that suspicious file, allowing you to decide said file’s fate – whether it’s safe or deserving of cyber death row.
It also compares anything it finds suspicious to the cloud database of known malware threats. In other words, well-known threats don’t stand a chance.
TotalAV’s WebShield is pretty powerful, too. It’s a browser extension that offers great online protection against spyware, ransomware, scams, phishing websites, and low-trust sites.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Safe online streaming |
$3.25 (annual plan) |
No |
– Smart scan
– WebShield to block trackers, ads and pop-ups
– Device compatibility |
As its name suggests, the TotalAV Internet Security suite is packed with other features to protect your device—be it Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS—and that includes its VPN, which means safe browsing. With more than 100 servers across 35 countries, it’s ideal for streaming.
TotalAV describes its antivirus software as award-winning, and rightly so. Its most recent industry accolade was an Advanced Malware Protection rating from AV-Comparatives in March 2024, outshining Norton, Panda Dome, and Trend Micro.
On the price front, TotalAV Internet Suite does well, too. At $3.25/month (covering up to six devices), it’s considerably cheaper than Nord Threat Protection ($4.99/month) or Trend Micro ($4.58/month).
If you’re looking for a free trial, though, you’re out of luck. The standalone TotalAV antivirus has a 14-day free trial, but it’s so limited. With no real-time protection or a VPN, the free version is for anti-phishing protection and anti-malware scanning only.
That said, TotalAV Internet Suite comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can try it out for yourself, and if it doesn’t quite do it for you, you’ll receive a full refund if you cancel your subscription in time. Want to know more? Read our full TotalAV review here.
Pros
- Real-time protection and smart scanning
- WebShield extension for secure online browsing
- Well priced, with a VPN able to connect to 100 servers worldwide
- Light on system resources
Cons
- No free trial with real-time protection or VPN
2. Nord Threat Protection – Premium Threat Protection Against Trackers
Nord Threat Protection is courtesy of NordVPN, which is indeed an excellent VPN. So, paired with the antivirus functionality that Threat Protection brings to the table, it’s a great choice for protection.
The NordVPN Basic plan doesn’t include Threat Protection, but its Plus and Complete plans do.
The previous iteration of Nord’s antivirus component was called Nord CyberSec, but it was recently rebranded as Threat Protection, which is particularly good for malware detection and protection.
Adding to that online protection is tracker blocking, as well as an ad pop-up blocker. So it’ll keep your data out of the sight of prying third parties while steering you away from potentially malicious websites.
Nord is also on high alert regarding downloads, scanning them thoroughly before they reach your device. If Nord finds anything suspicious about the file you’re about to download, it will send it to the cloud for a cross-examination.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| 360 Protection from online threats |
$4.99 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Excellent malware protection
– Dark web monitoring
– Weekly reports |
We also like its report system. Nord compiles a weekly analysis of what it detected on your device – blocked ads, trackers, dodgy websites, and infected files – over the previous seven days.
Nord Threat Protection is compatible with Windows and macOS. Threat Protection Lite, on the other hand, also covers iOS, Android, and Linux, but Lite only works if you’re connected to the internet.
NordVPN’s trophy cabinet is jam-packed – it’s widely recognized as an industry leader in the VPN department. But is its antivirus as good? The short answer is yes.
In June this year, NordVPN became the first VPN to be certified by AV-Comparatives as an anti-phishing tool. In fact, Nord Threat Protection was one of just eight vendors that received certification out of the 15 that applied.
At $4.99/month on a two-year plan, Nord’s pricing is on par with Trend Micro, Panda Dome, and Malwarebytes. And considering NordVPN’s other features, its price is justified.
In addition to a powerful VPN, it includes a cross-platform password manager and a data breach scanner—its Dark Web Monitor will alert you instantly if any of your accounts have been compromised.
We’re also impressed that one subscription covers 10 devices simultaneously, which is ideal for families. Nord doesn’t offer a free trial, but it does have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So read more about NordVPN Threat Protection in our full review, and then try it out for yourself.
Pros
- Certified anti-phishing protection
- One subscription covers 10 devices
- Vast OS compatibility
- Industry-leading VPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free plan or trial
- Threat Protection Lite only works when online
3. Norton – Renowned AI-Enabled Antivirus With a Powerful VPN
Over its 30-year presence, Norton has become a household name, and for good reason. During those years, its antivirus has evolved to include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for excellent malware and virus detection.
