Bitdefender VPN Review 2025: A Surprising VPN With Lots of Features

Bitdefender offers a surprisingly well-rounded VPN that comes with features and capabilities seen in VPNs at twice the price.

We've tested several VPNs created by antivirus providers, and Bitdefender VPN is leagues above most of them. It has an expansive server network in 110 countries plus extras like double VPN servers and an ad and tracker blocker.

Plus, Bitdefender VPN actually works well. Most servers we tried didn't have a noticeable impact on our speed and it unblocked every Netflix library we tested. 

Although it only covers up to 10 devices, it still comes at an affordable price. We'll cover all the details in our Bitdefender VPN review. 

Pros
  • Seamlessly unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested
  • Good size server network with thousands of available virtual servers
  • Annual paid plan is reasonably priced compared to other premium VPN providers
Cons
  • Simultaneous connections capped at 10 devices
  • Free version is only available with Bitdefender Total Security
In this article
At a glance
Our experience
Who is it best for?
Prices and subscriptions
Main features
Test results
Compatibility
Customer support
Alternatives
FAQs
Bottom line

At a glance

Price $2.92–$6.99/mo
Free version Yes (with Total Security)
Max # of connected devices 10
# of servers 3,000+ servers in 110 countries
VPN protocol WireGuard, OpenVPN, Catapult Hydra, IKEv2
Encryption AES-256
No-logs policy No logs
Headquarters Romania and the United States
Netflix access Limited access
Learn more Get Bitdefender VPN

How we test and rate VPNs

We complete standardized hands-on tests for each VPN we review so we can put their claims to the test. This includes vigorous third-party testing by comparing our internet speed while connected to different servers, checking for DNS leaks, making sure the kill switch actually works, and more. We also make sure we can comfortably access popular streaming sites, like Netflix, and still do our day-to-day work without interruption.

Once we’ve completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each VPN in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, server count, speed, security, and features.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full VPN methodology here.

We last tested Bitdefender VPN on April 22, 2025.

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Bitdefender VPN's website
VPN
Bitdefender VPN
  • VPN with good size server network with thousands of available virtual servers
  • Annual paid plan is reasonably priced compared to other premium VPN providers

Our experience

We didn't expect much from Bitdefender VPN but ended up being pleasantly surprised. We installed the Windows app on our laptop. 

Everything about the main dashboard is easy to understand. Bitdefender VPN starts by recommending an automatic server that's the most optimal based on your location. You'll receive details on your new IP address, connection time, and secured traffic. 

Bitdefender VPN's dashboard (connected to automatic server)

Bitdefender VPN also offers a surprising number of server countries, at 110 countries. This beats several of the best VPNs, including Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost. It even has double-hop servers to route your traffic through more than one server for extra security. 

We love that Bitdefender VPN comes from an already established security company and that it offers all the features its competitors do for a significantly cheaper price. 

Who is Bitdefender VPN best for?

  • Recommended for anyone who wants a well-rounded VPN

Usually, we try to look at the virtual private network and how it works to determine who it would be best for, but this VPN really is great for anyone. It’s comprehensive, offers a lot of features, has a small price tag, and comes from a trusted cybersecurity name. 

Our only gripe is that it has a 10-device limit, but it's not the lowest we've seen. Other VPNs from antivirus services like Norton VPN only allow for up to 10 simultaneous connections, and services like CyberGhost allow for 7 simultaneous connections. 

Bitdefender VPN prices and subscriptions

Pricing is very simple with Bitdefender VPN: you can choose the free version or pay $2.92–$6.99/mo. 

There’s a monthly price and a yearly price. The language on the site indicates that Bitdefender doesn’t believe in multi-year contracts or expensive pricing models. It keeps pricing simple and affordable.

Plan 1-month plan 1-year plan Learn more
Price per month $6.99/mo $2.92/mo (billed annually) View plans

Bitdefender offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans as well as a seven-day free trial.

Plus, Bitdefender VPN matches many of the best VPNs in price. See how Bitdefender VPN's starting price compares to the following services:

  • NordVPN: $3.09/mo (billed every two years)
  • Surfshark: $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
  • ExpressVPN: $4.99/mo (billed every two years)
  • Bitdefender VPN: $2.92/mo (billed annually)

Bitdefender VPN features

A good, well-rounded VPN offers a variety of features that allow you to do more than just turn it on and browse. A variety of server options, tools like a kill switch, and a solid no-logs policy are all hallmarks of a worthwhile VPN. 

