Can a VPN replace an antivirus?

No. These are essential cybersecurity tools that do different functions. An antivirus works to find, analyze and destroy potential malware threats to your device. Conversely, a VPN will hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic to prevent anyone from stealing your data or seeing what you’re doing online. Therefore, combining them both will keep you completely safe.

Is there an antivirus/VPN package that supports multiple devices?

Yes, some antivirus programs with a VPN service allow you to connect to multiple services. Unfortunately, this is mainly with costlier subscription plans. So, you need to check it out before signing up.

Will an antivirus block a VPN installation?

Antivirus programs are known to block installation or hinder the functionality of some apps. However, it doesn’t affect a VPN’s performance, whether it comes as part of the package or separately.

Are VPNs trustworthy?

Although VPNs prevent third parties from accessing your information, some providers retain users' browsing history. This presents similar risks to browsing without a VPN, as your data can be sold, lost, or misused in any way. That’s why you should always look out for a no-log policy when choosing a VPN.

What antivirus is compatible with ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is one of the best-rated VPNs on the market and works well with almost all antiviruses. So, if the VPN included in your antivirus package doesn't meet your needs, you can check out ExpressVPN.

Best antivirus with VPN included in 2023

Sneak peek at using an antivirus with VPN

Antivirus and VPN are two necessary privacy tools of today. However, subscribing separately to each service gets costlier, repelling many users. To solve this problem for the consumers, some security vendors like Norton 360 and Surfshark offer 2-in-1 protection by integrating both features with a single subscription.

Both antivirus software and a virtual private network (VPN) are essential tools to combat cybersecurity threats. Fortunately, many popular antivirus programs now include a VPN as part of their features.

After all, a VPN will mask your IP address and protect your data from your ISP, government, hackers, and other third parties. Besides, it will also help you circumvent geo-restrictions of popular streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.

Most of the widely-used antivirus providers boast an included VPN in their packages, but many VPNs that come with antivirus software are not as secure and fast as standalone VPNs out there. That means you can still be spied on and tracked.

That makes finding an antivirus suite that provides both a stealthy antivirus and a robust VPN is difficult. But after testing dozens of antivirus packages available today, we found five antiviruses that not only offer dependable protection against malware but also boast a high-class VPN.

This article will highlight the best antivirus programs, why you need an antivirus and VPN together, and more.

Quick list of the top antivirus with VPN

Surfshark Antivirus – Best overall antivirus with a VPN included in 2023. It’s affordable, boasts great web protections, and a user-friendly VPN.
Norton 360 – This is our number one recommendation for the best antivirus that includes VPN within it. Norton’s Secure VPN lets you connect to many servers around the world and has a no-logs policy.
Avira Antivirus – A dependable antivirus software to prevent malware. Its VPN feature is secure and covers unlimited devices.
Bitdefender Antivirus – It is an excellent antivirus software with a high-quality VPN. Some of the notable features include malware protection, fast VPN speed, and optimized CPU performance.
TotalAV – Performed exemplary during our tests, with both the Antivirus and VPN being very effective. The user interface is friendly, and the optimization tools are top-level. However, the VPN lacks adequate privacy protection.
Vipre Antivirus – It comes with an impressive list of features and an excellent malware detection rate. The VPN feature even allows you to switch tunneling protocols.

Why do you need an antivirus with a VPN?

We recommend you use both an antivirus program and a VPN if you want to protect your privacy and devices. This is because an antivirus will secure your device from malicious software such as viruses. On the other hand, a VPN will encrypt your data and hide your online activities.

The best thing about a VPN is that it will protect you from third parties by routing your traffic through a server. This process will change your IP address to make you completely anonymous. In addition, it encrypts your data so that your ISP, hackers, and the government cannot access it.

However, VPNs do not work the same as antivirus programs. An antivirus will identify, analyze and stop potential malware threats from getting to your device. So, as you can see, a VPN is necessary to protect you online, but your device is still vulnerable. This is where an antivirus comes in.

How we selected and tested these antiviruses

Many antivirus services exist, but only a few include a VPN that can compete with reliable providers like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. A great program should guard your privacy and device regardless of where I am, what I am browsing, or how much bandwidth I am using. These are some of the things we consider when choosing an antivirus and VPN package:

Malware protection: Robust antivirus software should offer an up-to-the-minute defense against threats like ransomware, spyware, phishing attacks, and other malicious malware. We used sample malware to test the antivirus programs on this list to ensure they’ll keep you safe.
VPN security: We confirmed that the VPNs on this list use strong protection such as 128 or 256-bit encryption. In addition, we made sure they observed the no-logs policy so that the provider does retain any data. Also, we looked for other essential security features such as kill switches and DNS leak protection.
VPN accessibility: The problem with most antivirus providers is that the VPN they offer comes with limited bandwidth. However, we need sufficient data because I am an online professional, streamer, and gamer. Therefore, we did tests on these VPNs to ensure they performed exemplary. Moreover, bypassing geo-restrictions is another essential part of a VPN. So, we also tested servers in different locations to access streaming services such as Netflix.
Usability: I need an antivirus that is simple to install and use. This is the reason why we chose user-friendly programs, which are easy to understand even by novices. Furthermore, all antivirus software on this list has reliable customer support in case you face any issues.
Value: Every antivirus package we’ve featured offers an impressive list of features but at reasonable prices.

Best antivirus with a VPN – The detailed analysis

Several antivirus programs claim to offer a VPN feature, but it’s difficult to determine the genuine one. Therefore, after thorough research and testing, we present you with the best antivirus with a VPN included.

1. Surfshark Antivirus

We found Surfshark the best antivirus that offers a top-notch VPN service and vigorous malware detection feature. This antivirus boasts a power-packed plan that includes pressing VPN attributes.

Surfshark VPN protects you online with its security features, no data logs, and offers more than 3200 servers in 95 countries. Furthermore, it includes obfuscation, the incredible speed with Wireguard, issues data leak alerts, Kill-switch, and a private search tool.