That AI and machine learning means Norton antivirus is able to detect brand-spanking new threats, as well as existing ones for top real-time malware, ransomware, and hacking protection.
Norton tends to clean up when it comes to industry awards. This year alone, Norton has shone in AV-Comparatives’ Real-World Protection, Performance, and Malware Protection tests.
It’s little wonder, then, that Norton comes with a 100% virus protection promise—if a virus infects your device and Norton is unable to remove it, you’ll receive a full refund.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Backed by a 100% virus protection promise |
$3.33 (one-year plan) |
14-day free trial |
– Intuitive threat detection
– Award-winning protection
– Webcam protection against spyware (for Windows) |
The Norton 360 Standard plan includes a VPN with bank-grade encryption for extra online protection, but that’s not where the defense mechanisms end. It also includes a solid password manager.
Then there’s the smart firewall, which monitors communications between your device and other computers, blocking unauthorized traffic. Meanwhile, SafeCam will let you know if someone tries to access your webcam. This means great spyware detection, although it’s for Windows only.
Another feature that’s for PC only is Norton’s Cloud Backup, which you can use to safely store important data.
The Norton 360 Standard plan is for just one device, whether it’s a PC, Mac, phone, or tablet. That’s a pity, especially considering that TotalAV, Nord, Surfshark, and other antivirus software with VPN solutions on our Top 10 list cover multiple devices.
The Norton 360 Deluxe and Premium plans are your best bet for covering more devices—five and ten, respectively.
Those two plans also include parental control functionality, letting you monitor your child’s activity on their Windows, iOS, or Android device, although not all of its parental control features are compatible with all platforms, and its availability also depends on the region you’re in.
Price-wise, Norton 360 Standard is on the lower end – but again, that’s for just one device. It comes with a 14-day free trial, though. So we recommend reading more about Norton’s powerful antivirus with VPN in our comprehensive review and then trying it for yourself.
Pros
- AI and machine learning enabled
- 14-day free trial
- Includes a password manager
- Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS compatibility
- Virus protection guarantee
Cons
- SafeCam and cloud backup for Windows only
- Limited to one device
4. Surfshark One – Top Antivirus Protection and Extensive VPN Locations
Surfshark, like Nord, is synonymous with VPNs, but its real-time antivirus functionality is also impressive. And for a powerful antivirus and VPN, Surfshark is surprisingly lightweight – it won’t slow down your device.
The Surfshark antivirus is included in the Surfshark One bundle, and one subscription will cover up to five devices.
Surfshark’s AV-Test-certified antivirus is customizable. You choose when it should perform full or manual scans and whether those scans are of your entire system (full) or selected files (quick). That’s in between 360 real-time monitoring.
Surfshark also lets you specify files or websites you know are safe but that the antivirus might be suspicious of.
Then there’s its Cloud Protect, which tackles zero-day threats. Hashes of suspicious files are uploaded to the cloud, where it’s compared with the latest security updates and known virus traces.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Doesn’t affect the device’s performance during scans |
$2.69 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Lightweight yet powerful
– Customizable scans
– Top VPN |
Like Norton, Surfshark includes webcam protection, adding to its great malware, spyware, and virus detection functionality. It also has a built-in ad and tracker blocker to keep third parties at bay. However, Surfshark doesn’t include a firewall.
Added protection comes in the form of Surfshark Alert, which monitors your credentials for data breaches involving your email address, bank card details, or ID. Surfshark Search, meanwhile, is a completely incognito way to browse online, hiding your identity from search engines.
Don’t forget, though, that Surfshark antivirus is paired with a very good VPN. With some 3,200 servers (600 of those in the US alone) across 100 countries worldwide, the Surfshark VPN is ideal for streaming, in addition to protecting your identity and data when online.
Considering all that Surfshark One has to offer, it’s very competitively priced, much cheaper than Nord, Trend Micro, and Malwarebytes. Unfortunately, there’s no free trial or plan. But a 30-day money-back guarantee sweetens the deal, and its customer support is good.
Take a look at our complete review of Surfshark to find out more about it ranks at No. 4 on our list of the best antivirus solutions with a VPN.