VPNs work by encrypting your data, but they really shine when giving you access to geo-restricted content, allowing for split tunneling and torrenting, or stopping ads and trackers. Bitdefender VPN checks many of these boxes, and we were surprised by the robustness of the features.

Premium VPNs will give you extra security features, but the bare minimum is a kill switch, which can protect your IP address in the event your VPN connection drops. Luckily, Bitdefender offers three VPN protocols, split tunneling, and a kill switch. 

Server count and countries

  • 3,000+ servers in 110 countries

Bitdefender VPN’s paid plans offer 3,000+ servers in 110 countries. This is among the higher end of server networks that we've seen, especially for a VPN from an antivirus company.

Bitdefender VPN dashboard with server list open

Bitdefender even has double-hop servers, which allows you to route your traffic through two servers for increased privacy. 

Bitdefender VPN double-hop server list

We found that Bitdefender VPN’s servers unblock streaming services and are easy to use. If you’re using the free plan, you still have access to fast and secure servers, but its server selection is automatic so you won't be able to select your country.

No-logs policy and headquarters

  • Bitdefender VPN logs policy: No logs
  • Bitdefender VPN headquarters: Romania and the United States

Bitdefender’s dual headquarters can make privacy concerns a little confusing. Romania offers a lot of privacy guarantees, while the U.S. definitely allows for spying on internet users. 

Bitdefender partners with Pango to offer VPN services, and Pango's Partner VPN platform was audited by Aon Cyber Solutions in November 2022. The audit revealed no critical findings, and less-critical findings were rectified.

It’s important that your VPN doesn’t keep logs. If you value your privacy (and you should), then having a VPN that doesn’t log is key. Keeping your identifying information and online activity private is a key component of a VPN. 

In countries like the United States, where privacy isn’t protected, your VPN provider may be legally required to turn over any data it collected on you. This includes logs of everything you’ve done online. Fortunately, if that VPN doesn’t keep logs, it can’t turn any data over.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling isn’t always offered, so we're glad it comes with Bitdefender VPN. It's useful if you want to maintain a VPN connection while also accessing websites that don’t allow unblocking by a VPN. 

Bitdefender VPN settings open on split-tunneling tab

Split tunneling is when a VPN offers the ability to route some traffic through a VPN connection and some not. This is helpful for websites like online banking, which tend to be distrustful of VPN traffic or may require a local IP address to be accessed.

Kill switch

A kill switch disables your internet connection to protect the anonymity of your IP address if the VPN connection is lost or drops when you switch between servers. 

Bitdefender VPN makes it super easy to use the kill switch, which is featured right on the main dashboard. We also accessed the kill switch feature via the Privacy Settings.

Bitdefender VPN settings open on Privacy tab

VPN protocols

Having at least two VPN protocols to choose from helps you control your security and can give you advantages for specific activities, like gaming, streaming, or browsing online. Bitdefender uses WireGuard, OpenVPN, Hydra, and IKEv2 protocols across its apps. 

Hydra is considered extremely fast and is often used by gamers and streamers. It doesn’t allow for obfuscated servers though, which can be a problem for unblocking geo-restricted content. We also confirmed with customer support that it's not available for Windows. 

Bitdefender VPN settings open on Protocol tab

WireGuard is also fast, safe, and open-source (unlike Catapult Hydra, which is proprietary), allowing for speed and security while also lacking obfuscated technology. Finally, OpenVPN is also open source and known to be a secure protocol. 

Ad and tracker blocker

Ad blockers and anti-trackers improve your online experience and can protect against malware. You can toggle the ad blocker and anti-tracking technology off and on separately, but if you want to whitelist a site, it’ll apply the whitelisting to both. 

Bitdefender VPN settings open on Ad blocker and Anti-tracker tab

App traffic optimizer

Unique to Bitdefender is the app traffic optimizer. This feature allows you to prioritize your top three apps to ensure a smooth, fast internet connection. 

Bitdefender VPN pop-up explaining the app traffic optimizer

Bitdefender VPN test results

We test all the VPNs we review for speed, streaming accessibility, and security. 

Some VPNs allow you to watch the Cleveland Browns while lounging by the pool in Cancun or the U.K. show “Back To Life” from the comfort of your Montana home. We want to make sure you know which ones are worth your while before downloading and paying for a service. 

