A virtual private network and antivirus perfectly complement each other to fend off cyber threats. As the VPN provides privacy and data security online, the antivirus remains vigilant against potential offline threats that can infiltrate your system. Some providers package the two together for less, saving you the additional costs of buying them separately.
In most cases, however, a VPN with antivirus may not be as effective for cleaning your system as a dedicated antivirus, just like the latter won’t do a VPN’s job any better. You should, therefore, be precise about the kind of protection you mostly want before deciding if you should get a VPN with antivirus or vice versa. That being said, my hands-on tests enabled me to shortlist some of the best VPN-antivirus combo providers to give you all-around protection.
Also: The best VPN services: Expert tested and reviewed
What’s the best VPN with antivirus right now?
After looking into different services, we picked the Surfshark One security suite as the best overall. We found many utilities that might be helpful when using the software as a VPN or antivirus. Beyond the great VPN service delivery we experience in our Surfshark review, its virus protection feature can stop a significant number of threats almost like your regular antivirus program. It also has great cross-platform compatibility, ensuring easy integration with your favorite device.
Sort by
All
Countries and servers
Usability
Speed and performance
Security
Price
The best VPNs with antivirus of 2025
Show less
Surfshark ranks higher than most competition on value for money. It’s one of the cheapest VPNs, with the Surfshark One bundle that includes antivirus priced at $72.63 for 27 months ($2.69 a month). That’s generous, given you can also secure an unlimited number of devices with the VPN using one account (the antivirus has a maximum of five devices).
Review: Surfshark VPN
Performance-wise, Surfshark comes third only to our best VPNs, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It’s a great tool for preventing IP tracking and staying anonymous online. One of its unique features worth highlighting is called Alternative ID. It allows you to create a fake digital persona (with an email and phone number) and use it online instead of sharing your real information on websites. Also, features like Camouflage Mode and the large network of 3,200 servers in 100 countries make it ideal for globetrotters looking for a reliable VPN for restrictive networks or geostricted platforms.
Surfshark One antivirus monitors real-time threats and can also be programmed to do in-depth scans at scheduled intervals, among other things. There’s a webcam protection component that monitors and blocks malicious programs from using your built-in camera to spy on you. Surshark has a seven-day free trial (if you download through the App Store or Google Play store) and all the plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark VPN with antivirus features: Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, smart TVs, routers, and more | Logging: None Countries: 100 | Free trial: Android and iOS only | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Customer service: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro feature (built for Windows and Mac) safeguards your browsing from threats lurking on the internet. It can detect and block hidden trackers, phishing links, and malicious ads or sites that can put your data or device at risk. This tool also scans for malware on downloaded files (without an internet connection) and regularly checks apps with weak security that can be exploited for malware attacks. A small drawback is that it sometimes flags genuine applications and websites as threats and blocks them.
Review: NordVPN
As a VPN service, this software is better optimized for connectivity than most. It’s our fastest VPN with supercharged speeds for activities like 4K streaming, without compromising security. NordVPN boasts over 7,100 servers in 118 countries, including specialty servers like Double VPN, obfuscated, Onion Over VPN, and Dedicated IP servers.
It’s cheaper to buy the extended NordVPN Plus plan (with Threat Protection Pro). It costs $105.36 for 24 months ($4.39 a month), inclusive of a password manager and data breach scanner. You can connect one account with up to 10 devices simultaneously.
NordVPN with antivirus features: Simultaneous connections: 10 | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, smart TVs, routers, and more | Logging: None | Countries: 118 | Free trial: Android only | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Customer service: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
PIA shares some similarities with Surfshark, like unlimited simultaneous connections and affordability. However, it’s the only VPN with servers in all the US states and also has one of the largest networks of servers and IP pool size (over 30,000 servers in 91 countries). The app offers many settings and features to tailor your security. It allows you to choose between 128-bit and 256-bit encryptions and other options like port forwarding and SOCKS5 proxy enable you to customize the app for better efficiency.
Review: Private Internet Access (PIA)
PIA antivirus comes as an extra add-on and is only for Windows. It performs full system scans and isolates suspicious files, prompting you to take action against identified threats. You can access reports of past or scheduled scans directly from the dashboard. The three-year-plus-three-months VPN plan is $79 ($2.03 a month), and the antivirus will cost $36 more ($1 a month).
Private Internet Access with antivirus features: Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, browsers, routers, and more | Logging: None | Countries: 91 | Free trial: None | Money-back guarantee: 30 days Customer service: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
Show less
CyberGhost often steals the show with its optimized servers for streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and dozens of other platforms. Unknown to many, it also offers a security suite for Windows 10 and 11 platforms. The antivirus was jointly developed with a reputable internet security firm, Intego, and can effectively catch different kinds of malware, including trojans, spyware, and ransomware.