Pros
- Cloud analysis to detect zero-day threats
- Real-time protection
- Lightweight performance won’t slow your device
- Competitively priced
- Renowned VPN
Cons
5. TrendMicro – Robust Antivirus and VPN Functionality Ideal for Secure Online Payments
Trend Micro is a popular choice for impressive online protection, particularly when it comes to online payments. Among Trend Micro’s impressive selection of security products is the Premium Security Suite – an antivirus solution with VPN and more.
The Premium Security Suite is exactly what it sounds like—a collection of AI-powered protection tools to keep your device safe, secure, and private.
That includes protection against zero-day viruses, malware, dangerous or fraudulent websites, and identity theft across Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
The suite includes Dark Web monitoring (which searches for data breaches) and identity theft restoration. If you become a victim of ID theft or fraud, Trend’s team will provide personal guidance and additional insurance that pays up to $1M.
Trend Micro’s dedication to preventing identity fraud and/or theft is what makes it particularly good when doing online payments. Whether managing the family’s finances or paying employees and contractors, fraud/theft insurance means peace of mind.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Full security when making online payments |
$4.58 (annual plan) |
No |
– ID theft protection and insurance
– Real-time, zero-day threat monitoring
– One plan covers 10 devices |
Trend Micro’s customer support is also top-notch, with a team of identity theft resolution specialists available 24/7. They will assist with affidavits that may need to be submitted, credit notifications, disputes and follow-ups, and credit freeze assistance.
A password manager and VPN seal the deal. The VPN has unlimited bandwidth, and it will detect and block malicious websites, online scams, and fraud, all while maintaining your privacy online.
Some components of the Trend Micro Premium Suite are available as standalone products that can be bought separately, but that doesn’t apply to the VPN. That perhaps explains its $4.58p/m price tag, which is on the higher end compared to, say, Surfshark.
That said, we reckon it’s worth the price, particularly because of that insurance policy and its coverage of up to 10 devices.
A caveat, though. Trend Micro claims to offer a seven-day free trial of the Premium Security Suite, but selecting the free trial link took us on a wild goose chase. The bottom line? You can try out its other packages for free, but not the Premium Security Suite.
Pros
- Covers up to 10 devices
- Includes an insurance policy against ID theft or fraud
- Dedicated ID theft/fraud support team
- Real-time protection and Dark Web monitoring
Cons
- Misleading free trial claim
6. ESET – Fantastic Antivirus and VPN That Includes Parental Control
ESET is a powerful all-in-one security solution that’s ideal for families, with an impressive range of features beyond an excellent antivirus and VPN, including identity protection and parental control.
As you’d expect of a good antivirus, ESET provides real-time protection for email and websites and scans for offline threats. Through advanced machine learning, ESET detects even the newest threats, while its anti-phishing and ransomware shields add extra protection.
Then there’s protection against Windows PowerShell—and JavaScript-based attacks and its UEFI scanner, which will protect your device from attacks before Windows starts.
ESET has a very good VPN, too, with servers across 65 countries. So you’ll be able to stream your kid’s favorite animated movie or watch sports events not available in your region from anywhere in the world—all unlimited and with the anonymity and privacy that a VPN enables.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Families with multiple devices and users |
$10.50 (annual plan) |
No |
– Safe browsing, particularly for kids
– Regular reports
– Protects against script-based attacks |
The ESET Ultimate plan (the only one that includes the VPN) is tailored for family security. One reason is that a single license covers five devices, though you can add to that. But it’s ESET’s parental control, webcam protection, and safe browsing features make it family-friendly.
These, complemented by ESET’s Exploit Blocker and LiveGuard, work quietly yet powerfully in the background to keep your device highly secure. And, like TotalAV, it produces regular reports of all detected threats, blocked web pages and webcam access, and anything else it comes across.
The ESET Ultimate plan is essentially a bundle of its most powerful software tools. Unfortunately, it has a price to match. At $10.50/month, it’s by far the most expensive antivirus/VPN offering on this list.
Considering its many advanced features, in addition to the ones we’ve touched on briefly here, it’s still worth considering for your home, especially if you have children. Read more about ESET’s top security offering in our detailed review.