Speed tests

  • Speed test results: Bitdefender VPN dropped our download speeds by an average of 27%.

Before testing Bitdefender VPN, we recorded our internet speed without having the VPN connected (known as the baseline speed). Then, we connected to servers in countries worldwide to calculate the impact it had on our speeds.

No VPN US to US US to CA US to EU US to AU
Download speed 403.29 Mbps 396.71 Mbps 285.01 Mbps 301.19 Mbps 195.93 Mbps
Upload speed 429.24 Mbps 412.18 Mbps 431.60 Mbps 420.40 Mbps 333.01 Mbps
Latency (ping) 18 ms 30 ms 55 ms 117 ms 224 ms
Download speed % difference N/A -1.63% -29.33% -25.32% -51.42%
Upload speed % difference N/A -3.97% +0.55% -2.06% -22.42%
Latency % difference N/A +66.67% 205.56% +550.00% +1,144.44%
Test results as of 04/22/2025.

Bitdefender only barely decreased our speeds with optimal location. We noticed no difference between our internet before and after connecting to the VPN.  

Speed test results for Bitdefender VPN while connected to a server in the U.S. (396.71 download, 412.18 upload, 30 ping)

There were download speed drops with every other server, which is to be expected. As you start selecting server locations that are farther from your physical location, your data will have to travel longer, hence the decrease in speed. 

Bitdefender VPN's speed test results while connected to an Australian server

You'll also see an increase in latency. Conversely, it's better for your latency to be low because websites will load faster and you'll experience less lag and buffering. However, we never noticed any actual lag with Bitdefender. 

Overall, Bitdefender VPN had great speed performance across all the servers we tested. 

Netflix tests

  • Netflix test results: Bitdefender VPN unblocked all four Netflix libraries we tested. 

We also tested Bitdefender's streaming abilities against Netflix, a streaming service that consistently tries to stop VPN usage. A VPN that works with your streaming service of choice is a bonus.

US to US US to CA US to UK US to AU
Did it work with Netflix?
Test results as of 04/22/2025.

Bitdefender VPN worked like a dream with streaming with all the countries we tested. We also didn’t experience any lag time or loading issues while watching Netflix

Netflix list of top shows in Australia today with Bitdefender VPN in the foreground

DNS and WebRTC leak tests

  • DNS leak test results: Bitdefender VPN passed its DNS leak test.
  • WebRTC leak test results: Bitdefender VPN partially passed its WebRTC leak test.

Domain name system (DNS) is the internet’s phonebook. It translates the language we speak into computer language and back again, so what we type into our web browsers takes us to the page we’re looking for online. This also means that personal information like your IP address is shared in these online interactions.

Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) communicates similarly to DNS by trading information, but when you’re establishing a phone or video connection. In this capacity, there’s also the potential that your IP address is leaked, so making sure your VPN masks it is essential for privacy.

Bitdefender VPN passed the DNS leak test without issue. We only consider the WebRTC leak test to be a partial pass because Browser Leaks detected that something was off with our IP address.

Bitdefender VPN's DNS leak test results (pass)

Bitdefender VPN's WebRTC leak test (pass)

Kill switch test

  • Kill switch test results: Bitdefender VPN failed it's kill switch test.

A kill switch can help keep your IP address secret even if your VPN connection drops. If you're switching between servers or your connection drops, the kill switch will block your internet access so nothing leaks.

We tested Bitdefender VPN's kill switch by connecting to a server in Haiti, then switching to a server in Dominican Republic. If you open ipleak.net before switching servers, it should catch if your internet service provider (ISP) IP address is leaking. 

Unfortunately, ipleak.net flagged AT&T, which is our ISP, so this a failed test. 

Bitdefender VPN's kill switch test results

Bitdefender VPN compatibility

Bitdefender works with The Big Four operating systems, meaning Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. You can download the VPN for your Windows PC or Mac or the mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad. 

It’s important to be able to take your VPN with you, whether it’s on your laptop or phone, as you need more protection on public Wi-Fi than your home network.

Bitdefender VPN customer support

The Bitdefender VPN dashboard offers the option to consult community forums or go to the customer support page. If you choose the support page, you’ll have to navigate a bit through the self-help guides to reach the 24/7 live chat, phone, and email options. 

