While antivirus and VPN software both are designed to safeguard our devices and data online, they approach the task from different angles. An antivirus guards against ransomware, phishing, viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms and other malware that could compromise the security of your system files and steal sensitive information. A vpn, on the contrary, encrypts your internet traffic and sends it through a secure tunnel, so that anyone who is watching can’t see your browsing and other online activities.
Many cybersecurity companies offer a mixture of a security program and a vpn solution as one complete package. These solutions that are all-in-one are typically more cost-effective and convenient than standalone solutions. It’s important to be aware that the majority of antivirus-VPN solutions lean heavily on the antivirus side. This means that they will provide limited VPN functions, a few servers, and data limits that could severely restrict your freedom online.
We’ve rounded-up some of the most popular bundles on the market to help you find the right vpn reference and anti-virus software for your requirements. We’ve included both free and paid alternatives along with basic and premium options to meet your budget. We also analyzed whether a product could be used on different operating systems and whether it had advanced features, such as split tunneling and automatic connect or kill switch.