Pros
- High-level security through machine learning
- VPN connections across 65 countries
- Includes parental control, a password manager, and webcam protection
- One license covers five devices
Cons
7. Avast – The Best Free Antivirus Software With Real-Time Protection and VPN
Few things in life are free, but Avast One is one of those things. Avast is arguably the best free antivirus solution available, with high-grade malware, virus, and ransomware protection. And yes, it comes with a VPN.
Avast’s ransomware protection and advanced firewall, which prevents hackers and other third parties from accessing your device via your Wi-Fi network or internet connection, are worth noting.
The Avast One Basic plan is 100% free, but it doesn’t compromise on security. Using AI and machine learning, it will protect your device from cyber threats in real time. Most free antivirus programs don’t offer real-time protection, leaving your device vulnerable in between scheduled or manual scans.
Also unusual for a free antivirus is that Avast is paired with a VPN. But this is where the ‘free’ compromise comes in. In the Basic plan, the VPN is limited to just one location and 5GB per week. So while it will still encrypt your data and mask your IP, you won’t be able to stream.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Free antivirus with real-time protection |
$0 |
Yes |
– Real-time protection, even in the free version
– Ransomware shield
– Advanced firewall |
The Avast One Silver plan has a much better VPN. It’s subscription-based, but at $2.99/month, you’ll have all the features of the Basic plan in addition to Email Guardian – which flags suspicious emails, webcam protection, data breach monitoring, and a password manager.
Most importantly, the Silver plan’s VPN is more powerful, with unlimited data and servers in 50-plus locations, meaning you will be able to stream content from outside your region. That said, it doesn’t block ads or offer split tunneling, multihop, and other features of dedicated VPNs.
Avast’s antivirus is clean in the awards department. Last year alone, it received 17 certifications from AV-Comparatives, including Advanced+ rankings for Malware Protection, Real-World Protection, and Performance.
So, if you’re looking for an excellent free antivirus, Avast is your guy. However, if VPN functionality is important to you, we suggest trying out one of the other antivirus-VPN duos on this list.
Pros
- Free version with VPN available
- Award-winning antivirus software
- Powerful ransomware shield
- Real-time protection
Cons
- VPN has limited functionality
8. Intego – Super-Efficient Antivirus and VPN Designed for Apple Mac
Mac users often have the impression that Windows machines are the primary targets of viruses, malware, and other cyber threats. But that simply isn’t true, as Intego well knows. That’s why it introduced an antivirus designed for macOS.
Intego has a varied product portfolio that extends beyond antivirus, each dedicated to full protection. It offers a standalone VPN, but for that wicked combo of antivirus and VPN, the Mac Premium Bundle + VPN is the one to opt for.
Its award-winning VirusBarrier means real-time protection against viruses and malware, including zero-day threats, with the addition of both automatic and scheduled scans. That protection extends to iOS devices and cross-platform threats.
Also in the antivirus arsenal is NetBarrier, which is essentially a two-way firewall that protects your inbound and outbound data traffic. If an unauthorized device attempts to connect to your Mac, Intego will identify it and let you decide if you want to grant access.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| The best antivirus and VPN combo designed specifically for Mac |
$6.50 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Two-way firewall
– Real-time protection, including against cross-platform threats
– Comes with parental control |
Intego’s VPN is very decent, with a massive 35K-plus servers across 83 countries. It might be present in fewer countries than Surfshark or NordVPN, but it still means powerful functionality and the ability to stream from pretty much anywhere.
Another definite perk of the Mac Premium Bundle + VPN is parental control, courtesy of the Intego ContentBarrier. You can set up a user profile for each of your children, with unique permissions whereby you decide what they have access to.
ContentBarrier also lets you set time limits on your child’s internet use. But, the most important feature here is the Anti Predator Chat Monitoring, which will immediately notify you if it detects inappropriate chat activity.
Overall, the Mac Premium Bundle + VPN is a great combo for your Mac. The downside? One subscription only covers one macOS device. At $6.50/month for one device, Intego is one of the pricier plans on this Top 10 list. You can opt to increase the number of covered devices to three or five, but that means increasing the price, too.