Access Bitdefender VPN Support Center via the dashboard
Access Bitdefender VPN Support Center via the dashboard

You can also access the Support Center directly from the Bitdefender VPN support website

Support Center

If you need help using Bitdefender VPN, you must navigate through the Support Center to access the 24/7 live chat, phone, and email options. The center offers support categories. From there, you'll answer self-guided questions until you're offered a list of support guides that may help address your issue. 

Navigate through Bitdefender VPN Support Center to get a curated list of guides
Navigate through Bitdefender VPN Support Center to get a curated list of guides

This whole process can be tedious, but it's not wholly ineffective. The guides are comprehensive and include corresponding videos. But if you need more in-depth support than the guides can offer, the center will eventually direct you to other support options.

Chat with a live agent

We reached out to support because we were having problems with the VPN automatically disconnecting. The chat service connected us quickly, but the agent's reply took longer than normal, which made the conversation as a whole take unnecessarily longer.

A live chat conversation with Bitdefender support about Bitdefender VPN connections.

Our agent was great, though. She identified the problem as related to other software on our Mac. We weren’t thrilled that we had to disable our personal antivirus software, but after we did, the VPN issue was fixed. Other than taking a while, we found this support experience to be helpful and pleasant.

Top alternatives

You can download a seven-day free trial of Bitdefender to test it out. If it still isn’t your cup of tea, try one of the suggestions below. Each of these has plenty of features, fast servers, and the ability to unblock streaming services.

Price $3.09–$17.99/mo $1.99–$20.65/mo $2.19–$12.99/mo
Max # of connected devices 10 Unlimited 7
# of servers 7,400+ servers in 118 countries 3,200+ servers in 100 countries Unlisted in 100 countries
VPN protocol NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 OpenVPN, IKEv2. WireGuard
Encryption AES-256-GCM AES-256-GCM AES-256
No-logs policy
Headquarters Panama The Netherlands Romania
Netflix access
Learn more Get NordVPN Get Surfshark Get CyberGhost

FAQs

Is Bitdefender VPN reliable?

Yes, Bitdefender VPN is reliable. While most VPNs included with security products only kind of work, Bitdefender VPN is a strong and effective choice. We were impressed with its ability to unblock streaming with blazing-fast servers.

Does Bitdefender VPN hide your IP address?

Yes, Bitdefender VPN can hide your IP address based on our WebRTC and DNS leak tests. If you activate the kill switch, the VPN will make sure your IP address stays hidden even if your connection drops. This is a great security measure to make sure you stay anonymous.

What payment methods does Bitdefender VPN accept?

Bitdefender VPN accepts credit cards Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, JCB, and Union Pay. It also accepts PayPal and Wire Transfer. There was no option to pay with Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency.

Is Bitdefender VPN better than ExpressVPN?

We think Bitdefender VPN is better when it comes to pricing and server availability. Bitdefender VPN offers a free VPN plan and its starting price is at least half of ExpressVPN's starting price. We also like that Bitdefender VPN is open about its server count, which ExpressVPN keeps hidden.

However, ExpressVPN has servers in twice as many countries (105 to be exact) and its one of the speediest services on the market. The better service will come down to your personal needs. 

Bottom line: Is Bitdefender VPN good?

Based on our testing and research, Bitdefender VPN is a great service. The server and country count are high, and we found all the servers we tested to have consistent quality. 

We like that it includes standard features like a kill switch and split tunneling, plus bonus features like ad and tracker blocking, double-hop servers, and a traffic optimizer. Mix all of this with the ability to access regional streaming libraries, and you have a great VPN.

If Bitdefender VPN isn’t what you’re looking for, then we suggest reviewing our recommended alternatives, which are some of the best VPNs. You can also learn how Bitdefender VPN compares to some of these alternatives:

4.7
Editorial Rating
Learn More
On Bitdefender VPN's website
VPN
Bitdefender VPN
  • VPN with good size server network with thousands of available virtual servers
  • Annual paid plan is reasonably priced compared to other premium VPN providers
Author Details
Mary is a seasoned cybersecurity writer with over seven years of experience. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University, she educates audiences on scams, antivirus software, and more. Her passion lies in educating audiences on helpful ways to protect their data.
Kate is an Editor at All About Cookies. She has 8+ years of digital publishing experience as a content manager, developmental editor, and curriculum writer. She leverages specializations in EdTech and educational publishing to create impactful, well-researched content that aids learners of all ages.