Review: CyberGhost
The simplicity of CyberGhost apps makes it user-friendly even to those using a VPN for the first time. If you’re always using public hotspots, you might like the auto-protection setting that instantly launches the VPN to secure your connections on any Wi-Fi deemed to be unsafe. With its servers spread across 100 countries, CyberGhost delivers decent speeds near and far, especially with the WireGuard protocol. You can pay just $56.94 for 24 months ($2.19 a month) for the VPN, and an additional $24 for the antivirus protection for the same period.
CyberGhost VPN with antivirus features: Simultaneous connections: 7| Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, browsers, consoles, and more | Logging: None | Countries: 100 | Free trial: Yes | Money-back guarantee: 45 days Customer service: Yes
Read More
Show Expert Take Show less
To help you choose from our best VPNs with antivirus, here’s a chart to display their different features, proces, and server locations.
| Best VPN | VPN features | Virus protection features | Server locations | Maximum devices | Lowest starting price (USD/month) |
| Surfshark | AES encryption, Multihop servers, kill switch, split tunneling, Camouflage Mode, etc | Anti-malware, real-time protection, webcam protection, data breach alerts | 3,200+ in 100 countries | Unlimited | $72.63 for 27 months (2.69/month) |
| NordVPN | AES encryption, NordLynx protocol, RAM-only servers, Dedicated and Static IPs, leak protection etc | Anti-malware, malicious sites/tracker blocker, anti-phishing, scam & fraud alert | 7,100+ in 118 countries | 10 | $105.36 for 24 months ($4.39/month) |
| Private Internet Access | AES 128/256-bit encryption, unlimited connections, port forwarding, Shadowsocks/SOCKS 5, etc | Anti-malware, ad and tracker block, real-time protection, quick and custom scans, security reports | 30,000+ in 91 countries | Unlimited | $79 for 39 months ($2.03/month), plus $36 ($1/month) for antivirus |
| CyberGhost | AES encryption, optimized servers, Wi-Fi auto-protection, content blocker, smart DNS, etc | Anti-malware, 24/7 protection, security updater | 9,000+ in 100 countries | 7 | $56.94 for 24 months ($2.19/month), plus $24 ($1/month) for antivirus |
| Choose this VPN with antivirus | If you want… |
| Surfshark | Many VPN and antivirus features for less |
| NordVPN | Advanced security features for accessing the web safely |
| Private Internet Access | Customized VPN protection and unlimited connections |
| CyberGhost | Smart app settings to protect you on any Wi-Fi |
I evaluated the best VPNs with antivirus based on ZDNet’s VPN testing criteria. After shortlisting all services offering this combination, I narrowed down to only those with trustworthy security and privacy protection measures. I checked the encryption and performed leak tests on individual apps to ensure that the software not only provides real-time protection, but also doesn’t leak crucial details like IP address, DNS, and WebRTC requests.
I also monitored the performance closely, ensuring that using the software doesn’t cause serious connectivity problems, drain resources, or conflict with other system operations, as is always the case with some antivirus solutions. Thus, my chosen services are also reliable for activities like streaming, gaming, and safely opening links or downloading files on peer-to-peer sites.
Your preferences will greatly determine which features to look for in a bundled VPN service. Some of the features you might want to check are:
- Powerful security suite: The VPN should provide the best encryption cipher, AES 256-bit, alongside secure protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. See also that the app has a kill switch, and leak protection, and is supported by a no-logs policy. The anti-malware app, on the other hand, should provide strong protection and detection tools to identify a wide catalog of threats, including those you’re most vulnerable to.
- Server selection: An extensive server coverage means you can easily spoof your location and browse or stream content anywhere, especially when traveling to countries blocked from accessing certain services, apps, and platforms.
- Reliable connections: While VPN encryption can often slow down your internet speeds, choosing a well-optimized VPN will have minimal impact, resulting in fast speeds closely matching your ISP’s rates.
- Usability. The VPN and antivirus apps provided should seamlessly integrate with your operating system or devices, supporting simultaneous operations between VPN and antivirus without glitches.
- Cost and value. For the full dynamic range of cybersecurity features offered, the price shouldn’t be prohibitive.
- Free trial and money-back guarantee. Much better if you have the option to test the app for free, or get a full refund if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
Yes an antivirus program can block a VPN, especially if the apps are installed from different providers. Antiviruses sometimes flag VPN applications as malware and block their operations. If you experience VPN connectivity, you can always check the antivirus user panel to see if the VPN is among the programs blocklisted, and give permissions.
Yes, Avira and Avast One offer free security suites with VPN and antivirus apps. You can install any of these free apps on a PC or phone and scan for threats, or connect to free servers in select locations. However, some essential features can only be used with a premium account. If you find these free apps too basic and limited, you can try some of our best free antivirus solutions.
A VPN doesn’t offer protection from viruses. It primarily helps to hide your IP address and encrypt sensitive data when connecting to unsafe networks or browsing the internet. If you want to prevent or remove viruses from your device, you will need a full-fledged antivirus service. The rule of thumb is to always leave the antivirus running in the background for threats to be detected and eliminated.
Other VPNs worth considering