Pros
- 360 Real-time protection tailored for Apple Mac
- A large number of VPN servers
- Two-way firewall monitors both inbound and outbound data
- Includes features for device optimization
- Parental control functionality
Cons
- Prohibitively priced
- No Windows equivalent
9. Panda Dome – Powerful Antivirus and VPN for an Unlimited Number of Devices
Panda Dome is a great option if you’re looking for a solid antivirus but are new to the VPN world. It has a highly user-friendly interface and can cover up to 10 devices, making it ideal for families or small businesses.
This cross-platform security and privacy tool is compatible with Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. Its antivirus is hyper-vigilant and includes a firewall with a 100% detection rate. A browser extension also means no fraudulent websites or phishing attacks.
Panda Dome also includes Wi-Fi protection against hackers and a Dark Web scanner that will search for potential data breaches of your email address.
Another feature ideal for families is Panda Dome’s parental control functionality, although that’s for Windows users only.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| Families or small businesses |
$4.99 pm |
Monthly subscription includes a 30-day free trial |
– Excellent detection rate
– Dark Web scanner
– User-friendly interface |
But let’s talk about Panda’s VPN. Panda Dome has four plans on offer, each with a VPN. However, the VPN is limited to 150MB a day on all except the most expensive option. That includes the cheapest plan – Security Suite Essential ($4.99/month).
For unlimited data, you might want to consider Panda Dome Premium, though a monthly subscription will cost you $13.99, which is expensive, to say the least.
That said, the Premium plan includes unlimited access to servers in more than 60 countries, as well as an update manager, password manager, and device optimization tools.
Panda Dome subscriptions are available monthly, annual, two-year, and three-year. Logic demands that the monthly option be the most expensive. But all plans include a free 30-day trial, which we reckon is worth trying out.
Pros
- Flexibility in the number of devices covered
- Monthly subscription is available, with one month free
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Excellent detection rate
Cons
- VPN on cheaper plans limited to 150MB/day
10. Malwarebytes – User-Friendly Antivirus and VPN Combo
Malwarebytes is well known for its free antivirus, but Malwarebytes Premium + VPN is the one to go for if you want real-time protection (very important) and a VPN. It comes at a price, but rest assured your device will be safe and secure from potential threats.
Malwarebytes’ rather basic-looking interface belies its back-end functionality, which takes the prize literally. Thanks to its excellent malware detection, Malwarebytes Premium Security has earned AVLab’s ‘Product of the Year’ 2024 award.
During the testing process, AVLab threw 459 unique malware samples at Malwarebytes, which responded with a 100% detection rate—13 seconds faster than the industry average.
Nonetheless, its simple interface makes it user-friendly and easy to navigate, while its powerful antivirus does all the heavy lifting. It includes excellent malware, virus, ransomware, and phishing protection, as well as ad blocking and rootkit protection.
The Malwarebytes VPN is also very good. Using next-gen WireGuard VPN protocol for faster connectivity, it gives you VPN access to more than 500 servers across 45 countries.
| Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| User-friendly and simple interface |
$5.00 (annual plan) |
14-day free trial |
– Award-winning antivirus
– Browser Extensions
– Ad blocking and rootkit protection |
Malwarebytes Premium Security + VPN also includes a browser guard – an extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge that adds protection. It will block ads, malicious content, trackers, and scams.
If you opt for the higher-end plan—Malwarebytes Complete Protection—you’ll also have identity theft protection, which includes Dark Web monitoring for data breaches, credit protection, and social media monitoring—backed by up to $2M in identity theft insurance.
Malwarebytes is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. One license, however, covers just one device, and phishing protection is limited to Windows only. You can up the number of devices you want to cover, but that also ups the price.
All the same, at $5.00/month on an annual plan, Malwarebytes is a decent price and is similar to NordVPN, Trend Micro, and Panda Dome. It’s also one of only two antivirus and VPNs on this list that include a free 14-day trial, which we recommend taking advantage of.
Pros
- Award-winning antivirus
- Includes phishing and rootkit protection
- User friendly
- Has a browser extension
- Free trial available
Cons
The Best Antivirus Software with A VPN Compared
We’ve done our homework so you don’t have to. Here’s a recap of how these antivirus with VPNs compare.
| Antivirus with VPN |
Best For |
Starting Price (/month) |
Free Version |
Standout Features |
| TotalAV |
Safe online streaming |
$3.25 (annual plan) |
No |
– Smart scan
– WebShield to block trackers, ads and pop-ups
– Device compatibility |
| Nord Threat Protection |
360 Protection from online threats |
$4.99 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Excellent malware protection
– Dark web monitoring
– Weekly reports |
| Norton |
Backed by a 100% virus protection promise |
$3.33 (one-year plan) |
14-day free trial |
– Intuitive threat detection
– Award-winning protection
– Webcam protection against spyware (for Windows) |
| Surfshark One |
Doesn’t affect the device’s performance during scans |
$2.69 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Lightweight yet powerful
– Customizable scans
– Top VPN |
| TrendMicro |
Full security when making online payments |
$4.58 (annual plan) |
No |
– ID theft protection and insurance
– Real-time, zero-day threat monitoring
– One plan covers 10 devices |
| ESET |
Families with multiple devices and users |
$10.50 (annual plan) |
No |
– Safe browsing, particularly for kids
– Regular reports
– Protects against script-based attacks |
| Avast |
Free antivirus with real-time protection |
$0 |
Yes |
– Real-time protection, even in the free version
– Ransomware shield
– Advanced firewall |
| Intego |
The best antivirus and VPN combo designed specifically for Mac |
$6.50 (two-year plan) |
No |
– Two-way firewall
– Real-time protection, including against cross-platform threats
– Comes with parental control |
| Panda Dome |
Families or small businesses |
$4.99 pm |
Monthly subscription includes 30-day free trial |
– Excellent detection rate
– Dark Web scanner
– User-friendly interface |
| Malwarebytes |
User-friendly and simple interface |
$5.00 (annual plan) |
14-day free trial |
– Award-winning antivirus
– Browser extensions
– Ad blocking and rootkit protection |
What’s the Difference Between an Antivirus and a VPN?
There’s a big difference between an antivirus and a VPN – antivirus is your device’s security guard. A VPN makes your online activity and presence anonymous.
Antivirus software is designed to scour your device for viruses and malware and remove them. Malicious software comes in all forms and easily infects your device, whether via an email attachment, visiting a dubious website, or an external drive.
A VPN (virtual private network), on the other hand, is all about protecting your privacy. It creates a connection between your device and a VPN server, encrypting your data and masking your IP address.
Together, an antivirus and a VPN give you heightened security and privacy, keeping your device safe from malware, hackers, and third-party trackers.
Antivirus with A VPN – The Downsides
Are there downsides to using an antivirus with a VPN? Well, potentially. As they’re usually standalone products, a product that excels in VPN could have an antivirus solution with weaker or fewer features than one from an antivirus specialist.
An antivirus company, on the other hand, might have fewer VPN servers, which could mean data caps and weaker security, for instance. That’s why we’ve tested each of these antivirus with VPN solutions to ensure they make the grade.
What sets free antivirus with VPN tools apart from their subscription-based counterparts? Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. When it comes to security and privacy, you shouldn’t take any risks.
Some free antivirus solutions are excellent at their job, although real-time protection is essential. But when they accompany a free VPN, they are likely to have limitations that make them unworthy of use.
Take Avast, for instance. It offers top-notch free antivirus protection in real-time. However, its free VPN is limited to one location. It will still encrypt your data and protect your privacy, but you won’t be traveling the world on a streaming adventure any time soon.
How to Use an Antivirus with VPN | Step-By-Step Guide
Using an antivirus with a VPN is simple – once set up, the software does all the work. We’ll explain how to do exactly that. We’re using TotalAV Internet Security as an example, but the other products on this list work pretty much the same.
Step 1 – Create an Account
Start by creating a personal account. TotalAV will prompt you to enter your email address and then a password that you will use to log into all TotalAV apps.
Step 2 – Choose Your Plan
Now it’s time to select the TotalAV Internet Security plan. Click on Products at the top of the TotalAV home page and select Internet Security.
Scroll to the end of the product features comparison and select Buy. Next, you’ll be taken to the payment page where you can select your payment method.
You’ll also notice that the package includes PC Tune-Up (for Windows) or Mac Cleaner (for macOS), as well as two additional licenses for smartphones and tablets.
You will be billed for the upcoming 12 months, not on a month-to-month basis. Remember to read the fine print. The $39 subscription price is the discounted introductory offer. The second year of subscription will be billed at the regular price—$129.
Once you’ve entered your details, including the email address you used to create your TotalAV account, complete the deal by selecting Purchase & Agree.
Then head to your inbox, where you’ll receive a confirmation email from TotalAV with your invoice and a download link for TotalAV Internet Security. Follow the instructions to install the software on your device.
Step 3 – Using the antivirus
Now that TotalAV Internet Security is installed on your device, you have full real-time protection, WebShield, and Threat Intelligence on your side. Now it’s time to perform a manual scan to find out if anything suspicious is lurking on your device.
You can choose between a full hard disk scan and a quick file and folder check. We recommend doing a full scan the first time around to ensure that nothing lurks in your device’s shadows.
Even a full hard disk scan doesn’t take too much time, and there was no noticeable impact on the machine’s performance during the scan. Once the scan is complete, you’ll be shown a full report, and any suspicious files will be safely stowed away in Quarantine.
You will be able to view any files sent to Quarantine. TotalAV takes its job very seriously, and so it might identify something as suspicious when you, in fact, know it’s completely safe, in which case you can release it from quarantine.
That brings us to another handy feature – the Allow List, which you’ll find under settings.
There you can add files and URLs that you don’t need TotalAV to scan for dodgy behavior, as long as you’re very sure that they’re not potentially harmful.
Also under Settings is Clean-Up Scan. This is the optimization scan, whereby TotalAV looks for unnecessary files, programs, and browser data that are potentially affecting your device’s performance. You get to choose what it searches for in those scans.
So, you’ve done an initial full scan. Of course, TotalAV has real-time protection, which means anytime it detects new data—be it a file or website—it will automatically scan it for viruses, malware, and other threats. But for extra security, schedule regular scans.
We recommend scheduling a full system scan at least once a week. You can also schedule optimization scans.
And remember, because the scan doesn’t affect your machine’s performance, there’s no need to stop using your device while the scan is taking place. Chances are you won’t know it’s happening until you receive the scan report.
Step 4 – Using the VPN
To use your TotalAV VPN, navigate to and select the fingerprint icon. This will bring up a list of all the countries where TotalAV has VPN servers. Scroll to the region of your choice and then select Connect. You can opt for a server in the country you’re based in for faster speed.
If you plan on streaming from a service based outside your country, select that region as your VPN location.
You’ll also notice the kill switch option. This security feature blocks your internet access if your VPN connection suddenly drops, protecting your data from potential exposure. We recommend toggling that on.
Why You Can Trust Our Antivirus with VPN Product Recommendations
There are many antivirus with VPN products on the market, and each claims to be the best. But we’ve done enough research and reviews to know that just isn’t true. So we looked beyond the marketing speak and put each one to the test.
In compiling this list of the top 10 best antivirus with VPN solutions, we tried out every one of these as well as many other products. We hunted for flaws and tried to trick each one to see where they failed to ensure only the top performers made it onto our list.
From trying to download dodgy files to see if the antivirus picked it up to testing the VPNs by accessing geo-blocked streaming sites on the other side of the world, we put each one through its paces.
We also considered what users and industry experts had to say, and sure enough, user reviews on reputable sites like TrustPilot, Reddit, and G2 matched our experience.
We know that online security and privacy are extremely serious business, with no room for compromise. That’s why you can trust our antivirus with VPN product recommendations.
Final Thoughts
In this age of constant connectivity, antivirus and VPNs are essential for security and privacy. They protect against malware, hackers, viruses, and other threats inherent in the cyber world.
An excellent antivirus is your best line of defense in keeping those threats away from your device, and a good VPN is a solid way to keep your data and identity private from third parties.
That’s why TotalAV Internet Security is our Editor’s Choice. Its award-winning antivirus has a proven track record of threat detection, and we’re impressed by its advanced malware protection.
TotalAV’s VPN also performed well in our testing, with a great choice of locations that make streaming a breeze. Top marks for connectivity, privacy, and security. And with a 30-day money-back guarantee, we recommend trying it out for yourself.
FAQs
Does Windows Defender offer an antivirus with a VPN?
What’s the best free Antivirus with a VPN software solution?
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References
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